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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
December 18, 2009
Registration No. 333-162729
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
Form S-4
(Amendment
No. 1)
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933
Sykes Enterprises,
Incorporated
(Exact Name of Registrant as
Specified in its Charter)
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Florida
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7373
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56-1383460
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(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)
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(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
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(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
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400 North Ashley Drive
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 274-1000
(Address, including Zip Code,
and Telephone Number, including Area Code, of Registrants
Principal Executive Offices)
James T. Holder, Esq.
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated
400 North Ashley Drive
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 274-1000
(Name, Address, including Zip
Code, and Telephone Number, including Area Code, of Agent for
Service
Copies to:
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Paul R. Lynch, Esq.
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
101 E. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 2800
Tampa, FL 33602
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Richard B. Aldridge, Esq.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1701 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
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Approximate date of commencement of the proposed sale of the
securities to the public: As soon as practicable
after this Registration Statement becomes effective and upon
completion of the merger described in the enclosed proxy
statement/prospectus.
If the securities being registered on this Form are being
offered in connection with the formation of a holding company
and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check
the following
box. o
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an
offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, check the following box and list the
Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated
filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of
large accelerated filer, accelerated
filer and smaller reporting company in Rule
12b-2 of the
Exchange Act. (Check one):
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Large
accelerated
filer o
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Accelerated
filer þ
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Non-accelerated
filer o
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Smaller
reporting
company o
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(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
If applicable, place an
ü
in the box to designate the appropriate rule provision relied
upon in conducting this transaction:
Exchange Act
Rule 13e-4(i)
(Cross-Border Issuer Tender
Offer) o
Exchange Act
Rule 14d-1(d)
(Cross-Border Third-Party Tender
Offer) o
Information
contained herein is subject to completion or amendment. A
registration statement relating to these securities has been
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These
securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted
prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective.
This document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of any offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of
these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or
qualification under the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction.
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PRELIMINARY
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED DECEMBER 18,
2009
Dear Fellow Shareholder:
You are cordially invited to attend the upcoming special meeting
of shareholders of ICT Group, Inc. (ICT) to be held
on [ ], 2009, at [ ]
a.m. Eastern Time at ICTs corporate headquarters
located at 100 Brandywine Boulevard, Newtown, PA 18940. As we
announced on October 6, 2009, ICT and Sykes Enterprises,
Incorporated (Sykes) entered into an Agreement and
Plan of Merger, dated as of October 5, 2009 (as it may be
amended from time to time, the merger agreement),
which provides for a merger in which ICT will become a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes. If the merger is completed,
each of the issued and outstanding shares of ICT will be
converted into the right to receive consideration valued at
$15.38, subject to adjustment as described below. The
consideration per share of ICT common stock is payable as
follows: (i) $7.69 is payable in cash without interest, and
(ii) the remainder is payable by delivery of a number of
shares of Sykes common stock equal to the exchange ratio
described below divided by two (2). Except as described below,
the exchange ratio will be the quotient determined by dividing
$15.38 by the volume weighted average of the per share sales
prices of Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive trading
days ending on (and including) the third trading day immediately
prior to the effective time of the merger (the measurement
value). The exchange ratio is subject to a symmetrical
collar of 7.5% above and 7.5% below $20.8979, which is the
volume weighted average of the per share sales prices of Sykes
common stock for the ten consecutive trading days ending on
October 2, 2009, the last trading day immediately prior to
the date of the merger agreement. Within this collar, the
exchange ratio will be determined pursuant to the calculation
described above. If, however, the measurement value is equal to
or less than $19.3306, then the exchange ratio will be 0.7956,
and 0.3978 shares of Sykes common stock will be issued for
each share of ICT common stock. If the measurement value is
equal to or greater than $22.4652, then the exchange ratio will
be 0.6846, and 0.3423 shares of Sykes common stock will be
issued for each share of ICT common stock. As the exchange ratio
will not be determinable until the close of business on the
third trading day immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger, and the merger will not become effective until all of
the conditions to closing have been met or waived, the exchange
ratio will not be known for certain by the time of the meeting.
The ICT board of directors has approved and declared advisable
the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated by the
merger agreement and has determined that the merger agreement
and the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement,
including the merger, are advisable and are fair to, and in the
best interests of, ICT and its shareholders. Therefore, the
ICT board of directors recommends that you vote FOR
the adoption of the merger agreement.
The common stock of Sykes and ICT are traded on the NASDAQ stock
market under the symbols SYKE and ICTG,
respectively. Based on the closing price of Sykes common stock
on the NASDAQ stock market on October 5, 2009, the last
trading day before public announcement of the merger agreement,
the merger consideration represented $15.38 in value for each
share of ICT common stock. Based on the closing price of Sykes
common stock on the NASDAQ stock market on [ ],
2009, the latest practicable date before the date of the
accompanying proxy statement/prospectus, the merger
consideration represented approximately $[ ] in
value for each share of ICT common stock. Sykes and ICT expect
that the merger will qualify as a reorganization
under Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. The
material federal tax consequences of the merger are complex and
are discussed in the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus.
We are asking you to vote to adopt the merger agreement at the
special meeting of shareholders of ICT. We will not transact any
other business at this meeting.
The ICT board of directors recommends that ICT shareholders
vote FOR the proposal to adopt the merger
agreement.
Your vote is very important. Whether or not you expect to
attend the meeting in person, we urge you to submit your proxy
as promptly as possible by marking, signing and dating the
enclosed proxy card and returning it in the postage-paid
envelope provided. If you have any questions about the
merger or need assistance voting your shares, please call
Georgeson Inc., which is assisting ICT with the solicitation of
proxies, toll-free at 1-866-316-2778 or call collect at
1-212-440-9800.
The obligations of Sykes and ICT to complete the merger are
subject to several conditions set forth in the merger agreement
and summarized in the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus.
More information about Sykes, ICT, the meeting and the merger is
contained in the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus. You
are encouraged to read carefully the accompanying proxy
statement/prospectus in its entirety including the section
titled Risk Factors beginning on page 30.
On behalf of the ICT board of directors, thank you for your
continued support.
Sincerely,
John J. Brennan
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor
any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of
the securities to be issued under the accompanying proxy
statement/prospectus or determined that the accompanying proxy
statement/prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation
to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The accompanying proxy statement/prospectus is dated
[ ], 2009 and is first being mailed to the
shareholders of ICT on or about [ ], 2009.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
The accompanying proxy statement/prospectus incorporates
important business and financial information about Sykes and ICT
from other documents that are not included in or delivered with
the proxy statement/prospectus. This information is available to
you without charge upon your request. You can obtain the
documents incorporated by reference into the proxy
statement/prospectus by requesting them in writing or by
telephone from the appropriate company at the following
addresses and telephone numbers:
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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated
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ICT Group, Inc.
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400 North Ashley Drive
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100 Brandywine Boulevard
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Tampa, FL 33602
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Newtown, PA 18940
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Attn: Investor Relations
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Attn: Secretary
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Tel: 1-813-233-7143
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Tel: 1-267-685-5000
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In addition, if you have questions about the merger or the proxy
statement/prospectus, would like additional copies of the proxy
statement/prospectus or need to obtain proxy cards or other
information related to the proxy solicitation, you may contact
Georgeson Inc., ICTs proxy solicitor, at the address and
telephone number listed below. You will not be charged for any
of these documents that you request.
Georgeson
Inc.
199 Water Street,
26th Floor
New York, NY 10038
1-866-316-2778
(toll free) or 1-212-440-9800 (call collect)
In order to receive timely delivery of the documents in
advance of the special meeting of shareholders, you must request
the information no later than [ ], 2009.
For more information, see Where You Can Find More
Information beginning on page 118.
100
Brandywine Boulevard
Newtown, PA 18940
Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders
To the Shareholders of ICT Group, Inc. (ICT):
We are pleased to invite you to attend the upcoming special
meeting of shareholders of ICT (the meeting), which
will be held on [ ], 2009 at
[ ] a.m., Eastern Time, at ICTs corporate
headquarters located at 100 Brandywine Boulevard, Newtown, PA
18940, to consider and vote on a proposal to adopt the Agreement
and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 5, 2009 (as it may
be amended from time to time, the merger agreement),
among Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated (Sykes), SH
Merger Subsidiary I, Inc., a direct wholly-owned subsidiary
of Sykes, SH Merger Subsidiary II, LLC, a direct wholly-owned
subsidiary of Sykes, and ICT, pursuant to which Sykes and ICT
have agreed to a merger (the merger) pursuant to
which ICT will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes. A copy
of the merger agreement is attached as Annex A to the proxy
statement/prospectus accompanying this notice.
Please refer to the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus with
respect to the business to be transacted at the meeting. The
ICT board of directors has determined that the merger agreement
and the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement,
including the merger, are advisable and are fair to, and in the
best interests of, ICT and its shareholders and recommends that
ICT shareholders vote FOR the proposal to adopt the
merger agreement.
The ICT board of directors has chosen the close of business on
November 23, 2009, as the record date that will
determine the shareholders who are entitled to receive notice
of, and to vote at, the meeting or at any adjournment or
postponement of the meeting. A list of the names of ICT
shareholders of record will be available for inspection at the
meeting.
Only holders of record of ICT common stock at the close of
business on the record date are entitled to receive notice of,
and to vote at, the meeting. Adoption of the merger agreement by
the ICT shareholders is a condition to the merger and requires
the affirmative vote of a majority of votes cast by the holders
of the ICT common stock represented at the meeting, in person or
by proxy.
As authorized by the board of directors,
Jeffrey C. Moore
Secretary
Newtown, Pennsylvania
[ ], 2009
YOUR VOTE
IS IMPORTANT!
WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON, WE
URGE YOU TO SUBMIT YOUR PROXY AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE BY
MARKING, SIGNING AND DATING THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AND
RETURNING IT IN THE POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE PROVIDED. You may
revoke your proxy at any time before the meeting. If you hold
shares through a bank, broker or other nominee, you may instruct
your broker, bank or other nominee to vote your shares by
following the instructions that the broker, bank or nominee
provides to you with these materials.
The accompanying proxy statement/prospectus provides a detailed
description of the merger and the merger agreement. We urge you
to read the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus, including
any documents incorporated by reference into the accompanying
proxy statement/prospectus, and its annexes carefully and in
their entirety. If you have any questions concerning the merger
or the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus, would like
additional copies of the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus
or need help voting your shares of ICT common stock, please
contact ICTs proxy solicitor:
Georgeson
Inc.
199 Water Street,
26th Floor
New York, NY 10038
1-866-316-2778
(toll free)
1-212-440-9800
(call collect)
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy
Materials for ICTs Special Meeting of Shareholders to Be
Held on [ ] , 2009: The accompanying
proxy statement/prospectus are available at www.ICTgroup.com
in the Investors section under Special Meeting Materials.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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iii
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1
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11
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13
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13
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14
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15
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17
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18
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29
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30
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35
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35
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35
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36
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36
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36
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38
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38
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38
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48
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51
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58
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59
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62
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70
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70
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71
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72
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72
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75
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75
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76
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77
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77
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78
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78
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78
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78
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79
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80
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EX-5: OPINION OF SHUMAKER, LOOP & KENDRICK, LLP
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EX-8.1: OPINION OF SHUMAKER, LOOP & KENDRICK, LLP AS TO
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CERTAIN TAX MATTERS
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EX-8.2: OPINION OF MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP AS TO
CERTAIN TAX MATTERS
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EX-15: AWARENESS LETTER OF DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
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EX-23.1: CONSENT OF SHUMAKER, LOOP & KENDRICK, LLP
(included in Exhibits 5 and 8.1 hereto)
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EX-23.2: CONSENT OF MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP
(included in Exhibit 8.2 hereto)
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EX-23.3: CONSENT OF KPMG LLP
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EX-23.4: CONSENT OF DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
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EX-99.1: FORM OF ICT PROXY CARD
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EX-99.2: CONSENT OF GREENHILL & CO., LLC
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ii
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE MERGER AND
VOTING PROCEDURES FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING
The following are some questions that you, as a shareholder
of ICT Group, Inc. (ICT), may have regarding the
merger being considered at ICTs special meeting of
shareholders to be held on [ ], 2009, which is
referred to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the
meeting, the voting procedures for the meeting and
the answers to those questions. You are urged to carefully read
this proxy statement/prospectus and the other documents referred
to in this proxy statement/prospectus in their entirety because
the information in this section does not provide all of the
information that might be important to you with respect to the
merger. Additional important information is contained in the
annexes to, and the documents incorporated by reference into,
this proxy statement/prospectus.
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Q: |
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Why am I receiving this document? |
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A: |
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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated (Sykes) and ICT have
agreed to a merger, pursuant to which ICT will become a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes and will no longer be a
publicly-held corporation, which is referred to in this proxy
statement/prospectus as the merger. In order to complete the
merger, ICT shareholders must vote to adopt the Agreement and
Plan of Merger, dated as of October 5, 2009, among Sykes,
SH Merger Subsidiary I, Inc., a direct wholly-owned
subsidiary of Sykes, SH Merger Subsidiary II, LLC, a direct
wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes, and ICT, which is referred to
in this proxy statement/prospectus as the merger agreement.
Sykes and ICT are delivering this document to you as both a
proxy statement of ICT and a prospectus of Sykes. It is a proxy
statement because the ICT board of directors is soliciting
proxies from its shareholders to vote on the adoption of the
merger agreement at ICTs special meeting of shareholders
to be held on [ ], 2009, and your proxy will be
used at the meeting or at any adjournment or postponement of the
meeting. It is a prospectus because Sykes will issue Sykes
common stock to the ICT shareholders in the merger. |
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What will ICT shareholders receive in the merger? |
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If the merger is completed, each of the issued and outstanding
shares of ICT common stock will be converted into the right to
receive consideration valued at $15.38, subject to adjustment as
described below. The consideration per share of ICT common stock
is payable as follows: (i) $7.69 is payable in cash without
interest, and (ii) the remainder is payable by delivery of
a number of shares of Sykes common stock equal to the exchange
ratio described below divided by two (2). Except as described
below, the exchange ratio will be the quotient determined by
dividing $15.38 by the volume weighted average of the per share
sales prices of Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive
trading days ending on (and including) the third trading day
immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, which is
referred to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the
measurement value. The exchange ratio is subject to a
symmetrical collar of 7.5% above and 7.5% below $20.8979, which
is the volume weighted average of the per share sales prices of
Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive trading days ending
on October 2, 2009, the last trading day immediately prior
to the date of the merger agreement. Within this collar, the
exchange ratio will be determined pursuant to the calculation
described above. If, however, the measurement value is equal to
or less than $19.3306, then the exchange ratio will be 0.7956,
and 0.3978 shares of Sykes common stock will be issued for
each share of ICT common stock. If the measurement value is
equal to or greater than $22.4652, then the exchange ratio will
be 0.6846, and 0.3423 shares of Sykes common stock will be
issued for each share of ICT common stock. |
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Do I need to send in my stock certificates now? |
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No. A letter of transmittal will be mailed
separately to ICT shareholders promptly after the effective time
of the merger, and ICT shareholders should send their ICT stock
certificates with the completed letter of transmittal. The
method of transmitting the ICT stock certificates is at your
option and risk, but if delivery is by mail, then registered
mail with return receipt requested, properly insured, is
suggested. |
iii
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Are there risks I should consider in deciding whether to vote
for the adoption of the merger agreement? |
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Yes. The merger and the transactions contemplated by the
merger agreement are subject to a number of risks and
uncertainties. Before deciding whether to vote for or against
the adoption of the merger agreement, you should carefully
consider the risks set forth in Risk Factors and
other information included or incorporated by reference in this
proxy statement/prospectus. |
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What will happen to ICT stock options and restricted stock
units in the merger? |
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Each outstanding ICT stock option, whether or not then vested
and exercisable, will become fully vested and exercisable
immediately prior to, and then will be canceled at, the
effective time of the merger, and the holder of such option will
be entitled to receive an amount in cash, without interest and
less any applicable taxes to be withheld, equal to (i) the
excess, if any, of (1) $15.38 over (2) the exercise
price per share of ICT common stock subject to such ICT stock
option, multiplied by (ii) the total number of shares of
ICT common stock underlying such ICT stock option, with the
aggregate amount of such payment rounded up to the nearest cent.
If the exercise price is equal to or greater than $15.38, then
the stock option will be canceled without any payment to the
stock option holder. |
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Also at the effective time of the merger, each outstanding
restricted stock unit (RSU) will become fully vested
and then will be canceled and the holder of such vested awards
will be entitled to receive $15.38 in cash, without interest and
less any applicable taxes to be withheld, in respect of each
share of ICT common stock into which the RSU would otherwise be
convertible. |
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The payment for the options and RSUs will be made as soon as
practicable after the effective time of the merger, but in no
event later than ten business days thereafter. |
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Are there any other matters to be addressed at the
meeting? |
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No. No other matters may be brought before the
meeting. |
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What is a proxy and how do I vote? |
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A proxy is a legal designation of another person to vote your
shares on your behalf. If you hold shares in your own name, you
may submit a proxy for your shares by simply filling out,
signing and dating your proxy card and mailing it in the prepaid
envelope included with these proxy materials. You will need to
follow the instructions when you submit a proxy to make sure
your shares will be voted at the meeting. You also may vote by
submitting a ballot in person if you attend the meeting.
However, ICT encourages you to submit a proxy by mail by
completing your proxy card even if you plan to attend the
meeting. If you hold shares through a broker, bank or other
nominee, you may instruct your broker, bank or other nominee to
vote your shares by following the instructions that the broker,
bank or nominee provides to you with these materials. Most
brokers offer the ability for shareholders to submit voting
instructions by mail by completing a voting instruction card, by
telephone and via the Internet. If you hold shares through a
broker, bank or other nominee and wish to vote your shares at
the meeting, you must obtain a legal proxy from your broker,
bank or nominee and present it to the inspector of election with
your ballot when you vote at the meeting. |
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Will the exchange ratio be determinable before the
meeting? |
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No. The exchange ratio will be determined with
reference to the volume weighted average of the per share sales
prices of Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive trading
days ending on (and including) the third trading day immediately
prior to the effective time of the merger. While it is presently
anticipated that the merger will become effective on the day
following the meeting if all of the conditions to closing have
been met or waived by such date, there can be no assurance that
the merger will become effective on that day, or at all.
Numerous factors could cause the parties to delay the
effectiveness of the merger after the meeting, including the
failure of any of the closing conditions to be satisfied by such
date. The merger agreement requires only that the closing of the
merger occur as soon as possible, but no later than two business
days, following the satisfaction or (subject to applicable law)
waiver of the conditions to closing. |
iv
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When is this proxy statement/prospectus being mailed? |
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A: |
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This proxy statement/prospectus and the proxy card are first
being sent to ICT shareholders on or about [ ],
2009. |
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When and where will the meeting be held? |
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The meeting will be held at ICTs corporate headquarters
located at 100 Brandywine Boulevard, Newtown, PA 18940 on
[ ], 2009 at [ ] a.m., Eastern
Time. |
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Who is entitled to vote at the meeting? |
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A: |
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All holders of ICT common stock who held shares at the close of
business on the record date (November 23,
2009) are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the
meeting, provided that such shares remain outstanding on the
date of the meeting. |
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Why is my vote important? |
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If you do not submit a proxy or vote in person at the meeting,
it will be more difficult for ICT to obtain the necessary quorum
to hold the meeting. If you hold your shares through a broker,
your broker will not be able to cast a vote on the adoption of
the merger agreement without instructions from you. The ICT
board of directors recommends that you vote FOR the
adoption of the merger agreement. |
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How many shares may be voted at the meeting? |
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A: |
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All shareholders who hold shares of ICT common stock at the
close of business on the record date
(November 23, 2009) are entitled to vote at the
meeting. As of the close of business on the record date, there
were 16,311,903 shares of ICT common stock outstanding and
entitled to vote at the meeting. Each share of common stock is
entitled to one vote. |
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Q: |
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What constitutes a quorum for the meeting? |
|
A: |
|
A majority of the outstanding shares of common stock being
present in person or represented by proxy constitutes a quorum
for the meeting. |
|
Q: |
|
How many votes are required for the adoption of the merger
agreement? |
|
A: |
|
Adoption of the merger agreement requires the affirmative vote
of a majority of votes cast by the holders of the ICT common
stock represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy. |
|
Q: |
|
Have any shareholders committed to vote in favor of the
adoption of the merger agreement? |
|
|
|
A: |
|
Yes. John J. Brennan, who serves as a Director and our
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Donald P.
Brennan, who serves as a Director and Vice Chairman, and certain
other affiliated shareholders, have entered into a voting
agreement with Sykes under which they have agreed to vote in
favor of the adoption of the merger agreement with respect to
6,329,289 shares of ICT common stock over which they hold
voting control, or approximately 39% of the outstanding shares
of ICT common stock as of the close of business on the record
date. |
|
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|
Q: |
|
Can I keep my vote secret? |
|
|
|
A: |
|
Yes. You may request that your vote be kept secret until
after the meeting by asking ICT to do so on your proxy card. |
|
|
|
Q: |
|
How will abstentions be counted? |
|
A: |
|
Abstentions are counted as present and entitled to vote for
purposes of determining a quorum. If you abstain from voting on
the adoption of the merger agreement, you will effectively not
vote on that matter at the meeting. Abstentions are not
considered to be votes cast under the ICT bylaws or under the
laws of Pennsylvania (our jurisdiction of incorporation) and
will have no effect on the outcome of the vote. |
v
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|
Q: |
|
How will my shares be represented at the meeting? |
|
A: |
|
At the meeting, the officers named in your proxy card will vote
your shares in the manner you requested if you correctly
submitted your proxy. If you hold your shares directly (not in
street name through a broker, bank or other nominee)
and you sign your proxy card and return it without indicating
how you would like to vote your shares, your proxy will be voted
as the ICT board of directors recommends, which is FOR
the adoption of the merger agreement. |
|
Q: |
|
What happens if I sell my shares after the record date but
before the meeting? |
|
A: |
|
The record date of the meeting is earlier than the date of the
meeting and the date that the merger is expected to be
completed. If you transfer your ICT shares after the record date
but before the date of the meeting, you will retain your right
to vote at the meeting (provided that such shares remain
outstanding on the date of the meeting), but you will not have
the right to receive the merger consideration to be received by
ICTs shareholders in the merger. In order to receive the
merger consideration, you must hold your shares through
completion of the merger. |
|
Q: |
|
What do I do if I receive more than one proxy
statement/prospectus or set of voting instructions? |
|
A: |
|
If you hold shares directly as a record holder and also in
street name, or otherwise through a broker, bank or
other nominee, you may receive more than one proxy
statement/prospectus and/or set of voting instructions relating
to the meeting. These should each be voted and/or returned
separately in order to ensure that all of your shares are voted. |
|
Q: |
|
Am I entitled to seek dissenters rights if I do not
vote in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement? |
|
A: |
|
No. Under Pennsylvania law, record holders of ICT common
stock who do not vote in favor of the adoption of the merger
agreement will not be entitled to seek dissenters rights
in connection with the merger. A holder of ICT common stock who
receives shares of Sykes common stock in the merger and who does
not wish to be a Sykes shareholder may elect to sell his or her
shares at any time in the public market at the value set by the
market. |
|
Q: |
|
If my shares of ICT common stock are held in street name by
my broker, will my broker automatically vote my shares for
me? |
|
A: |
|
No. If your shares are held in an account at a
broker, you must instruct the broker on how to vote your shares.
If you do not provide voting instructions to your broker, your
shares will not be voted on any proposal on which your broker
does not have discretionary authority to vote. This is called a
broker non-vote. In these cases, the broker can register your
shares as being present at the meeting for purposes of
determining the presence of a quorum but will not be able to
vote on those matters for which specific authorization is
required. Because approval is based on the affirmative vote of a
majority of the votes cast, and a broker non-vote is not a vote
cast, broker non-votes will have no effect on the vote regarding
adoption of the merger agreement. |
|
Q: |
|
Can I revoke my proxy? |
|
|
|
A: |
|
Yes. You may revoke your proxy at any time before the
meeting. If you are a shareholder of record, you can revoke your
proxy before it is exercised by written notice to the Office of
the Secretary of ICT, by timely delivery of a valid, later-dated
proxy card, or by voting by ballot in person if you attend the
meeting. Simply attending the meeting will not revoke your
proxy. If you hold shares through a broker, bank or other
nominee, you may submit new voting instructions by contacting
your broker, bank or other nominee. |
|
|
|
Q: |
|
Who may attend the meeting? |
|
A: |
|
ICT shareholders of record (or their authorized representatives)
and ICTs invited guests may attend the meeting.
Verification of stock ownership will be required at the meeting.
If you own your shares in your own name or hold them through a
broker, bank or other nominee (and can provide documentation
showing ownership such as a letter from your broker, bank or
nominee or a recent account statement) at the close |
vi
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|
|
|
of business on the record date (November 23, 2009), you
will be permitted to attend the meeting. Shareholders may call
the Office of the Secretary of ICT at 1-267-685-5000 to obtain
directions to the meeting. |
|
|
|
Q: |
|
Will cameras and recording devices be permitted at the
meeting? |
|
A: |
|
No. Shareholders are not permitted to bring cameras
or recording equipment into the meeting room. |
|
Q: |
|
Will a proxy solicitor be used? |
|
|
|
A: |
|
Yes. ICT has engaged Georgeson Inc. to assist in the
solicitation of proxies for the meeting and ICT estimates it
will pay Georgeson a fee of approximately $7,500. ICT has also
agreed to reimburse Georgeson for reasonable
out-of-pocket
expenses and disbursements incurred in connection with the proxy
solicitation and to indemnify Georgeson against certain losses,
costs and expenses. In addition, our officers and employees may
request the return of proxies by telephone or in person, but no
additional compensation will be paid to them. |
|
|
|
Q: |
|
Who should I call with questions? |
|
|
|
A: |
|
ICT shareholders should call Georgeson Inc., ICTs proxy
solicitor, toll-free at 1-866-316-2778 or collect at
1-212-440-9800
with any questions about the merger, or to obtain additional
copies of this proxy statement/prospectus or additional proxy
cards. |
vii
SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information from this proxy
statement/prospectus. It may not contain all of the information
that is important to you. You are urged to carefully read the
entire proxy statement/prospectus and the other documents
referred to in this proxy statement/prospectus because the
information in this section does not provide all the information
that might be important to you with respect to the merger
agreement and the merger. See Where You Can Find More
Information beginning on page 118. Each item in this
summary refers to the page of this proxy statement/prospectus on
which that subject is discussed in more detail.
Information
about the Companies (page 35)
Sykes
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated, a Florida corporation, and its
consolidated subsidiaries, provides outsourced customer contact
management solutions and services in the business process
outsourcing arena to companies, primarily within the
communications, financial services, healthcare,
technology/consumer and transportation and leisure industries.
Sykes provides flexible, high quality outsourced customer
contact management services (with an emphasis on inbound
technical support and customer service), which includes customer
assistance, healthcare and roadside assistance, technical
support and product sales to its clients customers.
Utilizing Sykes integrated onshore/offshore global
delivery model, Sykes provides its services through multiple
communications channels encompassing phone,
e-mail, Web
and chat. Sykes complements its outsourced customer contact
management services with various enterprise support services in
the United States that encompass services for a companys
internal support operations, from technical staffing services to
outsourced corporate help desk services. In Europe, Sykes also
provides fulfillment services including multilingual sales order
processing via the Internet and phone, payment processing,
inventory control, product delivery and product returns
handling. Sykes has operations in two geographic regions
entitled (1) the Americas, which includes the United
States, Canada, Latin America, India and the Asia Pacific Rim,
in which the client base primarily consists of companies in the
United States that are using Sykes services to support
their customer management needs; and (2) EMEA, which
includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Sykes common stock (NASDAQ: SYKE) is listed on the NASDAQ stock
market. The principal executive offices of Sykes are located at
400 North Ashley Drive, Tampa, FL 33602, and its telephone
number is
(813) 274-1000.
Additional information about Sykes and its subsidiaries is
included in documents incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus. See Where You Can Find More
Information beginning on page 118.
SH
Merger Subsidiary I, Inc.
SH Merger Subsidiary I, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation
and direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes (Merger
Sub), was formed solely for the purpose of consummating
the merger with ICT. It has not carried on any activities to
date, except for activities incidental to its formation and
activities undertaken in connection with the transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement. Its principal executive
offices are located at 400 North Ashley Drive, Tampa, FL 33602,
and its telephone number is
(813) 274-1000.
SH
Merger Subsidiary II, LLC
SH Merger Subsidiary II, LLC, a Florida limited liability
company and direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes
(Merger Sub II), was formed solely for the purpose
of merging with ICT following its merger with Merger Sub, with
Merger Sub II being the surviving entity in such merger. It
has not carried on any activities to date, except for activities
incidental to its formation and activities undertaken in
connection with the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement. Its principal executive offices are located at 400
North Ashley Drive, Tampa, FL 33602, and its telephone
number is
(813) 274-1000.
1
ICT
ICT Group, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, is a leading global
provider of outsourced customer management and business process
outsourcing (BPO) solutions. ICTs comprehensive mix of
customer service, technology and back-office solutions includes:
customer care/retention, cross-selling/upselling, technical
support and collections, database marketing, data
entry/management,
e-mail
response management, remittance processing and other back-office
business processing services.
ICT also offers a comprehensive suite of BPO technologies, which
are available on a hosted basis, for use by clients at their own
in-house facilities, or on a co-sourced basis in conjunction
with ICTs fully integrated, multi-channel operations
centers. These technologies include: interactive voice response
(IVR) and advanced speech recognition (ASR), outbound alert
notification/messaging, automatic call distribution (ACD) voice
processing, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), contact
management, automated
e-mail
management and processing and Web self-help, for the delivery of
consistent, quality customer care across multiple channels.
ICTs common stock (NASDAQ: ICTG) is listed on the NASDAQ
stock market. The principal executive offices of ICT are located
at 100 Brandywine Boulevard, Newtown, PA 18940, and its
telephone number is
(267) 685-5000.
Additional information about ICT and its subsidiaries is
included in documents incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus. See Where You Can Find More
Information beginning on page 118.
The
Merger (page 77)
Sykes, Merger Sub, Merger Sub II, and ICT entered into the
merger agreement on October 5, 2009. Subject to the terms
and conditions of the merger agreement, Merger Sub will be
merged with and into ICT, with ICT continuing as the interim
surviving corporation, which activity is referred to in this
proxy statement/prospectus as the merger. Immediately following
the effectiveness of the merger, the interim surviving
corporation will be merged with and into Merger Sub II, with
Merger Sub II surviving and continuing as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Sykes, which activity is referred to in this proxy
statement/prospectus as the upstream merger. Throughout this
proxy statement/prospectus, the merger and the upstream merger
are referred to collectively as the mergers or the transaction.
It is intended that the upstream merger will, through the
binding commitment of the parties to the merger agreement, be
effected immediately after the effective time of the merger
without further approval, authorization or direction from or by
any of the parties to the merger agreement. The term surviving
entity is sometimes used in this proxy statement/prospectus to
refer to Merger Sub II as the surviving entity following
the upstream merger.
A copy of the merger agreement is attached as Annex A to
this proxy statement/prospectus. You are encouraged to
read the merger agreement carefully in its entirety because it
is the legal agreement that governs the transaction.
Merger
Consideration (page 78)
Under the merger agreement, each share of ICT common stock held
by an ICT shareholder will be converted into the right to
receive consideration valued at $15.38, subject to adjustment as
described below. The consideration per share of ICT common stock
is payable as follows: (i) $7.69 is payable in cash without
interest, and (ii) the remainder is payable by delivery of
a number of shares of Sykes common stock equal to the exchange
ratio described below divided by two (2). Except as described
below, the exchange ratio will be the quotient determined by
dividing $15.38 by the volume weighted average of the per share
sales prices of Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive
trading days ending on (and including) the third trading day
immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, referred
to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the measurement value.
The exchange ratio is subject to a symmetrical collar of 7.5%
above and 7.5% below $20.8979, which is the volume weighted
average of the per share sales prices of Sykes common stock for
the ten consecutive trading days ending on October 2, 2009,
the last trading day immediately prior to the date of the merger
agreement. Within this collar, the exchange ratio will be
determined pursuant to the calculation described above. If,
however, the measurement value is equal to or less than
$19.3306, then the exchange ratio will be 0.7956, and
0.3978 shares of Sykes common stock will be issued for each
share of ICT common stock.
2
If the measurement value is equal to or greater than $22.4652,
then the exchange ratio will be 0.6846, and 0.3423 shares
of Sykes common stock will be issued for each share of ICT
common stock.
The table below provides examples of the consideration that will
be paid to each ICT shareholder, assuming the average price of
the Sykes common stock is as indicated.
|
|
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|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Rata Values Reflecting Cash and Stock Consideration
|
Sykes
|
|
|
|
Number of Sykes
|
|
Implied Stock
|
|
Cash
|
|
Average
|
Average
|
|
|
|
Shares to be
|
|
Consideration
|
|
Consideration
|
|
Implied
|
Closing
|
|
Exchange
|
|
issued per
|
|
Value per
|
|
Value per
|
|
Value per
|
Price(1)
|
|
Ratio(2)
|
|
ICT Share
|
|
ICT Share
|
|
ICT Share
|
|
ICT Share
|
|
$
|
26.00
|
|
|
|
0.6846
|
x
|
|
|
0.3423
|
|
|
$
|
8.8998
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
16.5898
|
|
$
|
25.00
|
|
|
|
0.6846
|
x
|
|
|
0.3423
|
|
|
$
|
8.5575
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
16.2475
|
|
$
|
24.00
|
|
|
|
0.6846
|
x
|
|
|
0.3423
|
|
|
$
|
8.2152
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
15.9052
|
|
$
|
23.00
|
|
|
|
0.6846
|
x
|
|
|
0.3423
|
|
|
$
|
7.8729
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
15.5629
|
|
$
|
22.4652
|
(3)
|
|
|
0.6846
|
x
|
|
|
0.3423
|
|
|
$
|
7.6898
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
15.3798
|
|
$
|
22.00
|
|
|
|
0.6991
|
x
|
|
|
0.3495
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
15.38
|
|
$
|
21.00
|
|
|
|
0.7324
|
x
|
|
|
0.3662
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
15.38
|
|
$
|
20.00
|
|
|
|
0.769
|
x
|
|
|
0.3845
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
15.38
|
|
$
|
19.3306
|
(4)
|
|
|
0.7956
|
x
|
|
|
0.3978
|
|
|
$
|
7.6897
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
15.3797
|
|
$
|
19.00
|
|
|
|
0.7956
|
x
|
|
|
0.3978
|
|
|
$
|
7.5582
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
15.2482
|
|
$
|
18.00
|
|
|
|
0.7956
|
x
|
|
|
0.3978
|
|
|
$
|
7.1604
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
14.8504
|
|
$
|
17.00
|
|
|
|
0.7956
|
x
|
|
|
0.3978
|
|
|
$
|
6.7626
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
14.4526
|
|
$
|
16.00
|
|
|
|
0.7956
|
x
|
|
|
0.3978
|
|
|
$
|
6.3648
|
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
14.0548
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Determined by taking the average of the volume weighted average
of the per share sales prices of Sykes common stock for the ten
consecutive trading days ending on (and including) the third
trading day immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger (the measurement value). |
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Within the collar, this amount is determined by dividing $15.38
by the measurement value. |
|
|
|
(3) |
|
No further adjustment will be made to the exchange ratio above
the $22.4652 per share threshold. |
|
|
|
(4) |
|
No further adjustment will be made to the exchange ratio below
the $19.3306 per share threshold. |
Based on the volume weighted average of the per share sales
prices of Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive trading
days ending on
[ ],
2009 ($[ ] per share) and the
number of outstanding shares of ICT common stock on that date,
Sykes estimates that the cash portion of the aggregate merger
consideration will be approximately
$[ ] million and that the number of
shares of Sykes common stock to be issued as the stock portion
of the merger consideration will be approximately
[ ]
million shares with a value of $[ ]
million (based on such volume weighted average price). The
actual amount of the cash merger consideration will be dependent
upon the number of shares of ICT common stock outstanding at the
time the merger becomes effective and the actual number of
shares and value of Sykes common stock to be issued will be
dependent upon the market price of Sykes stock prior to the
effective time of the merger, as described above.
Treatment
of ICT Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units
(page 79)
Each outstanding ICT stock option, whether or not then vested
and exercisable, will become fully vested and exercisable
immediately prior to, and then will be canceled at, the
effective time of the merger, and the holder of such option will
be entitled to receive as soon as practicable after the
effective time of the merger but in no event later than ten
business days following the effective time of the merger an
amount in cash, without interest and less any applicable taxes
to be withheld, equal to (i) the excess, if any, of
(1) $15.38 over (2) the exercise price per share of
ICT common stock subject to such ICT stock option, multiplied by
(ii) the total number of shares of ICT common stock
underlying such ICT stock option, with the aggregate amount of
such payment rounded up to the nearest cent. If the exercise
price is equal to or greater than $15.38, then the
3
stock option will be canceled without any payment to the stock
option holder. Based on the number of outstanding stock options
on
[ ],
2009, Sykes estimates that holders of outstanding stock options
will receive approximately $[ ]
million, based upon an estimated average weighted exercise price
of $[ ].
Also at the effective time of the merger, each outstanding RSU
will become fully vested and then will be canceled and the
holder of such vested awards will be entitled to receive $15.38
in cash, without interest and less any applicable taxes to be
withheld, in respect of each share of ICT common stock into
which the RSU would otherwise be convertible. Based on the
number of outstanding RSUs on
[ ],
2009, Sykes estimates that holders of outstanding RSUs will
receive approximately $[ ] million.
These cash amounts will be paid out as soon as practicable after
the effective time of the merger but in no event later than ten
business days following the effective time of the merger.
Recommendation
of the ICT Board of Directors (page 90)
The ICT board of directors believes that the merger agreement
and the merger are advisable and are fair to, and in the best
interests of, ICT and its shareholders and has approved the
merger and the merger agreement. The ICT board of directors
recommends that ICT shareholders vote FOR adoption
of the merger agreement.
For the factors considered by the ICT board of directors in
reaching its decision to approve the merger agreement, see
Proposal 1: The Merger ICTs Reasons
for the Merger; Recommendation of the ICT Board of
Directors beginning on page 48.
Opinion
of ICTs Financial Advisor (page 51)
On October 5, 2009, Greenhill & Co., LLC
(Greenhill), rendered its oral opinion, which was
subsequently confirmed in writing, to the ICT board of directors
that, as of the date of such opinion and based upon and subject
to the factors, limitations and assumptions set forth in the
opinion, the merger consideration to be received by the holders
of ICT common stock pursuant to the merger agreement was fair,
from a financial point of view, to such holders. The full text
of the written opinion of Greenhill, dated as of October 5,
2009, setting forth, among other things, the assumptions made,
procedures followed, matters considered and the limitations on
the opinion and review undertaken in connection with rendering
the opinion, is attached as Annex B to this proxy
statement/prospectus and is incorporated herein by reference.
Greenhills opinion was for the information of the ICT
board of directors and was rendered to the ICT board of
directors in connection with its consideration of the merger.
The opinion was not intended to be and does not constitute a
recommendation to the ICT board of directors as to whether it
should approve the merger or adopt the merger agreement, nor
does it constitute a recommendation as to whether the holders of
ICT common stock should adopt the merger agreement at any
meeting of shareholders convened in connection with the
merger.
Interests
of ICTs Directors and Executive Officers in the Merger
(page 62)
In considering the recommendation of the ICT board of directors
with respect to the merger agreement, ICT shareholders should be
aware that ICTs directors and executive officers have
interests in the merger that may be different from, or in
addition to, the interests of ICTs shareholders generally.
The ICT board of directors was aware of these interests, and
considered these interests, among other matters, in evaluating
and negotiating the merger agreement and the merger, and in
recommending to the shareholders that the merger agreement be
adopted.
These interests and arrangements include:
|
|
|
|
|
vesting of all unvested ICT stock options held by ICTs
directors and employees (including all current executive
officers) and the cancellation of these stock options with
holders of stock options having a per share exercise price that
is less than $15.38 receiving an amount in cash (without
interest and less tax withholding) equal to (i) the excess
of (1) $15.38 over (2) the per share option exercise
price, multiplied by (ii) the total number of shares of ICT
common stock underlying all such options, but
|
4
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|
|
|
|
stock options having a per share exercise price that is greater
than or equal to $15.38 being canceled without consideration;
|
|
|
|
|
|
vesting of all unvested RSUs held by ICTs directors and
employees (including all current executive officers), and the
cancellation of all vested RSUs in exchange for an amount in
cash (without interest and less tax withholding) equal to $15.38
for each share of ICT common stock into which such RSU would
otherwise be convertible;
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change-in-control
severance agreements with ICTs current executive officers;
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long term incentive plan awards for ICTs current executive
officers; and
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rights to indemnification and directors and officers
liability insurance.
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Regulatory
Approvals Required for the Merger (page 71)
Sykes and ICT have agreed to use their reasonable best efforts
to obtain all regulatory approvals required to complete the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement. These
approvals include approval under, or notices pursuant to, the
Hart-Scott-Rodino
Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976, as amended, referred to in
this proxy statement/prospectus as the HSR Act.
Expected
Timing of the Merger
ICT and Sykes currently expect to complete the merger at the
beginning of the first quarter of 2010, subject to receipt of
ICT shareholder approval and other usual and customary closing
conditions. However, no assurance can be given as to when, or
if, the merger will occur.
Description
of Debt Financing (page 100)
Sykes intends to finance the merger, the costs and expenses
related to the merger and the ongoing working capital of Sykes
and its subsidiaries with two $75 million term loans. One
$75 million term loan will be part of a $150 million
senior credit facility, which also will include a
$75 million revolving facility. Pursuant to a commitment
letter dated October 2, 2009, Sykes existing senior
lender, KeyBank National Association (Key), has,
subject to certain conditions, agreed to serve as lead arranger,
sole book runner and administrative agent with respect to the
$150 million facility and has committed to provide up to
$90 million of the principal amount of the
$150 million facility ($75 million of the term loan
and $15 million of the revolving facility). Key intends to
arrange a syndicate of lenders to provide the balance of the
$150 million facility. The commitment letter will expire on
January 31, 2010, if the merger has not been consummated.
The $150 million facility will replace Sykes existing
senior revolving credit facility provided by Key, the balance of
which was $0 as of December 17, 2009.
On December 11, 2009, Key provided a $75 million
short-term loan to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes.
The final terms of the $150 million facility are subject to
negotiation and to customary closing conditions. Sykes may not
be able to successfully close the loan, and Key may not be able
to fully syndicate the $150 million facility, in which
event Sykes may need to seek alternative or additional financing
or fund the merger using its and its subsidiaries cash and
cash equivalents, which may increase the expense of the merger.
The merger is not contingent on the closing of the
$150 million facility.
Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Transaction
(page 72)
Subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement,
Merger Sub will be merged with and into ICT, with ICT continuing
as the interim surviving corporation, which activity is referred
to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the merger. Immediately
following the effectiveness of the merger, the interim surviving
corporation will be merged with and into Merger Sub II, with
Merger Sub II surviving and continuing as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Sykes, which activity is referred to in this proxy
statement/prospectus as the upstream merger. Throughout this
proxy statement/prospectus, the merger and the upstream
5
merger are referred to collectively as the mergers or the
transaction. It is intended that the upstream merger will,
through the binding commitment of the parties to the merger
agreement, be effected immediately after the effective time of
the merger without further approval, authorization or direction
from or by any of the parties to the merger agreement. The term
surviving entity is sometimes used in this proxy
statement/prospectus to refer to Merger Sub II as the
surviving entity following the upstream merger.
Sykes and ICT expect that the transaction will qualify as a
reorganization under Section 368(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code, and it is a condition to the obligations
of each of Sykes and ICT to complete the transaction that each
receives an opinion from its legal counsel to that effect. If
the transaction qualifies as a reorganization, an
ICT shareholder will recognize gain, if any, but not loss, on
the shareholders shares of ICT common stock, although any
recognized gain would not exceed the amount of cash received in
the merger. Tax matters are very complicated. The tax
consequences of the transaction to you will depend on your own
situation. You are urged to consult your tax advisor for a full
understanding of the U.S. federal, state, local and foreign
tax consequences of the transaction to you.
Dissenters
Rights (page 75)
Under Pennsylvania law, the holders of ICT common stock are not
entitled to dissenters rights with respect to the merger.
Therefore, although holders of ICT common stock may vote against
the adoption of the merger agreement, they will not have the
right under Pennsylvania law to demand payment of the fair
value of their shares from ICT. A holder of ICT common
stock who receives shares of Sykes common stock in the merger
and who does not wish to be a Sykes shareholder may elect to
sell his or her shares at any time in the public market at the
value set by the market.
Listing
of Sykes Stock and Deregistration of ICT Stock
(page 75)
Application will be made by Sykes to have the shares of Sykes
common stock to be issued in the merger approved for listing on
the NASDAQ stock market, where Sykes common stock currently is
traded. If the merger is consummated, ICT common stock will no
longer be listed on the NASDAQ stock market, and will be
deregistered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, which is referred to in this proxy statement/prospectus
as the Exchange Act.
No
Solicitation by ICT (page 88)
Subject to certain exceptions, ICT has agreed not to initiate,
solicit or knowingly encourage any inquiries or the making of
any proposal or offer from any third party relating to an
acquisition of ICT, or enter into an agreement relating to an
acquisition proposal by a third party. Notwithstanding these
restrictions, however, the merger agreement provides that, under
specified circumstances and prior to the adoption by the ICT
shareholders of the merger agreement, in response to an
unsolicited acquisition proposal or inquiry from a third party
who, in the good faith judgment of the ICT board of directors,
is credible and reasonably capable of making a proposal that is
superior to the merger, ICT may furnish information regarding
ICT to, and participate in discussions and negotiations with,
such third party.
Conditions
to Complete the Merger (page 94)
The obligations of each of Sykes, Merger Sub and ICT to complete
the merger are subject to the satisfaction (or, where legally
permissible, waiver) of the following conditions:
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adoption of the merger agreement by ICTs shareholders;
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absence of any statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, injunction (whether temporary, preliminary or
permanent), decision, opinion or decree issued by a court or
other governmental entity that makes the merger illegal or
prohibits the consummation of the merger;
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the applicable waiting period (and any extension thereof) under
the HSR Act having expired or been terminated and antitrust
approvals in any other jurisdictions, if necessary, have been
obtained;
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6
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approval for the listing on the NASDAQ stock market of the Sykes
common stock to be issued to the ICT shareholders in the merger,
subject to official notice of issuance;
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the registration statement on
Form S-4,
of which this proxy statement/prospectus forms a part, having
been declared effective by the SEC, and the absence of an
effective stop order suspending effectiveness of the
Form S-4
or proceedings pending before the SEC for that purpose;
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the representations and warranties of the other party being true
and correct, subject to certain materiality thresholds, as of
the date of the merger agreement and as of the closing date of
the merger;
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the other party having performed or complied with, in all
material respects, all of its material agreements and covenants
under the merger agreement at or prior to the consummation of
the merger; and
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each of ICT and Sykes having received opinions of legal counsel
to the effect that the transaction will be treated as a
reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, which will
require that, among other things, Sykes common stock constitute
at least 40% of the total consideration paid or payable to ICT
shareholders in exchange for their ICT common stock. See
Proposal 1: The Merger Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the
Transaction beginning on page 72.
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Sykes and ICT cannot be certain when, or if, the conditions to
the merger will be satisfied or waived, or that the merger will
be completed.
Closing
(page 78)
Under the terms of the merger agreement, the closing of the
merger will occur as soon as possible, but no later than two
business days, following the satisfaction or (subject to
applicable law) waiver of the conditions to closing (other than
conditions that, by their nature, cannot be satisfied until the
closing of the merger, but subject to fulfillment or waiver of
those conditions).
Termination
of the Merger Agreement (page 96)
Sykes and ICT may mutually agree to terminate the merger
agreement before completing the merger, even after ICT
shareholder approval, as long as the termination is approved by
each of the Sykes board of directors and the ICT board of
directors.
In addition, either of Sykes or ICT may terminate the merger
agreement if:
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the merger has not been consummated by February 28, 2010,
unless all conditions have been satisfied other than the
condition related to receipt of antitrust regulatory approvals,
in which case the date upon which Sykes or ICT may terminate the
merger agreement may be extended to a date not later than
July 2, 2010 (such date, as it may be extended, being
referred to as the termination date);
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a governmental entity in the United States or European Union has
issued a final and non-appealable order, judgment, decision,
opinion, decree or ruling or taken any other action permanently
enjoining or otherwise permanently prohibiting the consummation
of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement;
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ICTs shareholders have failed to adopt the merger
agreement; or
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the other party has breached its respective representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements under the merger agreement
such that the applicable closing conditions would not be
satisfied (and such breach is incapable of being cured prior to
the termination date).
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Sykes may also terminate the merger agreement if the ICT board
of directors changes its recommendation of the merger agreement,
or takes certain other actions or fails to take certain other
actions in a manner that is inconsistent with its recommendation
of the merger agreement.
7
ICT may also terminate the merger agreement if at any time prior
to the adoption of the merger agreement by ICTs
shareholders, the ICT board of directors determines to enter
into an agreement with respect to a superior proposal, but only
if (i) ICT is not in material breach of its agreement not
to solicit alternative proposals and (ii) concurrently with
such termination, ICT pays to Sykes a termination fee of
$7.5 million and ICT reimburses Sykes for up to
$4.5 million of its actual expenses incurred in connection
with the merger.
Termination
Fees and Expenses (page 97)
Termination
Fees
If the merger agreement is terminated under certain
circumstances including, among others, (i) a willful and
material breach by ICT of its representations and warranties at
the time of signing the merger agreement, (ii) a willful
and material breach by ICT of its covenants in the merger
agreement, (iii) those involving a third party acquisition
proposal, or (iv) a change in the ICT board of
directors recommendation of the merger agreement to
ICTs shareholders, ICT will be obligated to pay Sykes a
termination fee of $7.5 million (and, in addition,
reimburse Sykes for up to $4.5 million of Sykes
actual expenses incurred in connection with the merger). In
addition, if the ICT shareholders fail to approve the merger
agreement at the special meeting, ICT will be obligated to
reimburse Sykes for up to $4.5 million of Sykes
actual expenses incurred in connection with merger.
Other
Fees and Expenses
Generally, all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
merger agreement and the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement will be paid by the party incurring those expenses,
with the exception of filing fees and local counsel fees related
to any antitrust filings for which Sykes will be solely
responsible. Sykes and ICT have agreed to share equally all
costs and expenses (other than attorneys and
accountants fees and expenses) incurred in relation to
printing and filing and, as applicable, mailing this proxy
statement/prospectus and the registration statement of which
this proxy statement/prospectus is a part, and any amendments or
supplements thereto, and all SEC and other regulatory filing
fees incurred in connection with the those documents.
Specific
Performance (page 98)
Each party is entitled to seek an injunction or injunctions to
prevent a breach of the merger agreement and to enforce
specifically the terms and provisions of the merger agreement in
the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania located in
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania or if, under applicable law
exclusive jurisdiction over such matter is vested in the federal
courts, in the United States District Court for the Western
District of Pennsylvania. This remedy is in addition to any
other remedy to which the parties are entitled at law or in
equity.
Comparative
Per Share Market Price and Dividend Information
(page 13)
Sykes common stock is listed on the NASDAQ stock market under
the symbol SYKE. ICT common stock is listed on the
NASDAQ stock market under the symbol ICTG. The table
below shows the closing sale prices of Sykes common stock and
ICT common stock as reported on the NASDAQ stock market on
October 5, 2009, the last trading day before the merger
agreement was announced, and on [ ] ,
2009, the last full trading day before the date of this proxy
statement/prospectus. This table also shows the implied value of
the merger consideration proposed for each share of ICT common
stock calculated as described below.
Under the merger agreement, each share of ICT common stock held
by an ICT shareholder will be converted into the right to
receive consideration valued at $15.38, subject to adjustment as
described below. The consideration per share of ICT common stock
is payable as follows: (i) $7.69 is payable in cash without
interest, and (ii) the remainder is payable by delivery of
a number of shares of Sykes common stock equal to the exchange
ratio described below divided by two (2). Except as described
below, the exchange ratio will be the quotient determined by
dividing $15.38 by the volume weighted average of the per share
sales prices of
8
Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive trading days ending
on (and including) the third trading day immediately prior to
the effective time of the merger, referred to in this proxy
statement/prospectus as the measurement value. The exchange
ratio is subject to a symmetrical collar of 7.5% above and 7.5%
below $20.8979, which is the volume weighted average of the per
share sales prices of Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive
trading days ending on October 2, 2009, the last trading
day immediately prior to the date of the merger agreement.
Within this collar, the exchange ratio will be determined
pursuant to the calculation described above. If, however, the
measurement value is equal to or less than $19.3306, then the
exchange ratio will be 0.7956, and 0.3978 shares of Sykes
common stock will be issued for each share of ICT common stock.
If the measurement value is equal to or greater than $22.4652,
then the exchange ratio will be 0.6846, and 0.3423 shares
of Sykes common stock will be issued for each share of ICT
common stock.
However, for purposes of this table only, the implied value of
the merger consideration was calculated by adding (a) the
cash portion of the merger consideration, or $7.69 and
(b) the estimated value of the Sykes common stock that
would be issued as merger consideration based on the closing
price of Sykes common stock on the specified date.
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Implied per Share
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Sykes
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ICT
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Value of Merger
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Common Stock
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Common Stock
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Consideration
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At October 5, 2009
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$
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20.15
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$
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10.55
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$
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15.38
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At [ ], 2009
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$
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[ ]
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$
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[ ]
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$
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[ ]
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The market prices of Sykes common stock and ICT common stock
will fluctuate between the date of this proxy
statement/prospectus and the completion of the merger. No
assurance can be given concerning the market price of Sykes
common stock before or after the effective time of the merger or
ICT common stock before the effective time of the merger.
Neither Sykes nor ICT currently pays dividends on its common
stock. Under the terms of the merger agreement, neither Sykes
nor ICT may declare, set aside or pay any dividends with respect
to their capital stock prior to the effective date of the merger
or the termination of the merger agreement.
Rights of
ICT Shareholders Will Change as a Result of the Merger
(page 104)
ICT shareholders receiving merger consideration will have
different rights once they become Sykes shareholders due to
differences between the governing documents of Sykes and ICT and
differences in the laws of their jurisdictions of incorporation.
These differences are described in detail under Comparison
of Rights of Sykes Shareholders and ICT Shareholders.
ICT
Special Meeting (page 36)
The meeting will be held at ICTs corporate headquarters
located at 100 Brandywine Boulevard, Newtown, PA 18940 on
[ ], 2009 at [ ] a.m.,
Eastern Time. At the meeting, ICT shareholders will be asked to
vote on the adoption of the merger agreement.
Record Date. Only holders of record at the
close of business on November 23, 2009 will be entitled to
vote at the meeting. As of the close of business on the record
date of November 23, 2009, there were 16,311,903 shares of
ICT common stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the
meeting. Each holder of ICT common stock is entitled to one vote
for each share of common stock owned as of the record date.
Required Vote. Adoption of the merger
agreement requires the affirmative vote of a majority of votes
cast by the holders of the ICT common stock represented at the
special meeting, in person or by proxy. Because approval is
based on the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast,
an ICT shareholders failure to vote or an abstention will
have no effect on the vote.
9
As of the close of business on the record date, directors and
executive officers of ICT and their affiliates had the right to
vote 6,804,795 shares of ICT common stock, or approximately 42%
of the voting power of the outstanding ICT common stock. John J.
Brennan, who serves as an ICT Director and Chairman, President
and Chief Executive Officer of ICT, Donald P. Brennan, who
serves as an ICT Director and Vice Chairman, and certain
affiliated shareholders, have entered into a voting agreement
with Sykes under which they have agreed to vote in favor of the
adoption of the merger agreement with respect to
6,329,289 shares of ICT common stock over which they hold
voting control, or approximately 39% of the outstanding shares
of ICT common stock as of the close of business on the record
date. See Voting Agreement beginning on page 98.
No Sykes
Shareholder Approval
Sykes shareholders are not required to adopt the merger
agreement or approve the merger or the issuance of shares of
Sykes common stock as part of the merger consideration.
10
COMPARATIVE
PER SHARE DATA
The following table sets forth selected historical per share
information of Sykes and ICT and unaudited pro forma combined
per share information after giving effect to the merger between
Sykes and ICT, under the acquisition method of accounting,
assuming that $7.69 in cash and 0.3423 of a share of Sykes
common stock had been issued in exchange for each outstanding
share of ICT common stock. The 0.3423 of a Sykes share for each
ICT share assumes a measurement value in excess of $22.4652. The
pro forma shares to be issued assumes the issuance of 5,601,511
Sykes common shares, which is calculated by multiplying 0.3423
by 16,364,333, being the number of shares of ICT common stock
outstanding on December 11, 2009. The ultimate number of
shares to be issued will depend on the volume weighted average
of the per share sales prices of Sykes common stock for the ten
consecutive trading days ending on (and including) the third
trading day immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger and the number of shares of ICT common stock outstanding
at the effective time of the merger. The acquisition method of
accounting is based on Accounting Standards Codification, or
ASC, Topic 805, Business Combinations, or ASC 805,
which Sykes adopted on January 1, 2009, and uses the
fair value concepts defined in ASC 820, Fair Value
Measurements and Disclosures, which Sykes also adopted on
January 1, 2009. The pro forma adjustments reflect the
assets and liabilities of ICT at their preliminary estimated
fair values. Differences between these preliminary estimates and
the final acquisition accounting will occur and these
differences could have a material impact on the unaudited pro
forma combined per share information set forth in the following
table.
In accordance with the requirements of the SEC, the unaudited
pro forma combined and unaudited pro forma ICT per share
equivalent information gives effect to the merger as if the
merger had been effective on January 1, 2008 in the case of
income per share data, and September 30, 2009 in the case
of book value per share data. You should read this information
in conjunction with the selected historical financial
information included elsewhere in this proxy
statement/prospectus, and the historical financial statements of
Sykes and ICT and related notes that have been filed with the
SEC, certain of which are incorporated in this proxy
statement/prospectus by reference. See Selected
Consolidated Historical Financial Data of Sykes beginning
on page 15, Selected Consolidated Historical
Financial Data of ICT beginning on page 17 and
Where You Can Find More Information beginning on
page 118. The unaudited Sykes pro forma combined per share
information is derived from, and should be read in conjunction
with, the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial
statements and related notes included in this proxy
statement/prospectus. See Sykes and ICT Unaudited Pro
Forma Condensed Combined Financial Information beginning
on page 18. The historical per share information of Sykes
and ICT below is derived from audited financial statements as of
and for the year ended December 31, 2008 and the unaudited
financial statements as of and for the nine months ended
September 30, 2009. The unaudited pro forma ICT per share
equivalents are calculated by multiplying the unaudited Sykes
pro forma combined per share amounts by the exchange ratio of
0.6846, divided by two, or 0.3423, and do not take into account
the cash portion of the merger consideration.
11
The unaudited pro forma combined per share information below is
presented for illustrative purposes only and is not necessarily
indicative of the income per share and book value that would
have occurred if the merger had been completed as of the
beginning of the periods presented, nor is it necessarily
indicative of the future operating results or financial position
of the combined company.
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As of and for the
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As of and for the
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Nine Months Ended
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Twelve Months Ended
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Comparative per Share Data
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September 30, 2009
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December 31, 2008
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Sykes Historical
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Historical per common share:
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Earnings per share (basic)
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$
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1.18
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$
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1.49
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Earnings per share (diluted)
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1.17
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1.48
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Book value per share(1)
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10.85
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9.31
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Unaudited Pro Forma Combined
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Unaudited pro forma per common share:(2)
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Earnings per share (basic)
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0.87
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0.60
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Earnings per share (diluted)
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0.87
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0.60
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Book value per share(1)
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12.40
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n/a(4
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ICT Historical
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Historical per common share:
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Earnings (loss) per share (basic)
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0.09
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(1.47
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)
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Earnings (loss) per share (diluted)
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0.09
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(1.47
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)
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Book value per share(1)
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7.96
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7.50
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Unaudited Pro Forma ICT Equivalents
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Unaudited pro forma per equivalent ICT share(3):
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Earnings per share (basic)
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0.30
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0.21
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Earnings per share (diluted)
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0.30
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0.21
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Book value per share
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4.24
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n/a(4
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(1) |
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The book value per share is computed by dividing total
shareholders equity by the number of shares of common
stock issued and outstanding at the end of the period. |
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(2) |
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The pro forma combined shares outstanding assumes the issuance
of 5,601,511 shares of Sykes common stock outstanding for the
entire period, which is calculated by multiplying 0.3423 by
16,364,333, being the number of shares of ICT common stock
outstanding as of December 11, 2009. |
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(3) |
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The ICT equivalent pro forma combined per share amounts are
calculated by multiplying the pro forma combined per share
amounts by the exchange ratio of 0.6846, divided by two, or
0.3423, the exchange ratio that would apply in calculating the
number of shares of Sykes common stock that would be exchanged
for each share of ICT common stock in the merger assuming a
Sykes common share price above $22.4652. |
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(4) |
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For the pro forma balance sheet presentation, it was assumed
that the merger was completed on September 30, 2009 and,
therefore, the pro forma book values for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2008 are not presented. |
12
COMPARATIVE
PER SHARE MARKET PRICE AND DIVIDEND INFORMATION
Market
Prices
Sykes common stock and ICT common stock are listed on the NASDAQ
stock market. The following table sets forth the high and low
closing prices of shares of Sykes common stock and ICT common
stock as reported on the NASDAQ stock market. Neither Sykes nor
ICT paid any cash dividends during the periods indicated.
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Sykes Common Stock
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ICT Common Stock
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High
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Low
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High
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Low
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2009
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Third Quarter
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$
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21.99
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$
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17.94
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$
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12.03
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$
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7.99
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Second Quarter
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19.87
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16.02
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9.65
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5.30
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First Quarter
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|
19.69
|
|
|
|
13.74
|
|
|
|
7.04
|
|
|
|
3.60
|
|
2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fourth Quarter
|
|
$
|
22.20
|
|
|
$
|
12.34
|
|
|
$
|
7.92
|
|
|
$
|
2.82
|
|
Third Quarter
|
|
|
22.02
|
|
|
|
16.88
|
|
|
|
9.98
|
|
|
|
7.13
|
|
Second Quarter
|
|
|
22.55
|
|
|
|
16.26
|
|
|
|
11.51
|
|
|
|
8.20
|
|
First Quarter
|
|
|
18.27
|
|
|
|
15.41
|
|
|
|
12.26
|
|
|
|
8.01
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fourth Quarter
|
|
$
|
20.85
|
|
|
$
|
16.31
|
|
|
$
|
15.16
|
|
|
$
|
9.88
|
|
Third Quarter
|
|
|
19.46
|
|
|
|
14.96
|
|
|
|
18.77
|
|
|
|
13.31
|
|
Second Quarter
|
|
|
20.80
|
|
|
|
17.85
|
|
|
|
22.85
|
|
|
|
18.00
|
|
First Quarter
|
|
|
19.99
|
|
|
|
14.48
|
|
|
|
31.81
|
|
|
|
17.50
|
|
On October 5, 2009, the last trading day before the merger
agreement was announced, the high and low sale prices of shares
of Sykes common stock as reported on the NASDAQ stock market
were $20.40 and $20.07, respectively. On [ ] ,
2009, the last full trading day before the date of this proxy
statement/prospectus, the high and low sale prices of shares of
Sykes common stock as reported on the NASDAQ stock market were $
[ ] and $ [ ] , respectively.
On October 5, 2009, the last trading day before the merger
agreement was announced, the high and low sale prices of shares
of ICT common stock as reported on the NASDAQ stock market were
$10.70 and $10.41, respectively. On [ ] , 2009,
the last full trading day before the date of this proxy
statement/prospectus, the high and low sale prices of shares of
ICT common stock as reported on the NASDAQ stock market were $
[ ] and $ [ ] , respectively.
As of [ ], 2009, the last date prior to
printing this proxy statement/prospectus for which it was
practicable to obtain this information, there were approximately
[ ] registered holders of Sykes common stock
and approximately [ ] registered holders of ICT
common stock.
Sykes shareholders and ICT shareholders are advised to obtain
current market quotations for Sykes common stock and ICT common
stock. The market price of Sykes common stock and ICT common
stock will fluctuate between the date of this proxy
statement/prospectus and the completion of the merger. No
assurance can be given concerning the market price of Sykes
common stock before or after the effective time of the merger or
ICT common stock before the effective time of the merger.
13
Dividends
Neither Sykes nor ICT currently pays dividends. Under the terms
of the merger agreement, neither Sykes nor ICT may declare, set
aside or pay any dividends with respect to their capital stock
prior to the effective date of the merger or the termination of
the merger agreement.
After completion of the merger, former ICT shareholders who hold
the Sykes common stock they received as part of the merger
consideration will receive whatever dividends are declared and
paid on Sykes common stock following the merger. There can be no
assurance that any dividends will be declared or paid by Sykes
or as to the amount or timing of such dividends, if any. Any
future dividends will be made at the discretion of the Sykes
board of directors.
Until you have provided to the exchange agent your signed letter
of transmittal and any other items specified by the letter of
transmittal with respect to your shares of ICT common stock, any
dividends or other distributions declared after the effective
time of the merger with respect to Sykes common stock into which
the ICT common stock may have been converted will accrue but
will not be paid with respect to your shares. Sykes will pay to
former ICT shareholders any unpaid dividends or other
distributions, without interest, only after they have duly
surrendered their ICT stock certificates.
14
SELECTED
CONSOLIDATED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL DATA OF SYKES
The selected financial data of Sykes for each of the years ended
December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 and as of
December 31, 2008 and 2007 are derived from Sykes
audited consolidated financial statements and related notes
contained in its Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2008, filed with the SEC on
March 10, 2009 (the Sykes 2008
10-K),
which is incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus. The selected financial data of Sykes for
each of the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004 and as
of December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 have been derived from
Sykes audited consolidated financial statements for such
years, which have not been incorporated into this proxy
statement/prospectus by reference. The selected unaudited
financial data of Sykes for the nine months ended
September 30, 2009 and 2008 are derived from Sykes
unaudited consolidated financial statements and related notes
contained in its Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, filed with
the SEC on November 3, 2009 (the Sykes
3rd Quarter
10-Q),
which is incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus. The selected unaudited financial data of
Sykes as of September 30, 2008 has been derived from
Sykes unaudited consolidated financial statements, which
have not been incorporated into this proxy statement/prospectus
by reference. This information is only a summary and should be
read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial
statements of Sykes and the notes thereto and
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations included in the Sykes
2008 10-K,
and the unaudited consolidated financial statements of Sykes and
the notes thereto and Managements Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
included in the Sykes 3rd Quarter
10-Q.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended September 30,
|
|
|
Years Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data)
|
|
|
Income statement data(1):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
625,574
|
|
|
$
|
618,416
|
|
|
$
|
819,190
|
|
|
$
|
710,120
|
|
|
$
|
574,223
|
|
|
$
|
494,918
|
|
|
$
|
466,713
|
|
Income from operations (2,4,5,6)
|
|
|
55,246
|
|
|
|
52,136
|
|
|
|
65,708
|
|
|
|
51,180
|
|
|
|
45,158
|
|
|
|
26,331
|
|
|
|
12,597
|
|
Net income (2,3,4,5,6,7)
|
|
|
47,900
|
|
|
|
52,931
|
|
|
|
60,561
|
|
|
|
39,859
|
|
|
|
42,323
|
|
|
|
23,408
|
|
|
|
10,814
|
|
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
40,662
|
|
|
|
40,590
|
|
|
|
40,618
|
|
|
|
40,387
|
|
|
|
39,829
|
|
|
|
39,204
|
|
|
|
39,607
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
41,011
|
|
|
|
40,928
|
|
|
|
40,961
|
|
|
|
40,699
|
|
|
|
40,219
|
|
|
|
39,536
|
|
|
|
39,722
|
|
Net Income Per Share (2,3,4,5,6,7):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
1.18
|
|
|
$
|
1.30
|
|
|
$
|
1.49
|
|
|
$
|
0.99
|
|
|
$
|
1.06
|
|
|
$
|
0.60
|
|
|
$
|
0.27
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
1.17
|
|
|
|
1.29
|
|
|
|
1.48
|
|
|
|
0.98
|
|
|
|
1.05
|
|
|
|
0.59
|
|
|
|
0.27
|
|
Balance Sheet Data (1,8)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
602,449
|
|
|
$
|
545,131
|
|
|
$
|
529,542
|
|
|
$
|
505,475
|
|
|
$
|
415,573
|
|
|
$
|
331,185
|
|
|
$
|
312,526
|
|
Shareholders equity
|
|
|
451,535
|
|
|
|
388,486
|
|
|
|
384,030
|
|
|
|
365,321
|
|
|
|
291,473
|
|
|
|
226,090
|
|
|
|
210,035
|
|
Notes:
|
|
|
(1) |
|
The amounts for the nine months ended September 30, 2009
and September 30, 2008, and 12 months ended December,
2008, 2007 and 2006 include the Argentine acquisition completed
on July 3, 2006. |
|
|
|
(2) |
|
The amounts for 2009 include a $1.9 million impairment of
intangible assets and goodwill related to a Canadian acquisition
in 2005. |
|
|
|
(3) |
|
The amounts for 2009 include a $2.1 million impairment loss
in SHPS. |
|
|
|
(4) |
|
The amounts for 2007 include a $1.3 million provision for
regulatory penalties related to privacy claims associated with
the alleged inappropriate acquisition of personal bank account
information in one of our European subsidiaries. |
15
|
|
|
(5) |
|
The amounts for 2006 include a $13.9 million net gain on
the sale of facilities and $0.4 million of charges
associated with the impairment of long-lived assets. |
|
|
|
(6) |
|
The amounts for 2005 include a $1.8 million net gain on the
sale of facilities, a $0.3 million reversal of
restructuring and other charges and $0.6 million of charges
associated with the impairment of long-lived assets. |
|
|
|
(7) |
|
The amounts for 2004 include a $7.1 million net gain on the
sale of facilities, a $5.4 million net gain on insurance
settlement, a $0.1 million reversal of restructuring and
other charges and $0.7 million of charges associated with
the impairment of long-lived assets. |
|
|
|
(8) |
|
Sykes has not declared cash dividends per common share for any
of the periods presented. |
16
SELECTED
CONSOLIDATED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL DATA OF ICT
The selected financial data of ICT for each of the years ended
December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 and as of
December 31, 2008 and 2007 are derived from ICTs
audited consolidated financial statements and related notes
contained in its Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2008, filed with the SEC on
March 16, 2009 (the ICT 2008
10-K),
which is incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus. The selected financial data of ICT for
each of the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004 and as
of December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 have been derived from
ICTs audited consolidated financial statements for such
years, which have not been incorporated into this proxy
statement/prospectus by reference. The selected unaudited
financial data of ICT for the nine months ended
September 30, 2009 and 2008 are derived from ICTs
unaudited consolidated financial statements and related notes
contained in its Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, filed with
the SEC on November 6, 2009 (the ICT 3rd Quarter
10-Q),
which is incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus. The selected unaudited financial data of
ICT as of September 30, 2008 has been derived from
ICTs unaudited consolidated financial statements, which
have not been incorporated into this proxy statement/prospectus
by reference. This information is only a summary and should be
read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial
statements of ICT and the notes thereto and
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations included in the ICT
2008 10-K,
and the unaudited consolidated financial statements of ICT and
the notes thereto and Managements Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
included in the ICT 3rd Quarter
10-Q.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended September 30,
|
|
|
Years Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
|
|
|
Statement of operations data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$
|
296,968
|
|
|
$
|
326,565
|
|
|
$
|
428,177
|
|
|
$
|
453,621
|
|
|
$
|
447,912
|
|
|
$
|
401,334
|
|
|
$
|
325,529
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of services
|
|
|
175,968
|
|
|
|
202,868
|
|
|
|
264,975
|
|
|
|
287,267
|
|
|
|
273,618
|
|
|
|
244,572
|
|
|
|
194,365
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
|
|
|
117,403
|
|
|
|
125,148
|
|
|
|
165,281
|
|
|
|
164,701
|
|
|
|
155,435
|
|
|
|
141,601
|
|
|
|
123,559
|
|
Restructuring charges
|
|
|
1,234
|
|
|
|
2,334
|
|
|
|
8,700
|
|
|
|
7,664
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset impairment
|
|
|
583
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,325
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goodwill impairment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,187
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Litigation costs (recoveries)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,042
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3,611
|
)
|
|
|
10,338
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
295,188
|
|
|
|
330,350
|
|
|
|
453,468
|
|
|
|
460,674
|
|
|
|
429,053
|
|
|
|
382,562
|
|
|
|
328,262
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income (loss)
|
|
|
1,780
|
|
|
|
(3,785
|
)
|
|
|
(25,291
|
)
|
|
|
(7,053
|
)
|
|
|
18,859
|
|
|
|
18,772
|
|
|
|
(2,733
|
)
|
Interest expense (income), net
|
|
|
67
|
|
|
|
(237
|
)
|
|
|
(128
|
)
|
|
|
(627
|
)
|
|
|
160
|
|
|
|
2,464
|
|
|
|
1,594
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before income taxes
|
|
|
1,713
|
|
|
|
(3,548
|
)
|
|
|
(25,163
|
)
|
|
|
(6,426
|
)
|
|
|
18,699
|
|
|
|
16,308
|
|
|
|
(4,327
|
)
|
Income tax provision (benefit)
|
|
|
242
|
|
|
|
(1,634
|
)
|
|
|
(1,878
|
)
|
|
|
5,383
|
|
|
|
1,888
|
|
|
|
4,133
|
|
|
|
(1,634
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
1,471
|
|
|
$
|
(1,914
|
)
|
|
$
|
(23,285
|
)
|
|
$
|
(11,809
|
)
|
|
$
|
16,811
|
|
|
$
|
12,175
|
|
|
$
|
(2,693
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted earnings (loss) per share
|
|
$
|
0.09
|
|
|
$
|
(0.12
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1.47
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.75
|
)
|
|
$
|
1.11
|
|
|
$
|
0.94
|
|
|
$
|
(0.21
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares used in computing diluted earnings (loss) per share
|
|
|
16,072
|
|
|
|
15,866
|
|
|
|
15,850
|
|
|
|
15,773
|
|
|
|
15,164
|
|
|
|
12,964
|
|
|
|
12,571
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance sheet data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
48,677
|
|
|
$
|
31,682
|
|
|
$
|
31,283
|
|
|
$
|
30,244
|
|
|
$
|
32,367
|
|
|
$
|
10,428
|
|
|
$
|
11,419
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
77,438
|
|
|
|
69,001
|
|
|
|
61,382
|
|
|
|
79,591
|
|
|
|
79,523
|
|
|
|
56,881
|
|
|
|
48,739
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
193,560
|
|
|
|
214,458
|
|
|
|
177,561
|
|
|
|
225,600
|
|
|
|
215,666
|
|
|
|
172,759
|
|
|
|
160,576
|
|
Long-term debt, less current maturities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35,000
|
|
|
|
39,000
|
|
Shareholders equity
|
|
|
127,918
|
|
|
|
147,301
|
|
|
|
119,501
|
|
|
|
167,189
|
|
|
|
161,145
|
|
|
|
81,012
|
|
|
|
68,948
|
|
17
SYKES AND
ICT
UNAUDITED
PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The following unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance
sheet and statements of operations are presented to give effect
to the proposed transaction. The pro forma information was
prepared based on the historical financial statements and
related notes of Sykes and ICT after giving effect to the merger
using the acquisition method of accounting. In addition, the
unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information was
based on and should be read in conjunction with:
|
|
|
|
|
Sykes historical consolidated financial statements and
related notes included in the Sykes 2008
10-K and the
Sykes 3rd Quarter
10-Q, and
|
|
|
|
|
|
ICTs historical consolidated financial statements and
related notes included in the ICT 2008
10-K and the
ICT 3rd Quarter
10-Q.
|
The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet is
presented as if the transaction occurred on September 30,
2009. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of
operations combine the results of operations of Sykes and ICT
for the year ended December 31, 2008 and the nine months
ended September 30, 2009, and are presented as if the
transaction occurred on January 1, 2008. The historical
consolidated financial information has been adjusted in the
unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements to
give effect to pro forma events that are (1) directly
attributable to the merger, (2) factually supportable, and
(3) with respect to the statement of operations, expected
to have a continuing impact on the combined results.
The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements
have been prepared for illustrative purposes only and are not
necessarily indicative of the consolidated financial position or
results of operations in future periods or the results that
actually would have been achieved had Sykes and ICT been a
combined company during the respective periods presented.
Certain reclassification adjustments have been made in the
presentation of ICTs historical amounts to conform to
Sykes presentation.
The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information
does not reflect any cost savings or operating synergies that
the combined company may achieve as a result of the merger or
the costs to integrate the operations of ICT with Sykes.
18
Sykes
Enterprises, Incorporated
Unaudited
Pro Forma Condensed Combined Balance Sheet
As of
September 30, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Historical
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Combined Pro
|
|
|
|
Sykes
|
|
|
ICT
|
|
|
(Note 5)
|
|
|
Forma
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
270,638
|
|
|
$
|
48,677
|
|
|
$
|
(7,455
|
)(a)
|
|
$
|
311,860
|
|
Receivables, net
|
|
|
178,985
|
|
|
|
74,595
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
253,580
|
|
Prepaid expenses
|
|
|
10,375
|
|
|
|
4,649
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,024
|
|
Other current assets
|
|
|
12,094
|
|
|
|
6,754
|
|
|
|
2,537
|
(b)
|
|
|
21,385
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
472,092
|
|
|
|
134,675
|
|
|
|
(4,918
|
)
|
|
|
601,849
|
|
Property and equipment, net
|
|
|
80,680
|
|
|
|
49,018
|
|
|
|
30,000
|
(c)
|
|
|
159,698
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
21,120
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
74,214
|
(d)
|
|
|
95,334
|
|
Intangibles, net
|
|
|
2,308
|
|
|
|
377
|
|
|
|
66,823
|
(e)
|
|
|
69,508
|
|
Deferred charges and other assets
|
|
|
26,249
|
|
|
|
9,490
|
|
|
|
2,360
|
(b)
|
|
|
38,099
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
602,449
|
|
|
$
|
193,560
|
|
|
$
|
168,479
|
|
|
$
|
964,488
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and shareholders equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable
|
|
$
|
20,105
|
|
|
$
|
13,445
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
33,550
|
|
Accrued employee compensation and benefits
|
|
|
55,944
|
|
|
|
21,303
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
77,247
|
|
Short term financing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100,000
|
(f)
|
|
|
100,000
|
|
Income taxes payable
|
|
|
4,049
|
|
|
|
809
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,858
|
|
Deferred revenue
|
|
|
33,064
|
|
|
|
6,078
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39,142
|
|
Other accrued expenses and current liabilities
|
|
|
16,295
|
|
|
|
15,602
|
|
|
|
(1,504
|
)(g)
|
|
|
30,393
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
|
129,457
|
|
|
|
57,237
|
|
|
|
98,496
|
|
|
|
285,190
|
|
Term loan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50,000
|
(f)
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
Deferred grants
|
|
|
11,539
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,539
|
|
Long-term income tax liabilities
|
|
|
5,104
|
|
|
|
3,975
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,079
|
|
Other long-term liabilities
|
|
|
4,814
|
|
|
|
4,430
|
|
|
|
13,806
|
(h)
|
|
|
23,050
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
150,914
|
|
|
|
65,642
|
|
|
|
162,302
|
|
|
|
378,858
|
|
Shareholders equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total shareholders equity
|
|
|
451,535
|
|
|
|
127,918
|
|
|
|
6,177
|
(i)(k)
|
|
|
585,630
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
602,449
|
|
|
$
|
193,560
|
|
|
$
|
168,479
|
|
|
$
|
964,488
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes to the unaudited pro forma condensed
combined financial statements.
19
Sykes
Enterprises, Incorporated
Unaudited
Pro Forma Condensed Combined Statement of Operations
For the
Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Historical
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Combined Pro
|
|
|
|
Sykes
|
|
|
ICT
|
|
|
(Note 5)
|
|
|
Forma
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
819,190
|
|
|
$
|
428,177
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
1,247,367
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct salaries and related costs
|
|
|
524,133
|
|
|
|
264,975
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
789,108
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
229,027
|
|
|
|
165,281
|
|
|
|
8,266
|
(j)
|
|
|
402,574
|
|
Loss on disposal of property and equipment, net
|
|
|
322
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
322
|
|
Goodwill impairment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,187
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,187
|
|
Asset impairment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,325
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,325
|
|
Restructuring charges
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,700
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,700
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
753,482
|
|
|
|
453,468
|
|
|
|
8,266
|
|
|
|
1,215,216
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from operations
|
|
|
65,708
|
|
|
|
(25,291
|
)
|
|
|
(8,266
|
)
|
|
|
32,151
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income (expense):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
5,448
|
|
|
|
535
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,983
|
|
Interest (expense)
|
|
|
(433
|
)
|
|
|
(407
|
)
|
|
|
(6,232
|
)(f)
|
|
|
(7,072
|
)
|
Other income
|
|
|
11,259
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,259
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total other income (expense)
|
|
|
16,274
|
|
|
|
128
|
|
|
|
(6,232
|
)
|
|
|
10,170
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes
|
|
|
81,982
|
|
|
|
(25,163
|
)
|
|
|
(14,498
|
)
|
|
|
42,321
|
|
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
|
|
|
21,421
|
|
|
|
(1,878
|
)
|
|
|
(4,995
|
)(h)
|
|
|
14,548
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
60,561
|
|
|
$
|
(23,285
|
)
|
|
$
|
(9,503
|
)
|
|
$
|
27,773
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding basic(1)
|
|
|
40,618
|
|
|
|
15,850
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
46,220
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding diluted(1)
|
|
|
40,961
|
|
|
|
15,850
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
46,563
|
|
Earnings (loss) per share basic
|
|
$
|
1.49
|
|
|
$
|
(1.47
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
0.60
|
|
Earnings (loss) per share diluted
|
|
$
|
1.48
|
|
|
$
|
(1.47
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
0.60
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Pro forma weighted average shares outstanding takes into
consideration the additional Sykes common stock issued in
exchange for ICT common stock. See Note 5 (k). |
See accompanying notes to the unaudited pro forma condensed
combined financial statements.
20
Sykes
Enterprises, Incorporated
Unaudited
Pro Forma Condensed Combined Statement of Operations
For the
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Historical
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Combined Pro
|
|
|
|
Sykes
|
|
|
ICT
|
|
|
(Note 5)
|
|
|
Forma
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
625,574
|
|
|
$
|
296,968
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
922,542
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct salaries and related costs
|
|
|
398,409
|
|
|
|
175,968
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
574,377
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
170,011
|
|
|
|
117,403
|
|
|
|
6,918
|
(j)
|
|
|
294,332
|
|
Impairment loss on goodwill and intangibles
|
|
|
1,908
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,908
|
|
Asset impairments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
583
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
583
|
|
Restructuring charges
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,234
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,234
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
570,328
|
|
|
|
295,188
|
|
|
|
6,918
|
|
|
|
872,434
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from operations
|
|
|
55,246
|
|
|
|
1,780
|
|
|
|
(6,918
|
)
|
|
|
50,108
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income (expense):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
1,951
|
|
|
|
220
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,171
|
|
Interest (expense)
|
|
|
(490
|
)
|
|
|
(287
|
)
|
|
|
(3,455
|
)(f)
|
|
|
(4,232
|
)
|
Impairment (loss) on investment in SHPS
|
|
|
(2,089
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,089
|
)
|
Other income (expense)
|
|
|
1,214
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,214
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total other income (expense)
|
|
|
586
|
|
|
|
(67
|
)
|
|
|
(3,455
|
)
|
|
|
(2,936
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes
|
|
|
55,832
|
|
|
|
1,713
|
|
|
|
(10,373
|
)
|
|
|
47,172
|
|
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
|
|
|
7,932
|
|
|
|
242
|
|
|
|
( 1 473
|
)(h)
|
|
|
6,701
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
47,900
|
|
|
$
|
1,471
|
|
|
$
|
(8,900
|
)
|
|
$
|
40,471
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding basic(1)
|
|
|
40,662
|
|
|
|
16,030
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
46,264
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding diluted(1)
|
|
|
41,011
|
|
|
|
16,072
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
46,613
|
|
Earnings per share basic
|
|
$
|
1.18
|
|
|
$
|
0.09
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
0.87
|
|
Earnings per share diluted
|
|
$
|
1.17
|
|
|
$
|
0.09
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
0.87
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Pro forma weighted average shares outstanding takes into
consideration the additional Sykes common stock issued in
exchange for ICT common stock. See Note 5 (k). |
See accompanying notes to the unaudited pro forma condensed
combined financial statements.
21
Notes to
Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial
Statements
|
|
1.
|
Description
of the Merger
|
On October 5, 2009, Sykes, SH Merger Subsidiary I,
Inc., a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes, SH Merger
Subsidiary II, LLC, a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes,
and ICT entered into the merger agreement. Subject to the terms
and conditions of the merger agreement, Merger Sub will be
merged with and into ICT, with ICT continuing as the interim
surviving corporation, which activity we refer to as the merger.
Immediately following the effectiveness of the merger, the
interim surviving corporation will be merged with and into
Merger Sub II, with Merger Sub II surviving and continuing
as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes, which activity we refer
to as the upstream merger. The merger and the upstream merger,
together, are referred to herein as the mergers or the
transaction. Under the merger agreement, each share of ICT
common stock held by an ICT shareholder will be converted into
the right to receive consideration valued at $15.38, subject to
adjustment as described below. The consideration per share of
ICT common stock is payable as follows: (i) $7.69 is
payable in cash without interest, and (ii) the remainder is
payable by delivery of a number of shares of Sykes common stock
equal to the exchange ratio described below divided by two (2).
Except as described below, the exchange ratio will be the
quotient determined by dividing $15.38 by the volume weighted
average of the per share sales prices of Sykes common stock for
the ten consecutive trading days ending on (and including) the
third trading day immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger, referred to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the
measurement value. The exchange ratio is subject to a
symmetrical collar of 7.5% above and 7.5% below $20.8979, which
is the volume weighted average of the per share sales prices of
Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive trading days ending
on October 2, 2009, the last trading day immediately prior
to the date of the merger agreement. Within this collar, the
exchange ratio will be determined pursuant to the calculation
described above. If, however, the measurement value is equal to
or less than $19.3306, then the exchange ratio will be 0.7956,
and 0.3978 shares of Sykes common stock will be issued for
each share of ICT common stock. If the measurement value is
equal to or greater than $22.4652, then the exchange ratio will
be 0.6846, and 0.3423 shares of Sykes common stock will be
issued for each share of ICT common stock.
Each outstanding ICT stock option, whether or not then vested
and exercisable, will become fully vested and exercisable
immediately prior to, and then will be canceled at, the
effective time of the merger, and the holder of such option will
be entitled to receive as soon as practicable after the
effective time of the merger but in no event later than ten
business days following the effective time of the merger an
amount in cash, without interest and less any applicable taxes
to be withheld, equal to (i) the excess, if any, of
(1) $15.38 over (2) the exercise price per share of
ICT common stock subject to such ICT stock option, multiplied by
(ii) the total number of shares of ICT common stock
underlying such ICT stock option, with the aggregate amount of
such payment rounded up to the nearest cent. If the exercise
price is equal to or greater than $15.38, then the stock option
will be canceled without any payment to the stock option holder.
Also at the effective time of the merger, each outstanding RSU
will become fully vested and then will be canceled and the
holder of such vested awards will be entitled to receive $15.38
in cash, without interest and less any applicable taxes to be
withheld, in respect of each share of ICT common stock into
which the RSU would otherwise be convertible.
These cash amounts will be paid out as soon as practicable after
the effective time of the merger but in no event later than ten
business days following the effective time of the merger.
Sykes intends to finance the merger, the costs and expenses
related to the merger and the ongoing working capital of Sykes
and its subsidiaries with two $75 million term loans. One
$75 million term loan will be part of a $150 million
senior credit facility, which also will include a
$75 million revolving facility. Pursuant to a commitment
letter dated October 2, 2009, Sykes existing senior
lender, KeyBank National Association (Key), has,
subject to certain conditions, agreed to serve as lead arranger,
sole book runner and administrative agent with respect to the
$150 million facility and has committed to provide up to
$90 million of the principal amount of the
$150 million facility ($75 million of the term loan
and $15 million of the
22
revolving facility). Key intends to arrange a syndicate of
lenders to provide the balance of the $150 million
facility. The commitment letter will expire on January 31,
2010, if the merger has not been consummated.
The $150 million facility will replace Sykes existing
senior revolving credit facility provided by Key, the balance of
which was $0 as of December 17, 2009.
On December 11, 2009, Key provided a $75 million short-term
loan to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes.
The final terms of the $150 million facility are subject to
negotiation and to customary closing conditions. Sykes may not
be able to successfully close the loan, and Key may not be able
to fully syndicate the $150 million facility, in which
event Sykes may need to seek alternative or additional financing
or fund the merger using its and its subsidiaries cash and
cash equivalents, which may increase the expense of the merger.
The merger is not contingent on the closing of the
$150 million facility.
The merger is subject to ICT shareholder approval and other
usual and customary closing conditions. The merger is currently
expected to be completed at the beginning of the first quarter
of 2010, subject to receipt of ICT shareholder approval and
other usual and customary closing conditions.
The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information
was prepared using the acquisition method of accounting in
accordance with Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, Topic
805, Business Combinations, or ASC 805, and was based on
the historical financial statements of Sykes and ICT. In merger
transactions in which the consideration is not in the form of
cash, measurement of the acquisition consideration is based on
the fair value of the consideration given or the fair value of
the asset (or net assets) acquired whichever is more clearly
evident and, thus, more reliably measurable. The acquisition
method of accounting is based on ASC 805, which Sykes
adopted on January 1, 2009 and uses the fair value concepts
defined in ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and
Disclosures, which Sykes also adopted on January 1,
2009.
ASC 805 requires, among other things, that most assets acquired
and liabilities assumed be recognized at their acquisition date
fair values and that the fair value of intangibles are
recognized regardless of their intended use. In addition, ASC
805 establishes that the consideration transferred be measured
at the closing date of the merger at the then-current market
price. This particular requirement may result in the equity
consideration being valued differently from the amount reflected
in these unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial
statements. See Note 3 for the estimate of consideration
expected to be transferred.
ASC 820 defines the term fair value and sets forth
the valuation requirements for any asset or liability measured
at fair value, expands related disclosure requirements and
specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques based on the
nature of the inputs used to develop the fair value measures.
Fair value is defined in ASC 820 as the price that would
be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in
an orderly transaction between market participants at the
measurement date. This is an exit price concept for the
valuation of the asset or liability. In addition, market
participants are assumed to be buyers and sellers in the
principal (or the most advantageous) market for the asset or
liability. Fair value measurements for an asset assume the
highest and best use by market participants. Accordingly, Sykes
may be required to record assets which are not intended to be
used or sold
and/or to
value assets at fair value measures that do not reflect
Sykess intended use of such assets. Many of these fair
value measurements can be highly subjective and it is also
possible that other professionals, applying reasonable judgment
to the same facts and circumstances, could develop and support a
range of alternative estimated amounts.
23
|
|
3.
|
Estimate
of Consideration Expected to be Transferred
|
The following is a preliminary estimate of consideration to be
transferred to effect the merger:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Conversion
|
|
|
Estimated Fair
|
|
|
Form of
|
|
|
|
Calculation
|
|
|
Value
|
|
|
Consideration
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
|
|
|
Number of ICT common shares outstanding as of the merger date
|
|
|
16,364
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Multiplied by cash consideration per common share outstanding
|
|
$
|
7.69
|
|
|
$
|
125,839
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of ICT common shares outstanding as of the merger date
|
|
|
16,364
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assumed value of Sykes common shares to be issued(1)
|
|
$
|
8.86
|
|
|
$
|
145,023
|
|
|
|
Sykes common stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of ICT restricted stock units outstanding as of the
merger date(2)
|
|
|
925
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Multiplied by cash consideration per restricted stock unit
|
|
$
|
15.38
|
|
|
$
|
14,227
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of ICT stock options outstanding as of the merger date(3)
|
|
|
18
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Multipled by cash consideration per stock option
|
|
$
|
3.40
|
|
|
$
|
60
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimate of consideration expected to be transferred
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
285,149
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
In accordance with ASC 805, the fair value of equity securities
issued as part of the consideration transferred will be the
closing market price of Sykes common stock on the
effective date of the merger. For purposes of determining the
consideration transferred within these pro forma financial
statements, the Sykes common share price on
December 11, 2009 of $25.89 was used in the calculation. As
the Sykes share price used in these pro forma financial
statements is greater than $22.4652, the upper limit of the
collar mechanism, the estimated number of shares of Sykes common
stock to be issued on the merger date was calculated by
multiplying the estimated number of shares of ICT common stock
outstanding as of the merger date by 0.3423. The assumed value
of Sykes common stock is calculated as the stock
consideration transferred divided by the anticipated number of
ICT common shares outstanding as of the merger date. If
Sykes stock price on the closing date of the acquisition
has increased or decreased by 10% from the assumed
$25.89 share price, the consideration transferred would
change by $14.5 million. |
|
|
|
(2) |
|
All restricted stock units will become fully vested and then
will be cancelled and the holder of such vested awards will be
entitled to receive $15.38 in cash, without interest and less
any applicable taxes to be withheld, in respect of each share of
ICT common stock into which the RSU would otherwise be
convertible. |
|
|
|
(3) |
|
All outstanding ICT stock options, whether or not then vested
and exercisable, will become fully vested and exercisable
immediately prior to, and then will be canceled at, the
effective time of the merger, and the holder of such option will
be entitled to receive an amount in cash, without interest and
less any applicable taxes to be withheld, equal to (i) the
excess, if any, of (1) $15.38 over (2) the exercise
price per share of ICT common stock subject to such ICT stock
option, multiplied by (ii) the total number of shares of
ICT common stock underlying such ICT stock option, with the
aggregate amount of such payment rounded up to the nearest cent.
If the exercise price is equal to or greater than $15.38, then
the stock option will be canceled without any payment to the
stock option holder. For these pro forma financial statements a
weighted average exercise price of $11.98 has been used for all
options with an exercise price below $15.38. The estimated
number of ICT stock options outstanding as of the merger date in
the chart above excludes all outstanding options with an
exercise price equal to or greater than $15.38. |
24
|
|
4.
|
Estimate
of Assets to be Acquired and Liabilities to be Assumed
|
The following is a preliminary estimate of the assets to be
acquired and the liabilities to be assumed by Sykes as a result
of the merger as of September 30, 2009:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
Current assets(i)
|
|
$
|
134,675
|
|
Property and equipment(ii)
|
|
|
79,018
|
|
Identifiable intangible assets(iii)
|
|
|
67,200
|
|
Goodwill(iv)
|
|
|
74,214
|
|
Other assets
|
|
|
9,490
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
364,597
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities(v)
|
|
$
|
(57,237
|
)
|
Long-term income tax liabilities
|
|
|
(3,975
|
)
|
Other long-term liabilities(vi)
|
|
|
(18,236
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
(79,448
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimate of consideration to be transferred
|
|
$
|
285,149
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(i) |
|
Current assets include $48.7 million of cash,
$74.6 million of accounts receivable, $4.6 million of
prepaid expenses, $6.8 million of other assets. |
|
|
|
(ii) |
|
Property and equipment is predominately comprised of computer
hardware, software, leasehold improvements, and furniture and
fixtures. |
|
|
|
(iii) |
|
Identifiable intangibles include customer relationships, trade
names, and software. The largest identifiable intangible asset
recognized as part of the merger is customer relationships with
an estimated fair value of $64.0 million. |
|
|
|
(iv) |
|
Goodwill represents the excess of the preliminary purchase price
over the estimated value of assets acquired and liabilities
assumed. |
|
|
|
(v) |
|
Current liabilities include $13.4 million of accounts
payable and $21.3 million of accrued employee compensation
and benefits, $6.1 million of deferred revenue,
$0.8 million of income tax payable, and $15.6 million
of other accrued expenses and current liabilities. |
|
|
|
(vi) |
|
Other long-term liabilities include $13.8 million of
deferred tax liabilities. |
The allocation of the estimated acquisition consideration is
preliminary because the proposed merger has not yet been
completed. The preliminary allocation is based on estimates,
assumptions, valuations and other studies which have not
progressed to a stage where there is sufficient information to
make a definitive allocation. Accordingly, the acquisition
consideration allocation pro forma adjustments will remain
preliminary until Sykes management determines the final
acquisition consideration and the fair values of assets acquired
and liabilities assumed. The final determination of the
acquisition consideration allocation is anticipated to be
completed as soon as practicable after completion of the merger
and will be based on the value of the Sykes share price at the
close of the merger. The final amounts allocated to assets
acquired and liabilities assumed could differ significantly from
the amounts presented in the unaudited pro forma condensed
combined financial statements.
25
|
|
5.
|
Pro Forma
Adjustments and Assumptions
|
Adjustments included in the Pro Forma Adjustments
column represent the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
(a) Cash component of the estimated consideration transferred
|
|
$
|
(140,126
|
)
|
Estimated transaction costs of Sykes and ICT remaining to be paid
|
|
|
(12,316
|
)
|
Estimated deferred financing costs related to fund the
acquisition
|
|
|
(5,013
|
)
|
Financing proceeds used to partially fund the acquisition
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net pro forma cash adjustment
|
|
$
|
(7,455
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
(b) Reflects the pro forma impact of estimated new deferred
financing costs and the partial write-off of historical deferred
financing costs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
|
|
Non-Current
|
|
Total
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
Deferred financing costs
|
|
$
|
2,537
|
|
|
$
|
2,360
|
|
|
$
|
4,897
|
|
(c) Reflects the pro forma impact of the preliminary fair
value adjustment to property and equipment of
$30.0 million. The estimated useful life of the acquired
property and equipment is three years.
(d) Reflects the pro forma impact of $74.2 million of
excess preliminary purchase price over the acquired assets and
liabilities assumed.
(e) Reflects the pro forma impact of the identified
intangible assets of ICT which have been allocated to customer
relationships, trade names, and software.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated Fair Market
|
|
|
Estimated Useful
|
|
|
|
Value
|
|
|
Life
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, other than useful life estimate)
|
|
|
Customer relationships
|
|
$
|
64,000
|
|
|
|
9 years
|
|
Trade names
|
|
|
2,400
|
|
|
|
3 years
|
|
Software
|
|
|
800
|
|
|
|
5 years
|
|
Elimination of ICTs historical intangibles
|
|
|
(377
|
)
|
|
|
n/a
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
66,823
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(f) In connection with the acquisition of ICT, on
December 11, 2009, a subsidiary of Sykes borrowed
$75 million from KeyBank National Association under a
short-term note due March 31, 2010, and Sykes anticipates
entering into a new financing arrangement with KeyBank which is
expected to include a $75 million term loan due
December 31, 2012 and a three year $75 million
revolving credit arrangement. See Note 1 above. The
short-term loan has an interest rate of LIBOR plus 3.5%. For
purposes of preparing these pro forma financial statements, it
is anticipated that the term loan under the $150 million
facility will have an interest rate of LIBOR plus 3.5%. For
purposes of these pro forma financial statements, there has been
no pro forma adjustment for borrowings on the revolver as no
funds are anticipated to be drawn upon for the merger. The
interest rate used for the pro forma interest expense adjustment
was 3.77%, which represents the actual interest rate for the
short term loan and the estimated interest rate on the term loan
under the $150 million facility as of December 11,
2009.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loan Amount
|
|
|
Current
|
|
|
Non-Current
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
Short term financing
|
|
$
|
75,000
|
|
|
$
|
75,000
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Term loan
|
|
|
75,000
|
|
|
|
25,000
|
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
150,000
|
|
|
$
|
100,000
|
|
|
$
|
50,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26
The pro forma adjustment for interest expense includes interest
expense associated with the borrowings and amortization of the
estimated deferred financing costs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest Expense and Amortization
|
|
|
|
For the 12 Months
|
|
|
For the 9 Months
|
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
|
December 31, 2008
|
|
|
September 30, 2009
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
Borrowing
|
|
$
|
3,652
|
|
|
$
|
2,120
|
|
Deferred Financing Costs
|
|
|
2,580
|
|
|
|
1,335
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro Forma Adjustment
|
|
$
|
6,232
|
|
|
$
|
3,455
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There is no requirement that Sykes receive such funding in order
to consummate the merger. In the event that Sykes is not able to
obtain such funding, it will fund the cash portion of the merger
consideration using its existing cash and cash equivalents. The
use of existing cash and cash equivalents would likely include
the repatriation of funds to the United States, which could
result in an estimated tax payment of $20 million to
$55 million depending on the ability to utilize various
foreign tax credits.
(g) Reflects the reversal of accrued transaction costs that
were reflected within the companies historical
September 30, 2009 balance sheets. For purposes of these
pro forma financial statements, all incurred and estimated
remaining transaction costs were treated as reductions in cash
and cash equivalents.
(h) Reflects an estimate of the tax impacts of the
acquisition on the balance sheet and income statement, primarily
related to the additional expenses associated with incremental
debt to finance the transaction and estimated fair value
adjustments for fixed assets and intangibles. The estimated
blended rate is based on the historical blended effective tax
rate for the combined company which is 34.5% and 14.2% for the
periods ending December 31, 2008 and September 30,
2009, respectively. Sykes believes that using an estimated
blended tax rate is factually supportable in that it is derived
from statutory rates and recognizes that Sykes and ICT are
multinational corporations with operations in various countries
throughout the world. The actual effective tax rate of the
combined company could be significantly different (either higher
or lower) than the estimated blended tax rate and depends on
post-acquisition activities, including repatriation decisions,
cash needs and the geographical mix of income. The preliminary
estimate of the deferred tax liability at September 30,
2009 was computed using a rate of 14.2% and could be
significantly different (either higher or lower) depending upon
several factors, including the allocation of merger
consideration by jurisdiction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
(i) Elimination of ICTs historical equity
|
|
$
|
(127,918
|
)
|
Issuance of Sykes common stock as partial consideration
(see Note 3)
|
|
|
145,023
|
|
Estimated transaction costs remaining to be incurred
|
|
|
(10,814
|
)
|
Partial write-off of deferred financing fees
|
|
|
(114
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net pro forma adjustment
|
|
$
|
(6,177
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
27
(j) Reflects the pro forma impact of amortization for the
identifiable intangible assets recorded within adjustment
(e) and the revised depreciation associated with property
and equipment discussed in adjustment (c) and the reversal of
transaction costs incurred through September 30, 2009 discussed
in adjustment (g).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the 12 Months
|
|
|
For the 9 Months
|
|
|
|
Estimated Fair
|
|
|
Estimated
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
Ended
|
|
|
|
Market Value
|
|
|
Useful Life
|
|
|
December 31, 2008
|
|
|
September 30, 2009
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, other than useful life estimate)
|
|
|
Intangible assets
|
|
$
|
67,200
|
|
|
|
Various
|
|
|
$
|
8,071
|
|
|
$
|
6,053
|
|
Property and equipment
|
|
|
79,018
|
|
|
|
3 years
|
|
|
|
26,339
|
|
|
|
19,755
|
|
Reversal of ICTs historical depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(26,144
|
)
|
|
|
(17,304
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma adjustment for depreciation & amortization
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,266
|
|
|
|
8,504
|
|
Reversal of Sykes and ICT transaction costs incurred through
September 30, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,586
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma adjustment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
8,266
|
|
|
$
|
6,918
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(k) Reflects the issuance of Sykes common stock as
partial consideration.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands
|
|
|
|
except share data)
|
|
|
Assumed value of Sykes common shares to be issued (see
Note 3)
|
|
$
|
145,023
|
|
Assumed Sykes share price (see Note 3)
|
|
$
|
25.89
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assumed number of Sykes common shares to be issued
|
|
|
5,601,511
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This proxy statement/prospectus (including information included
or incorporated by reference herein) includes
forward-looking statements (as that term is defined
under Section 21E of the Exchange Act
and/or the
United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995).
There are forward-looking statements throughout this proxy
statement/prospectus, including, without limitation, under the
headings Summary, Proposal 1: The
Merger ICTs Reasons for the Merger;
Recommendation of the ICT Board of Directors,
Proposal 1: The Merger Sykes
Reasons for the Merger, Proposal 1: The
Merger ICT Unaudited Prospective Financial
Information, Proposal 1: The Merger
Regulatory Approvals Required for the Merger, and in
statements containing words such as expect,
estimate, project, budget,
forecast, anticipate,
contemplate, intend, plan,
may, will, could,
should, would, believes,
predicts, potential,
continue, and similar expressions which are intended
to identify such forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements include, without limitation,
Sykes and ICTs expectations with respect to the
synergies, costs and charges, capitalization and anticipated
financial impacts of the merger and related transactions;
approval of the merger and related transactions by ICTs
shareholders; the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the
merger; the timing of the completion of the merger and the
results of operations, financial condition and capital resources
for 2009 for each of Sykes and ICT.
These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and
uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ
materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are
outside Sykes and ICTs control and difficult to
predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but
are not limited to:
|
|
|
|
|
those discussed and identified in public filings with the SEC
made by Sykes or ICT;
|
|
|
|
the possibility that the estimated synergies will not be
realized, or will not be realized within the expected time
period;
|
|
|
|
general economic conditions;
|
|
|
|
actions taken or conditions imposed by the United States and
foreign governments;
|
|
|
|
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;
|
|
|
|
the possibility that the merger may be more expensive to
complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected
factors or events;
|
|
|
|
the possibility that the integration of ICTs business and
operations with those of Sykes may be more difficult
and/or take
longer than anticipated, may be more costly than anticipated and
may have unanticipated adverse results relating to ICTs or
Sykes existing businesses;
|
|
|
|
adverse outcomes of pending or threatened litigation or
government investigations;
|
|
|
|
anticipated dates on which Sykes and ICT will reach specific
milestones in the development and implementation of their
respective business strategies;
|
|
|
|
the impact of competition in the industries and in the specific
markets in which Sykes and ICT, respectively, operate; and
|
|
|
|
the ability to retain and attract qualified management and other
personnel.
|
Other factors include the possibility that the merger does not
close, including due to the failure to receive required
shareholder or regulatory approvals, or the failure of other
closing conditions.
Sykes and ICT caution that the foregoing list of factors is not
exclusive. Additional information concerning these and other
risk factors is discussed under the heading Risk
Factors and elsewhere in this proxy statement/prospectus
and in documents incorporated by reference in this proxy
statement/prospectus, including the Sykes 2008
10-K, which
is incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus; the ICT 2008
10-K, which
is incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus; and each of Sykes and ICTs
Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
filed since its respective Annual Report on
Form 10-K,
and any amendments thereto, including under Part I,
Item IA in each of the Sykes 2008
10-K and ICT
2008 10-K.
All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements
concerning Sykes, ICT, ICTs shareholder meeting, the
merger, the related transactions or other matters attributable
to Sykes or ICT or any person acting on their behalf are
expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary
statements above. These forward-looking statements speak only as
of the date on which the statements were made and Sykes and ICT
expressly disclaim any obligation to release publicly any
updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement included
in this proxy statement/prospectus or elsewhere, whether written
or oral, relating to the matters discussed in this proxy
statement/prospectus.
29
RISK
FACTORS
In addition to the other information included or incorporated by
reference in this proxy statement/prospectus, you should
carefully consider the risk factors described below in
evaluating whether to adopt the merger agreement.
Because
the exchange ratio that will determine the number of shares of
Sykes common stock that the ICT shareholders will receive for
their shares of ICT common stock will fluctuate based on the
market price of Sykes common stock, subject to upper and lower
limits, ICT shareholders cannot be sure of the value of the
stock portion of the merger consideration they will
receive.
Upon the completion of the merger, each of the issued and
outstanding shares of ICT common stock will be converted into
the right to receive consideration valued at $15.38, subject to
adjustment as described below. The consideration per share of
ICT common stock is payable as follows: (i) $7.69 is
payable in cash without interest, and (ii) the remainder is
payable by delivery of a number of shares of Sykes common stock
equal to the exchange ratio described below divided by two (2).
Except as described below, the exchange ratio will be the
quotient determined by dividing $15.38 by the volume weighted
average of the per share sales prices of Sykes common stock for
the ten consecutive trading days ending on (and including) the
third trading day immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger, referred to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the
measurement value. The exchange ratio is subject to a
symmetrical collar of 7.5% above and 7.5% below $20.8979, which
is the volume weighted average of the per share sales prices of
Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive trading days ending
on October 2, 2009, the last trading day immediately prior
to the date of the merger agreement. Within this collar, the
exchange ratio will be determined pursuant to the calculation
described above. If, however, the measurement value is equal to
or less than $19.3306, then the exchange ratio will be 0.7956,
and 0.3978 shares of Sykes common stock will be issued for
each share of ICT common stock. If the measurement value is
equal to or greater than $22.4652, then the exchange ratio will
be 0.6846, and 0.3423 shares of Sykes common stock will be
issued for each share of ICT common stock.
Subject to the upper and lower limits on the exchange ratio, the
value of the stock portion of the merger consideration will
depend on the market price of Sykes common stock during a ten
day period prior to the time the merger is completed. The value
of the stock portion of the merger consideration is likely to
vary from the date of the announcement of the merger agreement,
the date that this proxy statement/prospectus was mailed to ICT
shareholders, the date of the ICT special shareholders meeting
and the date the merger is completed and thereafter. The share
price of Sykes common stock is subject to the general price
fluctuations in the market for publicly-traded equity
securities, and the price of Sykes common stock has experienced
significant volatility in the past. Neither Sykes nor ICT is
permitted to terminate the merger agreement or resolicit the
vote of ICT shareholders solely because of changes in the market
prices of either Sykes or ICT common stock. There will be no
adjustment to the merger consideration for changes in the market
price of shares of ICT common stock or, outside of the range of
$19.3306 and $22.4652, Sykes common stock. Stock price changes
may result from a variety of factors, including, among others,
general market and economic conditions, changes in Sykes
and ICTs respective businesses, operations and prospects,
and regulatory considerations. Many of these factors are beyond
Sykes and ICTs control. You should obtain current
market quotations for shares of Sykes common stock and for
shares of ICT common stock.
Sykes
may fail to realize all of the anticipated benefits of the
merger, which may adversely affect the value of the Sykes common
stock that ICT shareholders receive in the merger.
The success of the merger will depend, in part, on Sykes
ability to realize the anticipated benefits and cost savings
from combining the businesses of Sykes and ICT. However, to
realize these anticipated benefits and cost savings, Sykes must
successfully combine the businesses of Sykes and ICT. If Sykes
is not able to achieve these objectives within the anticipated
time frame, or at all, the anticipated benefits and cost savings
of the merger may not be realized fully or at all or may take
longer to realize than expected and the value of Sykes common
stock may be adversely affected.
30
Sykes and ICT have operated and, until the completion of the
merger, will continue to operate, independently. It is possible
that the integration process could result in the loss of key
employees, result in the disruption of each companys
ongoing businesses or identify inconsistencies in standards,
controls, procedures and policies that adversely affect
Sykes ability to maintain relationships with customers,
suppliers, distributors, creditors and lessors, or to achieve
the anticipated benefits of the merger.
Specifically, issues that must be addressed in integrating the
operations of ICT into Sykes operations in order to
realize the anticipated benefits of the merger include, among
other things:
|
|
|
|
|
retaining existing customers and attracting new customers;
|
|
|
|
integrating the marketing and promotion activities and
information technology systems of Sykes and ICT;
|
|
|
|
conforming standards, controls, procedures and policies,
business cultures and compensation structures between the
companies;
|
|
|
|
consolidating corporate and administrative infrastructures;
|
|
|
|
consolidating sales and marketing operations;
|
|
|
|
identifying and eliminating redundant and underperforming
operations and assets;
|
|
|
|
coordinating geographically dispersed organizations;
|
|
|
|
managing tax costs or inefficiencies associated with integrating
the operations of the combined company; and
|
|
|
|
making any necessary modifications to operating control
standards to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
|
Integration efforts between the two companies will also divert
management attention and resources. An inability to realize the
full extent of, or any of, the anticipated benefits of the
merger, as well as any delays encountered in the integration
process, could have an adverse effect on Sykes business
and results of operations, which may affect the value of the
shares of Sykes common stock after the completion of the merger.
In addition, the actual integration may result in additional and
unforeseen expenses, and the anticipated benefits of the
integration plan may not be realized. Actual cost and sales
synergies, if achieved at all, may be lower than Sykes expects
and may take longer to achieve than anticipated. If Sykes is not
able to adequately address these challenges, Sykes may be unable
to successfully integrate ICTs operations into its own, or
to realize the anticipated benefits of the integration of the
two companies.
The
market price of Sykes common stock after the merger may be
affected by factors different from those affecting the shares of
ICT or Sykes currently.
Upon completion of the merger, holders of ICT common stock will
become holders of Sykes common stock. The businesses of Sykes
differ from those of ICT in important respects and, accordingly,
the results of operations of the combined company and the market
price of Sykes common stock following the merger may be affected
by factors different from those currently affecting the
independent results of operations of Sykes and ICT. For a
discussion of the businesses of Sykes and ICT and of certain
factors to consider in connection with those businesses, see the
documents incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus referred to under Where You Can Find
More Information beginning on page 118.
31
Failure
to complete the merger could negatively impact the stock price
and the future business and financial results of Sykes and
ICT.
If the merger is not completed, the ongoing businesses of Sykes
and ICT may be adversely affected and, without realizing any of
the benefits of having completed the merger, Sykes and ICT will
be subject to a number of risks, including the following:
|
|
|
|
|
ICT may be required to pay Sykes a termination fee of
$7.5 million if the merger is terminated under certain
circumstances, plus reimburse Sykes for up to $4.5 million
of Sykes actual expenses incurred in connection with the
merger, as described in the merger agreement and summarized in
this proxy statement/prospectus;
|
|
|
|
Sykes and ICT will be required to pay certain costs relating to
the merger, whether or not the merger is completed;
|
|
|
|
under the merger agreement, ICT is subject to certain
restrictions on the conduct of its business prior to completing
the merger which may affect its ability to execute certain of
its business strategies; and
|
|
|
|
matters relating to the merger (including integration planning)
may require substantial commitments of time and resources by
Sykes and ICT management, which could otherwise have been
devoted to other opportunities that may have been beneficial to
Sykes and ICT as independent companies, as the case may be.
|
Sykes and ICT also could be subject to litigation related to any
failure to complete the merger or related to any enforcement
proceeding commenced against Sykes or ICT to perform their
respective obligations under the merger agreement. If the merger
is not completed, these risks may materialize and may adversely
affect Sykes and ICTs business, financial results
and stock price.
Sykes
may incur substantial additional indebtedness to finance the
merger, which will decrease Sykes business flexibility and
increase its borrowing costs.
It is anticipated that Sykes will incur acquisition debt
financing of approximately $150 million. While Sykes has
obtained $75 million through a borrowing by one of its
wholly-owned subsidiaries from KeyBank, National Association,
and KeyBank has committed to provide an additional
$90 million to Sykes pursuant to a credit facility that is
proposed to provide Sykes with a $75 million term loan and
a $75 million revolving line of credit, the final terms of
the $150 million credit facility are subject to
negotiation. The financial and other covenants to which Sykes
agrees in connection with such indebtedness and Sykes
increased indebtedness and higher
debt-to-equity
ratio in comparison to that of Sykes on a recent historical
basis will have the effect, among other things, of reducing
Sykes flexibility to respond to changing business and
economic conditions and increasing borrowing costs. In addition,
the terms and conditions of such indebtedness may not be
favorable to Sykes, and as such, could further increase the cost
of the merger, as well as the overall burden of such
indebtedness upon Sykes and Sykes business flexibility.
Unfavorable debt financing terms may also adversely affect
Sykes financial results.
If
Sykes does not borrow the funds to finance the merger, it will
be required to use funds held in international operations and
may be subject to additional taxes.
In the event that Sykes is not able to obtain sufficient
financing for the acquisition, it will fund the cash portion of
the merger consideration using its existing cash and cash
equivalents, which totaled $270.6 million at
September 30, 2009 (not including the net proceeds from the
$75 million short term loan from KeyBank to a Sykes
subsidiary on December 11, 2009), of which approximately
92.2% or $249.5 million at September 30, 2009, was
held in international operations and may be subject to
additional taxes if repatriated to the United States. The
imposition of such taxes on the repatriation of such income
would increase Sykes tax expense for the post-combination
operations.
32
Sykes,
ICT and, subsequently, the combined company, must continue to
retain, motivate and recruit executives and other key employees,
which may be difficult in light of uncertainty regarding the
merger, and failure to do so could negatively affect the
combined company.
For the merger to be successful, during the period before the
merger is completed, both Sykes and ICT must continue to retain,
motivate and recruit executives and other key employees. The
combined company also must be successful at retaining key
employees following the completion of the merger. Experienced
employees are in high demand and competition for their talents
can be intense. Employees of both Sykes and ICT may experience
uncertainty about their future role with the combined company
until, or even after, strategies with regard to the combined
company are announced or executed. These potential distractions
of the merger may adversely affect the ability of Sykes, ICT or
the combined company to attract, motivate and retain executives
and other key employees and keep them focused on applicable
strategies and goals. A failure by Sykes, ICT or the combined
company to retain and motivate executives and other key
employees during the period prior to or after the completion of
the merger could have a negative impact on the business of
Sykes, ICT or the combined company.
Sykes
will incur significant transaction and merger-related costs in
connection with the merger.
Sykes expects to incur a number of non-recurring costs
associated with combining the operations of the two companies.
The substantial majority of non-recurring expenses resulting
from the merger will be comprised of transaction costs related
to the merger, facilities and systems consolidation costs and
employment-related costs. Sykes will also incur transaction fees
and costs related to formulating integration plans. Additional
unanticipated costs may be incurred in the integration of the
two companies businesses. Although Sykes expects that the
elimination of duplicative costs, as well as the realization of
other efficiencies related to the integration of the businesses,
should allow Sykes to offset incremental transaction and
merger-related costs over time, this net benefit may not be
achieved in the near term, or at all.
The
merger may not be accretive and may cause dilution to
Sykes earnings per share, which may negatively affect the
market price of Sykes common stock.
Sykes expects to realize synergies of up to $20 million
annually in connection with the merger. Giving consideration to
realizing a portion of the anticipated synergies in 2010, the
acquisition is currently expected to be dilutive to Sykes
earnings per diluted share in 2010. On an adjusted basis, which
excludes transaction and integration expenses and amortization
of acquisition-related intangible assets, while including the
expected synergies, the transaction is expected to be earnings
per diluted share accretive in 2010. These expectations are
based on preliminary estimates which may materially change.
Sykes could also encounter additional transaction and
integration-related costs or other factors such as the failure
to realize all of the benefits anticipated in the transaction.
All of these factors could cause dilution to Sykes
earnings per share or decrease or delay the expected accretive
effect of the transaction and cause a decrease in the price of
Sykes common stock.
The
transaction may result in substantial goodwill for the combined
company. If the combined companys goodwill becomes
impaired, then the profits of the combined company may be
significantly reduced or eliminated and shareholders
equity may be reduced.
The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements
reflect preliminary estimates of goodwill of approximately
$74.2 million as a result of the transaction. This
approximate amount of goodwill assumes that the Sykes common
stock received by the ICT shareholders in the transaction has a
market value of $25.89 per share (which was the closing price of
Sykes common stock on December 11, 2009). The actual amount
of goodwill recorded may be materially different and will depend
in part on the market value of Sykes common stock as of the date
on which the merger is completed and the appropriate allocation
of purchase price, which may be impacted by a number of factors,
including changes in the net assets acquired and changes in the
fair values of the net assets acquired. On at least an annual
basis, Sykes assesses whether there has been an impairment in
the value of goodwill. If the carrying value of goodwill exceeds
its estimated fair value, impairment is deemed to have occurred
and the carrying value of goodwill is written down to fair
value. Under GAAP, this would result in a charge to the combined
companys operating earnings. Accordingly, any
33
determination requiring the write-off of a significant portion
of goodwill recorded in connection with the merger would
negatively affect the combined companys results of
operations.
Some
of ICTs officers and/or directors may have interests that
may be different from, or in addition to, the interests of ICT
shareholders.
Some of ICTs directors and executive officers have
interests in the merger that may be different from, or in
addition to, the interests of ICTs shareholders generally.
The ICT board of directors was aware of these interests, and
considered these interests, among other matters, in evaluating
and negotiating the merger agreement and the merger, and in
recommending to the shareholders that the merger agreement be
adopted. These interests and arrangements include
(i) vesting of all unvested ICT stock options held by
ICTs directors and employees (including all current
executive officers) and the cancellation of these stock options
with holders of stock options having a per share exercise price
that is less than $15.38 receiving an amount in cash (without
interest and less tax withholding) equal to (x) the excess
of (1) $15.38 over (2) the per share option exercise
price, multiplied by (y) the total number of shares of ICT
common stock underlying all such options, but stock options
having a per share exercise price that is greater than or equal
to $15.38 being canceled without consideration,
(ii) vesting of all unvested RSUs held by ICTs
directors and employees (including all current executive
officers), and the cancellation of all vested RSUs in exchange
for an amount in cash (without interest and less tax
withholding) equal to $15.38 for each share of ICT common stock
into which such RSU would otherwise be convertible,
(iii) change-in-control
severance agreements for ICTs current executive officers,
(iv) long term incentive plan awards for ICTs current
executive officers, and (v) rights to indemnification and
directors and officers liability insurance. See
Interests of Certain Persons in the Merger beginning
on page 62 for a discussion of each of these interests and
arrangements with ICTs directors and executive officers.
ICTs
financial advisor is entitled to receive a portion of its
transaction fee contingent upon consummation of the
merger.
ICTs fee arrangement with Greenhill is structured so that
Greenhill will receive $2.65 million of its approximately
$3.7 million transaction fee only upon consummation of the
merger. For a more detailed description of the fee arrangement
between ICT and Greenhill, see Opinion of ICTs
Financial Advisor Engagement of Greenhill on
page 58.
The
required regulatory approvals may not be obtained or may contain
materially burdensome conditions that could have an adverse
effect on Sykes.
Completion of the merger is conditioned upon the receipt of
certain governmental approvals. Although Sykes and ICT have
agreed in the merger agreement to use their reasonable best
efforts to obtain the requisite governmental approvals, there
can be no assurance that these approvals will be obtained. In
addition, the governmental authorities from which these
approvals are required may impose conditions on the completion
of the merger or require changes to the terms of the merger. If
Sykes becomes subject to any material conditions in order to
obtain any approvals required to complete the merger, the
business and results of operations of the combined company may
be adversely affected.
If the
mergers, taken together, do not qualify as a tax-free
reorganization for federal income tax purposes, and the parties
elect to proceed with the transaction, ICT shareholders will
recognize gain or loss on the exchange of their shares of ICT
common stock.
Sykes and ICT intend, and believe, that the mergers, taken
together, will qualify as a tax-free reorganization under
Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code; however, no
ruling will be sought from the Internal Revenue Service. If the
mergers, taken together, fail to qualify as a tax-free
reorganization, ICT shareholders would generally recognize gain
or loss on each share of ICT common stock surrendered in the
merger in the amount of the difference between their basis in
such share and sum of the cash and fair market value of the
Sykes common stock they receive in exchange for each share of
ICT common stock. ICT shareholders should consult with their own
tax advisors regarding the proper reporting of the amount and
34
timing of such gain or loss. See Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the
Transaction beginning on page 72 for a discussion of
the tax consequences of the transaction.
The
shares of Sykes common stock to be received by ICT shareholders
as a result of the merger will have different rights from the
shares of ICT common stock.
Upon completion of the merger, ICT shareholders will become
Sykes shareholders and their rights as shareholders will be
governed by Sykes articles of incorporation and bylaws.
The rights associated with ICT common stock are different from
the rights associated with Sykes common stock. See
Comparison of Rights of Sykes Shareholders and ICT
Shareholders beginning on page 104 for a discussion
of the different rights associated with Sykes common stock.
Risks
Relating to Sykes and ICT
Sykes and ICT are, and will continue to be, subject to the risks
described in (i) Part I, Item 1A of the Sykes
2008 10-K,
(ii) Part I, Item 1A of the ICT 2008
10-K and
(iii) each of Sykes and ICTs Quarterly Reports
on
Form 10-Q
filed since their respective 2008
10-K, in
each case as filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference
into this proxy statement/prospectus. See Where You Can
Find More Information beginning on page 118 for the
location of information incorporated by reference into this
proxy statement/prospectus.
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE COMPANIES
Sykes
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated, a Florida corporation, and its
consolidated subsidiaries, provides outsourced customer contact
management solutions and services in the business process
outsourcing arena to companies, primarily within the
communications, financial services, healthcare,
technology/consumer and transportation and leisure industries.
Sykes provides flexible, high quality outsourced customer
contact management services (with an emphasis on inbound
technical support and customer service), which includes customer
assistance, healthcare and roadside assistance, technical
support and product sales to its clients customers.
Utilizing Sykes integrated onshore/offshore global
delivery model, Sykes provides its services through multiple
communications channels encompassing phone,
e-mail, Web
and chat. Sykes complements its outsourced customer contact
management services with various enterprise support services in
the United States that encompass services for a companys
internal support operations, from technical staffing services to
outsourced corporate help desk services. In Europe, Sykes also
provides fulfillment services including multilingual sales order
processing via the Internet and phone, payment processing,
inventory control, product delivery and product returns
handling. Sykes has operations in two geographic regions
entitled (1) the Americas, which includes the United
States, Canada, Latin America, India and the Asia Pacific Rim,
in which the client base is primarily companies in the United
States that are using Sykes services to support their
customer management needs; and (2) EMEA, which includes
Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Sykes common stock (NASDAQ: SYKE) is listed on the NASDAQ stock
market. The principal executive offices of Sykes are located at
400 North Ashley Drive, Tampa, FL 33602, and its telephone
number is
(813) 274-1000.
Additional information about Sykes and its subsidiaries is
included in documents incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus. See Where You Can Find More
Information beginning on page 118.
SH Merger
Subsidiary I, Inc.
SH Merger Subsidiary I, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation
and direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes, was formed solely
for the purpose of consummating the merger with ICT. It has not
carried on any activities to date, except for activities
incidental to its formation and activities undertaken in
connection with the
35
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement. Its principal
executive offices are located at 400 North Ashley Drive, Tampa,
FL 33602, and its telephone number is
(813) 274-1000.
SH Merger
Subsidiary II, LLC
SH Merger Subsidiary II, LLC, a Florida limited liability
company and direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes, was formed
solely for the purpose of merging with Merger Sub, with Merger
Sub II being the surviving entity in such merger. It has
not carried on any activities to date, except for activities
incidental to its formation and activities undertaken in
connection with the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement. Its principal executive offices are located at 400
North Ashley Drive, Tampa, FL 33602, and its telephone number is
(813) 274-1000.
ICT
ICT Group, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, is a leading global
provider of outsourced customer management and business process
outsourcing (BPO) solutions. ICTs comprehensive mix of
customer service, technology and back-office solutions includes:
customer care/retention, cross-selling/upselling, technical
support and collections, database marketing, data
entry/management,
e-mail
response management, remittance processing and other back-office
business processing services.
ICT also offers a comprehensive suite of BPO technologies, which
are available on a hosted basis, for use by clients at their own
in-house facilities, or on a co-sourced basis in conjunction
with ICTs fully integrated, multi-channel operations
centers. These technologies include: interactive voice response
(IVR) and advanced speech recognition (ASR), outbound alert
notification/messaging, automatic call distribution (ACD) voice
processing, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), contact
management, automated
e-mail
management and processing and Web self-help, for the delivery of
consistent, quality customer care across multiple channels.
ICTs common stock (NASDAQ: ICTG) is listed on the NASDAQ
stock market. The principal executive offices of ICT are located
at 100 Brandywine Boulevard, Newtown, PA 18940, and its
telephone number is
(267) 685-5000.
Additional information about ICT and its subsidiaries is
included in documents incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus. See Where You Can Find More
Information beginning on page 118.
THE ICT
SPECIAL MEETING
Date,
Time and Place
The meeting will be held at ICTs corporate headquarters
located at 100 Brandywine Boulevard, Newtown, PA 18940 on
[ ], 2009 at [ ] a.m., Eastern
Time.
Purpose
At the meeting, ICT shareholders will be asked to vote to adopt
the merger agreement.
ICT
Record Date; Stock Entitled to Vote
Only holders of record at the close of business on
November 23, 2009 will be entitled to vote at the meeting.
As of the close of business on the record date of
November 23, 2009, there were 16,311,903 shares of ICT
common stock outstanding. Each holder of ICT common stock is
entitled to one vote for each share of common stock owned as of
the record date.
Quorum
A majority of the outstanding shares of common stock being
present in person or represented by proxy constitutes a quorum
for the meeting.
36
Required
Vote
Adoption of the merger agreement requires the affirmative vote
of a majority of votes cast by the holders of the ICT common
stock represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy. Because
approval is based on the affirmative vote of a majority of the
votes cast, an ICT shareholders failure to vote,
abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the vote.
Abstentions
Abstentions are counted as present and entitled to vote for
purposes of determining a quorum. For the proposal to adopt the
merger agreement, abstentions will have no effect on the vote.
Voting of
Proxies by Holders of Record
If you hold shares in your own name, you may submit a proxy for
your shares by simply filling out, signing and dating your proxy
card and mailing it in the prepaid envelope included with these
proxy materials. You will need to follow the instructions when
you submit a proxy to make sure your shares will be voted at the
meeting. You also may vote by submitting a ballot in person if
you attend the meeting. However, ICT encourages you to submit a
proxy by mail by completing your proxy card even if you plan to
attend the meeting. If you hold shares through a broker, bank or
other nominee, you may instruct your broker, bank or other
nominee to vote your shares by following the instructions that
the broker, bank or nominee provides to you with these
materials. Most brokers offer the ability for shareholders to
submit voting instructions by mail by completing a voting
instruction card, by telephone and via the Internet. If you hold
shares through a broker, bank or other nominee and wish to vote
your shares at the meeting, you must obtain a legal proxy from
your broker, bank or nominee and present it to the inspector of
election with your ballot when you vote at the meeting.
Your vote is important. Accordingly, please submit your proxy by
mail, whether or not you plan to attend the meeting in person.
Proxies must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on
[ ] , 2009.
Shares Held
in Street Name
If your shares are held in an account at a broker, you must
instruct the broker on how to vote your shares. If you do not
provide voting instructions to your broker, your shares will not
be voted on any proposal on which your broker does not have
discretionary authority to vote. This is called a broker
non-vote. In these cases, the broker can register your shares as
being present at the meeting for purposes of determining the
presence of a quorum but will not be able to vote on those
matters for which specific authorization is required. Because
approval is based on the affirmative vote of a majority of the
votes cast and a broker non-vote is not a vote cast, broker
non-votes will have no effect on the vote regarding adoption of
the merger agreement.
Revocability
of Proxies
You may revoke your proxy at any time before the meeting. If you
are a shareholder of record, you can revoke your proxy before it
is exercised by written notice to the Office of the Secretary of
ICT, by timely delivery of a valid, later-dated proxy card or by
voting by ballot in person if you attend the meeting. Simply
attending the meeting will not revoke your proxy. If you hold
shares through a broker, bank or other nominee, you may submit
new voting instructions by contacting your broker, bank or other
nominee.
Solicitation
of Proxies
This proxy statement/prospectus is furnished in connection with
the solicitation of proxies by the ICT board of directors to be
voted at the ICT special meeting of shareholders to be held on
[ ], 2009 at [ ] a.m., Eastern
Time, at ICTs corporate headquarters located at 100
Brandywine Boulevard, Newtown, PA 18940. Shareholders will be
admitted to the meeting beginning at [ ] a.m.,
Eastern Time.
This proxy statement/prospectus and the proxy card are first
being sent to ICT shareholders on or about [ ],
2009.
37
ICT has engaged Georgeson Inc. to assist in the solicitation of
proxies for the meeting and ICT estimates it will pay Georgeson
a fee of approximately $7,500. ICT has also agreed to reimburse
Georgeson for reasonable
out-of-pocket
expenses and disbursements incurred in connection with the proxy
solicitation and to indemnify Georgeson against certain losses,
costs and expenses. In addition, our officers and employees may
request the return of proxies by telephone or in person, but no
additional compensation will be paid to them.
PROPOSAL 1:
THE MERGER
The following is a discussion of the proposed merger and the
merger agreement. This is a summary only and may not contain all
of the information that is important to you. A copy of the
merger agreement is attached to this proxy statement/prospectus
as Annex A and is incorporated by reference herein. ICT
shareholders are urged to read this entire proxy
statement/prospectus, including the merger agreement, for a more
complete understanding of the merger.
Structure
of the Merger
Subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement,
Merger Sub will be merged with and into ICT, with ICT continuing
as the interim surviving corporation, which activity is referred
to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the merger. Immediately
following the effectiveness of the merger, the interim surviving
corporation will be merged with and into Merger Sub II, with
Merger Sub II surviving and continuing as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Sykes, which activity is referred to in this proxy
statement/prospectus as the upstream merger. Throughout this
proxy statement/prospectus, the merger and the upstream merger
are referred to collectively as the mergers or the transaction.
It is intended that the upstream merger will, through the
binding commitment of the parties to the merger agreement, be
effected immediately after the effective time of the merger
without further approval, authorization or direction from or by
any of the parties to the merger agreement. The term surviving
entity is sometimes used in this proxy statement/prospectus to
refer to Merger Sub II as the surviving entity following
the upstream merger.
Upon completion of the merger, each of the issued and
outstanding shares of ICT, other than shares held directly and
indirectly by ICT and Sykes (which will be canceled as a result
of the merger) will be converted into the right to receive
consideration valued at $15.38, subject to adjustment as
described below. The consideration per share of ICT common stock
is payable as follows: (i) $7.69 is payable in cash without
interest, and (ii) the remainder is payable by delivery of
a number of shares of Sykes common stock equal to the exchange
ratio described below divided by two (2). Except as described
below, the exchange ratio will be the quotient determined by
dividing $15.38 by the volume weighted average of the per share
sales prices of Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive
trading days ending on (and including) the third trading day
immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, referred
to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the measurement value.
The exchange ratio is subject to a symmetrical collar of 7.5%
above and 7.5% below $20.8979, which is the volume weighted
average of the per share sales prices of Sykes common stock for
the ten consecutive trading days ending on October 2, 2009,
the last trading day immediately prior to the date of the merger
agreement. Within this collar, the exchange ratio will be
determined pursuant to the calculation described above. If,
however, the measurement value is equal to or less than
$19.3306, then the exchange ratio will be 0.7956, and
0.3978 shares of Sykes common stock will be issued for each
share of ICT common stock. If the measurement value is equal to
or greater than $22.4652, then the exchange ratio will be
0.6846, and 0.3423 shares of Sykes common stock will be
issued for each share of ICT common stock.
Background
of the Merger
In light of the rapidly growing outsourced customer contact
management solutions and services market, the Sykes board of
directors, together with its senior management, has regularly
evaluated business development strategies, including strategic
acquisitions. As part of this review, Sykes has focused on
potential strategic acquisitions that would complement its
global footprint, provide entry into additional vertical
markets, and increase revenues to a point so as to enhance
Sykes ability to leverage its infrastructure to produce
improved sustainable margins.
38
As part of its long-term planning, the ICT board of directors,
together with its senior management, has evaluated strategic
alternatives available to ICT and ways in which shareholder
value could be enhanced, including strategic acquisitions and
the possible sale of ICT.
In the fall of 2006, ICT had discussions with and engaged
Greenhill to serve as financial advisor to ICT to explore
various transactions, including the possible sale of ICT.
Greenhill contacted and had exploratory discussions with several
potential private equity sponsors to gauge their potential
interest in acquiring ICT, but no significant interest
materialized at that time.
From time to time thereafter, ICT received several unsolicited
overtures from private equity sponsors and sponsored companies
seeking to explore a potential acquisition of ICT. Greenhill
assisted the Company in assessing meaningful interest from these
overtures.
In the late summer and fall of 2008, ICT engaged in limited
discussions with several private equity sponsors that had
expressed preliminary interest in acquiring ICT. ICT entered
into a confidentiality agreement with one of these parties
(Party A) in early November 2008, and information
was exchanged by the parties and their representatives. It was
determined that none of the parties with whom ICT spoke,
including Party A, was interested in proceeding with a
transaction at a valuation that would be attractive to ICT and,
accordingly, the ICT board of directors concluded that pursuing
discussions with these parties was not in the best interests of
ICT and such discussions were thereafter terminated.
Beginning in early January 2009, Aegis Limited, a provider of
business process outsourcing services (Aegis),
expressed interest in meeting with ICT to discuss Aegis
strategic objectives and its potential interest in ICT. In
response to such interest, on January 27, 2009, John J.
Brennan (President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of ICT)
met with Aegis Managing Director and Global Chief
Executive Officer to discuss Aegis interest.
On January 19, 2009, Mr. Charles E. Sykes (President
and Chief Executive Officer of Sykes) called Mr. John
Brennan to introduce himself and suggest that they meet at some
indefinite time in the future. Several subsequent attempts to
set up a meeting resulted in Mr. Sykes and Mr. John
Brennan meeting on June 9, 2009.
On February 4, 2009, the ICT board of directors held a
telephonic meeting that was also attended by Vincent
Paccapaniccia (Executive Vice President Finance and
Administration and Chief Financial Officer of ICT), Jeffrey
Moore (Senior Vice President and Secretary of ICT) and
representatives of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
(counsel to ICT) (Morgan Lewis) and Greenhill. At
this meeting, Mr. John Brennan advised the ICT board of
directors of Aegis expression of interest, a
representative of Morgan Lewis generally advised the ICT board
of directors about their fiduciary duties in the context of
considering such a transaction and a representative of Greenhill
reviewed with the ICT board of directors various factors germane
to evaluating a potential proposal from Aegis, including the
depressed status of the equity markets generally and of the
trading prices of ICTs common stock. The ICT board of
directors engaged in an extensive discussion of the potential
advantages and disadvantages of a transaction with Aegis and
concluded that, in the event Aegis were to make a formal
proposal reflecting a substantial premium to the then-recent
trading prices of ICT common stock, such proposal would be
considered, but that a proposal reflecting an insufficient
premium would not be in the best interests of ICT and,
accordingly, should be rejected.
On February 5, 2009, Aegis submitted to ICT a written
proposal to acquire all of the outstanding shares of ICT common
stock at a price per share within a range of $5.90 to $7.15,
subject to adjustment based on due diligence and other factors.
On February 9, 2009, at the direction of the ICT board of
directors, ICT sent a letter to Aegis communicating the ICT
board of directors determination that it was not in the
best interests of ICT to pursue the transaction proposed by
Aegis.
Between February 9, 2009 and February 19, 2009, a
representative of Aegis contacted Greenhill several times
regarding the ICT board of directors decision with respect
to Aegis acquisition proposal and to communicate that
Aegis remained very interested in pursuing the proposed
transaction and suggested that Aegis was considering publicly
announcing its proposal.
39
On February 19, 2009, the ICT board of directors held an in
person, regularly scheduled meeting that was also attended by
Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill. At this meeting, Mr. John
Brennan and a representative from Greenhill reviewed with the
ICT board of directors developments with Aegis, including that
Aegis was considering publicly announcing its proposal.
Greenhill reviewed with the ICT board of directors the
market-related factors discussed at the February 4, 2009
meeting and the fact that the financial projections prepared by
ICTs management supported a valuation substantially in
excess of the Aegis offer price. After discussion, the ICT board
of directors reaffirmed its conclusion regarding the inadequacy
of the Aegis proposal and considered, with the input from Morgan
Lewis and Greenhill, potential responses in the event of a
public announcement of Aegis proposal.
On March 2, 2009, Aegis submitted to the ICT board of
directors a letter containing an offer to acquire all of the
outstanding shares of ICT common stock at $8.00 per share
subject to adjustment based on due diligence and other factors
and also issued a press release publicly disclosing its offer to
ICT. Later that day, the ICT board of directors met
telephonically with representatives from Morgan Lewis and
Greenhill to discuss the letter from Aegis.
After an extensive discussion, including input from Greenhill,
the ICT board of directors concluded that the Aegis proposal was
not materially different from its earlier offer and was
inadequate and instructed management to so inform Aegis and to
promptly issue a press release publicly rejecting the Aegis
offer. On March 3, 2009, ICT so informed Aegis and issued a
press release disclosing that the ICT board of directors had met
and determined that it would not be in the best interest of ICT
to pursue the transaction proposed by Aegis.
On March 6, 2009, a shareholder class action lawsuit was
commenced against ICT and the ICT board of directors. The
complaint asserted, among other things, claims of breach of
fiduciary duty in connection with ICTs rejection of the
Aegis offer. After the lawsuit was filed, ICT brought to the
plaintiffs attention, under a confidentiality agreement,
information demonstrating that the asserted claims were
unfounded. After reviewing this information, the plaintiffs
agreed voluntarily to dismiss the lawsuit without prejudice. The
case was dismissed on May 15, 2009.
On April 28, 2009, the ICT board of directors held an in
person, regularly scheduled meeting that was also attended by
Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill. At this meeting, Mr. Moore
advised the ICT board of directors on the status of the
shareholder class action lawsuit and Mr. John Brennan
reviewed with the ICT board of directors, among other things,
managements 2009 business plan, including
management-prepared financial projections that had previously
been presented to the compensation committee of the ICT board of
directors in February 2009 in connection with actions taken
related to the ICT long term incentive plan and other
compensation-related matters (the ICT 2009 Business
Plan). Representatives of Greenhill made a presentation to
and reviewed and engaged in a discussion with the ICT board of
directors regarding materials relating to, among other things:
(i) various metrics relevant to establishing an appropriate
valuation of ICT, (ii) perspectives on the equity markets
and ICTs financial results and share price performance
over a three year period, including a comparison to other
companies in ICTs industry, and (iii) valuations and
premiums to historic trading prices of targets in precedent
acquisition transactions. Representatives of Morgan Lewis made a
presentation to and reviewed and engaged in a discussion with
the ICT board of directors regarding materials relating to,
among other things: (i) an overview of ICTs takeover
defense profile, (ii) the process and other aspects of
potential unsolicited takeover bids, and (iii) fiduciary
duties of the ICT board of directors. The ICT board of directors
also discussed the invitation extended by Mr. Sykes to meet
in person with Mr. John Brennan and concluded that it would
be desirable for another member of the ICT board of directors to
participate in any such meeting.
On May 29, 2009, the ICT board of directors held an in
person, regularly scheduled meeting after the annual
shareholders meeting, at which Messrs. Paccapaniccia and
Moore were also present. At this meeting, the ICT board of
directors determined that Richard R. Roscitt, an independent
member of the ICT board of directors, would attend the meeting
scheduled for June 9, 2009 between Mr. Sykes and
Mr. John Brennan.
On June 9, 2009, Mr. Sykes met in person with
Mr. John Brennan and Mr. Roscitt. Among other things,
the parties discussed the merits of a potential combination of
Sykes and ICT. These discussions were of a
40
preliminary nature and did not result in any agreement regarding
terms of a potential transaction or agreement to work toward a
potential transaction.
On July 8, 2009, Mr. Sykes called Mr. John
Brennan to advise him that Sykes had performed a preliminary
valuation analysis of ICT based on information then publicly
available and that, based on assumptions regarding modest
revenue growth and the realization of significant cost
synergies, Sykes was interested in discussing a possible
acquisition of ICT for up to but no more than $15.00 per ICT
common share to be paid 20% in shares of Sykes common stock and
the balance in cash. Although Mr. Sykes expressed
confidence that the Sykes board of directors would approve this
preliminary proposal, it had not yet done so. Following this
call, Mr. John Brennan apprised the members of the ICT
board of directors regarding Sykes preliminary proposal.
On July 17, 2009, the ICT board of directors held a
telephonic meeting that was also attended by
Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill. At this meeting, Mr. John
Brennan reviewed with the full ICT board of directors the
details of Sykes preliminary proposal. Although the
ensuing ICT board of directors discussion identified a number of
issues, including the contingent nature of the proposal,
questions about how the potential transaction would be financed,
the absence of the Sykes board of directors approval for
the proposal and potential risks associated with sharing
information with an industry participant, it was the consensus
of the ICT board of directors that discussions with Sykes should
be continued. Nonetheless, the ICT board of directors determined
that it would be in the best interests of ICT for management to
complete its process of releasing second quarter results, which
release was scheduled for the end of July, before engaging in
further substantive discussions with Sykes. Later that day,
Mr. John Brennan called Mr. Sykes to advise him of the
ICT board of directors discussion and emphasized, in
particular, that in order for discussions to proceed, $15.00 per
share would need to be the minimum (not maximum) price proposed.
Messrs. Sykes and John Brennan agreed to discuss the matter
further after Sykes released earnings on August 3, 2009.
On July 28, 2009, the ICT board of directors held an in
person, regularly scheduled meeting that was also attended by
Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore and representatives of
Morgan Lewis. At this meeting, Mr. John Brennan provided a
report on his July 17, 2009 conversation with
Mr. Sykes (which he had earlier summarized in an email to
the ICT board of directors immediately following the call) and
Mr. Paccapaniccia reviewed preliminary calculations of
potential synergies implicated by a combination of Sykes and
ICT. The ICT board of directors discussed various procedural
aspects of continuing discussions with Sykes and received input
from a representative of Morgan Lewis regarding such matters,
including the timing and process of proceeding with a
combination of two public companies.
On July 29, 2009, W. Michael Kipphut (Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of Sykes) contacted a representative
of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (Credit
Suisse) to request that Credit Suisse assist Sykes in its
analysis of a potential business combination between the
companies. Credit Suisse has served as Sykes exclusive
financial advisor since 2001 and agreed to serve as its
financial advisor on this potential transaction.
On August 5, 2009, representatives of Credit Suisse met
with Mr. Sykes and Mr. Kipphut to discuss their
preliminary thoughts on ICTs business and financial
profile as well as potential transaction structures.
On August 7, 2009, the finance committee of the Sykes board
of directors held a telephonic meeting to review and discuss the
potential transaction and rationale therefor. The finance
committee is a standing committee whose principal purpose is to
assist the Sykes board of directors in evaluating significant
investments and other financial commitments by Sykes. At this
meeting, Mr. Sykes summarized his June 9, 2009 meeting
with Mr. John Brennan and Mr. Roscitt, and his
subsequent conversations with Mr. John Brennan. After
reviewing the proposed transaction with management, the finance
committee gave its approval to continue to move forward with the
diligence process and directed the Sykes management team to
develop an acquisition proposal for ICT.
On August 14, 2009, Mr. Sykes called Mr. John
Brennan and described a proposal for Sykes to acquire ICT for a
price per share in the range of $13.00 to $15.00. Mr. Sykes
explained that this proposal had been
41
discussed with the finance committee, including the chairman of
the Sykes board of directors. Mr. Sykes indicated that
Sykes preference would be to use a combination of Sykes
common stock and cash consideration. He further explained that
Sykes would likely arrange a short-term bank facility to finance
the transaction. In response to this proposal, Mr. John
Brennan suggested that any contingency regarding financing would
be unacceptable and that it was unlikely that the price range
proposed would be regarded favorably by the ICT board of
directors. In parting, Mr. Sykes agreed to see if Sykes had
room to enhance its proposal regarding price but indicated that
a higher offer would likely necessitate that Sykes common stock
constitute a meaningful part of the consideration. Mr. John
Brennan provided a summary of this call to the ICT board of
directors promptly following its conclusion.
Later on August 14, 2009, Mr. Sykes called
Mr. John Brennan again and indicated that Sykes was
prepared to increase the price range in its proposal to $15.00
to $17.00 but that at least 51% of the consideration would need
to be comprised of Sykes common stock and that compelling new
information would need to be discovered in Sykes due
diligence exercise in order to warrant a price above the bottom
of such enhanced range. Mr. Sykes then suggested an initial
due diligence meeting to discuss the business and financial
performance of the respective companies and the potential
benefits of the proposed transaction.
On August 17, 2009, Greenhill arranged a call among
Mr. John Brennan, representatives from Greenhill,
Mr. Sykes and representatives of Credit Suisse for purposes
of clarifying certain aspects of Sykes proposal and
discussing the scope of due diligence Sykes desired to conduct.
In addition to reviewing the terms previously discussed by
Mr. John Brennan and Mr. Sykes, Mr. Sykes and
Credit Suisse discussed how an acquisition could be financed and
stated that Sykes could proceed without any financing
contingency and outlined a four to six week due diligence
process, in which initially they intended to focus on key client
relationships, financial performance and outlook and information
technology systems. The parties also discussed and agreed that,
to the extent Sykes common stock constituted a meaningful
portion of the consideration in the proposed transaction, it
would be appropriate for ICT to perform a due diligence review
of Sykes. Mr. John Brennan provided a summary of this call
to the ICT board of directors in anticipation of a meeting of
the ICT board of directors scheduled for the next day.
On August 18, 2009, the ICT board of directors held a
telephonic meeting that was also attended by
Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill. At this meeting, Mr. John
Brennan and representatives of Greenhill reviewed the various
communications with Mr. Sykes and Credit Suisse regarding
Sykes proposal, including their request to proceed with
initial due diligence. After discussing the terms of Sykes
proposal and risks associated with providing Sykes confidential
information, the ICT board of directors concluded that it was in
the best interests of ICT to execute an appropriate
confidentiality agreement with Sykes and to proceed with an
initial exchange of information to enable Sykes to enhance its
offer. In addition, the ICT board of directors instructed
Greenhill to communicate a willingness to proceed with an
exchange of information and further discussions and that the ICT
board of directors would be receptive if up to 40% to 50% of the
consideration were in the form of Sykes common stock. Greenhill
communicated these terms to Credit Suisse on August 19,
2009 and arranged for an in person due diligence meeting to
occur at Greenhills offices on August 24, 2009.
On August 20, 2009, the ICT board of directors held a
telephonic meeting that was also attended by
Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill for purposes of discussing the merits
of forming a committee of directors to oversee and assist the
ICT management team in considering the potential transaction
with Sykes (the ICT Transaction Committee). The ICT
board of directors reached a consensus that Mr. Roscitt,
John A. Stoops and Donald P. Brennan should serve as members of
the ICT Transaction Committee, the responsibilities of which,
having been discussed, would be formalized in a charter to be
prepared by Morgan Lewis. Acting by written consent on
August 25, 2009, the ICT board of directors formally
established the ICT Transaction Committee to facilitate
overseeing the process and to assist management and the ICT
board of directors in their review and evaluation of the
potential transaction.
On August 20, 2009, at a regularly scheduled meeting of the
Sykes board of directors, Credit Suisse reviewed the status of
the discussions with ICT and Greenhill. The Sykes board of
directors appointed a
42
special committee (the Sykes Special Committee) to
consider a potential transaction with ICT, consistent with its
past practice. The members of the special transaction committee
were James K. Murray, Jr. (Chairman of the Sykes Special
Committee), Paul L. Whiting, William J. Meurer and James S.
MacLeod, all independent directors selected for their particular
expertise and experience to oversee the transaction.
On August 21, 2009, ICT and Sykes entered into a
confidentiality agreement, which, among other things, imposed
confidentiality, standstill and non-solicitation obligations on
the parties in connection with the evaluation of a possible
transaction.
On August 24, 2009, Mr. Sykes and Mr. Kipphut,
together with representatives from Credit Suisse, met in person
with Mr. John Brennan, Mr. Paccapaniccia and
representatives from Greenhill to discuss preliminary diligence
information regarding ICT and Sykes. Among other matters
discussed, Mr. John Brennan and Mr. Paccapaniccia
presented and discussed the 2009 through 2011 financial
projections prepared by ICTs management and
Messrs. Sykes and Kipphut presented and discussed an
overview of Sykes business and operations. Following a
lengthy discussion, the Sykes team identified various categories
of financial, legal and tax information for which further detail
was requested so that they could refine their valuation, make a
presentation to the Sykes board of directors and then present a
revised proposal to ICT, all of which Mr. Sykes suggested
would take about one week. Mr. John Brennan and Greenhill
emphasized the importance to ICT of including in any proposal a
rapid timeline to minimize the risks of, among other things,
management distraction. A representative of Greenhill provided a
written summary of this meeting to the ICT board of directors
promptly following its conclusion.
On August 26, 2009, the ICT Transaction Committee held a
telephonic meeting with Mr. John Brennan,
Messrs. Moore and Paccapaniccia and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill in attendance. Mr. John Brennan
and representatives of Greenhill provided the ICT Transaction
Committee a detailed update on the discussions on
August 24, 2009.
Also on August 26, 2009, the Sykes Special Committee held a
telephonic meeting with Messrs. Sykes and Kipphut and James
T. Holder (Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Sykes)
in attendance. Mr. Sykes provided the Sykes Special
Committee a detailed update on the discussions with ICT
management on August 24, 2009.
On August 31, 2009, representatives of Credit Suisse
communicated to representatives of Greenhill a revised proposal
by Sykes to acquire ICT. The elements of the revised proposal
included (i) a price per ICT common share of $15.00, which
would be payable 50% in cash and 50% in Sykes common stock,
(ii) no financing condition and (iii) value protection
on the stock portion of the consideration in the form of a
symmetrical collar mechanism. In addition to these terms, Credit
Suisse (i) explained that Sykes desired to structure the
transaction in a manner that would not qualify it as a tax-free
reorganization, thereby resulting in the recognition by ICT
shareholders of gain or loss on all of the consideration
received in the transaction, (ii) communicated Sykes
desire that Mr. John Brennan and certain affiliated
shareholders execute a voting agreement in support of the
transaction and (iii) articulated a timetable that
indicated that Sykes anticipated needing approximately three or
four weeks to complete its due diligence, during which time
definitive agreements could be negotiated.
On September 1, 2009, Greenhill and Credit Suisse arranged
a call to discuss the specifics of and the rationale for the
fully-taxable transaction structure proposed by Sykes.
Participants in this call (other than representatives of
Greenhill and Credit Suisse) included representatives from
Morgan Lewis and McDermott Will & Emery LLP, special
tax counsel to Sykes, and internal tax and accounting
representatives of ICT and Sykes. In the course of the call, the
Sykes team explained that the proposed structure would
facilitate financing the transaction on terms attractive to the
combined company. The parties discussed that this structure
would result in current recognition by ICT shareholders of gain
or loss on the Sykes common stock portion of the consideration
that would otherwise be subject to deferred recognition if the
transaction were structured as a traditional tax-free
reorganization.
Also on September 1, 2009, the ICT Transaction Committee
held a telephonic meeting with Mr. John Brennan,
Messrs. Moore and Paccapaniccia and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill in attendance.
43
Representatives of Greenhill and Morgan Lewis described to the
ICT Transaction Committee Sykes revised proposal and
reviewed the implications of the proposed transaction structure.
After discussion of the various aspects of Sykes revised
proposal, the ICT Transaction Committee concluded that it would
be appropriate to convene a meeting to update the full ICT board
of directors.
On September 2, 2009, the ICT board of directors held a
telephonic meeting that was also attended by
Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill for purposes of discussing
Sykes revised proposal. Representatives of Greenhill and
Morgan Lewis described Sykes revised proposal and reviewed
the implications of the proposed transaction structure. The ICT
board of directors discussed all aspects of the revised
proposal, including, in particular, potential uncertainties
surrounding any financing of the proposed transaction by Sykes,
and the implications to ICT shareholders of the proposed
fully-taxable structure. At the conclusion of the call, the ICT
board of directors instructed Greenhill to convey to Credit
Suisse that the proposed price was inadequate and that if ICT
were to get comfortable with the proposed taxable structure,
then additional consideration would be necessary to make up for
the foregone benefits associated with a tax-free reorganization.
Following the call, Greenhill conveyed this message to Credit
Suisse.
On September 3, 2009, after discussing ICTs response
with Sykes management, Credit Suisse communicated to
Greenhill that Sykes would be willing to pursue a transaction
structured as a traditional tax-free reorganization, but
maintained the per share price of $15.00 and proposed that the
total consideration be payable in 60% stock and 40% cash.
On September 4, 2009, the ICT Transaction Committee held a
telephonic meeting to discuss the revisions to Sykes
proposal conveyed by Credit Suisse. Mr. John Brennan,
Messrs. Moore and Paccapaniccia and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill were also in attendance. In addition
to discussing the specific points raised by Credit Suisse, the
ICT Transaction Committee discussed mechanisms to address
potential risks relating to fluctuations in the trading prices
of shares of Sykes common stock. The ICT Transaction Committee
instructed Greenhill to make a counterproposal to Credit Suisse
indicating a willingness to proceed with a transaction so long
as it could be signed within a two-week period and included the
following terms: (i) a per share price for ICT common stock
of $16.50, (ii) transaction consideration to be payable 60%
in cash and 40% in Sykes common stock, (iii) price
protection for the stock consideration in the form of a 7.5%
symmetrical collar based on the price of Sykes common stock,
outside of which the value of the stock portion of the
consideration payable to ICT shareholders would float, and
(iv) protection against a significant drop in the price of
Sykes common stock in the form of a walk-away right (closing
condition) triggered by a decrease in the Sykes stock price by
more than 12.5% from the date the parties entered into a
definitive agreement. Following the call, Greenhill conveyed
this message to Credit Suisse.
Later on September 4, 2009, after discussions between
representatives of Credit Suisse and Sykes, Credit Suisse
responded stating that Sykes was willing to increase the price
per share to $15.25 but that the consideration would still be
payable 40% in cash and 60% in Sykes common stock. With respect
to the price per share, Credit Suisse explained that
Sykess diligence supported staying in the low end of the
previously proposed range of $15.00 to $17.00. In addition,
Credit Suisse indicated that while the symmetrical 7.5% collar
mechanism was acceptable, Sykes would only agree to a walk-away
right for ICT if Sykes had a reciprocal right (in both cases
triggered by a decrease in the Sykes stock price by more than
15% from the date of entering into a definitive agreement).
Finally, Credit Suisse indicated that while Sykes would not
commit to the proposed two-week timeframe, Sykes would work
toward completing their due diligence and negotiations quickly.
On September 5, 2009, the ICT Transaction Committee held a
telephonic meeting to discuss the most recent feedback from
Credit Suisse. Mr. John Brennan, Messrs. Moore and
Paccapaniccia and representatives of Morgan Lewis and Greenhill
were also in attendance. After discussing the most recent terms
proposed by Sykes, the ICT Transaction Committee instructed
Greenhill to make another counterproposal to Credit Suisse
indicating a willingness to proceed with a transaction including
the following terms: (i) a per share price for ICT common
stock of $15.50, (ii) transaction consideration to be
payable 50% in cash and 50% in Sykes common stock,
(iii) inclusion of the discussed symmetrical 7.5% collar
mechanism, and (iv) an ICT walk-
44
away right without a reciprocal right for Sykes. Following the
call, Greenhill conveyed this message to Credit Suisse.
Later on September 5, 2009, after discussions between
representatives of Credit Suisse and Sykes, Credit Suisse
responded stating that Sykes would be willing to agree that the
consideration would be payable 50% in cash and 50% in Sykes
common stock if the price per share remained $15.25.
On September 6, 2009, the ICT Transaction Committee held a
telephonic meeting to discuss the most recent feedback from
Credit Suisse. Mr. John Brennan, Messrs. Moore and
Paccapaniccia and representatives of Morgan Lewis and Greenhill
were also in attendance. At this meeting, Greenhill described to
the ICT Transaction Committee Sykes position that was
communicated by Credit Suisse. The ICT Transaction Committee
instructed Greenhill to indicate to Credit Suisse that $15.50
per share, payable 50% in cash and 50% in Sykes common stock,
would be acceptable, but to insist that the parties target
signing in September. Following the call, Greenhill conveyed
this message to Credit Suisse.
On September 8, 2009, after Credit Suisse discussed with
the Sykes board of directors ICTs most recent proposal
conveyed by Greenhill, Sykes authorized representatives of
Credit Suisse to, and later that day representatives of Credit
Suisse did, communicate to representatives of Greenhill a
revised proposal at $15.38 per share, payable 50% in cash and
50% in Sykes common stock, and that Sykes would be willing to
drop the request for a reciprocal Sykes walk-away right, but
that any ICT walk-away right would only be triggered in the
event of a 15% decrease in the average price of Sykes common
stock over a 10 to 15 day period, exercisable only within
the first 30 days after signing a definitive agreement.
Credit Suisse also confirmed that Sykes would be willing to
target signing a definitive agreement by the end of September,
subject to Sykes diligence process.
Later on September 8, 2009, the ICT Transaction Committee
convened by telephone to receive a report regarding the most
recent revised Sykes proposal communicated by Credit
Suisse. The ICT Transaction Committee discussed the terms of
Sykes revised proposal, and considered the ineffectiveness
of the modified walkaway proposal by Sykes. The ICT Transaction
Committee also discussed and focused on the fact that in order
for the transaction to qualify as a tax-free reorganization, a
minimum of 40% of the total consideration measured at the
closing would have to be comprised of Sykes common stock. The
ICT Transaction Committee determined, and instructed Greenhill
to communicate to Credit Suisse, that a price of $15.38 per
share, payable 50% in cash and 50% in Sykes common stock, would
be acceptable, but that in light of the substantial portion of
consideration in the proposed transaction to be received by
ICTs shareholders in the form of Sykes common stock, in
lieu of accepting the modified walkaway right proposed by Sykes,
ICT would expect to conduct appropriate due diligence on Sykes
and insist on substantial reciprocity of contract terms. The ICT
Transaction Committee also instructed Greenhill to insist that
the transaction be conditioned on qualifying as a tax-free
reorganization and to signal to Credit Suisse that, if
ICTs revised proposal was acceptable, ICT would be
prepared to convene a meeting of the full ICT board of directors
the next day. After the meeting, Greenhill communicated
ICTs revised proposal to Credit Suisse and, later that
day, Credit Suisse communicated to Greenhill that Sykes
management was prepared to present ICTs revised proposal
to the Sykes Special Committee.
On September 9, 2009, the Sykes Special Committee, certain
members of Sykes management and representatives of Credit Suisse
held a telephonic meeting to review the status of the
transaction discussions, the proposed transaction terms, and
provide an update on the diligence process. The Sykes Special
Committee authorized management to proceed with the diligence
process and pursue negotiation of a definitive agreement.
Also on September 9, 2009, the ICT board of directors held
a telephonic meeting that was also attended by
Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore and representatives of
Morgan Lewis and Greenhill. At this meeting, Mr. John
Brennan reviewed with the ICT board of directors developments
regarding the proposed transaction that had taken place since
the last meeting of the ICT board of directors, including the
terms of the latest proposal, as revised by the series of
exchanges over the preceding week. Representatives of Greenhill
also presented to, and reviewed with, the ICT board of directors
a presentation that Greenhill prepared for the ICT board of
directors, which summarized the key terms of the most recent
proposal. The ICT board of directors
45
engaged in an extensive discussion regarding the various aspects
of the proposal. Following such discussion, and the endorsement
by the ICT Transaction Committee of the proposal, it was the
consensus of the ICT board of directors that ICT proceed to
negotiate the definitive terms of a transaction with Sykes based
on the terms of the current proposal.
On September 10, 2009, a telephonic meeting took place
between Messrs. Kipphut and Paccapaniccia and respective
financial advisors for Sykes and ICT. Timing and structure of
the transaction as well as plans for the diligence process were
discussed, including the possibility of an in person meeting of
members of Sykes and ICTs senior management.
On September 11, 2009, a telephonic meeting took place
among Messrs. Sykes and Kipphut, Mr. John Brennan and
Mr. Paccapaniccia as well as representatives of Credit
Suisse and Greenhill to further discuss the due diligence
process and it was agreed that the senior management teams from
Sykes and ICT would meet in person from September 17, 2009
through September 19, 2009.
Beginning on September 11, 2009 and continuing until
October 5, 2009, ICT made available to Sykes, Credit
Suisse, KPMG (accounting advisor for Sykes),
PricewaterhouseCoopers (tax advisor for Sykes), McDermott
Will & Emery, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
(legal counsel for Sykes) (Shumaker) and Mercer
Consulting (compensation and benefits advisor for Sykes)
documents and information regarding ICT and its business for
purposes of carrying out operational, financial, legal, tax,
sales & marketing, human resources, information
technology, and real estate diligence on ICT.
On September 13, 2009, Lance Zingale (Senior Vice President
of Global Sales and Client Management of Sykes) met in person
with Mr. John Brennan and John Campbell (Executive Vice
President of Sales of ICT) to conduct diligence with respect to
the sales and marketing organizations of ICT and Sykes,
respectively. Also that day, the Sykes Special Committee, the
Sykes management team and representatives of Credit Suisse held
a telephonic meeting to review initial diligence and the overall
transaction process.
Between September 17, 2009 and September 19, 2009, the
senior management teams from Sykes and ICT, as well as
representatives of Credit Suisse and Greenhill, conducted a
series of extensive in person due diligence meetings at which
information regarding Sykes and ICT was discussed.
On September 18, 2009, Shumaker distributed to Morgan Lewis
an initial draft of the merger agreement, as well as an initial
draft voting agreement pursuant to which Mr. John Brennan
and Mr. Donald Brennan and certain affiliated shareholders
(collectively, the Affiliated Shareholders) would
agree to vote their shares in favor of adoption of the merger
agreement and approval of the merger. In addition, the initial
drafts of the merger agreement and voting agreement were sent to
counsel representing the Affiliated Shareholders.
On September 20, 2009, Morgan Lewis distributed to Shumaker
comments on the initial draft of the merger agreement. Key open
issues included (i) calculation of the value of Sykes
common stock that would be used in the exchange ratio to
determine the number of shares of Sykes common stock that would
be issued as consideration, (ii) certain representations
and warranties of each of ICT and Sykes, (iii) the
covenants that would govern ICTs operations during the
period between signing the merger agreement and closing of the
merger, (iv) Sykes obligations with respect to ICT
employees after the closing of the merger, (v) the amount
and circumstances under which ICT would be obligated to pay a
termination fee to Sykes and reimburse Sykes for its expenses
actually incurred in connection with the merger, and
(vi) the date following which, in the event the various
conditions to closing had not been satisfied, either party could
terminate the merger agreement.
During the weeks of September 21, 2009 and
September 28, 2009, numerous discussions were held between
Morgan Lewis and Shumaker related to the merger agreement, the
related disclosure schedules and the voting agreement. These
discussions included details of the structure of the
transaction, the scope of representations, warranties and
covenants contained in the merger agreement, the conditions
under which Sykes would be obligated to close the merger, the
ability of the ICT board of directors to consider alternative
transactions and the amount of the termination fee that ICT
would be obligated to pay to Sykes in the event that it were to
accept an alternative transaction. Drafts of these documents
were distributed between Morgan Lewis and Shumaker.
46
Also during the weeks of September 21, 2009 and
September 28, 2009, the ICT Transaction Committee met
several times telephonically with representatives of Morgan
Lewis and Greenhill, with Mr. John Brennan and
Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore participating on such
calls. During such meetings, representatives of Greenhill,
Mr. John Brennan and Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore
provided updates to the ICT Transaction Committee regarding the
status of due diligence (with respect to both Sykes due
diligence of ICT and ICTs due diligence of Sykes), and
representatives of Morgan Lewis provided updates regarding the
status of negotiations relating to the merger agreement and
voting agreement.
On September 21, 2009, Mr. John Brennan called
Mr. Sykes to discuss the status of Sykes diligence.
Mr. John Brennan also informed Mr. Sykes that the
compensation committee of the ICT board of directors had
recommended to the ICT board of directors that appropriate,
market incentives be implemented in order to retain ICT
employees after announcement of a transaction with Sykes. Later
that day, representatives of Greenhill provided representatives
of Credit Suisse with ICTs proposal on such incentives,
which included a $1,000,000 transaction bonus pool and an
incremental change in control severance payment for certain ICT
employees.
On September 23, 2009, a telephonic meeting took place
among Messrs. Kipphut and Holder and Mr. John Brennan
and Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Moore regarding the process
and scope of ICTs due diligence on Sykes.
On September 26, 2009, a telephonic meeting took place
between Sykes management and ICTs management for the
purpose of ICT performing certain due diligence on Sykes. During
this meeting, Sykes management provided certain financial
projections and reviewed and discussed certain aspects of its
business and operations.
On September 29, 2009, a telephonic meeting took place
among Messrs. Sykes and Kipphut and Mr. John Brennan
and Messrs. Paccapaniccia and Jack Magee (President and
Chief Operating Officer North America of ICT), as well as
representatives of Credit Suisse and Greenhill, to discuss,
among other things, ICTs expected risks, revenues and
gross margins for the third and fourth quarters of 2009 as well
as expected results for 2010.
On October 1, 2009, Mr. Sykes and Mr. John
Brennan had a call to discuss provisions of the merger agreement
relating to ICT employee matters and Sykes obligations
with respect to ICT employees after the consummation of the
merger.
On October 2, 2009, Mr. Sykes and Mr. John
Brennan again discussed by telephone the treatment of employee
matters in the merger agreement and a possible visit to the ICT
headquarters by Mr. Sykes as soon as possible after the
announcement of the transaction. Also on this date, a telephonic
meeting took place among Mr. John Brennan and
Messrs. Sykes, Kipphut, Paccapaniccia and Magee regarding
damage caused to ICTs facility by a storm in the
Philippines and the impact the storm may have had on ICTs
and Sykes operations. Mr. Paccapaniccia also provided
an update on ICTs anticipated third quarter results.
Additionally, negotiations of the principal terms and conditions
of the merger were substantially concluded and near-final drafts
of the merger agreement and voting agreement, along with other
supporting documentation, were circulated.
On October 4, 2009, Mr. Holder and Mr. Moore had
a call regarding certain remaining matters to be finalized in
the merger agreement. Additionally, on this date, the Sykes
Special Committee held a telephonic meeting to discuss the
status of the transaction. During this meeting the Sykes Special
Committee discussed previously-submitted diligence reports on
accounting, finance, tax, human resources, legal, IT, real
estate and other matters. The Sykes Special Committee passed a
resolution to recommend the proposed acquisition of ICT to the
full Sykes board of directors.
On October 5, 2009, a special meeting of the Sykes board of
directors was held to consider the recommendation by the Sykes
Special Committee of the proposed transaction with ICT. Present
at the meeting were members of Sykes management and financial
and legal advisors who advised on the legal and financial terms
of the transaction. At this meeting, the Sykes Special Committee
presented its recommendation that a transaction be agreed to on
the terms included in the merger agreement, which was presented
to the Sykes
47
board of directors, along with further information on
managements evaluation of ICTs business on a
stand-alone and combined basis. The Sykes board of directors
unanimously approved the transaction and authorized management
to enter into the merger agreement and the voting agreement.
On the afternoon of October 5, 2009, a telephonic meeting
of the ICT board of directors was held at which representatives
from Morgan Lewis and Greenhill were present. Also present were
Messrs. Moore and Paccapaniccia. At this meeting,
Mr. John Brennan and representatives from Greenhill and
Morgan Lewis advised the ICT board of directors on the status of
discussions with Sykes. Representatives of Morgan Lewis reviewed
with the ICT board of directors the updated, final terms of the
proposed merger agreement and the voting agreement and reviewed
with the ICT board of directors its fiduciary duties. Also at
this meeting, representatives of Greenhill reviewed with the ICT
board of directors its financial analysis of the merger
consideration, and, upon request, rendered its oral opinion,
which was subsequently confirmed by delivery of a written
opinion dated October 5, 2009, to the ICT board of
directors that, as of the date of such opinion, and based upon
and subject to the factors, limitations and assumptions set
forth in the opinion, the merger consideration to be received by
the holders of ICT common stock pursuant to the merger agreement
was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders. By
unanimous vote, the ICT board of directors approved and declared
advisable the merger agreement and the merger and resolved to
recommend that ICTs shareholders adopt the merger
agreement.
Over the course of the evening of October 5, 2009,
representatives of Morgan Lewis and Shumaker finalized the
merger agreement and other related documents, and ICT, Merger
Sub, Merger Sub II and Sykes executed the merger agreement
and ICT, Sykes and the Affiliated Shareholders executed the
voting agreement.
On October 6, 2009, prior to the opening of trading on the
NASDAQ stock market, ICT and Sykes issued a joint press release
announcing the transaction.
ICTs
Reasons for the Merger; Recommendation of the ICT Board of
Directors
The ICT board of directors carefully evaluated the merger
agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. The ICT
board of directors determined that the merger agreement and the
transactions contemplated thereby, including the proposed
merger, are advisable and fair to, and in the best interests of
ICT and its shareholders. At a meeting held on October 5,
2009, the ICT board of directors resolved to approve the merger
agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including
the proposed merger, and to recommend to the shareholders of ICT
that they vote for the adoption of the merger agreement.
In the course of reaching its recommendation, the ICT board of
directors consulted with ICTs senior management and its
financial advisors and outside legal counsel and considered a
number of substantive factors, both positive and negative, and
potential benefits and detriments of the merger to ICT and its
shareholders. The ICT board of directors believed that, taken as
a whole, the following factors supported its decision to approve
the proposed merger:
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the relationship between the market value of ICT common stock
and the consideration to be received by shareholders of ICT in
the merger, including:
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the fact that the offer price per share of $15.38 upon which the
merger consideration was based represented a premium of 46%
above the closing price of ICT common stock on October 5,
2009, the day the merger agreement was executed and the last
trading day before the public announcement of the merger
agreement;
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the fact that the offer price per share of $15.38 upon which the
merger consideration was based represented a premium of 47% and
76% above the average closing price of ICT common stock for the
one and six-month periods, respectively, prior to
October 5, 2009;
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the fact that the offer price per share of $15.38 upon which the
merger consideration was based represented a significant premium
over each of the highest closing price (a 28% premium) and
lowest closing price (a 515% premium) of ICT common stock during
the year preceding the announcement of the merger agreement;
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the belief of the ICT board of directors that ICT obtained the
highest price per share that Sykes was willing to pay, taking
into account the improvement in terms as a result of the
extensive negotiations between the parties;
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current financial market conditions and historical market
prices, volatility and trading information with respect to the
common stock of ICT and the common stock of Sykes and the risk
that, if ICT did not enter into the merger agreement with Sykes,
the price that might be received by ICTs shareholders
selling shares of ICT stock in the open market could be less
than the merger consideration;
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the results of ICTs due diligence review of Sykes
business, finances, operations and forecasts, including
Sykes strong balance sheet;
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the combined companys greater financial and other
resources may allow the combined company to grow and gain market
share more rapidly following the merger than ICT would likely be
able to achieve as an independent company;
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the combined companys experience, resources and breadth of
product offerings may allow the combined company to respond more
quickly and effectively to technological change, increased
competition and market demands;
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the fact that, since a portion of the merger consideration will
be paid in Sykes common stock, ICTs shareholders would
have the opportunity to participate in any future earnings or
growth of the combined company and future appreciation in the
value of Sykes common stock following the merger should they
determine to retain the Sykes common stock payable in the merger;
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historical information concerning the respective businesses,
prospects, financial performance and condition, operations,
technology, management and competitive positions of Sykes and
ICT, including public reports filed with the SEC concerning
results of operations during the most recent fiscal year for
each company;
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ICT managements analysis of the financial condition, costs
of doing business, results of operations and prospects of ICT
and Sykes before and after giving effect to the merger;
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the fact that the merger consideration is likely to be
approximately 50% cash, which provides certainty of value to
holders of ICT common stock compared to a transaction in which
shareholders would receive only Sykes common stock;
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the fact that the merger is intended to qualify as
reorganization for U.S. federal income tax purposes if the
value of the stock portion of the merger consideration is equal
to at least 40% of the value of the aggregate consideration to
be issued pursuant to the merger, and as a result the merger
consideration that consists of Sykes common stock will only be
taxable to ICT shareholders upon the disposition of the stock;
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the fact that the value of the stock portion of the merger
consideration will not fluctuate to the extent that the trading
price of the shares of Sykes common stock is between $19.3306
and $22.4652;
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the fact that if the measurement price of Sykes common stock
used to calculate the stock portion of the merger consideration
is above $22.4652, the value of the total merger consideration
to be received by ICT shareholders will increase above $15.38
per share of ICT common stock;
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the ICT board of directors assessment as to the low
likelihood that a third party would offer a higher price than
Sykes;
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the terms and conditions of the merger agreement, including:
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the parties representations, warranties and covenants;
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the limited closing conditions to Sykes obligations under
the merger agreement, including the fact that the merger
agreement is not subject to approval by Sykes stockholders
and that consummation of the merger is not subject to
Sykes obtaining financing for the merger;
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the provisions of the merger agreement that allow ICT to engage
in negotiations with, and provide information to, third parties
in response to credible inquiries from third parties regarding
alternative acquisition proposals;
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the provisions of the merger agreement that allow the ICT board
of directors to change its recommendation that ICT shareholders
vote in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement in
response to certain acquisition proposals and certain
intervening events, if the ICT board of directors determines in
good faith that the failure to change its recommendation could
reasonably be determined to be inconsistent with its fiduciary
duties under applicable law; and
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the ability of ICT to specifically enforce the terms of the
merger agreement;
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the potential for other third parties to enter into strategic
relationships with or to acquire ICT;
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the financial analyses presented by Greenhill; and
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the oral opinion of Greenhill rendered on October 5, 2009,
which was subsequently confirmed in writing to the ICT board of
directors that, as of the date of such opinion and based upon
and subject to the factors, limitations and assumptions set
forth in the opinion, the merger consideration to be received by
the holders of ICT common stock pursuant to the merger agreement
was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders. See
the section entitled Opinion of ICTs Financial
Advisor.
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The ICT board of directors also considered certain risks and
potentially negative factors in its deliberations concerning the
merger, including the following:
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the fact that, if the measurement price of Sykes common stock
used to calculate the stock portion of the merger consideration
is below $19.3306, the value of the merger consideration to be
received by ICT shareholders will decrease below $15.38 per
share;
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that, under the terms of the merger agreement and the voting
agreement:
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neither ICT nor certain principal shareholders can solicit other
acquisition proposals;
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if the merger agreement is terminated by Sykes or ICT under
certain circumstances, ICT must pay to Sykes a $7.5 million
termination fee and reimburse Sykes for up to $4.5 million
of expenses, all of which may deter others from proposing an
alternative transaction that may be more advantageous to
ICTs shareholders;
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the possibility that the merger might not be consummated and the
effect of public announcement of the merger on:
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ICTs sales, operating results and stock price; and
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ICTs ability to attract and retain key management, sales
and marketing and other personnel;
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the possible negative impact of the merger and the announcement
thereof on customers, employees, suppliers and the community;
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the risk that the potential benefits resulting from the merger
might not be fully realized or realized within expected time
periods;
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the risk that, notwithstanding the anticipated long-term
benefits of the merger, the combined companys financial
results and stock price might decline;
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the possibility of substantial charges to be incurred in
connection with the merger, including transaction expenses
arising from the merger;
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the fact that because only 50% of the merger consideration will
be in the form of Sykes common stock, ICTs shareholders
will have a smaller ongoing equity participation in the combined
company (and, as a result, a smaller opportunity to participate
in any future earnings or growth of the combined company and
future appreciation in the value of Sykes common stock following
the merger) than they have in ICT;
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50
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the risk that the companies might not be able to obtain the
necessary approvals required to complete the merger, including
shareholder approvals and antitrust regulatory approvals;
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that, while the merger is expected to be completed, there can be
no assurance that all conditions to the parties
obligations to complete the merger will be satisfied, and as a
result, it is possible that the merger may not be completed even
if approved by ICTs shareholders;
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the restrictions on the conduct of ICTs business prior to
the completion of the merger;
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that the merger and Sykes and ICTs businesses are
subject to other risks, as described in the section of this
proxy statement/prospectus entitled Risk Factors and
in each companys reports filed with the SEC;
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risks associated with fluctuations in Sykes stock price
prior to closing of the merger; and
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various other risks.
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In approving the merger agreement, ICTs board of directors
was aware of the interests of ICTs management in the
merger, as described in the section entitled Interest of
Certain Persons in the Merger.
The foregoing discussion of the information and factors
considered by the ICT board of directors is not intended to be
exhaustive but includes the material factors considered by the
ICT board of directors. In view of the wide variety of factors
considered in connection with their evaluation of the proposed
merger, the ICT board of directors did not find it practical to,
and did not, quantify or otherwise assign relative weights to
the specified factors considered in reaching their
determinations. Individual directors may have given differing
weights to different factors. In addition, the ICT board of
directors did not reach any specific conclusion with respect to
each of the factors considered. Instead, the ICT board of
directors conducted an overall analysis of the factors described
above and determined that the potential benefits outweighed the
potential risks of the merger.
This explanation of ICTs reasons for the merger and other
information presented in this section is forward-looking in
nature and, therefore, should be read in light of the factors
described under Cautionary Statement Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements beginning on page 29.
Opinion
of ICTs Financial Advisor
On October 5, 2009, Greenhill rendered its oral opinion,
which was subsequently confirmed in writing, to the ICT board of
directors that, as of the date of such opinion and based upon
and subject to the factors, limitations and assumptions set
forth in the opinion, the merger consideration to be received by
the holders of ICT common stock pursuant to the merger agreement
was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders.
The full text of the written opinion of Greenhill, dated as of
October 5, 2009, setting forth, among other things, the
assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered and
the limitations on the opinion and review undertaken in
connection with rendering the opinion, is attached as
Annex B to this proxy statement/prospectus and is
incorporated herein by reference. Holders of ICT common stock
are urged to read the opinion in its entirety. The summary of
Greenhills opinion set forth in this proxy
statement/prospectus is qualified in its entirety by reference
to the full text of the opinion.
Greenhills opinion was for the information of the ICT
board of directors and was rendered to the ICT board of
directors in connection with its consideration of the merger.
The opinion may not be used for any other purpose without
Greenhills prior written consent. Greenhill did not
express an opinion as to any aspect of the merger other than the
fairness, from a financial point of view, to the holders of ICT
common stock of the merger consideration to be received by them.
Greenhill expressed no opinion with respect to the amount or
nature of any compensation to any officers, directors or
employees of ICT, or any class of such persons relative to the
merger consideration to be received by the holders of ICT common
stock in the merger or with respect to the fairness of any such
compensation. Greenhills opinion was approved by
Greenhills fairness committee. The opinion was not
intended to be and does not constitute a recommendation to the
ICT board of directors as to whether it should approve the
merger or adopt the merger agreement, nor does it constitute a
recommendation as to whether the
51
holders of ICT common stock should adopt the merger agreement
at any meeting of shareholders convened in connection with the
merger.
In arriving at its opinion, Greenhill, among other things:
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reviewed the draft of the merger agreement dated October 5,
2009 distributed to the ICT board of directors in advance of its
meeting on October 5, 2009 and certain related documents;
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reviewed certain publicly available financial statements of ICT
and Sykes;
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reviewed certain other publicly available business and financial
information relating to ICT and Sykes that it deemed relevant;
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reviewed certain information, including financial forecasts and
other financial and operating data concerning ICT and Sykes,
prepared by the management of ICT and Sykes, respectively;
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discussed the past and present operations and financial
condition and the prospects of ICT with senior executives of ICT;
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discussed the past and present operations and financial
condition and the prospects of Sykes with senior executives of
Sykes;
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reviewed and discussed certain information regarding potential
financial and operational benefits anticipated from the merger
prepared by the management of ICT;
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reviewed the historical market prices, trading activity and
equity research price targets for the ICT common stock and the
Sykes common stock;
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compared the value of the merger consideration with that
received in certain publicly available transactions that it
deemed relevant;
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compared the value of the merger consideration with the trading
valuations of certain publicly traded companies that it deemed
relevant;
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compared the value of the merger consideration with the relative
contribution of ICT to the pro forma combined company based on a
number of metrics that it deemed relevant;
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compared the value of the merger consideration to the valuation
derived by discounting projected future share prices of ICT
based on financial projections prepared by ICTs management
at discount rates that it deemed appropriate;
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participated in discussions and negotiations among
representatives of ICT and its legal advisors and
representatives of Sykes and its legal and financial
advisors; and
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performed such other analyses and considered such other factors
as it deemed appropriate.
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In preparing its opinion, Greenhill assumed and relied upon,
with the consent of the ICT board of directors and without
independent verification, the accuracy and completeness of the
information publicly available, supplied or otherwise made
available to it by representatives and management of ICT and
Sykes for the purposes of its opinion. Greenhill further relied
upon the assurances of the representatives and management of ICT
and Sykes, as applicable, that they are not aware of any facts
or circumstances that would make such information inaccurate or
misleading. With respect to the financial and operational
benefits anticipated from the merger, the financial forecasts
and projections and other data furnished or otherwise provided
to it, Greenhill assumed, with the consent of the ICT board of
directors, that such potential benefits, forecasts, projections
and data were reasonably prepared on a basis reflecting the best
currently available estimates and good faith judgments of the
management of ICT and Sykes, as applicable, as to those matters
(including the future financial performance of ICT), and
Greenhill considered and relied upon such potential benefits,
forecasts, projections and data in arriving at its opinion.
Greenhill expressed no opinion with respect to such potential
benefits, forecasts, projections and data or the assumptions
upon which they were based. In arriving at its opinion,
Greenhill did not conduct any independent valuation or appraisal
of the assets or liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of ICT or
Sykes. Greenhill also assumed, with the consent of the ICT board
of
52
directors, that the merger will be treated as a reorganization
for United States federal income tax purposes within the meaning
of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, and that the merger will be consummated in accordance
with the terms set forth in the final, executed merger
agreement, which Greenhill further assumed would be identical in
all material respects to the latest draft that it reviewed, and
without waiver or amendment of any material terms or conditions
set forth in such merger agreement. Greenhill further assumed
that all material governmental, regulatory and other consents
and approvals necessary for the consummation of the merger will
be obtained without any effect on ICT, Sykes, the merger or the
contemplated benefits of the merger meaningful to its analysis.
Greenhills opinion was necessarily based on financial,
economic, market and other conditions as in effect on, and the
information made available to Greenhill as of, the date of its
opinion. Subsequent developments may affect the conclusions
contained in Greenhills opinion, and Greenhill does not
have any obligation to update, revise, or reaffirm its opinion.
Greenhill did not express any opinion as to whether any
alternative business strategies or transactions might produce
consideration to the holders of ICT common stock in an amount in
excess of the merger consideration to be received by them in the
merger. In particular, Greenhill did not express any opinion as
to the prices at which the ICT common stock or the Sykes common
stock will trade at any future time.
The following is a summary of the material financial and
comparative analyses presented by Greenhill to the ICT board of
directors in connection with rendering its opinion described
above. The summary set forth below does not purport to be a
complete description of the analyses performed by Greenhill or
the factors considered by Greenhill in connection with its
opinion, nor does the order in which the analyses are described
represent relative importance or weight given to those analyses
by Greenhill. Some of the summaries of the financial analyses
include information presented in tabular format. The tables must
be read together with the full text of each summary and are not
alone a complete description of Greenhills financial
analyses.
Precedent
Transaction Analysis
Greenhill performed an analysis of selected recent business
combinations involving companies engaged in the business process
outsourcing/call center industries consisting of selected
transactions announced since October 2, 2006, based on
publicly available information (the Precedent
Transactions). In selecting the Precedent Transactions,
Greenhill focused specifically on transactions in which
(i) the overall value of the transaction was similar to the
merger, (ii) the company being acquired had a similar
business model to ICT, specifically with respect to a focus on
inbound call center activities, and (iii) the company being
acquired conducted a substantial portion of its operations
outside the United States.
Although Greenhill analyzed the valuation multiples implied by
the Precedent Transactions and compared them to the transaction
multiples implied by the merger, none of these transactions is
identical to the acquisition of ICT by Sykes pursuant to the
merger agreement. Accordingly, Greenhills analysis of the
Precedent Transactions necessarily involved complex
considerations and judgments concerning the differences in
financial and operating characteristics, the parties involved
and terms of their transactions and other factors that would
necessarily affect the implied value of ICT versus the values of
the companies in the Precedent Transactions. In evaluating the
Precedent Transactions, Greenhill made judgments and assumptions
concerning industry performance, general business, economic,
market and financial conditions and other matters. Greenhill
also made judgments as to the relative comparability of those
companies to ICT and judgments as to the relative comparability
of the various valuation parameters with respect to the
companies.
Using publicly available information for the Precedent
Transactions, Greenhill reviewed the consideration paid in each
of the Precedent Transactions and analyzed the enterprise value
implied by such consideration as a multiple of earnings before
interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization
(EBITDA) for the twelve month period ending with the
target companys most recently completed fiscal quarter end
preceding the announcement of the applicable transaction
(LTM EBITDA).
53
The following table identifies the Precedent Transactions
considered in this analysis:
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Date Announced
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Acquiror/Target
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06/14/09
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Stream Global Services, Inc./eTelecare Global Solutions, Inc.
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09/19/08
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Ayala Corporation and Providence Equity Partners/eTelecare
Global Solutions, Inc.
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08/04/08
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Aegis BPO Services Limited/PeopleSupport Incorporated
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07/16/08
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Convergys Corporation/Intervoice, Inc.
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07/10/08
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WNS (Holdings) Limited/Aviva Global Services
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06/06/08
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Stratton Spain SL/Multienlace SA
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04/07/08
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WNS (Holdings) Limited/Chang Limited
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01/28/08
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Global BPO Services Corp./Stream Holdings Corporation
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12/12/07
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NCO Group, Inc./Outsourcing Solutions Inc.
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03/07/07
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WNS (Holdings) Limited/Marketics Technologies (India) Private
Limited
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01/12/07
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ClientLogic Corporation/SITEL Corporation
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11/15/06
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One Equity Partners/NCO Group, Inc.
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11/03/06
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Diamond Castle Holdings, LLC/PRC, LLC
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10/02/06
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West Corporation/InPulse Response Group, Inc.
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Greenhill derived from the Precedent Transactions a reference
range of valuation multiples of 7.0x to 8.5x LTM EBITDA. The
range of valuation multiples was selected by Greenhill first by
focusing on three of the Precedent Transactions which were
considered by Greenhill to provide particularly meaningful
comparisons, both because they were ultimately consummated and
based on the similarity of the businesses of the acquired
companies to that of ICT, and for which relevant financial
information is publicly available. These three transactions
(Ayala Corporation and Providence Equity Partners/eTelecare
Global Solutions, Inc.; ClientLogic Corporation/SITEL
Corporation; and One Equity Partners/NCO Group, Inc.) had a mean
valuation multiple of 7.6x LTM EBITDA. Greenhill then considered
the LTM EBITDA valuation multiples of other Precedent
Transactions of which it was aware that were proposed but not
consummated, and for which relevant financial information is
publicly available. Such transactions had LTM EBITDA multiples
below 7.6x, including, in the case of one of the unconsummated
transactions, an LTM EBITDA multiple below 4x. Finally,
Greenhill considered the efforts of ICT to improve its business
and results of operations, which efforts Greenhill believed
provided reasonable justification for expanding the upper end of
the multiple range. Greenhill thus determined that the LTM
EBITDA multiple range of 7.0x to 8.5x was appropriate for its
analysis of the merger. Greenhill then applied these multiples
to ICT in order to derive an implied per share equity value
range for ICT. This methodology resulted in an implied per share
equity value of $13.50 to $16.00 for ICT. Greenhill compared
this range to the merger consideration to be received by holders
of ICT common stock in the merger.
Premiums
Paid Analysis
Greenhill reviewed available data from selected consummated
public company acquisition transactions announced in the last
twelve months involving North American target companies with
market capitalizations between $50 million and
$250 million (the Broad Group) and available
data from the Precedent Transactions (the Industry
Group), to derive indicative premium ranges. Greenhill
reviewed the premiums represented by the acquisition price per
share in each of such acquisition transactions as compared to
the average closing price per share of the target company one
day, one week and one month prior to the announcement of such
acquisition transaction.
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One Day Prior to
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One Week Prior to
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|
One Month Prior to
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Announcement
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|
Announcement
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|
Announcement
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|
Broad Group
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42.6
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%
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48.3
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%
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48.2
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%
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Industry Group
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28.5
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%
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41.1
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%
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35.4
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%
|
54
Based on this analysis, Greenhill applied a summary range based
on the median premiums for the transactions described above to
the unaffected share price for ICT common stock, based on the
closing price per share on October 2, 2009, in order to
derive an implied per share value range for ICT common stock.
This methodology resulted in an implied per share value range of
$13.50 to $15.50 for ICT common stock. Greenhill compared this
range to the merger consideration to be received by holders of
ICT common stock in the merger. Greenhill further observed that
the merger consideration to be received in the merger
represented a premium of 48.7% over the closing price of ICT
common stock on October 2, 2009.
Greenhill noted that the reasons for, and circumstances
surrounding, each of the transactions reviewed were diverse and
that the premiums fluctuated based on such factors as perceived
growth, synergies, strategic value and type of consideration
utilized in such acquisition transactions. None of the target
companies in the these transactions is identical to ICT and,
accordingly, Greenhills analysis of these transactions
necessarily involved complex considerations and judgments
concerning the differences in financial and operating
characteristics and other factors that would necessarily affect
the comparison of the premium implied by the merger versus the
premiums implied by these transactions.
Comparable
Company Valuation Analysis
Greenhill performed a comparable company valuation analysis of
ICT, an analysis which is based on factors including the then
current market values, capital structures and operating
statistics of other publicly traded companies believed to be
generally relevant, in order to derive trading multiples for
these companies which then could be applied to ICT in order to
derive an implied per share equity value range for ICT.
In this analysis, Greenhill reviewed certain financial
information for ICT and compared such information to the
corresponding financial information, ratios and public market
multiples for the following publicly traded companies (the
Peer Group):
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Convergys Corporation;
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TeleTech Holdings, Inc.;
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Sykes; and
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APAC Customer Service
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Greenhill selected these companies because, among other reasons,
they are publicly traded companies with operations or businesses
that for purposes of analysis may be considered reasonably
comparable to those of ICT. None of the companies in the Peer
Group is directly comparable to ICT or its operations.
Accordingly, Greenhills analysis of the Peer Group
necessarily involved complex considerations and judgments
concerning the differences in financial and operating
characteristics and other factors that would necessarily affect
the analysis of the operating statistics and trading multiples
for the Peer Group. Financial data for the Peer Group were based
on information Greenhill obtained from publicly available data
providers, including Capital IQ, Inc., FactSet Research Systems,
Inc., Bloomberg and the International Brokers Estimate
System and equity research originated by Stifel
Nicolaus & Company (Stifel Nicolaus).
Financial data of ICT were based on financial forecasts and
other financial and operating data concerning ICT prepared by
ICTs management and that ICTs management provided to
Greenhill to utilize for purposes of its analyses, as well as
financial forecasts prepared by the International Brokers
Estimate System and equity research originated by Stifel
Nicolaus.
In evaluating the Peer Group, Greenhill made judgments and
assumptions concerning industry performance, general business,
economic, market and financial conditions and other matters,
many of which are beyond the control of ICT, such as the impact
of competition on the business of ICT and the industry
generally, industry growth and the absence of any adverse
material change in the financial condition and prospects of ICT
or its industry, or the financial markets in general. Greenhill
also made judgments as to the relative comparability of such
companies to ICT and judgments as to the relative comparability
of the various valuation parameters with respect to ICT and the
Peer Group. The numerical results may not in themselves be
55
meaningful in analyzing the merger consideration to be received
by holders of ICT common stock as compared to the Peer Group.
For purposes of this analysis, Greenhill analyzed the following
information for the Peer Group, as well as for ICT:
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Enterprise value, calculated as the sum of the fully diluted
market value of the respective companys common stock, the
book value of its outstanding debt, the book value of its
preferred stock and the book value of any minority interest,
minus total cash and cash equivalents, as a multiple of
estimated EBITDA, for estimated calendar year 2010; and
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Per share equity value of its common stock as a multiple of
estimated earnings per share (EPS), for estimated
calendar year 2010.
|
Based on this analysis and applying its professional judgment,
Greenhill selected a range of enterprise value multiples of
estimated EBITDA between 4.5x and 5.5x for 2010, reflecting the
relative growth and profit margins of ICT versus the Peer Group.
Greenhill then calculated for each share of ICT common stock the
implied enterprise value, implied equity value, implied price
per share and percentage premium to ICTs closing price on
October 2, 2009 by applying the multiple range to
ICTs managements estimated 2010 EBITDA and the
estimates of equity research originated by Stifel Nicolaus for
ICTs EBITDA in 2010. This analysis implied the ranges of
enterprise values, equity values, prices per share and
percentage premium to ICTs closing price on
October 2, 2009 set forth below:
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Analysts
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|
Management
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|
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($ in millions, except per
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|
|
share amounts and percentages)
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|
2010 EBITDA
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|
$32
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|
$40
|
Traded Peer Multiple Range
|
|
4.5x - 5.5x
|
|
4.5x - 5.5x
|
Implied Enterprise Value Range
|
|
$144 - $176
|
|
$182 - $222
|
Implied Equity Value Range
|
|
$187 - $219
|
|
$224 - $265
|
Implied Per Share Price
|
|
$11.60 - $13.60
|
|
$13.93 - $16.44
|
% Premium to 10/02/09
|
|
12.2% - 31.5%
|
|
34.7% - 59.0%
|
Discounted
Equity Valuation Analysis
Greenhill performed an analysis comparing, on the one hand, a
theoretical price per share of ICTs common stock as of
September 30, 2010 on a standalone basis to, on the other
hand, the merger consideration to be received by holders of ICT
common stock in the merger. In order to estimate the potential
change in the price per share of ICTs common stock between
September 30, 2009 and September 30, 2010, Greenhill
estimated a theoretical price per share of ICTs common
stock as of September 30, 2010 on the basis of ICTs
management projections for EBITDA for the calendar year 2011 and
assuming the same enterprise value over the current years
EBITDA multiple of (4.3x) reflected in the October 2, 2009
closing price of ICTs common stock. Greenhill then
observed what the present value of ICTs common stock would
be if the estimated theoretical September 30,
2010 share price were discounted back using a 17.3%
illustrative discount rate (Greenhill estimated this discount
rate on the basis of the Capital Asset Pricing Model, assuming
equity risk and sized-based equity premia per Ibbotson
Associates Stock, Bonds, Bills and Inflation, Valuation
Yearbook, an assumed levered beta per an analysis of the Peer
Group and a risk-free rate of return per the 30 year
U.S. Treasury Yield as of October 2, 2009). Based on
these assumptions, Greenhill calculated the present value of the
estimated theoretical value as of September 30, 2010 to be
approximately $14.04 per share of ICT common stock.
In addition, Greenhill estimated a range of theoretical share
prices for ICTs common stock as of September 30, 2011
and also discounted back these theoretical share prices using a
17.3% illustrative discount rate. While ICTs management
had prepared a high-level financial forecast for 2010 through
2013 (see Proposal 1: The Merger ICT
Unaudited Prospective Financial Information beginning on
page 59), it did not prepare detailed projections for those
years. Accordingly, Greenhill performed a sensitivity analysis
to
56
estimate a range of theoretical share prices for ICTs
common stock given a range of calendar year 2012 revenue growth
rates (ranging from 2.5% to 12.5%) and calendar year 2012
earnings before interest and taxation margins (ranging from 4.0%
to 8.0%) as well as several different EBITDA multiples based on
different metrics (including the current years EBITDA
multiple (4.3x), an average multiple over the past three years
(4.9x) and the current years Peer Groups EBITDA
multiple (6.3x)). Greenhill then discounted back these
theoretical share prices. The respective midpoint projected
prices per share of ICT common stock at the assumed EBITDA
multiples for these metrics were $10.76, $11.95 and $14.74,
respectively. Greenhill compared these prices to the merger
consideration to be received by holders of ICT common stock in
the merger.
In connection with preparing it fairness opinion, Greenhill
elected to perform this discounted equity valuation analysis,
but not to perform a discounted cash flow analysis, because it
believed that the discounted equity valuation analysis presented
a more accurate assessment of the value of the ICT stock over
the relatively near term (i.e., one to two years from the date
of the analysis), while a discounted cash flow analysis would
have attempted to arrive at a projected value on a longer term
basis. Given the uncertain nature of the global equity markets
and general economic environment, the fact that detailed
financial projections for ICT were available only through 2009,
and the fact that a significant portion of the projected future
value of ICT stock was based on assumptions regarding the
success of the efforts ICT had undertaken to improve its
business and results of operations, Greenhill determined that
the discounted equity valuation analysis provided a more
meaningful analysis for the benefit of the ICT board of
directors, as part of Greenhills overall presentation,
than a discounted cash flow analysis, which would have been more
speculative.
Research
Analyst Stock Price Targets
Using publicly available securities research analyst estimates,
Greenhill noted that the range of the analysts
12-month
stock price targets for ICT was $10.00 to $17.00, with a median
of $13.75. Greenhill compared the analysts
12-month
price targets for ICT to the merger consideration to be received
by holders of ICT common stock in the merger.
Other
Considerations
The summary set forth above does not purport to be a complete
description of the analyses or data presented by Greenhill, but
simply describes, in summary form, the material analyses that
Greenhill considered in connection with its opinion. The
preparation of an opinion regarding fairness is a complex
analytical process involving various determinations as to the
most appropriate and relevant methods of financial analysis and
the application of those methods to the particular
circumstances, and, therefore, such an opinion is not readily
susceptible to partial analysis or summary description. The
preparation of an opinion regarding fairness does not involve a
mathematical evaluation or weighing of the results of the
individual analyses performed, but requires Greenhill to
exercise its professional judgment, based on its experience and
expertise, in considering a wide variety of analyses taken as a
whole. Each of the analyses conducted by Greenhill was carried
out in order to provide a different perspective on the financial
terms of the merger and add to the total mix of information
available. Greenhill did not form a conclusion as to whether any
individual analysis, considered in isolation, supported or
failed to support an opinion about the fairness of the merger
consideration to be paid to the holders of ICT common stock
pursuant to the merger agreement. Rather, in reaching its
conclusion, Greenhill considered the results of the analyses in
light of each other and without placing particular reliance or
weight on any particular analysis, and concluded that its
analyses, taken as a whole, supported its determination.
Accordingly, notwithstanding the separate factors summarized
above, Greenhill believes that its analyses must be considered
as a whole and that selecting portions of its analyses and the
factors considered by it, without considering all analyses and
factors, may create an incomplete view of the evaluation process
underlying its opinion. In performing its analyses, Greenhill
made numerous assumptions with respect to industry performance,
business and economic conditions and other matters. The analyses
performed by Greenhill are not necessarily indicative of future
actual values or results, which may be significantly more or
less favorable than suggested by such analyses. The analyses do
not purport to be appraisals or to reflect the prices at which
ICT might actually be sold.
57
Engagement
of Greenhill
The ICT board of directors hired Greenhill based on its
qualifications and expertise in providing financial advice to
acquirers, target companies and their respective boards of
directors in merger and acquisition transactions. In November
2006, ICT retained Greenhill as financial advisor to ICT and
Greenhill was paid $250,000 for advising ICT with respect to
various strategic alternatives. The November 2006 engagement
letter terminated in accordance with its terms, but on
November 7, 2008, ICT re-engaged Greenhill, under an
engagement letter with terms substantially similar to the
November 2006 letter, to act as its financial advisor. Pursuant
to the terms of this engagement letter, ICT has agreed to pay
Greenhill a transaction fee of approximately $3.7 million,
$2.65 million of which is payable upon consummation of the
merger. In addition, ICT has agreed to reimburse Greenhill for
all of its
out-of-pocket
expenses (including fees and expenses of its legal counsel)
reasonably incurred by it in connection with its services, and
to indemnify Greenhill against certain liabilities that may
arise out of its engagement.
Greenhills opinion was one of many factors considered by
the ICT board of directors in evaluating the merger and should
not be viewed as determinative of the views of the ICT board of
directors with respect to the merger.
Greenhill has not performed any services for Sykes in the last
three years, and Sykes does not currently expect to engage
Greenhill to perform any services in the future.
Sykes
Reasons for the Merger
The Sykes board of directors determined that the merger
agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including
the proposed merger, are advisable and fair to, and in the best
interest of Sykes and its shareholders. In the course of
reaching its conclusion to approve the merger, the Sykes board
of directors consulted with Sykes senior management and
its financial advisors and legal counsel, and considered a
number of substantive factors, both positive and negative, and
potential benefits and detriments of the merger to Sykes and its
shareholders. The Sykes board of directors considered the past
financial performance and condition, business operations and
prospects of each of Sykes and ICT, the prospects for Sykes and
ICT as a combined company, the terms and conditions of the
merger agreement and the ancillary documents, the results of the
due diligence investigations conducted by Sykes
management, accountants and legal counsel, and the analysis of
Sykes legal and financial advisors, including Credit
Suisse. The Sykes board of directors specifically considered the
following potential benefits of the merger:
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Expanded Client Portfolio. Each of the top 14
clients of ICT, representing approximately 63% of total ICT
revenues, will be new clients for Sykes.
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|
Accelerated Entry into New Verticals. ICT has
clients in the U.S. government, utility and healthcare
verticals, all of which are new to Sykes. Accordingly, the
merger will provide an entry into those verticals on an
accelerated basis.
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Deeper Expertise within Financial and Telecom
Verticals. Sykes has made significant inroads
into the financial and telecom services verticals, but the
merger with ICT will allow Sykes to quickly build deeper
expertise in these two verticals which are increasingly
significant in the customer contact management solutions and
services industry.
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Extended Delivery Footprint. The merger with
ICT will extend Sykes geographical footprint into India,
Mexico and Australia, providing Sykes with additional delivery
capabilities for its existing clients.
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Sustainable Revenue Growth and Margin
Expansion. The addition of ICTs clients to
Sykes portfolio, together with ICTs expertise in
certain verticals, provides Sykes with the ability to provide a
greater depth of services to existing clients, thereby creating
revenue growth rates that are expected to be more consistent and
sustainable than can be achieved by growth solely from a new
client sales pipeline. Additionally, the increase in annual
revenues permits the leverage of Sykes infrastructure to
improve and sustain margins.
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58
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Revenue Scale. The increase in annual revenues
resulting from the merger will allow Sykes to pursue client
acquisition opportunities that are larger and more complex in
scope.
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Reduced Client Concentration. The addition of
new clients in new verticals to Sykes existing client portfolio
further reduces Sykes client concentration, thereby
further mitigating Sykes risk profile.
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Merger Consideration Mix. The terms of the
merger providing for fifty (50%) of ICTs shares of common
stock to be converted into shares of Sykes stock, allowing Sykes
to achieve the benefits of the merger without depleting it cash
reserves, thereby maintaining a strong balance sheet.
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Realization of Synergies. Potential annual
synergies of approximately $20 million are expected to be
realized as a result of the merger, all within approximately
12 months from the effective date of the merger. These
synergies will be realized primarily through the elimination of
duplicative general and administrative expenses, operational
synergies and implementation of Sykes lower cost structure.
|
The Sykes board of directors also identified and considered
potentially negative factors, specifically including but not
limited to the risks identified in the section entitled
Risk Factors on page 30 and the following:
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Strain on Management, Operational, Financial and Other
Resources. As a result of the merger, Sykes will
be rapidly and significantly expanding its global operations,
including increasing its client base and scaling up its
infrastructure to support this new level of services. This
expansion will increase the complexity of Sykes business
and place significant strain on its management, personnel,
operations, systems, technical performance, financial resources
and internal financial control and reporting functions. Sykes
may not be able to manage this growth effectively, which could
damage its reputation, limit its growth and negatively affect
its operating results.
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Costs and Lost Benefits if the Merger is not
Consummated. If the merger is not consummated,
Sykes management would have devoted substantial time and
resources to the proposed merger at the expense of attending to
and growing Sykes existing business and other business
opportunities.
|
The foregoing discussion of the factors considered by
Sykes board of directors is not intended to be exhaustive,
but, rather, includes the material factors considered by
Sykes board of directors. In reaching its decision to
approve the merger agreement, the merger and other transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement, Sykes board of
directors did not quantify or assign any relative weights to the
factors considered, and individual directors may have given
different weights to different factors. Sykes board of
directors considered all these factors as a whole, and overall
considered the factors to be favorable to, and supportive of,
its determination.
ICT
Unaudited Prospective Financial Information
ICT does not as a matter of course make public long-term
projections as to future revenues, earnings or other results due
to, among other reasons, the uncertainty of the underlying
assumptions and estimates. However, ICT is including the
unaudited prospective financial information set forth below to
provide its shareholders access to certain non-public unaudited
prospective financial information that was made available to the
ICT board of directors and Greenhill in connection with the ICT
board of directors consideration of the merger. Set forth
below is certain unaudited prospective financial information for
the fiscal years 2009 through 2013. The inclusion of this
information should not be regarded as an indication that any of
ICT, Greenhill or any other recipient of this information
considered, or now considers, it to be necessarily predictive of
actual future results. None of ICT, Greenhill or their
respective affiliates assumes any responsibility for the
accuracy of this information.
The selected unaudited prospective financial information for the
years 2009, 2010 and 2011 set forth in the following table was
originally completed by ICT in early 2009 and presented to its
board of directors in connection with the establishment of goals
relating to long-term compensation plans, and was not prepared
with a view toward public disclosure. Consistent with ICTs
past practice, the prospective financial information for 2009
represented a detailed operating plan for the company, prepared
using detailed estimates of revenue,
59
capacity, investments in equipment and infrastructure, staffing
and compensation expense, foreign exchange rates and other
items. The prospective financial information for 2010 and 2011
was prepared using high-level assumptions regarding general
economic conditions and continuation of business trends,
including revenue growth, as well as targeted operating margins.
The 2010 and 2011 projections were prepared for purposes of
establishing long term incentive compensation targets and
providing guidance to ICTs board regarding the longer term
business direction of the company.
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Year Ending December 31,
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2009
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2010
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2011
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(In millions, except per share data)
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|
Revenue
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|
$
|
411
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|
|
$
|
440
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|
$
|
475
|
|
Revenue Growth Rate
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|
(4.0
|
)%
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|
7.1
|
%
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|
|
8.0
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%
|
Operating Income
|
|
$
|
4.9
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|
|
$
|
15.4
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|
|
$
|
23.8
|
|
Operating Margin Ratio
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|
1.2
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%
|
|
|
3.5
|
%
|
|
|
5.0
|
%
|
Pre-Tax Income
|
|
$
|
5.0
|
|
|
$
|
15.5
|
|
|
$
|
23.9
|
|
Net Income
|
|
$
|
4.0
|
|
|
$
|
12.4
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|
|
$
|
19.1
|
|
Earnings Per Share (diluted)
|
|
$
|
0.25
|
|
|
$
|
0.74
|
|
|
$
|
1.11
|
|
Shares Outstanding
|
|
|
16.2
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|
|
|
16.8
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|
|
|
17.3
|
|
In addition to the above unaudited prospective financial
information for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011, management
provided Greenhill, in connection with an ICT board meeting held
in April 2009 which was attended by Greenhill for the purposes
of briefing the board on general strategic matters, with
unaudited prospective financial information for the years 2009
through 2013. Such information included unaudited prospective
financial information for 2009, 2010 and 2011 identical to that
set forth above (except for rounding differences in certain line
items of the 2011 projections), and high-level unaudited
prospective financial information for 2012 and 2013. The
high-level unaudited prospective financial information for 2012
and 2013 was not detailed. Rather, it was prepared purely for
illustrative purposes and simply represented the 2011 unaudited
prospective financial information adjusted to reflect an assumed
9.0% annual rate of revenue growth, which rate was also applied
to costs of services, a slightly reduced rate of growth, as
compared to the management projections, for selling, general and
administrative expenses. In Greenhills presentation to the
ICT board at the April 2009 meeting, it presented
managements five-year unaudited prospective financial
information, as well as, for illustrative purposes, a modified
five-year forecast in which Greenhill reduced the assumed annual
growth rates from 8.0% to 6.0% in 2011, 9.0% to 5.0% in 2012 and
9.0% to 4.0% in 2013, and also made certain modifications to
managements assumptions regarding growth rates for costs
of services and selling, general and administrative expenses,
which adjustments and modifications Greenhill believed
reasonable in light of ICTs historic performance and
operating scale.
Selected unaudited prospective financial information for the
years 2011, 2012 and 2013, as provided in the five-year
unaudited prospective financial information discussed in the
preceding paragraph, both as originally generated by management
and as such information was adjusted by Greenhill, is set forth
in the following tables.
Management-Generated
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|
Year Ending December 31,
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|
2011
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|
|
2012
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
|
(In millions, except per share data)
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|
|
Revenue
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|
$
|
475.0
|
|
|
$
|
517.8
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|
|
$
|
564.3
|
|
Revenue Growth Rate
|
|
|
8.0
|
%
|
|
|
9.0
|
%
|
|
|
9.0
|
%
|
Operating Income
|
|
$
|
23.7
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|
|
$
|
31.1
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|
|
$
|
33.9
|
|
Operating Margin Percentage
|
|
|
5.0
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%
|
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|
6.0
|
%
|
|
|
6.0
|
%
|
Net Income
|
|
$
|
19.0
|
|
|
$
|
24.9
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|
|
$
|
27.2
|
|
Earnings Per Share (diluted)
|
|
$
|
1.10
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|
|
$
|
1.42
|
|
|
$
|
1.53
|
|
60
Greenhill-Adjusted
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|
Year Ending December 31,
|
|
|
|
2011
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|
|
2012
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
|
(In millions, except per share data)
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$
|
466.4
|
|
|
$
|
489.7
|
|
|
$
|
509.3
|
|
Revenue Growth Rate
|
|
|
6.0
|
%
|
|
|
5.0
|
%
|
|
|
4.0
|
%
|
Operating Income
|
|
$
|
18.7
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|
|
$
|
20.6
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|
|
$
|
21.4
|
|
Operating Margin Percentage
|
|
|
4.0
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%
|
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|
4.2
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%
|
|
|
4.2
|
%
|
Net Income
|
|
$
|
14.0
|
|
|
$
|
16.5
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|
|
$
|
17.2
|
|
Earnings Per Share (diluted)
|
|
$
|
0.81
|
|
|
$
|
0.94
|
|
|
$
|
0.97
|
|
While presented with numeric specificity, the unaudited
prospective financial information reflects numerous estimates
and assumptions with respect to future events and matters
including industry performance, general business, economic,
regulatory, litigation, market and financial conditions, foreign
currency rates, interest on investments, and matters specific to
ICTs business, such as economic, political and other
conditions affecting ICTs clients, including demand for
the products or services of those clients, as well as economic,
political and other conditions that could affect the interest of
those clients in outsourcing service functions and competitive
conditions, many of which are beyond ICTs control. These
estimates and assumptions were believed by ICT management to be
reasonable at the time the unaudited prospective financial
information was prepared, but may not ultimately occur as
anticipated. The unaudited prospective financial information
does not give effect to the merger and was, as discussed above,
prepared solely for internal use. It is subjective in many
respects. As a result, there can be no assurance that the
prospective results will be realized or that actual results will
not be significantly higher or lower than estimated. In
addition, since the unaudited prospective financial information
covers multiple years, such information by its nature becomes
less predictive with each successive year. ICTs
shareholders are urged to review ICTs most recent SEC
filings for descriptions of risk factors with respect to
ICTs business and of ICTs anticipated results of
operations, financial condition and capital resources for 2009.
See Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements beginning on page 29 and Where You
Can Find More Information beginning on page 118. The
unaudited prospective financial information was not prepared
with a view toward complying with GAAP, the published guidelines
of the SEC regarding projections or the guidelines established
by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for
preparation and presentation of prospective financial
information. Neither ICTs independent registered public
accounting firm, nor any other independent accountants, have
compiled, examined, or performed any procedures with respect to
the unaudited prospective financial information contained
herein, nor have they expressed any opinion or any other form of
assurance on such information or its achievability. The report
of ICTs independent registered public accounting firm
contained in ICTs Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2008, which is incorporated
by reference into this proxy statement/prospectus, relates to
ICTs historical financial information. It does not extend
to the unaudited prospective financial information and should
not be read to do so. Furthermore, the unaudited prospective
financial information does not take into account any
circumstances or events occurring after the date it was prepared.
In preparing the above unaudited prospective financial
information, ICT made the material assumptions set forth below
for the period from 2009 to 2011. No assurances can be given
that these assumptions will accurately reflect future
conditions. These assumptions include: (i) relative
weakness in general economic conditions would impact revenue
growth; (ii) ICT would not complete a significant
acquisition; (iii) despite continued growth in offshore
delivery of outsourced services, certain programs, particularly
for healthcare and government clients, would be performed
onshore; (iv) ICT would continue to experience significant,
but manageable, price pressure; and (v) ICT would focus on
core business development and revenue growth.
Readers of this proxy statement/prospectus are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on the unaudited prospective financial
information set forth above. No representation is made by ICT,
Sykes, Greenhill or any other person to any shareholder of ICT
regarding the ultimate performance of ICT compared to the
information included in the above unaudited prospective
financial information. The inclusion of unaudited prospective
61
financial information in this proxy statement/prospectus should
not be regarded as an indication that such unaudited prospective
financial information will be an accurate prediction of future
events, and they should not be relied on as such.
ICT DOES NOT INTEND TO UPDATE OR OTHERWISE REVISE THE ABOVE
UNAUDITED PROSPECTIVE FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO REFLECT
CIRCUMSTANCES EXISTING AFTER THE DATE WHEN MADE OR TO REFLECT
THE OCCURRENCE OF FUTURE EVENTS, EVEN IN THE EVENT THAT ANY OR
ALL OF THE ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING SUCH UNAUDITED PROSPECTIVE
FINANCIAL INFORMATION ARE NO LONGER APPROPRIATE.
Interests
of Certain Persons in the Merger
In considering the recommendation of the ICT board of directors
with respect to the merger agreement, shareholders should be
aware that certain of ICTs directors and executive
officers have interests in the merger that may be different
from, or in addition to, ICTs shareholders generally. The
ICT board of directors was aware of these interests, and
considered these interests, among other matters, in evaluating
and negotiating the merger agreement and the merger, and in
recommending to the shareholders that the merger agreement be
adopted.
Effect
of the Merger on Outstanding Equity Awards under ICTs
Equity Compensation Plans
General
Under the terms of ICTs 2006 Equity Compensation Plan and
2006 Non-Employee Directors Plan (collectively, the ICT
equity compensation plans), outstanding equity awards held
by ICTs employees (including executive officers) and
directors generally vest in full upon consummation of a change
in control. The following discussion describes the specific
treatment of these awards in the merger, which will constitute a
change in control for purposes of the ICT equity compensation
plans. These awards were granted in the ordinary course of
business as part of maintaining the market competitiveness of
the total compensation offered by ICT to its executive officers
and other key employees.
Stock
Options
Each outstanding ICT stock option, whether or not then vested
and exercisable, will become fully vested and exercisable
immediately prior to, and then will be canceled at, the
effective time of the merger, and the holder of such option will
be entitled to receive as soon as practicable after the
effective time of the merger but in no event later than ten
business days following the effective time of the merger an
amount in cash, without interest and less any applicable taxes
to be withheld, equal to (i) the excess, if any, of
(1) $15.38 over (2) the exercise price per share of
ICT common stock subject to such ICT stock option, multiplied by
(ii) the total number of shares of ICT common stock
underlying such ICT stock option, with the aggregate amount of
such payment rounded up to the nearest cent. If the exercise
price is equal to or greater than $15.38, then the stock option
will be canceled without any payment to the stock option holder.
62
The following table sets forth the number of outstanding vested
stock options to acquire ICT common stock that were held by
ICTs directors and executive officers as of
October 6, 2009, the day the proposed merger with Sykes was
announced, and the estimated consideration that each of them
would have received after the effective time of the merger in
connection with the cancellation of their stock options,
assuming continued employment through the effective time of the
merger. Stock options with an exercise price equal to or greater
than $15.38 are set forth in a separate column titled No.
of Shares Underlying
Out-of-the-Money
Options to Be Canceled, as these stock options would be
canceled without any payment. As of October 6, 2009, there
were no outstanding unvested stock options to acquire ICT common
stock held by ICTs directors and executive officers.
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
|
|
|
|
|
No. of Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
|
|
Underlying
|
|
|
No. of Shares
|
|
Exercise
|
|
|
|
|
Vested
|
|
|
Underlying
|
|
Price
|
|
|
|
|
Out-of-the-
|
|
|
Vested
|
|
of Vested
|
|
Total Estimated
|
|
|
Money
|
|
|
In-the-Money
|
|
In-the-Money
|
|
Resulting Option
|
|
|
Options to be
|
|
|
Options
|
|
Options
|
|
Consideration
|
|
|
Canceled
|
|
|
(#)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
|
(#)
|
Non-Employee Directors:
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald Brennan
|
|
|
22,500
|
|
|
|
11.39
|
|
|
|
89,825
|
|
|
|
|
2,500
|
|
Gordon Coburn
|
|
|
15,000
|
|
|
|
12.00
|
|
|
|
50,700
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eileen Fusco
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
Richard Roscitt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bernard Somers
|
|
|
18,500
|
|
|
|
9.07
|
|
|
|
116,755
|
|
|
|
|
5,000
|
|
John Stoops
|
|
|
18,500
|
|
|
|
9.07
|
|
|
|
116,755
|
|
|
|
|
3,000
|
|
Executive Officers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Brennan
|
|
|
72,200
|
|
|
|
9.94
|
|
|
|
392,446
|
|
|
|
|
27,300
|
|
John Campbell
|
|
|
34,100
|
|
|
|
10.20
|
|
|
|
176,691
|
|
|
|
|
6,200
|
|
Pamela Goyke
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guy Gray
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Janice Jones
|
|
|
7,000
|
|
|
|
10.40
|
|
|
|
34,845
|
|
|
|
|
2,900
|
|
Timothy Kowalski
|
|
|
7,550
|
|
|
|
10.65
|
|
|
|
35,684
|
|
|
|
|
3,900
|
|
Gail Lebel
|
|
|
1,500
|
|
|
|
9.90
|
|
|
|
8,220
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rachel Macha
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Magee
|
|
|
14,400
|
|
|
|
9.70
|
|
|
|
81,752
|
|
|
|
|
5,000
|
|
Jeffrey Moore
|
|
|
20,000
|
|
|
|
13.68
|
|
|
|
34,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vincent Paccapaniccia
|
|
|
14,000
|
|
|
|
10.71
|
|
|
|
65,380
|
|
|
|
|
3,400
|
|
During the period between October 7, 2009 and
December 17, 2009, all stock options to acquire ICT common
stock held by ICTs directors and executive officers with
an exercise price below $15.38 were exercised. In addition, on
November 30, 2009, Ms. Jones exercised 1,500 stock
options with an exercise price in excess of $15.38.
Restricted
Stock Units
At the effective time of the merger, each outstanding RSU
granted by ICT under any of its equity compensation plans will
become fully vested and then will be canceled and the holder of
such vested awards will be entitled to receive $15.38 in cash,
without interest and less any applicable taxes to be withheld,
in respect of each share of ICT common stock into which the RSU
would otherwise be convertible. These cash amounts will be paid
out as soon as practicable after the effective time of the
merger but in no event later than ten business days following
the effective time of the merger.
As of December 17, 2009, there are no vested outstanding
RSUs held by ICTs directors and executive officers. The
following table sets forth the number of the unvested
outstanding RSUs held by ICTs directors
63
and executive officers that will become fully vested and then be
canceled and an estimate of the total resulting consideration
that would be paid after the effective time of the merger,
assuming $15.38 in cash is paid in respect of each share of ICT
common stock into which the RSU would otherwise be convertible:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No. of RSU Unit
|
|
Estimated
|
|
|
Awards to be
|
|
Total Resulting
|
|
|
Cashed Out
|
|
Consideration
|
|
|
(#)
|
|
($)
|
|
Non-Employee Directors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald Brennan
|
|
|
3,750
|
|
|
|
57,675
|
|
Gordon Coburn
|
|
|
3,750
|
|
|
|
57,675
|
|
Eileen Fusco
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
|
153,800
|
|
Richard Roscitt
|
|
|
6,250
|
|
|
|
96,125
|
|
Bernard Somers
|
|
|
3,750
|
|
|
|
57,675
|
|
John Stoops
|
|
|
3,750
|
|
|
|
57,675
|
|
Executive Officers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Brennan
|
|
|
304,673
|
(1)
|
|
|
4,685,871
|
|
John Campbell
|
|
|
8,246
|
|
|
|
126,823
|
|
Pamela Goyke
|
|
|
4,313
|
|
|
|
66,334
|
|
Guy Gray
|
|
|
21,911
|
|
|
|
336,991
|
|
Janice Jones
|
|
|
7,250
|
|
|
|
111,505
|
|
Timothy Kowalski
|
|
|
8,193
|
|
|
|
126,008
|
|
Gail Lebel
|
|
|
4,730
|
|
|
|
72,747
|
|
Rachel Macha
|
|
|
4,538
|
|
|
|
69,794
|
|
John Magee
|
|
|
12,980
|
|
|
|
199,632
|
|
Jeffrey Moore
|
|
|
6,250
|
|
|
|
96,125
|
|
Vincent Paccapaniccia
|
|
|
10,826
|
|
|
|
166,504
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Includes 75,000 RSUs that Mr. Brennan may become entitled
to under his employment agreement, subject to ICTs 2009
performance. |
Change
in Control Severance Agreements
ICT has entered into employment agreements with each of its
executive officers, including ICTs President and Chief
Executive Officer, John J. Brennan. Under
Mr. Brennans employment agreement, if (i) his
employment is involuntarily terminated (not for willful
misconduct, as such term is defined in his employment agreement)
within twenty-four months following the occurrence of a change
in control of ICT (as defined in his employment agreement),
(ii) he resigns for good reason (as such term is defined in
his employment agreement) within twenty-four months following
the occurrence of a change in control of ICT, or (iii) he
terminates his employment for any reason (other than for willful
misconduct) during the
thirty-day
period immediately following the date that is six months after
the occurrence of a change in control, he would be entitled to
the severance benefits described below.
In connection with the merger, on October 5, 2009 the
Compensation Committee of ICTs board of directors (the
Compensation Committee) authorized the amendment of
Mr. Brennans employment agreement to
(i) reinstate his annual base salary effective
December 1, 2009 to $695,000 (the Base Salary);
(ii) clarify that, if the effective date of the merger is
prior to December 31, 2009, for purposes of the RSU grants
made in Appendix A of his employment agreement, the period
from January 1, 2009 through the effective date of the
merger will be deemed to constitute one full year of service
during the applicable performance period under the ICT Long Term
Incentive Plan (the LTIP); (iii) clarify that
the merger constitutes both a Designated Change of
Control and Change of Control (as such terms
are defined in Mr. Brennans employment agreement);
and (iv) amend the definition of good reason in
Mr. Brennans
64
employment agreement to reflect that a general salary or benefit
reduction will not constitute good reason so long as the general
salary or benefit reduction is applicable to all senior
executives of ICT and its successors and of an acquiring
corporation and any affiliate of ICT and its successors.
Under Mr. Brennans employment agreement, as in effect
at the time of closing of the merger, if, after a change in
control, which would be triggered by the merger, his employment
is involuntarily terminated or he resigns for good reason or
terminates his employment as described above, he would receive
the following (conditioned on Mr. Brennans execution
of a general release of claims and his adherence to
non-solicitation, non-tampering, confidentiality and
non-competition clauses set forth in his employment agreement
that apply worldwide):
|
|
|
|
|
Severance benefits equal to three times his Base Salary plus an
amount equal to (i) three times the average of his bonuses
for the preceding two years, including amounts earned under the
LTIP, and (ii) an additional one month of Base Salary if he
does not receive a written notice of termination thirty days
prior to his termination of employment;
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reimbursements for monthly COBRA premiums for a period of three
years;
|
|
|
|
|
|
Personal financial planning expenses up to a maximum of $25,000
per calendar year (plus a tax
gross-up
payment) for a period of three years;
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses for the lease, insurance and cost of repairs of a
luxury car for a period of three years; and
|
|
|
|
Premiums for certain life insurance and disability policies for
a period of three years.
|
In connection with Mr. Brennans severance benefit, on
December 2, 2009, the Compensation Committee approved a
clarification of Mr. Brennans employment agreement to
confirm his severance benefit as described above.
The employment agreements for ICTs executive officers,
excluding Mr. Brennan, provide a one-time, lump-sum cash
severance payment ranging from eight to twenty-four months (as
applicable, the Severance Period) of an executive
officers annual base salary, as well as other benefits
listed below, in the event their employment is involuntarily
terminated without cause (as defined in the employment
agreement) or they resign for good reason (as defined in the
employment agreement) within eighteen months following the
occurrence of a change in control (as defined in ICTs 2006
Equity Compensation Plan), which would be triggered by the
merger. In addition, in connection with the merger, on
October 5, 2009, the Compensation Committee authorized the
amendment of the executive officers employment agreements,
excluding Mr. Brennans, to implement an adjustment of
base salaries effective December 1, 2009 (which adjusted
base salary would be used in the severance computation described
below) and to provide incremental
change-in-control
severance benefits equal to three months of each executive
officers adjusted base salary, which would be in addition
to any severance benefits to which the executive officers are
otherwise entitled under their employment agreements.
Supplementally, the Compensation Committee also authorized the
amendment of the employment agreements for each of the executive
officers, excluding Mr. Brennan, to clarify that, in the
event the executive officer is involuntarily terminated without
cause or resigns for good reason within eighteen months
following the occurrence of a change in control, which would be
triggered by the merger, the executive officer would be entitled
to continued health benefits for a duration equal to the
applicable Severance Period, beginning on the date of
termination of the executive officers employment.
Under each executive officers employment agreement, as
amended, if, within eighteen months after a change of control,
which would be triggered by the merger, the executive
officers employment is involuntarily terminated without
cause or the executive officer resigns for good reason, the
executive officer would receive the following (conditioned upon
the executive officer executing a general release of claims and
on adherence
65
to non-solicitation, non-tampering and confidentiality clauses
set forth in the individual employment agreements):
|
|
|
|
|
Severance benefits as specified in each executive officers
employment agreement, which range from eight to twenty-four
months of an executive officers annual base salary (as
adjusted on December 1, 2009) and for Mr. Campbell
only, an additional amount equal to two times his average
quarterly incentive bonus for the twelve month period preceding
his termination of employment;
|
|
|
|
|
|
Continued health benefits for a duration specified in each
executive officers employment agreement (including a tax
gross-up
payment for such continued health benefits), which durations
range from eight to twenty-four months;
|
|
|
|
|
|
An incremental
change-in-control
severance benefit equal to three months of the executive
officers base salary (as adjusted on December 1,
2009); and
|
|
|
|
|
|
An additional one month of base salary if the executive officer
does not receive a written notice of termination thirty days
prior to his or her termination of employment and for
Ms. Lebel only, such amount shall be the greater of
30 days base salary or the amount of base salary for the
notice period required by applicable statute.
|
In addition, on October 5, 2009, the Compensation Committee
authorized the creation of a transaction bonus pool in the
amount of $1,000,000 to be paid in the event that the merger is
consummated, for the benefit of certain executive officers,
excluding Mr. Brennan, and key employees who perform
critical functions in connection with the merger. Payments to an
executive officer or key employee from the transaction bonus
pool, if any, will be allocated by Mr. Brennan after
consultation with the Compensation Committee, and will be paid
in cash at the time of closing of the merger. The payments from
the transaction bonus pool to executive officers, if any, are
not reflected in the table below that sets forth the estimated
amount of payments and the value of benefits for each executive
officer.
The following table sets forth the estimated amount of payments
and the value of benefits that each executive officer (including
Mr. Brennan) would receive if the executive officer is
involuntarily terminated without cause or resigns for good
reason following the merger as described above:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated
|
|
|
|
|
Incremental
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross-up
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
Health and
|
|
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
|
for Federal, State and
|
|
|
Severance
|
|
Welfare
|
|
|
|
Value to
|
|
|
Local Income and
|
|
|
Benefit(1)(8)
|
|
Benefits(2)
|
|
Perquisites
|
|
Executive
|
|
|
Payroll Taxes(3),(6)
|
Executive Officers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Brennan
|
|
$
|
4,407,110
|
(7)
|
|
$
|
36,217
|
|
|
$
|
255,132
|
(4)
|
|
$
|
4,698,459
|
|
|
|
$
|
50,000
|
(5)
|
John Campbell
|
|
|
958,469
|
(7)
|
|
|
24,145
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
982,614
|
|
|
|
|
16,097
|
|
Pamela Goyke
|
|
|
400,000
|
|
|
|
16,097
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
416,097
|
|
|
|
|
10,731
|
|
Guy Gray
|
|
|
596,666
|
|
|
|
16,097
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
612,763
|
|
|
|
|
10,731
|
|
Janice Jones
|
|
|
353,334
|
|
|
|
16,097
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
369,431
|
|
|
|
|
10,731
|
|
Timothy Kowalski
|
|
|
676,667
|
|
|
|
24,145
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
700,812
|
|
|
|
|
16,097
|
|
Gail Lebel
|
|
|
215,000
|
|
|
|
8,048
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
223,048
|
|
|
|
|
5,365
|
|
Rachel Macha
|
|
|
245,000
|
|
|
|
8,048
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
253,048
|
|
|
|
|
5,365
|
|
John Magee
|
|
|
865,667
|
|
|
|
24,145
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
889,812
|
|
|
|
|
16,097
|
|
Jeffrey Moore
|
|
|
343,375
|
|
|
|
12,072
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
355,447
|
|
|
|
|
8,048
|
|
Vincent Paccapaniccia
|
|
|
758,333
|
|
|
|
24,145
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
782,478
|
|
|
|
|
16,097
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
ICT does not provide any executive officer with a
gross-up or
other reimbursement for tax amounts the executive might pay
pursuant to Section 280G of the Code. |
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Benefits listed under Incremental Health and Welfare
Benefits are related to ICTs group health plans and
are estimated to be $1,006.04 per person, per month, multiplied
by (i) 36 months for Mr. Brennan,
(ii) 24 months for Messrs. Campbell, Kowalski,
Magee and Paccapaniccia, (iii) 16 months for each of |
66
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Goyke, Mr. Gray and Ms. Jones,
(iv) 12 months for Mr. Moore, and
(v) 8 months for each of Ms. Lebel and
Ms. Macha. |
|
|
|
(3) |
|
Assumes a 40% effective tax rate. |
|
|
|
(4) |
|
Benefits include monthly payments of: $2,091 for personal
financial planning services, $2,083 for a luxury automobile
lease, and $2,913 for premiums for certain life insurance and
disability policies for a period of three years. |
|
|
|
(5) |
|
Assumes a true
gross-up
payment applicable to personal financial planning expenses only. |
|
|
|
(6) |
|
For executive officers other than Mr. Brennan, assumes a
true
gross-up
payment applicable to the benefits listed under
Incremental Health and Welfare Benefits. |
|
|
|
(7) |
|
Assumes employment is terminated in 2010 and bonus amounts are
calculated based on maximum payout levels for 2009. |
|
|
|
(8) |
|
Assumes termination of employment without cause and 30 days
payment of base salary in lieu of notice pursuant to the terms
of the employment agreement of each executive officer. |
The estimates in the foregoing table are based on a number of
assumptions, including individual effective tax rates. Facts and
circumstances at the time of any change in control transaction
and termination thereafter could materially impact the amount of
any potential
gross-up.
In addition to the items described above, the Compensation
Committee authorized the following actions on October 5,
2009 in connection with the merger:
|
|
|
|
|
The amendment of the employment agreements for 25 senior
management employees to (i) implement an adjustment of base
salaries effective as of December 1, 2009,
(ii) provide an incremental
change-in-control
severance benefit equal to three months of the senior management
employees adjusted base salary, and (iii) provide
full severance benefits under the terms of the senior management
employees current employment agreement, if the senior
management employees employment agreement is not renewed
during the
12-month
period following the effective date of the merger;
|
|
|
|
To enter into agreements with 39 employees who currently do
not have employment agreements with ICT, in order to implement
(i) the adjustment of base salaries effective as of
December 1, 2009 for those employees who received a 10%
reduction in their base salary in 2009 as part of ICTs
overall cost reduction program, (ii) provide an incremental
change-in-control
severance benefit equal to three months of the employees
base salary or adjusted base salary, as applicable (for certain
sales employees with commissions, the severance benefit will
take into account average monthly sales commissions), and
(iii) provide the employees with severance benefits under
ICTs current plans, policies or practices, if the employee
is terminated without cause during the
12-month
period following the effective date of the merger;
|
|
|
|
The amendment of the LTIP to provide that the period from
January 1, 2009 through the effective date of the merger
will constitute one full year of performance, if the effective
date of the merger is prior to December 31, 2009. The
Compensation Committee will determine whether an employee has
satisfied the LTIP performance criteria based on a partial year
of performance if the effective date of the merger is prior to
December 31, 2009 and based on a full year of performance
if the effective date of the merger is after December 31,
2009. ICT will pay the bonuses under the LTIP in cash at or
prior to the closing of the merger; and
|
|
|
|
The amendment of ICTs Quarterly Incentive Plan (the
QIP) to provide that the period from October 1,
2009 through the effective date of the merger will constitute a
full quarter of performance, if the effective date of the merger
is prior to December 31, 2009. The Compensation Committee
will determine whether an employee has satisfied the QIP
performance criteria based on a partial quarter of performance
if the effective date of the merger is prior to
December 31, 2009 and based on a full quarter of
performance if the effective date of the merger is after
December 31, 2009. ICT will pay the bonuses under the QIP
in cash at or prior to the closing of the merger.
|
67
ICT
2009 Long-Term Incentive Plan Awards
As part of maintaining market competitiveness of the total
compensation offered to its executive officers, ICT maintains
the LTIP under which executive officers generally receive awards
in the form of RSUs. For 2009, the Compensation Committee
approved that long term compensation under the LTIP will be
comprised of two elements: (i) service-based awards payable
in cash at or prior to the closing of the merger and
(ii) performance-based awards based on a partial year of
performance if the effective date of the merger is prior to
December 31, 2009 and based on a full year of performance
if the effective date of the merger is after December 31,
2009, payable in cash at or prior to the closing of the merger.
As of December 17, 2009, the Compensation Committee had not
yet certified whether the executive officers have satisfied the
performance criteria for the 2009 performance-based awards.
The following table sets forth the maximum potential amount that
each of the executive officers would receive (in cash) under his
or her 2009 LTIP award if the executive officer achieves the
stretch performance goal (which provides the executive officer
with the ability to earn 150% of his or her target 2009
performance-based award):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maximum Potential 2009
|
|
Maximum Potential
|
|
|
2009 Service-
|
|
Performance-
|
|
Cash for 2009 LTIP Awards
|
|
|
based Award
|
|
based Award
|
|
(Service & Performance)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
Executive Officers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Brennan
|
|
|
347,500
|
|
|
|
521,250
|
|
|
|
868,750
|
|
John Campbell
|
|
|
109,500
|
|
|
|
164,250
|
|
|
|
273,750
|
|
Pamela Goyke
|
|
|
60,000
|
|
|
|
90,000
|
|
|
|
150,000
|
|
Guy Gray
|
|
|
134,300
|
|
|
|
201,450
|
|
|
|
335,750
|
|
Janice Jones
|
|
|
53,000
|
|
|
|
79,500
|
|
|
|
132,500
|
|
Timothy Kowalski
|
|
|
108,800
|
|
|
|
163,200
|
|
|
|
272,000
|
|
Gail Lebel
|
|
|
53,800
|
|
|
|
80,700
|
|
|
|
134,500
|
|
Rachel Macha
|
|
|
61,300
|
|
|
|
91,950
|
|
|
|
153,250
|
|
John Magee
|
|
|
139,100
|
|
|
|
208,650
|
|
|
|
347,750
|
|
Jeffrey Moore
|
|
|
64,400
|
|
|
|
96,600
|
|
|
|
161,000
|
|
Vincent Paccapaniccia
|
|
|
110,600
|
|
|
|
165,900
|
|
|
|
276,500
|
|
Indemnification
and Insurance of ICT Directors and Executive
Officers
Prior to the effective time of the merger, Sykes will use
reasonable best efforts to obtain tail insurance
policies with a claims period of at least six years from and
after the effective time of the merger from an insurance carrier
with the same or better credit rating as the lower rated of
Sykes or ICTs current insurance carriers with
respect to directors and officers liability
insurance and fiduciary insurance (collectively referred to as
D&O Insurance), for all past or present
directors, officers or employees of ICT and its subsidiaries (in
all of their capacities) and all fiduciaries under any ICT
benefit plans (collectively referred to as the Indemnified
Parties), with terms, conditions, retentions and levels of
coverage at least as favorable as ICTs existing D&O
Insurance with respect to matters existing or occurring prior to
the effective time of the merger (including with respect to acts
or omissions occurring in connection with the merger agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby).
If such tail insurance policies have been obtained,
Sykes will, and will cause the surviving corporation after the
effective time of the merger to, maintain such policies in full
force and effect, for their full term, and to continue to honor
its respective obligations thereunder.
If Sykes for any reason fails to obtain such tail
insurance policies as of the effective time of the merger, the
surviving corporation will, and Sykes will cause the surviving
corporation to, continue to maintain in effect the current
D&O Insurance, at no expense to the beneficiaries, for a
period of at least six years from and after the effective time
of the merger. However, Sykes (or any successor) may substitute
therefor policies of at least the same terms, conditions,
retentions and levels of coverage and amounts which are, in the
aggregate, as
68
favorable to the Indemnified Parties as provided in the existing
policies as of the date of the merger agreement. If such
insurance is unavailable, the surviving corporation will, and
Sykes will cause the surviving corporation to, purchase the best
available D&O Insurance for such six-year period from an
insurance carrier with the same or better credit rating as the
lower rated of Sykes and ICTs current insurance
carriers with respect to ICTs existing D&O Insurance
with terms, conditions, retentions and with levels of coverage
at least as favorable as provided in ICTs existing
policies as of the date of the merger agreement with respect to
claims, actions, suits, proceedings or investigations, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of
or pertaining to facts or events that occurred prior to, at or
after the effective time of the merger (including with respect
to acts or omissions occurring in connection with the merger
agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
thereby). However, neither Sykes nor the surviving corporation
is required to expend annually in excess of 250% of the annual
premiums currently paid by ICT for such coverage; and, to the
extent that the annual premiums of such coverage exceed that
amount, the surviving corporation is required to use all
reasonable efforts to cause to be maintained the maximum amount
of coverage as is available for 250% of such annual premium.
From and after the effective time of the merger, Sykes will, and
will cause the surviving corporation (or the surviving entity if
after the time of the upstream merger) to indemnify, defend and
hold harmless all Indemnified Parties against any costs,
expenses (including attorneys fees and expenses and
disbursements), judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages or
liabilities incurred in connection with any claim, action, suit,
proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, arising out of or pertaining to
the fact that the Indemnified Party is or was an officer,
director, employee or fiduciary of ICT or any of its
subsidiaries or a fiduciary under any ICT benefit plan, or is or
was serving at the request of ICT or any of its subsidiaries as
a director, officer or employee of any other corporation,
limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or
other business or non-profit enterprise (including an employee
benefit plan), whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after
the effective time of the merger (including with respect to acts
or omissions occurring in connection with the merger agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby),
and provide advancement of expenses to the Indemnified Parties
(within ten days of receipt by Sykes or the surviving
corporation from an Indemnified Party of a request therefor), in
all such cases to the same extent that such persons are
indemnified or have the right to advancement of expenses as of
the date of the merger agreement by ICT under the articles of
incorporation, bylaws and indemnification agreements, if any, of
ICT or any of its subsidiaries. In the event of any claim,
action, suit, hearing, proceeding or investigation, whether
civil, criminal or administrative, Sykes will, and will cause
the surviving corporation to (x) not settle, compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment in such proceeding or
threatened claim, action, suit, hearing, proceeding or
investigation (and in which indemnification could be sought by
an Indemnified Party), unless such settlement, compromise or
consent includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified
Party from all liability arising out of such claim, action,
suit, hearing, proceeding or investigation or such Indemnified
Party otherwise consents in writing, and (y) cooperate in
the defense of such matter.
Additionally, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
Sykes will, and will cause Merger Sub II to, include and
cause to be maintained in effect in its (or any
successors) organizational documents for a period of six
years after the effective time of the merger, the current
provisions contained in the articles of incorporation and bylaws
of ICT regarding elimination of liability of directors, and
indemnification of and advancement of expenses to directors,
officers and employees of ICT.
The rights of the Indemnified Parties under the merger agreement
are in addition to any rights such Indemnified Parties may have
under the articles of incorporation or bylaws of ICT or any of
its subsidiaries, or under any applicable contracts or laws. The
rights of the Indemnified Parties under the merger agreement are
intended to be for the benefit of, and may be enforced by, the
Indemnified Parties.
The obligations of Sykes and the surviving corporation to the
Indemnified Parties under the merger agreement will not be
terminated, amended or modified in any manner so as to adversely
affect the Indemnified Parties (including their successors,
heirs and legal representatives).
69
Sykes
Dividend Policy
Sykes does not currently pay dividends. Under the terms of the
merger agreement, neither Sykes nor ICT may declare, set aside
or pay any dividends with respect to their capital stock prior
to the effective date of the merger or the termination of the
merger agreement.
Manner
and Procedure for Exchanging Shares of ICT Stock; No Fractional
Shares
The conversion of ICT common stock into the right to receive the
merger consideration will occur automatically at the effective
time of the merger. Sykes has retained Computershare Trust
Company, N.A., as the exchange agent for the merger to handle
the exchange of ICT common shares for the merger consideration,
including the payment of cash for fractional shares. To effect
the exchange of shares, the exchange agent will take the
following actions:
ICT
Shares
Simultaneously with or prior to the effective time of the
merger, Sykes will deposit or cause to be deposited with the
exchange agent a cash amount in immediately available funds
sufficient to pay the aggregate cash portion of the merger
consideration and book-entry shares (or certificates if
requested) of Sykes common stock representing the aggregate
stock portion of the merger consideration payable to ICTs
shareholders. In addition, Sykes will make available to the
exchange agent from time to time as needed cash payable to
holders of ICT common stock in lieu of fractional shares and for
any dividends or distributions declared by Sykes following the
effective time of the merger, but prior to the time holders of
ICT common stock exchange their shares for the merger
consideration.
If you hold your own shares of ICT common stock in certificated
form, promptly after the effective time of the merger, and in no
event later than the fifth business day following the effective
time of the merger, the exchange agent will mail you a letter of
transmittal which will contain instructions on how to surrender
your shares of ICT common stock in exchange for the merger
consideration. The exchange agent will pay you the merger
consideration to which you are entitled after you have provided
to the exchange agent your signed letter of transmittal,
surrendered your stock and provided any other items specified by
the letter of transmittal. You should not submit your ICT
stock certificates for exchange until you receive the
transmittal instructions and a form of letter of transmittal
from the exchange agent. Holders of book-entry shares will
automatically receive the merger consideration and will not be
required to deliver a certificate or an executed letter of
transmittal to the exchange agent. Interest will not be paid or
accrue in respect of the merger consideration.
In the event of a transfer of ownership of ICT common stock that
is not registered in ICTs transfer agents records,
payment of the merger consideration as described above will be
made to a person other than the person in whose name the
certificate so surrendered is registered only if the certificate
is properly endorsed or otherwise is in proper form for
transfer; and the person requesting the exchange must pay any
transfer or other taxes required by reason of the payment of the
merger consideration to such other person.
Fractional
Shares
ICT shareholders will not receive any fractional shares of Sykes
common stock pursuant to the merger. Instead of any fractional
shares, shareholders will be paid an amount in cash for such
fraction of a share calculated by multiplying (i) the
fractional share interest to which such holder (after taking
into account all shares of ICTs common stock surrendered
by such holder) would otherwise be entitled by (ii) the
volume weighted average price of Sykes common stock for the ten
consecutive trading days ending on (and including) the third
trading day immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger, as such prices are reported on the NASDAQ stock market.
Additionally, one year after the effective time of the merger,
the exchange agent will deliver to Sykes all cash and shares of
Sykes common stock remaining in the exchange fund administered
by the exchange agent that have not been distributed to holders
of ICT common stock. Thereafter, ICT shareholders must look only
70
to Sykes, and Sykes will remain liable, for payment of the
merger consideration on their shares of ICT common stock. Any
portion of the exchange fund administered by the exchange agent
remaining unclaimed by holders of shares of ICT common stock
five years after the effective time of the merger (or
immediately prior to such time as such amounts would otherwise
escheat to or become property of any governmental authority)
will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, become the
property of the surviving corporation.
Regulatory
Approvals Required for the Merger
Sykes and ICT have agreed to use their reasonable best efforts
to obtain all regulatory approvals required to complete the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement. These
approvals include approval under or notices pursuant to, the HSR
Act. In using its reasonable best efforts to obtain the required
regulatory approvals, Sykes may be obligated to take action to
avoid the commencement of any action to prohibit any of the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, or if already
commenced, to avoid the entry of, or to effect the dissolution
of, any injunction, temporary restraining order or other order
in any action so as to enable the closing of the merger to occur.
Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission and Other
United States Antitrust Authorities. The merger
is subject to the HSR Act. The HSR Act and related rules
prohibit the completion of transactions such as the merger
unless the parties notify the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC), and the Antitrust Division of the Department
of Justice (DOJ), in advance. Sykes and ICT filed
the required HSR notification and report form on
November 3, 2009. The HSR Act further provides that a
transaction or portion of a transaction that is notifiable under
the HSR Act, such as the merger, may not be consummated until
the expiration of a 30
calendar-day
waiting period, or the early termination of that waiting period,
following the parties filing of their respective HSR Act
notification forms. If the DOJ or the FTC issues a Request for
Additional Information and Documentary Material prior to the
expiration of the waiting period, the parties must observe a
second
30-day
waiting period, which would begin to run only after both parties
have substantially complied with the request for information,
unless the waiting period is terminated earlier or extended with
the consent of the parties. The
30-day
waiting period expired on December 3, 2009, with no
Requests for Additional Information or Documentary Materials.
At any time before or after the acquisition is completed, either
the DOJ or FTC could take action under the antitrust laws in
opposition to the merger, including seeking to enjoin the
acquisition or seeking divestiture of substantial assets of
Sykes or ICT or their subsidiaries. Private parties also may
seek to take legal action under the antitrust laws under some
circumstances. Based upon an examination of information
available relating to the businesses in which the companies are
engaged, Sykes and ICT believe that the merger will receive the
necessary regulatory clearance. However, Sykes and ICT can give
no assurance that a challenge to the merger on antitrust grounds
will not be made, or, if such a challenge is made, that Sykes
and ICT will prevail.
In addition, the merger may be reviewed by the attorneys general
in the various states in which Sykes and ICT operate. These
authorities may claim that there is authority, under the
applicable state and federal antitrust laws and regulations, to
investigate
and/or
disapprove of the merger under the circumstances and based upon
the review set forth in applicable state laws and regulations.
There can be no assurance that one or more state attorneys
general will not attempt to file an antitrust action to
challenge the merger, although no such action is anticipated.
Timing. Sykes and ICT cannot assure you that
all of the regulatory approvals described above will be obtained
and, if obtained, Sykes and ICT cannot assure you as to the
timing of any approvals, the ability to obtain the approvals on
satisfactory terms or the absence of any litigation challenging
such approvals. Sykes and ICT also cannot assure you that the
DOJ, the FTC or any state attorney general will not attempt to
challenge the merger on antitrust grounds, and, if such a
challenge is made, Sykes and ICT cannot assure you as to its
result.
Sykes and ICT are not aware of any material governmental
approvals or actions that are required for completion of the
merger other than those described above. It is presently
contemplated that if any such
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additional governmental approvals or actions are required, those
approvals or actions will be sought. There can be no assurance,
however, that any additional approvals or actions will be
obtained.
Merger
Expenses, Fees and Costs
Generally, all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
merger agreement and the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement will be paid by the party incurring those expenses,
with the exception of filing fees and local counsel fees
associated with any antitrust filings for which Sykes will be
solely responsible. Sykes and ICT have agreed to share equally
all costs and expenses (other than attorneys and
accountants fees and expenses) incurred in relation to
printing and filing and, as applicable, mailing this proxy
statement/prospectus and the registration statement of which
this proxy statement/prospectus is a part, and any amendments or
supplements thereto, and all SEC and other regulatory filing
fees incurred in connection with the those documents. A
termination fee of $7.5 million and reimbursement of actual
expenses incurred by Sykes in connection with the merger of up
to $4.5 million are payable by ICT if the merger agreement
is terminated under certain circumstances (see The Merger
Agreement Expenses and Fees beginning on
page 97).
Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the
Transaction
Subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement,
Merger Sub will be merged with and into ICT, with ICT continuing
as the interim surviving corporation, which activity is referred
to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the merger. Immediately
following the effectiveness of the merger, the interim surviving
corporation will be merged with and into Merger Sub II, with
Merger Sub II surviving and continuing as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Sykes, which activity is referred to in this proxy
statement/prospectus as the upstream merger. Throughout this
proxy statement/prospectus, the merger and the upstream merger
are referred to collectively as the mergers or the transaction.
It is intended that the upstream merger will, through the
binding commitment of the parties to the merger agreement, be
effected immediately after the effective time of the merger
without further approval, authorization or direction from or by
any of the parties to the merger agreement. The term surviving
entity is sometimes used in this proxy statement/prospectus to
refer to Merger Sub II as the surviving entity following
the upstream merger. The following discussion sets forth the
material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the
transaction to U.S. holders (as defined below) of ICT
common stock that exchange their ICT common stock for Sykes
common stock and cash.
This discussion does not address any tax consequences arising
under the laws of any state, local or foreign jurisdiction, or
under any U.S. federal laws other than those pertaining to
income tax. This discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue
Code, the Treasury regulations promulgated under the Internal
Revenue Code and court and administrative rulings and decisions,
all as in effect on the date of this proxy statement/prospectus.
These laws may change, possibly retroactively, and any change
could affect the accuracy of the statements and conclusions set
forth in this discussion.
This discussion addresses only those holders of ICT common stock
that hold their shares as a capital asset within the meaning of
Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code. Further, this
discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal
income taxation that may be relevant to holders of ICT common
stock in light of their particular circumstances or that may be
applicable to them if they are subject to special treatment
under the U.S. federal income tax laws, including, without
limitation:
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a bank or other financial institution;
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a tax-exempt organization;
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an S corporation or other pass-through entity;
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an insurance company;
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a mutual fund;
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a regulated investment company or real estate investment trust;
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a dealer or broker in stocks and securities, or currencies;
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a trader in securities that elects
mark-to-market
treatment;
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a holder of ICT common stock subject to the alternative minimum
tax provisions of the Internal Revenue Code;
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a holder of ICT common stock that received such ICT shares
through the exercise of an employee stock option, pursuant to a
tax qualified retirement plan or otherwise as compensation;
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a person that is not a U.S. holder (as defined below);
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a person that has a functional currency other than the
U.S. dollar;
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a holder of ICT common stock that holds such ICT shares as part
of a hedge, straddle, constructive sale, conversion or other
integrated transaction; or
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a U.S. expatriate.
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The determination of the actual tax consequences of the
transaction to a holder of ICT common stock will depend on the
holders specific situation. Holders of ICT common stock
should consult their own tax advisors as to the tax consequences
of the transaction in their particular circumstances, including
the applicability and effect of the alternative minimum tax and
any state, local, foreign or other tax laws and of changes in
those laws.
For purposes of this discussion, the term
U.S. Holder means a beneficial owner of ICT
common stock that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes
(1) an individual citizen or resident of the United States,
(2) a corporation, including any entity treated as a
corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created
or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any
state thereof or the District of Columbia, (3) a trust if
(x) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary
supervision over the trusts administration and one or more
U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial
decisions of the trust or (y) it has a valid election in
effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a
U.S. person, or (4) an estate that is subject to
U.S. federal income tax on its income regardless of its
source.
The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the transaction
to a partner in an entity or arrangement treated as a
partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes that holds
ICT common stock generally will depend on the status of the
partner and the activities of the partnership. Partners in a
partnership holding ICT common stock should consult their own
tax advisors.
Consequences
of the Transaction Generally
ICTs and Sykes obligations to complete the
transaction are conditioned upon the receipt by ICT of the
opinion of Morgan Lewis, its legal counsel, and the receipt by
Sykes of the opinion of McDermott Will & Emery LLP
(McDermott Will & Emery), its special tax
counsel, each dated as of the effective date of the transaction,
that the transaction will constitute a
reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code. In rendering their opinions,
counsel may require and rely upon customary representations from
Sykes and ICT, and on customary factual assumptions. These
customary representations include representations that the
Section 368 continuity of interest test will be satisfied,
requiring that Sykes common stock constitute at least 40% of the
total consideration paid or payable to ICT shareholders in
exchange for their ICT common stock. If any of the
representations or assumptions relied upon in the opinions of
counsel are inaccurate, the opinions may not be relied upon, and
the discussion below, which assumes that the transaction will
qualify as a reorganization under
Section 368(a) of the Code, may not accurately describe the
tax consequences of the transaction.
Whether the continuity of interest test will be satisfied
depends primarily upon the market value of the Sykes common
stock either as of (i) the effective date if the effective
time occurs when NASDAQ has opened for trading on the effective
date, or (ii) the business day immediately preceding the
effective date if the effective time occurs when the NASDAQ
stock market have not yet opened for trading on the effective
date. No assurances can be given that the continuity of interest
test will be met. If the continuity of interest test is
73
not met then neither Morgan Lewis nor McDermott Will &
Emery will be able to issue opinions that the transaction
constitutes a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code. A tax opinion providing that
the transaction constitutes a reorganization is a condition
precedent to the obligation of each of Sykes and ICT to complete
the transaction and without such tax opinion or a waiver of such
condition by the parties the transaction will terminate.
Unless otherwise noted, the remainder of this discussion assumes
that the transaction will constitute a
reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code.
Tax Treatment of ICT and Sykes. Neither ICT
nor Sykes will recognize any gain or loss as a result of the
transaction.
Tax Treatment of U.S. Holders of ICT Common
Stock. A U.S. Holder of shares of ICT common
stock will recognize gain, if any, but not loss, equal to the
lesser of (i) the amount of cash that such U.S. Holder
receives in the transaction or (ii) the amount of gain
realized in the transaction, which will equal the
amount by which (a) the cash such holder receives in the
transaction plus the fair market value of the Sykes common stock
such holder receives in the transaction exceeds (b) such
holders adjusted tax basis in the shares of ICT common
stock surrendered in the transaction. If a U.S. Holder
exchanges more than one block of shares of ICT
common stock (that is, groups of shares that such holder
acquired at different times or at different prices), such holder
must calculate his, her or its gain separately as to each block,
and the results for each block may not be netted in determining
such holders overall gain. Instead, such U.S. Holder
would recognize gain on those shares on which gain is realized,
but, as described above, losses may not be recognized.
Character of Gain. A U.S. Holders
gain generally will be taxed as a capital gain, and such capital
gain will constitute long-term gain if the shares of ICT common
stock have been held by such holder for more than one year at
the time of the consummation of the transaction. Generally,
long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate
U.S. Holders will be subject to tax at a rate not to exceed
15%.
Holding Period. The holding period of any
Sykes common stock received in the transaction by a
U.S. Holder of shares of ICT common stock, including any
fractional share interest for which cash is received, will
include the period during which such holder held such ICT shares
surrendered in the transaction.
Tax Basis. The aggregate tax basis of all
Sykes common stock received in the transaction by a
U.S. Holder of shares of ICT common stock will be the same
as the aggregate tax basis of such ICT shares surrendered in the
merger, increased by such holders recognized gain, if any,
and reduced by the amount of cash received by such holder in the
transaction.
Treatment of Cash Received in Lieu of Fractional
Shares. U.S. Holders of shares of ICT common
stock who receive cash in lieu of fractional shares of Sykes
common stock will be treated as having received such fractional
shares in the transaction, and then as having exchanged such
fractional shares for cash in a redemption by Sykes. The amount
of any gain or loss recognized as a result of such exchange will
be equal to the difference between the ratable portion of the
tax basis of ICT shares of common stock exchanged in the
transaction that is allocated to such fractional shares and the
cash received in lieu thereof, and will constitute long-term
capital gain or loss if the shares of ICT common stock exchanged
therefor have been held by the U.S. Holder for more than
one year at the time of the consummation of the transaction.
Generally, long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate
U.S. Holders will be subject to tax at a rate not to exceed
15%.
Treatment if the Transaction Was Determined not to Qualify as
a Reorganization under Section 368(a) of the
Code. If the transaction was determined not to
qualify as a reorganization under Section 368(a) of the
Code, a U.S. Holder of ICT common stock would generally
recognize gain or loss based on the difference between the value
of the consideration received (cash and Sykes common stock) and
such U.S. Holders tax basis in the shares of ICT
common stock surrendered. Any such gain or loss would be
long-term capital gain or loss to the extent that such
U.S. Holder had a holding period in the ICT common stock
surrendered of more than one year. In such circumstances, a
U.S. Holder would generally have a fair market value basis
in any Sykes common stock received and a holding period in such
common stock that commenced on the day after the closing.
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Backup Withholding and Information
Reporting. Certain non-corporate
U.S. Holders of shares of capital stock may be subject to
backup withholding at a rate of 28% with respect to cash
received in the transaction (including in exchange for
fractional shares of ICT common stock). Backup withholding will
not apply, however, to a non-corporate U.S. Holder that
(1) furnishes a correct taxpayer identification number and
certifies under penalties of perjury that such U.S. Holder
is not subject to backup withholding on the substitute
Form W-9
or successor form included in the letter of transmittal that
will be sent to ICT shareholders following the completion of the
merger, or (2) is otherwise exempt from backup withholding.
In general, backup withholding and information reporting will
not apply to payments made to a
Non-U.S. Holder
if such holder has provided the required certification that the
holder is not a U.S. person on IRS
Form W-8BEN,
IRS
Form W-8ECI,
IRS
Form W-8EXP,
or IRS
Form W-8IMY,
as applicable, and provided Sykes does not have actual knowledge
that such holder is a U.S. person. Payments of the proceeds
from the transaction to a
Non-U.S. Holder
made to or through a foreign office of a broker will generally
not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding.
However, information reporting will apply to those payments, if
the broker is: (1) a U.S. person, (2) a
controlled foreign corporation for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, (3) a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross
income from all sources is effectively connected with the
conduct of trade or business in the United States for a
specified three-year period, or (4) a foreign partnership,
if at any time during its tax year, one or more of its partners
are U.S. persons, as defined in Treasury Regulations, who
in the aggregate hold more than 50% of the income or capital
interest in the partnership or if, at any time during its tax
year, the foreign partnership is engaged in a U.S. trade or
business, unless (a) such broker has documentary evidence
in its records that the beneficial owner is not a
U.S. person and certain other conditions are met or
(b) the beneficial owner otherwise establishes an
exemption. Payment of the merger consideration to a
Non-U.S. Holder
made to or through the U.S. office of a broker is subject
to information reporting and backup withholding unless the
certification that the
Non-U.S. Holder
is not a U.S. person described above has been received (and
Sykes does not have actual knowledge that the Non-Holder is a
U.S. person) or the
Non-U.S. Holder
otherwise establishes an exemption from information reporting
and backup withholding.
Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be
credited against the holders U.S. federal income tax
liability provided the required information is provided to the
IRS.
THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX DISCUSSION SET FORTH HEREIN IS
INCLUDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. HOLDERS OF SHARES OF
ICT COMMON STOCK ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS AS
TO THE SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE MERGER IN LIGHT
OF THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY
OF U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX LAWS.
Dissenters
Rights
Under Pennsylvania law, the holders of ICT common stock are not
entitled to dissenters rights with respect to the merger.
Therefore, although holders of ICT common stock may vote against
the merger, they will not have the right under Pennsylvania law
to demand payment of the fair value of their shares
from ICT. A holder of ICT common stock who receives shares of
Sykes common stock in the merger and who does not wish to be a
Sykes shareholder may elect to sell his or her shares at any
time in the public market at the value set by the market.
Stock
Exchange Listing of Sykes Stock and Delisting and Deregistration
of ICT Stock
Application will be made to have the shares of Sykes common
stock to be issued in the merger approved for listing on the
NASDAQ stock market, where Sykes common stock currently is
traded. If the merger is consummated, ICT common stock will no
longer be listed on the NASDAQ stock market, and will be
deregistered under the Exchange Act.
75
Litigation
Relating to the Merger
On October 9, 2009, United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers
and Allied Workers Local Union No. 8 Annuity Fund and
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local
Union No. 8 Pension Fund filed a shareholder class action
and derivative complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks
County, Pennsylvania styled United Union of Roofers,
Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local Union No. 8 Annuity
Fund and United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied
Workers Local Union No. 8 Pension Fund, Individually and On
Behalf Of All Others Similarly Situated v. ICT Group, Inc.,
John J. Brennan, Donald P. Brennan, Gordon Coburn, Bernard
Somers, John Stoops, Richard R. Roscitt, and Eileen S. Fusco
and numbered as Case
No. 2009-10761
on the docket of said Court (the United Roofers
Complaint). The United Roofers Complaint alleged class
action and derivative claims against the individual defendants
and ICT for breach of fiduciary duty, gross mismanagement, and
corporate waste in connection with the proposed merger
transaction between Sykes and ICT.
On October 13, 2009, an ICT shareholder, Christopher Green,
filed a Verified Derivative Shareholder Complaint in the Court
of Common Pleas of Bucks County, Pennsylvania styled
Christopher Green, Derivatively on behalf of Nominal
Defendant ICT Group, Inc. v. John J. Brennan, Donald P.
Brennan, Gordon Coburn, Bernard Somers, John Stoops, Richard R.
Roscitt, Eileen S. Fusco, and Sykes Enterprises, Inc. and
numbered as Case
No. 2009-10827
on the docket of said Court (the Green Complaint).
The Green Complaint names Sykes as a defendant and ICT as a
nominal defendant and alleged claims against the individual
defendants for breach of fiduciary duty, and a claim against
Sykes for aiding and abetting the individual defendants
breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the proposed merger
transaction between Sykes and ICT
On October 29, 2009, an ICT shareholder, Mitesh Patel,
filed a Shareholder Class Action and Derivative Complaint
in the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County, Pennsylvania
styled Mitesh Patel, individually and on behalf of all
similarly situated v. John J. Brennan, Donald P. Brennan,
Gordon Coburn, Bernard Somers, John Stoops, Richard R. Roscitt,
Eileen S. Fusco, ICT Group, Inc., Sykes Enterprises,
Incorporated, SH Merger Subsidiary I, Inc. and SH Merger
Subsidiary II, LLC and numbered as Case
No. 2009-11514
on the docket of said Court (the Patel Complaint).
The Patel Complaint alleged claims against the individual
defendants and ICT for breach of fiduciary duty and against ICT
and the three Sykes defendants for aiding and abetting the
individual defendants breach of fiduciary duty in
connection with the proposed merger transaction between Sykes
and ICT.
The United Roofers Complaint, Green Complaint, and the Patel
Complaint were procedurally and substantively consolidated by
court order and styled In re: ICT Group, Inc. Shareholder
Litigation and assigned Case
No. 2009-10761
on the docket of the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County,
Pennsylvania (hereinafter the Consolidated Action).
On November 24, 2009, a First Amended and Consolidated
Class Action and Derivative Complaint (the
Consolidated Complaint) was filed alleging class
action and derivative claims against the individual defendants
and ICT for breach of fiduciary duty, gross mismanagement, and
corporate waste and against ICT, Sykes, SH Merger
Subsidiary I, and SH Merger Subsidiary II, for aiding and
abetting the individual defendants breach of fiduciary
duty in connection with the proposed merger transaction between
Sykes and ICT. The Consolidated Complaint supersedes the three
earlier complaints. The defendants filed preliminary objections
to the Consolidated Complaint on December 1, 2009, seeking
dismissal of the action, which remain pending.
On December 14, 2009, ICT, Sykes and the other named
defendants entered into a memorandum of understanding with the
attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the Consolidated
Action. The memorandum sets forth the terms on which the
plaintiffs and defendants have agreed to settle the Consolidated
Action, subject to court approval. If the court approves the
settlement agreement, the Consolidated Complaint will be
dismissed with prejudice. ICT, Sykes and the other defendants
deny all of the allegations in the Consolidated Complaint. They
nevertheless agreed to the settlement in order to avoid costly
litigation and reduce the risk of any delay in the closing of
the merger.
Pursuant to the terms of the memorandum, ICT has made additional
disclosures in this proxy statement/prospectus relating to the
background of the merger and Greenhills opinion on the
fairness of the terms of the
76
merger. In return for the additional disclosures, the
plaintiffs have agreed to dismiss the Consolidated Complaint and
all members of a putative opt-out settlement class will release
any claims they have or may have against the defendants in
connection with the matters alleged in the Consolidated Action.
In addition, the defendants have agreed not to oppose a petition
by plaintiffs counsel for an award of fees and expenses so
long as it does not exceed $250,000.
THE
MERGER AGREEMENT
The following summary describes material provisions of the
merger agreement. This summary does not purport to be complete
and may not contain all of the information about the merger
agreement that is important to you. This summary is subject to,
and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the merger
agreement, which is attached to this proxy statement/prospectus
as Annex A and is incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus. You are urged to read the merger agreement
carefully and in its entirety, as it is the legal document
governing the merger.
The merger agreement summary below is included in this proxy
statement/prospectus only to provide you with information
regarding the terms and conditions of the merger agreement, and
not to provide any other factual information regarding ICT,
Sykes or their respective businesses. Accordingly, the
representations and warranties and other provisions of the
merger agreement should not be read alone, but instead should be
read only in conjunction with the information provided elsewhere
in this proxy statement/prospectus and in the documents
incorporated by reference into this proxy statement/prospectus.
See Where You Can Find More Information on
page 118.
The representations, warranties and covenants contained in
the merger agreement and described in this proxy
statement/prospectus were made only for purposes of the merger
agreement and as of specific dates and may be subject to more
recent developments, were made solely for the benefit of the
parties to the merger agreement and may be subject to
limitations agreed upon by the contracting parties, including
being qualified by reference to confidential disclosures, for
the purposes of allocating risk between parties to the merger
agreement instead of establishing these matters as facts, and
may apply standards of materiality in a way that is different
from what may be viewed as material by you or by other
investors. Accordingly, these representations and warranties
alone may not describe the actual state of affairs as of the
date they were made or at any other time. The representations
and warranties contained in the merger agreement do not survive
the effective time of the merger. Investors should not rely on
the representations, warranties and covenants or any description
thereof as characterizations of the actual state of facts or
condition of ICT, Sykes, Merger Sub, Merger Sub II or any
of their respective subsidiaries or affiliates. Moreover,
information concerning the subject matter of the
representations, warranties and covenants may change after the
date of the merger agreement, which subsequent information may
or may not be fully reflected in public disclosures by ICT and
Sykes.
The
Merger
Sykes, Merger Sub, Merger Sub II, and ICT entered into the
merger agreement on October 5, 2009. Each of the ICT board
of directors and the Sykes board of directors has approved the
merger agreement.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement,
Merger Sub will be merged with and into ICT, with ICT continuing
as the interim surviving corporation, which activity is referred
to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the merger. Immediately
following the effectiveness of the merger, the interim surviving
corporation will be merged with and into Merger Sub II, with
Merger Sub II surviving and continuing as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Sykes, which activity is referred to in this proxy
statement/prospectus as the upstream merger. Throughout this
proxy statement/prospectus, the merger and the upstream merger
are referred to collectively as the mergers or the transaction.
It is intended that the upstream merger will, through the
binding commitment of the parties to the merger agreement, be
effected immediately after the effective time of the merger
without further approval, authorization or direction from or by
any of the parties to the merger agreement. The term surviving
entity is sometimes used in this proxy statement/prospectus to
refer to Merger Sub II as the surviving entity following
the upstream merger. With respect to
77
any time following the upstream merger, any references to the
surviving corporation are references to the surviving entity.
A copy of the merger agreement is attached as Annex A to
this proxy statement/prospectus. You are encouraged to
read the merger agreement carefully in its entirety because it
is the legal agreement that governs the transaction.
Officers
and Directors of the Surviving Corporation
Upon consummation of the merger, the officers and directors of
Merger Sub will become the officers and directors of the
surviving corporation.
Closing
Under the terms of the merger agreement, the closing of the
merger will occur as soon as possible, and in any event not
later than two business days, following the satisfaction or
(subject to applicable law) waiver of the conditions to closing
(other than conditions that, by their nature, cannot be
satisfied until the closing of the merger, but subject to
fulfillment or waiver of those conditions).
Effective
Time
At the closing of the merger, ICT will file articles of merger
with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. The merger will become effective at
11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date the articles of merger
are filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania or at a later time as agreed to by Sykes and ICT
and set forth in the articles of merger.
Merger
Consideration
At the effective time of the merger, each share of ICT common
issued and outstanding, except for shares of ICT common stock
held by Sykes or held in treasury by ICT which will be
cancelled, will be converted into the right to receive
consideration valued at $15.38, subject to adjustment as
described below. The consideration per share of ICT common stock
is payable as follows: (i) $7.69 is payable in cash without
interest, and (ii) the remainder is payable by delivery of
a number of shares of Sykes common stock equal to the exchange
ratio described below divided by two (2). Except as described
below, the exchange ratio will be the quotient determined by
dividing $15.38 by the volume weighted average of the per share
sales prices of Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive
trading days ending on (and including) the third trading day
immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, referred
to in this proxy statement/prospectus as the measurement value.
The exchange ratio is subject to a symmetrical collar of 7.5%
above and 7.5% below $20.8979, which is the volume weighted
average of the per share sales prices of Sykes common stock for
the ten consecutive trading days ending on October 2, 2009,
the last trading day immediately prior to the date of the merger
agreement. Within this collar, the exchange ratio will be
determined pursuant to the calculation described above. If,
however, the measurement value is equal to or less than
$19.3306, then the exchange ratio will be 0.7956, and
0.3978 shares of Sykes common stock will be issued for each
share of ICT common stock. If the measurement value is equal to
or greater than $22.4652, then the exchange ratio will be
0.6846, and 0.3423 shares of Sykes common stock will be
issued for each share of ICT common stock.
78
The table below provides examples of the consideration that will
be paid to each ICT shareholder, assuming the average price of
the Sykes common stock is as indicated.
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Pro Rata Values Reflecting Cash and Stock Consideration
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Sykes
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Number of Sykes
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Implied Stock
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Cash
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Average
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Average
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Shares to be
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Consideration
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Consideration
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Implied
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Closing
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Exchange
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Issued per
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Value per
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Value per
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Value per
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Price(1)
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Ratio(2)
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ICT Share
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ICT Share
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ICT Share
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ICT Share
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$
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26.00
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0.6846
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x
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0.3423
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$
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8.8998
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$
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7.69
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$
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16.5898
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$
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25.00
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0.6846
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x
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0.3423
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$
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8.5575
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$
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7.69
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$
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16.2475
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$
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24.00
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0.6846
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x
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0.3423
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$
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8.2152
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$
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7.69
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$
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15.9052
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$
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23.00
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0.6846
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x
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0.3423
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$
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7.8729
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$
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7.69
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$
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15.5629
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$
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22.4652
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(3)
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0.6846
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x
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0.3423
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$
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7.6898
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$
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7.69
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$
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15.3798
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$
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22.00
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0.6991
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x
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0.3495
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$
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7.69
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$
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7.69
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$
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15.38
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$
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21.00
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0.7324
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x
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0.3662
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$
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7.69
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$
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7.69
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$
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15.38
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$
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20.00
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0.769
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x
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0.3845
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$
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7.69
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$
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7.69
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$
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15.38
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$
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19.3306
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(4)
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0.7956
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x
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0.3978
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$
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7.6897
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$
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7.69
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$
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15.3797
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$
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19.00
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0.7956
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x
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0.3978
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$
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7.5582
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$
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7.69
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$
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15.2482
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$
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18.00
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0.7956
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x
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0.3978
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$
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7.1604
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$
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7.69
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$
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14.8504
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$
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17.00
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0.7956
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x
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0.3978
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$
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6.7626
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$
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7.69
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$
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14.4526
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$
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16.00
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0.7956
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x
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0.3978
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$
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6.3648
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$
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7.69
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$
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14.0548
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(1) |
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Determined by taking the average of the volume weighted average
of the per share sales prices of Sykes common stock for the ten
consecutive trading days ending on (and including) the third
trading day immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger (the measurement value). |
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(2) |
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Within the collar, this amount is determined by dividing $15.38
by the measurement value. |
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(3) |
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No further adjustment will be made to the exchange ratio above
the $22.4652 per share threshold. |
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(4) |
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No further adjustment will be made to the exchange ratio below
the $19.3306 per share threshold. |
Based on the volume weighted average of the per share sales
prices of Sykes common stock for the ten consecutive
trading days ending on
[ ],
2009 ($[ ] per share) and the
number of outstanding shares of ICT common stock on that date,
Sykes estimates that the cash portion of the aggregate merger
consideration will be approximately
$[ ] million and that the
number of shares of Sykes common stock to be issued as the stock
portion of the merger consideration will be approximately
[ ] million
shares with a value of
$[ ] million (based on such
weighted average price). The actual amount of the cash merger
consideration will be dependent upon the number of shares of ICT
common stock outstanding at the time the merger becomes
effective and the actual number of shares and value of Sykes
common stock to be issued will be dependent upon the market
price of Sykes stock prior to the effective time of the merger,
as described above.
Treatment
of ICT Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units
Each outstanding ICT stock option, whether or not then vested
and exercisable, will become fully vested and exercisable
immediately prior to, and then will be canceled at, the
effective time of the merger, and the holder of such option will
be entitled to receive as soon as practicable after the
effective time of the merger, but in no event later than ten
business days following the effective time of the merger, an
amount in cash, without interest and less any applicable taxes
to be withheld, equal to (i) the excess, if any, of
(1) $15.38 over (2) the exercise price per share of
ICT common stock subject to such ICT stock option, multiplied by
(ii) the total number of shares of ICT common stock
underlying such ICT stock option, with the aggregate amount of
such payment rounded up to the nearest cent. If the exercise
price is equal to or greater than $15.38, then the stock option
will be canceled without any payment to the stock option holder.
Based on the number of outstanding stock options on
[ ],
2009, Sykes estimates that holders of outstanding stock options
will receive approximately
$[ ] million, based upon an
estimated average weighted exercise price of
$[ ].
79
Also at the effective time of the merger, each outstanding RSU
will become fully vested and then will be canceled and the
holder of such vested awards will be entitled to receive $15.38
in cash, without interest and less any applicable taxes to be
withheld, in respect of each share of ICT common stock into
which the RSU would otherwise be convertible. Based on the
number of outstanding RSUs on
[ ],
2009, Sykes estimates that holders of outstanding RSUs will
receive approximately
$[ ] million.
These cash amounts will be paid out as soon as practicable after
the effective time of the merger but in no event later than ten
business days following the effective time of the merger.
Conversion
of Shares; Exchange of Certificates
The conversion of ICT common stock into the right to receive the
merger consideration will occur automatically at the effective
time of the merger. Prior to the effective time of the merger,
Sykes will select a commercial bank or trust company reasonably
acceptable to ICT to act as the exchange agent, for the purpose
of exchanging certificates or book entry shares representing ICT
common stock for the merger consideration and perform other
duties as explained in the merger agreement. Simultaneous with
or prior to the effective time of the merger, Sykes will deposit
or cause to be deposited with such exchange agent a cash amount
in immediately available funds sufficient to pay the aggregate
cash portion of the merger consideration and book-entry shares
(or certificates if requested) of Sykes common stock
representing the aggregate stock portion of the merger
consideration payable to ICTs shareholders. In addition,
Sykes will make available to the exchange agent from time to
time as needed cash payable to holders of ICT common stock in
lieu of fractional shares and for any dividends or distributions
declared by Sykes following the effective time of the merger,
but prior to the time holders of ICT common stock exchange their
shares for the merger consideration.
If you hold your shares of ICT common stock in certificated
form, promptly after the effective time of the merger, and in no
event later than the fifth business day following the effective
time of the merger, the exchange agent will mail you a letter of
transmittal which will contain instructions on how to surrender
your shares of ICT common stock in exchange for the merger
consideration. The exchange agent will pay you the merger
consideration to which you are entitled after you have provided
to the exchange agent your signed letter of transmittal,
surrendered your shares of ICT common stock and provided any
other items specified by the letter of transmittal. You
should not submit your ICT stock certificates for exchange until
you receive the transmittal instructions and a form of letter of
transmittal from the exchange agent. Holders of book-entry
shares will automatically receive the merger consideration and
will not be required to deliver a certificate or an executed
letter of transmittal to the exchange agent. Interest will not
be paid or accrue in respect of the merger consideration.
In the event of a transfer of ownership of ICT common stock that
is not registered in ICTs transfer agents records,
payment of the merger consideration as described above will be
made to a person other than the person in whose name the
certificate so surrendered is registered only if the certificate
is properly endorsed or otherwise is in proper form for
transfer; and the person requesting the exchange must pay any
transfer or other taxes required by reason of the payment of the
merger consideration to such other person.
One year after the effective time of the merger, the exchange
agent will deliver to Sykes all cash and shares of Sykes common
stock remaining in the exchange fund administered by the
exchange agent that have not been distributed to holders of ICT
common stock. Thereafter, ICT shareholders must look only to
Sykes, and Sykes will remain liable, for payment of the merger
consideration on their shares of ICT common stock. Any portion
of the exchange fund administered by the exchange agent
remaining unclaimed by holders of shares of ICT common stock
five years after the effective time of the merger (or
immediately prior to such time as such amounts would otherwise
escheat to or become property of any governmental authority)
will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, become the
property of the surviving corporation.
Dividends
and Distributions
If you hold your shares of ICT common stock in certificated
form, until you have provided to the exchange agent your signed
letter of transmittal and other items specified in the letter of
transmittal with respect to your shares of ICT common stock, any
dividends or other distributions declared after the effective
80
time of the merger with respect to Sykes common stock into which
shares of ICT common stock may have been converted will accrue
but will not be paid with respect to your shares of ICT common
stock. When duly surrendered, Sykes will pay any unpaid
dividends or other distributions, without interest, to former
ICT shareholders.
Withholding
The exchange agent will be entitled to deduct and withhold from
the merger consideration payable to any ICT shareholder the
amounts it is required to deduct and withhold under any federal,
state, local, or foreign tax laws.
No
Fractional Shares
ICT shareholders will not receive any fractional shares of Sykes
common stock pursuant to the merger. Instead of any fractional
shares, shareholders will be paid an amount in cash for such
fraction of a share calculated by multiplying (i) the
fractional share interest to which such holder (after taking
into account all shares of ICTs common stock surrendered
by such holder) would otherwise be entitled by (ii) the
volume weighted average price of Sykes common stock for the ten
consecutive trading days ending three days prior to the
effective time of the merger, as such prices are reported on the
NASDAQ stock market.
Representations
and Warranties
Each of Sykes and ICT has made representations and warranties to
the other regarding, among other things:
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corporate matters, including due organization, good standing and
qualification;
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capitalization;
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corporate authority to enter into and perform the obligations
contemplated by the merger agreement, enforceability of the
merger agreement, approval of the merger agreement by the
parties boards of directors and shareholder voting
requirements to consummate the merger and the other transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement;
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required governmental filings and consents;
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the absence of conflicts with, or violations of, organizational
documents, other contracts and applicable laws, in each case, as
a result of the merger;
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the timely filing and accuracy of periodic reports and other
filings with the SEC since January 1, 2006, as well as with
respect to financial statements contained therein, internal
controls and compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002;
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conduct of business in the ordinary course since January 1,
2009 and absence of any event, occurrence, development or state
of circumstances or facts or condition that has had or would
reasonably be expected to have, a material adverse effect on
either party since January 1, 2009;
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absence of certain legal proceedings (pending or threatened) and
orders;
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compliance with applicable laws;
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tax matters;
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intellectual property matters;
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regulatory compliance;
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brokers fees payable in connection with the merger and the
other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement; and
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81
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the absence of any representation or warranty by either party
except for those expressly set forth in the merger agreement and
the acknowledgement by each party of certain investigations made
of the other party and such partys businesses.
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ICT has made additional representations and warranties about
itself to Sykes as to the following:
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title to, or leasehold interest in, certain properties;
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matters with respect to certain material contracts;
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employee benefit plans;
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labor matters;
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environmental matters;
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matters with respect to insurance policies; and
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absence of transactions with affiliates.
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In addition, Sykes has made additional representations and
warranties about itself to ICT as to the following:
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the activities of the Merger Subs;
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matters with respect to financing of the acquisition; and
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ownership of ICT common stock by Sykes and its subsidiaries.
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Many of ICTs and Sykes representations and
warranties are qualified by a material adverse effect standard.
For purposes of the merger agreement, material adverse
effect, with respect to either party, is defined to mean
an effect, event, development, change, state of facts,
condition, circumstance or occurrence that is or would be
reasonably expected to be materially adverse to the financial
condition, assets, liabilities, business or results of
operations of such party and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
provided, however, that a material adverse effect is deemed not
to include effects, events, developments, changes, states of
facts, conditions, circumstances or occurrences arising out of,
relating to or resulting from:
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changes generally affecting the economy, financial or securities
markets or political or regulatory conditions, to the extent
such changes do not adversely affect such party and its
subsidiaries in a disproportionate manner relative to other
participants in the industries in which they operate;
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changes in the industries in which they operate, to the extent
such changes do not adversely affect such party and its
subsidiaries in a disproportionate manner relative to other
participants in such industries;
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any change in law or the interpretation thereof or GAAP or the
interpretation thereof, to the extent such changes do not
adversely affect such party and its subsidiaries in a
disproportionate manner relative to other participants in the
industries in which they operate;
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acts of war, armed hostility or terrorism to the extent such
changes do not adversely affect such party and its subsidiaries
in a disproportionate manner relative to other participants in
the industries in which they operate;
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the announcement of the merger agreement and the transactions
contemplated thereby, including any termination of, reduction in
or similar negative impact on relationships, contractual or
otherwise, with any customers, suppliers, distributors, partners
or employees of such party or its subsidiaries due to the
announcement and performance of the merger agreement or the
identity of the parties to the merger agreement, or the
performance of the merger agreement and the transactions
contemplated thereby, including compliance with the covenants
set forth therein;
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any failure by such party to meet any internal or published
industry analyst projections or forecasts or estimates of
revenues or earnings for any period (although facts and
circumstances giving rise to such
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failure that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of
material adverse effect may be taken into account in determining
whether there has been a material adverse effect);
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any change in the price or trading volume of such partys
common stock on the NASDAQ stock market (although facts and
circumstances giving rise to such change that are not otherwise
excluded from the definition of material adverse effect may be
taken into account in determining whether there has been a
material adverse effect); and
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compliance with the terms of, or the taking of any action
required by, the merger agreement.
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Conduct
of Business Prior to Closing
ICT has agreed in the merger agreement that, until the earlier
of the effective time of the merger and termination of the
merger agreement, except as expressly contemplated by the merger
agreement, required by applicable law or applicable stock
exchange or regulatory organization or with Sykes prior
written approval, which is not to be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed, ICT and its subsidiaries will conduct
their business in the ordinary and usual course consistent with
ICTs past practice and, to the extent consistent
therewith, will use their reasonable best efforts to:
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preserve their assets;
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keep available the services of current officers, key employees
and consultants of ICT and its subsidiaries;
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preserve ICTs business organization intact and maintain
its existing relations and goodwill with customers, suppliers,
distributors, creditors and lessors; and
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comply in all material respects with all applicable laws.
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ICT has further agreed in the merger agreement that until the
effective time of the merger, with certain exceptions and except
with Sykes prior written consent, which is not to be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, ICT will not, and
will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, among other things,
undertake the following actions:
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amend or propose to amend the organizational documents of ICT or
its significant subsidiaries;
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issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant, transfer or encumber, or
authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant,
transfer or encumbrance of any shares of, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or options,
warrants, calls, commitments or rights of any kind to acquire,
or based on the value of, any shares of its capital stock of any
class or any equity interest, voting debt of ICT or any of its
subsidiaries (other than issuances upon the exercise of ICT
stock options or the settlement of RSUs);
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other than pursuant to cash management or investment portfolio
activities in the ordinary course of business, acquire
(including by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of stock or
assets or intellectual property or any other business
combination) any ownership interest in any corporation,
partnership or other business organization or any assets or any
interest in any assets from any other person for consideration
valued in excess of $500,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the
aggregate;
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enter into any strategic licensing, joint venture,
collaboration, alliance, co-promotion or similar agreement that
involves payments by ICT to a third party in excess of $200,000
individually or $500,000 in the aggregate for all such
contracts; provided that no such agreement would
(1) constitute a material contract of ICT, (2) limit
or restrict ICT or its subsidiaries or Sykes or any of its
affiliates or any successor of such entities, in each case,
after the effective time of the merger, from engaging or
competing in, or require any of them to work exclusively with
the party to such agreement in, any material line of business or
in any material geographic area (other than any limitation or
restriction which ICT would have the right to terminate upon a
change of control at no cost and with no such continuing
material restrictions or obligations to ICT or Sykes or any of
their respective subsidiaries) or (3) be reasonably
expected to interfere with the parties ability to
consummate the merger;
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(1) purchase financial instruments that at the time of
purchase qualify as Level III assets (as defined in FASB
Statement No. 157); (2) change in a material manner
the average duration of ICTs investment portfolio or the
average credit quality of such portfolio, except for changes
that would reduce investment risk in such portfolio;
(3) materially change investment guidelines with respect to
ICTs investment portfolio except for changes that would
reduce investment risk of ICTs investment portfolio;
(4) hypothecate, repo, encumber or otherwise pledge assets
in ICTs investment portfolio; or (5) invest new
surplus cash from operations in securities other than short-term
liquid securities permitted by Sykes investment guidelines
(which are required to be implemented by ICT with respect to
such new surplus cash as soon as practicable after the date of
the merger agreement);
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enter into interest rate swaps, foreign exchange or commodity
agreements and other similar hedging arrangements (other than
for purposes of offsetting a bona fide exposure);
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merge or consolidate ICT or any of its subsidiaries with any
person or adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation or
resolutions providing for a complete or partial liquidation,
dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization or other
reorganization of ICT or any of its subsidiaries, other than any
such transaction between direct or indirect wholly-owned
subsidiaries of ICT that would not result in material adverse
tax consequences or material loss of tax benefits or loss of any
material asset (including intellectual property);
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sell, pledge, dispose of, transfer, lease, license, guarantee or
encumber, or authorize the sale, pledge, disposition, transfer,
lease, license, guarantee or encumbrance of any material
property or assets (including intellectual property) of ICT or
any of its subsidiaries to any third party, except
(1) pursuant to existing contracts or commitments,
(2) for the sale of goods and services in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice,
(3) transactions involving property or assets of ICT or any
of its subsidiaries having a value no greater than $500,000 in
the aggregate for all such transfers, (4) in connection
with any waiver, release, assignment, settlement or compromise
of litigation otherwise permitted under the merger agreement, or
(5) in connection with cash management or investment
portfolio activities in the ordinary course of business;
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split, combine, reclassify, subdivide or amend the terms of its
outstanding capital stock or any other securities of ICT or
enter into any agreement with respect to voting of any of its
capital stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable
for such shares;
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declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other
distribution on any shares of capital stock of ICT or its
subsidiaries, except between or among wholly-owned subsidiaries
of ICT;
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purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of its capital
stock, any securities convertible or exchangeable or exercisable
for any shares of capital stock or any other securities, except
for purchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of capital
stock or other securities (1) required by the terms of ICT
equity compensation plans, (2) in order to pay taxes or
satisfy withholding obligations in respect of such taxes in
connection with the exercise of ICT stock options or vesting of
RSUs or the lapse of restrictions in respect of any other equity
interests in ICT, in each case pursuant to the terms of the
applicable ICT equity compensation plans, or (3) required
by the terms of any plans, arrangements or agreements existing
on the date of the merger agreement between ICT or any of its
subsidiaries and any director or employee of ICT or any of its
subsidiaries;
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incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or issue any debt
securities, warrants or other rights to acquire debt securities
of ICT or any of its subsidiaries or assume, guarantee or
endorse, as an accommodation or otherwise, the obligations of
any other person for borrowed money (other than under existing
working capital facilities and letter of credit facilities in
the ordinary course);
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make any loans or capital contributions to, or investments in,
any person, except for (i) loans and capital contributions
to, or investments in, ICT subsidiaries organized under the laws
of one of the United States, (ii) with respect to each
foreign subsidiary, (a) loans or capital contributions to,
or investments in, foreign subsidiaries which are made in the
ordinary course of business for the normal business operations
of each such foreign subsidiary, consistent with past practice,
and (b) additional
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loans or capital contributions to, or investments in, foreign
subsidiaries in an amount not to exceed $250,000 in the
aggregate for all foreign subsidiaries (but excluding from the
limitation in this clause (b) such loans or capital
contributions to, or investments in, one foreign subsidiary made
by another foreign subsidiary), (iii) cash management or
investment portfolio activities in the ordinary course of
business and consistent with other restrictions on ICT
investment portfolio activities set forth in the merger
agreement, or (iv) in connection with certain transactions
permitted by the merger agreement;
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make or agree to make any capital expenditures or commit to any
capital projects in excess of $500,000 in the aggregate for all
such capital expenditures and projects, other than the capital
expenditures and capital projects disclosed to Sykes;
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subject to limited exceptions, terminate, cancel, renew, or
request or agree to any material amendment or material
modification to, material change in, or material waiver under,
any material contract of ICT, or enter into or materially amend
any contract that, if existing on the date of the merger
agreement, would be a material contract of ICT;
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enter into an employment agreement or relationship with any
person who earns an annual rate of base salary of more than or
equal to $150,000 (other than with respect to employees hired
pursuant to offers of employment outstanding on the date of the
merger agreement);
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enter into, modify, amend or terminate any contract or waive,
release or assign any rights or claims under any contract, which
would be reasonably likely to (1) impair the ability of ICT
to perform its obligations under the merger agreement in any
material respect or (2) prevent or materially delay or
impair the consummation of the mergers and the other
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement;
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except as required pursuant to any ICT benefit plans, foreign
benefit plans, collective bargaining agreements, the terms of
the merger agreement or any applicable law, and subject to
limited exceptions, (1) grant or provide or adopt a plan or
enter into an agreement to grant or provide any retention,
change in control, severance or termination payments or benefits
to any current or former director, officer, employee or
consultant of ICT or any of its subsidiaries, (2) subject
to certain limited exceptions, increase the compensation, bonus
or pension, welfare, severance or other benefits of, pay any
bonus to, or make any new equity awards to any current or former
director, officer, employee or consultant of ICT or any of its
subsidiaries, (3) establish, adopt, amend or terminate any
ICT benefit plan or amend the terms of any outstanding
equity-based awards, (4) take any action to accelerate the
vesting or payment, or fund or in any other way secure the
payment, of compensation or benefits under any ICT benefit plan,
(5) change any actuarial or other assumptions used to
calculate funding obligations with respect to any ICT benefit
plan or to change the manner in which contributions to such
plans are made or the basis on which such contributions are
determined, or (6) issue or forgive any loans to directors,
officers, employees, contractors or any of their respective
affiliates except for any such issuance that would not violate
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and is consistent with past practice and
policy;
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pre-pay any long-term indebtedness for borrowed money or change
the terms or extend the maturity of any long-term indebtedness
(including providing cash cover under any letter of credit
otherwise than as required to do so under such facility), other
than borrowings under existing working capital facilities;
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make any material change in its method of accounting or its
accounting practices, policies or principles, unless required by
law, a governmental entity or GAAP, or (1) change its
fiscal year, (2) make, change or revoke any material United
States tax election, (3) settle or compromise any tax claim
where the amount of cash to be paid to the relevant taxing
authority upon such settlement or compromise of such claim
exceeds $50,000 above any amount reserved for such claim in the
latest ICT financial statements;
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waive, release, assign, settle or compromise any claim which
upon resolution would involve the payment by ICT of an amount in
excess of $1 million in the aggregate or would involve the
imposition of injunctive relief against ICT that would
materially limit or restrict the business of Sykes and its
subsidiaries following the effective time of the merger; or
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authorize or enter into an agreement to do any of the actions
described in the preceding bullets.
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Sykes has agreed in the merger agreement that, until the earlier
of the effective time of the merger and termination of the
merger agreement, except as expressly contemplated by the merger
agreement, required by applicable law or applicable stock
exchange or regulatory organization or with ICTs prior
written approval, which is not to be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed, Sykes and its subsidiaries will conduct
their business in the ordinary and usual course consistent with
Sykes past practice and, to the extent consistent
therewith, will use their reasonable best efforts to:
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preserve their assets;
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preserve Sykes business organization intact and maintain
its existing relations and goodwill with customers, suppliers,
distributors, creditors and lessors; and
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comply in all material respects with all applicable laws.
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Sykes has further agreed in the merger agreement that until the
effective time of the merger, with certain exceptions and except
with ICTs prior written consent, which is not to be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, Sykes will not,
and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, among other
things, undertake the following actions:
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acquire (including, by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of
stock or assets) any corporation, partnership, other business
organization or any division thereof;
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merge or consolidate Sykes with any person (other than a merger
of a subsidiary into Sykes) or adopt a plan of complete or
partial liquidation or resolutions providing for a complete or
partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring,
recapitalization or other reorganization of Sykes;
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purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of its capital
stock, any securities convertible or exchangeable or exercisable
for any shares of capital stock or any other securities for
consideration in excess of $5 million in the aggregate,
except any purchase, redemption or other acquisition
(1) required by the terms of Sykes benefit plans,
(2) in order to pay taxes or satisfy withholding
obligations in respect of such taxes in connection with the
exercise of Sykes stock options, the lapse of restrictions or
settlement of awards granted pursuant to the applicable Sykes
benefit plans or (3) required by the terms of any plans,
arrangements or agreements existing on the date of the merger
agreement between Sykes or any of its subsidiaries and any
director or employee of Sykes or any of its subsidiaries;
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declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other
distribution on any shares of the capital stock of Sykes or any
of its subsidiaries;
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enter into, modify, amend or terminate any contract or waive,
release or assign any rights or claims under any contract, which
would be reasonably likely to (1) impair the ability of
Sykes to perform its obligations under the merger agreement in
any material respect or (2) prevent or materially delay or
impair the consummation of the mergers and the other
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement; or
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authorize or enter into an agreement to do any of the actions
described in the preceding bullets.
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Agreement
to Use Reasonable Best Efforts
Subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement,
each of Sykes and ICT has agreed to use its reasonable best
efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or
cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable
under the merger agreement and applicable laws and regulations
to consummate the mergers and the other transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement as soon as practicable,
including (1) preparing and filing, in consultation with
the other party and as promptly as practicable and advisable,
all documentation to effect all necessary applications, notices,
petitions, filings, tax ruling requests and other documents and
to obtain as promptly as practicable all consents, clearances,
waivers, licenses, orders, registrations, approvals, permits,
tax rulings and authorizations necessary or advisable to be
obtained from any third party
and/or any
governmental entity in order to consummate the mergers or any of
the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement and
(2) taking all reasonable steps as may be necessary to
obtain all
86
such material consents, clearances, waivers, licenses,
registrations, permits, authorizations, tax rulings, orders and
approvals.
In addition, each of Sykes and ICT has agreed to make or cause
to be made, in consultation and cooperation with the other and
as promptly as practicable and advisable (and, in any event,
within 15 business days following the date of the merger
agreement), an appropriate filing of a Notification and Report
Form pursuant to the HSR Act, and all other necessary
registrations, declarations, notices and filings relating to the
mergers with other governmental entities under any other
antitrust, competition, trade regulation or other regulatory law
with respect to the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement and to respond to any inquiries received and supply as
promptly as practicable any additional information and
documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR
Act and any other regulatory law. Sykes and ICT have agreed to
take all other actions reasonably necessary to cause the
expiration or termination of the applicable waiting periods
under the HSR Act and any other regulatory law as soon as
practicable and not extend any waiting period under the HSR Act
or any other regulatory law or enter into any agreement with a
governmental entity not to consummate the transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement, except with the prior
written consent of the other party, which consent will not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed.
If necessary to obtain any regulatory approval pursuant to any
regulatory law, or if any action (including any action by a
private party) is instituted (or threatened to be instituted by
a governmental entity), in either case, challenging the merger
or any other transaction contemplated by the merger agreement as
violative of any regulatory law, each of Sykes and ICT will
cooperate with each other to obtain such regulatory approval,
including by contesting any such challenge. Sykes is responsible
for all filing fees and local counsel fees related to all
filings described in this section.
To the extent permissible under applicable law, Sykes and ICT
will, in connection with their respective efforts to obtain all
requisite approvals, clearances and authorizations for the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement under the HSR
Act or any other regulatory law, use their reasonable best
efforts to (i) cooperate in all respects with each other in
connection with any filing or submission and in connection with
any investigation or other inquiry, including any proceeding
initiated by a private party, (ii) promptly inform the
other party of any communication received by such party from, or
given by such party to, the DOJ, the FTC or any other
governmental entity and of any material communication received
or given in connection with any proceeding by a private party,
in each case regarding any of the transactions contemplated
hereby, (iii) permit the other party, or the other
partys legal counsel, to review any communication given by
it to, and consult with each other in advance of any meeting or
conference with, the DOJ, the FTC or any such other governmental
entity or, in connection with any proceeding by a private party,
with any other person, (iv) give the other party the
opportunity to attend and participate in such meetings and
conferences to the extent allowed by applicable law or by the
applicable governmental entity, (v) in the event one party
is prohibited by applicable law or by the applicable
governmental entity from participating in or attending any
meetings or conferences, keep the other promptly and reasonably
apprised with respect thereto and (vi) cooperate in the
filing of any memoranda, white papers, filings, correspondence,
or other written communications explaining or defending the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, articulating
any regulatory or competitive argument,
and/or
responding to requests or objections made by any governmental
entity.
If any objections under regulatory law are asserted with respect
to the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement or if
any suit or proceeding, whether judicial or administrative, is
instituted by any governmental entity or any private party
challenging any of the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement as violative of any regulatory law, each of Sykes and
ICT has agreed to use its reasonable best efforts to:
(1) oppose or defend against any action to prevent or
enjoin consummation of the merger agreement (and the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement),
and/or
(2) take such action as reasonably necessary to overturn
any regulatory action by any governmental entity to block
consummation of the merger agreement (and the transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement), including by defending
any suit, action, or other legal proceeding brought by any
governmental entity in order to avoid entry of, or to have
vacated, overturned or terminated, including by appeal if
necessary, in order to resolve any such objections or challenge
as such governmental entity or private party may have to such
transactions under such regulatory law so as to permit
consummation of the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement.
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Sykes has agreed to, and to cause its subsidiaries to, propose,
negotiate, offer to commit and effect (and if such offer is
accepted, commit to and effect), by consent decree, hold
separate order, or otherwise, the sale, divestiture or
disposition of such assets or businesses of Sykes or any of its
subsidiaries, or effective as of the effective time of the
merger, ICT or its subsidiaries, or otherwise offer to take or
offer to commit to take any action (including any action that
limits its freedom of action, ownership or control with respect
to, or its ability to retain or hold, any of the businesses,
assets, product lines, properties or services of Sykes, any of
its subsidiaries, the surviving corporation or its subsidiaries)
which it is lawfully capable of taking and if the offer is
accepted, take or commit to take such action, in each case, as
may be required in order to avoid the commencement of any action
to prohibit the merger or any other transaction contemplated by
the merger agreement, or if already commenced, to avoid the
entry of, or to effect the dissolution of, any injunction,
temporary restraining order or other order in any action so as
to enable the closing to occur as soon as reasonably possible
and in any event not later than February 28, 2010, unless
such date is extended in accordance with the terms of the merger
agreement.
Agreement
Not to Solicit Other Offers
ICT has agreed that it will not, it will cause its subsidiaries
not to, and it will use its reasonable best efforts to cause its
and its subsidiaries directors, officers, employees,
investment bankers, financing sources, financial advisors,
attorneys, accountants, other advisors, agents
and/or
representatives not to, directly or indirectly:
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initiate, solicit or knowingly encourage any inquiries or the
making of any proposal or offer from any third party relating to
any acquisition proposal (as defined below) with respect to ICT;
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enter into or participate in any substantive discussion or
negotiation with respect to, or provide any confidential
information or data to any person relating to, an acquisition
proposal;
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enter into any merger agreement, letter of intent, agreement in
principle, share purchase agreement, asset purchase agreement,
share exchange agreement, option agreement or other similar
contract relating to an acquisition proposal or enter into any
contract or agreement in principle requiring ICT to abandon,
terminate or breach its obligations under the merger agreement
or fail to consummate the transactions contemplated by the
merger agreement;
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take any action to make the provisions of any fair
price, moratorium, control share
acquisition, business combination or other
similar anti-takeover statute or regulation (including any
transaction under, or a third party becoming an interested
shareholder under, the Pennsylvania Business Corporation
Law of 1988, as amended), or any restrictive provision of any
applicable anti-takeover provision in ICTs articles of
incorporation or bylaws, inapplicable to any transactions
contemplated by an acquisition proposal (and, to the extent
permitted thereunder, ICT shall promptly take all steps
necessary to terminate any waiver that may have been heretofore
granted, to any person under any such provisions); or
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resolve, propose or agree to undertake any of the actions listed
above.
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However, prior to the adoption of the merger agreement by
ICTs shareholders, ICT may furnish information with
respect to ICT and its subsidiaries and participate in
discussions or negotiations in response to an unsolicited
acquisition proposal or any inquiry relating to a potential
acquisition proposal made or received after the date of the
merger agreement from a third party whom the ICT board of
directors determines, in good faith, is credible and is
reasonably capable of making a superior proposal (as defined
below), in each case under circumstances not involving a breach
of ICTs non-solicitation obligations, if ICT (1) has
first entered into a confidentiality agreement with the party
making such acquisition proposal or inquiry on terms that are
overall no less favorable to ICT than those contained in the
confidentiality agreement between ICT and Sykes and
(2) promptly provides to Sykes any information concerning
ICT or its subsidiaries provided to such other person which was
not previously provided to Sykes.
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ICT has agreed:
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to immediately cease and cause to be terminated any
solicitation, discussion or negotiation with any persons
conducted prior to the execution of the merger agreement by ICT,
its subsidiaries or any of their representatives with respect to
any acquisition proposal and to promptly request the return or
destruction of all confidential information provided by or on
behalf of ICT or any of its subsidiaries to such person in
connection with the consideration of any acquisition proposal to
the extent that ICT is entitled to have such documents returned
or destroyed;
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to notify Sykes in writing promptly (but no later than
24 hours) after it receives any acquisition proposal or
inquiry of the type described above and to provide Sykes with
certain information regarding such acquisition proposal or
inquiry;
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to keep Sykes reasonably informed, on a reasonably current
basis, of the status of any material developments with respect
to, any such acquisition proposal and to provide Sykes with
copies of all written inquiries and correspondence with respect
to such acquisition proposal or inquiry no later than
24 hours following receipt thereof;
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not to, and to cause its subsidiaries not to, (i) enter
into any contract subsequent to the date of the merger agreement
that prohibits ICT from providing information concerning any
acquisition proposal or inquiry to Sykes, or
(ii) terminate, waive, amend or modify, or grant permission
under, the standstill provisions of any agreement to which it or
any of its subsidiaries is a party which prohibits the
counterparty from making, effecting, entering into, making or
participating in any solicitation of proxies in respect of,
seeking, proposing or otherwise acting alone or in concert with
others, to influence the management or the ICT board of
directors with respect to, or advising, assisting, knowingly
encouraging or acting as a financing source for, an acquisition
proposal; and
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to enforce the standstill provisions of any agreements which
prohibit the counterparty from making, effecting, entering into,
making or participating in any solicitation of proxies in
respect of, seeking, proposing or otherwise acting alone or in
concert with others, to influence the management or the ICT
board of the directors with respect to, or advising, assisting,
knowingly encouraging or acting as a financing source for, an
acquisition proposal to, and to cause subsidiaries of ICT to,
take all steps necessary to terminate any waiver of any such
standstill provision that may have been previously granted
unless the ICT board of directors concludes in good faith, after
consultation with outside counsel, that taking such action could
reasonably be determined to be inconsistent with its fiduciary
duties under applicable law, and to, and to cause its
subsidiaries to, otherwise enforce any such standstill
provisions.
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As used in the merger agreement, an acquisition
proposal means any offer or proposal by any third party
concerning any of the following:
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a merger, consolidation, other business combination or similar
transaction involving ICT or any of its subsidiaries, pursuant
to which such person would own 15% or more of the consolidated
assets, revenues or net income of ICT and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole;
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a sale, lease, license or other disposition directly or
indirectly by merger, consolidation, business combination, share
exchange, joint venture or otherwise, of assets of ICT
(including equity interests of any of its subsidiaries) or any
subsidiary of ICT representing 15% or more of the consolidated
assets, revenues or net income of ICT and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole;
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the issuance or sale or other disposition (including by way of
merger, consolidation, business combination, share exchange,
joint venture or similar transaction) of equity interests
representing 15% or more of the voting power of ICT;
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a transaction or series of transactions in which any person will
acquire beneficial ownership or the right to acquire beneficial
ownership of equity interests representing 15% or more of the
voting power of ICT; or
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any combination of any of the transactions described in the four
immediately preceding bullets.
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In addition, if ICT receives an acquisition proposal which the
ICT board of directors concludes in good faith, after
consultation with outside counsel and ICTs financial
advisors, constitutes a superior proposal (as defined below),
ICT may terminate the merger agreement and enter into a
definitive agreement with respect to such superior proposal,
provided that (1) ICT has provided prior written notice to
Sykes at least five business days in advance of its intention to
take any such action, (2) ICT has negotiated in good faith
with Sykes since the delivery of such notice to amend the terms
of the merger agreement so that the superior proposal would no
longer constitute a superior proposal, and (3) the
acquisition proposal remains a superior proposal.
As used in the merger agreement, superior proposal
means a bona fide written acquisition proposal (except the
references in the definition of acquisition proposal
to 15% will be replaced by 50%), which,
in the good faith judgment of the ICT board of directors (after
consultation with ICTs financial advisors and outside
counsel), taking into account the various legal, financial and
regulatory aspects of the proposal, including the financing
terms thereof, and the person making such proposal (1) if
accepted, is reasonably likely to be consummated, and
(2) if consummated would result in a transaction that is
more favorable to ICTs shareholders, from a financial
point of view, than the merger.
Recommendation
of the ICT Board of Directors
The ICT board of directors adopted a resolution recommending
that the ICT shareholders adopt the merger agreement. Under the
merger agreement, other than as described below, ICT agreed that
its board of directors would recommend adoption of the merger
agreement to its shareholders and not (1) withdraw, modify
or qualify (or publicly propose to withdraw, modify or qualify)
in any manner adverse to Sykes such recommendation or
(2) approve, adopt or recommend any acquisition proposal.
Any of these actions is referred to as a Change of
Recommendation.
However, the ICT board of directors may make a Change of
Recommendation upon five business days prior written
notice to Sykes under the following circumstances:
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in response to an intervening event (as defined below) if the
ICT board of directors concludes in good faith, after
consultation with outside counsel, that the failure to take such
action could reasonably be determined to be inconsistent with
its fiduciary duties under applicable law; or
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in response to an acquisition proposal if the ICT board of
directors concludes in good faith, after consultation with
outside counsel, that the failure to take such action could
reasonably be determined to be inconsistent with its fiduciary
duties under applicable law.
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As used in the merger agreement, intervening event
means, with respect to ICT, a material event or circumstance
that was not known to the ICT board of directors on the date of
the merger agreement (or if known, the consequences of which
were not known to or reasonably foreseeable by the ICT board of
directors as of such date), which event or circumstance, or any
material consequences thereof, becomes known to the ICT board of
directors prior to the time at which ICT shareholders adopt the
merger agreement, except that in no event will the receipt,
existence or terms of an acquisition proposal or inquiry or any
matter relating thereto or consequence thereof constitute an
intervening event.
Employee
Matters
Under the merger agreement, Sykes has agreed that until the
first anniversary of the effective time of the merger, it will
provide, or to cause the surviving corporation to provide, to
each employee who was employed by ICT or its subsidiaries as of
the effective time of the merger:
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the same base salary, short term cash incentives and severance
benefits provided by ICT or its subsidiaries as of the effective
time, as well as comparable health, life and disability
insurance, 401(k) and deferred compensation benefits provided by
ICT or its subsidiaries as of the effective time under the
applicable ICT benefit plan (not taking into account for
purposes of this provision only, participation in ICTs
Long Term Incentive Plan, any sales commission plans and any
changes to an employees title only), and
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severance benefits which are no less advantageous than those
offered to the ICT employees employed at the effective time of
the merger under the applicable ICT benefit plan, policy or
practice;
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except that:
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the obligations in the prior two bullet points will not take
into account any change in control or transaction-based
retention, transition, stay or similar bonus arrangements for
purposes of defining either annual incentive and bonus
opportunities or employee benefits; and
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with respect to any employees based outside the United States,
Sykes obligations will be modified to the extent necessary
to comply with applicable laws of the foreign countries in which
such employees are based.
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At all times following the effective time of the merger, Sykes
has agreed to, or to cause the surviving corporation to agree
to, honor, fulfill and discharge, in accordance with its
respective terms as in effect at the time of the execution of
the merger agreement or as may be amended or terminated
thereafter with the prior written consent of Sykes, each of the
written employment, change in control, severance and termination
agreements between ICT or any of its subsidiaries and any
director, officer or employee of such company and the
obligations of ICT and its subsidiaries as of the effective time
of the merger under each ICT deferred compensation plan or
agreement disclosed to Sykes.
With respect to any Sykes benefit plans in which ICT employees
first become eligible to participate on or after the effective
time of the merger, Sykes has agreed to, or to cause the
surviving corporation to agree to:
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waive any pre-existing condition exclusions and waiting periods
with respect to participation and coverage requirements
otherwise applicable to former ICT employees under any such
Sykes benefit plans providing medical, dental or vision benefits
to the same extent such limitation would have been waived or
satisfied under the analogous ICT benefit plan in which such
former ICT employee participated immediately prior to the
effective time of the merger;
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provide each former ICT employee with credit for any co-payments
and deductibles paid prior to the effective time of the merger
during the calendar year in which such effective time occurs (or
if later, paid in the year in which such employee is first
eligible to participate), to the same extent such credit was
given under the analogous ICT benefit plan prior to the
effective time of the merger, in satisfying any applicable
deductible or
out-of-pocket
requirements under any such Sykes benefit plan in which the
employee participates during the calendar year in which such
effective time occurs (or if later, the year in which such
employee is first eligible to participate); and
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recognize all service of each former ICT employee prior to the
effective time of the merger to ICT, its subsidiaries and any
predecessor entities of ICT or any of its subsidiaries (as well
as service to Sykes and its affiliates (including the surviving
corporation) after the effective time of the merger), for all
purposes (including, but not limited to, eligibility to
participate, vesting credit, entitlement to benefits and benefit
accrual) of any Sykes benefit plans (including those providing
for vacation and paid time-off) in which any such employee
participates after the effective time of the merger except that
Sykes will not recognize such service to the extent it would
result in any duplication of benefits for the same period of
service.
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Under the terms of the merger agreement, none of the Sykes
obligations described in this Employee Matters
section are to be construed to (1) limit the right of Sykes
or any of its subsidiaries (including the surviving corporation
and its subsidiaries) to amend or terminate any ICT benefit plan
or other employee benefit plan, to the extent such amendment or
termination is permitted by the terms of the applicable plan, or
(2) require Sykes or any of its subsidiaries (including the
surviving corporation and its subsidiaries) to retain the
employment of any particular employee of ICT or its subsidiaries
for any fixed period of time following the closing date.
The merger agreement provides that the foregoing provisions are
solely for the benefit of the parties to the merger agreement,
and no current or former employee, director or independent
contractor or any other individual associated with any of those
persons will be regarded for any purpose as a third-party
beneficiary of the merger agreement, and nothing in such
provisions will be construed as an amendment to any ICT benefit
plan or other employee benefit plan for any purpose.
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Other
Covenants and Agreements
The merger agreement contains certain other covenants and
agreements relating to, among other things:
ICT Shareholders Meeting. ICT has agreed to
take all lawful action to call, give notice of, convene and hold
a meeting of shareholders of ICT on a date as soon as reasonably
practicable following the effectiveness of Sykes
Form S-4
registration statement, of which this proxy statement/prospectus
forms a part, for the purpose of obtaining shareholder approval
of the adoption of the merger agreement. The ICT board of
directors has agreed to recommend adoption of the merger
agreement by ICT shareholders and, except as otherwise permitted
in the merger agreement, not to withdraw, modify or qualify (or
publicly propose to withdraw, modify or qualify) in any manner
adverse to Sykes such recommendation or approve, adopt or
recommend any acquisition proposal except as otherwise set forth
above under Agreement Not to Solicit Other
Offers.
Access to Information/Employees. During the
period prior to the effective time of merger, ICT has agreed to,
and will cause each of its subsidiaries to, afford to Sykes and
its representatives reasonable access during normal business
hours and upon reasonable prior notice to ICT to its and its
subsidiaries properties, books, contracts, commitments,
records, officers and employees and all other information
concerning its or its subsidiaries businesses, properties
and personnel as reasonably requested by them. However, ICT may
restrict access to the extent that (i) in ICTs
reasonable judgment, ICT or its subsidiaries is required by an
applicable law to restrict or prohibit access to any such
properties or information, (ii) in ICTs reasonable
judgment, the information is subject to confidentiality
obligations to a third party, (iii) disclosure of the
information would result in the disclosure of trade secrets of
third parties or (iv) disclosure of the information or
document could result in the loss of attorney-client privilege,
work product protections or other applicable privileges, but in
each of the foregoing cases, ICT has agreed to use its
commercially reasonable best efforts to obtain the required
consent of such third party to provide such access or disclosure
or develop an alternative to providing such information. Each of
Sykes and ICT will, and will cause its respective directors,
officers, employees, investment bankers, financing sources,
financial advisors, attorneys, accountants or other advisors,
agents
and/or
representatives to, hold and keep confidential any nonpublic
information in accordance with the terms of the confidentiality
agreement, dated August 20, 2009, between Sykes and ICT.
Indemnification and Insurance. Prior to the
effective time of the merger, Sykes will use its reasonable best
efforts to obtain tail insurance policies with a
claims period of at least six years from and after the effective
time of the merger from an insurance carrier with the same or
better credit rating as the lower rated of Sykes and
ICTs current insurance carriers with respect to D&O
Insurance for all Indemnified Parties, with terms, conditions,
retentions and levels of coverage at least as favorable as
ICTs existing D&O Insurance with respect to matters
existing or occurring prior to the effective time of the merger
(including with respect to acts or omissions occurring in
connection with the merger agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated thereby). If such tail
insurance policies have been obtained, Sykes will, and will
cause the surviving corporation after the effective time of the
merger to, maintain such policies in full force and effect, for
their full term, and to continue to honor its respective
obligations thereunder.
If Sykes for any reason fails to obtain such tail
insurance policies as of the effective time of the merger, the
surviving corporation will, and Sykes will cause the surviving
corporation to, continue to maintain in effect the current
D&O Insurance, at no expense to the beneficiaries, for a
period of at least six years from and after the effective time
of the merger. However, Sykes (or any successor) may substitute
therefor policies of at least the same terms, conditions,
retentions and levels of coverage and amounts which are, in the
aggregate, as favorable to the Indemnified Parties as provided
in the existing policies as of the date of the merger agreement.
If such insurance is unavailable, the surviving corporation
will, and Sykes will cause the surviving corporation to,
purchase the best available D&O Insurance for such six-year
period from an insurance carrier with the same or better credit
rating as the lower rated of Sykes and ICTs current
insurance carriers with respect to ICTs existing D&O
Insurance with terms, conditions, retentions and with levels of
coverage at least as favorable as provided in ICTs
existing policies as of the date of the merger agreement with
respect to
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claims, actions, suits, proceedings or investigations, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of
or pertaining to facts or events that occurred prior to, at or
after the effective time of the merger (including with respect
to acts or omissions occurring in connection with the merger
agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
thereby). However, neither Sykes nor the surviving corporation
is required to expend annually in excess of 250% of the annual
premiums currently paid by ICT for such coverage; and, to the
extent that the annual premiums of such coverage exceed that
amount, the surviving corporation is required to use all
reasonable efforts to cause to be maintained the maximum amount
of coverage as is available for 250% of such annual premium.
From and after the effective time of the merger, Sykes will, and
will cause the surviving corporation to indemnify, defend and
hold harmless all Indemnified Parties against any costs,
expenses (including attorneys fees and expenses and
disbursements), judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages or
liabilities incurred in connection with any claim, action, suit,
proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, arising out of or pertaining to
the fact that the Indemnified Party is or was an officer,
director, employee or fiduciary of ICT or any of its
subsidiaries or a fiduciary under any ICT benefit plan, or is or
was serving at the request of ICT or any of its subsidiaries as
a director, officer or employee of any other corporation,
limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or
other business or non-profit enterprise (including an employee
benefit plan), whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after
the effective time of the merger (including with respect to acts
or omissions occurring in connection with the merger agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby),
and provide advancement of expenses to the Indemnified Parties
(within ten days of receipt by Sykes or the surviving
corporation from an Indemnified Party of a request therefor), in
all such cases to the same extent that such persons are
indemnified or have the right to advancement of expenses as of
the date of the merger agreement by ICT under the articles of
incorporation, bylaws and indemnification agreements, if any, of
ICT or any of its subsidiaries. In the event of any claim,
action, suit, hearing, proceeding or investigation, whether
civil, criminal or administrative, Sykes will, and will cause
the surviving corporation to (x) not settle, compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment in such proceeding or
threatened claim, action, suit, hearing, proceeding or
investigation (and in which indemnification could be sought by
an Indemnified Party hereunder), unless such settlement,
compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such
Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such claim,
action, suit, hearing, proceeding or investigation or such
Indemnified Party otherwise consents in writing, and
(y) cooperate in the defense of such matter.
Additionally, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
Sykes will, and will cause the surviving corporation to, include
and cause to be maintained in effect in the surviving
corporations (or any successors) articles of
incorporation and bylaws for a period of six years after the
effective time of the merger, the current provisions contained
in the articles of incorporation and bylaws of ICT regarding
elimination of liability of directors, and indemnification of
and advancement of expenses to directors, officers and employees
of ICT.
The rights of the Indemnified Parties under the merger agreement
are in addition to any rights such Indemnified Parties may have
under the articles of incorporation or bylaws of ICT or any of
its subsidiaries, or under any applicable contracts or laws. The
rights of the Indemnified Parties under the merger agreement are
intended to be for the benefit of, and may be enforced by, the
Indemnified Parties.
The obligations of Sykes and the surviving corporation to the
Indemnified Parties under the merger agreement may not be
terminated, amended or modified in any manner so as to adversely
affect the Indemnified Parties (including their successors,
heirs and legal representatives).
Public Announcements. Sykes and ICT have
agreed to consult with the other and consider in good faith the
views of the other party before issuing any public release or
announcement or making any other public statement with respect
to the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement.
However, either party may issue a public release, announcement
or make such other public statement to the extent required by
applicable law or by the rules and regulations of any applicable
U.S. securities exchange or regulatory body or governmental
entity to which the relevant party is subject so long as such
party uses its commercially reasonable efforts to permit the
other party reasonable time to comment on such public release,
announcement or public statement in advance of its issuance.
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Listing. Sykes will use reasonable best
efforts to cause the Sykes common stock to be issued or reserved
for issuance in connection with the merger to be approved for
listing on the NASDAQ stock market prior to the effective time
of the merger.
Sykes and ICT Dividends. The merger agreement
prohibits both Sykes and ICT from declaring, setting aside or
paying any dividends with respect to their capital stock prior
to the effective date of the merger or the termination of the
merger agreement.
Section 16 Matters. Each of Sykes and ICT
has agreed that prior to the consummation of the merger it will
take all steps necessary to exempt under
Rule 16b-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act any dispositions of ICT
common stock or the acquisitions of Sykes common stock by ICT
officers or directors pursuant to the merger.
Cooperation. Each of Sykes and ICT has agreed
to establish a mechanism, subject to applicable law, reasonably
acceptable to each party pursuant to which such parties will
confer on an ongoing basis regarding the status of the ongoing
operations of ICT and its subsidiaries and certain integration
planning matters.
Treatment of the Mergers as a Reorganization for
Federal Income Tax Purposes. Each of Sykes, the
Merger Subs and ICT have agreed that it will not take, and will
not permit any of its subsidiaries, affiliates, representatives
or any related person (within the meaning of such
term as used in Treasury Regulations
Section 1.368-1)
to take, any action that would prevent the mergers, taken
together in the manner described in Revenue Ruling
2001-46,
from qualifying as a reorganization described in
Section 368(a) of the Code, and that the parties intend
that the mergers, taken together in the manner described in
Revenue Ruling
2001-46,
will qualify as a reorganization described in
Section 368(a) of the Code and will not take income tax
positions inconsistent with such qualification.
Conditions
to Complete the Merger
Each of Sykes, Merger Subs and ICTs obligation
to effect the merger is subject to the satisfaction (or, where
legally permissible, waiver) of the following conditions:
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adoption of the merger agreement by ICTs shareholders;
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absence of any statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, injunction (whether temporary, preliminary or
permanent), decision, opinion or decree issued by a court or
other governmental entity in the United States or the European
Union that makes the merger illegal or prohibits the
consummation of the merger;
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the applicable waiting period (and any extension thereof) under
the HSR Act will have expired or been terminated and antitrust
approvals in any other jurisdictions, if necessary, have been
obtained;
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approval for the listing on the NASDAQ stock market of the Sykes
common stock to be issued to the ICT shareholders in the merger,
subject to official notice of issuance; and
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the registration statement on
Form S-4,
of which this proxy statement/prospectus forms a part, having
been declared effective by the SEC and the absence of an
effective stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Form S-4
or proceedings pending before the SEC for that purpose.
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Sykes and Merger Subs obligations to effect the
merger are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the
following conditions:
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(i) the representations and warranties of ICT regarding the
organization, good standing and qualification, capitalization,
and corporate authority of ICT will be true and correct (other
than in de minimis respects), (ii) the representations and
warranties of ICT related to the absence of any event or
occurrence having a material adverse effect on ICT since
January 1, 2009 will be true and correct in all respects,
and (iii) all other representations and warranties of ICT
will be true and correct (without giving effect to any
materiality or material adverse effect qualifications contained
in such representations and warranties), in each case, when made
and as of the date of closing of the merger (other than those
representations and warranties that were made only as of a
specified date, which need only be
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true and correct as of such specified date), except in the case
of representations and warranties described in clause (iii)
above, where the failure to be true and correct has not had and
would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse
effect on ICT;
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ICT shall have performed or complied with, in all material
respects, all of its material agreements and covenants under the
merger agreement at or prior to the consummation of the merger;
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receipt of a certificate executed by ICTs chief executive
officer or chief financial officer as to the satisfaction of the
conditions described in the preceding two bullets; and
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Sykes receipt of an opinion from McDermott
Will & Emery, on the basis of representations and
warranties set forth or referred to in such opinion, dated as of
the closing date, to the effect that the mergers, taken
together, will be treated as a reorganization within
the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, which will require
that, among other things, Sykes common stock constitute at least
40% of the total consideration paid or payable to ICT
shareholders in exchange for their ICT common stock. See
Proposal 1: The Merger Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the
Transaction beginning on page 72. In the event that
McDermott Will & Emery is unwilling to provide such
opinion, Sykes has agreed to accept such opinion from Morgan
Lewis, if such firm will provide the same to Sykes.
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ICTs obligation to effect the merger is subject to the
satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions:
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(i) the representations and warranties of Sykes and Merger
Subs regarding the organization, good standing and
qualification, capitalization, and corporate authority of Sykes
and Merger Subs will be true and correct (other than in de
minimis respects), (ii) the representations and warranties
of Sykes and Merger Subs related to the absence of any event or
occurrence having a material adverse effect on Sykes since
January 1, 2009 will be true and correct in all respects,
and (iii) all other representations and warranties of Sykes
and Merger Subs will be true and correct (without giving effect
to any materiality or material adverse effect qualifications
contained in such representations and warranties), in each case,
when made and as of the date of closing of the merger (other
than those representations and warranties that were made only as
of a specified date, which need only be true and correct as of
such specified date), except in the case of representations and
warranties described in clause (iii) above, where the
failure of such representations and warranties to be true and
correct has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have
a material adverse effect on Sykes;
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Sykes and Merger Subs will have performed or complied with, in
all material respects, all of their respective material
agreements and covenants under the merger agreement at or prior
to the closing date of the merger;
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receipt of a certificate executed by Sykes and each Merger
Subs chief executive officer or chief financial officer as
to the satisfaction of the conditions described in the preceding
two bullets; and
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ICTs receipt of an opinion from Morgan Lewis, on the basis
of representations and warranties set forth or referred to in
such opinion, dated as of the closing date, to the effect that
the mergers, taken together, will be treated as a
reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code, which will require that, among
other things, Sykes common stock constitute at least 40% of the
total consideration paid or payable to ICT shareholders in
exchange for their ICT common stock. See Proposal 1:
The Merger Material U.S. Federal Income Tax
Consequences of the Transaction beginning on page 72.
In the event that Morgan Lewis is unwilling to provide such
opinion, ICT has agreed to accept such opinion from McDermott
Will & Emery, if such firm will provide the same to
ICT.
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Sykes and ICT cannot provide assurance as to when or if all of
the conditions to the merger can or will be satisfied or waived
by the appropriate party, or that the merger will be completed.
As of the date of this proxy statement/prospectus, Sykes and ICT
have no reason to believe that any of these conditions will not
be satisfied.
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Termination
of the Merger Agreement
Sykes and ICT may mutually agree to terminate the merger
agreement before completing the merger, even after shareholder
approval, as long as the termination is approved by each of the
Sykes board of directors and the ICT board of directors.
In addition, either of Sykes or ICT may terminate the merger
agreement if:
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the merger has not been consummated by February 28, 2010,
unless all conditions have been satisfied other than the
condition related to receipt of antitrust regulatory approvals,
in which case the date upon which Sykes or ICT may terminate the
merger agreement may be extended to a date not later than
July 2, 2010 (such date, as may be extended, being referred
to as the termination date);
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a governmental entity in the United States or European Union has
issued a final and non-appealable order, judgment, decision,
opinion, decree or ruling or taken any other action permanently
enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement; or
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ICTs shareholders have failed to vote for adoption of the
merger agreement.
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Sykes may also terminate the merger agreement under the
following circumstances:
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ICT breaches its representations and warranties, covenants or
agreements under the merger agreement such that the applicable
closing conditions will not have been satisfied (and such breach
is incapable of being cured prior to the termination
date) or
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(1) the ICT board of directors effects a Change of
Recommendation due to the occurrence of an intervening event;
(2) the ICT board of directors effects a Change of
Recommendation in response to an acquisition proposal from a
third party following its good faith determination that failure
to take such action could reasonably be determined to be
inconsistent with its fiduciary duties, (3) the ICT board
of directors approves or recommends, or enters into or allows
ICT or any of its subsidiaries to enter into, a merger
agreement, letter of intent, agreement in principle, share
purchase agreement, asset purchase agreement, share exchange
agreement, option agreement or other similar contract relating
to an acquisition proposal, (4) following the date any bona
fide acquisition proposal or any material modification thereto
is first published, sent or given to the shareholders of ICT,
ICT fails to issue a press release that expressly reaffirms its
recommendation of the merger agreement within ten business days
following Sykes written request to do so (which request
may be made by Sykes one time following any such acquisition
proposal or any material modifications thereto), (5) if any
tender offer or exchange offer is commenced with respect to the
outstanding ICT common stock prior to shareholder adoption of
the merger agreement, and the ICT board of directors shall not
have recommended that ICTs shareholders reject such tender
offer or exchange offer and not tender their ICT common stock
into such tender offer or exchange offer within ten business
days after commencement of such tender offer or exchange offer,
unless ICT has issued a press release that expressly reaffirms
the recommendation of the merger agreement within such ten
business day period, (6) ICT shall have failed to include
its recommendation in the proxy statement or (7) ICT or the
ICT board of directors publicly announces its intentions to do
any of actions listed above (any and all of the above, a
Change of Recommendation Termination Event).
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ICT may terminate the merger agreement under the following
circumstances:
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Sykes breaches its representations and warranties, covenants or
agreements under the merger agreement such that certain
applicable closing conditions will not have been satisfied (and
such breach is incapable of being cured prior to the termination
date); or
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at any time prior to ICTs shareholders adoption of
the merger agreement, if the ICT board of directors determines
to accept a superior proposal, but only if ICT (1) is not
in material breach of its agreement not to solicit alternative
proposals and (2) the $7.5 million termination fee and
Sykes actual expenses incurred in connection with the
mergers in an amount not to exceed $4.5 million are paid
concurrently with such termination.
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Effect of
Termination
If the merger agreement is terminated, it will become void, and
there will be no liability on the part of Sykes, Merger Subs or
ICT, except that (1) both Sykes and ICT will remain liable
for any fraud or any willful and material breach of the merger
agreement and (2) designated provisions of the merger
agreement will survive the termination, including those relating
to the confidential treatment of information and payment of fees
and expenses (including termination fees). However, to the
extent that Sykes is entitled to receive the termination fee and
reimbursement of its expenses in connection with a termination
of the merger agreement, Sykes receipt thereof will be the
sole and exclusive remedy of Sykes, Merger Subs and their
affiliates for any loss or damage suffered in connection with
the merger agreement. For purposes of the merger agreement, a
willful and material breach means a material breach that is a
consequence of an act undertaken by the breaching party with the
knowledge (actual or constructive) that the taking of such act
would, or would be reasonably expected to, cause a breach of the
merger agreement.
Expenses
and Fees
Generally, all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
merger agreement and the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement will be paid by the party incurring those expenses,
with the exception of filing fees and local counsel fees related
to any antitrust filings for which Sykes will be solely
responsible. Sykes and ICT have agreed to share equally all
costs and expenses (other than attorneys and
accountants fees and expenses) incurred in relation to
printing and filing and, as applicable, mailing this proxy
statement/prospectus and the registration statement of which
this proxy statement/prospectus is a part, and any amendments or
supplements thereto, and all SEC and other regulatory filing
fees incurred in connection with the those documents.
Termination
Fees Payable by ICT
Under the terms of the merger agreement, ICT will be obligated
to pay Sykes a $7.5 million cash termination fee and
reimburse Sykes for up to $4.5 million of its actual
expenses incurred in connection with the merger if:
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Sykes terminates the merger agreement due the occurrence of a
Change of Recommendation Termination Event; or
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ICT terminates the merger agreement in order to enter into a
superior proposal; or
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Sykes terminates the merger agreement and the basis for such
termination is (1) a willful and material breach in
existence on the date the merger agreement was signed of any
representation or warranty of ICT contained in the merger
agreement, or (2) a willful and material breach of
covenants or agreements contained in the merger agreement to be
complied with by ICT and in each case such breach has
resulted in the failure of certain closing conditions, and such
breach is incapable of being cured prior to the termination
date, or
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either Sykes or ICT terminates the merger agreement (1) due
to the ICT shareholders failure to adopt the merger
agreement, (2) prior to the time of the shareholder vote a
third party acquisition proposal had been publicly announced or
publicly made known to ICTs shareholders, and (3) ICT
enters into a definitive agreement or consummates a transaction
with respect to such acquisition proposal within 12 months
of the termination of the merger agreement.
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For the purposes of the immediately preceding bullet, an
acquisition proposal has the meaning described above
in Agreement Not to Solicit Other Offers above,
except that references to 15% are changed to 50%.
In addition, ICT will be obligated to reimburse Sykes for up to
$4.5 million of expenses incurred in connection with the
merger if the merger agreement is terminated by Sykes or ICT due
to ICTs shareholders failure to approve the merger
agreement at the special meeting.
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Specific
Performance
Each party is entitled to seek an injunction or injunctions to
prevent a breach of the merger agreement and to enforce
specifically the terms and provisions of the merger agreement in
the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania located in
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania or, if under applicable law
exclusive jurisdiction over such matter is vested in the federal
courts, the United States District Court for the Western
District of Pennsylvania. This remedy is in addition to any
other remedy to which the parties are entitled at law or in
equity.
Amendment,
Waiver and Extension of the Merger Agreement
Subject to applicable law, the parties may amend the merger
agreement by action taken or authorized by their respective
boards of directors. However, after the adoption of the merger
agreement by the ICT shareholders, there may not be, without
further approval of ICTs shareholders, any amendment of
the merger agreement that requires their further approval in
accordance with applicable law (including the rules of any
relevant stock exchange).
At any time prior to the completion of the merger, each of Sykes
and ICT, by action taken or authorized by their respective
boards of directors, may:
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extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or
other acts of the other party;
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waive any breach of or inaccuracies in the representations and
warranties of the other party; or
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waive compliance by the other party with any of the other
agreements or conditions contained in the merger agreement.
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VOTING
AGREEMENT
Concurrent with the execution and delivery of the merger
agreement, John J. Brennan, who serves as an ICT Director,
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Donald P.
Brennan, who serves as an ICT Director and Vice Chairman, and
certain trusts for which Eileen Brennan Oakley, Donald P.
Brennans daughter, serves as trustee (collectively, the
Affiliated Shareholders), entered into a voting
agreement with Sykes and ICT under which the Affiliated
Shareholders have agreed to vote in favor of the adoption of the
merger agreement with respect to 6,329,289 shares of ICT
common stock over which the Affiliated Shareholders exercise
voting control, or approximately 39% of the outstanding shares
of ICT common stock as of the close of business on the record
date. The following is a brief summary of the material
provisions of the voting agreement. The summary is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the voting agreement, which is
attached as Annex C to this proxy statement/prospectus.
Voting
Each of the Affiliated Shareholders have agreed, during the term
of the voting agreement, to:
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appear (in person or by proxy) at any meeting (whether annual or
special and whether or not an adjourned or postponed meeting) of
shareholders of ICT, properly called, or otherwise cause such
Affiliated Shareholders shares of ICT common stock that
are subject to the voting agreement to be counted as present for
purposes of establishing a quorum, and
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vote or provide a written consent with respect to such
Affiliated Shareholders shares of ICT common stock that
are subject to the voting agreement (or cause such shares to be
voted, or cause a written consent to be provided with respect to
all such shares):
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in favor of adoption of the merger agreement and approval of the
merger;
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against any action, proposal, transaction or agreement that
would impede, frustrate, prevent or materially delay the merger
(a Frustrating Transaction), and
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against any acquisition proposal as described in The
Merger Agreement Agreement Not to Solicit Other
Offers on page 88 of this proxy statement/prospectus.
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Under the voting agreement, and for the term of such agreement,
each Affiliated Shareholder has granted Sykes an irrevocable
proxy to vote all shares of ICT common stock beneficially owned
by such Affiliated Shareholder that are subject to the voting
agreement in accordance with the voting agreements described
above.
Other
Agreements
Each Affiliated Shareholder has also agreed that, during the
term of the voting agreement, such Affiliated Shareholder will
not:
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enter into any agreement or understanding with any person the
effect of which would be inconsistent with or violative of any
of the provisions contained in the voting agreement, unless such
agreement or understanding is entered into in connection with
ICTs entry into an alternative acquisition agreement in
compliance with the terms of the merger agreement as described
in The Merger Agreement Agreement Not to
Solicit Other Offers on page 88 of this proxy
statement/prospectus;
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except as contemplated by the voting agreement and the merger
agreement and subject to certain exceptions set forth in the
voting agreement:
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sell, transfer, tender, assign, pledge, encumber, contribute to
the capital of any entity, hypothecate, give or otherwise
dispose of, grant a proxy or power of attorney with respect to,
deposit into any voting trust or enter into a voting arrangement
or agreement, or create or permit to exist any liens of any
nature whatsoever with respect to, any of such Affiliated
Shareholders shares of ICT common stock that are subject
to the voting agreement (or agree or consent to, or offer to do,
any of the foregoing);
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take any action that would have the effect of preventing such
Affiliated Shareholder from performing such Affiliated
Shareholders obligations under the voting agreement or
impede, frustrate, prevent or materially delay the merger;
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directly or indirectly:
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solicit, initiate or knowingly encourage (including by way of
furnishing nonpublic information), or take any other action
knowingly to facilitate, any inquiries or the making of any
proposal or offer that constitutes an acquisition proposal;
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enter into or maintain or continue discussions or negotiations
in furtherance of an acquisition proposal inquiry or to obtain
an acquisition proposal;
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agree to, approve, endorse or recommend any acquisition proposal
or enter into any letter of intent or other contract, agreement
or commitment contemplated by or otherwise relating to any
acquisition proposal; or
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authorize or permit any of the officers, directors or employees
of such Affiliated Shareholder or of any entity that such
Affiliated Shareholder directly or indirectly controls, or any
investment banker, financial advisor, attorney, accountant or
other representative retained by such Affiliated Shareholder or
any entity that the Affiliated Shareholder directly or
indirectly controls, to take any such action; or
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make any public announcement in opposition to, or in competition
with, the merger agreement or the consummation of the merger.
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Each Affiliated Shareholder has also agreed that, during the
term of the voting agreement, such Affiliated Shareholder will:
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immediately cease all existing discussions or negotiations with
any parties (other than Sykes) conducted prior to the date of
the voting agreement with respect to any other acquisition
proposals; or
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upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the voting
agreement, to use such Affiliated Shareholders reasonable best
efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all appropriate action
that may reasonably be necessary for the purposes of carrying
out the intent of the voting agreement.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the voting agreement provides
that (i) to the extent that ICT is engaged in discussions
or negotiations with a person who has made an acquisition
proposal or inquiry as permitted by the merger agreement, the
Affiliated Shareholders will not be prohibited from
participating in any discussions or negotiations with such
person regarding an agreement in respect of such acquisition
proposal, that is comparable to the voting agreement, and
(ii) nothing in the voting agreement will in any way
restrict or limit any Affiliated Shareholder that is a director
or officer of ICT from taking any action in his capacity as a
director or officer that is necessary or appropriate to carry
out his obligations as a director or officer, including, without
limitation, participating in his capacity as such in any
discussions or negotiations relating to an acquisition proposal
in accordance with the merger agreement.
Representations
and Warranties
In the voting agreement, the Affiliated Shareholders made
customary representations and warranties to Sykes regarding
organization, qualification, authority relative to the voting
agreement, enforceability, the absence of conflicts with, or
violations of, trust documents, other contracts and applicable
laws, and ownership of ICT common stock that are subject to the
voting agreement.
Termination
The voting agreement will terminate upon the earliest to occur
of:
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the completion of the merger,
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the termination of the merger agreement in accordance with its
terms, or
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the amendment of the merger agreement in any material respect
(other than to increase the merger consideration) unless all of
the Affiliated Shareholders approve the amendment.
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DESCRIPTION
OF DEBT FINANCING
Overview
Sykes intends to finance the merger, the costs and expenses
related to the merger and the ongoing working capital of Sykes
and its subsidiaries with two $75 million term loans. One
$75 million term loan will be part of a $150 million
senior credit facility, which also will include a
$75 million revolving facility. Pursuant to a commitment
letter dated October 2, 2009, Sykes existing senior
lender, KeyBank National Association, has, subject to certain
conditions, agreed to serve as lead arranger, sole book runner
and administrative agent with respect to the $150 million
facility and has committed to provide up to $90 million of
the principal amount of the $150 million facility
($75 million of the term loan and $15 million of the
revolving facility). Key intends to arrange a syndicate of
lenders to provide the balance of the $150 million
facility. The commitment letter will expire on January 31,
2010, if the merger has not been consummated.
The $150 million facility will replace Sykes existing
senior revolving credit facility provided by Key, the balance of
which is $0 as of December 17, 2009.
On December 11, 2009, Key provided a $75 million
short-term loan to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes pursuant
to a credit agreement dated December 11, 2009.
Set forth below are summaries of the material terms expected to
be included in the $150 million facility and of the
$75 million short-term loan. The final terms of the
$150 million facility, however, are subject to negotiation
and are subject to customary closing conditions. Sykes may not
be able to successfully close the loan, and Key may not be able
to fully syndicate the $150 million facility, in which
event Sykes may need to seek alternative or additional financing
or fund the merger using its and its subsidiaries cash and
cash
100
equivalents, which may increase the expense of the merger. The
merger is not contingent on the closing of the $150 million
facility. See Risk Factors.
$150
Million Facility
Maturity
It is expected that the $150 million facility (both the
term loan and the revolving facility) will mature 3 years
after the closing of the facility.
Revolver
Sub-Limits
The revolving facility is expected to include a $40 million
multi-currency
sub-facility,
a $10 million swingline
sub-facility
and a $5 million letter of credit
sub-facility.
Interest
Rate
It is expected that borrowings under the $150 million
facility (both the term loan and the revolving facility) will
bear interest at either LIBOR or the base rate plus, in each
case, an applicable margin that will be based on Sykes
leverage ratio. The applicable interest rate will be determined
quarterly based on Sykes leverage ratio at such time. The
base rate is expected to be a rate per annum equal to the
greatest of (i) the rate of interest established by Key,
from time to time, as its prime rate; (ii) the
Federal Funds effective rate in effect from time to time, plus
1/2 of 1% per annum; and (iii) the then-applicable LIBOR
rate for one month interest periods, plus 1.00% per annum. Swing
Line Loans will bear interest only at the base rate plus the
base rate margin.
Interest
Payments
For base rate borrowings, the interest payment dates are
expected to be quarterly. For LIBOR borrowings, the interest
payment dates are expected to be at the end of each LIBOR
interest period, but in no case more than three months.
Term
Loan Amortization
The term loan is expected to amortize in quarterly amounts
commencing on June 30, 2010 and continuing at the end of
each quarter thereafter as follows: $2.5 million per
quarter in 2010, $3.75 million per quarter in 2011,
$5 million for each of the first three quarters in 2012,
with a final payment due at maturity of the $150 million
facility.
Fees
It is anticipated that Sykes will be required to pay certain
customary fees in connection with the $150 million
facility, including an upfront fee based upon the amount of the
facility, and a commitment fee, due quarterly in arrears and
calculated on the average unused amount of the revolving
facility.
Guarantees
and Security
The $150 million facility will be guaranteed by all of
Sykes existing and future direct and indirect material
U.S. subsidiaries and secured by a pledge of 100% of the
non-voting and 65% of the voting capital stock of all the direct
foreign subsidiaries of Sykes and the guarantors.
Mandatory
Prepayments
If for any reason the amount outstanding under the revolving
facility exceeds the combined revolving facility commitment as
then in effect, Sykes will be required to prepay such excess.
Further, until the term
101
loan is repaid in full, subject to certain exceptions (including
reinvestment rights), the $150 million facility will
require Sykes to prepay the outstanding loans with:
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100% of the net cash proceeds of all asset dispositions;
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100% of net insurance and condemnation proceeds; and
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100% of the net cash proceeds from debt issuances;
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50% of the net proceeds from equity issuances.
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Other
Terms and Conditions
The final credit agreement is expected to contain usual and
customary terms and conditions, including usual and customary
conditions precedent, affirmative covenants, negative covenants,
financial reporting requirements, financial covenants,
representations and warranties, indemnities, events of default
and remedies, agency provisions, and other provisions customary
for transactions of this type, all as required by Key.
Among the negative covenants, it is anticipated that the final
credit agreement will include restrictions on acquisitions
(other than the merger), indebtedness, investments, liens, asset
sales, affiliate transactions, and equity issuances by
subsidiaries.
Among the financial covenants, it is anticipated that the final
credit agreement will provide that:
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The leverage ratio cannot exceed 2.25x at any time;
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The interest coverage ratio cannot exceed less than 3.00x at any
time;
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Sykes will not be permitted to undertake capital expenditures in
excess of $80 million in 2010 and $85 million
thereafter.
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$75
Million Short-Term Loan
Borrower
The borrower under the $75 million short-term loan is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Sykes.
Maturity
The $75 million loan will mature on March 31, 2010.
Interest
Rate
Borrowings under the $75 million short-term loan will bear
interest at either a Eurodollar Rate (as defined in the credit
agreement) or a Base Rate (as defined in the credit agreement)
plus, in each case, an applicable margin.
Guarantees
and Security
The $75 million short-term loan is guaranteed by Sykes
Enterprises, Incorporated and secured by a pledge of 100% of
non-voting and 65% of voting capital stock of all the direct
subsidiaries of the borrower.
Mandatory
Prepayments
The $75 million short-term loan requires the borrower to
prepay the outstanding loan, subject to certain exceptions, with:
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100% of the net cash proceeds of all asset dispositions by it or
its subsidiaries (subject to reinvestment limits);
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100% of the net cash proceeds from debt issuances by it or its
subsidiaries (subject to certain limits); and
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100% of insurance and condemnation proceeds received by it or
its subsidiaries if it or its subsidiaries do not use the
proceeds to rebuild or replace the affected property.
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Other
Terms and Conditions
The credit agreement contains usual and customary terms and
conditions, including usual and customary affirmative covenants,
negative covenants, financial reporting requirements,
representations and warranties, indemnities, events of default
and remedies, agency provisions, and other provisions customary
for transactions of this type. The negative covenants include
restrictions on acquisitions, indebtedness, investments, liens,
asset sales, affiliate transactions, and equity issuances by
subsidiaries. The credit agreement requires that the borrower
and its direct subsidiaries maintain cash and cash equivalents
of at least $80 million at all times.
DESCRIPTION
OF SYKES SHARE CAPITAL
The following discussion is a summary of the terms of the
capital stock of Sykes and should be read in conjunction with
Comparison of Rights of Sykes Shareholders and ICT
Shareholders below. This summary is not meant to be
complete and is qualified by reference to the relevant
provisions of the Florida Business Corporation Act (the
FBCA) and Sykes articles of incorporation and
bylaws. You are urged to read those documents carefully. Copies
of the Sykes articles of incorporation and bylaws are
incorporated by reference and will be sent to Sykes and ICT
shareholders upon request. See Where You Can Find More
Information beginning on page 118.
Description
of Sykes Capital Stock
The authorized capital stock of Sykes consists of
200,000,000 shares of Sykes common stock, par value $0.01
per share, and 10,000,000 shares of Sykes preferred stock,
par value $0.01 per share. As of
[ ],
2009, there were
[ ]
shares of Sykes common stock issued and outstanding. No shares
of Sykes preferred stock are issued and outstanding. As of
[ ],
2009, there were approximately
[ ]
holders of record of Sykes common stock.
Sykes
Common Stock
Holders of Sykes common stock are entitled to one vote for each
share of Sykes common stock held by them on all matters properly
submitted to a vote of shareholders, subject to
Section 607.0721 of the FBCA (described above under
Certain Differences in Rights of Shareholders).
Shareholders have no cumulative voting rights, which means that
the holders of shares entitled to exercise more than 50% of the
voting power are able to elect all of the directors to be
elected. The articles of incorporation and bylaws of Sykes
provide that the board of directors shall be divided into three
classes, with staggered terms of three years each. Subject to
the prior rights of the holders of any shares of Sykes preferred
stock that are outstanding, and any contractual restrictions on
the payment of dividends, the board of directors of Sykes may in
its discretion declare and pay dividends on the Sykes common
stock out of earnings or assets of Sykes legally available for
the payment thereof. Subject to the prior rights of the holders
of any shares of Sykes preferred stock that are outstanding, in
the event Sykes is liquidated, any amounts remaining after the
discharge of outstanding indebtedness will be paid pro rata to
the holders of Sykes common stock. The terms of the Sykes common
stock are subject to modification by the affirmative vote of
holders of a majority of the shares constituting a quorum at a
meeting of shareholders. The outstanding shares of Sykes common
stock are, and the Sykes common stock to be issued in the merger
will be, legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The
articles of incorporation of Sykes provide that the holders of
Sykes common stock do not have preemptive rights to subscribe
for or purchase additional shares of Sykes common stock issued
by Sykes.
Sykes
Preferred Stock
The board of directors of Sykes is authorized to issue from time
to time, without shareholder authorization, in one or more
designated series, shares of Sykes preferred stock with such
voting, dividend, redemption, conversion and exchange provisions
as are provided in the particular series. No dividends or other
103
distributions are to be payable on the Sykes common stock unless
dividends are paid in full on the Sykes preferred stock and all
sinking fund obligations for the Sykes preferred stock, if any,
are fully funded. In the event of a liquidation or dissolution
of Sykes, the outstanding shares of Sykes preferred stock would
have priority over the Sykes common stock to receive the amount
specified in each particular series out of the remaining assets
of Sykes. Sykes has no current intent to issue shares of Sykes
preferred stock.
Transfer
Agent
The transfer agent and registrar for Sykes common stock is
Computershare Investor Services.
Listing
of Sykes Common Stock
It is a condition to the completion of the transaction that the
shares of Sykes common stock to be issued in the transaction be
approved for listing on the NASDAQ stock market, subject to
official notice of issuance.
COMPARISON
OF RIGHTS OF SYKES SHAREHOLDERS
AND ICT SHAREHOLDERS
ICT is a Pennsylvania corporation subject to the provisions of
the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law, which is referred to
in this proxy statement/prospectus as Pennsylvania law. Sykes is
a Florida corporation subject to the provisions of the Florida
Business Corporation Act, which is referred to in this proxy
statement/prospectus as Florida law. If the merger is completed,
ICT shareholders, whose rights are currently governed by the ICT
articles of incorporation, the ICT bylaws and Pennsylvania law,
will, if they receive Sykes common stock as merger
consideration, become shareholders of Sykes and their rights
will be governed by the Sykes articles of incorporation, the
Sykes bylaws and Florida law.
The following discussion is a summary of the current rights of
Sykes shareholders and the current rights of ICT shareholders.
While this summary includes the material differences between the
two, this summary may not contain all of the information that is
important to you. You are urged to carefully read this entire
proxy statement/prospectus, the relevant provisions of Florida
law and the other governing documents referred in this proxy
statement/prospectus for a more complete understanding of the
differences between being a shareholder of Sykes and a
shareholder of ICT. Sykes and ICT have filed with the SEC their
respective governing documents referenced in this summary of
shareholder rights and will send copies of these documents to
you, without charge, upon your request. See Where You Can
Find More Information beginning on page 118.
ICT is a registered corporation under Pennsylvania
law because ICT common stock is registered under the Exchange
Act.
Capitalization
Sykes
The authorized capital stock of Sykes consists of
200,000,000 shares of Sykes common stock, par value $0.01
per share, and 10,000,000 shares of Sykes preferred stock,
par value $0.01 per share. As of
[ ],
2009, there were
[ ] shares
of Sykes common stock issued and outstanding. No shares of Sykes
preferred stock are issued and outstanding. As of
[ ],
2009, there were approximately
[ ]
holders of record of Sykes common stock.
ICT
The authorized capital stock of ICT consists of
(i) 40,000,000 shares of ICT common stock, par value
$0.01 per share and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of preferred
stock, par value $0.01 per share, none of which is issued and
outstanding and none of which is reserved for issuance. As of
[ ],
2009,
[ ] shares
of ICT common stock were issued and outstanding. No shares of
ICT preferred stock are issued and outstanding. As of
[ ],
2009, there were approximately
[ ]
holders of record of ICT common stock.
104
Number,
Election, Vacancy and Removal of Directors
Sykes
The Sykes bylaws provide that the total number of directors will
be fixed from time to time by resolution of the board of
directors, but such number shall not be less than three or more
than 15. The board is divided into three classes, with the
directors of each class elected for three-year terms and the
term of one class expiring each year. A class of directors is
elected at each annual meeting of shareholders to serve until
the end of the term to which they are elected and until their
successors are elected and qualified. Sykes currently has
11 directors. Under Florida law, directors are elected by a
plurality of the votes cast for election of directors.
Florida law provides that shareholders may remove a director,
with or without cause unless the articles of incorporation
provide that a director may only be removed for cause. Florida
law further provides that a director can be removed only if the
votes cast to remove the director exceed the votes cast not to
remove him (or in the case of a director elected by a voting
group, of the votes within the voting group entitled to vote,
the votes cast to remove the director exceed the votes cast not
to remove him). In addition Florida law requires that the notice
of the meeting of the shareholders to consider the removal of a
director must state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of
the meeting is to remove the director.
Section 4.2 of the articles of incorporation of Sykes and
Section 4.5 of the bylaws of Sykes each provide that a
director may only be removed from office for cause
upon the affirmative vote of not less than sixty-six and
two-thirds percent
(662/3%)
of the authorized and outstanding voting stock of Sykes at a
special meeting of the shareholders called for that purpose
pursuant to a written notice sent at least thirty (30) days
prior to such meeting to the director or directors sought to be
removed. Cause is defined in both the articles of
incorporation and bylaws of Sykes as (1) misconduct as a
director of the corporation or any subsidiary which involves
dishonesty with respect to a substantial or material corporate
activity or assets, or (2) conviction of an offense
punishable by one or more years of imprisonment (other than
minor regulatory infractions and traffic violations which do not
materially and adversely affect the corporation).
The articles of incorporation and bylaws of Sykes provide that
all vacancies created on the board of Sykes, including a vacancy
resulting from the removal of a director by shareholder vote or
from an increase in the number of directors, is to be filled by
the affirmative vote of a majority of directors then in office,
even though less than a quorum. Any director so elected will
serve until the next election of the class for which such
director is chosen and until his successor is duly elected.
ICT
The ICT bylaws provide that the total number of directors will
be fixed from time to time by resolution of the board of
directors, but such number shall not be less than three or more
than nine. The board is divided into three classes, with the
directors of each class elected for three-year terms and the
term of one class expiring each year. A class of directors is
elected at each annual meeting of shareholders to serve until
the end of the term to which they are elected and until their
successors are elected and qualified. ICT currently has seven
directors. Under Pennsylvania law, candidates for director who
receive the highest number of affirmative votes are elected.
The ICT bylaws provide that vacancies on the ICT board of
directors may be filled by a majority vote of the directors then
in office. Any director so elected will serve until the next
election of the class for which such director is chosen and
until his successor is duly elected.
ICTs bylaws provide that directors may not be removed
without cause. ICT shareholders may remove any director, class
of directors or may remove the entire board of directors for
cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast
by all shareholders entitled to vote. In the event any directors
are so removed, new directors may be elected at the same meeting.
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Amendments
to Charter Documents
Sykes
Under Florida law, a corporations board may adopt certain
minor amendments to its articles of incorporation without the
approval of the shareholders. Further, unless the
corporations articles of incorporation restrict the power,
a corporations board of directors, without shareholder
approval, may amend the corporations articles of
incorporation to:
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change the par value of any class or series of shares; or
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effect a combination or division of the corporations
shares and increase or decrease the number of authorized shares
of the corporation and increase or decrease the par value of
shares in connection with such a combination or division,
provided that the rights or preferences of the holders of any
outstanding class or series will not be adversely affected by
the amendment, and the percentage of authorized shares remaining
unissued after the share division or combination will not exceed
the percentage of authorized shares that was unissued before the
division or combination. Fractional shares resulting from a
combination of shares approved only by the board of directors
may not be redeemed for cash.
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The articles of incorporation of Sykes do not restrict this
power of the Sykes board of directors.
In order to amend the articles in other material respects,
however, Florida law requires a recommendation by the board of
directors, unless the board determines that it should make no
recommendation because of a conflict of interest and
communicates the basis for its determination to the shareholders
with the amendment, and, unless either the articles of
incorporation or the board of directors conditions its
recommendation on a greater vote, approval of the amendment must
be by each of (a) a majority of the votes entitled to be
cast on the amendment by each voting group with respect to which
the amendment creates dissenters rights; and (b) a
majority of the votes cast by every other voting group entitled
to vote on the amendment.
Section 7.1 of the articles of incorporation of Sykes
requires the affirmative vote of sixty-six and two-thirds
percent
(662/3%)
of the issued and outstanding voting stock to amend or repeal
any provision of the articles of incorporation of Sykes which is
inconsistent with the purpose or intent of certain specific
provisions: Article 4 (classification/ election, removal,
number and legal standard of conduct of directors),
Article 5 (requirements for special meeting of
shareholders, shareholder action by unanimous written consent),
Article 6 (indemnification of executive officers and
directors) and Article 7 (amendment or repeal of the
articles of incorporation or bylaws). Additionally, any such
proposed amendment, repeal or adoption must be contained in the
written notice of the meeting at which it is to be considered.
ICT
Under Pennsylvania law, every amendment to a registered
corporations articles of incorporation must be
(i) proposed or approved by the corporations board of
directors and (ii) with certain exceptions, adopted by an
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders
entitled to vote on the amendment (subject to any class voting
rights required by the corporations articles of
incorporation, the terms of any preferred stock, or Pennsylvania
law), unless the corporations articles of incorporation or
a specific provision of Pennsylvania law requires a greater vote.
Under Pennsylvania law, unless the corporations articles
of incorporation restrict the power, a corporations board
of directors, without shareholder approval, may amend the
corporations articles of incorporation to:
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change the corporations name;
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in certain circumstances, reflect a reduction in authorized
shares effected in connection with an acquisition by the
corporation of its own shares;
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add or delete a provision authorizing that shares of the
corporation not be represented by certificates;
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add, change or eliminate the par value of any class or series of
shares, if the par value does not have any substantive effect on
the terms of any shares of the corporation; and/or
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under certain circumstances, split the corporations voting
shares and/or, subject to certain limitations, increase the
number of authorized voting shares of the corporation in
connection with a stock split or stock dividend of the
corporations voting shares.
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The ICT articles of incorporation do not restrict this power of
the ICT board of directors.
Amendments
to Bylaws
Sykes
Under Florida law a corporations bylaws may be amended or
repealed by its board of directors unless either the articles of
incorporation reserves that right (either generally or with
respect to a particular bylaw) to the shareholders or the
shareholders in amending or repealing a particular bylaw or the
bylaws generally, have expressly provided that the board of
directors may not amend or repeal the particular bylaw or the
bylaws in general. Florida law provides that a
corporations bylaws may be amended or repealed by its
shareholders even if they may also be amended or repealed by its
board of directors.
Except as set forth below, the articles of incorporation of
Sykes do not reserve the right to amend or repeal its bylaws to
the shareholders. The bylaws of Sykes authorize the shareholders
or the board of directors to amend or repeal the bylaws except
when (1) Florida law or a particular bylaw reserves that
right exclusively to the shareholders, or (2) the
shareholders in amending or repealing a particular bylaw or the
bylaws generally, have expressly provided that the board of
directors may not amend or repeal the particular bylaw or the
bylaws in general. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Section 10 of the bylaws of Sykes (which provides for
indemnification of the directors and the executive officers)
cannot be amended or repealed if such an action would diminish
the rights of indemnification provided prior to such amendment
or repeal. Further, Section 4.5 of the bylaws of Sykes
(which requires the affirmative vote of not less than
662/3%
of the authorized and outstanding voting stock to remove a
director) may be amended only by the affirmative vote of the
holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent
(662/3%)
of the voting power of Sykes capital stock.
Florida law and the articles of incorporation and bylaws of
Sykes each authorize the shareholders to adopt or amend a bylaw
that fixes a greater quorum or voting requirement for
shareholders than otherwise required by Florida law so long as
the adoption or amendment of a bylaw that adds, changes, or
deletes a greater quorum or voting requirement for shareholders
meets the same quorum requirement and is adopted by the same
vote and voting groups required to take action under the quorum
and voting requirement then in effect or proposed to be adopted,
whichever is greater. Florida law also provides that the board
of directors may not adopt, amend or repeal a bylaw that fixes a
greater quorum or voting requirement for shareholders.
Florida law provides that a bylaw that fixes a greater quorum or
voting requirement for the board of directors may be amended or
repealed by (1) the shareholders if originally adopted by
the shareholders or the board of directors, or (2) by the
board of directors only if the board of directors originally
adopted the bylaw (such an action by the board, including the
adoption of such a bylaw, must meet the same quorum and vote
requirements then in effect or proposed to be adopted, whichever
is greater). Florida law also provides that if the shareholders
adopt or amend a bylaw that fixes a greater quorum or voting
requirement they can also provide that it can only be amended or
repealed by a specified vote of the shareholders or the board of
directors.
ICT
The bylaws of ICT provide that the bylaws may be amended by the
shareholders at any meeting of shareholders, or with respect to
those matters that are not by statute committed expressly to the
shareholders and regardless of whether the shareholders have
previously adopted or approved the bylaw being amended or
repealed, by vote of a majority of the board of directors of the
corporation in office at any regular or special meeting of
directors.
107
Action by
Written Consent
Sykes
Under Florida law, unless otherwise provided in the articles of
incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at a
meeting of shareholders may be taken without a meeting, without
prior notice and without a vote, upon the written consent of
shareholders who would have been entitled to cast the minimum
number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take
such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote
thereon were present and voted. The articles of incorporation
and bylaws of Sykes provide that action may be taken by
shareholders by written consent only if all shareholders sign
the written consent.
ICT
Under Pennsylvania law, any action required or permitted to be
taken at a meeting of shareholders may be taken without a
meeting by consent by all the shareholders entitled to vote on
the action and delivered to the corporation, unless otherwise
provided in the articles of incorporation or bylaws.
Pennsylvania law allows shareholder action without a meeting for
registered corporations such as ICT by less than unanimous
consent of the shareholders only if provided for in the
corporations articles of incorporation. The articles of
incorporation of ICT provide that shareholders may not act by
written consent.
Notice of
Shareholder Meetings and Actions
Sykes
Florida law and the Sykes bylaws provide that written notice of
the time, place and purpose or purposes of any annual or special
meeting of shareholders must be given not less than 10 days
and not more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to
each shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting.
ICT
Pennsylvania law and the ICT bylaws provide that written notice
of the time, place and date of a meeting of shareholders must be
given or sent to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at
the meeting at least 10 days prior to the day named for a
meeting that will consider a fundamental change as
defined in Pennsylvania law or five days prior to the day named
for the meeting in any other case. A notice of a special meeting
must state the purpose or purposes of the meeting.
The bylaws of ICT require a shareholder who intends to nominate
a person to the board of directors at an annual meeting to
provide advance notice of such intended action not less than 70
nor more than 90 days prior to the first anniversary of the
previous years annual meeting or in the case of a special
meeting, not earlier than the 90th day before the meeting
and not later than the later of (i) the 70th day prior
to the meeting and (ii) the 10th day following the day
on which notice of the meeting was mailed or the date upon which
public announcement of the date of such meeting was made
(whichever occurs first).
Special
Shareholder Meetings
Sykes
Under Florida law, a special meeting of shareholders may be
called by the board of directors or by any other person
authorized to do so in the articles of incorporation or the
bylaws. A notice must be sent to shareholders of the meeting
stating the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
Under the articles of incorporation and bylaws of Sykes, Sykes
must call a special meeting of the shareholders at the request
of the holders of at least 50 percent of all of the votes
entitled to be cast on any issue proposed to be considered at a
proposed special meeting. Pursuant to the bylaws of Sykes, such
shareholders must sign, date, and deliver to the corporate
secretary one or more demands for the meeting describing one or
more purposes for which it is to be held, and Sykes must give
notice of such a special meeting within 60 days after the
date that the demand is delivered to it.
108
ICT
Under Pennsylvania law, shareholders of registered companies do
not have a statutory right to call special meetings, except that
an interested shareholder (generally, a beneficial
owner of shares entitling the shareholder to cast 20% of the
votes that all shareholders are entitled to cast in an election
of directors, or certain affiliates or associates of the
corporation) may call a special meeting for the purpose of
approving certain business combinations. The ICT articles of
incorporation and bylaws do not provide shareholders with a
right to call a special meeting of shareholders.
Limitation
of Personal Liability and Indemnification of Directors and
Officers
Sykes
Under Florida law, a director must discharge his duties in good
faith, with the care of an ordinarily prudent person in a like
position under similar circumstances. As authorized by Florida
law, the articles of incorporation of Sykes allow a director, in
discharging his duties, to consider factors that the director
deems relevant, including the long-term prospects and interests
of the corporation and its shareholders, and the social,
economic, legal or other effects of any action on the employees,
suppliers, customers of the corporation or its subsidiaries, the
communities and society in which the corporation or its
subsidiaries operate, and the economy of the state and the
nation. Florida law also provides that a director of Sykes is
not liable to the corporation, its shareholders or any person
asserting rights on behalf of Sykes or its shareholders for
liabilities arising from a breach of, or failure to perform, any
duty resulting solely from his or her status as a director,
unless the person asserting liability proves that the breach or
failure to perform constitutes any of the circumstances under
which indemnification by Sykes would not be provided.
The articles of incorporation and bylaws of Sykes provide that
the corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted or
required by Florida law, including any amendments thereto (but
in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent such
amendment permits or requires the corporation to provide broader
indemnification rights than prior to such amendment), indemnify
all of the corporations officers and directors, all of the
officers and directors of all of the corporations domestic
subsidiaries and all persons rendering services to the
corporations foreign subsidiaries in capacities as
officers and directors or in equivalent, identical or similar
capacities, against any and all liabilities, and advance any and
all reasonable expenses, incurred thereby in any proceeding to
which any such director or officer is a party or in which such
director or officer is deposed or called to testify as a witness
because he or she is or was a director or officer of the
corporation or any of the corporations domestic or foreign
subsidiaries. However indemnification will not be required if
liability was incurred because the director or officer breached
or failed to perform a duty that he or she owes or owed to the
corporation and the breach or failure constitutes a willful
failure to deal fairly with the corporation or its shareholders
in connection with a matter in which the director or officer has
a material conflict of interest, a violation of criminal law
(unless the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe
that his or her conduct was lawful or no reasonable cause to
believe that his or her conduct was unlawful), a transaction
from which the director or officer derived an improper personal
benefit or willful misconduct. Florida law also mandates
indemnification by the corporation of a director, officer,
employee or agent under certain circumstances, even when such
indemnification is not authorized by the corporations
articles of incorporation or bylaws.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted with respect to directors,
officers or persons controlling Sykes pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, Sykes has been informed that in the opinion of the
SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
ICT
Under Pennsylvania law, unless otherwise restricted in its
articles of incorporation or bylaws, a corporation may indemnify
any directors, officers, employees and agents of the corporation
against expenses and, except in the case of an action by or in
the right of the corporation, liabilities actually and
reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any action
or proceeding by reason of the fact that the person is or
109
was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation,
provided that (i) such person acted in good faith and in a
manner the person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed
to, the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to
any criminal proceeding, such person had no reasonable cause to
believe his conduct was unlawful and (ii) in the case of an
action by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification
of expenses may be made in respect of any matter as to which
such person is adjudged liable to the corporation unless and
only to the extent such indemnification is approved by a court.
Pennsylvania law mandates such indemnification of expenses to
the extent the present or former director, officer, employee or
agent has been successful in defense of any action or proceeding
described above, and permits advancement of expenses to a
director or officer if the corporation receives an undertaking
that the amount advanced will be repaid if it is determined that
such person is not entitled to indemnification. Pennsylvania law
also provides that the permitted indemnifications described
above are not exclusive.
The bylaws of ICT provide that, pursuant to and to the extent
permitted by Pennsylvania law, directors shall not be personally
liable for monetary damages for breach of any duty owed to ICT
or its shareholders. This provision does not eliminate the duty
of care, and, in appropriate circumstances, equitable remedies
such as an injunction or other forms of non-monetary relief
would remain available under Pennsylvania law. In addition, each
director will continue to be subject to liability for breach of
the directors duty of loyalty, for acts or omissions not
in good faith or involving knowing violations of law, or for
actions resulting in improper personal benefit to the director.
This provision also does not affect a directors
responsibilities under any criminal statute or the liability of
a director for the payment of taxes pursuant to local, state or
federal taxes. The bylaws of ICT further provide that ICT will
indemnify its officers, directors and other indemnified
representatives against any liability unless: prohibited by
applicable law; the conduct of the officer, director of other
indemnified representative is determined to constitute willful
misconduct or recklessness; the conduct of the officer, director
or indemnified representative has been determined to be
attributable to the receipt by that person of a personal benefit
to which that person not legally entitled; or to the extent that
indemnification has been determined to be otherwise unlawful.
Dividends
Sykes
Under Florida law, a board of directors of a corporation may not
authorize and pay dividends to its shareholders if after giving
it effect:
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the corporation would not be able to pay its debts as they
become due in the usual course of business; or
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the corporations total assets would be less than the sum
of its total liabilities plus (unless otherwise provided in the
articles of incorporation) the amount that would be needed to
satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of shareholders
whose preferential rights are superior to those receiving the
dividend if the corporation were to be dissolved at the time
this valuation is measured.
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ICT
Under Pennsylvania law, a board of directors of a corporation
may not authorize and pay dividends to its shareholders if after
giving it effect:
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the corporation would not be able to pay its debts as they
become due in the usual course of business; or
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the corporations total assets would be less than the sum
of its total liabilities plus (unless otherwise provided in the
articles of incorporation) the amount that would be needed to
satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of shareholders
whose preferential rights are superior to those receiving the
dividend if the corporation were to be dissolved at the time
this valuation is measured.
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Voting
Rights; Required Vote for Authorization of Certain
Actions
Sykes
Voting Rights. Each holder of Sykes common
stock is entitled to one vote for each share held of record.
Florida: Sykes is subject to several
anti-takeover provisions under Florida law that apply to a
publicly held corporation organized under Florida law unless the
corporation has elected to opt out of such provisions in its
articles of incorporation or (depending on the provision in
question) its bylaws. Sykes has not elected to opt out of these
provisions. Florida law contains a provision that confers voting
rights to shares of a publicly held Florida corporation which
are acquired in a control share acquisition only to
the extent granted by the holders of a majority of the
corporations voting shares (exclusive of shares held by
officers of the corporation, inside directors or the person or
group acquiring the control shares). A control share acquisition
is defined as an acquisition that immediately thereafter
entitles the acquiring party to vote in the election of
directors within each of the following ranges of voting power:
(1) one-fifth (1/5) or more but less than one-third (1/3)
of such voting power; (2) one-third (1/3) or more but less
than a majority of such voting power; and (3) a majority or
more of such voting power. In addition, shareholders demanding a
special meeting to determine control share voting
rights must deliver to Sykes a written agreement to pay the
costs incurred by Sykes in holding a special meeting, including
the cost of preparing and mailing the notice of meeting and the
proxy materials for the solicitation by Sykes of proxies for use
at such meeting, in the event such shareholders are unsuccessful
in their proxy solicitation. These statutory voting restrictions
are not applicable to certain control share acquisitions as set
forth in Florida law (e.g., when the board of directors approves
the control share acquisition; when the acquisition is pursuant
to a gift, intestate succession or a testamentary transfer;
etc.).
Florida law also contains a provision that prohibits Sykes and
other publicly held Florida corporations from engaging in a
broad range of business combinations or other extraordinary
corporate transactions with an interested
shareholder unless (1) the transaction is approved by
a majority of disinterested directors before the person becomes
an interested shareholder, (2) the interested shareholder
has owned at least 80% of Sykes outstanding voting shares for at
least five (5) years, or (3) the transaction is
approved by the holders of two-thirds (2/3) of Sykes voting
shares other than those owned by the interested shareholder.
Subject to certain limited exceptions, an interested
shareholder is defined as a person who, together with
affiliates and associates, beneficially owns (as defined in FBCA
Section 607.0901(1)(e)) more than 10% of the publicly held
corporations outstanding voting shares.
Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets
General. Under Florida law, the consummation of a
merger or consolidation requires the approval of the board of
directors of the corporation which desires to merge or
consolidate and requires that the agreement and plan of merger
be adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the stock of
the corporation entitled to vote thereon at an annual or special
meeting for the purpose of acting on the agreement. However, no
such approval and vote are required if such corporation is the
surviving corporation and:
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such corporations articles of incorporation is not amended;
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the shareholders of the surviving corporation whose shares were
outstanding immediately before the effective date of the merger
will hold the same number of shares, with identical
designations, preferences, limitations, and rights, immediately
after the effective date of the merger; and
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either no shares of common stock of the surviving corporation
and no shares, securities or obligations convertible into such
stock are to be issued or delivered under the plan of merger, or
the authorized unissued shares or the treasury shares of common
stock of the surviving corporation to be issued or delivered
under the plan of merger do not exceed 20% of the shares of
common stock of such corporation outstanding immediately prior
to the effective date of the merger.
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Under Florida law, a sale of all or substantially all of a
corporations assets requires the approval of such
corporations board of directors and the affirmative vote
of a majority of the outstanding stock of the corporation
entitled to vote thereon.
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Disgorgement of Profits by Certain Controlling
Persons. Florida law does not have a
disgorgement statute similar to that described below
under ICT.
ICT
Voting Rights. Except as provided below under
Control-Share Acquisitions each holder
of ICT common stock is entitled to one vote for each share held
of record.
Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets
General. Under Pennsylvania law, the consummation
of a merger or consolidation generally requires the approval of
the board of directors of the corporation of the plan of merger
or consolidation and, except where the approval of shareholders
is not required, the adoption of the plan by a majority of the
votes cast by all shareholders of the corporation entitled to
vote thereon. Approval of the shareholders of a constituent
Pennsylvania corporation is not required if:
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whether or not the constituent corporation is the surviving
corporation:
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the surviving or new corporation is a Pennsylvania corporation
and, except for amendments the board of directors is authorized
to make without shareholder approval, its articles of
incorporation are identical to the articles of incorporation of
the constituent corporation;
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each share of the constituent corporation outstanding
immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or
consolidation will continue as or be converted into, except as
may otherwise be agreed by the shareholder, an identical share
of the surviving or new corporation after the effective date of
the merger or consolidation; and
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the plan of merger or consolidation provides that the
shareholders of the constituent corporation will hold in the
aggregate shares of the surviving or new corporation to be
outstanding immediately after the effectiveness of the merger or
consolidation entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes
entitled to be cast generally for the election of directors;
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immediately prior to the adoption of the plan of merger or
consolidation and at all times after the adoption and prior to
its effective date, another corporation that is a party to the
plan owns 80% or more of the outstanding shares of each class of
the constituent corporation; or
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no shares of the constituent corporation have been issued prior
to the adoption of the plan of merger or consolidation by the
board of directors.
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Under Pennsylvania law, a sale of all or substantially all of a
corporations assets generally requires the approval of the
corporations board of directors and the affirmative vote
of a majority of the votes cast by all shareholders entitled to
vote on the transaction.
Business Combinations with Interested
Shareholder. Under Pennsylvania law, in
connection with a business combination an interested
shareholder of a registered corporation (which includes
ICT) is (i) any person that is the beneficial owner,
directly or indirectly, of shares of the corporation entitled to
cast at least 20% of the votes all shareholders would be
entitled to cast in an election of directors of the corporation
or (ii) an affiliate or associate of such corporation and
at any time within the five-year period immediately prior to the
date in question was the beneficial owner, directly or
indirectly, of shares entitled to cast at least 20% of the votes
all shareholders would be entitled to cast in an election of
directors of the corporation. Certain shares outstanding since
the beginning of 1983, and certain shares distributed with
respect of those shares, may be excluded for purposes of
calculating the 20% voting power. A business
combination generally includes:
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a merger, consolidation, share exchange or division of the
corporation or a subsidiary of the corporation with an
interested shareholder, or with, involving or resulting in any
other corporation which is, or after such transaction would be,
an affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder;
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a sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other
disposition to or with the interested shareholder, or any
affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder, of assets
of the corporation or a subsidiary having an aggregate market
value equal to 10% or more of the market value of all the assets
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or outstanding shares of the corporation or representing 10% or
more of the earning power or net income of the corporation;
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with certain exceptions, the issuance or transfer by the
corporation or a subsidiary to the interested shareholder or an
affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder of shares
of the corporation or subsidiary having an aggregate market
value equal to 5% or more of the market value of all the
outstanding shares of the corporation;
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adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or
dissolution of the corporation that was proposed by or pursuant
to any agreement or understanding with the interested
shareholder or an affiliate or associate of the interested
shareholder;
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a split, reverse split, dividend or distribution of shares,
other reclassification of securities, recapitalization or other
transaction proposed by or pursuant to any agreement or
understanding with the interested shareholder or an affiliate or
associate of the interested shareholder that has the effect of
increasing the interested shareholders or its
affiliates or associates proportionate share,
whether owned directly or indirectly, of the outstanding shares
of any class or series of voting shares, or securities
convertible into voting shares, of the corporation or a
subsidiary of the corporation; and
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the receipt by the interested shareholder or any affiliate or
associate of the interested shareholder of the benefit, directly
or indirectly, of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or
other financial assistance or any tax credits or other tax
advantages provided by or through the corporation, other than
such a benefit received proportionately as a shareholder of the
corporation.
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Pennsylvania law provides for a five-year moratorium on business
combinations between a registered corporation and any person
that is an interested shareholder of the corporation, unless:
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the board of directors of the corporation had approved the
acquisition of shares that made the person an interested
shareholder of the corporation before the interested shareholder
became an interested shareholder of the corporation; or
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the proposed business combination was approved by (i) the
board of directors of the corporation before the person became
an interested shareholder of the corporation, or (ii) all
of the holders of the outstanding shares of common stock of the
corporation, or (iii) the holders of shares entitled to
cast a majority of the votes all shareholders would be entitled
to cast in an election of directors of the corporation (not
including any shares of voting stock beneficially owned by the
interested shareholder or its affiliates or associates) at a
meeting called for such purpose no earlier than three months
after the interested shareholder became the beneficial owner,
directly or indirectly, of shares entitled to cast at least 80%
of the votes all shareholders would be entitled to cast in an
election of directors of the corporation, if the interested
shareholder at the time of the meeting is the beneficial owner,
directly or indirectly, of shares entitled to cast at least 80%
of the votes all shareholders would be entitled to cast in an
election of directors of the corporation and certain other
criteria relating to per share consideration are met.
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Following expiration of the five-year moratorium, a business
combination between a registered corporation and an interested
shareholder is still prohibited, unless it is approved at a
shareholders meeting called for such purpose no earlier than
five years after the interested shareholder became an interested
shareholder of the corporation and the business transaction
meets certain per share consideration criteria and meets certain
other requirements.
Pennsylvania law also contains the following mechanisms.
However, ICT has opted out of all of them, rendering them
inapplicable to ICT.
Disgorgement of Profits by Certain Controlling
Persons. Pennsylvania law regarding disgorgement
of profits by certain controlling persons applies in the event
that (i) any person or group publicly discloses that the
person or group may acquire control of the corporation, or
(ii) a person or group acquires (or publicly discloses an
intent to acquire) 20% or more of the voting power of the
corporation and, in either case, sells shares within
18 months thereafter. Any profits from sales of equity
securities of the corporation received by
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the person or group during such
18-month
period will belong to the corporation if the securities that
were sold were acquired during the
18-month
period or within 24 months prior thereto. Transactions
approved by both the board of directors and the shareholders
prior to the acquisition of stock or, as to dispositions, by
such approval received prior to disposition, are excepted from
coverage under the statute.
Control-Share/Cash-Out Statute. Under
Pennsylvania law, if a person, or group of persons acting in
concert, acquires voting control over 20% of a companys
voting stock, such control person or group must
notify other holders and such other holders may require the
controlling person or group to purchase their shares at
fair value. Fair value means not less
than the highest price paid by the controlling person or group
during the
90-day
period prior to the control transaction, plus a control premium.
This statute does not apply in certain situations, such as
(i) shares acquired directly from the corporation by an
underwriter in an offering registered under the Securities Act
in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of
the Securities Act; (ii) where a person holds voting power
in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing the
statute as an agent, bank, broker nominee or trustee for one or
more beneficial owners who do not individually (or, if they are
a group acting in concert, as a group) have voting power over
20%; and (iii) a one-step merger (since the obligation to
notify holders does not arise until after the control
transaction, at which time the acquirer will own
100%).
Control-Share Acquisitions. Under Pennsylvania
law, subject to various exceptions, a control-share acquisition
is an acquisition in which a person acquires, directly or
indirectly, voting power over shares of certain registered
corporations that are entitled to vote generally in the election
of directors of the corporation which, when added to all voting
power the person and the persons affiliates and associates
have over other such voting shares of the corporation, entitle
the acquiring person to vote or direct the voting of at least
20%, at least
331/3%
or more than 50% of the votes that all shareholders would be
entitled to cast in an election of directors of the corporation.
Certain shares outstanding since the beginning of 1988, and
certain shares distributed with respect of those shares, may be
excluded for purposes of calculating the voting power of the
acquiring person. Two or more persons acting in concert may
constitute an acquiring person for purposes of these
provisions of Pennsylvania law. Under Pennsylvania law and for
purposes of this description, an acquiring person may be a
person who has acquired control shares or who has not acquired
control shares but proposes to acquire control shares in a
control-share acquisition.
Control shares are the shares the acquiring person acquires in
the control-share acquisition that cause the acquisition to
constitute a control-share acquisition, plus any voting shares
of the corporation that the acquiring person acquired either
within 180 days of the control-share acquisition or with
the intention of making a control-share acquisition. Under
Pennsylvania law, control shares have no voting rights until
their voting rights have been restored by two shareholder votes
as described below or until they have been transferred to a
person in whose hands the shares do not constitute control
shares.
The acquiring person may request that the question of restoring
the voting rights of his control shares be submitted to the
shareholders of the corporation at the next annual or special
meeting of the shareholders. The acquiring person may accelerate
consideration of the question by requesting a special meeting of
the shareholders for that purpose and agreeing to pay or
reimburse the corporation for expenses of the special meeting.
In either case, the acquiring person must furnish to the
corporation an information statement containing certain
information. With the notice of the shareholders meeting, the
shareholders must be given copies of the acquiring persons
information statement and a statement disclosing the board of
directors position with respect to the restoration of the
voting rights of the control shares.
Restoration of the voting rights of control shares will be
approved by the shareholders of the corporation only if it is
approved by two separate shareholder votes. To be approved, a
resolution to restore the voting rights must be approved by the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting
power of (i) all the disinterested shares of
the corporation and also (ii) all shares of the corporation
that would be entitled to vote in an election of directors of
the corporation.
Unless prohibited by the corporations articles of
incorporation in effect before the control-share acquisition
occurred, the corporation may redeem the control shares from the
acquiring person within 24 months after (i) the date
the control-share acquisition occurs, unless within 30 days
after the control-share
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acquisition takes place the acquiring person properly requests
that the question of restoring the voting rights of the control
shares be presented to the shareholders or (ii) the
proposal of restoring the voting rights of the control shares is
submitted to but not approved by the shareholders or
(iii) such voting rights are restored and subsequently
lapse under certain circumstances. Such redemption of the
control shares shall be at the average of the high and low
prices of the shares on a national exchange or quotation system
or similar service.
Pennsylvania law contains certain other provisions applicable to
ICT that require certain severance payments to terminated
employees and the preservation of labor contracts in a control
share acquisition.
The merger agreement provides that the anti-takeover provisions
of Pennsylvania law discussed above will not apply to the
execution, delivery or performance of the merger agreement and
the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement (including
the merger).
Other
Corporate Constituencies
Sykes
Under Florida law, in discharging the duties of their respective
positions, the board of directors of a corporation and
individual directors may consider such factors as the director
deems relevant, including the long-term prospects and interests
of the corporation and its shareholders, and the social,
economic, legal, or other effects of any action on the
employees, suppliers, customers of the corporation or its
subsidiaries, the communities and society in which the
corporation or its subsidiaries operate, and the economy of the
state and the nation.
ICT
Under Pennsylvania law, in discharging the duties of their
respective positions, the board of directors of a corporation
and individual directors may consider, to the extent they deem
appropriate, the effects of any action on shareholders,
employees, suppliers, customers, creditors, the communities in
which offices or other establishments of the corporation are
located and any other factors that they consider pertinent.
Pennsylvania law explicitly provides that there will be no
different or higher degree of scrutiny imposed upon director
actions relating to or affecting potential changes in control.
Dissenters
Rights
Sykes
Under Florida law, a shareholder in certain circumstances is
entitled to receive payment of the fair value of the
shareholders stock if such shareholder dissents from a
proposed merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially
all of a corporations property and certain other
transactions on which such shareholders are entitled to vote.
Florida law provides that, unless the corporations
articles of incorporation otherwise provide, holders of shares
that are either held of record by at least two thousand (2,000)
shareholders or registered on a national securities exchange are
not eligible for dissenters rights with respect to
(1) a plan of merger or share exchange, or (2) a
proposed sale or exchange of property. The articles of
incorporation of Sykes do not provide dissenters rights
under these circumstances. Accordingly Florida law provides
dissenters rights to Sykes shareholders only with
regard to (1) the approval of a control share
acquisition by the corporation (see below, Takeover
Statutes and Related Provisions) and (2) an amendment
to the articles of incorporation of Sykes, if the shareholder is
entitled to vote on the amendment and such amendment would
adversely affect certain enumerated rights associated with his
shares (e.g., preemptive rights; voting rights; dividend
preference; liquidation preference; making cumulative dividend
rights noncumulative; abolishing or altering rights to a sinking
fund for redemption; etc.).
Under Florida law a shareholder seeking to assert his
dissenters rights to a corporate action submitted to a
voice vote must (1) deliver to the corporation before the
vote is taken a written notice of his intent to demand payment
for his shares if the proposed action is adopted, and
(2) not vote his shares in favor of the
115
proposed action. Within twenty (20) days after the
corporation has given written notice (which must take place
within ten (10) days of the authorization) of the
shareholder authorization the dissenting shareholder must file
with the corporation a notice of such election, stating his name
and address, the number, classes and series of shares as to
which he dissents and a demand for payment of the fair value of
his shares. Any shareholder failing to file such an election to
dissent within this time period will be bound by the terms of
the proposed corporate action.
ICT
Under Pennsylvania law, unless the articles of incorporation or
bylaws provide otherwise, shareholders of a Pennsylvania
corporation generally are not entitled to dissenters
rights if the shares that would otherwise give rise to such
rights are listed on a national securities exchange, or held
beneficially or of record by more than 2,000 persons, on
the record date fixed to determine the shareholders entitled to
notice of and vote at the meeting at which a merger or
consolidation will be voted upon. Neither the articles of
incorporation nor the bylaws of ICT contain provisions with
respect to dissenters rights.
ICT shareholders will not be entitled to dissenters rights
in connection with the merger because shares of ICT common stock
are listed on the NASDAQ stock market.
Interested
Directors
Sykes
Florida law provides that no contract or transaction between a
corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or
between a corporation and any other corporation, partnership,
association, or other organization in which one or more of its
directors or officers are directors or officers, or have a
financial interest, will be void or voidable solely for this
reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at
or participates in the meeting of the board of directors or
committee of the board of directors which authorizes the
contract or transaction, or solely because his or their votes
are counted for such purpose if (i) the material facts as
to his or their relationship or interest and as to the contract
or transaction are disclosed or are known to the board of
directors or the committee, and the board of directors or
committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction
by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested
directors, even though the disinterested directors are less than
a quorum; or (ii) the material facts as to his or their
relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction
are disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to vote
thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically
approved in good faith by vote of the shareholders; or
(iii) the contract or transaction is fair as to the
corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or
ratified by the board of directors, committee or shareholders.
ICT
Pennsylvania law provides that a contract or transaction between
a corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or
between a corporation and any other corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other enterprise in which one or more of
its directors or officers are directors or officers or have a
financial or other interest shall not be void or voidable solely
for that reason, or solely because the director or officer is
present at or participates in the meeting of the board of
directors that authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely
because his or their votes are counted for that purpose if
(i) the material facts as to the relationship or interest
and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known
to the board of directors and the board of directors authorizes
the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a
majority of the disinterested directors, even if the
disinterested directors are less than a quorum; or (ii) the
material facts as to his relationship or interest and as to the
contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the
shareholders entitled to vote thereon and the contract or
transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of
those shareholders; or (iii) the contract or transaction is
fair as to the corporation as of the time it is authorized,
approved or ratified by the board of directors or the
shareholders.
116
OTHER
MATTERS
No matters other than the approval of the merger agreement may
be brought before the special meeting.
Regardless of the number of shares you hold, it is important
that your shares be represented at the meeting in order that a
quorum will be present at the meeting. If you are unable to
attend the meeting, you are urged to submit your proxy as
promptly as possible by marking, signing and dating your proxy
card and returning it without delay in the postage-paid envelope
provided. The shares represented by each proxy that is signed
and returned will be voted in accordance with your
directions.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
LEGAL
MATTERS
The validity of the Sykes common stock to be issued in
connection with the merger will be passed upon for Sykes by
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, Tampa, Florida. The
United States federal income tax consequences of the merger on
ICT shareholders will be passed upon for Sykes by Shumaker,
Loop & Kendrick, LLP and for ICT by Morgan,
Lewis & Bockius LLP.
EXPERTS
The financial statements, and the related financial statement
schedule, incorporated in this registration statement by
reference from Sykes Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2008, and the effectiveness
of Sykes internal control over financial reporting have
been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent
registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports,
which are incorporated herein by reference. Such financial
statements and financial statement schedule have been so
incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given
upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
With respect to the unaudited interim financial information for
the periods ended March 31, 2009 and 2008, June 30,
2009 and 2008, and September 30, 2009 and 2008 which is
incorporated herein by reference, Deloitte & Touche
LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, have
applied limited procedures in accordance with the standards of
the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States)
for a review of such information. However, as stated in their
reports included in Sykes Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
for the quarters ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009,
and September 30, 2009 and incorporated by reference
herein, they did not audit and they do not express an opinion on
that interim financial information. Accordingly, the degree of
reliance on their reports on such information should be
restricted in light of the limited nature of the review
procedures applied. Deloitte & Touche LLP are not
subject to the liability provisions of Section 11 of the
Securities Act of 1933 for their reports on the unaudited
interim financial information because those reports are not
reports or a part of the Registration
Statement prepared or certified by an accountant within the
meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of the Act.
The consolidated financial statements and schedule of ICT Group
Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and
for each of the years in the three-year period ended
December 31, 2008, and ICT managements assessment of
the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting
as of December 31, 2008 have been incorporated by reference
herein and in the registration statement in reliance on the
reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting
firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority
of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The report
refers to the adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board
Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income
Taxes, effective January 1, 2007.
FUTURE
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
If the merger is consummated, there will be no annual meeting of
ICT shareholders in 2010. If the merger is not consummated, ICT
will hold a 2010 annual meeting of shareholders. Shareholders
may submit proposals
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on matters appropriate for shareholder action at annual meetings
in accordance with regulations adopted by the SEC. To be
considered for inclusion in the proxy statement and form of
proxy relating to the ICT 2010 annual meeting, ICT must receive
such proposals no later than December 30, 2009. Proposals
should be directed to the attention of the Office of the
Secretary of ICT.
Different deadlines apply to submission of shareholder proposals
for the ICT 2010 annual meeting that are not intended to be
included in ICTs proxy statement. ICTs bylaws
provide that a shareholder may nominate one or more persons for
election as directors at the ICT 2010 annual meeting only if the
shareholder has provided a written notice, in the form
prescribed by the bylaws, to the Secretary of ICT between
March 1, 2010 and March 21, 2010 (not less than
70 days, nor more than 90 days, prior to the
anniversary of the 2009 annual meeting). The Chairman of the ICT
2010 annual meeting may refuse to acknowledge the nomination of
any person not made in compliance with such procedures. For
other shareholder proposals for the ICT 2010 annual meeting, the
deadline, under SEC rules, is March 17, 2010 (45 calendar
days prior to the anniversary of the mailing date of the proxy
statement related to ICTs 2009 annual meeting). If a
shareholder gives notice of such a proposal after this deadline,
ICTs proxy agents will be allowed to use their
discretionary voting authority to vote against the shareholder
proposal when and if the proposal is raised at the ICT 2010
annual meeting.
SHAREHOLDERS
SHARING AN ADDRESS
Only one copy of this proxy statement/prospectus is being
delivered to multiple shareholders of ICT sharing an address
unless ICT has previously received contrary instructions from
one or more of such shareholders. On written or oral request to
the Office of the Secretary of ICT at 100 Brandywine Boulevard,
Newtown, PA 18940, or by calling 1-267-685-5000, ICT will
deliver promptly a separate copy of this proxy
statement/prospectus to a shareholder at a shared address to
which a single copy of the proxy statement/prospectus was
delivered. The proxy statement/prospectus can also be found at
www.ICTgroup.com in the Investors section under Special
Meeting Materials. Shareholders sharing an address who wish, in
the future, to receive separate copies or a single copy of
ICTs proxy statement should provide written or oral notice
to the Office of the Secretary of ICT at the address and
telephone number set forth above.
WHERE YOU
CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
Sykes has filed with the SEC a registration statement under the
Securities Act of which this proxy statement/prospectus forms a
part, which registers the shares of Sykes common stock to be
issued to ICT shareholders in connection with the merger. The
registration statement, including the attached exhibits and
schedules, contains additional relevant information about Sykes
and its common stock. The rules and regulations of the SEC allow
Sykes and ICT to omit certain information included in the
registration statement from this document.
Sykes and ICT file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy
statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and
copy this information at the Public Reference Room of the SEC at
100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580,
Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the
operation of the SECs Public Reference Room by calling the
SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330.
You may also obtain copies of this information by mail from the
Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street,
N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed
rates, or from commercial document retrieval services. The SEC
also maintains an internet website that contains reports, proxy
statements and other information about issuers, like Sykes and
ICT, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of the
site is www.sec.gov. The reports and other information
filed by Sykes with the SEC are also available at Sykes
website at www.Sykes.com. The reports and other
information filed by ICT with the SEC are also available at
ICTs website at www.ICTgroup.com. The web addresses
of the SEC, Sykes and ICT have been included as inactive textual
references only. Except as specifically incorporated by
reference into this proxy statement/prospectus, information on
those web sites is not part of this proxy statement/prospectus.
The SEC allows Sykes and ICT to incorporate by reference
information into this proxy
statement/prospectus.
This means that Sykes and ICT can disclose important information
to you by referring you to another document
118
filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by
reference is considered to be a part of this proxy
statement/prospectus, except for any information that is
superseded by information that is included directly in this
proxy statement/prospectus.
This proxy statement/prospectus incorporates by reference the
documents listed below that Sykes and ICT previously filed with
the SEC. They contain important information about the companies
and their financial condition.
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Sykes SEC Filings
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Period or Date Filed
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(SEC File
No. 0-28274;
CIK No. 0001010612)
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Annual Report on
Form 10-K
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Filed March 10, 2009
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Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
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Filed May 6, 2009, August 5, 2009 and November 3, 2009
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Current Reports on
Form 8-K
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Filed April 1, 2009, July 7, 2009, October 6, 2009, October 9,
2009 and December 14, 2009
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The description of Sykes common stock set forth in a
registration statement filed pursuant to Section 12 of the
Exchange Act and any amendment or report filed for the purpose
of updating those descriptions.
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ICT SEC Filings
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Period or Date Filed
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(SEC File
No. 0-20807;
CIK No. 0001013149)
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Annual Report on
Form 10-K
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Filed March 16, 2009
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Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
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Filed May 8, 2009, August 10, 2009 and November 6, 2009
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Current Reports on
Form 8-K
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Filed January 6, 2009, February 23, 2009, February 25,
2009, March 26, 2009, October 6, 2009 and October 9, 2009
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In addition, Sykes and ICT also incorporate by reference
additional documents that either company files with the SEC
under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange
Act, between the date of this proxy statement/prospectus and the
date of ICTs special meeting. These documents include
periodic reports, such as Annual Reports on
Form 10-K,
Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
and Current Reports on
Form 8-K,
as well as proxy statements. To the extent that any information
contained in any such Current Report on
Form 8-K,
or any exhibit thereto, was furnished, rather than filed, with
the SEC, such information or exhibit is specifically not
incorporated by reference into this proxy statement/prospectus.
Sykes has supplied all information contained or incorporated by
reference into this proxy statement/prospectus relating to
Sykes, as well as all pro forma financial information, and ICT
has supplied all information relating to ICT.
Documents incorporated by reference are available from Sykes and
ICT without charge, excluding any exhibits to those documents
unless the exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference as
an exhibit in this proxy statement/prospectus. You can obtain
documents incorporated by reference into this document by
requesting them in writing or by telephone from the appropriate
company at the following addresses:
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Sykes Inc.
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ICT
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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated
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ICT Group, Inc.
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400 North Ashley Drive
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100 Brandywine Boulevard
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Tampa, FL 33602
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Newtown, PA 18940
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Attention: Investor Relations
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Attention: Secretary
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Telephone: 1-813-233-7143
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Telephone: 1-267-685-5000
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ICT shareholders requesting documents should do so by
[ ], 2009 to receive them before the ICT
special meeting. You will not be charged for any
of these documents that you request. If you request any
119
document incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus from Sykes, Sykes will mail them to you by
first class mail, or another equally prompt means, within one
business day after it receives your request.
Neither Sykes nor ICT has authorized anyone to give any
information or make any representation about the merger or the
respective companies that is different from, or in addition to,
that contained in this proxy statement/prospectus or in any of
the materials that have been incorporated by reference into this
proxy statement/prospectus. Therefore, if anyone does give you
information of this sort, you should not rely on it. If you are
in a jurisdiction where offers to exchange or sell, or
solicitations of offers to exchange or purchase, the securities
offered by this proxy statement/prospectus or the solicitation
of proxies is unlawful, or if you are a person to whom it is
unlawful to direct these types of activities, then the offer
presented in this proxy statement/prospectus does not extend to
you. The information contained in this proxy
statement/prospectus speaks only as of the date of this proxy
statement/prospectus unless the information specifically
indicates that another date applies.
120
Annex
A
Execution
Version
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
Among
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED,
SH MERGER SUBSIDIARY I, INC.,
SH MERGER SUBSIDIARY II, LLC
And
ICT GROUP, INC.
Dated as of October 5, 2009
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I THE MERGER
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A-1
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Section 1.1
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The Merger
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A-1
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Section 1.2
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Closing
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A-1
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Section 1.3
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Effective Time
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A-1
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Section 1.4
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Effects of the Merger
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A-2
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Section 1.5
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Bylaws
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A-2
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Section 1.6
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Articles of incorporation
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A-2
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Section 1.7
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Officers and Directors
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A-2
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Section 1.8
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Effect on Capital Stock
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A-2
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Section 1.9
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Company Stock Options and Other Equity-Based Awards
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A-3
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Section 1.10
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Certain Adjustments
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A-3
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Section 1.11
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Second Merger
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A-3
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ARTICLE II EXCHANGE
OF SHARES
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A-4
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Section 2.1
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Exchange Agent
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A-4
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Section 2.2
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Exchange Procedures
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A-4
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Section 2.3
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[Reserved]
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A-5
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Section 2.4
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Distributions with Respect to Unexchanged Shares
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A-5
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Section 2.5
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No Further Ownership Rights
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A-5
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Section 2.6
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No Fractional Shares of Parent Common Stock
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A-5
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Section 2.7
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Termination of Exchange Fund
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A-5
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Section 2.8
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No Liability
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A-6
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Section 2.9
|
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Investment of the Exchange Fund
|
|
|
A-6
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Section 2.10
|
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Lost Certificates
|
|
|
A-6
|
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Section 2.11
|
|
Withholding Rights
|
|
|
A-6
|
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Section 2.12
|
|
Further Assurances
|
|
|
A-6
|
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Section 2.13
|
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Stock Transfer Books
|
|
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A-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
|
|
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A-7
|
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Section 3.1
|
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Organization, Good Standing and Qualification
|
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|
A-7
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Section 3.2
|
|
Capital Structure
|
|
|
A-7
|
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Section 3.3
|
|
Corporate Authority
|
|
|
A-9
|
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Section 3.4
|
|
Governmental Filings; No Violations, Etc.
|
|
|
A-9
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Section 3.5
|
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Company Reports; Financial Statements
|
|
|
A-10
|
|
Section 3.6
|
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Absence of Certain Changes
|
|
|
A-11
|
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Section 3.7
|
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Litigation
|
|
|
A-11
|
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Section 3.8
|
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Compliance with Laws
|
|
|
A-12
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Section 3.9
|
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Properties
|
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A-12
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Section 3.10
|
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Contracts
|
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A-12
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Section 3.11
|
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Employee Benefit Plans
|
|
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A-13
|
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Section 3.12
|
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Labor Matters
|
|
|
A-15
|
|
Section 3.13
|
|
Tax
|
|
|
A-15
|
|
Section 3.14
|
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Intellectual Property
|
|
|
A-15
|
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Section 3.15
|
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Environmental Matters
|
|
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A-16
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A-i
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Page
|
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Section 3.16
|
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Insurance
|
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A-17
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Section 3.17
|
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Regulatory Compliance
|
|
|
A-17
|
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Section 3.18
|
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Interested Party Transactions
|
|
|
A-18
|
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Section 3.19
|
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Brokers and Finders
|
|
|
A-18
|
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Section 3.20
|
|
No Additional Representations
|
|
|
A-18
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUBS
|
|
|
A-19
|
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Section 4.1
|
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Organization, Good Standing and Qualification
|
|
|
A-19
|
|
Section 4.2
|
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Capital Structure
|
|
|
A-19
|
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Section 4.3
|
|
Corporate Authority
|
|
|
A-21
|
|
Section 4.4
|
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Governmental Filings; No Violations; Etc.
|
|
|
A-21
|
|
Section 4.5
|
|
Parent Reports; Financial Statements
|
|
|
A-21
|
|
Section 4.6
|
|
Litigation
|
|
|
A-23
|
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Section 4.7
|
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Brokers and Finders
|
|
|
A-23
|
|
Section 4.8
|
|
No Business Activities
|
|
|
A-23
|
|
Section 4.9
|
|
Board Approval
|
|
|
A-23
|
|
Section 4.10
|
|
Vote Required
|
|
|
A-23
|
|
Section 4.11
|
|
Financing
|
|
|
A-23
|
|
Section 4.12
|
|
Absence of Certain Changes
|
|
|
A-23
|
|
Section 4.13
|
|
Compliance with Laws
|
|
|
A-23
|
|
Section 4.14
|
|
Certain Agreements
|
|
|
A-24
|
|
Section 4.15
|
|
Tax
|
|
|
A-24
|
|
Section 4.16
|
|
Intellectual Property
|
|
|
A-24
|
|
Section 4.17
|
|
Regulatory Compliance
|
|
|
A-25
|
|
Section 4.18
|
|
No Additional Representations
|
|
|
A-25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE V COVENANTS
RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
|
|
|
A-26
|
|
Section 5.1
|
|
Ordinary Course
|
|
|
A-26
|
|
Section 5.2
|
|
Governmental Filings
|
|
|
A-29
|
|
Section 5.3
|
|
Restrictions on Parent
|
|
|
A-30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VI
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
|
|
|
A-31
|
|
Section 6.1
|
|
Preparation of Proxy Statement; Shareholders Meeting
|
|
|
A-31
|
|
Section 6.2
|
|
Access to Information/Employees
|
|
|
A-32
|
|
Section 6.3
|
|
Reasonable Best Efforts
|
|
|
A-33
|
|
Section 6.4
|
|
Acquisition Proposals
|
|
|
A-34
|
|
Section 6.5
|
|
Fees and Expenses
|
|
|
A-36
|
|
Section 6.6
|
|
Employee Benefits Matters
|
|
|
A-37
|
|
Section 6.7
|
|
Directors and Officers Indemnification and Insurance
|
|
|
A-38
|
|
Section 6.8
|
|
Public Announcements
|
|
|
A-39
|
|
Section 6.9
|
|
Listing of Shares of Parent Common Stock
|
|
|
A-39
|
|
Section 6.10
|
|
Dividends
|
|
|
A-40
|
|
Section 6.11
|
|
Section 16 Matters
|
|
|
A-40
|
|
Section 6.12
|
|
Company Cooperation on Certain Matters
|
|
|
A-40
|
|
Section 6.13
|
|
Treatment of the Mergers as a Reorganization for
Federal Income Tax Purposes
|
|
|
A-40
|
|
A-ii
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page
|
|
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
|
|
|
A-40
|
|
Section 7.1
|
|
Conditions to Each Partys Obligation to Effect the Merger
|
|
|
A-40
|
|
Section 7.2
|
|
Additional Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Merger
|
|
|
A-41
|
|
Section 7.3
|
|
Additional Conditions to Obligations of the Company
|
|
|
A-42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VIII
TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT
|
|
|
A-43
|
|
Section 8.1
|
|
General
|
|
|
A-43
|
|
Section 8.2
|
|
Obligations in Event of Termination
|
|
|
A-44
|
|
Section 8.3
|
|
Amendment
|
|
|
A-45
|
|
Section 8.4
|
|
Extension; Waiver
|
|
|
A-45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE IX GENERAL
PROVISIONS
|
|
|
A-46
|
|
Section 9.1
|
|
Non-Survival of Representations, Warranties and Agreements
|
|
|
A-46
|
|
Section 9.2
|
|
Notices
|
|
|
A-46
|
|
Section 9.3
|
|
Headings
|
|
|
A-46
|
|
Section 9.4
|
|
Counterparts
|
|
|
A-46
|
|
Section 9.5
|
|
Entire Agreement; No Third-Party Beneficiaries
|
|
|
A-47
|
|
Section 9.6
|
|
Governing Law
|
|
|
A-47
|
|
Section 9.7
|
|
Severability
|
|
|
A-47
|
|
Section 9.8
|
|
Assignment
|
|
|
A-47
|
|
Section 9.9
|
|
Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers
|
|
|
A-47
|
|
Section 9.10
|
|
Specific Performance
|
|
|
A-47
|
|
Section 9.11
|
|
Waiver of Jury Trial
|
|
|
A-48
|
|
Section 9.12
|
|
Interpretation
|
|
|
A-48
|
|
Section 9.13
|
|
Definitions
|
|
|
A-48
|
|
A-iii
LIST OF
EXHIBITS
|
|
|
|
|
Exhibit
|
|
Title
|
|
|
A
|
|
|
Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation
|
|
B
|
|
|
Articles of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation
|
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 5, 2009
(this Agreement), among SYKES ENTERPRISES,
INCORPORATED, a Florida corporation (Parent),
SH MERGER SUBSIDIARY I, INC., a Pennsylvania corporation
and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (Merger
Sub), SH MERGER SUBSIDIARY II, LLC, a Florida limited
liability company and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent
(Merger Sub II and together with Merger Sub,
Merger Subs), and ICT GROUP, INC., a
Pennsylvania corporation (the Company and
collectively with Parent, Merger Sub and Merger Sub II, the
parties).
W I T N E S
S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of each of the Company and
Parent deem it advisable and in the best interests of their
respective corporation and stockholders that the Company and
Parent engage in a business combination;
WHEREAS, the combination of the Company and Parent shall be
effected by, and subject to, the terms of this Agreement through
a merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company in the Merger,
with the Company surviving, as set forth below, and promptly
following the Merger, the Company will merge with and into
Merger Sub II in the Second Merger;
WHEREAS, for federal income tax purposes, the parties intend
that the Mergers, taken together in the manner described in
Revenue Ruling
2001-46,
will qualify as a reorganization described in
Section 368(a) of the Code and that this Agreement shall
constitute a plan of reorganization for the purposes
of Sections 354 and 361 of the Code; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement is intended to constitute a Plan of
Merger within the meaning of Section 1922 of the
Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended (the
PBCL).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the
respective representations, warranties, covenants and agreements
set forth in this Agreement, and intending to be legally bound
hereby, the parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
THE MERGER
Section 1.1 The
Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in accordance with
the PBCL, Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company
at the Effective Time (the Merger). Following
the Merger, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall
cease and the Company shall continue as the surviving
corporation (the Surviving Corporation).
Section 1.2 Closing. Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement, the closing of the Merger (the
Closing) will take place at
10:00 a.m. Tampa, Florida time on the date that is as
soon as practicable (but in any event no later than the second
(2nd) Business Day) following the satisfaction or (subject to
applicable Law) waiver of the conditions set forth in
Article VII (excluding conditions that, by their nature,
cannot be satisfied until the Closing Date, but subject to the
fulfillment or waiver of those conditions), unless this
Agreement has been previously terminated pursuant to its terms
or unless another time or date is agreed to in writing by the
parties (the actual time and date of the Closing being referred
to herein as the Closing Date). The Closing
shall be held at the offices of Shumaker, Loop &
Kendrick, LLP, 101 E. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 2800,
Tampa, Florida 33602, or at such other place as the parties may
agree.
Section 1.3 Effective
Time. At the Closing, the Company shall
(i) file articles of merger (Articles of
Merger) in such form as is required by, and executed
and acknowledged in accordance with, the relevant provisions of
the PBCL and (ii) make all other filings or recordings
required under the PBCL in connection with the Merger. The
Merger shall become effective at 11:59 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time on the date the Articles of Merger are duly filed
with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
or on such other date or time as Parent and the Company shall
agree and as shall be specified in the Articles of
A-1
Merger (the date and time the Merger becomes effective being the
Effective Time). The date on which the
Effective Time occurs is referred to herein as the
Effective Date.
Section 1.4 Effects
of the Merger. At and after the Effective Time,
the Merger will have the effects set forth herein and in the
applicable provisions of Section 1929 of the PBCL.
Section 1.5 Bylaws. At
and after the Effective Time, the bylaws of Merger Sub, as in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be the
bylaws of the Surviving Corporation and shall read in their
entirety as set forth in Exhibit A hereto
until thereafter changed or amended as provided therein or by
applicable Law (subject to Section 6.7).
Section 1.6 Articles
of incorporation. At and after the Effective
Time, the articles of incorporation of the Company shall be
amended and restated so as to read in its entirety as set forth
in Exhibit B hereto and, as so amended and
restated, shall be the articles of incorporation of the
Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended in accordance
with its terms and as provided by applicable Law (subject to
Section 6.7).
Section 1.7 Officers
and Directors. From and after the Effective Time,
until their successors are duly elected or appointed and
qualified in accordance with applicable Law, (i) the
directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be the directors of the Surviving Corporation and
(ii) the officers of Merger Sub shall be the officers of
the Surviving Corporation.
Section 1.8 Effect
on Capital Stock.
(a) At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on the part of the holder thereof, each share
of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Merger Sub issued
and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall
be converted into one validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share,
of the Surviving Corporation.
(b) At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on the part of the holder thereof, each share
of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company
(Company Common Stock) issued and outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than shares of
Company Common Stock owned directly or indirectly by Parent or
held in treasury by the Company, all of which shall be canceled
as provided in Section 1.8(e)), shall be converted into the
right to receive:
(i) the Per Share Amount divided by two (2) in cash
without interest, and
(ii) a number of validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the
Exchange Ratio divided by two (2).
As used herein, the term Cash Consideration
means cash into which shares of Company Common Stock are
converted, the term Stock Consideration means
the Shares of Parent Common Stock into which shares of Company
Common Stock are converted and the term Merger
Consideration with respect to a given share of Company
Common Stock shall mean the combination of Cash Consideration
and Stock Consideration into which such share of Company Common
Stock is converted as contemplated hereby.
(c) As used herein, the term Exchange Ratio
means the quotient determined by dividing the Per Share
Amount by the Parent Share Measurement Value; provided that
(i) if the Parent Share Measurement Value is equal to or
less than $19.3306 the Exchange Ratio will be 0.7956 for all
purposes under this Agreement and (ii) if the Parent Share
Measurement Value is equal to or greater than $22.4652 the
Exchange Ratio shall be 0.6846 for all purposes under this
Agreement. Parent Share Measurement Value
means the volume weighted average of the per share prices of
Parent Common Stock as listed in the Nasdaq transaction
reporting system for the ten (10) consecutive trading days
ending on (and including) the third trading day immediately
prior to the Effective Time. The Exchange Ratio shall be
calculated to the nearest ten thousandth of a share of Parent
Common Stock and the Parent Share Measurement Value shall be
calculated to the nearest one hundredth of one cent.
(d) Except as set forth in Section 1.8(e) and
Section 1.9(c), as a result of the Merger and without any
action on the part of the holders thereof, at the Effective
Time, all shares of outstanding Company Common Stock shall cease
to be outstanding and shall be canceled and retired and shall
cease to exist, and each holder
A-2
of a certificate or certificates which immediately prior to the
Effective Time represented any such shares of Company Common
Stock (the Certificates) or book-entry shares
which immediately prior to the Effective Time represented shares
of Company Common Stock (the Company Book-Entry
Shares) shall thereafter cease to have any rights with
respect to such shares of Company Common Stock, except as
provided herein or by Law.
(e) Each share of Company Common Stock owned directly or
indirectly by Parent or held in treasury by the Company at the
Effective Time shall, by virtue of the Merger, cease to be
outstanding and shall be canceled and retired and no stock of
Parent or other consideration shall be delivered in exchange
therefor.
Section 1.9 Company
Stock Options and Other Equity-Based Awards.
(a) By virtue of the Merger, each option to purchase shares
of Company Common Stock under the applicable Company Stock Plans
that is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time,
whether or not then vested and exercisable (collectively, the
Options or Company Stock
Options) shall become fully vested and exercisable
immediately prior to, and then shall be canceled at, the
Effective Time, and the holder thereof shall, subject to
Section 1.9(c), be entitled to receive an amount in cash
equal to the product of (i) the excess, if any, of
(1) the Per Share Amount over (2) the exercise price
per share of Company Common Stock subject to such Option, with
the aggregate amount of such payment rounded up to the nearest
cent, and (ii) the total number of shares of Company Common
Stock subject to such fully vested and exercisable Option as in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time (the
Option Consideration). The Option
Consideration shall be paid in a lump sum as soon as practicable
after the Effective Time but in no event later than ten
(10) Business Days following the Effective Time.
(b) By virtue of the Merger, each restricted stock unit,
representing a right to receive one share of Company Common
Stock (an RSU) granted by the Company under
any Company Stock Plan, including each performance share
award denominated in RSUs, which is outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall become fully
vested, and then shall be canceled at the Effective Time, and
the holder of such vested RSU shall, subject to
Section 1.9(c), be entitled to receive an amount in cash
equal to the Per Share Amount in respect of each share of
Company Common Stock into which the vested portion of the RSU
would otherwise be convertible (the RSU
Consideration), which shall, subject to applicable
Law, be paid in a lump sum as soon as practicable after the
Effective Time but in no event later than ten (10) Business
Days following the Effective Time.
(c) All amounts payable pursuant to this Section 1.9
shall be reduced by any required withholding of taxes in
accordance with Section 2.11 and shall be paid without
interest.
(d) Any such amounts representing Option Consideration or
RSU Consideration shall be paid by Parent or the Surviving
Corporation, and any such amounts paid by the Surviving
Corporation shall be reimbursed promptly by Parent to the
Surviving Corporation following the Effective Time.
(e) Prior to the Effective Time, the Board of Directors of
the Company (or the appropriate committee thereof) shall, and
such Board of Directors (or the appropriate committee thereof)
shall cause the Company to, use its commercially reasonable
efforts to take all actions reasonably required to effectuate
the provisions of this Section 1.9.
Section 1.10 Certain
Adjustments. If, between the date of this
Agreement and the Effective Time, the outstanding Parent Common
Stock or Company Common Stock shall have been changed into a
different number of shares or different class by reason of any
reclassification, recapitalization, stock split,
split-up,
combination or exchange of shares or a stock dividend or
dividend payable in any other securities shall be declared with
a record date within such period, or any similar event shall
have occurred, the Merger Consideration shall be appropriately
adjusted to provide to the holders of Company Common Stock the
same economic effect as contemplated by this Agreement prior to
such event.
Section 1.11 Second
Merger.
(a) Immediately after the Effective Time, Parent will cause
the Surviving Corporation to merge with and into Merger
Sub II (the Second Merger and together
with the Merger, the Mergers) and the
separate
A-3
corporate existence of the Surviving Corporation shall thereupon
cease and Merger Sub II shall be the surviving entity (the
Surviving Entity) in the Second Merger.
(b) At the effective time of the Second Merger, the common
stock of the Surviving Corporation shall automatically be
converted into a membership interest in the Surviving Entity
representing 100% of the ownership interests in the Surviving
Entity.
(c) With respect to any time following the Second Merger,
references herein to the Surviving Corporation shall refer to
the Surviving Entity.
ARTICLE II
EXCHANGE OF
SHARES
Section 2.1 Exchange
Agent. Prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall
appoint a commercial bank or trust company to act as exchange
agent hereunder (which entity shall be reasonably acceptable to
the Company) for the purpose of exchanging Certificates and
Company Book-Entry Shares for the Merger Consideration (the
Exchange Agent). At or prior to the Effective
Time, Parent shall deposit with the Exchange Agent, in trust for
the benefit of holders of shares of Company Common Stock,
book-entry shares (or certificates if requested) representing
the Parent Common Stock issuable, and cash in U.S. dollars
in an amount sufficient to pay the Cash Consideration payable,
pursuant to Section 1.8 in exchange for outstanding shares
of Company Common Stock. Parent agrees to make available
directly or indirectly to the Exchange Agent from time to time
as needed, any cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent
Common Stock to be issued or paid in consideration therefor
pursuant to Section 2.6 of this Agreement and any dividends
or distributions to which such holder is entitled pursuant to
Section 2.4 of this Agreement. Any cash and shares of
Parent Common Stock deposited with the Exchange Agent shall
hereinafter be referred to as the Exchange
Fund.
Section 2.2 Exchange
Procedures.
(a) Promptly after the Effective Time, and in any event not
later than the fifth (5th) Business Day following the Effective
Time, the Surviving Corporation shall cause the Exchange Agent
to mail to each holder of record of a Certificate (i) a
letter of transmittal which shall specify that delivery shall be
effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall
pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates to the
Exchange Agent, and which letter shall be in customary form and
have such other provisions as Parent may reasonably specify
(such letter to be reasonably acceptable to the Company prior to
the Effective Time) and (ii) instructions for effecting the
surrender of such Certificates (or effective affidavits of loss
in lieu thereof) in exchange for the applicable Merger
Consideration, any cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent
Common Stock to be issued or paid in consideration therefor
pursuant to Section 2.6 of this Agreement and any dividends
or distributions to which such holder is entitled pursuant to
Section 2.4 of this Agreement. Upon surrender of a
Certificate to the Exchange Agent together with such letter of
transmittal, duly executed and completed in accordance with the
instructions thereto, and such other documents as may reasonably
be required by the Exchange Agent, the holder of such
Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor:
(A) one or more shares of Parent Common Stock (which shall
be in uncertificated book-entry form unless a physical
certificate is requested) representing, in the aggregate, the
whole number of shares that such holder has the right to receive
pursuant to Section 1.8 (after taking into account all
shares of Company Common Stock then held by such holder) and
(B) cash in the amount equal to the Cash Consideration that
such holder has the right to receive pursuant to
Section 1.8, plus cash that such holder has the right to
receive in lieu of any fractional shares of Parent Common Stock
pursuant to Section 2.6 and dividends and other
distributions pursuant to Section 2.4 (in each case, after
taking into account all shares of Company Common Stock then held
by such holder). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this Agreement, any holder of Company Book-Entry
Shares shall not be required to deliver a Certificate or an
executed letter of transmittal to the Exchange Agent to receive
the Merger Consideration that such holder is entitled to receive
pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) In the event of a transfer of ownership of a
Certificate representing Company Common Stock that is not
registered in the stock transfer records of the Company, the
Merger Consideration shall be issued or paid
A-4
in exchange therefor to a person other than the person in whose
name the Certificate so surrendered is registered if the
Certificate formerly representing such Company Common Stock
shall be properly endorsed or otherwise be in proper form for
transfer and the person requesting such payment or issuance
shall pay any transfer or other similar Taxes required by reason
of the payment or issuance to a person other than the registered
holder of the Certificate or establish to the satisfaction of
Parent that the Tax has been paid or is not applicable.
Section 2.3 [Reserved].
Section 2.4 Distributions
with Respect to Unexchanged Shares. All shares of
Parent Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement
shall be deemed issued and outstanding as of the Effective Time
and whenever a dividend or other distribution is declared by
Parent in respect of the Parent Common Stock, the record date
for which is at or after the Effective Time, that declaration
shall include dividends or other distributions in respect of all
shares issuable pursuant to this Agreement; provided that no
dividends or other distributions declared or made in respect of
the Parent Common Stock shall be paid to the holder of any
unsurrendered Certificate until the holder of such Certificate
shall surrender such Certificate in accordance with this
Article II. Subject to the effect of applicable Laws,
following surrender of any such Certificate, there shall be paid
to such holder of shares of Parent Common Stock issuable in
exchange therefor, without interest, (a) promptly after the
time of such surrender, the amount of any cash payable in lieu
of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock to which such holder
is entitled pursuant to Section 2.6 and the amount of
dividends or other distributions with a record date after the
Effective Time theretofore paid with respect to such whole
shares of Parent Common Stock, and (b) at the appropriate
payment date, the amount of dividends or other distributions
with a record date at or after the Effective Time but prior to
such surrender and a payment date subsequent to such surrender
payable with respect to such shares of Parent Common Stock.
Section 2.5 No
Further Ownership Rights. All shares of Parent
Common Stock issued and cash paid upon conversion of shares of
Company Common Stock in accordance with the terms of
Article I and this Article II (including any cash paid
pursuant to Section 1.8, Section 2.4 or
Section 2.6) shall be deemed to have been issued or paid in
full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the shares of
Company Common Stock, and no interest will be paid or will
accrue on any cash payable pursuant thereto.
Section 2.6 No
Fractional Shares of Parent Common Stock.
(a) No certificates or scrip or shares of Parent Common
Stock representing fractional shares of Parent Common Stock or
book-entry credit of the same shall be issued upon the surrender
for exchange of Certificates and such fractional share interests
will not entitle the owner thereof to vote or to have any rights
of a stockholder of Parent or a holder of shares of Parent
Common Stock.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
each holder of shares of Company Common Stock exchanged pursuant
to the Merger who would otherwise have been entitled to receive
a fraction of a share of Parent Common Stock (after taking into
account all Certificates delivered by such holder) shall
receive, in lieu thereof, cash (without interest) in an amount
equal to the product of (i) such fractional part of a share
of Parent Common Stock multiplied by (ii) the Parent Share
Measurement Value.
(c) As promptly as practicable after the determination of
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid to holders of fractional
interests, the Exchange Agent shall so notify Parent, and Parent
shall promptly deposit or cause the Surviving Corporation to
deposit such amount with the Exchange Agent and shall cause the
Exchange Agent to forward payments to such holders of fractional
interests subject to and in accordance with the terms hereof.
Section 2.7 Termination
of Exchange Fund. Any portion of the Exchange
Fund which remains undistributed to the holders of shares of
Company Common Stock for twelve (12) months after the
Effective Time shall be delivered to Parent or otherwise on the
instruction of Parent, and any holders of shares of Company
Common Stock who have not theretofore complied with this
Article II shall thereafter look only to Parent for, and
Parent shall remain liable for, the Merger Consideration to
which such holders are entitled pursuant to Section 1.8 and
Section 2.3, and any cash in lieu of fractional shares of
Parent Common Stock to which such holders are entitled pursuant
to Section 2.6 and any dividends or distributions with
respect to
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shares of Parent Common Stock to which such holders are entitled
pursuant to Section 2.4. Any such portion of the Exchange
Fund remaining unclaimed by holders of shares of Company Common
Stock five (5) years after the Effective Time (or such
earlier date immediately prior to such time as such amounts
would otherwise escheat to or become property of any
Governmental Entity) shall, to the extent permitted by Law,
become the property of the Surviving Corporation free and clear
of any claims or interest of any Person previously entitled
thereto.
Section 2.8 No
Liability. None of Parent, Merger Sub, the
Company, the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent shall
be liable to any Person in respect of any Merger Consideration
from the Exchange Fund delivered to a public official pursuant
to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Law.
Section 2.9 Investment
of the Exchange Fund. The Exchange Agent shall
invest any cash included in the Exchange Fund as directed by
Parent on a daily basis in (i) short term direct
obligations of the United States of America with maturities of
no more than 30 days, (ii) short term obligations for
which the full faith and credit of the United States of America
is pledged to provide for payment of all principal and interest
or (iii) commercial paper obligations receiving the highest
rating from either Moodys Investor Services, Inc. or
Standard & Poors; provided, that no gain or loss
thereon shall affect the amounts payable to the Company
shareholders pursuant to Article I and the other provisions
of this Article II. If for any reason (including losses)
the cash in the Exchange Fund shall be insufficient to fully
satisfy all of the payment obligations to be made in cash by the
Exchange Agent hereunder, Parent shall promptly deposit cash
into the Exchange Fund in an amount which is equal to the
deficiency in the amount of cash required to fully satisfy such
cash payment obligations. Any interest and other income
resulting from such investments shall promptly be paid to Parent.
Section 2.10 Lost
Certificates. If any Certificate shall have been
lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of
that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost,
stolen or destroyed and, if required by the Surviving
Corporation, the posting by such Person of a bond in such
reasonable amount as the Surviving Corporation may direct as
indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with
respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will deliver in
exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate the
applicable Merger Consideration with respect to the shares of
Company Common Stock formerly represented thereby, any cash in
lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock to which such
holders are entitled pursuant to Section 2.6, and unpaid
dividends and distributions on shares of Parent Common Stock to
which such holders are entitled pursuant to Section 2.4, as
the case may be, deliverable in respect thereof, pursuant to
this Agreement.
Section 2.11 Withholding
Rights. Each of the Surviving Corporation, Parent
and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold
from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this
Agreement to any holder of shares of Company Common Stock,
Company Stock Options or RSUs such amounts as it is required to
deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment
under the Code and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder, or any provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law.
To the extent that amounts are so withheld by the Surviving
Corporation, Parent or the Exchange Agent, as the case may be,
such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this
Agreement as having been paid to the holder of shares of Company
Common Stock, Company Stock Options or RSUs, as the case may be,
in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made by
the Surviving Corporation or Parent.
Section 2.12 Further
Assurances. After the Effective Time, the
officers and directors of the Surviving Corporation will be
authorized to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of
the Company or Merger Sub, any deeds, bills of sale, assignments
or assurances and to take and do, in the name and on behalf of
the Company or Merger Sub, any other actions and things to vest,
perfect or confirm of record or otherwise in the Surviving
Corporation any and all right, title and interest in, to and
under any of the rights, properties or assets acquired or to be
acquired by the Surviving Corporation as a result of, or in
connection with, the Merger.
SECTION 2.13 Stock Transfer
Books. The stock transfer books of the Company
shall be closed at the close of business on the day on which the
Effective Time occurs and there shall be no further registration
of transfers of shares of Company Common Stock thereafter on the
records of the Company. On or after the Effective Time, any
Certificates presented to the Exchange Agent or Parent for any
reason shall be converted into the Merger Consideration with
respect to the shares of Company Common Stock formerly
represented
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thereby (including any cash in lieu of fractional shares of
Parent Common Stock to which the holders thereof are entitled
pursuant to Section 2.6) and any dividends or other
distributions to which the holders thereof are entitled pursuant
to Section 2.4.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except (i) as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents filed
since January 1, 2009, but prior to the date hereof (but
excluding any risk factor disclosures contained under the
heading Risk Factors, any disclosure of risks
included in any forward-looking statements
disclaimer or any other statements that are similarly
non-specific or predictive or forward-looking in nature, in each
case, other than any specific factual information contained
therein) or (ii) as set forth in the Company Disclosure
Letter delivered by the Company to Parent prior to the execution
of this Agreement (the Company Disclosure
Letter), which identifies items of disclosure by
reference to a particular section or subsection of this
Agreement (provided, however, that any information set forth in
one section of such Company Disclosure Letter also shall be
deemed to apply to each other section and subsection of this
Agreement to which its relevance is reasonably apparent), the
Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub
as follows:
Section 3.1 Organization,
Good Standing and Qualification.
(a) Each of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries is
a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing (with respect to jurisdictions that recognize the
concept of good standing) under the Laws of its respective
jurisdiction of organization and has all requisite corporate or
similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and assets and to carry on its business as presently
conducted, except with respect to Significant Subsidiaries,
where the failure to be so organized, qualified or in good
standing, or to have such power or authority when taken together
with all other such failures, has not, and would not reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Company and its Significant
Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is
in good standing (with respect to jurisdictions that recognize
the concept of good standing) as a foreign corporation in each
jurisdiction where the ownership, leasing or operation of its
assets or properties or conduct of its business requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so organized,
qualified or in good standing, or to have such power or
authority when taken together with all other such failures, has
not, and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The Company has delivered or made available to Parent
and Merger Sub a true and complete copy of the Companys
currently effective articles of incorporation and bylaws, as
amended and restated to the date hereof. The Companys
articles of incorporation and bylaws so delivered are in full
force and effect and the Company is not in violation of its
articles of incorporation or bylaws.
(c) Section 3.1(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter
lists, as of the date of this Agreement, each Significant
Subsidiary of the Company.
Section 3.2 Capital
Structure.
(a) As of the close of business on September 29, 2009
(the Capitalization Date), the authorized
capital stock of the Company consists of
(i) 40,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock, of
which 16,072,984 shares were outstanding and no shares were
held in the treasury of the Company and
(ii) 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value
$0.01 per share, of which no shares were outstanding. There are
no other classes of capital stock of the Company authorized or
outstanding. All issued and outstanding shares of the capital
stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable, and no class of capital stock is
entitled to preemptive rights.
(b) From the close of business on the Capitalization Date
through the date of this Agreement, there have been no issuances
of shares of the capital stock or equity securities of the
Company or any other securities of the Company other than
issuances of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the
exercise of Company Stock Options or the settlement of RSU
rights outstanding as of the Capitalization Date under the
Company
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Stock Plans. There were outstanding as of the Capitalization
Date, no options, warrants, calls, commitments, agreements,
arrangements, undertakings or any other rights to acquire
capital stock from the Company other than Company Stock Options
and RSUs as set forth in Section 3.2(b) of the Company
Disclosure Letter. Section 3.2(b) of the Company Disclosure
Letter sets forth a complete and correct list, as of the
Capitalization Date, of the number of shares of Company Common
Stock subject to Company Stock Options, RSUs, or any other
rights to purchase or receive Company Common Stock granted under
the Company Stock Plans or otherwise. Immediately prior to the
Closing, the Company will provide to Parent a complete and
correct list, as of the Closing, of the number of shares of
Company Common Stock subject to Company Stock Options, RSUs or
any other rights to purchase or receive Company Common Stock
granted under the Company Stock Plans or otherwise, the dates of
grant, the extent to which such options are vested and, where
applicable, the exercise prices thereof. No options, warrants,
RSUs, calls, commitments, agreements, arrangements, undertakings
or other rights to acquire capital stock from the Company, or
other equity-based awards, have been issued or granted on or
after the Capitalization Date through the date of this Agreement.
(c) No bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness of
the Company having the right to vote (or convertible into or
exercisable for securities having the right to vote) on any
matters on which holders of capital stock of the Company may
vote are issued or outstanding.
(d) Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 3.2
or contained in Section 3.2(d) of the Company Disclosure
Letter, as of the date of this Agreement, (i) there are no
outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries except for purchases, redemptions or other
acquisitions of capital stock or other securities
(1) required by the terms of the Company Benefit Plans,
(2) in order to pay Taxes or satisfy withholding
obligations in respect of such Taxes in connection with the
exercise of Company Stock Options, or (3) as required by
the terms of, or necessary for the administration of, any plans,
arrangements or agreements existing on the date hereof between
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any director or
employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and
(ii) there are no outstanding stock-appreciation rights,
security-based performance units, phantom stock or
other security rights or other agreements, arrangements or
commitments of any character (contingent or otherwise) pursuant
to which any Person is or may be entitled to receive any payment
or other value based on the stock price performance of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than under the Company
Stock Plans) or to cause the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to file a registration statement under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the Securities Act).
(e) Except as set forth in this Section 3.2, as of the
date of this Agreement, there are no outstanding obligations of
the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries
(i) restricting the transfer of, (ii) affecting the
voting rights of, (iii) requiring the sales, issuance,
repurchase, redemption or disposition of, or containing any
right of first refusal with respect to, (iv) requiring the
registration for sale of or (v) granting any preemptive or
antidilutive rights with respect to any shares of Company Common
Stock or other Equity Interests in the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
(f) Section 3.2(f) of the Company Disclosure Letter
sets forth, as of the date hereof, for each of the
Companys Significant Subsidiaries: (i) its authorized
capital stock or other Equity Interests, (ii) the number of
its outstanding shares of capital stock or other Equity
Interests and type(s) of such outstanding shares of capital
stock or other Equity Interests and (iii) the record
owner(s) thereof. The Company owns directly or indirectly,
beneficially and of record, all of the issued and outstanding
shares of capital stock or other Equity Interests of each of the
Companys Significant Subsidiaries, free and clear of any
Liens other than Permitted Liens, and all of such shares of
capital stock or other Equity Interests have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable
and free of preemptive rights. Except for the ownership of
Equity Interests in the Companys Subsidiaries and
investments in marketable securities and cash equivalents, none
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries owns directly or
indirectly any Equity Interest in any Person, or has any
obligation or has made any commitment to acquire any such Equity
Interest, to provide funds to, or to make any investment (in the
form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in, any of
its Subsidiaries or any other Person that is or would reasonably
be expected to be material to the Company and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole.
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Section 3.3 Corporate
Authority.
(a) The Company has all requisite corporate power and
authority and has taken all corporate action necessary in order
to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this
Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby, subject, assuming the accuracy of the representations
and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set forth in
Section 4.14, only to the adoption of this Agreement by the
affirmative vote of a majority of votes cast by the holders of
Company Common Stock entitled to vote thereon (the
Company Requisite Vote), and to the filing
and recording of the Articles of Merger under the provisions of
the PBCL. The Company Requisite Vote is the only vote of the
holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Company
necessary to adopt, approve or authorize this Agreement, the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized and validly
executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by Parent and Merger Sub,
constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights
and to general equity principles (the Bankruptcy and
Equity Exception).
(b) As of the date of this Agreement, the Board of
Directors of the Company (i) has, by resolution duly
adopted at a meeting duly called and held, approved and declared
advisable this Agreement and the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) has
received the opinion of the Company Financial Advisor (as
defined in Section 3.19 below), dated the date of this
Agreement, to the effect that, as of such date and subject to
assumptions, qualifications and limitations set forth therein,
the Merger Consideration to be received by the holders of the
Company Common Stock pursuant to the Merger is fair from a
financial point of view to such holders; (iii) has resolved
to recommend adoption of this Agreement to the shareholders of
the Company; and (iv) has directed that this Agreement be
submitted to the holders of Company Common Stock for adoption.
(c) Assuming the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set forth in
Section 4.14, no fair price,
moratorium, control share acquisition or
other similar anti-takeover statute or regulation (each, a
Takeover Statute) or any anti-takeover
provision in the Companys articles of incorporation and
bylaws is, or at the Effective Time will be, applicable to the
Company Common Stock, the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Assuming the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set
forth in Section 4.14, the Board of Directors of the
Company has taken all action so that Parent will not be
prohibited from entering into a business combination
with the Company (as such term is used in the PBCL) as a result
of the execution of this Agreement, or the consummation of the
Merger or the other transactions contemplated hereby, without
any further action on the part of the Company shareholders or
the Board of Directors of the Company.
Section 3.4 Governmental
Filings; No Violations, Etc.
(a) Except for the reports, registrations, consents,
approvals, permits, authorizations, notices
and/or
filings (i) pursuant to Section 1.3 of this Agreement,
(ii) under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino
Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976, as amended (the HSR
Act), the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act),
(iii) required to be made with Nasdaq Stock Market
(Nasdaq), (iv) for or pursuant to other
applicable foreign securities Law approvals, state securities,
takeover and blue sky laws, (v) required to be
made with or to those foreign Governmental Entities (as defined
below) regulating competition, antitrust or Regulatory Laws, and
(vi) required to be made under any Environmental Law, no
notices, reports or other filings are required to be made by the
Company with, nor are any registrations, consents, approvals,
permits or authorizations required to be obtained by the Company
from, any governmental or regulatory authority, agency,
commission, body or other governmental entity
(Governmental Entity), in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the
consummation by the Company of the Mergers and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except those that
the failure to make or obtain would not reasonably be expected
to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material
Adverse Effect.
A-9
(b) None of the execution, delivery or performance of this
Agreement by the Company, the consummation by the Company of the
Mergers or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement,
or the Companys compliance with any of the provisions of
this Agreement will (with or without notice or lapse of time, or
both): (i) subject to obtaining the Company Requisite Vote,
conflict with or violate any provision of the Companys
articles of incorporation or bylaws or any equivalent
organizational or governing documents of any of the
Companys Significant Subsidiaries; (ii) assuming that
all consents, approvals, authorizations and permits described in
this Section 3.4 have been obtained and all filings and
notifications described in this Section 3.4 have been made
and any waiting periods thereunder have terminated or expired,
conflict with or violate any Law or Order applicable to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties or assets; or (iii) require any consent or
approval under, violate, conflict with, result in any breach of
or any loss of any benefit under, or constitute a default under,
or result in termination or give to others any right of
termination, vesting, amendment, acceleration or cancellation
of, or result in the creation of a Lien, other than Permitted
Liens, upon any of the respective properties or assets of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, any Contract,
permit or other instrument or obligation to which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which they or any of
their respective properties or assets may be bound or affected,
except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for any
such conflicts, violations, consents, approvals, authorizations,
permits, breaches, losses, defaults, other occurrences or Liens
which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.5 Company
Reports; Financial Statements.
(a) Since January 1, 2006, the Company has timely
filed or otherwise furnished (as applicable) all registration
statements, prospectuses, forms, reports, definitive proxy
statements, schedules, statements and documents required to be
filed by it under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the
case may be, together with all certifications required pursuant
to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act) (such documents and any other documents filed by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with the SEC, including
exhibits and other information incorporated therein as they have
been supplemented, modified or amended since the time of filing,
collectively, the Company SEC Documents). As
of their respective filing dates (or, if amended or superseded
by a filing prior to the date of this Agreement, then on the
date of such filing), the Company SEC Documents (i) did not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements made therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and
(ii) complied in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as the
case may be, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the SEC thereunder. None of the Companys
Subsidiaries is required to make any filings with the SEC. All
of the audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited
consolidated interim financial statements of the Company
included in the Company SEC Documents (together with the related
notes and schedules thereto, collectively, the Company
Financial Statements) (A) have been prepared
from, and are in accordance with, the books and records of the
Company and the Companys Subsidiaries in all material
respects, (B) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP
applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved
(except as may be indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case
of interim financial statements, for normal and recurring
year-end adjustments) and (C) fairly present in all
material respects the consolidated financial position and the
consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in
shareholders equity of the Company and its Subsidiaries as
of the dates and for the periods referred to therein.
(b) Except (a) as reflected or reserved against in the
Companys consolidated balance sheets (or the notes
thereto) included in the Company SEC Documents filed with the
SEC prior to the date hereof, (b) as permitted or
contemplated by this Agreement, (c) for liabilities and
obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business since
December 31, 2008, and (d) for liabilities or
obligations which have been discharged or paid in full in the
ordinary course of business, as of the date hereof, neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary of the Company has any liabilities or
obligations of any nature, whether or not accrued, contingent or
otherwise, other than those which are not having or would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
A-10
(c) The Company is in compliance in all material respects
with (i) the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act and (ii) the applicable listing and corporate
governance rules and regulations of Nasdaq. Except as permitted
by the Exchange Act, including Sections 13(k)(2) and (3),
since the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, neither the
Company nor any of its Affiliates has made, arranged, modified
(in any material way), or forgiven personal loans to any
executive officer or director of the Company.
(d) The Companys disclosure controls and procedures
(as defined in
Rules 13a-15(e)
and
15d-15(e) of
the Exchange Act), as required by
Rules 13a-15(a)
and
15d-15(a) of
the Exchange Act, are designed to ensure that all information
required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files
or submits under the Exchange Act is made known to the chief
executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company
by others within the Company to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure as required under the Exchange Act and is
recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time
periods specified by the SECs rules and forms. The Company
has evaluated the effectiveness of the Companys disclosure
controls and procedures and, to the extent required by
applicable Law, presented in any applicable Company SEC Document
that is a report on
Form 10-K
or
Form 10-Q,
or any amendment thereto, its conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of
the end of the period covered by such report or amendment based
on such evaluation. Based on its most recently completed
evaluation of its system of internal control over financial
reporting prior to the date of this Agreement, (i) to the
Knowledge of the Company, the Company had no significant
deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation
of its internal control over financial reporting that would
reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Companys
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
information and (ii) the Company does not have Knowledge of
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
other employees who have a significant role in the
Companys internal control over financial reporting.
(e) No attorney representing the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, whether or not employed by the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, has reported to the Companys
chief legal counsel or chief executive officer evidence of a
material violation of securities Laws, breach of fiduciary duty
or similar violation by the Company or any of its officers,
directors, employees or agents pursuant to Section 307 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(f) Since January 1, 2006, to the Knowledge of the
Company, no employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
has provided or is providing information to any law enforcement
agency or Governmental Entity regarding the commission or
possible commission of any crime or the violation or possible
violation of any applicable legal requirements of the type
described in Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(g) To the Knowledge of the Company, none of the Company
SEC Documents (other than confidential treatment requests) is
the subject of ongoing SEC review. The Company has made
available to Parent true and complete copies of all written
comment letters from the staff of the SEC received since
January 1, 2006 through the date of this Agreement relating
to the Company SEC Documents and all written responses of the
Company thereto through the date of this Agreement other than
with respect to requests for confidential treatment. As of the
date of this Agreement, there are no outstanding or unresolved
comments in comment letters received from the SEC staff with
respect to any Company SEC Documents other than confidential
treatment requests. To the Knowledge of the Company, as of the
date of this Agreement, there are no SEC inquiries or
investigations, other governmental inquiries or investigations
or internal investigations pending or threatened, in each case
regarding any accounting practices of the Company.
Section 3.6 Absence
of Certain Changes. (a) Since
January 1, 2009, the business of the Company and its
Subsidiaries has been conducted in the ordinary course in all
material respects and (b) since January 1, 2009, there
has not been a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.7 Litigation.
(a) There are no civil, criminal or administrative actions,
suits, claims, hearings, investigations or proceedings
(collectively, Actions) pending or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets or
properties that if determined adversely
A-11
to the Company would reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or, to
the Knowledge of the Company, any of their respective assets or
properties, is subject to any outstanding Order, writ,
injunction, decree or arbitration ruling, award or other finding
that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.8 Compliance
with Laws. The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries are in compliance with all Laws or Orders, except
where any such failure to be in compliance has not had, or would
not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. No investigation
or review by any Governmental Entity with respect to the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is pending or, to the Knowledge of
the Company, threatened, nor has any Governmental Entity
indicated an intention to conduct the same which, in each case,
would reasonably be expected to have a material and adverse
impact on the Company. To the Knowledge of the Company, the
Company is in material compliance with the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and any rules and regulations
thereunder.
Section 3.9 Properties. Except
as would not have, or would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect, the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, as the case may
be, (i) holds good, marketable and valid fee simple title
to all of the properties and assets reflected in the
June 30, 2009 balance sheet included in the Company SEC
Documents as being owned by the Company or one of its
Subsidiaries (collectively, with respect to real property, the
Owned Real Property) or acquired after the
date thereof that are material to the Companys business on
a consolidated basis (except for properties and assets sold or
otherwise disposed of since the date thereof in the ordinary
course of business), free and clear of all Liens, except for
Permitted Liens and other matters described in Section 3.9
of the Company Disclosure Letter, (ii) holds the Owned Real
Property, or any portion thereof or interest therein, free of
any outstanding options or rights of first refusal or offer to
purchase or lease, (iii) is the lessee of all leasehold
estates reflected in the June 30, 2009 financial statements
included in the Company SEC Documents or acquired after the date
thereof that are material to the Companys business on a
consolidated basis (except for leases that have expired by their
terms since the date thereof or been assigned, terminated or
otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business)
(collectively, with respect to real property, the
Leased Real Property) and (x) is in
possession of the properties purported to be leased thereunder,
and each such lease is valid and in full force and effect,
constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company or the
applicable Subsidiary of the Company, subject to the Bankruptcy
and Equity Exception and (y) the Company has not received
any written notice of termination or cancellation of or of a
breach or default under any such lease.
Section 3.10 Contracts.
(a) As of the date hereof, except as set forth as an
exhibit to the Company SEC Documents and on Section 3.10(a)
of the Company Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any:
(i) Contract relating to third-party indebtedness for
borrowed money or any third-party financial guaranty in excess
of $50,000.00;
(ii) non-competition agreements or any other agreements or
arrangements that materially restrict the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective Affiliates from engaging
or competing in any line of business or in any geographic area,
or which would so restrict the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries following a change in control of the
Company; or
(iii) Contract required to be filed as an exhibit to the
Companys Annual Report on
Form 10-K
pursuant to Item 601(b)(10) of
Regulation S-K
under the Securities Act.
(b) All Contracts of the type described in clauses (a)(i),
(ii) and (iii) above to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by as of the date of
this Agreement, together with the Contracts set forth on
Section 3.10(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, are
referred to herein as the Company Material
Contracts (provided that for purposes of
Section 5.1, Contracts of the type referred to in
clause (i) above
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shall not be deemed to be Company Material Contracts). Except,
in each case, as has not, and would not reasonably be expected
to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material
Adverse Effect: (i) all Company Material Contracts are
valid and binding on the Company
and/or the
relevant Subsidiary of the Company that is a party thereto and,
to the Knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto,
subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception, (ii) all
Company Material Contracts are in full force and effect,
(iii) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has
performed all material obligations required to be performed by
them under the Company Material Contracts to which they are
parties, (iv) to the Knowledge of the Company, each other
party to a Company Material Contract has performed all material
obligations required to be performed by it under such Company
Material Contract and (v) no party to any Company Material
Contract has given the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
written notice of its intention to cancel, terminate, change the
scope of rights under or fail to renew any Company Material
Contract and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries,
nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, any other party to any
Company Material Contract, has repudiated in writing any
material provision thereof. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has Knowledge of, or has received written notice
of, any violation or default under (or any condition which with
the passage of time or the giving of notice would cause such a
violation of or default under or permit termination,
modification or acceleration under) any Company Material
Contract or any other Contract to which it is a party or by
which it or any of its material properties or assets is bound,
except for violations or defaults that are not, individually or
in the aggregate, reasonably likely to result in a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.11 Employee
Benefit Plans.
(a) Section 3.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter,
sets forth a true, complete and correct list of each material
employee benefit plan as defined in
Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974, as amended (ERISA) (whether or not
subject to ERISA), and any other material plan, policy, program
practice, agreement, understanding or arrangement (whether
written or oral) providing compensation or other benefits to any
current or former director, officer, employee or consultant (or
to any dependent or beneficiary thereof) of the Company or any
ERISA Affiliate, which are now maintained, sponsored or
contributed to by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate, or under
which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate has any material
obligation or liability, whether actual or contingent, including
all incentive, bonus, deferred compensation, vacation, holiday,
cafeteria, medical, disability, stock purchase, stock option,
stock appreciation, phantom stock, restricted stock, restricted
stock unit, stock-based compensation,
change-in-control,
retention, employment, consulting, personnel or severance
policies, programs, practices, Contracts or arrangements (each,
a Company Benefit Plan), excluding Foreign
Benefit Plans. For purposes of this Agreement, the term
Foreign Benefit Plans shall mean those
Company Benefit Plans maintained, sponsored or contributed to
primarily for the benefit of current or former employees of the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate who are or were regularly
employed outside the United States (but which shall exclude any
such Company Benefit Plans to the extent required by applicable
foreign law to be so maintained, sponsored or contributed to).
Not more than ten (10) Business Days after the date hereof,
the Company shall deliver a true, complete and correct list of
each material Foreign Benefit Plan to Parent. For purposes of
this Section 3.11, ERISA Affiliate shall
mean any entity (whether or not incorporated) that, together
with any other entity, is considered under common control and
treated as one employer under Sections 414(b) or
(c) of the Code. Except as otherwise set forth in any
Company Benefit Plan, the Company has no express or implied
commitment to add, terminate, modify or change any Company
Benefit Plan in the United States, other than with respect to a
termination, modification or change required by applicable Law
or which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) With respect to each Company Benefit Plan (other than
any Foreign Benefit Plan), the Company has made available to
Parent (or, with respect to items (iv), (v), (vi) and
(vii), will provide to Parent not more than ten
(10) Business Days after the date hereof) true, complete
and correct copies of the following (as applicable):
(i) the written document evidencing such Company Benefit
Plan or, with respect to any such plan that is not in writing, a
written description of the material terms thereof; (ii) the
summary plan description; (iii) the most recent annual
report, financial statement
and/or
actuarial report; (iv) the most recent determination letter
from the Internal Revenue Service (the IRS);
(v) the most recent Form 5500 required to have been
filed with the
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IRS, including all schedules thereto; (vi) any related
trust agreements, insurance contracts or other funding
arrangements; (vii) any notices to or from the IRS or any
office or representative of the Department of Labor or Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) relating
to any unresolved compliance issues in respect of any such
Company Benefit Plan; and (viii) all material amendments,
modifications or supplements to any Company Benefit Plan. With
respect to each Foreign Benefit Plan, the Company will provide
to Parent not more than ten (10) Business Days after the
date hereof the items identified in each of clauses (i),
(vi) and (viii) above.
(c) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect, each Company Benefit Plan has been administered in
accordance with its terms, applicable Law (including
Section 409A of the Code) and any applicable collective
bargaining agreement including timely filing of all Tax, annual
reporting and other governmental filings required by ERISA and
the Code and timely contribution (or, if not yet due, proper
financial reporting) of any amounts required to be made under
the terms of any of the Company Benefit Plans as of the date of
this Agreement. With respect to each of the Company Benefit
Plans, no event has occurred and there exists no condition or
set of circumstances in connection with which the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries would be subject to any liability that,
individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected
to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Each Company Benefit
Plan that is intended to be qualified under
Section 401 of the Code has received a favorable
determination letter from the IRS to such effect and, to the
Knowledge of the Company, no fact, circumstance or event has
occurred or exists since the date of such determination letter
that would reasonably be expected to adversely affect the
qualified status of any such Company Benefit Plan. Except as
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, none of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received notice of and,
to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no audits or
investigations by any Governmental Entity with respect to, or
other actions, claims, suits or other proceedings against or
involving any Company Benefit Plan or asserting rights or claims
to benefits under any Company Benefit Plan (other than routine
claims for benefits payable in the normal course). Except as
required by applicable Law, the Company has no Company Benefit
Plan subject to ERISA that provides for any retiree healthcare
or life insurance benefits in the United States.
(d) No Company Benefit Plan is a multiemployer
plan (as defined in Sections 3(37) and 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA) or a multiple employer plan within the
meaning of Sections 4063/4064 of ERISA or
Section 413(c) of the Code and neither the Company nor any
ERISA Affiliate has sponsored or contributed to or been required
to contribute to a multiemployer plan or
multiple employer plan.
(e) Neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate maintains
or contributes to, or during the six-year period prior to the
date hereof has maintained or contributed to, any employee
benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of
ERISA that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or
Section 302 or Title IV of ERISA.
(f) Except as set forth on Section 3.11(f) of the
Company Disclosure Letter, or as otherwise contemplated by this
Agreement, the execution of this Agreement or the consummation
of the Mergers will not constitute an event that, either alone
or in conjunction with any other event, will or may result in
any payment, acceleration, termination, forgiveness of
indebtedness, vesting, distribution, increase in compensation or
benefits or obligation to fund benefits with respect to any
current or former employee or other personnel of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries. The execution of this Agreement or the
consummation of the Mergers will not constitute an event that,
either alone or in conjunction with any other event, will or may
result in (i) any material amount failing to be deductible
by reason of Section 280G of the Code or (ii) the
provision of any material reimbursement of excise Taxes under
Section 4999 of the Code or any income Taxes under the Code.
(g) Except as would not have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) each
Foreign Benefit Plan has been established, maintained and
administered in compliance with its terms and all applicable
Laws and Orders of any controlling Governmental Entity;
(ii) each Foreign Benefit Plan required to be registered
has been registered and has been maintained in good standing
with applicable regulatory authorities; and (iii) each
Foreign Benefit Plan required to be funded
and/or book
reserved is funded
and/or book
reserved, as appropriate, in accordance with applicable Law,
including any additional funding or
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annuitization requirements that may apply as a result of or in
connection with the termination,
wind-up or
partial
wind-up of
one or more Foreign Benefit Plans.
Section 3.12 Labor
Matters. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries
is in compliance with all applicable Laws of the United States,
or of any state or local government or any subdivision thereof
or of any foreign government respecting employment and
employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, wages
and hours and occupational safety and health, including the
Immigration Reform and Control Act, the Worker Adjustment
Retraining and Notification Act, any Laws respecting employment
discrimination, sexual harassment, disability rights or
benefits, equal opportunity, plant closure issues, affirmative
action, workers compensation, employee benefits, severance
payments, COBRA, labor relations, employee leave issues, wage
and hour standards, occupational safety and health requirements
and unemployment insurance and related matters, except where any
such failure to be in compliance has not had, or would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. Except as
specifically identified on Section 3.12 of the Company
Disclosure Letter, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any labor or collective
bargaining agreement (other than any industry-wide or
statutorily mandated agreement or non-material agreement in a
non-U.S. jurisdiction).
There is no unfair labor practice charge pending or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened which if determined
adversely to the Company or its Subsidiaries would reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Except as
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) to
the Knowledge of the Company, there are no organizational
campaigns, petitions or other activities or proceedings of any
labor union, workers council or labor organization seeking
recognition of a collective bargaining unit with respect to, or
otherwise attempting to represent, any of the employees of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or compel the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries to bargain with any such labor union, works
council or labor organization, (ii) there are no strikes,
slowdowns, walkouts, work stoppages or other labor-related
controversies pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
threatened and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has experienced any such strike, slowdown, walkout,
work stoppage or other labor-related controversy within the past
three (3) years.
Section 3.13 Tax.
(a) Except to the extent reserved for in the most recent
Company Financial Statements, the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries have timely filed, or have caused to be timely
filed, all material Tax Returns required to be filed, all such
Tax Returns are true, complete and accurate in all material
respects, and all material amounts of Taxes shown to be due on
such Tax Returns, or otherwise owed, have been or will be timely
paid.
(b) Except as would not have and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect, (i) no Tax authority is currently
asserting, or threatening in writing to assert, a Tax liability
(exclusive of interest) in excess of $50,000.00 in connection
with an audit or other administrative or court proceeding
involving Taxes of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
distributed stock of another corporation or has had its stock
distributed in a transaction that was purported or intended to
be governed, in whole or in part, by Section 355 or
Section 361 of the Code within the preceding five
(5) years, (iii) neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has participated, or is currently participating, in
a listed transaction as defined in Treasury
Regulations
Section 1.6011-4(b),
and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
a party to any agreement or arrangement relating to the
apportionment, sharing, assignment or allocation of Taxes (other
than an agreement or arrangement solely among the members of a
group the common parent of which is the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries), or has any liability for Taxes of any Person
(other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) under
Treasury Regulations
Section 1.1502-6
or any similar provision of state, local or foreign Law, as a
transferee or successor, by contract or otherwise.
Section 3.14 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Except as, in the aggregate, would not reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) to
the Companys Knowledge, the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use (in each case, free and
clear of any Liens), all Intellectual Property used in or
necessary for the conduct of its business as currently
conducted; (ii) to the Companys Knowledge, the use of
any Intellectual Property by the
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Company and its Subsidiaries does not infringe on or otherwise
violate the rights of any Person and is in accordance with any
applicable license pursuant to which the Company or any
Subsidiary acquired the right to use any Intellectual Property;
(iii) to the Companys Knowledge, no Person is
challenging, infringing on or otherwise violating any right of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any
Intellectual Property owned by
and/or
licensed to the Company or its Subsidiaries; and (iv) to
the Companys Knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received any written notice or otherwise has
Knowledge of any pending claim, order or proceeding with respect
to any Intellectual Property used by the Company and its
Subsidiaries and to its Knowledge no Intellectual Property owned
and/or
licensed by the Company or its Subsidiaries is being used or
enforced in a manner that would reasonably be expected to result
in the abandonment, cancellation or unenforceability of such
Intellectual Property. For purposes of this Agreement,
Intellectual Property shall mean trademarks,
service marks, brand names, certification marks, trade dress and
other indications of origin, the goodwill associated with the
foregoing and registrations in any domestic or foreign
jurisdiction of, and applications in any such jurisdiction to
register, the foregoing, including any extension, modification
or renewal of any such registration or application; inventions,
discoveries and ideas, whether patentable or not, in any
domestic or foreign jurisdiction; patents, applications for
patents (including, without limitation, divisions,
continuations, continuations in part and renewal applications),
and any renewals, extensions or reissues thereof, in any such
jurisdiction; nonpublic information, trade secrets and
confidential information and rights in any domestic or foreign
jurisdiction to limit the use or disclosure thereof by any
person; writings and other works, whether copyrightable or not,
in any such jurisdiction; and registrations or applications for
registration of copyrights in any domestic or foreign
jurisdiction, and any renewals or extensions thereof; and any
similar intellectual property or proprietary rights.
(b) The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable
steps to protect the confidentiality and value of all trade
secrets and any other confidential information that are owned,
used or held by the Company and its Subsidiaries in confidence,
including entering into licenses and Contracts that require
employees, licensees, contractors, and other Persons with access
to trade secrets or other confidential information to safeguard
and maintain the secrecy and confidentiality of such trade
secrets, except where the failure to take such reasonable steps
would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. To the
Companys Knowledge, such trade secrets have not been used,
disclosed to or discovered by any Person except pursuant to
valid and appropriate non-disclosure, license or any other
appropriate Contract which has not been breached.
Section 3.15 Environmental
Matters.
(a) The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with
all applicable Environmental Laws, and to the Companys
Knowledge any past non-compliance by the Company and its
Subsidiaries with applicable Environmental Laws has been
resolved, except for any failure to comply or to resolve past
non-compliance that would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect: (i) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has
obtained, maintained and complied with all Environmental Permits
necessary for the conduct and operation of its business as
currently operated, and the Company or any applicable Subsidiary
of the Company has not received any notice that any such
Environmental Permit is not in full force and effect; and
(ii) no such Environmental Permit is or will be subject to
review, revision, major modification or prior consent by any
Governmental Authority as a result of the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has
received any notice of any violation of or liability under
Environmental Laws, which would reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
(d) There are no pending or, to the Companys
Knowledge, threatened civil, criminal or administrative claims,
actions, proceedings, hearings, notices of violation,
investigations, arbitrations or demand letters pursuant to
Environmental Laws or with respect to Hazardous Materials
against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the
Companys Knowledge, related to the Owned Real Property,
the Leased Real Property
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or any other facility previously owned or operated by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries which would reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
(e) To the Companys Knowledge, there has been no
presence of storage tanks at or presence or release of any
Hazardous Materials on, at, or from the Owned Real Property or
the Leased Real Property or any other facility operated by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except (i) in
compliance with applicable Environmental Laws and (ii) in a
manner or in quantities or locations that would not require any
investigation, cleanup or remediation of soil or groundwater
under applicable Environmental Laws, other than any presence or
release which would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
received notice with respect to such presence or release.
(f) Neither (i) the Company nor any Subsidiary,
(ii) any predecessors of the Company or any Subsidiary nor
(iii) any entity previously owned by the Company or any
Subsidiary, has transported or arranged for the treatment,
storage, handling, disposal or transportation of any Hazardous
Material at or to any off-site location which, to the
Companys Knowledge, has resulted in, or would be
reasonably expected to result in, a liability to the Company
that has had, or would reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
(g) There are no Liens or institutional or engineering
controls applicable to any Owned Real Property or, to the
Companys Knowledge, Leased Real Property arising out of or
pursuant to Environmental Laws that have had, or would
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(h) To the Companys Knowledge, there are no other
facts, activities, circumstances or conditions that have
resulted in or would be reasonably expected to result in, the
Company incurring a liability or obligation, pursuant to any
applicable Environmental Laws that has had, or would reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.16 Insurance. Except
as has not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect, (i) each insurance policy under which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is an insured or otherwise the
principal beneficiary of coverage (collectively, the
Insurance Policies) is in full force and
effect, all premiums due thereon have been paid in full and the
Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms
and conditions of such Insurance Policy, except as has not had,
and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect,
(ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in
breach or default under any Insurance Policy, and (iii) no
event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time, would
constitute such breach or default, or permit termination or
modification, under the policy.
Section 3.17 Regulatory
Compliance.
(a) Except as has not had, and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company and its Significant
Subsidiaries holds all licenses, permits, franchises, variances,
registrations, exemptions, Orders and other governmental
authorizations, consents, approvals and clearances, and has
submitted notices to, all Governmental Entities that are
concerned with the Companys products and services (any
such Governmental Entity, a Company Regulatory
Agency), necessary for the lawful operating of the
businesses of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (the
Company Permits), and all such Company
Permits are valid, and in full force and effect. Since
January 1, 2006, there has not occurred any violation of,
default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) under,
or event giving to others any right of termination, amendment or
cancellation of, with or without notice or lapse of time or
both, any Company Permit except as has not had, and would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and
each of its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material
respects with the terms of all Company Permits, and no event has
occurred that, to the Knowledge of the Company, would reasonably
be expected to result in the revocation, cancellation,
non-renewal or adverse modification of any Company Permit,
except as has not had,
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and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse
Effect, since January 1, 2006, all applications,
submissions, information and data utilized by the Company or the
Companys Subsidiaries as the basis for, or submitted by
or, to the Knowledge of the Company, on behalf of the Company or
the Companys Subsidiaries in connection with, any and all
requests for a Company Permit relating to the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries, and its respective business and Company
Products, when submitted to a Company Regulatory Agency, were
true and correct in all material respects as of the date of
submission, and any updates, changes, corrections or
modification to such applications, submissions, information and
data required under applicable Laws have been submitted to the
Company Regulatory Agency.
(c) Since January 1, 2006, neither the Company, nor
any of its Subsidiaries, has committed any act, made any
statement or failed to make any statement that would reasonably
be expected to provide a basis for a Company Regulatory Agency
to invoke its policy with respect to Fraud, Untrue
Statements of Material Facts, Bribery, and Illegal
Gratuities, or similar policies, set forth in any
applicable Laws, except as has not had, and would not reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this
Section 3.17 do not apply to Environmental Laws or
Environmental Permits.
Section 3.18 Interested
Party Transactions. Since January 1, 2006,
there have been no transactions, agreements, arrangements or
understandings between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on
the one hand, and the Affiliates of the Company on the other
hand (other than the Companys Subsidiaries), that would be
required to be disclosed under Item 404 under
Regulation S-K
under the Exchange Act and that has not been so disclosed.
Section 3.19 Brokers
and Finders. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has employed any broker or finder or incurred any
liability for any brokerage fees, commissions or finders fees in
connection with the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, except that the Company has
employed Greenhill & Co., LLC as its sole financial
advisor (the Company Financial Advisor), and
the Company has heretofore made available to Parent a true and
complete copy of all agreements between the Company and the
Company Financial Advisor pursuant to which such firm would be
entitled to any payment relating to the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 3.20 No
Additional Representations.
(a) Except for the representations and warranties made by
the Company in this Article III, neither the Company nor
any other Person makes any express or implied representation or
warranty with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or
their respective businesses, operations, assets, liabilities,
conditions (financial or otherwise) or prospects, and the
Company hereby disclaims any such other representations or
warranties. In particular, without limiting the foregoing
disclaimer, neither the Company nor any other Person makes or
has made any representation or warranty to Parent, Merger Subs,
or any of their Affiliates or Representatives with respect to
(i) any financial projection, forecast, estimate, budget or
prospect information relating to the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, or (ii) except
for the representations and warranties made by the Company in
this Article III, any oral or written information presented
to Parent, Merger Subs or any of their Affiliates or
Representatives in the course of their due diligence
investigation of the Company, the negotiation of this Agreement
or in the course of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) The Company acknowledges and agrees that it
(i) has had the opportunity to meet with the management of
Parent and to discuss the business, assets and liabilities of
Parent and its Subsidiaries, (ii) has been afforded the
opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from
officers of Parent and (iii) has conducted its own
independent investigation of Parent and its Subsidiaries, their
respective businesses, assets, liabilities and the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
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(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to
the contrary, the Company acknowledges and agrees that none of
Parent, Merger Subs or any other Person has made or is making
any representations or warranties relating to Parent or Merger
Subs whatsoever, express or implied, beyond those expressly
given by Parent and Merger Subs in Article IV hereof,
including any implied representation or warranty as to the
accuracy or completeness of any information regarding Parent
furnished or made available the Company, or any of its
Representatives. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Company acknowledges that no representations or
warranties are made with respect to any projections, forecasts,
estimates, budgets or prospect information that may have been
made available to the Company or any of its Representatives.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUBS
Except (i) as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents filed
since January 1, 2009 but prior to the date hereof (but
excluding any risk factor disclosures contained under the
heading Risk Factors, any disclosure of risks
included in any forward-looking statements
disclaimer or any other statements that are similarly
non-specific or predictive or forward-looking in nature, in each
case, other than any specific factual information contained
therein) or (ii) as set forth in the Parent Disclosure
Letter delivered by Parent to the Company prior to the execution
of this Agreement (the Parent Disclosure
Letter), which identifies items of disclosure by
reference to a particular section or subsection of this
Agreement (provided, however, that any information set forth in
one section of such Parent Disclosure Letter also shall be
deemed to apply to each other section and subsection of this
Agreement to which its relevance is reasonably apparent), each
of Parent and Merger Subs hereby represent and warrant to the
Company as follows:
Section 4.1 Organization,
Good Standing and Qualification.
(a) Each of Parent, Merger Subs and Parents
Significant Subsidiaries is a corporation duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing (with respect to
jurisdictions that recognize the concept of good standing) under
the Laws of its respective jurisdiction of organization and has
all requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own,
lease and operate its properties and assets and to carry on its
business as presently conducted, except with respect to
Parents Subsidiaries, where the failure to be so
organized, qualified or in good standing or to have such power
or authority when taken together with all other such failures,
has not, and would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse
Effect. Each of Parent and its Significant Subsidiaries is duly
qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing
(with respect to jurisdictions that recognize the concept of
good standing) as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction
where the ownership, leasing or operation of its assets or
properties or conduct of its business requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so organized,
qualified or in good standing or to have such power or authority
when taken together with all other such failures, has not, and
would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Parent has delivered or made available to the Company a
true and complete copy of Parents and each Merger
Subs currently effective articles of incorporation and
bylaws or any equivalent organizational or governing documents,
as amended and restated to the date hereof. Such organizational
or governing documents so delivered are in full force and effect
and none of Parent or Merger Subs is in violation of such
organizational documents.
Section 4.2 Capital
Structure.
(a) As of September 29, 2009, the authorized capital
stock of Parent consisted of (i) 200,000,000 shares of
Parent common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which
41,631,700 shares were outstanding and 328,508 shares
were held in the treasury of Parent, and
(ii) 10,000,000 shares of Parent preferred stock, par
value $0.01 per share, of which no shares were outstanding and
no shares were held in the treasury of Parent. There are no
other classes of capital stock of Parent authorized or
outstanding. All issued and outstanding shares of the capital
stock of Parent are, and when shares of Parent Common Stock are
issued in connection with the Merger or pursuant to
Section 1.8 and Section 1.9, such shares will be, duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and
free of any preemptive rights.
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(b) Since June 30, 2009 to the date of this Agreement,
there have been no issuances of shares of the capital stock or
equity securities of Parent or any other securities of Parent
other than issuances of shares of Parent Common Stock pursuant
to employee benefit, director or equity compensation plans,
programs or arrangements sponsored or maintained by Parent or
any of its Subsidiaries (the Parent Benefit
Plans). There were outstanding as of June 30,
2009 no options, warrants, calls, commitments, agreements,
arrangements, undertakings or any other rights to acquire
capital stock from Parent other than options, restricted stock
and other rights to acquire capital stock from Parent under the
Parent Benefit Plans. As of September 29, 2009, there were
stock options outstanding representing the right to purchase
196,435 shares of Parent Common Stock under the Parent
Benefit Plans, and stock-settled restricted stock units and
stock appreciation rights outstanding that would entitle the
holders to receive an aggregate of 156,243 shares of Parent
Common Stock, based upon the closing price of the Parent Common
Stock on that day, and assuming the full vesting of all of such
stock-settled restricted stock units and stock appreciation
rights. No options, warrants, calls, commitments, agreements,
arrangements, undertakings or other rights to acquire capital
stock from Parent have been issued or granted since
June 30, 2009 to the date of this Agreement other than
pursuant to the Parent Benefit Plans or the ordinary course of
business in connection with employment offer letters.
(c) No bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness of
Parent having the right to vote (or convertible into or
exercisable for securities having the right to vote) on any
matters on which holders of capital stock of Parent may vote are
issued or outstanding.
(d) Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 4.2,
as of the date of this Agreement, (i) there are no
outstanding obligations of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to
repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital
stock of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries except for purchases,
redemptions or other acquisitions of capital stock or other
securities (1) required by the terms of the Parent Benefit
Plans, (2) in order to pay Taxes or satisfy withholding
obligations in respect of such Taxes in connection with the
exercise of Parent stock options, the lapse of restrictions or
settlement of awards granted pursuant to the Parent Benefit
Plans, or (3) required by the terms of any plans,
arrangements or agreements existing on the date hereof between
the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries and any director or
employee of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries and
(ii) there are no outstanding stock-appreciation rights,
security-based performance units, phantom stock or
other security rights or other agreements, arrangements or
commitments of any character (contingent or otherwise) pursuant
to which any Person is or may be entitled to receive any payment
or other value based on the stock price performance of Parent or
any of its Subsidiaries (other than ordinary course payments or
commissions to sales representatives of Parent based upon
revenues generated by them without augmentation as a result of
the transactions contemplated hereby and with respect to awards
granted under the Parent Benefit Plans).
(e) Except as set forth in Section 4.2(e) of the
Parent Disclosure Letter and with respect to awards granted
under the Parent Benefit Plans, as of the date of this
Agreement, there are no outstanding obligations of Parent or any
of its Subsidiaries (i) restricting the transfer of,
(ii) affecting the voting rights of, (iii) requiring
the sales, issuance, repurchase, redemption or disposition of,
or containing any right of first refusal with respect to,
(iv) requiring the registration for sale of or
(v) granting any preemptive or antidilutive rights with
respect to, any shares of Parent Common Stock or other Equity
Interests in Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
(f) The authorized capital stock of Merger Sub consists of
1,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share,
all of which are validly issued and outstanding. All of the
issued and outstanding capital stock of Merger Sub is, and at
the Effective Time will be, owned by Parent, and there are
(i) no other shares of capital stock or voting securities
of Merger Sub, (ii) no securities of Merger Sub convertible
into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or voting
securities of Merger Sub and (iii) no options or other
rights to acquire from Merger Sub, and no obligations of Merger
Sub to issue, any capital stock, voting securities or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock or voting
securities of Merger Sub.
(g) The outstanding Equity Interests of Merger Sub II
consist of a single membership interest which is, and at the
Effective Time will be, owned by Parent, and there are
(i) no other shares of capital stock or voting securities
of Merger Sub II, (ii) no securities of Merger Sub II
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or
voting securities of Merger Sub II and (iii) no
options or other rights to acquire from Merger
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Sub II, and no obligations of Merger Sub II to issue, any
capital stock, voting securities or securities convertible into
or exchangeable for capital stock or voting securities of Merger
Sub II.
Section 4.3 Corporate
Authority. Parent and each Merger Sub has all
requisite corporate or limited liability company power and
authority, as the case may be, and, except for the adoption of
this Agreement by Parent as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub
and the sole member of Merger Sub II (which adoption Parent
shall effect on the date hereof immediately following the
execution hereof), has taken all corporate or limited liability
company action, as the case may be, necessary in order to
execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this
Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized and validly
executed and delivered by Parent and Merger Subs, except for the
adoption of this Agreement by Parent as the sole stockholder of
Merger Sub and the sole member of Merger Sub II, and, assuming
due authorization, execution and delivery by the Company,
constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Parent and
Merger Subs enforceable against Parent and Merger Subs in
accordance with its terms, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity
Exception.
Section 4.4 Governmental
Filings; No Violations; Etc.
(a) Except for the reports, registrations, consents,
approvals, permits, authorizations, notices
and/or
filings (i) pursuant to Section 1.3 of this Agreement,
(ii) under the HSR Act, the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act, (iii) required to be made with Nasdaq, (iv) for
or pursuant to other applicable foreign securities Law
approvals, state securities, takeover and blue sky
laws, (v) required to be made with or to those foreign
Governmental Entities regulating competition, antitrust or
Regulatory Laws, and (vi) required to be made under any
Environmental Law, no notices, reports or other filings are
required to be made by Parent, Merger Subs with, nor are any
registrations, consents, approvals, permits or authorizations
required to be obtained by Parent or either Merger Sub from, any
Governmental Entity, in connection with the execution and
delivery of this Agreement by Parent or either Merger Sub and
the consummation by Parent and Merger Subs of the Mergers and
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except
those that the failure to make or obtain would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) None of the execution, delivery or performance of this
Agreement by Parent or Merger Subs, the consummation by the
Company and Merger Sub of the Merger or any other transaction
contemplated by this Agreement, or Parents or either
Merger Subs compliance with any of the provisions of this
Agreement will (with or without notice or lapse of time, or
both): (i) conflict with or violate any provision of
Parents or either Merger Subs articles of
incorporation or bylaws or any equivalent organizational or
governing documents of any of Parents Subsidiaries;
(ii) assuming that all consents, approvals, authorizations
and permits described in this Section 4.4 have been
obtained and all filings and notifications described in this
Section 4.4 have been made and any waiting periods
thereunder have terminated or expired, conflict with or violate
any Law or Order applicable to Parent, Merger Subs or their
Subsidiaries, or any of their respective properties or assets;
or (iii) require any consent or approval under, violate,
conflict with, result in any breach of or any loss of benefit
under, or constitute a default under, or result in termination
or give to others any right of termination, vesting, amendment,
acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the creation of a
Lien, other than Permitted Liens, upon any of the respective
properties or assets of Parent or any of its Significant
Subsidiaries pursuant to, any Contract, permit or other
instrument or obligation to which Parent, either Merger Sub or
any of their Subsidiaries is a party or by which they or any of
their respective properties or assets may be bound or affected,
except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for any
such conflicts, violations, consents, approvals, authorizations,
permits, breaches, defaults, losses, other occurrences or Liens
which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or
in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.5 Parent
Reports; Financial Statements.
(a) Since January 1, 2006, each of Parent and Merger
Subs has timely filed or otherwise furnished (as applicable) all
registration statements, prospectuses, forms, reports,
definitive proxy statements, schedules, statements and documents
required to be filed by it under the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act, as the case may be, together with all
certifications required pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (such
documents and any other documents filed by Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries with the SEC, including exhibits and other
information incorporated therein, as they have been
supplemented, modified or amended since the time of
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filing, collectively, the Parent SEC
Documents). As of their respective filing dates (or,
if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date of this
Agreement, then on the date of such filing), the Parent SEC
Documents (i) did not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading and (ii) complied in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act or
the Securities Act, as the case may be, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.
None of Parents Subsidiaries are required to make any
filings with the SEC. All of the audited consolidated financial
statements and unaudited consolidated interim financial
statements of Parent and Parents Subsidiaries included in
the Parent SEC Documents (together with the related notes and
schedules thereto, collectively, the Parent Financial
Statements) (A) have been prepared from, and are
in accordance with, the books and records of Parent and
Parents Subsidiaries in all material respects,
(B) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a
consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be
indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case of interim
financial statements, for normal and recurring year-end
adjustments) and (C) fairly present in all material
respects the consolidated financial position and the
consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in
stockholders equity of Parent and its Subsidiaries as of
the dates and for the periods referred to therein.
(b) Parent is in compliance in all material respects with
(i) the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and
(ii) the applicable listing and corporate governance rules
and regulations of Nasdaq. Except as permitted by the Exchange
Act, including Sections 13(k)(2) and (3), since the
enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, neither Parent nor any of
its Affiliates has made, arranged, modified (in any material
way), or forgiven personal loans to any executive officer or
director of Parent.
(c) Parents disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in
Rules 13a-15(e)
and
15d-15(e) of
the Exchange Act), as required by
Rules 13a-15(a)
and
15d-15(a) of
the Exchange Act, are designed to ensure that all information
required to be disclosed by Parent in the reports it files or
submits under the Exchange Act is made known to the chief
executive officer and the chief financial officer of Parent by
others within Parent to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure as required under the Exchange Act and is
recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time
periods specified by the SECs rules and forms. Parent has
evaluated the effectiveness of Parents disclosure controls
and procedures and, to the extent required by applicable Law,
presented in any applicable Parent SEC Document that is a report
on
Form 10-K
or
Form 10-Q,
or any amendment thereto, its conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of
the end of the period covered by such report or amendment based
on such evaluation. Based on its most recently completed
evaluation of its system of internal control over financial
reporting prior to the date of this Agreement, (i) to the
Knowledge of Parent, Parent had no significant deficiencies or
material weaknesses in the design or operation of its internal
control over financial reporting that would reasonably be
expected to adversely affect Parents ability to record,
process, summarize and report financial information and
(ii) Parent does not have Knowledge of any fraud, whether
or not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a significant role in Parents internal control over
financial reporting.
(d) No attorney representing Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries, whether or not employed by Parent or any
Subsidiary of Parent, has reported to Parents chief legal
counsel or chief executive officer evidence of a material
violation of securities Laws, breach of fiduciary duty or
similar violation by Parent or any of its officers, directors,
employees or agents pursuant to Section 307 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(e) Since January 1, 2006, to the Knowledge of the
Parent, no employee of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has
provided or is providing information to any law enforcement
agency or Governmental Entity regarding the commission or
possible commission of any crime or the violation or possible
violation of any applicable legal requirements of the type
described in Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by the
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
(f) To the Knowledge of the Parent, none of the Parent SEC
Documents is the subject of ongoing SEC review (other than
confidential treatment requests). Parent has made available to
the Company true and complete copies of all written comment
letters from the staff of the SEC received since January 1,
2006 through the date of this Agreement relating to the Parent
SEC Documents and all written responses of Parent
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thereto through the date of this Agreement other than with
respect to requests for confidential treatment. As of the date
of this Agreement, there are no outstanding or unresolved
comments in comment letters received from the SEC staff with
respect to any Parent SEC Documents other than confidential
treatment requests. To the Knowledge of Parent, as of the date
of this Agreement, there are no SEC inquiries or investigations,
other governmental inquiries or investigations or internal
investigations pending or threatened, in each case regarding any
accounting practices of Parent.
Section 4.6 Litigation.
(a) Except as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents, there
are no Actions pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent or Merger
Subs, threatened against Parent or Merger Subs or any of their
respective Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets or
properties that if determined adversely to Parent would
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries or, to the
Knowledge of Parent, any of their respective assets or
properties, is subject to any outstanding Order, writ,
injunction, decree or arbitration ruling, award or other finding
that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.7 Brokers
and Finders. Neither Parent nor any of its
Subsidiaries has employed any broker or finder or incurred any
liability for any brokerage fees, commissions or finders fees in
connection with the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, except that Parent has employed
Credit Suisse as its financial advisor (the Parent
Financial Advisor), and Parent and Merger Subs have
heretofore made available to the Company a true and complete
copy of all agreements between Parent and Merger Subs and the
Parent Financial Advisor pursuant to which such firm would be
entitled to any payment relating to the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.8 No
Business Activities. Neither Merger Sub has
conducted any activities other than in connection with the
organization of Merger Subs, the negotiation and execution of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby. Neither Merger Sub has any Subsidiaries.
Section 4.9 Board
Approval. The Board of Directors of Parent, by
resolutions duly adopted by unanimous vote, at a meeting duly
called and held and not subsequently rescinded or modified, has
duly (i) determined that this Agreement and the Mergers are
advisable and are fair to and in the best interests of Parent
and its stockholders, and (ii) approved this Agreement and
the Mergers.
Section 4.10 Vote
Required. There are no votes of the holders of
any class or series of Parent capital stock necessary to
consummate any of the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 4.11 Financing. At
Closing, Parent will have sufficient funds to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the
payment of all related fees and expenses for which Parent and
Merger Subs are responsible) and an amount of additional funds
on hand, or available pursuant to binding financing
arrangements, such that after completing such transactions
Parent and its Subsidiaries will have an amount of working
capital and other liquidity reasonable for the business, taken
as a whole (after giving effect to the Mergers). True and
complete copies of any binding commitment letters delivered
prior to the date hereof which are intended to enable Parent and
Merger Subs to perform their obligations under this Agreement
have been provided to the Company, each of which, as of the date
of hereof, is valid and in full force and effect.
Section 4.12 Absence
of Certain Changes. (a) Since
January 1, 2009, the business of Parent and its
Subsidiaries has been conducted in the ordinary course in all
material respects and (b) since January 1, 2009, there
has not been a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.13 Compliance
with Laws. Parent and each of its Subsidiaries
are in compliance with all Laws or Orders, except where any such
failure to be in compliance has not had, or would not reasonably
be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent
Material Adverse Effect. No investigation or review by any
Governmental Entity with respect to Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries is pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent,
threatened, nor has any Governmental Entity indicated an
intention to conduct the same
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which, in each case, would reasonably be expected to have a
material and adverse impact on Parent. To the Knowledge of
Parent, Parent is in material compliance with the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and any rules and
regulations thereunder.
Section 4.14 Certain
Agreements. Prior to the Board of Directors of
the Company approving this Agreement, the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby for purposes of the applicable
provisions of the PBCL, none of Parent or either Merger Sub,
alone or together with any other person, was at any time, or
became, an interested shareholder (as such term is
defined in the PBCL) thereunder or has taken any action that
would cause any anti-takeover statute under the PBCL or other
applicable state Law to be applicable to this Agreement, the
Merger, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby. Except
as set forth in Section 4.14 of the Parent Disclosure
Letter, none of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has any direct
or indirect beneficial ownership, or sole or shared voting
power, with respect to any shares of Company Common Stock.
Section 4.15 Tax.
(a) Except to the extent reserved for in the most recent
Parent Financial Statements, Parent and each of its Subsidiaries
have timely filed, or have caused to be timely filed, all
material Tax Returns required to be filed, all such Tax Returns
are true, complete and accurate in all material respects, and
all material amounts of Taxes shown to be due on such Tax
Returns, or otherwise owed, have been or will be timely paid.
(b) Except as would not have and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent
Material Adverse Effect, (i) no Tax authority is currently
asserting, or threatening in writing to assert, a Tax liability
(exclusive of interest) in excess of $100,000.00 in connection
with an audit or other administrative or court proceeding
involving Taxes of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries,
(ii) neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has
distributed stock of another corporation or has had its stock
distributed in a transaction that was purported or intended to
be governed, in whole or in part, by Section 355 or
Section 361 of the Code within the preceding five
(5) years, (iii) neither Parent nor any of its
Subsidiaries has participated, or is currently participating, in
a listed transaction as defined in Treasury
Regulations
Section 1.6011-4(b),
and (iv) neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is a
party to any agreement or arrangement relating to the
apportionment, sharing, assignment or allocation of Taxes (other
than an agreement or arrangement solely among the members of a
group the common parent of which is Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries), or has any liability for Taxes of any Person
(other than Parent or any of its Subsidiaries) under Treasury
Regulations
Section 1.1502-6
or any similar provision of state, local or foreign Law, as a
transferee or successor, by contract or otherwise.
Section 4.16 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Except as, in the aggregate, would not reasonably be
expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect, (i) to
Parents Knowledge, Parent and each of its Subsidiaries
owns, or is licensed to use (in each case, free and clear of any
Liens), all Intellectual Property used in or necessary for the
conduct of its business as currently conducted; (ii) to
Parents Knowledge, the use of any Intellectual Property by
Parent and its Subsidiaries does not infringe on or otherwise
violate the rights of any Person and is in accordance with any
applicable license pursuant to which Parent or any Subsidiary
acquired the right to use any Intellectual Property;
(iii) to Parents Knowledge, no Person is challenging,
infringing on or otherwise violating any right of Parent or any
of its Subsidiaries with respect to any Intellectual Property
owned by
and/or
licensed to Parent or its Subsidiaries; and (iv) to
Parents Knowledge, neither Parent nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received any written notice or otherwise has
Knowledge of any pending claim, order or proceeding with respect
to any Intellectual Property used by Parent and its Subsidiaries
and to its Knowledge no Intellectual Property owned
and/or
licensed by Parent or its Subsidiaries is being used or enforced
in a manner that would reasonably be expected to result in the
abandonment, cancellation or unenforceability of such
Intellectual Property. Parent and its Subsidiaries have taken
reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality and value of all
trade secrets and any other confidential information that are
owned, used or held by Parent and its Subsidiaries in
confidence, including entering into licenses and Contracts that
require employees, licensees, contractors, and other Persons
with access to trade secrets or other confidential information
to safeguard and maintain the secrecy and confidentiality of
such trade secrets. To Parents Knowledge, such trade
secrets have not been
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used, disclosed to or discovered by any Person except pursuant
to valid and appropriate non-disclosure, license or any other
appropriate Contract which has not been breached.
Section 4.17 Regulatory
Compliance.
(a) Except as has not had, and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent
Material Adverse Effect, each of Parent and its Significant
Subsidiaries holds all licenses, permits, franchises, variances,
registrations, exemptions, Orders and other governmental
authorizations, consents, approvals and clearances, and has
submitted notices to, all Governmental Entities that are
concerned with the Parents products and services (any such
Governmental Entity, a Parent Regulatory
Agency), necessary for the lawful operating of the
businesses of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (the
Parent Permits), and all such Parent Permits
are valid, and in full force and effect. Since January 1,
2006, there has not occurred any violation of, default (with or
without notice or lapse of time or both) under, or event giving
to others any right of termination, amendment or cancellation
of, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, any Parent
Permit except as has not had, and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent
Material Adverse Effect. Parent and each of its Subsidiaries are
in compliance in all material respects with the terms of all
Parent Permits, and no event has occurred that, to the Knowledge
of Parent, would reasonably be expected to result in the
revocation, cancellation, non-renewal or adverse modification of
any Parent Permit, except as has not had, and would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse
Effect, since January 1, 2006, all applications,
submissions, information and data utilized by Parent or
Parents Subsidiaries as the basis for, or submitted by or,
to the Knowledge of Parent, on behalf of Parent or Parents
Subsidiaries in connection with, any and all requests for a
Parent Permit relating to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, and
its respective business and Parent Products, when submitted a
Parent Regulatory Agency, were true and correct in all material
respects as of the date of submission, and any updates, changes,
corrections or modification to such applications, submissions,
information and data required under applicable Laws have been
submitted to the Parent Regulatory Agency.
(c) Since January 1, 2006, neither Parent, nor any of
its Subsidiaries, has committed any act, made any statement or
failed to make any statement that would reasonably be expected
to provide a basis for a Parent Regulatory Agency to invoke its
policy with respect to Fraud, Untrue Statements of
Material Facts, Bribery, and Illegal Gratuities, or
similar policies, set forth in any applicable Laws, except as
has not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
(d) For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this
Section 4.17 do not apply to Environmental Laws or
Environmental Permits.
Section 4.18 No
Additional Representations.
(a) Except for the representations and warranties made by
Parent and Merger Subs in this Article IV, none of Parent,
either Merger Sub or any other Person makes any express or
implied representation or warranty with respect to Parent and
Merger Subs or their respective Subsidiaries or their respective
businesses, operations, assets, liabilities, conditions
(financial or otherwise) or prospects, and Parent hereby
disclaims any such other representations or warranties. In
particular, without limiting the foregoing disclaimer, none of
Parent, Merger Subs or any other Person makes or has made any
representation or warranty to the Company or any of its
Affiliates or Representatives with respect to (i) any
financial projection, forecast, estimate, budget or prospect
information relating to Parent, either Merger Sub or any of
their respective Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, or
(ii) except for the representations and warranties made by
Parent and Merger Subs in this Article IV, any oral or
written information presented to the Company or any of its
Affiliates or Representatives in the course of their due
diligence investigation of Parent and Merger Subs, the
negotiation of this Agreement or in the course of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) Parent and Merger Subs each acknowledge and agree that
it (i) has had the opportunity to meet with the management
of the Company and to discuss the business, assets and
liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) has
been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of and receive
answers from officers of
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the Company, and (iii) has conducted its own independent
investigation of the Company and its Subsidiaries, their
respective businesses, assets, liabilities and the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to
the contrary, each of Parent and Merger Subs acknowledges and
agrees that neither the Company nor any Person has made or is
making any representations or warranties relating to the Company
or its Subsidiaries whatsoever, express or implied, beyond those
expressly given by the Company in Article III hereof,
including any implied representation or warranty as to the
accuracy or completeness of any information regarding the
Company furnished or made available to Parent, Merger Sub or any
of their respective Representatives. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, each of Parent and Merger Subs
acknowledges that no representations or warranties are made with
respect to any projections, forecasts, estimates, budgets or
prospect information that may have been made available to
Parent, Merger Subs or any of their respective Representatives.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS
RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
Section 5.1 Ordinary
Course. The Company covenants and agrees as to
itself and its Subsidiaries that, from the date of this
Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time and
termination of this Agreement, except as specifically permitted
by any other provision of this Agreement (or as set forth in
Section 5.1 of the Company Disclosure Letter) or required
by applicable Law or the regulations or requirements of any
stock exchange or regulatory organization applicable to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or except with Parents
prior written approval (not to be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed), the business of it and its Subsidiaries
shall be conducted in the ordinary and usual course consistent
with the Companys past practice and, to the extent
consistent therewith, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall use
their reasonable best efforts to (i) preserve their assets,
(ii) keep available the services of current officers, key
employees and consultants of the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries, (iii) preserve the Companys business
organization intact and maintain its existing relations and
goodwill with customers, suppliers, distributors, creditors, and
lessors, and (iv) comply in all material respects with all
applicable Laws. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, and as an extension thereof, except as specifically
permitted by any other provision of this Agreement (or as set
forth in Section 5.1 of the Company Disclosure Letter) or
required by applicable Law or the regulations or requirements of
any stock exchange or regulatory organization applicable to the
Company, or the terms of any Contract binding upon the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, the compliance with which shall not
cause the Company to be in material non-compliance with this
Section 5.1, the Company shall not, and shall not permit
any of its Subsidiaries to, from the date of this Agreement
until the Effective Time, directly or indirectly, do, or agree
to do, any of the following without the prior written consent of
Parent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed):
(a) amend or propose to amend the articles of incorporation
or bylaws or other comparable governing instruments of the
Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries;
(b) issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant, transfer or
encumber or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition,
grant, transfer or encumbrance of any shares of, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or options,
warrants, calls, commitments or rights of any kind to acquire,
or based on the value of, any shares of its capital stock of any
class or any Equity Interest, voting debt of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, other than the issuance of shares upon the
exercise of Options or the settlement of RSUs outstanding as of
the date hereof, in each case in accordance with the terms of
the applicable Company Stock Plan and related award agreements;
(c) other than pursuant to cash management or investment
portfolio activities in the ordinary course of business, acquire
(including by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of stock or
assets or Intellectual Property or any other business
combination) any ownership interest in any corporation,
partnership, other business organization or any division thereof
or any assets or interest in any assets from any other Person
for consideration valued in excess of $500,000.00 individually
or $1,000,000.00 in the aggregate (with the valuation of any
contingent consideration being determined in accordance with the
valuation methodology
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used by the Company in connection with determining the need to
make a notification under the HSR Act (without regard to whether
payments are being made with respect to assets within or outside
the United States));
(d) enter into any strategic licensing, joint venture,
collaboration, alliance, co-promotion or similar agreement that
involves payments by the Company to third parties in excess of
$200,000.00 individually or $500,000.00 in the aggregate for all
such contracts, provided, that no such agreement would
(i) constitute a Company Material Contract, (ii) limit
or restrict the Company or its Subsidiaries or the Parent or any
of its Affiliates (including the Surviving Corporation) or any
successor thereto, in each case, after the Effective Time, from
engaging or competing in, or require any of them to work
exclusively with the party to such agreement in, any material
line of business or in any material geographic area, other than
any limitation or restriction which the Company shall have the
right to terminate upon a change of control at no cost and with
no such continuing material restrictions or obligations to the
Company or Parent or any of their respective Subsidiaries; or
(iii) be reasonably expected to interfere with the
parties ability to consummate the Mergers;
(e) (i) purchase financial instruments that at the
time of purchase qualify as Level III assets (as defined in
FASB 157); (ii) change in a material manner the average
duration of the Companys investment portfolio or the
average credit quality of such portfolio, except for changes
that would reduce investment risk in such portfolio;
(iii) materially change investment guidelines with respect
to the Companys investment portfolio except for changes
that would reduce investment risk of the Companys
investment portfolio; (iv) hypothecate, repo, encumber or
otherwise pledge assets in the Companys investment
portfolio; or (v) invest new surplus cash from operations
in securities other than short-term liquid securities permitted
by Parents investment guidelines (which shall be
implemented by the Company with respect to such new surplus cash
as soon as practicable after the date hereof);
(f) enter into interest rate swaps, foreign exchange or
commodity agreements and other similar hedging arrangements
other than for purposes of offsetting a bona fide exposure
(including counterparty risk);
(g) merge or consolidate the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries with any Person or adopt a plan of complete or
partial liquidation or resolutions providing for a complete or
partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring,
recapitalization or other reorganization of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, other than any such transaction between or
among direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the
Company that would not result in material adverse tax
consequences or material loss of tax benefits or loss of any
material asset (including Intellectual Property);
(h) sell, pledge, dispose of, transfer, lease, license,
guarantee or encumber, or authorize the sale, pledge,
disposition, transfer, lease, license, guarantee or encumbrance
of, any material property or assets (including Intellectual
Property) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any third
party, except (i) pursuant to existing Contracts or
commitments, (ii) for the sale of goods and services in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice,
(iii) transactions involving property or assets of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries having a value no greater
than $500,000.00 in the aggregate for all such transfers (with
the valuation of any contingent consideration being determined
in accordance with the valuation methodology used by the Company
in connection with determining the need to make a notification
under the HSR Act (without regard to whether payments are being
made with respect to assets within or outside the United
States)), (iv) in connection with any waiver, release,
assignment, settlement, compromise of litigation otherwise
permitted under this Section 5.1, or (v) in connection
with cash management or investment portfolio activities in the
ordinary course of business;
(i) split, combine, reclassify, subdivide or amend the
terms of its outstanding shares of capital stock or any other
securities of the Company or enter into any agreement with
respect to voting of any of its capital stock or any securities
convertible into or exchangeable for such shares;
A-27
(j) declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other
distribution, whether payable in cash, stock, property or
otherwise, in respect of the capital stock of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, except between or among direct or indirect
wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company;
(k) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, or permit any of
its Subsidiaries to purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
shares of its capital stock, any securities convertible or
exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of capital stock or
any other securities, except for purchases, redemptions or other
acquisitions of capital stock or other securities
(i) required by the terms of the Company Stock Plans,
(ii) in order to pay Taxes or satisfy withholding
obligations in respect of such Taxes in connection with the
exercise of Company Stock Options or vesting of RSUs or the
lapse of restrictions in respect of any other Equity Interests
in the Company, in each case pursuant to the terms of the
Company Stock Plans, or (iii) required by the terms of any
plans, arrangements or agreements existing on the date hereof
and disclosed in Section 3.11(a) of the Company Disclosure
Letter between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any
director or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(l) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or issue any
debt securities or warrants or other rights to acquire debt
securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or assume,
guarantee or endorse, as an accommodation or otherwise, the
obligations of any other Person for borrowed money, in each case
other than for borrowing under the Companys existing
working capital facilities and existing letter of credit
facilities in the ordinary course;
(m) make any loans or capital contributions to, or
investments in, any Person, except for (i) loans and
capital contributions to, or investments in, Subsidiaries
organized under the laws of one of the United States,
(ii) with respect to Subsidiaries organized under the laws
of a jurisdiction other than one of the United States (a
Foreign Subsidiary), (a) loans or
capital contributions to, or investments in, Foreign
Subsidiaries which are made in the ordinary course of business
for the normal business operations of each such Foreign
Subsidiary, consistent with past practice, and
(b) additional loans or capital contributions to, or
investments in, Foreign Subsidiaries in an amount not to exceed
$250,000.00 in the aggregate for all Foreign Subsidiaries (but
excluding from the limitation in this clause (b) such loans
or capital contributions to, or investments in, one Foreign
Subsidiary made by another Foreign Subsidiary), (iii) cash
management or investment portfolio activities in the ordinary
course of business and consistently with the Companys
obligations under Section 5.1(e), and (iv) in
connection with a transaction permitted under
Section 5.1(c) or (d);
(n) make or agree to make any capital expenditures or
commit to any capital projects in excess of $500,000.00 in the
aggregate for all such capital expenditures and projects, other
than the capital expenditures and capital projects described in
Section 5.1(n) of the Company Disclosure Letter (it being
understood that any excess over such amount attributable solely
to foreign exchange fluctuation shall not be deemed to violate
this clause);
(o) terminate, cancel, renew, or request or agree to any
material amendment or material modification to, material change
in, or material waiver under, any Company Material Contract, or
enter into or materially amend any Contract that, if existing on
the date hereof, would be a Company Material Contract (in each
case, excluding the Company Material Contracts identified in
Section 3.10(a)(ii) (except for any amendment that would
expand the limitations or restrictions referenced therein));
(p) enter into an employment agreement or relationship with
any Person who earns an annual rate of base salary of more than
or equal to $150,000.00 (other than with respect to employees
hired pursuant to offers of employment outstanding on the date
hereof);
(q) enter into, modify, amend or terminate any Contract or
waive, release or assign any rights or claims thereunder, which
if so entered into, modified, amended, terminated, waived,
released or assigned would be reasonably likely to
(i) impair the ability of the Company to perform its
obligations under this Agreement in any material respect or
(ii) prevent or materially delay or impair the consummation
of the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement;
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(r) except as required pursuant to any Company Benefit
Plans, Foreign Benefit Plans, Collective Bargaining Agreements,
the terms of this Agreement or any applicable Law:
(i) grant or provide, or adopt a plan or enter into any
agreement or agreements intended to grant or provide, any
retention, change in control, severance or termination payments
or benefits to any current or former director, officer, employee
or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(ii) increase the compensation, bonus or pension, welfare,
severance or other benefits of, pay any bonus to, or make any
new equity awards to any current or former director, officer,
employee or consultant of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, except for increases in base salary, in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice for
promoted employees who are not officers and whose new position
fills a vacancy, that do not exceed three percent (3%),
(iii) establish, adopt, amend or terminate any Company
Benefit Plan or amend the terms of any outstanding equity-based
awards, (iv) take any action to accelerate the vesting or
payment, or fund or in any other way secure the payment, of
compensation or benefits under any Company Benefit Plan,
(v) change any actuarial or other assumptions used to
calculate funding obligations with respect to any Company
Benefit Plan or to change the manner in which contributions to
such plans are made or the basis on which such contributions are
determined, or (vi) issue or forgive any loans to
directors, officers, employees, contractors or any of their
respective Affiliates except for any such issuance that would
not violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and is consistent with past
practice and policy;
(s) pre-pay any long-term indebtedness for borrowed money
or change the terms or extend the maturity thereof (including
providing cash cover under any letter of credit otherwise than
as required to do so under such facility), other than borrowings
under its existing working capital facilities;
(t) make any material change in its method of accounting or
its accounting practices, policies or principles, unless
required by Law, a Governmental Entity or GAAP, and neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall (i) change its
fiscal year, (ii) make, change or revoke any material
United States Tax election, or (iii) settle or compromise
any Tax claim where the amount of cash to be paid to the
relevant taxing authority upon such settlement or compromise of
such claim exceeds $50,000.00 above any amount reserved for such
claim in the latest Company Financial Statements;
(u) waive, release, assign, settle or compromise any claim
the resolution of which (i) would involve the payment by
the Company of an amount in excess of $1,000,000.00 in the
aggregate or (ii) would involve the imposition of
injunctive relief against the Company that would materially
limit or restrict the business of Parent and its Subsidiaries
(including the Surviving Corporation) following the Effective
Time; or
(v) authorize or enter into an agreement to do any of the
foregoing.
Section 5.2 Governmental
Filings.
(a) The Company agrees that, between the date of this
Agreement and the Effective Time, the information supplied by
the Company in writing expressly for inclusion or incorporation
by reference in the
Form S-4
(as defined in Section 6.1(a)) (and any amendment thereof
or supplement thereto) will not, at the date 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 made therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, except
that no representation or warranty is made by the Company with
respect to statements made in the Proxy Statement based on
information supplied by Parent or Merger Sub in writing
expressly for inclusion therein.
(b) Parent and Merger Sub agree that, between the date of
this Agreement and the Effective Time:
(i) the information supplied by Parent or Merger Sub in
writing expressly for inclusion or incorporation by reference in
the Proxy Statement (as defined in Section 6.1(a)) (and any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto) will not, at the date
mailed to the Companys shareholders and at the time of the
meeting of the Companys shareholders to be held in
connection with the Merger, 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 made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are
made, not misleading;
A-29
(ii) the
Form S-4
(and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) will not, when
filed with the SEC, at the time of distribution or dissemination
thereof to the shareholders of the Company, 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, except that no representation or
warranty is made by Parent or Merger Sub with respect to
statements made in the
Form S-4
based on information supplied by the Company in writing
expressly for inclusion therein. The
Form S-4
will comply as to form in all material respects with the
provisions of the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations
thereunder and any other applicable federal securities Laws.
Section 5.3 Restrictions
on Parent. Parent covenants and agrees as to
itself and its Subsidiaries that, from the date of this
Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time and
termination of this Agreement, except as specifically permitted
by any other provision of this Agreement (or as set forth in
Section 5.3 of the Parent Disclosure Letter) or required by
applicable Law or the regulations or requirements of any stock
exchange or regulatory organization applicable to Parent or
except with the Companys prior written approval (not to be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), the business of
it and its Subsidiaries shall be conducted in the ordinary and
usual course consistent with Parents past practice and, to
the extent consistent therewith, Parent and its Subsidiaries
shall use their reasonable best efforts to (i) preserve
their assets, (ii) preserve Parents business
organization intact and maintain its existing relations and
goodwill with customers, suppliers, distributors, creditors and
lessors, and (iii) comply in all material respects with all
applicable Laws. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, and as an extension thereof, except as specifically
permitted by any other provision of this Agreement (or as set
forth in Section 5.3 of the Parent Disclosure Letter) or
required by applicable Law or the regulations or requirements of
any stock exchange or regulatory organization applicable to
Parent or the terms of any Contract binding upon Parent or any
of its Subsidiaries, Parent shall not, and shall not permit any
of its Subsidiaries to, from the date of this Agreement until
the Effective Time, directly or indirectly, do, or agree to do,
any of the following without the prior written consent of the
Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed:
(a) acquire (including, by merger, consolidation, or
acquisition of stock or assets) any corporation, partnership,
other business organization or any division thereof;
(b) merge or consolidate Parent with any Person (other than
a merger of a Subsidiary into Parent) or adopt a plan of
complete or partial liquidation or resolutions providing for a
complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring,
recapitalization or other reorganization of Parent;
(c) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, or permit any of
its Subsidiaries to purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
shares of its capital stock, any securities convertible or
exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of capital stock or
any other securities, for consideration in excess of
$5,000,000.00 in the aggregate, other than any purchase,
redemption or other acquisition (i) required by the terms
of the Parent Benefit Plans, (ii) in order to pay Taxes or
satisfy withholding obligations in respect of such Taxes in
connection with the exercise of Parent stock options, the lapse
of restrictions or settlement of awards granted pursuant to the
Parent Benefit Plans or (iii) required by the terms of any
plans, arrangements or agreements existing on the date hereof
between the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries and any director
or employee of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries;
(d) declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other
distribution, whether payable in cash, stock, property or
otherwise, in respect of the capital stock of Parent or any of
its Subsidiaries;
(e) enter into, modify, amend or terminate any Contract or
waive, release or assign any rights or claims thereunder, which
if so entered into, modified, amended, terminated, waived,
released or assigned would be reasonably likely to
(i) impair the ability of Parent to perform its obligations
under this Agreement in any material respect or
(ii) prevent or materially delay or impair the consummation
of the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement; or
(f) authorize or enter into an agreement to do any of the
foregoing.
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ARTICLE VI
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
Section 6.1 Preparation
of Proxy Statement; Shareholders Meeting.
(a) As promptly as reasonably practicable following the
date hereof, the Company shall prepare (with Parents
reasonable cooperation) and file with the SEC a proxy statement
to be sent to the shareholders of the Company in connection with
the Company Shareholder Meeting (such proxy statement, and any
amendments or supplements thereto, the Proxy
Statement) and Parent shall prepare (with the
Companys reasonable cooperation) and file with the SEC a
registration statement on
Form S-4
with respect to the issuance of Parent Common Stock in the
Merger (such registration statement, and any amendments or
supplements thereto, the
Form S-4).
The
Form S-4
and the Proxy Statement shall comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder
and other applicable Law. Each of Parent and the Company shall
use reasonable best efforts to have the
Form S-4
declared effective by the SEC as promptly as practicable after
the filing thereof and to keep the
Form S-4
effective as long as is necessary to consummate the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated hereby. Parent and the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable after receipt thereof,
provide the other party copies of any written comments and
advise the other party of any oral comments, with respect to the
Form S-4
and Proxy Statement received from the SEC. Parent shall provide
the Company with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment
on the
Form S-4,
and any amendment or supplement thereto, prior to filing such
with the SEC, and will promptly provide the Company with a copy
of all such filings made with the SEC. The Company shall provide
Parent with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on
the Proxy Statement, and any amendment or supplement thereto,
prior to filing such with the SEC, and will promptly provide
Parent with a copy of all such filings made with the SEC.
Notwithstanding any other provision herein to the contrary, no
amendment or supplement (including by incorporation by
reference) to the
Form S-4
or the Proxy Statement shall be made without the approval of
Parent and the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld, conditioned or delayed; provided, that with respect to
documents filed by a party which are incorporated by reference
in the
Form S-4
or Proxy Statement, this right of approval shall apply only with
respect to information relating to the other party or its
business, financial condition or results of operations; and
provided, further, that the Company, in connection with a Change
in the Company Recommendation (as defined in
Section 6.1(b)), may amend or supplement the Proxy
Statement (including by incorporation by reference) pursuant to
a Qualifying Amendment to effect such a Change in the Company
Recommendation. The Company will use reasonable best efforts to
cause the Proxy Statement to be mailed to the Companys
shareholders as soon as reasonably practicable after the
Form S-4
is declared effective under the Securities Act. Parent shall
also take any action (other than qualifying to do business in
any jurisdiction in which it is not now so qualified or to file
a general consent to service of process) required to be taken
under any applicable state securities Laws in connection with
the issuance of Parent Common Stock and the Company shall
furnish all information concerning the Company and the holders
of Company Common Stock as may be reasonably requested in
connection with any such action. Parent will advise the Company,
promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when the
Form S-4
has become effective, the issuance of any stop order, the
suspension of the qualification of the Parent Common Stock
issuable in connection with the Merger for offering or sale in
any jurisdiction, or any request by the SEC for amendment of the
Form S-4,
and the Company will advise Parent, promptly after it receives
notice thereof, of any request by the SEC for amendment of the
Proxy Statement. If at any time prior to the Effective Time any
information relating to Parent or the Company, or any of their
respective Affiliates, officers or directors, should be
discovered by Parent or the Company which should be set forth in
an amendment or supplement to any of the
Form S-4
or the Proxy Statement so that any of such documents would not
include any misstatement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
the party which discovers such information shall promptly notify
the other party hereto and, to the extent required by Law, rules
or regulations, an appropriate amendment or supplement
describing such information shall be promptly filed with the SEC
and disseminated to the shareholders of the Company.
A-31
(b) The Company shall duly take all lawful action to call,
give notice of, convene and hold a meeting of shareholders of
the Company on a date as soon as reasonably practicable
following the effectiveness of the
Form S-4
(Company Shareholder Meeting) for the purpose
of obtaining the Company Requisite Vote; provided, however, that
the Company shall be permitted to delay or postpone convening
the Company Shareholder Meeting to the extent the Board of
Directors of the Company or any committee thereof, after
consultation with outside legal counsel, reasonably believes
that such delay or postponement is consistent with its fiduciary
duties under applicable Law. The Board of Directors of the
Company shall recommend adoption of this Agreement by the
shareholders of the Company to the effect as set forth in
Section 3.3(b) (the Company
Recommendation), and shall not (x) withdraw,
modify or qualify (or publicly propose to withdraw, modify or
qualify) in any manner adverse to Parent such recommendation or
(y) approve, adopt or recommend any Acquisition Proposal
(any action described in clauses (x) or (y) being
referred to herein as a Change in the Company
Recommendation); provided the foregoing shall not
prohibit accurate disclosure (and such disclosure shall not be
deemed to be a Change in the Company Recommendation) of factual
information regarding the business, financial condition or
results of operations of Parent or the Company or the fact that
an Acquisition Proposal has been made, the identity of the party
making such proposal or the material terms of such proposal in
the Proxy Statement or otherwise, to the extent the Company in
good faith determines that such information, facts, identity or
terms is required to be disclosed under applicable Law; provided
further, that the Board of Directors of the Company may make a
Change in the Company Recommendation pursuant to
Section 6.4(d).
(c) The Company and Parent shall coordinate and cooperate
in connection with (i) the preparation of the
Form S-4,
the Proxy Statement and any other filings that are required to
consummate the Mergers and any related transactions contemplated
hereby, (ii) determining whether any action by or in
respect of, or filing with, any Governmental Entity is required
(or any actions are required to be taken under, or consents,
approvals or waivers are required to be obtained from parties
to, any Company Material Contracts and Company Benefit Plans) in
connection with the Mergers or the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, and (iii) using reasonable
best efforts to timely take any such actions (including seeking
any such consents, approvals or waivers) or making any such
filings or furnishing information required in connection
therewith or with the
Form S-4,
the Proxy Statement or any other filings.
Section 6.2 Access
to Information/Employees.
(a) Upon reasonable notice, and subject to applicable Law,
the Company shall (and shall cause its Subsidiaries to) afford
to the officers, employees, accountants, counsel, financial
advisors, financing sources and other authorized Representatives
of the Parent reasonable access during normal business hours and
upon reasonable prior notice to the Company during the period
prior to the Effective Time, to all its and its
Subsidiaries properties, books, Contracts, commitments,
records, officers and employees and, during such period as
Parent may from time to time reasonably request, and during such
period the Company shall (and shall cause its Subsidiaries to)
furnish promptly to Parent all other information concerning it,
its Subsidiaries and each of their respective businesses,
properties and personnel as Parent may reasonably request
(including consultation with respect to litigation matters);
provided, however, that the Company may restrict the foregoing
access and the disclosure of information pursuant to
Section 6.12 to the extent that (i) in the reasonable
judgment of the Company, any Law applicable to the Company
requires the Company or its Subsidiaries to restrict or prohibit
access to any such properties or information, (ii) in the
reasonable judgment of the Company, the information is subject
to confidentiality obligations to a Third Party, (iii) such
disclosure would result in disclosure of any trade secrets of
Third Parties or (iv) disclosure of any such information or
document could result in the loss of attorney-client privilege,
work product protections or other applicable privileges
(provided that the Company
and/or its
counsel shall use their reasonable best efforts to enter into
such joint defense agreements or other arrangements, as
appropriate, so as to allow for such disclosure in a manner that
does not result in the loss of such privileges or protections);
provided, however, that with respect to clauses (i) through
(iv) of this Section 6.2(a), the Company shall use its
commercially reasonable best efforts to (A) obtain the
required consent of such Third Party to provide such access or
disclosure or (B) develop an alternative to providing such
information so as to address such matters that is reasonably
acceptable to Parent and the Company.
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(b) With respect to the information disclosed pursuant to
Section 6.2(a) or Section 6.12, each of Parent and the
Company shall comply with, and shall cause such partys
Representatives to comply with, all of its obligations under the
Confidentiality Agreement, which agreement shall remain in full
force and effect in accordance with its terms.
Section 6.3 Reasonable
Best Efforts.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
each party will use its reasonable best efforts to take, or
cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done,
all things necessary, proper or advisable under this Agreement
and applicable Laws and regulations to consummate the Mergers
and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement as
soon as practicable after the date hereof, including
(i) preparing and filing, in consultation with the other
party and as promptly as practicable and advisable after the
date hereof, all documentation to effect all necessary
applications, notices, petitions, filings, Tax ruling requests
and other documents and to obtain as promptly as practicable all
consents, clearances, waivers, licenses, orders, registrations,
approvals, permits, Tax rulings and authorizations necessary or
advisable to be obtained from any Third Party
and/or any
Governmental Entity in order to consummate the Mergers or any of
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
(ii) taking all reasonable steps as may be necessary to
obtain all such material consents, clearances, waivers,
licenses, registrations, permits, authorizations, Tax rulings,
orders and approvals. In furtherance and not in limitation of
the foregoing, each party hereto agrees to make or cause to be
made, in consultation and cooperation with the other and as
promptly as practicable and advisable after the date hereof
(and, in any event, within fifteen (15) Business Days
following the date hereof), (A) an appropriate filing of a
Notification and Report Form pursuant to the HSR Act, and
(B) all other necessary registrations, declarations,
notices and filings relating to the Mergers with other
Governmental Entities under any other antitrust, competition,
trade regulation or other Regulatory Law with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby and to respond to any inquiries
received and supply as promptly as practicable any additional
information and documentary material that may be requested
pursuant to the HSR Act and any other Regulatory Law and to take
all other actions reasonably necessary to cause the expiration
or termination of the applicable waiting periods under the HSR
Act and any other Regulatory Law as soon as practicable and not
extend any waiting period under the HSR Act or any other
Regulatory Law or enter into any agreement with a Governmental
Entity not to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, except with the prior written consent of the other
party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed. If necessary to obtain any regulatory approval pursuant
to any Regulatory Law, or if any administrative or judicial
Action, including any Action by a private party, is instituted
(or threatened to be instituted by a Governmental Entity),
challenging the Merger or any other transaction contemplated by
this Agreement as violative of any Regulatory Law, each of
Parent and the Company shall cooperate with each other to
(x) obtain any regulatory approval, (y) contest and
resist any such Action, or (z) avoid the entry of or have
vacated or terminated, lifted, reversed or overturned any
decree, judgment, injunction, or other order (whether temporary,
preliminary or permanent) that would restrain, prevent or delay
the Closing or the other transactions contemplated herein.
Parent shall be responsible for all filing fees and local
counsel fees relating to any filings contemplated in the
foregoing.
(b) To the extent permissible under applicable Law, each of
Parent and the Company shall, in connection with the efforts
referenced in Section 6.3(a) to obtain all requisite
approvals, clearances and authorizations for the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement under the HSR Act or any other
Regulatory Law, use its reasonable best efforts to
(i) cooperate in all respects with each other in connection
with any filing or submission and in connection with any
investigation or other inquiry, including any proceeding
initiated by a private party, (ii) promptly inform the
other party of any communication received by such party from, or
given by such party to, the Antitrust Division of the Department
of Justice (the DOJ), the Federal Trade
Commission (the FTC) or any other
Governmental Entity and of any material communication received
or given in connection with any proceeding by a private party,
in each case regarding any of the transactions contemplated
hereby, (iii) permit the other party, or the other
partys legal counsel, to review any communication given by
it to, and consult with each other in advance of any meeting or
conference with, the DOJ, the FTC or any such other Governmental
Entity or, in connection with any proceeding by a private party,
with any other Person, (iv) give the other party the
opportunity to attend and participate in such meetings and
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conferences to the extent allowed by applicable Law or by the
applicable Governmental Entity, (v) in the event one party
is prohibited by applicable Law or by the applicable
Governmental Entity from participating in or attending any
meetings or conferences, keep the other promptly and reasonably
apprised with respect thereto and (vi) cooperate in the
filing of any memoranda, white papers, filings, correspondence,
or other written communications explaining or defending the
transactions contemplated hereby, articulating any regulatory or
competitive argument,
and/or
responding to requests or objections made by any Governmental
Entity.
(c) If any objections are asserted with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby under any Regulatory Law or if
any suit or proceeding, whether judicial or administrative, is
instituted by any Governmental Entity or any private party
challenging any of the transactions contemplated hereby as
violative of any Regulatory Law, each of Parent and the Company
shall use its reasonable best efforts to: (i) oppose or
defend against any action to prevent or enjoin consummation of
this Agreement (and the transactions contemplated herein),
and/or
(ii) take such action as reasonably necessary to overturn
any regulatory action by any Government Entity to block
consummation of this Agreement (and the transactions
contemplated herein), including by defending any suit, action,
or other legal proceeding brought by any Governmental Entity in
order to avoid entry of, or to have vacated, overturned or
terminated, including by appeal if necessary, in order to
resolve any such objections or challenge as such Governmental
Entity or private party may have to such transactions under such
Regulatory Law so as to permit consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, provided that Parent and Company
shall cooperate with one another in connection with all
proceedings related to the foregoing and Parent shall have final
decision-making authority on any action or decision required to
insure that Parent can meet its obligations in this
Section 6.3 and its ability to consummate the transaction.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to
Section 6.3(e), Parent shall and, shall cause its
Subsidiaries to, propose, negotiate, offer to commit and effect
(and if such offer is accepted, commit to and effect), by
consent decree, hold separate order, or otherwise, the sale,
divestiture or disposition of such assets or businesses of
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or effective as of the
Effective Time, the Company or its Subsidiaries, or otherwise
offer to take or offer to commit to take any action (including
any action that limits its freedom of action, ownership or
control with respect to, or its ability to retain or hold, any
of the businesses, assets, product lines, properties or services
of Parent, any of its Subsidiaries, the Surviving Corporation or
its Subsidiaries) which it is lawfully capable of taking and if
the offer is accepted, take or commit to take such action, in
each case, as may be required in order to avoid the commencement
of any Action to prohibit the Merger or any other transaction
contemplated by this Agreement, or if already commenced, to
avoid the entry of, or to effect the dissolution of, any
injunction, temporary restraining order or other order in any
Action so as to enable the Closing to occur as soon as
reasonably possible (and in any event, not later than the
Termination Date).
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Company shall not, without the consent of Parent,
publicly or before any Governmental Entity or other third party,
offer, suggest, propose or negotiate, and shall not commit to or
effect, by consent decree, hold separate order or otherwise, any
sale, divestiture, disposition, prohibition or limitation or
other action of a type described in Section 6.3(d).
Section 6.4 Acquisition
Proposals.
(a) The Company agrees that it shall not and shall cause
its Subsidiaries not to, and shall use its reasonable best
efforts to cause its and its Subsidiaries Representatives
not to, directly or indirectly, (i) initiate, solicit or
knowingly encourage any inquiries or the making of any proposal
or offer from a Third Party relating to any Acquisition
Proposal, (ii) enter into or participate in any substantive
discussion or negotiation with respect to, or provide any
confidential information or data to any Person relating to, an
Acquisition Proposal, (iii) enter into any merger
agreement, letter of intent, agreement in principle, share
purchase agreement, asset purchase agreement, share exchange
agreement, option agreement or other similar Contract relating
to an Acquisition Proposal or enter into any Contract or
agreement in principle requiring the Company to abandon,
terminate or breach its obligations hereunder or fail to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, (iv) take
any action to make the provisions of any fair price,
moratorium, control share acquisition,
business combination or other similar anti-takeover
statute or regulation (including any
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transaction under, or a Third Party becoming an interested
shareholder under, the PBCL), or any restrictive provision
of any applicable anti-takeover provision in the Companys
articles of incorporation or bylaws, inapplicable to any
transactions contemplated by an Acquisition Proposal (and, to
the extent permitted thereunder, the Company shall promptly take
all steps necessary to terminate any waiver that may have been
heretofore granted, to any Person other than Parent or any of
Parents Affiliates, under any such provisions) or
(v) resolve, propose or agree to do any of the foregoing.
The Company shall immediately cease and cause to be terminated
any solicitation, discussion or negotiation with any Persons
conducted prior to the execution of this Agreement by the
Company, its Subsidiaries or any of the Companys
Representatives with respect to any Acquisition Proposal and
shall promptly request the return or destruction of all
confidential information provided by or on behalf of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries to such Person in connection with the
consideration of any Acquisition Proposal to the extent that the
Company is entitled to have such documents returned or destroyed.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
Section 6.4(a), if at any time following the date hereof
and prior to the time on which the Company has received the
Company Requisite Vote, (i) in response to an unsolicited
Acquisition Proposal or any inquiry relating to a potential
Acquisition Proposal made or received after the date of this
Agreement from a Third Party whom the Companys Board of
Directors determines, in good faith, is credible and is
reasonably capable of making a Superior Proposal (an
Inquiry), in each case, under circumstances
not involving a breach of Section 6.4(a) in any material
respect, the Company may furnish information with respect to the
Company and its Subsidiaries to the Person making such
Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry and (ii) participate in
discussions or negotiations with the Person making such
Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry; provided that the Company
(A) will not, and will not allow the Companys
Subsidiaries and the Companys Representatives to, disclose
any information to such Person without first entering into a
confidentiality agreement with terms overall no less favorable
to the Company than those contained in the Confidentiality
Agreement and (B) will, subject to applicable Law, promptly
provide to Parent any information concerning the Company or its
Subsidiaries provided to such other Person which was not
previously provided to Parent.
(c) The Company shall promptly notify Parent in writing of
any Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry (and in no event later than
24 hours following the Companys, any of its
Subsidiaries or any Representatives receipt of the
Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry), such notice to include the
identity of the Person making such Acquisition Proposal or
Inquiry and a copy of such Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry,
including draft agreements or term sheets submitted in
connection therewith (or, where no such copy is available, a
reasonably detailed description of such Acquisition Proposal or
Inquiry), including any modifications thereto. The Company shall
keep Parent reasonably informed on a reasonably current basis of
the status of any material developments with respect to an
Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry and shall provide Parent with
copies of all written inquiries and correspondence with respect
to such Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry no later than
24 hours following the receipt thereof. The Company shall
not, and shall cause the Companys Subsidiaries not to,
enter into any Contract with any Person subsequent to the date
of this Agreement, and neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is party to any Contract, in each case, that
prohibits the Company from providing such information to Parent.
The Company shall not, and shall cause the Companys
Subsidiaries not to, terminate, waive, amend or modify, or grant
permission under, the standstill provisions of any agreement to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party which
prohibits the counterparty from making, effecting, entering
into, making or participating in any solicitation of proxies in
respect of, seeking, proposing or otherwise acting alone or in
concert with others, to influence the management or Board of the
Directors of the Company with respect to, or advising,
assisting, knowingly encouraging or acting as a financing source
for, an Acquisition Proposal. The Company shall, and shall cause
its Subsidiaries to, enforce the standstill provisions of any
such agreement, and the Company shall, and shall cause its
Subsidiaries to, immediately take all steps necessary to
terminate any waiver that may have been heretofore granted, to
any Person other than Parent or any of Parents Affiliates,
under any such provisions except, in each case, if the Board of
Directors concludes in good faith, after consultation with
outside counsel, that the failure to take such action could
reasonably be determined to be inconsistent with its fiduciary
duties under applicable Law.
A-35
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Companys Board of Directors may at any time
prior to the time that the Company receives the Company
Requisite Vote (i) effect a Change in the Company
Recommendation in response to an Intervening Event if the
Companys Board of Directors concludes in good faith, after
consultation with outside counsel, that the failure to take such
action could reasonably be determined to be inconsistent with
its fiduciary duties under applicable Law, (ii) effect a
Change in the Company Recommendation in response to an
Acquisition Proposal if the Companys Board of Directors
concludes in good faith, after consultation with outside
counsel, that the failure to take such action could reasonably
be determined to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under
applicable Law,
and/or
(iii) if the Company receives an Acquisition Proposal which
the Companys Board of Directors concludes in good faith,
after consultation with outside counsel and the Companys
financial advisors, constitutes a Superior Proposal, terminate
this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1(h) to enter into a
definitive agreement with respect to such Superior Proposal (the
Alternative Acquisition Agreement); provided,
however, that (A) the Company shall have provided prior
written notice to Parent at least five (5) Business Days in
advance of its intention to take any such action referred to in
clause (i), (ii) and (iii), (B) the Company has
negotiated in good faith with Parent since the delivery of such
notice to amend the terms of this Agreement so that the Superior
Proposal would no longer constitute a Superior Proposal, and
(C) the Acquisition Proposal remains a Superior Proposal.
(e) Nothing contained in this Section 6.4 shall
prohibit the Companys Board of Directors from
(i) taking and disclosing to the shareholders of the
Company a position contemplated by
Rule 14e-2(a)
promulgated under the Exchange Act or making a statement
contemplated by Item 1012(a) of
Regulation M-A
or
Rule 14d-9
promulgated under the Exchange Act or (ii) making any
disclosure to the Companys shareholders if the Board of
Directors of the Company determined in good faith, after
consultation with its outside counsel, that the failure to make
such disclosure could reasonably be determined to be
inconsistent with applicable Law; provided, however, that any
disclosure of a position contemplated by
Rule 14e-2(a)
or
Rule 14d-9
promulgated under the Exchange Act other than a stop, look
and listen or similar communication of the type
contemplated by
Rule 14d-9(f)
under the Exchange Act, an express rejection of any applicable
Acquisition Proposal or an express reaffirmation of its
recommendation to its shareholders in favor of the Merger shall
be deemed to be a Change in the Company Recommendation.
For purposes of this Agreement, Acquisition
Proposal means any offer or proposal by any Third
Party concerning any (i) merger, consolidation, other
business combination or similar transaction involving the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, pursuant to which such
Person would own 15% or more of the consolidated assets,
revenues or net income of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, (ii) sale, lease, license or other
disposition directly or indirectly by merger, consolidation,
business combination, share exchange, joint venture or
otherwise, of assets of the Company (including Equity Interests
of any of its Subsidiaries) or any Subsidiary of the Company
representing 15% or more of the consolidated assets, revenues or
net income of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, (iii) issuance or sale or other disposition
(including by way of merger, consolidation, business
combination, share exchange, joint venture or similar
transaction) of Equity Interests representing 15% or more of the
voting power of the Company, (iv) transaction or series of
transactions in which any Person will acquire beneficial
ownership or the right to acquire beneficial ownership of Equity
Interests representing 15% or more of the voting power of the
Company or (v) any combination of the foregoing.
For purposes of this Agreement, Superior Proposal
shall mean a bona fide written Acquisition Proposal (except
the references therein to 15% shall be replaced by
50%), which, in the good faith judgment of the
Companys Board of Directors (after consultation with the
Companys financial advisors and outside counsel), taking
into account the various legal, financial and regulatory aspects
of the proposal, including the financing terms thereof, and the
Person making such proposal (i) if accepted, is reasonably
likely to be consummated, and (ii) if consummated would
result in a transaction that is more favorable than the Merger
and the transactions contemplated hereby to the Companys
shareholders, from a financial point of view.
Section 6.5 Fees
and Expenses. Except as otherwise set forth in
this Agreement, all Expenses incurred in connection with this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be
borne solely and entirely by the party incurring such Expenses,
whether or not the Merger is consummated; provided, however,
that
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Parent and the Company shall share equally all costs and
expenses (other than attorneys and accountants fees
and expenses) incurred in relation to printing and filing and,
as applicable, mailing the
Form S-4
and Proxy Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto
and all SEC and other regulatory filing fees incurred in
connection with the
Form S-4
and Proxy Statement.
Section 6.6 Employee
Benefits Matters.
(a) Subject to Section 6.6(d), from and after the
Effective Time until the first anniversary of the Effective Time
(the Benefits Continuation Period), Parent
shall provide, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation to
provide, to each employee who was employed by the Company or its
Subsidiaries as of the Effective Time (Covered
Employee): (i) the same base salary, short term
cash incentives and severance benefits provided by the Company
or its Subsidiaries as of the Effective Time, as well as
comparable health, life and disability insurance, 401(k) and
deferred compensation benefits provided by the Company or its
Subsidiaries as of the Effective Time under the applicable
Company Benefit Plan (not taking into account for purposes of
this Section 6.6(a) only, participation in the
Companys Long Term Incentive Plan, any sales commission
plans and any changes to a Covered Employees title only),
and (ii) severance benefits which are no less advantageous
than those offered to Covered Employees under the applicable
Company Benefit Plan, Company policy or practice; provided,
however, that (A) the foregoing covenants shall not take
into account any change in control or transaction-based
retention, transition, stay or similar bonus arrangements for
purposes of defining either annual incentive and bonus
opportunities or employee benefits (as used in this
Section 6.6(a)); and (B) with respect to any Covered
Employees based outside the United States, Parents
obligations under this Section 6.6(a) shall be modified to
the extent necessary to comply with applicable Laws of the
foreign countries and political subdivisions thereof in which
such employees are based.
(b) From and after the Effective Time, Parent shall honor,
fulfill and discharge, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation
to honor, fulfill and discharge, in accordance with its
respective terms as in effect as of the date hereof or as may be
amended or terminated after the date hereof with the prior
written consent of Parent, each of the written employment,
change in control, severance and termination agreements between
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any director, officer
or employee of such company listed on Section 3.11(a) of
the Company Disclosure Letter (the CIC Severance
Agreements) and the obligations of Company and its
Subsidiaries as of the Effective Time under each deferred
compensation plan or agreement listed on Section 3.11(a) of
the Company Disclosure Letter.
(c) With respect to any Parent Benefit Plans in which
Covered Employees first become eligible to participate on or
after the Effective Time (collectively, New Benefit
Plans), Parent shall, or shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to: (i) waive any pre-existing condition
exclusions and waiting periods with respect to participation and
coverage requirements applicable to Covered Employees under any
such New Benefit Plans providing medical, dental or vision
benefits to the same extent such limitation would have been
waived or satisfied under the analogous Company Benefit Plan in
which such Covered Employee participated immediately prior to
the Effective Time, (ii) provide each Covered Employee with
credit for any co-payments and deductibles paid prior to the
Effective Time during the calendar year in which such Effective
Time occurs (or if later, paid in the year in which such Covered
Employee is first eligible to participate), to the same extent
such credit was given under the analogous Company Benefit Plan
prior to the Effective Time, in satisfying any applicable
deductible or out-of-pocket requirements under any such New
Benefit Plan in which the Covered Employee participates during
the calendar year in which such Effective Time occurs (or if
later, the year in which such Covered Employee is first eligible
to participate) and (iii) recognize all service of each
Covered Employee prior to the Effective Time to the Company, its
Subsidiaries and any predecessor entities of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries (as well as service to Parent and its
Affiliates (including the Surviving Corporation) after the
Effective Time), for all purposes (including, but not limited
to, eligibility to participate, vesting credit, entitlement to
benefits and benefit accrual) of any New Benefit Plans
(including those providing for vacation and paid time-off) in
which any Covered Employee participates after the Effective
Time; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to
the extent it would result in any duplication of benefits for
the same period of service.
A-37
(d) Nothing in this Section 6.6 shall be construed to
(i) limit the right of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries
(including, following the Closing Date, the Surviving
Corporation and its Subsidiaries) to amend or terminate any
Company Benefit Plan or other employee benefit plan, to the
extent such amendment or termination is permitted by the terms
of the applicable plan, or (ii) require Parent or any of
its Subsidiaries (including, following the Closing Date, the
Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries) to retain the
employment of any particular Covered Employee for any fixed
period of time following the Closing Date.
(e) Without limiting the generality of Section 9.5,
the provisions of this Section 6.6 are solely for the
benefit of the parties to this Agreement, and no current or
former employee, director or independent contractor or any other
individual associated therewith shall be regarded for any
purpose as a third-party beneficiary of the Agreement, and
nothing herein shall be construed as an amendment to any Company
Benefit Plan or other employee benefit plan for any purpose.
Section 6.7 Directors
and Officers Indemnification and Insurance.
(a) From and after the Effective Time, Parent shall, and
shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, (i) indemnify,
defend and hold harmless, all past and present directors,
officers and employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries (in
all of their capacities) and all fiduciaries under any Company
Benefit Plans (collectively, the Indemnified
Parties) against any costs, expenses (including
attorneys fees and expenses and disbursements), judgments,
fines, losses, claims damages or liabilities incurred in
connection with any claim, action, suit, proceeding or
investigation, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, arising out of or pertaining to the fact that the
Indemnified Party is or was a director, officer, employee or
fiduciary of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or a
fiduciary under any Company Benefit Plan or is or was serving at
the request of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a
director, officer or employee of any other corporation, limited
liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
business or non-profit enterprise (including an employee benefit
plan) whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the
Effective Time (including with respect to acts or omissions
occurring in connection with this Agreement and the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby), and provide
advancement of expenses to the Indemnified Parties (within ten
(10) days of receipt by Parent or the Surviving Corporation
from an Indemnified Party of a request therefor), in all such
cases to the same extent that such persons are indemnified or
have the right to advancement of expenses as of the date of this
Agreement by the Company pursuant to the Companys articles
of incorporation, bylaws and indemnification agreements, if any,
or by any one of the Companys Subsidiaries pursuant to
such Subsidiarys articles of incorporation, bylaws and
indemnification agreements of any Subsidiary of the Company, if
any, in existence on the date hereof, (ii) without
limitation to clause (i), to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable Law, include and cause to be maintained in effect in
the Surviving Corporations (or any successors)
articles of incorporation and bylaws for a period of six
(6) years after the Effective Time, the current provisions
regarding elimination of liability of directors, and
indemnification of and advancement of expenses to directors,
officers and employees of the Company, contained in the articles
of incorporation and bylaws of the Company and (iii) not
settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in
any proceeding or threatened Action (and in which
indemnification could be sought by an Indemnified Party
hereunder), unless such settlement, compromise or consent
includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from
all liability arising out of such Action or such Indemnified
Party otherwise consents in writing, and cooperates in the
defense of such proceeding or threatened Action. Prior to the
Effective Time, Parent will use reasonable best efforts to
obtain tail prepaid insurance policies with a claims
period of at least six (6) years from and after the
Effective Time from Parents or the Companys current
insurance carrier, or an insurance carrier with the same or
better rating as the lower rated of Parents and the
Companys current insurance carrier, with respect to
directors and officers liability insurance and
fiduciary insurance (collectively, D&O
Insurance), for the Indemnified Parties, with terms,
conditions, retentions and levels of coverage at least as
favorable as the Companys existing D&O Insurance with
respect to matters existing or occurring prior to the Effective
Time (including with respect to acts or omissions occurring in
connection with this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby). If such tail
prepaid insurance policies have been obtained, Parent shall, and
shall cause the Surviving Corporation after the Effective Time,
to maintain such policies in full force and effect, for its full
term, and to continue to honor its respective obligations
thereunder. If Parent for any reason fails to obtain such
tail prepaid insurance policies prior to the
Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall, and Parent
shall cause the Surviving
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Corporation to, continue to maintain in effect, at no expense to
the beneficiaries, for a period of at least six (6) years
from and after the Effective Time for the Indemnified Parties,
the D&O Insurance (provided that Parent (or any successor)
may substitute therefor policies of at least the same terms,
conditions, retentions and levels of coverage and amounts which
are, in the aggregate, as favorable to the Indemnified Parties
as provided in the existing policies as of the date of this
Agreement) or, if such insurance is unavailable, the Surviving
Corporation shall, and Parent shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to, purchase the best available D&O Insurance
for such six-year period from an insurance carrier with the same
or better credit rating as the Companys current insurance
carrier with respect to the Companys existing D&O
Insurance with terms, conditions, retentions and with levels of
coverage at least as favorable as provided in the Companys
existing policies as of the date of this Agreement with respect
to claims, actions, suits, proceedings or investigations,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative,
arising out of or pertaining to facts or events that occurred
prior to, at or after the Effective Time (including with respect
to acts or omissions occurring in connection with this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby).
The foregoing notwithstanding, in no event will Parent or the
Surviving Corporation be required to expend annually in excess
of 250% of the annual premium currently paid by the Company for
such coverage (and to the extent the annual premium would exceed
250% of the annual premium currently paid by the Company for
such coverage, the Surviving Corporation shall use all
reasonable efforts to cause to be maintained the maximum amount
of coverage as is available for such 250% of such annual
premium). The obligations of Parent and the Surviving
Corporation under this Section 6.7 shall not be terminated,
amended or modified in any manner so as to adversely affect any
Indemnified Party (including their successors, heirs and legal
representatives) to whom this Section 6.7 applies without
the consent of such affected Indemnified Party (it being
expressly agreed that the Indemnified Parties to whom this
Section 6.7 applies shall be third party beneficiaries of
this Section 6.7, and this Section 6.7 shall be
enforceable by such Indemnified Parties and their respective
successors, heirs and legal representatives and shall be binding
on all successors and assigns of Parent and the Surviving
Corporation).
(b) If Parent or any of its successors or assigns
(i) shall consolidate with or merge into any other
corporation or entity and shall not be the continuing or
surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger
or (ii) shall transfer all or substantially all of its
properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such
case, proper provisions shall be made so that the successors and
assigns of Parent shall assume all of the obligations set forth
in this Section 6.7.
(c) The rights of the Indemnified Parties under this
Section 6.7 shall be in addition to any rights such
Indemnified Parties may have under the articles of incorporation
or bylaws of the Surviving Corporation or any of its
Subsidiaries, or under any applicable Contracts or Laws, and
Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation to,
honor and perform under all indemnification agreements entered
into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
Section 6.8 Public
Announcements. Parent and the Company have agreed
upon the form and substance of the press release to be issued by
Parent, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand,
announcing the execution of this Agreement and the Merger, which
shall be issued promptly following the execution and delivery
hereof. Subject to Section 6.1, each of Parent and the
Company agrees that no public release, announcement,
and/or other
public statement with respect to the transactions contemplated
hereby shall be issued prior to consulting with and considering
in good faith the views of the other party, and except as such
public release, announcement,
and/or other
public statement may be required by applicable Law or the rules
or regulations of any applicable United States securities
exchange or regulatory body or Governmental Entity to which the
relevant party is subject, in which case the party required to
make the public release, announcement,
and/or other
public statement shall use its commercially reasonable efforts
to allow each other party reasonable time to comment on such
public release, announcement,
and/or other
public statement in advance of such issuance.
Section 6.9 Listing
of Shares of Parent Common Stock. Parent shall
use its reasonable best efforts to cause the shares of Parent
Common Stock to be issued in the Merger and such other shares to
be reserved for issuance in connection with the Merger to be
approved for listing on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of
issuance, prior to the Effective Time.
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Section 6.10 Dividends. Neither
Parent nor the Company shall declare, set aside or pay any
dividends with respect to their capital stock prior to the
Effective Date or the termination of this Agreement.
Section 6.11 Section 16
Matters. Prior to the Effective Time, each of
Parent and the Company shall take all such steps as may be
required to cause any dispositions of Company Common Stock
(including derivative securities with respect to Company Common
Stock) or acquisitions of Parent Common Stock resulting from the
transactions contemplated hereby by each individual who is
subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of
the Exchange Act with respect to the Company, to be exempt under
Rule 16b-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act, such steps to be taken in
accordance with the interpretive guidance set forth by the SEC.
Section 6.12 Company
Cooperation on Certain Matters. After the date
hereof and prior to the Effective Time, Parent and the Company
shall establish a mechanism, subject to applicable Law,
reasonably acceptable to both parties by which the parties will
confer on a regular and continued basis regarding the general
status of the ongoing operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries and integration planning matters and communicate
and consult with specific persons to be identified by each party
to the other with respect to the foregoing.
Section 6.13 Treatment
of the Mergers as a Reorganization for Federal
Income Tax Purposes. Parent, Merger Subs and the
Company shall not take, and shall not permit any of the
Subsidiaries (including, in the case of Parent and Merger Subs),
Affiliates, Representatives or any related person
(within the meaning of such term as used in Treasury Regulations
Section 1.368 1) to take, any action that would
prevent the Mergers, taken together in the manner described in
Revenue Ruling
2001-46,
from qualifying as a reorganization described in
Section 368(a) of the Code. Merger Sub II will not, in
connection with the transactions provided for herein, elect to
be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, be merged with or into any entity that is treated as
other than an entity whose separate existence from Parent is
disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes, transfer
any portion of its assets to an entity that is treated as a
corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes or take
any action that would cause it not to be treated as an entity
whose separate existence from Parent is disregarded for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. Parent will not, in
connection with the transactions provided for herein, take any
action which would cause Merger Sub II not to be treated as
an entity whose separate existence from Parent is disregarded
for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The parties hereto
intend that the Mergers, taken together in the manner described
in Revenue Ruling
2001-46,
shall qualify as a reorganization described in
Section 368(a) of the Code and shall not take income tax
positions inconsistent with such qualification. For the
avoidance of doubt, the parties hereto acknowledge that, in
determining whether the payment of Merger Consideration and
other relevant amounts pursuant to this Agreement satisfy the
continuity of interest requirement of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.368-1(e),
the signing date rule of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.368-1T(e)(2)
shall be inapplicable to the valuation of Parent Common Stock.
Accordingly, for such continuity of interest testing purposes,
Parent Common Stock shall be valued either (i) as of the
Effective Date if the Effective Time occurs when Nasdaq has
opened for trading on the Effective Date, or (ii) as of the
Business Day immediately preceding the Effective Date if the
Effective Time occurs when Nasdaq has not yet opened for trading
on the Effective Date.
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
Section 7.1 Conditions
to Each Partys Obligation to Effect the
Merger. The respective obligations of the
Company, Parent and Merger Sub to effect the Merger are subject
to the satisfaction or waiver (to the extent permitted by Law)
on or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions:
(a) Shareholder Approval. The Company shall have obtained
the Company Requisite Vote.
(b) No Injunctions or Restraints; Illegality. No Laws shall
have been adopted or promulgated, and no temporary restraining
order, preliminary or permanent injunction or other order,
judgment, decision, opinion or decree issued by a court or other
Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction shall be in
effect, having the effect of making the Merger illegal or
otherwise prohibiting consummation of the Merger.
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(c) Regulatory Matters. Each waiting period (and any
extension thereof) applicable to the Merger under the HSR Act or
any other applicable competition, antitrust or Regulatory Law
shall have been terminated or shall have expired or clearance or
approval shall have otherwise have been obtained or granted.
(d) Nasdaq Listing. The shares of Parent Common Stock to be
issued in the Merger shall have been approved for listing on
Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance.
(e) Effectiveness of the
Form S-4.
The
Form S-4
shall have been declared effective by the SEC under the
Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the
Form S-4
shall be in effect and no proceedings for that purpose shall be
pending before the SEC.
Section 7.2 Additional
Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Merger
Sub. The obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to
effect the Merger are subject to the satisfaction of, or waiver
by Parent, on or prior to the Closing Date of the following
conditions:
(a) Representations and Warranties. (i) Each of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in
Section 3.1 (Organization, Good Standing and
Qualification), Sections 3.2(a) and (b) (Capital Structure)
and Section 3.3 (Corporate Authority) shall be true and
correct other than in de minimis respects as of the date of this
Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as if made as of such date
(except for those representations and warranties which address
matters only as of an earlier date which shall have been true
and correct as of such earlier date), (ii) the
representation and warranty of the Company contained in
Section 3.6(b) (Absence of Certain Changes) shall be true
and correct in all respects as of the date of this Agreement and
as of the Closing Date, as if made as of such date and
(iii) each of the other representations and warranties of
the Company contained in this Agreement shall be true and
correct (without giving effect to any exception or qualification
contained therein relating to materiality or a Company Material
Adverse Effect) as of the date of this Agreement and as of the
Closing Date, as if made as of such date (except for those
representations and warranties which address matters only as of
an earlier date which shall have been true and correct as of
such earlier date), except in the case of this clause (iii),
where the failure of such other representations and warranties
to be true and correct, individually or in the aggregate, has
not had, or would not be reasonably expected to have, a Company
Material Adverse Effect. Parent shall have received a
certificate of the chief executive officer or the chief
financial officer of the Company to such effect.
(b) Performance of Obligations of the Company. The Company
shall have performed or complied in all material respects with
all material agreements and covenants required to be performed
or complied with by it under this Agreement at or prior to the
Closing Date and Parent shall have received a certificate of the
chief executive officer or the chief financial officer of the
Company to such effect.
(c) Tax Opinion. Parent and Merger Sub shall have received
an opinion from McDermott Will & Emery, on the basis
of representations and warranties set forth or referred to in
such opinion, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that
the Mergers, taken together, will be treated as a
reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code. In rendering such opinion, such
counsel shall be entitled to receive and rely upon
representations, warranties and covenants of officers of Parent,
Merger Sub, Merger Sub II, the Company or others reasonably
requested by such counsel. For the avoidance of doubt, such
opinion shall acknowledge that, in determining whether the
payment of the Merger Consideration and other relevant amounts
pursuant to this Agreement satisfy the continuity of interest
requirement of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.368-1(e),
the signing date rule of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.368-1T(e)(2)
shall be inapplicable to the valuation of Parent Common Stock.
Accordingly, for such continuity of interest testing purposes,
the opinion shall provide that Parent Common Stock shall be
valued either (i) as of the Effective Date if the Effective
Time occurs when Nasdaq has opened for trading on the Effective
Date, or (ii) as of the Business Day immediately preceding
the Effective Date if the Effective Time occurs when Nasdaq has
not yet opened for trading on the Effective Date. Furthermore,
for the purpose of determining whether the payment of the Merger
Consideration and other relevant amounts pursuant to this
Agreement satisfy the continuity of interest requirement of
Treasury
Regulation Section 1.368-1(e),
the opinion shall assume that at least forty percent (40%) of
such amounts
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must be payable in Parent Common Stock (as compared to cash or
other consideration) in order for the Mergers to be treated as
an integrated reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code. In the event that McDermott
Will & Emery is unwilling to provide such opinion,
Parent shall accept such opinion from Morgan, Lewis &
Bockius LLP, if such firm will provide the same to Parent.
Section 7.3 Additional
Conditions to Obligations of the Company. The
obligations of the Company to effect the Merger are subject to
the satisfaction of, or waiver by the Company, on or prior to
the Closing Date of the following additional conditions:
(a) Representations and Warranties. (i) Each of the
representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Subs
contained in Section 4.1 (Organization, Good Standing and
Qualification), Section 4.2(a) and (b) (Capital Structure)
and Section 4.3 (Corporate Authority) shall be true and
correct other than in de minimis respects as of the date of this
Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as if made as of such date
(except for those representations and warranties which address
matters only as of an earlier date which shall have been true
and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date),
(ii) each of the representations and warranties of Parent
and Merger Subs contained in Section 4.12(b) (Absence of
Changes) shall be true and correct in all respects as of the
date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as if made as
of such date, and (iii) each of the other representations
and warranties of Parent and Merger Subs contained in this
Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving effect to
any exception or qualification contained therein relating to
materiality or a Parent Material Adverse Effect) as of the date
of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, as if made as of
such date (except for those representations and warranties which
address matters only as of an earlier date which shall have been
true and correct as of such earlier date), except in the case of
this clause (iii), where the failure of such other
representations and warranties to be true and correct,
individually or in the aggregate, has not had, or would not be
reasonably expected to have, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
The Company shall have received a certificate of the chief
executive officer or the chief financial officer of Parent and
Merger Subs to such effect.
(b) Performance of Obligations of Parent and Merger Subs.
Parent and Merger Subs shall have performed or complied with in
all material respects all material agreements and covenants
required to be performed or complied with by it under this
Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date, and the Company shall
have received a certificate of the chief executive officer or
the chief financial officer of Parent and Merger Subs to such
effect.
(c) Tax Opinion. The Company shall have received an opinion
from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, on the basis of
representations and warranties set forth or referred to in such
opinion, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the
Mergers, taken together, will be treated as a
reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code. In rendering such opinion, such
counsel shall be entitled to receive and rely upon
representations, warranties and covenants of officers of Parent,
Merger Sub, Merger Sub II, the Company or others reasonably
requested by such counsel. For the avoidance of doubt, such
opinion shall acknowledge that, in determining whether the
payment of the Merger Consideration and other relevant amounts
pursuant to this Agreement satisfy the continuity of interest
requirement of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.368-1(e),
the signing date rule of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.368-1T(e)(2)
shall be inapplicable to the valuation of Parent Common Stock.
Accordingly, for such continuity of interest testing purposes,
the opinion shall provide that Parent Common Stock shall be
valued either (i) as of the Effective Date if the Effective
Time occurs when Nasdaq has opened for trading on the Effective
Date, or (ii) as of the Business Day immediately preceding
the Effective Date if the Effective Time occurs when Nasdaq has
not yet opened for trading on the Effective Date. Furthermore,
for the purpose of determining whether the payment of the Merger
Consideration and other relevant amounts pursuant to this
Agreement satisfy the continuity of interest requirement of
Treasury
Regulation Section 1.368-1(e),
the opinion shall assume that at least forty percent (40%) of
such amounts must be payable in Parent Common Stock (as compared
to cash or other consideration) in order for the Mergers to be
treated as an integrated reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. In the event that
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is unwilling to provide
such opinion, the Company shall accept such opinion from
McDermott Will & Emery, if such firm will provide the
same to the Company.
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ARTICLE VIII
TERMINATION
AND AMENDMENT
Section 8.1 General. This
Agreement may be terminated and the transactions contemplated
hereby may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time
notwithstanding approval thereof by the shareholders of the
Company:
(a) by mutual written consent of Parent and the Company, by
action of each of their respective Board of Directors;
(b) by either Parent or the Company, upon written notice to
the other party, if the Merger shall not have been consummated
on or prior to February 28, 2010 (such date, including any
extensions thereof, the Termination Date);
provided, however, that if a request for additional information
is received from the FTC or the DOJ pursuant to the HSR Act,
then such date shall be extended to the 30th day following
certification by Parent
and/or the
Company, as applicable, that Parent
and/or the
Company, as applicable, have substantially complied with such
request, but in any event not later than that date which is 270
calendar days after the date hereof; provided, however, that the
right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 8.1(b)
shall not be available to any party whose breach of any
provision of this Agreement has been the cause of, or resulted
in, the failure of the Merger to occur on or before the
Termination Date;
(c) by the Company, upon written notice to Parent, if
Parent or Merger Subs (i) shall have breached any of the
covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement to be
complied with by Parent or Merger Subs such that the closing
condition set forth in Section 7.3(b) would not be
satisfied or (ii) there exists a breach of any
representation or warranty of Parent or Merger Subs contained in
this Agreement such that the closing condition set forth in
Section 7.3(a) would not be satisfied, and, in the case of
both (i) and (ii), such breach is incapable of being cured
by the Termination Date;
(d) by Parent, upon written notice to the Company, if
(i) the Company shall have breached any of the covenants or
agreements contained in this Agreement to be complied with by
the Company such that the closing condition set forth in
Section 7.2(b) would not be satisfied or (ii) there
exists a breach of any representation or warranty of the Company
contained in this Agreement such that the closing condition set
forth in Section 7.2(a) would not be satisfied, and, in the
case of both (i) and (ii), such breach is incapable of
being cured by the Termination Date;
(e) by the Company or Parent, upon written notice to the
other party, if a Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction
in the United States or the European Union shall have issued an
order, judgment, decision, opinion, decree or ruling or taken
any other action (which the party seeking to terminate shall
have used its reasonable best efforts to resist, resolve, annul,
quash, or lift, as applicable, subject to the provisions of
Section 6.3) permanently enjoining or otherwise prohibiting
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, and such order, decree, ruling or action shall have
become final and non-appealable; provided, however, that the
party seeking to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
clause (e) has fulfilled its obligations under
Section 6.3;
(f) by Parent, upon written notice to the Company, if
(i) a Change in the Company Recommendation pursuant to
either Section 6.4(d)(i) or Section 6.4(d)(ii) (or any
action by any committee of the Companys Board of Directors
which, if taken by the Companys full Board of Directors,
would be a Change in the Company Recommendation pursuant to such
Sections) shall have occurred, (ii) the Company or its
Board of Directors (or any committee thereof) shall approve or
recommend, or enter into or allow the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to enter into, a merger agreement, letter of
intent, agreement in principle, share purchase agreement, asset
purchase agreement, share exchange agreement, option agreement
or other similar Contract relating to an Acquisition Proposal,
(iii) following the date any bona fide Acquisition Proposal
or any material modification thereto is first published, sent or
given to the shareholders of the Company, the Company fails to
issue a press release that expressly reaffirms the Company
Recommendation within ten (10) Business Days following
Parents written request to do so (which request may be
made by Parent one time following any such Acquisition Proposal
or any material
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modifications thereto), (iv) if any tender offer or
exchange offer is commenced by any Third Party with respect to
the outstanding Company Common Stock prior to the time at which
the Company receives the Company Requisite Vote, and the
Companys Board of Directors shall not have recommended
that the Companys shareholders reject such tender offer or
exchange offer and not tender their Company Common Stock into
such tender offer or exchange offer within ten
(10) Business Days after commencement of such tender offer
or exchange offer, unless the Company has issued a press release
that expressly reaffirms the Company Recommendation within such
ten (10) Business Day period, (v) the Company shall
have failed to include the Company Recommendation in the Proxy
Statement or (vi) the Company or its Board of Directors (or
any committee thereof) shall publicly announce its intentions to
do any of actions specified in this Section 8.1(f);
(g) by the Company or Parent, upon written notice to the
other party, if the Company Shareholder Meeting has concluded
(including any adjournment or postponement thereof) and the
Company Requisite Vote shall not have been obtained; and
(h) by the Company, upon written notice to Parent, at any
time prior to the time at which the Company receives the Company
Requisite Vote, if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines to enter into an Alternative Acquisition Agreement
with respect to a Superior Proposal, but only if the Company
(i) is not in material breach of Section 6.4, and
(ii) shall concurrently with such termination enter into
the Alternative Acquisition Agreement and the Company shall pay
the Termination Fee and reimburse Parents Expenses
pursuant to Section 8.2(b) concurrently with such
termination.
Section 8.2 Obligations
in Event of Termination.
(a) In the event of any termination of this Agreement as
provided in Section 8.1, this Agreement shall forthwith
become wholly void and of no further force and effect and there
shall be no liability or obligation on the part of Parent,
Merger Sub or the Company or their respective Subsidiaries,
officers or directors, except (i) with respect to
Section 6.2(b), Section 6.5, this Section 8.2 and
Article IX, which shall remain in full force and effect and
(ii) with respect to any liabilities or damages incurred or
suffered by a party, to the extent such liabilities or damages
were the result of fraud or the willful and material breach by
another party of any of its representations, warranties,
covenants or other agreements set forth in this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent Parent is entitled
to receive a Termination Fee and reimbursement of its Expenses
in connection with a termination of this Agreement pursuant to
the provisions of this Section 8.2, Parents receipt
thereof shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of Parent, Merger
Subs and their Affiliates against the Company and any of its
directors, officers, employees, agents, shareholders, assignees,
representatives or Affiliates for any loss or damage suffered in
connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby. For purposes of this Agreement, willful and
material breach shall mean a material breach that is a
consequence of an act undertaken by the breaching party with the
knowledge (actual or constructive) that the taking of such act
would, or would be reasonably expected to, cause a breach of
this Agreement.
(b) In the event that this Agreement is terminated
(i) by Parent pursuant to Section 8.1(d)(ii) and the
basis for such termination is a willful and material breach in
existence on the date hereof of any representation or warranty
of the Company contained in this Agreement, (ii) by Parent
pursuant to Section 8.1(d)(i) and the basis for such
termination is a willful and material breach of covenants or
agreements contained in this Agreement to be complied with by
the Company, (iii) by Parent pursuant to
Section 8.1(f) or (iv) by the Company pursuant to
Section 8.1(h), the Company shall pay to Parent a
termination fee of $7,500,000.00 (the Termination
Fee) (x) in the case of a termination pursuant to
Section 8.1(d)(ii) or Section 8.1(d)(i) under the
circumstances contemplated by clauses (i) or
(ii) above, respectively, promptly following a final
determination that the Companys willful and material
breach contemplated by such clauses (i) or (ii) above
caused the closing condition set forth in Section 7.2(a) or
Section 7.2(b), respectively, not to be satisfied,
(y) promptly (and in any event within two (2) Business
Days) following such termination, in the case of termination
pursuant to Section 8.1(f), and (z) prior to or
concurrently with such termination, in the case of termination
pursuant to Section 8.1(h). In addition, the Company shall
reimburse Parents Expenses actually incurred by Parent on
or prior to the termination of this Agreement under the
circumstances described in
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clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, provided
however, that in no event shall the Company be required to
reimburse Parents Expenses in excess of $4,500,000.00.
Such reimbursement shall be paid promptly (and in any event
within two (2) Business Days) following the Companys
receipt of an invoice therefor, provided that such invoice may
not be rendered prior to the date that the applicable
Termination Fee would be payable.
(c) In the event that this Agreement is terminated by
Parent or the Company pursuant to Section 8.1(g), then the
Company shall reimburse Parents Expenses actually incurred
by Parent on or prior to the termination of this Agreement;
provided however, that in no event shall the Company be required
to reimburse Parents Expenses in excess of $4,500,000.00.
Such reimbursement shall be paid promptly (and in any event
within two (2) Business Days) following the Companys
receipt of an invoice therefor.
(d) In the event that this Agreement is terminated by
Parent or the Company pursuant to Section 8.1(g) and
(i) at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior
to the taking of the vote to adopt this Agreement at the Company
Shareholder Meeting an Acquisition Proposal shall have been
publicly announced or publicly made known to the shareholders of
the Company and shall not have been withdrawn prior to the
taking of the vote to adopt this Agreement at the Company
Shareholder Meeting and (ii) within twelve (12) months
of such termination, the Company enters into a definitive
agreement with any Third Party with respect to any Acquisition
Proposal or any Acquisition Proposal with respect to the Company
is consummated, then the Company shall pay to Parent, not later
than two (2) Business Days after the earlier of the date
any such agreement is entered into or any such Acquisition
Proposal is consummated, an amount equal to the Termination Fee;
provided, however, that for purposes of the definition of
Acquisition Proposal in this Section 8.2(d), references to
15% shall be replaced by 50%.
(e) All payments under this Section 8.2 shall be made
by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account
designated in writing by Parent. In no event shall the Company
be required to pay the Termination Fee or reimburse
Parents Expenses on more than one occasion.
(f) If the Company shall fail to pay the Termination Fee or
reimburse Parents Expenses, the Company shall reimburse
Parent for all reasonable costs and expenses actually incurred
or accrued by Parent (including reasonable Expenses of counsel)
in connection with the collection under and enforcement of this
Section 8.2 from the date such payment was required to be
made until the date of payment at the prime lending rate
prevailing during such period as published in The Wall Street
Journal.
Section 8.3 Amendment. This
Agreement may be amended by the parties, by action taken or
authorized by their respective Boards of Directors, at any time
before or after approval of the matters presented in connection
with the Merger by the shareholders of the Company, but, after
any such approval by the shareholders of the Company, no
amendment shall be made which, by Law or in accordance with the
rules of any relevant stock exchange, requires further approval
by such shareholders without obtaining such further approval.
This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in
writing signed on behalf of each of the parties.
Section 8.4 Extension;
Waiver. At any time prior to the Effective Time,
the parties, by action taken or authorized by their respective
Boards of Directors, may, to the extent legally allowed,
(i) extend the time for the performance of any of the
obligations or other acts of the other parties, (ii) waive
any breach of or inaccuracy in the representations and
warranties of the other contained herein or in any document
delivered pursuant hereto and (iii) waive compliance by the
other of any of the agreements or conditions contained herein.
Any agreement on the part of a party hereto to any such
extension or waiver pursuant to the foregoing sentence shall be
valid only if set forth in a written instrument signed on behalf
of such party. In addition and notwithstanding the foregoing, if
the Closing cannot occur as scheduled pursuant to Article I
due to an act of God, war, terrorism, flood, banking moratorium
or suspension of payments in respect of federal or state banks
in the United States (whether or not mandatory), the Closing
will automatically be postponed until the earliest date that is
reasonably practicable following the conclusion of such event
and if such date is after the Termination Date, then the
Termination Date shall automatically be extended to such date,
and in such case, all references to the term Termination
Date in this Agreement shall mean such extended date. The
failure of any party to this Agreement to assert any of its
rights under this Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute a
waiver of those rights.
A-45
ARTICLE IX
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
Section 9.1 Non-Survival
of Representations, Warranties and
Agreements. None of the representations,
warranties, covenants and other agreements in this Agreement or
in any instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement,
including any rights arising out of any breach of such
representations, warranties, covenants and other agreements,
shall survive the Effective Time, except for those covenants and
agreements contained herein and therein (including
Section 6.7) that by their terms are to be performed in
whole or in part after the Effective Time and this
Article IX.
Section 9.2 Notices. Any
notices or other communications required or permitted under, or
otherwise given in connection with, this Agreement shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given
(i) when delivered or sent if delivered in person or sent
by facsimile transmission (provided confirmation of facsimile
transmission is obtained), (ii) on the fifth (5th) Business
Day after dispatch by registered or certified mail,
(iii) on the next Business Day if transmitted by national
overnight courier or (iv) on the date delivered if sent by
email (provided confirmation of email receipt is obtained), in
each case as follows:
(a) if to Parent, Merger Sub, or Merger Sub II to:
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated
400 North Ashley Drive
Tampa, FL 33602
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|
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Attention:
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James T. Holder
|
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Facsimile:
813-470-3737
with a copy to:
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
Bank of America Plaza
101 East Kennedy Boulevard
Suite 2800
Tampa, FL 33602
Attention: Gregory C. Yadley
Facsimile:
813-229-1660
(b) if to the Company, to:
ICT Group, Inc.
100 Brandywine Boulevard
Newtown, PA 18940
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|
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Attention:
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Jeffrey C. Moore
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Senior Vice President and Secretary
Facsimile:
267-685-5701
with a copy to:
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1701 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130
Attention: Richard B. Aldridge
Facsimile:
215-963-5001
Section 9.3 Headings. The
table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are
for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Section 9.4 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of
which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall
become effective when one or more counterparts
A-46
have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the
other party, it being understood that each party need not sign
the same counterpart.
Section 9.5 Entire
Agreement; No Third-Party Beneficiaries.
(a) This Agreement (including the Exhibits and Schedules
hereto) and the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire
agreement, and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with
respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
(b) 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 6.7 (which is intended to be for the benefit of the
Persons covered thereby and may be enforced by such Persons).
Section 9.6 Governing
Law. This Agreement shall be governed and
construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania (without giving effect to choice of law principles
thereof).
Section 9.7 Severability. If
any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced by any Law or public
policy, all other terms and provisions of this Agreement shall
nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the
economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated
hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any
party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon such determination
that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or
incapable of being enforced, the parties shall negotiate in good
faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original
intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable
manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are
consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent
possible.
Section 9.8 Assignment. Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations
hereunder shall be assigned by any of the parties, in whole or
in part (whether by operation of Law or otherwise), without the
prior written consent of the other party, and any attempt to
make any such assignment without such consent shall be null and
void. This Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit
of and be enforceable by the parties and their respective
successors and permitted assigns.
Section 9.9 Submission
to Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each of the parties
irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding with
respect to this Agreement or for recognition and enforcement of
any judgment in respect hereof brought by any other party hereto
or its successors or assigns may be brought and determined
exclusively in the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania or, if under
applicable Law exclusive jurisdiction over such matter is vested
in the federal courts, the United States District Court for the
Western District of Pennsylvania, and each of the parties to
this Agreement hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any
such action or proceeding for itself and in respect to its
property, generally and unconditionally, to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and agrees that it will not
bring any legal action or proceeding with respect to this
Agreement or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in
respect hereof in any court other than the aforesaid courts.
Each of the parties to this Agreement hereby irrevocably waives,
and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense,
counterclaim or otherwise, in any action or proceeding with
respect to this Agreement or for recognition and enforcement of
any judgment in respect hereof, (i) any claim that it is
not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above-named
courts for any reason other than the failure to lawfully serve
process, (ii) that it or its property is exempt or immune
from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process
commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice,
attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of
judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise), and (iii) to
the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, that
(A) the suit, action or proceeding in any such court is
brought in an inconvenient forum, (B) the venue of such
suit, action or proceeding is improper and (C) this
Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in
or by such courts. Each party to this Agreement irrevocably
consents to service of process in the manner provided for
notices in Section 9.2; provided that nothing in this
Agreement shall affect the right of any party to this Agreement
to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
Section 9.10 Specific
Performance. The parties hereto agree that
irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this
Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof
and that the parties
A-47
shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent
breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the
performance of the terms and provisions hereof.
Section 9.11 Waiver
of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES
THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS
LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND
THEREFORE EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY
WAIVES ANY RIGHT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN
RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF
OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
BY THIS AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT
(I) NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY
HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY
WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE
FOREGOING WAIVER, (II) EACH PARTY UNDERSTANDS AND HAS
CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER, (III) EACH
PARTY MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY AND (IV) EACH PARTY HAS
BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER
THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS
SECTION 9.11.
Section 9.12 Interpretation. When
a reference is made in this Agreement to an Article, a Section,
Exhibit or Schedule, such reference shall be to an Article of, a
Section of, or an Exhibit or Schedule to, this Agreement unless
otherwise indicated. Whenever the words include,
includes or including are used in this
Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words
without limitation. All references to
dollars or $ are to United States
dollars. 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. References to
this Agreement shall include the Company Disclosure
Letter and the Parent Disclosure Letter. 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. This
Agreement is the product of negotiation by the parties having
the assistance of counsel and other advisors. It is the
intention of the parties that this Agreement not be construed
more strictly with regard to one party than with regard to the
others.
Section 9.13 Definitions. As
used in this Agreement:
(a) Affiliate means, with respect to any
Person, another Person that, directly or indirectly, through one
or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under
common control with such Person.
(b) Board of Directors means the Board
of Directors of any specified Person and any committees thereof.
(c) Business Day means any day other
than a Saturday or Sunday or any day on which the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York is closed or any day on which banks in
the city of New York are required to close.
(d) Code means the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended.
(e) Company Material Adverse Effect
means an effect, event, development, change, state of facts,
condition, circumstance or occurrence that is or would be
reasonably expected to be materially adverse to the financial
condition, assets, liabilities, business or results of
operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole; provided, however, that a Company Material Adverse Effect
shall not be deemed to include effects, events, developments,
changes, states of facts, conditions, circumstances or
occurrences arising out of, relating to or resulting from:
(A) changes generally affecting the economy, financial or
securities markets or political or regulatory conditions, to the
extent such changes do not adversely affect the Company and its
Subsidiaries in a disproportionate manner relative to other
participants in the industries in which the Company or its
Subsidiaries operate; (B) changes in the industries in
which the Company or its Subsidiaries operate, to the extent
such changes do not adversely affect the Company and its
Subsidiaries in a disproportionate manner relative to other
participants in such industries; (C) any change in Law or
the interpretation thereof or GAAP or the interpretation
thereof, to the extent such changes do not adversely affect the
Company and its Subsidiaries in a disproportionate
A-48
manner relative to other participants in such industries;
(D) acts of war, armed hostility or terrorism to the extent
such changes do not adversely affect the Company and its
Subsidiaries in a disproportionate manner relative to other
participants in the industries in which the Company or its
Subsidiaries operate; (E) the announcement of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including
any termination of, reduction in or similar negative impact on
relationships, contractual or otherwise, with any customers,
suppliers, distributors, partners or employees of the Company
and its Subsidiaries due to the announcement and performance of
this Agreement or the identity of the parties to this Agreement,
or the performance of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including compliance with the covenants set
forth herein, (F) any failure by the Company to meet any
internal or published industry analyst projections or forecasts
or estimates of revenues or earnings for any period (it being
understood and agreed that the facts and circumstances giving
rise to such failure that are not otherwise excluded from the
definition of a Company Material Adverse Effect may be taken
into account in determining whether there has been a Company
Material Adverse Effect); (G) any change in the price or
trading volume of the Company Common Stock (it being understood
and agreed that the facts and circumstances giving rise to such
change that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of a
Company Material Adverse Effect may be taken into account in
determining whether there has been a Company Material Adverse
Effect); and (H) compliance with the terms of, or the
taking of any action required by, this Agreement.
(f) Company Stock Plans means,
collectively, the Companys 2006 Equity Compensation Plan,
2006 Long Term Incentive Plan, 2006 Non-Employee Directors Plan,
1996 Equity Compensation Plan (as amended through May
2004) and 1996 Non-Employee Directors Plan (as amended
through May 2003).
(g) Confidentiality Agreement means the
letter agreement, dated August 20, 2009 between Parent and
the Company.
(h) Contracts means, with respect to any
Person, any of the agreements, contracts, leases (whether for
real or personal property), notes, bonds, mortgages, indentures,
deeds of trust, loans, evidences of indebtedness, letters of
credit, settlement agreements, franchise agreements,
undertakings, employment agreements, license agreements,
instruments to which such Person or its Subsidiaries is a party,
whether oral or written.
(i) Environmental Laws means any and all
Laws which (i) regulate or relate to: the protection or
clean up of the environment; the treatment, storage,
transportation, handling, packaging, labeling, disposal or
release of, or exposure to, any pollutant, contaminant or
hazardous substances, wastes or similar materials; the
protection of human health and safety to the extent affected by
harmful or deleterious substances in the workplace or the
environment; or the preservation or protection of waterways,
groundwater, drinking water, air, wildlife, plants or other
natural resources; or (ii) impose liability or
responsibility with respect to any of the foregoing, including
property and business transfer laws.
(j) Environmental Permit means any
permit, approval, identification number, license and other
authorization required under any applicable Environmental Law.
(k) Equity Interest means any share,
capital stock, partnership, limited liability company,
membership, member or similar interest in any Person, and any
option, warrant, right or security (including debt securities)
convertible, exchangeable or exercisable thereto or therefor.
(l) Expenses includes all documented
out-of-pocket expenses (including all commitment fees, ticking
fees, extension fees, underwriting fees, structuring fees,
interest, expenses and other costs or fees incurred in relation
to the financing of the transactions contemplated hereby, and
fees, expenses and disbursements of counsel, accountants,
investment bankers, financing sources, experts and consultants
to a party hereto and its Affiliates and Representatives)
incurred in connection with or related to due diligence, the
authorization, preparation, negotiation, execution and
performance of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby, including obtaining the financing for the Mergers, and
all other matters related thereto.
(m) GAAP means United States generally
accepted accounting principles.
A-49
(n) Hazardous Material means petroleum
and its products and derivatives including gasoline and diesel
fuel, radioactive materials, asbestos and asbestos-containing
materials, pesticides, radon, urea formaldehyde, lead and
lead-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and any
other chemicals, materials, substances or wastes in any amount
or concentration which are regulated pursuant to or the basis
for liability pursuant to any Environmental Law or defined as or
included in the definition of hazardous substance,
hazardous material, hazardous waste,
toxic substance, pollutant,
regulated substance, solid waste,
contaminant or words of similar import under any
applicable Environmental Law.
(o) Intervening Event means, with
respect to the Company, a material event or circumstance that
was not known to the Board of Directors of the Company on the
date of this Agreement (or if known, the consequences of which
are not known to or reasonably foreseeable by such Board of
Directors as of the date hereof), which event or circumstance,
or any material consequences thereof, becomes known to the Board
of Directors of the Company prior to the time at which the
Company receives the Company Requisite Vote; provided, however,
that in no event shall the receipt, existence or terms of an
Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry or any matter relating thereto
or consequence thereof constitute an Intervening Event.
(p) Known or Knowledge
means (i) with respect to the Company, the actual
knowledge of any of the persons listed in Section 9.13 of
the Company Disclosure Letter and (ii) with respect to
Parent or Merger Sub, the actual knowledge of any of the persons
listed in Section 9.13 of the Parent Disclosure Letter.
(q) Law means any federal, state, local,
national or supranational or foreign law (including common law),
statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, Order, code ruling,
decree, arbitration award, agency requirement, license or permit
of any Governmental Entity.
(r) Lien means any lien, mortgage,
pledge, encumbrance, condition, restriction, lease, license,
security interest or deed of trust.
(s) Order means any order, judgment or
injunction.
(t) other party means, with respect to
the Company, Parent or Merger Sub and means, with respect to
Parent or Merger Sub, the Company, unless the context otherwise
requires.
(u) Parent Material Adverse Effect means
an effect, event, development, change, state of facts,
condition, circumstance or occurrence that is or would be
reasonably expected to be materially adverse to the financial
condition, assets, liabilities, business or results of
operations of Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
provided, however, that a Parent Material Adverse Effect shall
not be deemed to include effects, events, developments, changes,
states of facts, conditions, circumstances or occurrences
arising out of, relating to or resulting from: (A) changes
generally affecting the economy, financial or securities markets
or political or regulatory conditions, to the extent such
changes do not adversely affect Parent and its Subsidiaries in a
disproportionate manner relative to other participants in the
industries in which Parent or its Subsidiaries operate;
(B) changes in the industries in which Parent or its
Subsidiaries operate, to the extent such changes do not
adversely affect Parent and its Subsidiaries in a
disproportionate manner relative to other participants in such
industries; (C) any change in Law or the interpretation
thereof or GAAP or the interpretation thereof, to the extent
such changes do not adversely affect Parent and its Subsidiaries
in a disproportionate manner relative to other participants in
such industries; (D) acts of war, armed hostility or
terrorism to the extent such changes do not adversely affect
Parent and its Subsidiaries in a disproportionate manner
relative to other participants in the industries in which Parent
or its Subsidiaries operate; (E) the announcement of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including
any termination of, reduction in or similar negative impact on
relationships, contractual or otherwise, with any customers,
suppliers, distributors, partners or employees of Parent and its
Subsidiaries due to the announcement and performance of this
Agreement or the identity of the parties to this Agreement, or
the performance of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including compliance with the covenants set
forth herein, (F) any failure by Parent to meet any
internal or published industry analyst projections or forecasts
or estimates of revenues or earnings for any period (it
A-50
being understood and agreed that the facts and circumstances
giving rise to such failure that are not otherwise excluded from
the definition of a Parent Material Adverse Effect may be taken
into account in determining whether there has been a Parent
Material Adverse Effect); (G) any change in the price or
trading volume of Parent Common Stock (it being understood and
agreed that the facts and circumstances giving rise to such
change that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of a
Parent Material Adverse Effect may be taken into account in
determining whether there has been a Parent Material Adverse
Effect); and (H) compliance with the terms of, or the
taking of any action required by, this Agreement.
(v) Per Share Amount means $15.38.
(w) Permitted Liens means (i) Liens
for Taxes not yet due and payable or that are being contested in
good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate
reserves in accordance with GAAP have been established in the
latest Company Financial Statements, (ii) Liens in favor of
vendors, carriers, warehousemen, repairmen, mechanics, workmen,
materialmen, construction or similar Liens or other encumbrances
arising by operation of Law, (iii) Liens affecting the
interest of the grantor of any easements benefiting owned real
property and Liens of record attaching to real property,
fixtures or leasehold improvements, which would not materially
impair the use of the real property in the operation of the
business thereon and (iv) Liens, exceptions, defects or
irregularities in title, easements, imperfections of title,
claims, charges, security interests, rights-of-way, covenants,
restrictions, and other similar matters that would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
materially impair the continued use and operation of the assets
to which they relate in the business of such entity and its
Subsidiaries as presently conducted.
(x) Person means an individual,
corporation, limited liability company, partnership,
association, trust, unincorporated organization, other entity or
group (as defined in the Exchange Act).
(y) Qualifying Amendment means an
amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement (including by
incorporation by reference) to the extent it contains (i) a
Change in the Company Recommendation, (ii) a statement of
the reasons of the Board of Directors of the Company for making
such Change in the Company Recommendation and
(iii) additional information reasonably related to the
foregoing.
(z) Regulatory Law means the Sherman
Act, as amended, Council Regulation No. 4064/89 of the
European Community, as amended, the Clayton Act, as amended, the
HSR Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, and all
other Federal, state and foreign, if any, statutes, rules,
regulations, orders, decrees, administrative and judicial
doctrines and other Laws that are designed or intended to
prohibit, restrict or regulate (i) foreign investment or
(ii) actions having the purpose or effect of monopolization
or restraint of trade or lessening of competition.
(aa) Related Person means any former,
current or future, direct or indirect, manager, director,
officer, employee, agent or Representative of Parent or Merger
Sub, any former, current or future, direct or indirect, holder
of any equity interests or securities of Parent or Merger Sub,
any former, current or future Affiliate or assignee of Parent or
Merger Sub or any former, current or future manager, director,
officer, employee, agent, representative, Affiliate or assignee
of any of the foregoing.
(bb) Representative means, with respect
to any party hereto, such party or any of its Subsidiaries
respective directors, officers, employees, investment bankers,
financing sources, financial advisors, attorneys, accountants or
other advisors, agents
and/or
representatives.
(cc) SEC means the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
(dd) Significant Subsidiary when used
with respect to any party, means such partys significant
subsidiaries as defined under
Rule 1-02(w)
of
Regulation S-X
promulgated pursuant to the Exchange Act.
(ee) Subsidiary means any corporation,
partnership, joint venture or other legal entity of which
Parent, the Company or such other Person, as the case may be
(either alone or through or together with any other Subsidiary),
owns, directly or indirectly, a majority of the stock or other
Equity Interests the holders of which are generally entitled to
vote for the election of the board of directors or other
governing
A-51
body of such corporation, partnership, joint venture or other
legal entity, or any Person that would otherwise be deemed a
subsidiary under
Rule 12b-2
promulgated under the Exchange Act.
(ff) Tax Return means all Federal,
state, local, provincial and foreign Tax returns, declarations,
statements, reports, schedules, forms and information returns
and, in each case, any amendments thereto.
(gg) Taxes includes all forms of
taxation, whenever created or imposed, and whether of the United
States or elsewhere, and whether imposed by a local, municipal,
governmental, state, foreign, Federal or other Governmental
Entity, or in connection with any agreement with respect to
Taxes, including all interest, penalties and additions imposed
with respect to such amounts.
(hh) Third Party shall mean any Person,
including as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act,
other than Parent or any of its Affiliates, and the
Representatives of such Person, in each case, acting in such
capacity.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
A-52
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent, Merger Sub, Merger Sub II and
the Company have caused this Agreement to be signed by their
respective officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of the
date first written above.
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED
Name: Charles E. Sykes
SH MERGER SUBSIDIARY I, INC.
Name: Charles E. Sykes
SH MERGER SUBSIDIARY II, LLC
Name: Charles E. Sykes
Signature Page to Merger Agreement
A-53
ICT GROUP, INC.
Name: John J. Brennan
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Title:
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President and Chief Executive Officer
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Signature Page to Merger Agreement
A-54
Index of
Defined Terms
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Section
|
Defined Term
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|
Where Defined
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Acquisition Proposal
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|
6.4(e)
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Actions
|
|
3.7(a)
|
Agreement
|
|
Preamble
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Alternative Acquisition Agreement
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|
6.4(d)
|
Articles of Merger
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|
1.3
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Affiliate
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|
9.13
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Bankruptcy and Equity Exception
|
|
3.3(a)
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Benefits Continuation Period
|
|
6.6(a)
|
Board of Directors
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|
9.13
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Business Day
|
|
9.13
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Capitalization Date
|
|
3.2(a)
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Cash Consideration
|
|
1.8(b)
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Certificates
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|
1.8(d)
|
Change in the Company Recommendation
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|
6.1(b)
|
CIC Severance Agreements
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|
6.6(b)
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Closing
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|
1.2
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Closing Date
|
|
1.2
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Code
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|
9.13
|
Company
|
|
Preamble
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Company Book-Entry Shares
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|
1.8(d)
|
Company Benefit Plan
|
|
3.11(a)
|
Company Common Stock
|
|
1.8(b)
|
Company Disclosure Letter
|
|
Article III
|
Company Financial Advisor
|
|
3.19
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Company Financial Statements
|
|
3.5(a)
|
Company Material Adverse Effect
|
|
9.13
|
Company Material Contract
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|
3.10(b)
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Company Permits
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|
3.17(a)
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Company Recommendation
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|
6.1(b)
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Company Regulatory Agency
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|
3.17(a)
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Company Requisite Vote
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|
3.3(a)
|
Company SEC Documents
|
|
3.5(a)
|
Company Shareholder Meeting
|
|
6.1(b)
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Company Stock Options
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|
1.9(a)
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Company Stock Plans
|
|
9.13
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Confidentiality Agreement
|
|
9.13
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Contracts
|
|
9.13
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Covered Employee
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|
6.6(a)
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DOJ
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|
6.3(b)
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D&O Insurance
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6.7(a)
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Effective Date
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1.3
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Effective Time
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|
1.3
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Environmental Laws
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9.13
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|
|
|
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Section
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Defined Term
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|
Where Defined
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Environmental Permit
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|
9.13
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Equity Interest
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|
9.13
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ERISA
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|
3.11(a)
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ERISA Affiliate
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3.11(a)
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Exchange Act
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|
3.4(a)
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Exchange Agent
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2.1
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Exchange Fund
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2.1
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Exchange Ratio
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1.8(c)
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Expenses
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9.13
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Foreign Benefit Plans
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3.11(a)
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Foreign Subsidiary
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5.1(m)
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Form S-4
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6.1(a)
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FTC
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6.3(b)
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GAAP
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9.13
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Governmental Entity
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3.4(a)
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Hazardous Material
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9.13
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HSR Act
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3.4(a)
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Indemnified Parties
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6.7(a)
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Inquiry
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6.4(b)
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Insurance Policies
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3.16
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Intellectual Property
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3.14(a)
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Intervening Event
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9.13
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IRS
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3.11(b)
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Known or Knowledge
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9.13
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Law
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9.13
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Leased Real Property
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3.9
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Lien
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9.13
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Merger
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1.1
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Mergers
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1.11(a)
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Merger Consideration
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1.8(b)
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Merger Sub
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Preamble
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Merger Subs
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Preamble
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Merger Sub II
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Preamble
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Nasdaq
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3.4(a)
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New Benefit Plans
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6.6(c)
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Option Consideration
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1.9(a)
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Options
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1.9(a)
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Order
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9.13
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other party
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9.13
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Owned Real Property
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3.9
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Parent
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Preamble
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Parent Benefit Plans
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4.2(b)
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Parent Common Stock
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1.8(b)(ii)
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Parent Disclosure Letter
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Article IV
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A-56
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Section
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Defined Term
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Where Defined
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Parent Financial Advisor
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4.7
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Parent Financial Statements
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4.5(a)
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Parent Material Adverse Effect
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9.13
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Parent Permits
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4.17(a)
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Parent Regulatory Agency
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4.17(a)
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Parent SEC Documents
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4.5(a)
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Parent Share Measurement Value
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1.8(c)
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parties
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Preamble
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PBCL
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Recitals
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PBGC
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3.11(b)
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Permitted Liens
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9.13
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Per Share Amount
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9.13
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Person
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9.13
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Proxy Statement
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6.1(a)
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Qualifying Amendment
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9.13
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Regulatory Law
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9.13
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Related Person
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9.13
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Representative
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9.13
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RSU
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1.9(b)
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RSU Consideration
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1.9(b)
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Sarbanes-Oxley Act
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3.5(a)
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SEC
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9.13
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Second Merger
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1.11(a)
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Securities Act
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3.2(d)
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Significant Subsidiary
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9.13
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Stock Consideration
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1.8(b)
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Subsidiary
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9.13
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Superior Proposal
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6.4(e)
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Surviving Corporation
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1.1
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Surviving Entity
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1.11(a)
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Takeover Statute
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3.3(c)
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Tax Return
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9.13
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Taxes
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9.13
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Termination Date
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8.1(b)
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Termination Fee
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8.2(b)
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Third Party
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9.13
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A-57
Annex B
Greenhill &
Co., LLC
300
Park Avenue
New
York, NY 10022
(212) 389-1500
(212) 389-1700
Fax
Greenhill
CONFIDENTIAL
October 5,
2009
Board of Directors
ICT Group, Inc.
100 Brandywine Boulevard
Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940
Members of
the Board of Directors:
We understand that ICT Group, Inc. (the Company),
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated (Parent), SH Merger
Subsidiary I, Inc. (Merger Subsidiary) and SH
Merger Subsidiary II, LLC (Merger LLC) propose to
enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the Merger
Agreement), which provides, among other things, for the
merger (the Merger) of Merger Subsidiary, a wholly
owned subsidiary of Parent, with and into the Company, with the
Company to be the surviving corporation in the Merger (the
Surviving Corporation), as a result of which the
Company will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. In the
Merger, each issued and outstanding share of common stock, par
value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the Company Common
Stock), other than shares of Company Common Stock held in
treasury by the Company and shares of Company Common Stock owned
by Parent or its affiliates, shall be converted into the right
to receive (i) a certain number of shares of common stock,
par value $0.01 per share, of Parent (the Parent Common
Stock) determined pursuant to a certain formula set forth
in the Merger Agreement and (ii) $7.69 in cash, without
interest (the Consideration). Following the Merger,
we understand that the Company intends to merge the Surviving
Corporation with and into Merger LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Parent, with Merger LLC to be the surviving entity in such
merger. The terms and conditions of the Merger are more fully
set forth in the Merger Agreement. You have asked for our
opinion as to whether, as of the date hereof, the Consideration
to be received by the holders of Company Common Stock pursuant
to the Merger Agreement is fair, from a financial point of view,
to such holders. We have not been requested to opine as to, and
our opinion does not in any manner address, the relative merits
of the Merger as compared to other business strategies or
transactions that might be available with respect to the Company
or the Companys underlying business decision to proceed
with or effect the Merger.
For purposes of the opinion set forth herein, we have:
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1.
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reviewed the draft of the Merger Agreement dated October 5,
2009 distributed to the Board of Directors in advance of its
meeting on October 5, 2009 and certain related documents;
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2.
|
reviewed certain publicly available financial statements of the
Company and Parent;
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3.
|
reviewed certain other publicly available business and financial
information relating to the Company and Parent that we deemed
relevant;
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4.
|
reviewed certain information, including financial forecasts and
other financial and operating data concerning the Company and
Parent, prepared by the management of the Company and Parent,
respectively;
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B-1
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5.
|
discussed the past and present operations and financial
condition and the prospects of the Company with senior
executives of the Company;
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6.
|
discussed the past and present operations and financial
condition and the prospects of Parent with senior executives of
Parent;
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7.
|
reviewed and discussed certain information regarding potential
financial and operational benefits anticipated from the Merger
prepared by the management of the Company;
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8.
|
reviewed the historical market prices, trading activity and
equity research price targets for the Company Common Stock and
the Parent Common Stock;
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9.
|
compared the value of the Consideration with that received in
certain publicly available transactions that we deemed relevant;
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10.
|
compared the value of the Consideration with the trading
valuations of certain publicly traded companies that we deemed
relevant;
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11.
|
compared the value of the Consideration with the relative
contribution of the Company to the pro forma combined company
based on a number of metrics that we deemed relevant;
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12.
|
compared the value of the Consideration to the valuation derived
by discounting projected future share prices of the Company
based on financial projections prepared by management of the
Company at discount rates we deemed appropriate;
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13.
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participated in discussions and negotiations among
representatives of the Company and its legal advisors and
representatives of Parent and its legal and financial
advisors; and
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14.
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performed such other analyses and considered such other factors
as we deemed appropriate.
|
We have assumed and relied upon, with your consent and without
independent verification, the accuracy and completeness of the
information publicly available, supplied or otherwise made
available to us by representatives and management of the Company
and Parent for the purposes of this opinion and have further
relied upon the assurances of the representatives and management
of the Company and Parent, as applicable, that they are not
aware of any facts or circumstances that would make such
information inaccurate or misleading. With respect to the
potential financial and operational benefits anticipated from
the merger and the financial forecasts and projections and other
data that have been furnished or otherwise provided to us, we
have assumed, with your consent, that such potential benefits,
forecasts, projections and data were reasonably prepared on a
basis reflecting the best currently available estimates and good
faith judgments of the management of the Company and Parent, as
applicable, as to those matters (including the future financial
performance of the Company), and we have considered and relied
upon such potential benefits, forecasts, projections and data in
arriving at our opinion. We express no opinion with respect to
such potential benefits, forecasts, projections and data or the
assumptions upon which they are based. We have not made any
independent valuation or appraisal of the assets or liabilities
(contingent or otherwise) of the Company or Parent. We have
assumed, with your consent, that the Merger will be treated as a
reorganization for United States federal income tax purposes
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. We have assumed that the
Merger will be consummated in accordance with the terms set
forth in the final, executed Merger Agreement, which we have
further assumed will be identical in all material respects to
the latest draft thereof we have reviewed, and without waiver or
amendment of any material terms or conditions set forth in the
Merger Agreement. We have further assumed that all material
governmental, regulatory and other consents and approvals
necessary for the consummation of the Merger will be obtained
without any effect on the Company, Parent, the Merger or the
contemplated benefits of the Merger meaningful to our analysis.
Our opinion is necessarily based on financial, economic, market
and other conditions as in effect on, and the information made
available to us as of, the date hereof. It should be understood
that subsequent developments may affect this opinion, and we do
not have any obligation to update, revise or reaffirm this
opinion.
B-2
We have acted as financial advisor to the Board of Directors
(the Board) of the Company in connection with the
Merger and will receive a fee for rendering this opinion and for
other services rendered in connection with the Merger, a
significant portion of which is contingent on the consummation
of the Merger. In addition, the Company has agreed to indemnify
us for certain liabilities arising out of our engagement. During
the two years preceding the date of this opinion, we have
provided certain financial advisory services to the Company and
have received customary fees for the rendering of those
services. During the two years preceding the date of this
opinion we have not been engaged by, performed any services for
or received any compensation from any other parties to the
Merger.
It is understood that this letter is for the information of the
Board and is rendered to the Board in connection with its
consideration of the Merger and may not be used for any other
purpose without our prior written consent, except that this
opinion may, if required by law, be included in its entirety in
any proxy or other information statement or registration
statement to be mailed to the shareholders of the Company in
connection with the Merger. We are not expressing an opinion as
to any aspect of the Merger, other than the fairness, from a
financial point of view, to the holders of Company Common Stock
of the Consideration to be received by them. No opinion is
expressed as to whether any alternative business strategies or
transactions might produce consideration to the holders of
Company Common Stock in an amount in excess of the Consideration
to be received by them in the Merger. In particular, we express
no opinion as to the prices at which the Company Common Stock or
the Parent Common Stock will trade at any future time. We
express no opinion with respect to the amount or nature of any
compensation to any officers, directors or employees of the
Company, or any class of such persons, relative to the
Consideration to be received by the holders of Company Common
Stock in the Merger or with respect to the fairness of any such
compensation. This opinion has been approved by our fairness
committee. This opinion is not intended to be and does not
constitute a recommendation to the members of the Board as to
whether they should approve the Merger or the Merger Agreement,
nor does it constitute a recommendation as to whether the
shareholders of the Company should adopt the Merger Agreement at
any meeting of shareholders convened in connection with the
Merger.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, including the
limitations and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the
opinion that, as of the date hereof, the Consideration to be
received by the holders of Company Common Stock pursuant to the
Merger Agreement is fair, from a financial point of view, to
such holders.
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Very best regards,
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GREENHILL & CO., LLC
|
|
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By:
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|
/s/ Dhiren H. Shah
Dhiren H. Shah
Managing Director
|
B-3
Annex
C
VOTING
AGREEMENT
This VOTING AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is
made and entered into as of October 5, 2009 by and among
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated, a Florida corporation
(Parent), SH Merger Subsidiary I, Inc.,
a Pennsylvania corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary
of Parent (Merger Sub), ICT Group, Inc., a
Pennsylvania corporation (the Company), and
the undersigned Shareholders (each a
Shareholder and collectively, the
Shareholders) of the Company. In the case of
any Company Shares (as defined below) subject to this Agreement
that are held in a trust, Shareholder shall refer to
the trustee(s) of such trust signatory hereto acting in such
Shareholders capacity as trustee (each, a
Trustee, and such trust, a
Trust). Capitalized terms used but not
otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement (as defined below).
WHEREAS, the Company, the Shareholders and certain other
shareholders of the Company are party to that certain Amended
and Restated Shareholders Agreement dated as of
October 16, 2000 (as modified by that certain Memorandum of
Understanding dated as of May 1, 2002 and that certain
Acknowledgment of Memorandum of Understanding dated as of
November 21, 2008, the Shareholders
Agreement);
WHEREAS, the Company, John J. Brennan and Donald P. Brennan are
party to that certain Amended and Restated Voting
Trust Agreement dated as of April 1, 2004 (the
Voting Trust Agreement);
WHEREAS, Parent, Merger Sub and the Company are entering into an
Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of the date hereof (the
Merger Agreement), pursuant to which Merger
Sub will merge with and into the Company (the
Merger);
WHEREAS, each Shareholder is the beneficial owner of such number
of shares of Company Common Stock (collectively, the
Company Shares) as set forth on
Exhibit A hereto; and
WHEREAS, as a material inducement and a condition to Parent and
Merger Sub entering into the Merger Agreement, Parent has
requested that the Shareholders agree, and the Shareholders have
agreed (in the Shareholders capacity as such), for the
benefit of Parent and Merger Sub, to enter into this Agreement
to facilitate the consummation of the Merger;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual
covenants and agreements contained herein, and intending to be
legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
VOTING
AGREEMENT
SECTION 1.01. Voting Agreement.
(a) Each Shareholder hereby irrevocably and unconditionally
agrees that, during the Voting Period (as defined below), such
Shareholder shall (i) appear (in person or by proxy) at any
meeting (whether annual or special and whether or not an
adjourned or postponed meeting) of shareholders of the Company,
properly called, or otherwise cause such Shareholders
Company Shares to be counted as present thereat for purposes of
establishing a quorum, and (ii) vote or provide a written
consent with respect to such Shareholders Company Shares
(or will cause such Company Shares to be voted, or cause a
written consent to be provided with respect to all such Company
Shares) (A) in favor of adoption of the Merger Agreement
and approval of the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated thereby, (B) against any action, proposal,
transaction or agreement that would impede, frustrate, prevent
or materially delay the Merger (a Frustrating
Transaction), and (C) against any Acquisition
Proposal. In all other matters, each Shareholders Company
Shares shall be voted by and in the manner determined by such
Shareholder.
(b) As used herein, Voting Period shall
mean the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and
continuing until the earlier to occur of: (i) the Effective
Time, (ii) the termination of the Merger Agreement in
accordance with its terms and (iii) unless expressly
approved by each Shareholder party hereto, the execution of any
amendment or modification to the Merger Agreement, other than
with respect to
C-1
ministerial or immaterial matters and other than an amendment or
modification that increases the Merger Consideration.
(c) Unless entered into in connection with the
Companys entry into an Alternative Acquisition Agreement
in compliance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, each
Shareholder hereby agrees that such Shareholder shall not enter
into any agreement or understanding with any person the effect
of which would be inconsistent with or violative of any
provision contained in Section 1.01(a) above.
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE SHAREHOLDERS
Each Shareholder hereby severally and not jointly represents and
warrants to Parent and Merger Sub as to himself, herself or
itself as follows:
SECTION 2.01. Organization, Qualification.
(a) The Shareholder, if an individual acting in such
Shareholders individual capacity, has all legal capacity
to enter into this Agreement and to carry out his obligations
hereunder.
(b) The Shareholder, if a Trustee, has been duly appointed
and is validly acting as a trustee of the applicable Trust(s)
and, as Trustee, has the requisite power and authority to
perform obligations of such Shareholder under this Agreement.
Each Trust has been duly created and is validly existing and
being administered under the laws of the jurisdiction governing
the trust agreement under which such Trust was created.
(c) The Shareholder, if it is a Trustee, is not in
violation of any of the provisions of any applicable trust
agreement or organizational documents.
Section 2.02. Authority
Relative to this Agreement. The Shareholder has
all necessary power and authority (or, if Shareholder is an
individual, all legal capacity) to execute and deliver this
Agreement and to perform the Shareholders obligations
hereunder. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and
delivered by the Shareholder and constitutes legal, valid and
binding obligations of the Shareholder, enforceable against the
Shareholder in accordance with its terms.
Section 2.03. No
Conflict.
(a) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the
Shareholder do not, and the performance of this Agreement by the
Shareholder shall not, (i) conflict with or violate the
terms of any trust agreements or equivalent organizational
documents of the Shareholder (if the Shareholder is a Trustee),
(ii) conflict with or violate any Laws applicable to the
Shareholder or by which the Company Shares owned by the
Shareholder are bound or affected or (iii) result in any
breach of, or constitute a default (or an event that 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 an Lien on any of
the Company Shares owned by the Shareholder pursuant to, any
note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease,
license, permit, franchise or other instrument or obligation to
which the Shareholder is a party or by which the Shareholder or
the Company Shares owned by the Shareholder are bound or
affected, except for any such conflicts, violations, breaches,
defaults or other occurrences that would not, individually or in
the aggregate, prevent or materially delay the Shareholder from
performing its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) Other than such filings as may be required pursuant to
applicable securities Laws, the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the Shareholder does not, and the performance of
this Agreement by the Shareholder shall not, require any
consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or
notification to, any Governmental Entity on the part of the
Shareholder.
Section 2.04. Title
to the Shares. Except as set forth on
Exhibit A, as of the date hereof, the Shareholder is
the record and beneficial owner of the Company Shares set forth
opposite such Shareholders name on Exhibit A
hereto. Except as set forth on Exhibit A, such
Company Shares are now and, at all times
C-2
during the term hereof will be, all the securities of the
Company owned, either of record or beneficially, by the
Shareholder. Except as otherwise provided in the Voting
Trust Agreement, the Shareholder has sole voting power and
the sole power of disposition with respect to all of the Company
Shares owned by the Shareholder, with no limitations,
qualifications or restrictions on such rights (subject to the
terms of this Agreement). The Company Shares owned by the
Shareholder are now and, at all times during the term hereof
will be, owned free and clear of all Liens, other than any Liens
created by this Agreement, the Voting Trust Agreement and
the Shareholders Agreement. Except as provided in this
Agreement and the Voting Trust Agreement, the Shareholder
has not appointed or granted any proxy, which appointment or
grant is still effective, with respect to the Company Shares
owned by the Shareholder.
Section 2.05. Reliance
by Parent and Merger Sub. Each Shareholder
understands and acknowledges that Parent and Merger Sub are
entering into the Merger Agreement in reliance upon such
Shareholders concurrent execution and delivery of this
Agreement, including Parents and Merger Subs
reliance on such Shareholders representations and
warranties contained herein.
ARTICLE III
COVENANTS
OF THE SHAREHOLDERS
Section 3.01. No
Disposition of or Liens on Company
Shares. Subject to Section 6.06, each
Shareholder hereby agrees that during the term of this
Agreement, except as contemplated by this Agreement and the
Merger Agreement, such Shareholder shall not (a) sell,
transfer, tender, assign, pledge, encumber, contribute to the
capital of any entity, hypothecate, give or otherwise dispose
of, grant a proxy or power of attorney with respect to, deposit
into any voting trust or enter into a voting arrangement or
agreement, or create or permit to exist any Liens of any nature
whatsoever with respect to, any of such Shareholders
Company Shares (or agree or consent to, or offer to do, any of
the foregoing), other than Liens, if any, that arise under the
Voting Trust Agreement and the Shareholders
Agreement, (b) take any action that would have the effect
of preventing such Shareholder from performing such
Shareholders obligations hereunder or impede, frustrate,
prevent or materially delay the Merger, or (c) directly or
indirectly, initiate, solicit or encourage any person to take
actions that could reasonably be expected to lead to the
occurrence of any of the foregoing.
Section 3.02. No
Solicitation of Transactions. Subject to
Section 6.06 hereof, each Shareholder agrees that during
the Voting Period, such Shareholder will not, directly or
indirectly: (i) solicit, initiate or knowingly encourage
(including by way of furnishing nonpublic information), or take
any other action knowingly to facilitate, any inquiries or the
making of any proposal or offer that constitutes an Acquisition
Proposal; (ii) enter into or maintain or continue
discussions or negotiations with any person or entity in
furtherance of such inquiries or to obtain an Acquisition
Proposal; (iii) agree to, approve, endorse or recommend any
Acquisition Proposal or enter into any letter of intent or other
contract, agreement or commitment contemplated by or otherwise
relating to any Acquisition Proposal; or (iv) authorize or
permit any of the officers, directors or employees of such
Shareholder or of any entity that such Shareholder directly or
indirectly controls, or any investment banker, financial
advisor, attorney, accountant or other representative retained
by such Shareholder or any entity that the Shareholder directly
or indirectly controls, to take any such action; provided,
however, that to the extent the Company is engaged in
discussions or negotiations with a person who has made an
Acquisition Proposal or Inquiry as permitted by Section 6.4
of the Merger Agreement, the foregoing shall not prevent or
limit the Shareholders from participating in any discussions or
negotiations with such Person regarding an agreement in respect
of such Acquisition Proposal that is comparable to this
Agreement. Each Shareholder immediately shall cease and cause to
be terminated all existing discussions or negotiations with any
parties (other than Parent) conducted heretofore with respect to
any Acquisition Proposals.
Section 3.03. Further
Action; Reasonable Best Efforts. Upon the terms
and subject to the conditions hereof, each of the parties shall
use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken,
all appropriate action that may reasonably be necessary for the
purpose of carrying out the intent of this Agreement.
C-3
Section 3.04. Public
Announcement. Each Shareholder agrees to not
make any public announcement in opposition to, or in competition
with, the Merger Agreement or the consummation of the Merger.
ARTICLE IV
PROXY
Section 4.01. Irrevocable
Proxy. (a) Subject to Section 6.06
hereof, each Shareholder hereby appoints the Parent and each of
its designees as such Shareholders attorney-in-fact and
proxy, with full power of substitution, for and in such
Shareholders name, to vote, express, consent, or otherwise
to utilize such voting power to act as such Shareholders
attorney (including, without limitation, the power to execute
and deliver written consents), with respect to the Company
Shares beneficially owned by such Shareholder at every meeting
of the shareholders of the Company, however called, and in every
action by written consent by the shareholders of the Company:
(x) in favor of adoption of the Merger Agreement and
approval of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
thereby; (y) against any Frustrating Transaction and
(z) against any Acquisition Proposal. The proxy granted by
each Shareholder pursuant to this Section 4.01(a) is
irrevocable (to the fullest extent permitted by law) and coupled
with an interest as it is granted in consideration of Parent
entering into this Agreement and the Merger Agreement and
incurring certain related fees and expenses. The Parent and each
of its designees may not exercise the proxy granted by each
Shareholder pursuant to this Section 4.01(a), and each
Shareholder retains all rights with respect to, any other matter
not set forth in this Section 4.01(a).
(b) The proxy granted by each Shareholder pursuant to
Section 4.01(a) shall terminate, and be of no
further force and effect, automatically upon the expiration of
the Voting Period.
ARTICLE V
TERMINATION
Section 5.01. Termination. This
Agreement, and all rights and obligations of the parties
hereunder shall terminate upon the expiration of the Voting
Period.
ARTICLE VI
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 6.01. Voting
Trust Agreement and Shareholders
Agreement. The Company and each Shareholder
hereby (a) consents to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the Shareholders and to such other
Shareholders agreements to vote in favor of approval of
the Merger Agreement as contemplated hereby, (b) covenants
and agrees that, for the avoidance of doubt, the restrictions on
transfer set forth in Section 1(a) of the
Shareholders Agreement shall not apply to the Merger, and
(c) covenants and agrees to do all things necessary and
appropriate to cause each of the Voting Trust Agreement and
the Shareholders Agreement to terminate and be of no
further force or effect subject to the consummation of the
Merger, and effective as of the Effective Time.
Section 6.02. Amendment. This
Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing
signed by the Parent, Merger Sub, the Company and each of the
Shareholders party hereto.
Section 6.03. Waiver. Any
party to this Agreement as to himself, herself or itself may
(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 another
party contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant
hereto and (iii) waive compliance with any agreement of
another party 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.
C-4
Section 6.04. 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 (with confirmed receipt) or by registered
or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) 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 6.04):
(a) if to any Shareholder, to the address set forth after
such Shareholders name on the signature pages hereto, with
a copy to the Company at the address below
If to Parent or Merger Sub:
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated
400 N. Ashley Dr.
Suite 2800
Tampa, FL 33602
Attention: James T. Holder, Esq., General Counsel
Facsimile:
(717) 303-0824
with a copy to:
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP
101 East Kennedy Boulevard
Suite 2800
Tampa, FL 33602
Attention: Paul R. Lynch, Esq.
Facsimile:
(813) 229-1660
If to the Company:
ICT Group, Inc.
100 Brandywine Blvd.
Newtown, PA 18940
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Telecopy:
(267) 685-5700
with a copy to:
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1701 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA
19103-2921
Attention: Richard B. Aldridge
Telecopy:
(215) 963-5001
with a copy to each Shareholder at the address set forth after
such Shareholders name on the signature pages hereto.
Section 6.05. Severability. If
any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced by any Laws, or public
policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement
shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as
the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement is not affected in any manner materially
adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or
other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being
enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to
modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the
parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner
in order that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement be
consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent
possible.
Section 6.06. Shareholder
Capacity. The parties acknowledge that this
Agreement is entered into by each Shareholder in his, her or its
capacity as owner of the Company Shares and that nothing in this
Agreement shall in any way restrict or limit any director or
officer of the Company from taking any action in his capacity as
a director or officer of the Company that is necessary or
appropriate for him to carry out his
C-5
obligations as a director or officer of the Company, including,
without limitation, participating in his capacity as such in any
discussions or negotiations in accordance with Section 6.4
of the Merger Agreement. It is expressly understood and agreed
by the parties hereto that, with respect to any Shareholder who
is Trustee of a Trust, (i) this Agreement is executed and
delivered by such Shareholder not in his individual capacity but
solely as Trustee of such Trust in the exercise of the power and
authority conferred and vested in him as Trustee; (ii) each
of the representations, undertakings and agreements made herein
by a Trustee is made and intended not as a personal
representation, undertaking and agreement of the Trustee but is
made and intended for the purpose of binding the Trustee only in
his capacity as trustee of such Trust; (iii) nothing
contained herein shall be construed as creating any liability on
the part of a Trustee, individually or personally, to perform
any covenant of such Shareholder either expressed or implied
contained herein other than in his capacity as trustee of such
Trust and out of and to the extent of the assets of such Trust;
and (iv) under no circumstances shall a Trustee be
personally liable for the payment of any indebtedness or expense
of such Trust or be liable for the breach or failure of any
obligation, representation, warranty or covenant made or
undertaken by such Shareholder under this Agreement, or
otherwise, except out of and to the extent of the assets of such
Trust and not out of the personal assets of such Trustee.
Section 6.07. Assignment. This
Agreement shall not be assigned by operation of law or
otherwise, except that the Parent may assign all or any of its
rights and obligations hereunder to any Affiliate, provided that
no such assignment shall relieve the assigning party of its
obligations hereunder if such assignee does not perform such
obligations.
Section 6.08. Parties
in Interest; Third Parties. 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.
Section 6.09. Specific
Performance. The parties hereto agree that
irreparable damage would occur in the event any provision of
this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms
hereof and that the parties shall be entitled to specific
performance of the terms hereof, in addition to any other remedy
at law or in equity.
Section 6.10. Governing
Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. The implementation
and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and
enforced in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania without giving effect to the conflicts of law
provisions thereof. Each party hereto, for itself and its
successors and assigns, (i) irrevocably submits to the
exclusive jurisdiction the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Pennsylvania (and in the absence of federal
jurisdiction, the parties consent to the exclusive jurisdiction
of the applicable Pennsylvania state court sitting in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) for the purposes of any Legal
Proceeding arising out of or related to this Agreement;
(ii) agrees to commence any action, suit or proceeding
relating hereto either in the United States District Court for
the Eastern District of Pennsylvania or if such suit, action or
other proceeding may not be brought in such court for
jurisdictional reasons, in the applicable Pennsylvania state
court sitting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; (iii) agrees
that service of any process, summons, notice or document by
U.S. registered mail to such partys respective
address set forth in Section 6.04 (or at such other address
of which the other parties shall have been notified in
accordance with the provisions of Section 6.04) shall be
effective service of process for any action, suit or proceeding
in Pennsylvania with respect to any matters to which it has
submitted to jurisdiction in this Section; (iv) irrevocably
and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue
of any action, suit or proceeding arising out of this Agreement
or the transactions contemplated hereby in (X) the United
States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
or (Y) any Pennsylvania state court of competent
jurisdiction sitting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
(v) hereby further irrevocably and unconditionally waives
and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such
action, suit or proceeding brought in any such court has been
brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section 6.11. Expenses. All
costs and expenses, including, without limitation, fees and
disbursements of counsel, financial advisors and accountants,
incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such
costs and expenses.
C-6
Section 6.12. Shareholder
Obligations Several and Not Joint. The
obligations of each Shareholder hereunder shall be several and
not joint and no Shareholder shall be liable for any breach of
the terms of this Agreement by any other Shareholder.
Section 6.13. Headings. The
descriptive headings contained in this Agreement are included
for convenience of reference only and shall not affect in any
way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Section 6.14. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile
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.
Section 6.15. Beneficial
Owner. In this Agreement, beneficial
owner has the meaning ascribed to that term in
Rule 13d-3(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
beneficially owned has a consequent meaning.
[SIGNATURE
PAGES FOLLOW]
C-7
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Voting
Agreement to be executed as of the date first above written.
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED
Name: Charles E. Sykes
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Title:
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President and Chief Executive Officer
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SH MERGER SUBSIDIARY I, INC.
Name: Charles E. Sykes
ICT GROUP, INC.
Name: John J. Brennan
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Title:
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President and Chief Executive Officer
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Shareholders:
John J. Brennan
John J. Brennan
Address:
c/o ICT
Group, Inc.
100 Brandywine Blvd.
Newtown, PA 18940
Attention: John J. Brennan
Facsimile:
(267) 685-5700
John J. Brennan, not individually but as trustee under
the Amended and Restated Voting Trust Agreement
dated April 1, 2004
Donald P. Brennan, not individually but as trustee under
the Amended and Restated Voting Trust Agreement
dated April 1, 2004
Address:
c/o ICT
Group, Inc.
100 Brandywine Blvd.
Newtown, PA 18940
Attention: John J. Brennan
Facsimile:
(267) 685-5700
Donald P. Brennan
Donald P. Brennan
Address:
c/o ICT
Group, Inc.
100 Brandywine Blvd.
Newtown, PA 18940
Attention: John J. Brennan
Facsimile:
(267) 685-5700
/s/
Eileen
Brennan Oakley
Eileen Brennan Oakley, not individually but as trustee
of separate trusts under The Brennan Family
1996 Trust Agreement dated February 16, 1996
f/b/o Eileen M. Brennan Oakley, Donald P. Brennan, Jr.,
Maureen C. Brennan, Patrick K. Brennan,
Jonathan R. Brennan and Erin P. Brennan,
and of separate trusts under The Brennan Family
1997 Trust Agreement dated February 14, 1997
f/b/o Eileen M. Brennan Oakley, Donald P. Brennan, Jr., Maureen
C. Brennan, Patrick K. Brennan,
Jonathan R. Brennan and Erin P. Brennan
EXHIBIT A
Shares
Beneficially Owned By the Shareholders
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Number of Outstanding
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Shares of Common Stock
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Beneficially Owned by
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Name of Shareholder:
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Shareholder:
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John J. Brennan
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651,123
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*
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John J. Brennan and Donald P. Brennan as Trustees under the
Voting Trust created under the Amended and Restated Voting
Trust Agreement dated April 1, 2004
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4,500,000
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Donald P. Brennan
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**
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Eileen Brennan Oakley as Trustee of separate trusts under The
Brennan Family 1996 Trust Agreement dated February 16,
1996***
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f/b/o Eileen M. Brennan Oakley
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14,208
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f/b/o Donald P. Brennan, Jr.
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14,208
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f/b/o Maureen C. Brennan
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14,208
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f/b/o Patrick K. Brennan
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14,208
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f/b/o Jonathan R. Brennan
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14,208
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f/b/o Erin P. Brennan
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14,208
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Eileen Brennan Oakley as Trustee of separate trusts under The
Brennan Family 1997 Trust Agreement dated February 14,
1997***
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f/b/o Eileen M. Brennan Oakley
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179,547
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f/b/o Donald P. Brennan, Jr.
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179,546
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f/b/o Maureen C. Brennan
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145,267
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f/b/o Patrick K. Brennan
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196,186
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f/b/o Jonathan R. Brennan
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196,186
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f/b/o Erin P. Brennan
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196,186
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* |
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Does not include (i) 4,500,000 shares of Company
Common Stock, 2,250,000 of which are owned by John J.
Brennan and 2,250,000 of which are owned by Donald P.
Brennan, over which John J. Brennan and Donald P.
Brennan share dispositive power and certain voting power as
Trustees under the Voting Trust created under the Amended and
Restated Voting Trust Agreement dated April 1, 2004 (the
Voting Trust Shares),
(ii) 172,698 shares of Company Common Stock over which
John J. Brennan exercises voting control pursuant to certain
voting agreements entered into by and among current and former
employees of the Company, John J. Brennan and the Company,
(iii) 99,500 shares of Company Common Stock issuable
pursuant to stock options that are exercisable within sixty
(60) days of the date hereof, or
(iv) 45,200 shares of Company Common Stock held
jointly by John J. Brennan and Jean Brennan. |
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** |
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Does not include (i) the Voting Trust Shares,
(ii) 25,000 shares of Company Common Stock issuable
pursuant to stock options that are exercisable within sixty
(60) days of the date hereof, or (iii) shares of
Company Common Stock which may be (X) distributed to
Donald P. Brennan on or within 105 days of
October 23, 2009 (the Payment Date) from a
grantor retained annuity trust (the GRAT) in
existence on the date of this Agreement in satisfaction of an
annuity of $1,013,185.11 payable to Donald P. Brennan on
the Payment Date, which annuity amount may be paid with a
maximum of 492,084 shares of Company Common Stock (such
shares being all of the shares of Company Common Stock currently
held in the GRAT, the current trustees of which are
Donald P. Brennan, ** Patricia A. Brennan and The
Northern Trust Company, with Patricia A. Brennan, as
trustee, having sole power, authority and discretion with
respect to Company Common Stock held in the GRAT), or
(Y) purchased by Donald P. Brennan from the GRAT. |
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*** |
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The trustees of these trusts are Eileen Brennan Oakley,
Donald P. Brennan and The Northern Trust Company. The
Northern Trust Company is successor to The Goldman Sachs
Trust Company as a co-trustee of the trusts.
Re-registration of the shares of Company Common Stock held in
the trusts to substitute The Northern Trust Company as a
record owner (along with Eileen Brennan Oakley and
Donald P. Brennan) in place of The Goldman Sachs
Trust Company is in process. Under the terms of the
applicable trust agreements Eileen Brennan Oakley, as trustee,
has sole power to vote and dispose of the shares and therefore
is the beneficial owner thereof. |
PART II
INFORMATION
NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
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Item 20.
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Indemnification
of Officers and Directors
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The following is only a general summary of certain aspects of
Florida law and Sykes Articles of Incorporation and bylaws
related to indemnification of directors and officers, and does
not purport to be complete. It is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the detailed provisions of Sections 607.0831
and 607.0850 of the Florida Business Corporation Act,
Article 6 of Sykes Articles of Incorporation and
Article 10 of Sykes bylaws.
The Florida Business Corporation Act provides that directors of
a corporation will not be liable to the corporation or any other
person for monetary damages in connection with any statement,
vote, decision or failure to act, regarding corporate management
or policy, by the director, except in certain limited
situations. The effect of this provision is to eliminate the
rights of the registrant and its shareholders (through
shareholders derivative suits on behalf of the registrant)
to recover monetary damages against a Director for breach of the
fiduciary duty of care as a Director (including breaches
resulting from negligent behavior) except in certain limited
situations. This provision does not limit or eliminate the
rights of the registrant or any shareholder to seek non-monetary
relief such as an injunction or rescission in the event of a
breach of a Directors duty of care. These provisions will
not alter the liability of Directors under federal securities
laws.
The Registrants Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
provide that the Registrant shall indemnify directors and
executive officers to the fullest extent now or hereafter
permitted by Florida law. In addition, the Registrant has
entered into Indemnification Agreements with its directors and
executive officers in which the Registrant has agreed to
indemnify such persons to the fullest extent now or hereafter
permitted by Florida law. The general effect of the foregoing
provisions may be to reduce the circumstances which an officer
or director may be required to bear the economic burden of the
foregoing liabilities and expense.
The Registrant has a standard policy of directors and
officers liability insurance covering directors and
officers of the corporation with respect to liabilities incurred
as a result of their service in such capacities, which may
extend to, among other things, liability arising under the
Securities Act of 1933.
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Item 21.
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Exhibits
and Financial Statement Schedules.
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(a) Exhibits. The following Exhibits are filed as part of,
or are incorporated by reference in, this Registration Statement:
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Exhibit
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No.
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Description
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2
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.1
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Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 5, 2009
among Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated, SH Merger
Subsidiary I, Inc., SH Merger Subsidiary II, LLC, and ICT
Group, Inc. (included as Annex A to the proxy
statement/prospectus forming a part of this Registration
Statement and incorporated herein by reference) (the schedules
and exhibits have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2)
of
Regulation S-K).
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3
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.1
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Articles of Incorporation of Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated
(filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrants Registration
Statement on
Form S-3
filed with the Commission on October 23, 1997, and
incorporated herein by reference).
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3
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.2
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Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of Sykes
Enterprises, Incorporated (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the
Registrants
Form 10-K
filed with the Commission on March 29, 1999, and
incorporated herein by reference).
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3
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.3
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By-laws of Sykes Inc., as amended October 23, 2008 (Filed
as Exhibit 3.3 to Registrants
Form 10-K
filed with the Commission on March 22, 2005, and
incorporated herein by reference).
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5
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Opinion of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP as to the
validity of the shares of common stock of Sykes.
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8
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.1
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Opinion of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP as to
certain tax matters (including consent).
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8
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.2
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Opinion of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP as to certain
tax matters (including consent).
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II-1
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Exhibit
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No.
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Description
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10
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Voting Agreement, dated as of October 5, 2009, by and among
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated, ICT Group, Inc., John J.
Brennan, Donald P. Brennan, and Eileen Brennan Oakley (included
as Annex C to the proxy statement/prospectus forming a part
of this Registration Statement and incorporated herein by
reference).
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15
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Awareness Letter of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm of Sykes.
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23
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.1
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Consent of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP (included in
Exhibits 5 and 8.1 hereto).
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23
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.2
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Consent of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (included in
Exhibit 8.2 hereto).
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23
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.3
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Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm of ICT.
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23
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.4
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Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm of Sykes.
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99
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.1*
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Form of ICT proxy card.
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99
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.2
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Consent of Greenhill & Co., LLC.
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* |
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Previously filed with the initial registration statement filed
with the SEC on October 29, 2009. |
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by
section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933.
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
arising after the effective date of the registration statement
(or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the registration statement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in
volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
securities offered would not exceed that which was registered)
and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated
maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and
price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the
maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the
Calculation of Registration Fee table in the
effective registration statement.
(iii) To include any material information with respect to
the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective
amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of
such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a
post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered
which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under
the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
i. If the registrant is relying on Rule 430B (230.430B
of this chapter):
A. Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to
Rule 424(b)(3)shall be deemed to be part of the
registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was
deemed part of and included in the registration
statement; and
II-2
B. Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to
Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration
statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering
made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for
the purpose of providing the information required by section
10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part
of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier
of the date such form of prospectus is first used after
effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of
securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As
provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer
and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date
shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration
statement relating to the securities in the registration
statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of
such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement
made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of
the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or
deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement
or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will,
as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such
effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made
in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the
registration statement or made in any such document immediately
prior to such effective date; or
ii. If the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each
prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a
registration statement relating to an offering, other than
registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than
prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be
deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement
as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided,
however, that no statement made in a registration statement or
prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in
a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into
the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the
registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of
contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify
any statement that was made in the registration statement or
prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made
in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the
registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in
the initial distribution of the securities:
The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering
of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this
registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method
used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities
are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the
following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a
seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell
such securities to such purchaser:
i. Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the
undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be
filed pursuant to Rule 424;
ii. Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering
prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used
or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
iii. The portion of any other free writing prospectus
relating to the offering containing material information about
the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on
behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
iv. Any other communication that is an offer in the
offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act
of 1933, each filing of the registrants annual report
pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each
filing of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant
to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration
statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the
II-3
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide
offering thereof.
(c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes as
follows: that prior to any public reoffering of the securities
registered hereunder through use of a prospectus which is a part
of this registration statement, by any person or party who is
deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of
Rule 145(c), the issuer undertakes that such reoffering
prospectus will contain the information called for by the
applicable registration form with respect to reofferings by
persons who may be deemed underwriters, in addition to the
information called for by the other items of the applicable form.
(d) The registrant undertakes that every prospectus:
(i) that is filed pursuant to paragraph
(c) immediately preceding, or (ii) that purports to
meet the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Act and is
used in connection with an offering of securities subject to
Rule 415, will be filed as a part of an amendment to the
registration statement and will not be used until such amendment
is effective, and that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall
be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(e) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to
directors, officers, and controlling persons of the registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer,
or controlling person of the registrant in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the
securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be
governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(f) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to respond
to requests for information that is incorporated by reference
into the prospectus pursuant to Item 4, 10(b), 11, or 13 of
this form, within one business day of receipt of such request,
and to send the incorporated documents by first class mail or
other equally prompt means. This includes information contained
in documents filed subsequent to the effective date of the
registration statement through the date of responding to the
request.
(g) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to supply
by means of a post-effective amendment all information
concerning a transaction, and the company being acquired
involved therein, that was not the subject of and included in
the registration statement when it became effective.
II-4
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant has duly caused this Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Tampa,
Florida, on December 18, 2009.
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED
(Registrant)
Charles E. Sykes
President and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive
officer)
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By:
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/s/ W.
Michael Kipphut
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W. Michael Kipphut,
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (principal
financial and accounting officer)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons
on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.
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Signature
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Title
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Date
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/s/ Paul
L. Whiting*
Paul
L. Whiting
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Chairman of the Board
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December 18, 2009
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/s/ Charles
E. Sykes
Charles
E. Sykes
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President and Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal
Executive Officer)
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December 18, 2009
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/s/ Furman
P. Bodenheimer, Jr.*
Furman
P. Bodenheimer, Jr.
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Director
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December 18, 2009
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/s/ Mark
C. Bozek*
Mark
C. Bozek
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Director
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December 18, 2009
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/s/ Lt.
Gen. Michael P. Delong (Ret.)*
Lt.
Gen. Michael P. Delong (Ret.)
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Director
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December 18, 2009
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/s/ H.
Parks Helms*
H.
Parks Helms
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Director
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December 18, 2009
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/s/ Iain
A. Macdonald*
Iain
A. Macdonald
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Director
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December 18, 2009
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/s/ James
S. MacLeod*
James
S. MacLeod
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Director
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December 18, 2009
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II-5
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Signature
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Title
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Date
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/s/
Linda F. McClintock-Greco M.D.*
Linda
F. McClintock-Greco M.D.
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Director
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December 18, 2009
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/s/ William
J. Meurer*
William
J. Meurer
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Director
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December 18, 2009
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/s/ James
K. Murray, Jr.*
James
K. Murray, Jr.
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Director
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December 18, 2009
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By: /s/ W. Michael Kipphut
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W. Michael Kipphut, as Attorney in Fact pursuant to the
Power of Attorney included in the initial Registration Statement
filed on October 29, 2009.
II-6