Tax Returns and Payments; Pension Contributions Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has timely filed all required tax returns and reports, and Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, has timely paid all foreign, federal, state, and local taxes, assessments, deposits and contributions owed by Borrower and such Subsidiaries, in all jurisdictions in which Borrower or any such Subsidiary is subject to taxes, including the United States, unless such taxes are being contested in accordance with the following sentence. Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, may defer payment of any contested taxes, provided that Borrower or such Subsidiary, (a) in good faith contests its obligation to pay the taxes by appropriate proceedings promptly and diligently instituted and conducted, (b) notifies Collateral Agent in writing of the commencement of, and any material development in, the proceedings, and (c) posts bonds or takes any other steps required to prevent the Governmental Authority levying such contested taxes from obtaining a Lien upon any of the Collateral that is other than a “Permitted Lien.” Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is aware of any claims or adjustments proposed for any of Borrower’s or such Subsidiaries’, prior tax years which could result in additional taxes becoming due and payable by Borrower or its Subsidiaries. Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries have paid all amounts necessary to fund all present pension, profit sharing and deferred compensation plans in accordance with their terms, and neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries have, withdrawn from participation in, and have not permitted partial or complete termination of, or permitted the occurrence of any other event with respect to, any such plan which could reasonably be expected to result in any liability of Borrower or its Subsidiaries, including any liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or its successors or any other Governmental Authority.
Earnout Payments (a) The Seller shall be entitled to, and shall, earn each of the Year-One Earnout Consideration and the Year-Two Earnout Consideration as and to the extent provided in this Section 2.5.
(b) Within sixty (60) days after the expiry of each Earnout Period, the Buyer shall provide the Seller with written notice (the “Earnout Notice”) of the Buyer’s reasonably detailed computation of the EBITDA during such Earnout Period (the “Earnout EBITDA”), the Earnout Consideration calculated therefrom. If the Buyer shall fail to timely provide an Earnout Notice, then the Earnout EBITDA shall be finally and conclusively deemed to equal 100% of the Earnout Target for such Earnout Period.
(c) Upon the receipt by the Seller of an Earnout Notice, the Seller shall have a period of thirty (30) days to review the Earnout Notice and may have the same verified by independent accountants and other Representatives selected by him. The Seller and his Representatives shall be entitled to perform all reasonable procedures (including review of all records of the Buyer and the Company supporting such calculations and other materials as they may reasonably request) and to take any other reasonable steps that the Seller and his Representatives deem appropriate to confirm that the amount of the Earnout EBITDA for the applicable Earnout Period set forth in the Earnout Notice has been prepared in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. If the Seller shall have any objections to the calculation of the Earnout EBITDA set forth in the Earnout Notice, the Seller shall deliver to the Buyer, within thirty (30) days from his receipt of the Earnout Notice (the “Earnout Objection Period”), a written statement (the “Earnout Objection Notice”) setting forth the component or components of the Earnout Notice that are in dispute, the basis of such dispute and, if known, the amount proposed as an adjustment. The failure of the Seller to deliver an Earnout Objection Notice within the thirty (30) day period hereinabove provided shall constitute the acceptance by the Seller of the Earnout EBITDA and the amount of Earnout Consideration set forth in the Earnout Notice whereupon such amounts shall be final, binding and conclusive for all purposes hereunder. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.5, in the event any information reasonably requested by the Seller under this Section 2.5(c) has not been provided to the Seller promptly following the Seller’s request thereof and within such thirty (30) day period, then the Earnout EBITDA and the amount of Earnout Consideration, each as set forth in the Earnout Notice shall not be deemed final, binding or conclusive hereunder, and the Seller may unilaterally (without the Buyer’s consent) extend the period for which the Seller may submit the Earnout Objection Notice five (5) days for each day beyond the thirty (30) day period that such item remains outstanding by delivering a written notice to the Buyer of such extension.
(d) If the Seller delivers an Earnout Objection Notice, the Seller and the Buyer shall in good faith attempt to resolve any such dispute and, if the parties so resolve all such disputes, then the computation of the Earnout EBITDA and the amount of Earnout Consideration set forth in the Earnout Notice for the applicable Earnout Period as resolved by the parties, shall be conclusive and binding on the parties upon written acknowledgement of such resolution. If the Seller and the Buyer fail to resolve all of the items in dispute within thirty (30) days after the Seller’s delivery of the Earnout Objection Notice to the Buyer (or such longer period as they may mutually agree in writing), then either party may elect to submit any remaining disputed items to an independent third-party arbitrator mutually acceptable to the Buyer and the Seller who shall be qualified by experience and training to arbitrate commercial disputes (the “Earnout Expert”) who shall be retained to review promptly the Earnout EBITDA and the amount of Earnout Consideration set forth in the Earnout Notice and the disputed items or amounts; provided, however, that if the Buyer and the Seller are unable to mutually agree on an individual to act as the Earnout Expert within five (5) Business Days after the Buyer or the Seller elect to submit the dispute to arbitration, then each of the Buyer and the Seller shall each designate an independent third-party arbitrator and such designees shall promptly (and in any event within ten (10) days) select an individual to act as the Earnout Expert.
(e) If any disputed items are referred to the Earnout Expert, the parties shall cooperate in good faith with the determination process and the Earnout Expert’s requests for information, including providing the Earnout Expert with information as promptly as practicable after its request therefor. Each party shall be entitled to receive copies of all materials provided by the other to the Earnout Expert in connection with the determination process. In making its determination on the disputed items, the Earnout Expert shall make such determinations (i) only in accordance with the standards set forth in this Agreement, (ii) only with respect to the disputed items submitted to the Earnout Expert and no other items, (iii) on a disputed item by disputed item basis (i.e., not in the aggregate), and (iv) where the result of the Earnout Expert’s determination for such disputed item is neither greater then nor less than the amounts presented by the parties to the Earnout Expert with respect to the item in dispute. In connection with his review the Earnout Expert shall have the right to engage an independent accounting firm; provided such independent accounting firm does not have, and has not had, a material relationship with the Seller, the Buyer or any of their respective Affiliates in the past five (5) years. The determination of the Earnout Expert shall be final, conclusive and binding on the parties, absent manifest error. The parties shall instruct the Earnout Expert to provide its determination in writing to the parties within thirty (30) days of the date it is engaged on such project. Neither party shall have any ex parte conversations or meetings with the Earnout Expert without the prior written consent of the other party.
(f) The amount of Earnout EBITDA for the applicable Earnout Period and the amount of Earnout Consideration calculated therefrom either as accepted or deemed to have been accepted by the Seller or as adjusted and resolved in the manner herein provided, shall fix the amount of the Earnout EBITDA for the applicable Earnout Period and the amount of Earnout Consideration calculated therefrom. Subject to the reimbursement provided in the next sentence, each party shall bear its own expenses and the fees and expenses of its own Representatives, including its independent accountants, in connection with the preparation, review, dispute (if any) and final determination of the amount of Earnout EBITDA for the applicable Earnout Period and the Earnout Consideration calculated therefrom. The fees and expenses of the Earnout Expert shall be borne by the party (either the Buyer or the Seller) whose determination of the amount of Earnout EBITDA (as set forth in the Earnout Notice or Earnout Objection Notice, as applicable) was farthest from the final determination by the Earnout Expert, and such party shall reimburse the other party for all out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys’ and accountants’ fees) incurred in connection therewith; provided, that, if the determination by the Earnout Expert is equidistant between the determinations of the parties, or is no more than five percent (5%) more or less than such equidistant amount, the fees of the Earnout Expert shall be borne equally by the Buyer and the Seller and each of the Buyer and the Seller shall bear the cost of their own respective fees and expenses.
(g) If the Earnout EBITDA set forth in the Earnout Notice for the First Earnout Period is equal to or greater than one hundred percent (100%) of the Year-One EBITDA Target then the Seller shall be entitled to receive one hundred percent (100%) of the Year-One Earnout Consideration.
(h) If the Earnout EBITDA as set forth in the Earnout Notice for the First Earnout Period is equal to or greater than seventy percent (70%) and less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Year-One EBITDA Target, then the Seller shall be entitled to receive a portion of the Year-One Earnout Consideration equal to the product of (A) the Year-One Earnout Consideration multiplied by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the Earnout EBITDA for the First Earnout Period, and the denominator of which is the Year-One EBITDA Target. If the Earnout EBITDA for the First Earnout Period is less than seventy percent (70%) of the Year-One EBITDA Target, then the Seller shall not be entitled to any portion of the Year-One Earnout Consideration.
(i) If the Earnout EBITDA set forth in the Earnout Notice for the Second Earnout Period is equal to or greater than one hundred percent (100%) of the Year-Two EBITDA Target then the Seller shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to the Year-Two Earnout Consideration.
(j) If the Earnout EBITDA as set forth in the Earnout Notice for the Second Earnout Period is equal to or greater than seventy percent (70%) and less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Year-Two EBITDA Target, then the Seller shall be entitled to receive a portion of the Year-Two Earnout Amount equal to the product of (A) the Year-Two Earnout Amount multiplied by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the Earnout EBITDA for the Second Earnout Period, and the denominator of which is the Year-Two EBITDA Target. If the Earnout EBITDA for the Second Earnout Period is less than seventy percent (70%) of the Year-Two EBITDA Target, then the Seller shall not be entitled to any portion of the Year-Two Earnout Consideration.
(k) Except as set forth in Section 2.5(l), the Earnout Consideration shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds; provided, however, to the extent there shall not be an Equity Conditions Failure, at the Buyer’s discretion, up to sixty percent (60%) of the Earnout Consideration for any Earnout Period may be satisfied with shares of the Buyer Common Stock valued at a price per share equal to the Earnout Share Price.
(l) If no Earnout Objection Notice is received, within three (3) Business Days of the expiration of the Earnout Objection Period, the Buyer shall either (i) pay to the Seller in immediately available funds the applicable percentage of the Earnout Consideration, or (ii) to the extent there shall not be an Equity Conditions Failure, (x) pay in immediately available funds and (y) issue such number of shares of Buyer Common Stock, which together shall equal in value the applicable percentage of the Earnout Consideration to the Seller; provided, that at least forty percent (40%) of such Earnout Consideration shall be paid in immediately available funds. If an Earnout Objection Notice is received, within five (5) Business Days of the Earnout EBITDA determination becoming final, conclusive and binding upon the parties in accordance with the terms set forth above, the Buyer shall (i) pay to the Seller in immediately available funds the applicable percentage of the Earnout Consideration or (ii) to the extent the Equity Conditions are then satisfied, (x) pay in immediately available funds and (y) issue such number of shares of Buyer Common Stock, which together shall equal in value the applicable percentage of the Earnout Consideration to the Seller; provided, that at least forty percent (40%) of such Earnout Consideration shall be paid in immediately available funds.
(m) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 2.5 to the contrary, if (i) the Seller timely delivers an Earnout Objection Notice to the Buyer and (ii) the Buyer’s computation of EBITDA for such Earnout Period is in an amount sufficient for a portion of the Earnout Consideration to be paid (or if applicable, issued) for such Earnout Period, then, within three (3) Business Days of the receipt of the Earnout Objection, the Buyer shall (i) pay to the Seller in immediately available funds the applicable percentage of the Earnout Consideration or (ii) to the extent there shall be no Equity Conditions Failure, (x) pay in immediately available funds and (y) issue such number of shares of Buyer Common Stock, which together shall equal in value the applicable percentage of the Earnout Consideration to the Seller (any such amount so paid or issued, an “Interim Earnout Payment Amount”). Upon final determination of the appropriate amount of the Earnout Consideration for such Earnout Period in accordance with this Section 2.5, the Buyer shall promptly pay and/or issue to Seller the amount of such Earnout Consideration less the Interim Earn-out Payment Amount previously paid and/or issued; provided, that at least forty percent (40%) of the aggregate amount of such Earnout Consideration shall be paid in immediately available funds.
(n) Any payments under this Section 2.5 shall constitute an adjustment to the Purchase Price.
(o) From and after the Closing Date until the expiration of the Second Earnout Period, the Buyer shall, and the Buyer shall cause the Company to, own and operate the Company as a separate business and maintain separate financial statements for the Company, to include all business that is originated or generated by the Company, including, without limitation, all revenue generated by employees compensated by the Company (including those individuals set forth on Schedule 2.3(a)) with or by the use of the Buyer’s products or platforms including SRAX, SRAX MD, SRAX DI, GroupAD, Social Spotlight Media, Facebook ads and advertisements on other social media platforms, as well as any future products, platforms or other sales channels or methodologies developed by the Buyer, which shall be counted toward the determination of the Company’s EBITDA; provided, however, that (i) the related employee compensation costs, (ii) the actual cost of utilizing any such product, platform, sales channel or other methodology which is directly attributable to the revenue generated by such employees which are compensated by the Company (but not the cost of any development or creation of such products, platform, sales channels or other methodologies) and (iii) any project or campaign specific development costs or creative services costs requested by the Seller, in each case shall be counted toward the determination of the Company’s EBITDA and shall not be an EBITDA Adjustment. The Buyer shall act in good faith in the exercise of its power, authority and control of the Company and shall cause the Company to operate the Business in a manner generally consistent with the Company’s operation of the Business in the fiscal year prior to the Closing and in a manner intended to maximize EBITDA during each Earnout Period. In furtherance of the foregoing covenants in this Section 2.5(o), from the Closing Date until the expiration of the Second Earnout Period, the Buyer shall not, and the Buyer shall cause the Company not to, without the prior written consent of the Seller: (i) increase the compensation of any employees, consultants, contractors or other persons providing services to the Business or the Company, which such increase, in the aggregate, would be material to the Company or the Business; (ii) engage in any transaction or incur any expense or obligation to an Affiliate unless such expense or obligation is on terms and conditions which are no more favorable to such Affiliate than the Buyer or the Company would obtain in an arms’ length arrangement negotiated with a third party; (iii) increase any reserve or take any charge against earnings except to the extent required by applicable Law or GAAP and, in which case, any such increase or reserve shall be disregarded for purposes of calculating the Company’s EBITDA; (iv) incur any expense inconsistent with the type, amount or timing of expenses incurred by the Company in the conduct of the Business during the fiscal year prior to the Closing, unless the Buyer or the Company reasonably determines such expense is reasonably necessary to generate or protect revenues during s