Superior Proposal (a) Each party agrees and acknowledges that from and after the date hereof until the close of business on April 28, 1997, if Assignor receives a Superior Proposal, Assignor may (i) furnish any information requested by the Offering Party with respect to such Superior Proposal (other than the contents of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement), (ii) participate in negotiations with such Offering Party regarding such Superior Proposal or (iii) enter into one or more letters of intent, term sheets or agreements with respect to any Superior Proposals; provided, however, that if Assignor proposes to take any of the actions specified in clause (iii) hereof, Assignor shall give Assignee prior written notice setting forth Assignor's proposed actions.
(b) Not later than the close of business on May 12, 1997, Assignor shall require each Offering Party with whom it is still engaged in discussions to submit a final binding offer, subject only to acceptance by Assignor. Not later than the close of business on May 16, 1997, Assignor shall (i) determine whether any such offer constitutes a Superior Proposal, (ii) if there is more than one Superior Proposal, select which Superior Proposal Assignor intends to accept and (iii) provide written notice to Assignee setting forth all the material terms and conditions of such selected Superior Proposal ("SP Notice").
(c) After receipt of the SP Notice, Assignee shall have five (5) days to notify Assignor of its agreement to modify this Agreement and any Ancillary Agreement as necessary to acquire the Transferred Interests at the same price and under the same terms and conditions as set forth in the SP Notice ("Assignee Acceptance Notice"); provided further, however, if under the terms set forth in the SP Notice Assignor is proposing to accept property (other than cash or promissory notes), Assignee shall have the right to substitute cash in an amount equal to the value of such other property.
(d) If Assignor does not give an SP Notice to Assignee on or before May 16, 1997, or if Assignee gives an Assignee Acceptance Notice to Assignor in accordance with subsection (c) hereof, neither Assignor nor Assignee shall thereafter have any right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 15(c).
Superior Proposals Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 6.3(b), from the date hereof until the Offer Acceptance Time, solely in response to a bona fide written Acquisition Proposal that did not result from a breach of the obligations set forth in Section 6.3(b), (i) the Company may, directly or indirectly, through one or more of their Representatives (including the Advisor), contact the Person or group of Persons making such Acquisition Proposal solely to clarify any ambiguous terms and conditions thereof so as to determine whether such Acquisition Proposal constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to constitute, a Superior Proposal, and (ii) the Company may, upon a good faith determination by the Company Board (after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel) that the failure to do so would be or would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law, participate or engage in discussions or negotiations with, furnish any non-public information relating to the Company Group to, or afford access to the business, properties, assets, books, records or other non-public information, or to any personnel, of the Company Group pursuant to an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement to any Person or its Representatives that has made or delivered to the Company such Acquisition Proposal, and otherwise facilitate such Acquisition Proposal or assist such Person (and its Representatives, prospective debt and equity financing sources and/or their respective Representatives) with such Acquisition Proposal (in each case, if requested by such Person); provided, that, prior to taking any action described in this Section 6.3(c)(ii), the Company Board (or a committee thereof) has determined in good faith (after consultation with its financial advisor and outside legal counsel) that such Acquisition Proposal either constitutes a Superior Proposal or would reasonably be expected to lead to a Superior Proposal; provided, however, that (x) the Company will substantially concurrently provide to Parent and its Representatives any non-public information that is provided to any Person or its Representatives given such access in connection with the actions permitted by this Section 6.3(c)(ii) that was not previously made available to Parent and (y) the Company Group shall not provide (and shall not permit any of their respective Representatives to provide) any competitively sensitive non-public information to any Person who is or whose Affiliates are a competitor of the Company Group in connection with the actions permitted by this Section 6.3(c)(ii), except in accordance with customary “clean room” or other similar procedures designed to manage the disclosure of competitively sensitive information.
Acquisition Proposal “Acquisition Proposal” shall mean any offer or proposal (other than an offer or proposal made or submitted by Parent) contemplating or otherwise relating to any Acquisition Transaction.
Alternative Proposals Prior to the Effective Date, the Company agrees (a) that neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, and it and they shall direct and use its and their best efforts to cause its and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (including, without limitation, any investment banker, attorney or accountant retained by it or any of its Subsidiaries) not to, initiate, solicit or encourage, directly or indirectly, any inquiries or the making or implementation of any proposal or offer (including, without limitation, any proposal or offer to its stockholders) with respect to a merger, acquisition, consolidation or similar transaction involving, or any purchase of all or any significant portion of the assets or any equity securities of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (any such proposal or offer made prior to the termination of this Agreement (and any subsequent amended proposal or offer made by the same or an affiliated party) being hereinafter referred to as an "Alternative Proposal") or engage in any negotiations concerning, or provide any confidential information or data to, or have any discussions with, any person relating to an Alternative Proposal, or release any third party from any obligations under any existing standstill agreement or arrangement relating to any Alternative Proposal, or otherwise facilitate any effort or attempt to make or implement an Alternative Proposal; (b) that it will immediately cease and cause to be terminated any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any parties conducted heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing, and it will take the necessary steps to inform the individuals or entities referred to above of the obligations undertaken in this Section 8.9; and (c) that it will notify Parent immediately if any such inquiries or proposals are received by, any such information is requested from, or any such negotiations or discussions are sought to be initiated or continued with, it; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section 8.9 shall prohibit the Board of Directors of the Company from (i) furnishing information to or entering into discussions or negotiations with, any person or entity that makes or proposes to make an unsolicited bona fide proposal to acquire the Company pursuant to a merger, consolidation, share exchange, purchase of a substantial portion of assets, business combination or other similar transaction, if, and only to the extent that, (A) the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that such action is required for the Board of Directors to comply with its fiduciary duties to stockholders imposed by law, (B) prior to furnishing such information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, such person or entity, the Company provides written 37 43 notice to Parent to the effect that it is furnishing information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, such person or entity and (C) the Company keeps Parent promptly informed of the status and all material terms and conditions of any such discussions or negotiations (including identities of parties); and (ii) to the extent applicable, complying with Rule 14e-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act with regard to an Alternative Proposal. Nothing in this Section 8.9 shall (x) permit the Company to terminate this Agreement (except as specifically provided in Article X hereof), (y) permit the Company to enter into any agreement with respect to an Alternative Proposal during the term of this Agreement (it being agreed that during the term of this Agreement, the Company shall not enter into any agreement with any person that provides for, or in any way facilitates, an Alternative Proposal), or (z) affect any other obligation of the Company under this Agreement.
Shareholders' Approval The Company shall:
(a) call a special meeting of the Shareholders (the "Shareholders' Meeting") within 30 days (or such other period as may be required by applicable law) after the S-4 shall have been declared effective by the SEC for the purpose of obtaining the approval of the Merger, this Agreement and the Plan of Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (the "Shareholder Action"); and
(b) recommend that the Shareholders vote in favor of the Merger and approve this Agreement and the Plan of Merger and take or cause to be taken all such other action as may be required by the New Jersey Statute and any other applicable law in connection with the Merger, this Agreement and the Plan of Merger, in each case as promptly as possible. The Company shall prepare and distribute any written notice and other materials relating to the Shareholder Action, including, without limitation, a proxy statement (the "Shareholder Statement"), in accordance with the Certificate and by-laws of the Company, the New Jersey Statute and any other Federal and state laws relating to the Merger, such Shareholders' Meeting or any other transaction relating to or contemplated by this Agreement (collectively, the "Shareholders' Materials"); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Parent and its counsel shall have the opportunity to review all Shareholders' Materials prior to delivery to the Shareholders, and all Shareholders' Materials shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Parent and its counsel; PROVIDED, FURTHER, HOWEVER, that if any event occurs which should be set forth in an amendment or supplement to any Shareholders' Materials, the Company shall promptly inform Parent thereof (or, if such event relates solely to Parent, Parent shall promptly inform the Company thereof), and the Company shall promptly prepare an amendment or supplement in form and substance satisfactory to Parent in accordance with the Certificate and by-laws of the Company, the New Jersey Statute and any other Federal or state laws.