-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, GvqBGZhFVvPkrBwhsxhbYN39pXzwzHGIkzC77TaQMr4n7y3XkKVFtxCiPkHL8Ebj hljHJL3vXrsMQNW1tnMtfw== 0001047469-08-008618.txt : 20080801 0001047469-08-008618.hdr.sgml : 20080801 20080801134926 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001047469-08-008618 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-1 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 47 FILED AS OF DATE: 20080801 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20080801 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: TICKETMASTER CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001006637 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SERVICES-MISCELLANEOUS AMUSEMENT & RECREATION [7990] IRS NUMBER: 954546874 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-1 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-152702 FILM NUMBER: 08984478 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 8800 WEST SUNSET BLVD. CITY: WEST HOLLYWOOD STATE: CA ZIP: 90069 BUSINESS PHONE: 310-360-3300 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 8800 WEST SUNSET BLVD. CITY: WEST HOLLYWOOD STATE: CA ZIP: 90069 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: TICKETMASTER ONLINE CITYSEARCH INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19980923 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: CITYSEARCH INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19980617 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: PERFECTMARKET INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19960909 S-1 1 a2187104zs-1.htm S-1
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 1, 2008

Registration No. 333-          



UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

TICKETMASTER
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
  7990
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  95-4546874
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

8800 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 360-3300

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

Edward J. Weiss
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Ticketmaster
8800 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 360-3300

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

With a copy to:

Pamela S. Seymon
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 403-1000

          Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.

          If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. þ

          If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) 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

          If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) 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

          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):

Large accelerated filer o   Accelerated filer o   Non-accelerated filer þ
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
  Smaller reporting company o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


Title of Each Class of
Securities to be Registered

  Amount to
be Registered(1)

  Proposed Maximum
Offering Price
Per Unit

  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price(2)

  Amount of
Registration Fee(3)


Common stock, par value $0.01 per share   72,186,499 shares   N/A   $2,048,618   $80.51

(1)
This registration statement relates to shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Ticketmaster (the "Registrant"), which will be distributed pursuant to a spin-off transaction to the holders of common stock and Class B common stock of IAC/InterActiveCorp ("IAC"). The amount of the Registrant's common stock to be registered represents the sum of (i) 55,817,094 shares of common stock to be distributed to the holders of IAC common stock and IAC Class B common stock upon consummation of the spin-off, (ii) up to 11,269,405 shares of common stock to be issued in respect of certain restricted stock units or stock options, in each case, previously issued pursuant to IAC's equity incentive plans and that will be converted, in whole or in part, in connection with the spin-off into stock options and restricted stock units to be issued under the Ticketmaster 2008 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan (the "Stock and Annual Incentive Plan"), (iii) up to 5,000,000 shares of common stock issuable in respect of stock options, restricted stock units and other equity-based awards that may be granted from time to time following the spin-off pursuant to the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan and (iv) up to 100,000 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to the Ticketmaster Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors. To the extent additional shares of common stock may be issued or become issuable as a result of a stock split, stock dividend, or other distribution involving the common stock while this registration statement is in effect, this registration statement hereby is deemed to cover all such additional shares of common stock in accordance with Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933. In connection with the spin-off, one fifth of one share of the Registrant's common stock will be distributed for each share of IAC common stock or Class B common stock outstanding on the record date for the spin-off and each share of IAC common stock issued in connection with the exercise of IAC stock options and the settlement of IAC restricted stock units between the record date for the spin-off and the date of the spin-off. Because it is not possible to accurately state the number of shares of IAC common stock and Class B common stock that will be outstanding as of the spin-off date, this calculation is based on the number of shares of IAC common stock and IAC Class B common stock outstanding as of April 30, 2008, options to purchase shares of IAC common stock and IAC restricted units in respect of shares of IAC common stock as of December 31, 2007 that may settle prior to the date of the spin-off.

(2)
Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(f)(2) and Rule 457(h)(1) under the Securities Act, based on the book value of the common stock as of March 31, 2008, the most recent practicable date.

(3)
Calculated by multiplying 0.00003930 by the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.

          The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to Section 8(a), may determine.





EXPLANATORY NOTE

        This Registration Statement has been prepared on a prospective basis on the assumption that, among other things, the spin-off of the Registrant from IAC/InterActiveCorp (as described in the Prospectus which is a part of this Registration Statement) and the related transactions contemplated to occur prior to or contemporaneously with the spin-off will be consummated as contemplated by the Prospectus. There can be no assurance, however, that any or all of such transactions will occur or will occur as so contemplated. Any significant modifications to or variations in the transactions contemplated will be reflected in an amendment or supplement to this Registration Statement.


The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not issue these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion, dated August 1, 2008

PROSPECTUS


TICKETMASTER



72,186,499 Shares of Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share

        This prospectus is being furnished to you as a stockholder of IAC in connection with the spin-off by IAC/InterActiveCorp to its stockholders of HSN, Inc. ("HSNi"), Interval Leisure Group, Inc. ("ILG"), Ticketmaster (the "Company" or "Ticketmaster") and Tree.com, Inc. ("Tree.com") (each, a "Spinco" and collectively, the "Spincos"), each a wholly-owned subsidiary of IAC that at the time of its spin-off will hold directly or indirectly the assets and liabilities associated with the following businesses:

    HSNi: HSN TV, HSN.com, and the Cornerstone Brands, Inc. portfolio of catalogs, websites and retail locations;

    ILG: the businesses currently comprising IAC's Interval segment;

    Ticketmaster: Ticketmaster's primary domestic and international operations, as well as certain investments in unconsolidated affiliates; and

    Tree.com: the businesses currently comprising IAC's Lending and Real Estate segments.

        To implement the spin-offs, IAC, the Company and the other Spincos will effect a series of restructuring transactions following which IAC will distribute all of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Spincos on a pro rata basis to the holders of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock. Each of you, as a holder of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock, will receive one-fifth of a share of common stock of HSNi, one-fifth of a share of common stock of ILG, one-fifth of a share of common stock of Ticketmaster and one-thirtieth of a share of common stock of Tree.com for every share of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock that you held at the close of business on [    •    ], 2008, the record date for the spin-offs. The spin-offs will be effective as of [    •    ], 2008, unless otherwise determined by IAC's board of directors.

        Immediately after the spin-off of Ticketmaster is completed, Ticketmaster will be a separate public company. All of the outstanding shares of the common stock of Ticketmaster are currently owned by IAC. Accordingly, there currently is no public trading market for the common stock of Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster has been approved to list its common stock under the ticker symbol "TKTM" on the NASDAQ Stock Market.

        No vote of IAC stockholders is required in connection with the Ticketmaster spin-off. Neither IAC nor the Company is asking you for a proxy, and you are not requested to send us a proxy. IAC stockholders will not be required to pay any consideration for the shares of common stock of the Company they receive in the spin-off, and they will not be required to surrender or exchange shares of their IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock or take any other action in connection with the spin-off.

        In reviewing this prospectus, you should carefully consider the matters described under the caption "Risk Factors" beginning on page 8 of this prospectus.


        NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.


The date of this prospectus is [    •    ], 2008.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
  Page
Summary   2
Questions and Answers about Ticketmaster and the Spin-Offs   4
Risk Factors—Risk Factors Relating to Our Spin-Off From IAC   9
Risk Factors—Risk Factors Relating to Our Business Following Ticketmaster's Spin-Off From IAC   13
Forward-Looking Statements   20
The Separation   22
  General   22
  The Number of Shares You Will Receive in the Ticketmaster Spin-Off   22
  When and How You Will Receive the Dividend   22
  Results of the Separation   23
  Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Spin-Offs   23
  Market for Common Stock of Ticketmaster   27
  Trading Before the Distribution Date   27
  Conditions to the Spin-Offs   28
  Reasons for the Separation   29
  Litigation with Liberty Media Corporation   30
  Financial Advisor   30
Treatment of Outstanding IAC Compensatory Equity-Based Awards   30
Dividend Policy   32
Transfers to IAC and Financing   33
Certain Information With Respect To Ticketmaster   37
  Business of Ticketmaster   37
  Capitalization   46
  Selected Historical Financial Data   47
  Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements   48
  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ticketmaster   56
  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk   76
  Management of Ticketmaster   77
  Ticketmaster Executive Compensation   82
  Ticketmaster Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management   94
Description of Capital Stock of Ticketmaster   96
Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions   100
Description of the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan   108
Use of Proceeds   111
Determination of Offering Price   111
Legal Matters   111
Experts   112
Where You Can Find More Information   112

Ticketmaster and Subsidiaries Combined Financial Statements Table of Contents

 

F-1

i


        This prospectus describes the businesses of the Company as though they were its businesses for all historical periods described. However, IAC and the Company will effect certain restructuring steps described in this prospectus before IAC completes the Ticketmaster spin-off. References in this prospectus to the historical assets, liabilities, products, businesses or activities of the businesses of the Company are intended to refer to the historical assets, liabilities, products, businesses or activities of the relevant businesses as those businesses were conducted as part of IAC prior to the spin-off. Following the spin-off, the Company will be a separate, publicly traded company, and IAC will have no continuing stock ownership in the Company. The historical combined financial information of the Company as part of IAC contained in this prospectus is not necessarily indicative of its future financial position, future results of operations or future cash flows, nor does it reflect what the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Company would have been had it been operated as a stand-alone company during the periods presented.

        You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date set forth on the cover. Changes to the information contained in this prospectus may occur after that date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update the information unless required to do so by law.

1



SUMMARY

        This summary highlights selected information from this prospectus and may not contain all the information that may be important to you. Accordingly, you are encouraged to read carefully the entire prospectus, its annexes and the documents filed as exhibits to the Company's registration statement on Form S-1, of which this prospectus is a part.

        Except as otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, (i) "Spinco" refers to any of HSNi, ILG, Ticketmaster and Tree.com and their respective subsidiaries, (ii) "Spincos" refers to all of the foregoing collectively, (iii) "IAC/InterActiveCorp" and "IAC" refer to IAC/InterActiveCorp and its consolidated subsidiaries other than, for all periods following the spin-offs, the Spincos, (iv) "HSNi" refers to HSN, Inc., (v) "ILG" refers to Interval Leisure Group, Inc., (vi) "Ticketmaster," the "Company," "we," "our" or "us" refers to Ticketmaster, (vii) "Tree.com" refers to Tree.com, Inc. and (viii) "Spin-Off," "spin-off" or "distribution" refers to the distribution by IAC of the common stock of the Company, the "spin-offs," the "distributions" or the "separation" refers collectively to the distribution by IAC of the common stock of the Company and the other Spincos, as more fully described in this prospectus.

Company Information

        Ticketmaster was incorporated in Delaware in September 1995. Its principal offices are located at 8800 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069. Its main telephone number is 310-360-3300.

Business of Ticketmaster

        As the world's leading live entertainment ticketing and marketing company, Ticketmaster connects the world to live entertainment. Ticketmaster currently operates in 20 countries worldwide, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution through www.ticketmaster.com, one of the largest e-commerce sites on the Internet, and related proprietary Internet and mobile channels, approximately 6,700 independent sales outlets and 19 call centers worldwide. Established in 1976, Ticketmaster served more than 10,000 clients worldwide in 2007 across multiple live event categories, providing exclusive ticketing services for leading arenas, stadiums, amphitheaters, music clubs, concert promoters, professional sports franchises and leagues, college sports teams, performing arts venues, museums and theaters. Ticketmaster's distribution channels and client base provide it with significant scale. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, Ticketmaster brands and businesses sold approximately 118 million, 127 million and 141 million tickets, respectively, which were valued at over $6.2 billion, $7.0 billion and $8.3 billion, respectively. Ticketmaster expects the number and value of the tickets it sells to continue to increase.

Businesses of the Other Spincos

        HSNi.    HSNi owns and operates, through its subsidiaries, HSN, a retailer and interactive lifestyle network offering a broad assortment of products through television home shopping programming on the HSN television network and HSN.com. HSN strives to transform the shopping experience by incorporating experts, entertainment, inspiration, solutions, tips and ideas in connection with the sale of products through the HSN television network and HSN.com. HSNi also owns and operates, through its subsidiaries, the Cornerstone Brands portfolio of catalogs and related websites, including Frontgate, Ballard Designs, Garnet Hill, Smith+Noble, The Territory Ahead, TravelSmith and Improvements, as well as a limited number of retail stores.

        ILG.    ILG is a leading provider of membership services to the vacation ownership industry, which is a segment of the broader hospitality industry. Vacation ownership is a term used to describe the shared ownership of vacation real estate and includes those businesses which develop, manage, operate and sell vacation interests (i.e. the ownership or use of accommodations at a given property or

2



properties, together with associated amenities and facilities for a specified period of time). ILG's principal business segment, Interval, makes available vacation ownership membership services to individual members of its exchange networks, which allows such members to exchange the use and occupancy of their vacation interest for comparable, alternative accommodations at the same or another resort participating in an Interval exchange network and provides such members with certain value-added products and services depending on the program and country of residence. Interval also makes available related services to developers of the resorts participating in its exchange networks worldwide. ILG's other business segment, RQH, was acquired in May 2007 and is a provider of vacation rental and property management services to vacationers and vacation property owners across Hawaii.

        Tree.com.    Through its various subsidiaries, Tree.com currently operates a lending business (the "Lending Business") and a real estate business (the "Real Estate Business"). The Lending Business consists of online networks, principally LendingTree.com and GetSmart.com, as well as call centers, which match consumers with lenders and loan brokers. In addition, the Lending Business originates, processes, approves and funds various types of residential real estate loans under two brand names, LendingTree Loans® and HomeLoanCenter.com®, and offers residential mortgage loan settlement services under the name LendingTree Settlement Services. The Real Estate Business consists primarily of an internet-enabled national residential real estate brokerage that currently operates offices under the brand name "RealEstate.com, REALTORS." The Real Estate Business also consists of a brokerage that matches residential home buyers interested in newly constructed homes with builders and currently operates under the brand name "iNest®."

Overview of the Separation

        On July 1, 2008, the Board of Directors of IAC approved a plan to separate IAC into five separate, publicly traded companies via the distribution of all of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Spincos, each a wholly-owned subsidiary of IAC, with each Spinco having a single class of common stock. At the time of the spin-offs, the Spincos will hold directly or indirectly the assets and liabilities associated with the following businesses:

    HSNi: HSN TV, HSN.com, and the Cornerstone Brands, Inc. portfolio of catalogs, websites and retail locations;

    ILG: the businesses currently comprising IAC's Interval segment;

    Ticketmaster: Ticketmaster's primary domestic and international operations, as well as certain investments in unconsolidated affiliates; and

    Tree.com: the businesses currently comprising IAC's Lending and Real Estate segments.

        Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to the businesses of HSNi, ILG, Ticketmaster and Tree.com respectively refer to the businesses described above.

        Immediately following the spin-offs, IAC primarily will be engaged in the business and operations relating to (i) Ask.com, Citysearch, IAC Advertising Solutions, Evite and Funweb Products; (ii) Match.com, ServiceMagic and Shoebuy.com; (iii) its emerging businesses, including Black Web Enterprises, BustedTees, CollegeHumor, GarageGames, Gifts.com, Green.com, InstantAction, Primal Ventures, Pronto, Very Short List, Vimeo and 23/6; and (iv) certain investments in unconsolidated entities.

        Prior to the spin-offs, we will enter into a Separation and Distribution Agreement and several other agreements with IAC and the other Spincos to effect the separation of the Spincos and provide a framework for the relationships of the Spincos with IAC and each other. Immediately following the spin-offs, IAC stockholders will own 100% of the outstanding common stock of each of the Spincos.

3



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT TICKETMASTER AND THE SPIN-OFFS

Why are the spin-offs structured as dividends?   IAC believes that a tax-free distribution of shares of the Spincos to IAC stockholders is a tax-efficient way to separate HSNi, ILG, Ticketmaster and Tree.com from the rest of IAC in a manner that will create long-term value for IAC stockholders.

How will the Ticketmaster spin-off occur?

 

IAC will distribute to its stockholders via dividend all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Ticketmaster owned by IAC, which will be 100% of the common stock of Ticketmaster outstanding immediately prior to the spin-offs

How many shares of Ticketmaster will I receive?

 

Unless otherwise determined by the IAC Board of Directors prior to the distribution date, for every share of IAC common stock or Class B common stock held by you as of the record date, you will receive one-fifth of a share of common stock of Ticketmaster. IAC will not distribute any fractional shares of Ticketmaster common stock to its stockholders. Instead, the distribution agent will aggregate fractional shares into whole shares, sell the whole shares in the open market at prevailing market prices and distribute the aggregate net cash proceeds of the sales pro rata to each holder who otherwise would have been entitled to receive a fractional share in the spin-off. Recipients of cash in lieu of fractional shares will not be entitled to any interest on the amounts of payment made in lieu of fractional shares. The number of shares that IAC will distribute to its stockholders will be reduced to the extent that cash payments are to be made in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares of Ticketmaster common stock.

4



Can IAC decide not to complete the Ticketmaster spin-off?

 

Yes. The IAC Board of Directors has reserved the right, in its sole discretion, to amend, modify or abandon the spin-offs and related transactions at any time prior to the distribution date. This means that IAC has the right not to complete the spin-off of any or all of the Spincos if, at any time, the IAC Board of Directors determines, at its sole discretion, that the spin-off is not in the best interests of IAC or its stockholders. Alternatively, the IAC Board of Directors may determine to delay the spin-off of one or more of the Spincos, in which event the spin-offs may not occur simultaneously. In addition, the spin-offs are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of a number of conditions. See "The Separation—Conditions to the Spin-offs."

What is the record date for the Ticketmaster
spin-off?

 

The record date for determining stockholders entitled to receive the shares of Ticketmaster in the spin-off is the close of business on [    •    ], 2008.

What is the distribution date for the Ticketmaster Spin-off?

 

The distribution date for distributing the shares of common stock of Ticketmaster under the spin-off is [            ], 2008. However, the IAC Board of Directors may determine to delay the spin-off.

What other transactions affecting Ticketmaster are occurring with the spin-off?

 

IAC currently expects that in connection with the spin-off of Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster will distribute to IAC approximately $724 million in cash. To fund this distribution, we have entered into certain financing arrangements described below. Additionally, we may distribute some amount of cash on hand, but the amount of the distribution is not presently knowable and is unlikely to be material. The financing arrangements for Ticketmaster consist of a combination of secured credit facilities and privately-issued debt securities. Our expected borrowing arrangements are described under "Transfers to IAC and Financing." We also expect to dividend to IAC prior to the spin-offs all net receivables owed to us by IAC and its affiliates.

 

 

In addition, IAC expects to effect a reverse stock split following the spin-offs, as described under "The Separation—Results of the Separation."

5



What are the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the spin-offs to IAC stockholders?

 

IAC has requested and expects to receive, prior to effecting any of the spin-offs, a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") and/or an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the IAC Board of Directors regarding the qualification of the spin-offs, together with certain related transactions, as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). If the private letter ruling is received prior to the spin-offs, IAC expects to receive an opinion of counsel regarding certain aspects of the transaction that are not covered by the private letter ruling. If the private letter ruling is not received prior to the spin-offs, IAC expects to receive an opinion of counsel regarding the qualification of the spin-offs as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code. Assuming the spin-offs qualify as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, no gain or loss will be recognized by you, and no amount will be included in your income, upon the receipt of shares of Spinco common stock pursuant to the spin-offs, except with respect to any cash received in lieu of a fractional share of Spinco common stock. For more information, see "The Separation—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Spin-Offs," included elsewhere in this prospectus.

What will the relationships among IAC and each of the Spincos be following the spin-offs?

 

Prior to the spin-offs, we will enter into a Separation and Distribution Agreement and several other agreements with IAC and the other Spincos to effect the spin-offs and provide a framework for the relationships of each of the Spincos with IAC and the other Spincos. These agreements will govern our relationships with IAC and the other Spincos subsequent to the completion of the spin-off. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Relationships Among IAC and the Spincos."

6



Will I receive physical certificates representing shares of common stock of Ticketmaster following the separation?

 

No. Following the separation, neither IAC nor Ticketmaster will be issuing physical certificates representing shares of the common stock of Ticketmaster. Instead, IAC, with the assistance of The Bank of New York, the distribution agent, will electronically issue shares of Ticketmaster common stock to you or to your bank or brokerage firm on your behalf by way of direct registration in book-entry form. The Bank of New York will mail you a book-entry account statement that reflects your shares of Ticketmaster common stock, or your bank or brokerage firm will credit your account for the shares.

What if I want to sell my IAC common stock or my common stock in Ticketmaster?

 

You should consult with your financial advisors, such as your stockbroker or bank. Neither IAC nor Ticketmaster makes any recommendations on the purchase, retention or sale of shares of IAC common stock or the Spinco common stock to be distributed.

 

 

If you decide to sell any shares before the spin-offs, you should make sure your stockbroker, bank or other nominee understands whether you want to sell your IAC shares or Spinco shares you will receive in the spin-offs or both.

Where will I be able to trade shares of the common stock of Ticketmaster?

 

There is not currently a public market for the common stock of Ticketmaster. We have been approved to list our common stock on the NASDAQ Stock Market, or "NASDAQ," under the symbol "TKTM." We anticipate that trading in shares of our common stock will begin on a "when-issued" basis prior to the distribution date and will continue up to and including through the distribution date and that "regular-way" trading in shares of our common stock will begin on the first trading day following the distribution date. If trading begins on a "when-issued" basis, you may purchase or sell your Ticketmaster common stock up to and including through the distribution date, but your transaction will not settle until after the distribution date. You will not be required to make any payment, surrender or exchange your shares of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock or take any other action to receive your shares of Ticketmaster common stock.

7



Will the number of IAC shares I own change as a result of the spin-offs?

 

No. The number of shares of IAC common stock you own will not change as a result of the spin-offs. However, in connection with the spin-offs, and as described under "The Separation—Results of the Separation," IAC expects to effect a reverse stock split following the spin-offs.

What will happen to the listing of IAC common stock?

 

Nothing. IAC common stock will continue to be traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "IACI."

Which businesses will be retained by IAC following the spin-offs?

 

Immediately following the spin-offs, IAC primarily will be engaged in the business and operations relating to (i) Ask.com, Citysearch, IAC Advertising Solutions, Evite, and Funweb Products; (ii) Match.com, ServiceMagic and Shoebuy.com; (iii) its emerging businesses, including Black Web Enterprises, BustedTees, CollegeHumor, GarageGames, Gifts.com, Green.com, InstantAction, Primal Ventures, Pronto, Very Short List, Vimeo and 23/6; and (iv) certain investments in unconsolidated entities.

Are there risks to owning Ticketmaster common stock?

 

Yes. Our business is subject to both general and specific risks relating to our business, leverage, relationship with IAC and being a separate publicly traded company. Our business is also subject to risks relating to the separation. These risks are described in the "Risk Factors" section of this prospectus beginning on page 8. You are encouraged to read that section carefully.

Where can IAC stockholders get more information?

 

Before the spin-offs, if you have any questions relating to the spin-offs, you should contact:

 

 

IAC
Investor Relations
555 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
Tel: (212) 314-7400
Fax: (212) 314-7379
ir@iac.com

Is Liberty Media Corporation challenging the spin-offs?

 

No. Liberty Media Corporation and IAC have agreed to a single-tiered voting structure for each of the Spincos and the Spinco governance provisions as set forth under "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements with Liberty Media Corporation."

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RISK FACTORS

RISK FACTORS RELATING TO OUR SPIN-OFF FROM IAC

After our spin-off from IAC, we may be unable to make the changes necessary to operate effectively as a separate public entity.

        Following our spin-off from IAC, IAC will have no obligation to provide financial, operational or organizational assistance to us, other than limited services pursuant to a transition services agreement that we will enter into with IAC and the other Spincos in connection with the spin-offs. As a separate public entity, we will be subject to, and responsible for, regulatory compliance, including periodic public filings with the SEC and compliance with NASDAQ's continued listing requirements, as well as generally applicable tax and accounting rules. We may be unable to implement successfully the changes necessary to operate as an independent public entity.

We expect to incur increased costs relating to operating as an independent company that could cause our cash flow and results of operations to decline.

        We expect that the obligations of being a public company, including substantial public reporting and investor relations obligations, will require new expenditures, place new demands on our management and will require the hiring of additional personnel. We may need to implement additional systems that require new expenditures in order to adequately function as a public company. Such expenditures could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        In addition, IAC's businesses, by virtue of being under the same corporate structure, currently share economies of scope and scale in costs, human capital, vendor relationships and customer relationships with the businesses that we and the other Spincos will own following the spin-offs. The increased costs resulting from the loss of these benefits could have an adverse effect on us.

If one or more spin-offs, together with certain related transactions, were to fail to qualify as a transaction that is generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, IAC, the Spincos and IAC stockholders may be subject to significant tax liabilities.

        IAC expects to receive a private letter ruling from the IRS and/or an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the IAC Board of Directors regarding the qualification of the spin-offs, together with certain related transactions, as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code. If the private letter ruling is received prior to the spin-offs, IAC expects to receive an opinion of counsel regarding certain aspects of the transaction that are not covered by the private letter ruling. If the private letter ruling is not received prior to the spin-offs, IAC expects to receive an opinion of counsel regarding the qualification of the spin-offs as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Section 355 and/or Section 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, and opinions from its external tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to IAC of certain related matters and transactions, and certain state tax consequences to IAC of the spin-offs. The IRS private letter ruling and the opinions will be based on, among other things, certain assumptions as well as the accuracy of certain representations and statements that IAC and the Spincos make to the IRS and to counsel or IAC's external tax advisors. If any of these representations or statements are, or become, inaccurate or incomplete, or if IAC or the Spincos breach any of their respective covenants, the IRS private letter ruling and/or the opinions may be invalid.

        Moreover, as noted above, the IRS private letter ruling would not address all the issues that are relevant to determining whether the spin-offs qualify as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding the IRS private letter ruling and/or opinion of counsel, the IRS could determine that one or more of the spin-offs should be treated as a taxable distribution if

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it determines that any of the representations, assumptions or undertakings that were included in the request for the IRS private letter ruling is false or has been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the opinion of counsel that are not covered by the IRS ruling.

        If one or more spin-offs were to fail to qualify as a transaction that is generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, then IAC generally would recognize gain in an amount equal to the excess of (i) the fair market value of the Spinco common stock distributed to the IAC stockholders in such taxable spin-off over (ii) IAC's tax basis in the common stock of such Spinco. In addition, each IAC stockholder who received Spinco common stock in such taxable spin-off generally would be treated as having received a taxable distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Spinco common stock received (including any fractional share sold on behalf of the stockholder) in such spin-off, which would be taxable as a dividend to the extent of the stockholder's ratable share of IAC's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as increased to reflect any current income, including any gain, recognized by IAC on the taxable spin-off). The balance, if any, of the distribution would be treated as a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the IAC stockholder's tax basis in its IAC stock, with any remaining amount being taxed as capital gain. For more information, see "The Separation—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Spin-Offs," included elsewhere in this prospectus.

        Under the Tax Sharing Agreement that we will enter into with IAC and the other Spincos, each Spinco generally would be required to indemnify IAC and the other Spincos for any taxes resulting from the spin-off of such Spinco (and any related interest, penalties, legal and professional fees, and all costs and damages associated with related stockholder litigation or controversies) to the extent such amounts resulted from (i) any act or failure to act by such Spinco described in the covenants in the Tax Sharing Agreement, (ii) any acquisition of equity securities or assets of such Spinco or a member of its group, or (iii) any breach by such Spinco or any member of its group of any representation or covenant contained in the separation documents or in the documents relating to the IRS private letter ruling and/or tax opinions. The ability of IAC or the other Spincos to collect under these indemnity provisions will depend on the financial position of the indemnifying party. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Tax Sharing Agreement."

        In addition, the IRS could disagree with or challenge the conclusions reached in one or more of the tax opinions that IAC expects to receive with respect to certain related matters and transactions. In such case, IAC could recognize material amounts of taxable income or gain.

Certain transactions in IAC or Spinco equity securities could cause one or more of the spin-offs to be taxable to IAC and may give rise to indemnification obligations of Ticketmaster under the Tax Sharing Agreement.

        Current U.S. federal income tax law creates a presumption that the spin-off of a Spinco would be taxable to IAC, but not to its stockholders, if such spin-off is part of a "plan or series of related transactions" pursuant to which one or more persons acquire directly or indirectly stock representing a 50% or greater interest (by vote or value) in IAC or such Spinco. Acquisitions that occur during the four-year period that begins two years before the date of a spin-off are presumed to occur pursuant to a plan or series of related transactions, unless it is established that the acquisition is not pursuant to a plan or series of transactions that includes the spin-off. U.S. Treasury regulations currently in effect generally provide that whether an acquisition and a spin-off are part of a plan is determined based on all of the facts and circumstances, including, but not limited to, specific factors described in the Treasury regulations. In addition, the Treasury regulations provide several "safe harbors" for acquisitions that are not considered to be part of a plan.

        These rules will limit our ability and the ability of IAC during the two-year period following the spin-offs to enter into certain transactions that might be advantageous to them and their respective stockholders, particularly issuing equity securities to satisfy financing needs, repurchasing equity

10


securities, and, under certain circumstances, acquiring businesses or assets with equity securities or agreeing to be acquired. Under the Tax Sharing Agreement, there will be restrictions on our ability to take such actions for a period of 25 months from the day after the date of our spin-off from IAC.

        In addition, the Tax Sharing Agreement generally provides that each Spinco will have to indemnify IAC and the other Spincos for any taxes resulting from the spin-off of such Spinco (and any related interest, penalties, legal and professional fees, and all costs and damages associated with related stockholder litigation or controversies) to the extent such amounts result from (i) any act or failure to act by such Spinco described in the covenants in the Tax Sharing Agreement, (ii) any acquisition of equity securities or assets of such Spinco or a member of its group, and (iii) any breach by such Spinco or any member of its group of any representation or covenant contained in the separation documents or in the documents relating to the IRS private letter ruling and/or tax opinions. See "The Separation—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Spin-Offs" and "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Tax Sharing Agreement."

        In addition to actions of IAC and the Spincos, certain transactions that are outside their control and therefore not subject to the restrictive covenants contained in the Tax Sharing Agreement, such as a sale or disposition of the stock of IAC or the stock of a Spinco by certain persons that own five percent or more of any class of stock of IAC or such Spinco, respectively, could have a similar effect on the tax-free status of the spin-offs as transactions to which IAC or a Spinco is a party. As of April 30, 2008, Liberty Media Corporation and certain of its affiliates, in the aggregate, owned IAC stock representing approximately 61.6% by vote and 29.9% by value and, assuming no acquisitions or dispositions of IAC stock by Liberty Media Corporation or its affiliates between such date and the date of the spin-offs, are expected to own stock of each Spinco representing approximately 29.9% by vote and value. Accordingly, in evaluating our ability and the ability of IAC to engage in certain transactions involving our or IAC's equity securities, we and IAC will need to take into account the activities of Liberty Media Corporation and its affiliates.

        As a result of these rules, even if the Ticketmaster spin-off otherwise qualifies as a transaction that is generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes, transactions involving Ticketmaster or IAC equity securities (including transactions by certain significant stockholders) could cause IAC to recognize taxable gain with respect to the stock of Ticketmaster as described above. Although the restrictive covenants and indemnification provisions contained in the Tax Sharing Agreement are intended to minimize the likelihood that such an event will occur, the Ticketmaster spin-off may become taxable to IAC as a result of transactions in IAC or Ticketmaster equity securities.

The market price and trading volume of Ticketmaster securities may be volatile and may face negative pressure.

        There is currently no trading market for any Ticketmaster securities. Investors may decide to dispose of some or all of the Ticketmaster securities that they receive in the Ticketmaster spin-off. Ticketmaster securities issued in the Ticketmaster spin-off will be trading publicly for the first time. Until, and possibly even after, orderly trading markets develop for these securities, there may be significant fluctuations in price. It is not possible to accurately predict how investors in Ticketmaster's securities will behave after the Ticketmaster spin-off. The market price for Ticketmaster's securities following the Ticketmaster spin-off may be more volatile than the market price of IAC securities before the spin-off. The market price of Ticketmaster's securities could fluctuate significantly for many reasons, including the risks identified in this prospectus or reasons unrelated to our performance. These factors may result in short- or long-term negative pressure on the value of the Ticketmaster securities.

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After our spin-off from IAC, our securities may not qualify for placement in investment indices. In addition, our securities may fail to meet the investment guidelines of institutional investors. In either case, these factors may negatively impact the price of our securities and may impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of securities.

        Some of the holders of IAC securities are index funds tied to NASDAQ or other stock or investment indices, or are institutional investors bound by various investment guidelines. Companies are generally selected for investment indices, and in some cases selected by institutional investors, based on factors such as market capitalization, industry, trading liquidity and financial condition. As an independent company, we will initially have a lower market capitalization than IAC has today. As a result, our securities may not qualify for those investment indices. In addition, the securities that are received in the Ticketmaster spin-off may not meet the investment guidelines of some institutional investors. Consequently, these index funds and institutional investors may have to sell some or all of the securities they receive in the Ticketmaster spin-off, and the price of our securities may fall as a result. Any such decline could impair our ability to raise capital through future sales of securities.

Financing—We may have future capital needs and may not be able to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms.

        In connection with our spin-off from IAC, we expect to incur indebtedness of approximately $750 million. We expect that we will distribute most or all of the proceeds from this indebtedness to IAC.

        These arrangements may limit our ability of to secure significant, additional financing in the future on favorable terms. Our ability to secure additional financing and satisfy our financial obligations under indebtedness outstanding from time to time will depend upon our future operating performance, which is subject to then prevailing general economic and credit market conditions, including interest rate levels and the availability of credit generally, and financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. The prolonged continuation or worsening of current credit market conditions would have a material adverse effect on our ability to secure financing on favorable terms, if at all.

        We may be unable to secure additional financing or financing on favorable terms or our operating cash flow may be insufficient to satisfy our financial obligations under indebtedness outstanding from time to time (if any). Furthermore, if financing is not available when needed, or is available on unfavorable terms, we may be unable to develop new or enhance our existing services, complete acquisitions or otherwise take advantage of business opportunities or respond to competitive pressures, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If additional funds are raised through the issuance of equity securities, our stockholders may experience significant dilution. Also, our ability to engage in significant equity issuances will be limited or restricted after our spin-off from IAC in order to preserve the tax-free nature of the distribution.

The spin-off agreements were not the result of arm's length negotiations.

        The agreements that we will enter into with IAC and the other Spincos in connection with the spin-offs, including the separation and distribution agreement, tax sharing agreement, employee matters agreement and transition services agreement, were established by IAC, in consultation with the Spincos, with the intention of maximizing the value to current IAC's shareholders. Accordingly, the terms for us may not be as favorable as would have resulted from negotiations among unrelated third parties.

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RISK FACTORS RELATING TO OUR BUSINESS FOLLOWING
TICKETMASTER'S SPIN-OFF FROM IAC

Live Entertainment Industry and General Economic Trends—Our success depends, in significant part, on entertainment, sporting and leisure events and factors adversely affecting such events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        We sell tickets to live entertainment, sporting and leisure events at arenas, stadiums, theaters and other facilities, and accordingly, our business, financial condition and results of operations are directly affected by the popularity, frequency and location of such events. Ticket sales are sensitive to fluctuations in the number and pricing of entertainment, sporting and leisure events and activities offered by promoters, teams and facilities, and adverse trends in the entertainment, sporting and leisure event industries could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We rely on third parties to create and perform live entertainment, sporting and leisure events and to price tickets to such events. Accordingly, our success depends, in part, upon the ability of these third parties to correctly anticipate public demand for particular events and the prices that the public is willing to pay to attend such events, as well as the availability of popular artists, entertainers and teams.

        In addition, general economic conditions, consumer trends, work stoppages, natural disasters and terrorism could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Entertainment-related expenditures are particularly sensitive to business and personal discretionary spending levels, which tend to decline during general economic downturns.

Third Party Relationships—We depend on relationships with clients and any adverse changes in these relationships could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Our success is dependent, in significant part, on the ability of our businesses to maintain and renew relationships with existing clients and to establish new client relationships. We anticipate that for the foreseeable future, the substantial majority of our revenues will be derived from online and offline sales of tickets. We also expect that revenues from primary ticketing services, which consist primarily of per ticket convenience charges and per order "order processing" fees, will continue to comprise the substantial majority of our consolidated revenues. For the year ended December 31, 2007, our businesses provided primary ticketing services to over 9,000 clients.

        Securing the right to sell tickets depends, in substantial part, on the ability of our businesses to enter into, maintain and renew client contracts on favorable terms. Revenue attributable to our largest client, Live Nation (including its subsidiary, House of Blues), represented approximately 17% of our total revenue in 2007. This client relationship consists of four agreements, two with Live Nation (a worldwide agreement (other than England, Scotland and Wales) that expires on December 31, 2008, and an agreement covering England, Scotland and Wales that expires on December 31, 2009) and two with House of Blues (a U.S. agreement that expires on December 31, 2009, and a Canadian agreement that expires on March 1, 2010). Revenue attributable to the worldwide agreement and the agreement covering England, Scotland and Wales represented approximately 11% and 3%, respectively, of our total revenues in 2007. Each party has the right to terminate the agreement covering England, Scotland and Wales as of December 31, 2008, in which case Live Nation would be obligated to pay us a termination fee in an amount equal to 1.25 times the average of our annual net profits under the agreement for 2007 and 2008. We anticipate that none of these agreements will be renewed. In addition, Live Nation has publicly announced that it will launch its own ticketing business in 2009 and that it intends to ticket Live Nation events and compete with Ticketmaster for third party clients.

        We cannot provide assurances that our businesses will continue to be able to maintain other existing client contracts, or enter into or maintain new client contracts, on acceptable terms, if at all, and the failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, facilities, promoters and other potential clients are increasingly

13



electing to self-ticket and/or distribute a growing number of tickets through client direct or other new channels, which could adversely impact the ability of our businesses to secure renewals and new client contracts. The non-renewal or termination of an agreement with a major client or multiple agreements with a combination of smaller clients could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Another important component of our success is the ability of our businesses to maintain existing and build new relationships with third party distribution channels and service providers, including providers of credit card processing and delivery services, as well as advertisers, among other parties. Any adverse changes in these relationships, including the inability of these parties to fulfill their obligations to our businesses for any reason, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Brand Recognition—Failure to maintain brand recognition and attract and retain customers in a cost-effective manner could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Maintaining and promoting the Ticketmaster and ticketmaster.com (and related international) brand names and, to a lesser extent, the ticketsnow.com, ticketweb.com, museumtix.com and tmvista.com (and related international) brand names, is critical to the ability of our businesses to attract consumers and business customers to their respective websites and other distribution channels. We believe that the importance of brand recognition will increase, given the growing number of online ticketing services due to relatively low barriers to entry to providing internet online content and services. Accordingly, our businesses have spent, and expect to continue to spend, increasing amounts of money on, and devote greater resources to, branding and other marketing initiatives, including search engine optimization techniques and paid search engine marketing, neither of which may be successful or cost-effective. Ticketmaster believes that rates for desirable online advertising and marketing are likely to increase in the foreseeable future. The failure of our businesses to maintain the recognition of their respective brands and to attract and retain consumers in a cost-effective manner could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Acquisitions—We may experience operational and financial risks in connection with acquisitions. In addition, some of the businesses acquired by us may incur significant losses from operations or experience impairment of carrying value.

        Our growth may depend upon future acquisitions and depends, in part, on our ability to successfully integrate historical acquisitions. We may experience operational and financial risks in connection with acquisitions. To the extent that we continue to grow through acquisitions, we will need to:

    successfully integrate the operations, as well as the accounting, financial controls, management information, technology, human resources and other administrative systems, of acquired businesses with existing operations and systems;

    retain the clients of the acquired businesses;

    retain senior management and other key personnel at acquired businesses; and

    successfully manage acquisition-related strain on our management, operations and financial resources and/or those of acquired businesses.

        We may not be successful in addressing these challenges or any others encountered in connection with historical and future acquisitions and the failure to do so could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. The anticipated benefits of one or more acquisitions may not be realized and future acquisitions could result in potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities and/or contingent liabilities. Also, the value of goodwill and other intangible assets acquired could be impacted by one or more unfavorable events or trends, which could result in impairment charges. The occurrence of any of these events could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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        Through certain recent (and potentially future) acquisitions, such as the acquisitions of TicketsNow, Emma Entertainment, Echo and GetMeIn!, we entered (or may enter) into aspects of the ticketing and/or entertainment industries in which we have not previously participated directly. Acquisitions of this nature could adversely affect relationships with new and potential clients to the extent that clients view the interests of acquired businesses, or those of Ticketmaster overall following the completion of any such acquisitions, as competing with or diverging from their own, which could adversely impact our relationships with its clients and its ability to attract new clients, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

International Presence and Expansion—Our businesses operate in international markets in which they have limited experience. Our businesses may not be able to successfully expand into new, or further into existing, international markets.

        We provide services in various jurisdictions abroad through a number of brands and businesses that we own and operate, as well as through joint ventures, and expect to continue to expand our international presence. See "Business of Ticketmaster—International Operations." We face, and expect to continue to face, additional risks in the case of our existing and future international operations, including:

    political instability and unfavorable economic conditions in the markets in which we currently have international operations or into which our brands and businesses may expand;

    more restrictive or otherwise unfavorable government regulation of the live entertainment and ticketing industries, including the regulation of the provision of primary ticketing and ticket resale services, as well promotional, marketing and other related services, which could result in increased compliance costs and/or otherwise restrict the manner in which our businesses provide services and the amount of related fees charged for such services;

    limitations on the enforcement of intellectual property rights, which would preclude us from building the brand recognition upon which we have come to rely in many jurisdictions;

    limitations on the ability of foreign subsidiaries to repatriate profits or otherwise remit earnings to us;

    adverse tax consequences;

    limitations on technology infrastructure, which could limit our ability to migrate international operations to the Ticketmaster System, which would result in increased costs;

    lower levels of internet usage, credit card usage and consumer spending in comparison to those in the United States; and

    difficulties in managing operations and adapting to consumer desires due to distance, language and cultural differences, including issues associated with management and operational systems and infrastructures, including internal financial control and reporting systems and functions, staffing and managing foreign operations, which we might not be able to do effectively, or if so, on a cost-effective basis.

        Our ability to expand our international operations into new, or further into existing, jurisdictions will depend, in significant part, on our ability to identify potential acquisition candidates, joint venture or other partners, and enter into arrangements with these parties on favorable terms, as well as our ability to make continued investments to maintain and grow existing international operations. If the revenues generated by international operations are insufficient to offset expenses incurred in connection with the maintenance and growth of these operations, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, in an effort to make international operations in one or more given jurisdictions profitable over the long term, significant

15



additional investments that are not profitable over the short term could be required over a prolonged period.

        In addition, the ticketing industry in many jurisdictions abroad is more fragmented and local than it is in the United States. Our success in these markets will depend on the ability of our businesses to create economies of scale by consolidating within each market geographically, which would most likely occur over a prolonged period, during which significant investments in technology and infrastructure would be required. In the case of expansion through organic growth, we would face substantial barriers to entry in new, and expansion into existing, markets due primarily to the risks and concerns discussed above, among others.

        Lastly, to the extent that costs and prices for services are established in local currencies and adjusted to U.S. dollars based on then-current exchange rates, we will be exposed to foreign exchange rate fluctuations. After accounting for such fluctuations, we may be required to record significant gains or losses, the amount of which will vary based on then current exchange rates, which could cause our results to differ materially from expectations. As we continue to expand our international presence, our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations will increase.

Changing Customer Requirements and Industry Standards—Our businesses may not be able to adapt quickly enough to changing customer requirements and industry standards.

        The e-commerce industry is characterized by evolving industry standards, frequent new service and product introductions and enhancements and changing customer demands. Our businesses may not be able to adapt quickly enough and/or in a cost-effective manner to changes in industry standards and customer requirements and preferences, and their failure to do so could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the continued widespread adoption of new internet or telecommunications technologies and devices or other technological changes could require our businesses to modify or adapt their respective services or infrastructures. The failure of our businesses to modify or adapt their respective services or infrastructures in response to these trends could render their existing websites, services and proprietary technologies obsolete, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        In addition, we are currently in the process of migrating our international brands and businesses to the Ticketmaster System in an attempt to provide consistent and state-of-the-art services across our businesses and to reduce the cost and expense of maintaining multiple systems, which we may not be able to complete in a timely or cost-effective manner. Delays or difficulties in implementing the Ticketmaster System, as well as any new or enhanced systems, may limit our ability to achieve the desired results in a timely manner. Also, we may be unable to devote financial resources to new technologies and systems in the future, which could adversely affect our business financial condition and results of operations.

Compliance and Changing Laws, Rules and Regulations—Our failure to comply with existing laws, rules and regulations as well as changing laws, rules and regulations and legal uncertainty, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Since our businesses sell tickets and provide related services to consumers through a number of different online and offline channels, they are subject to a wide variety of statutes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures in various jurisdictions in the United States and abroad, which are subject to change at any time. For example, our businesses conduct marketing activities via the telephone and/or through online marketing channels, which activities are governed by numerous federal and state regulations, such as the Telemarketing Sales Rule, state telemarketing laws and the CAN-SPAM Act, among others. Our businesses are also subject to laws, rules and regulations applicable to providers of primary ticketing and ticket resale services, which in some cases regulate the amount of transaction and

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other fees that they may be charged in connection with primary ticketing sales and/or the ticket prices that may be charged in the case of ticket resale services, and new legislation of this nature is introduced from time to time in various (and is pending in certain) jurisdictions in which our businesses sell tickets and provide services. For example, several U.S. states and cities, Canadian provinces, the United Kingdom and European countries prohibit the resale of tickets at prices greater than the original face price (in the case of certain jurisdictions, without the consent of the venue) and/or prohibit the resale of tickets to certain types of events. The failure of our businesses to comply with these laws and regulations could result in fines and/or proceedings against us by governmental agencies and/or consumers, which if material, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the promulgation of new laws, rules and regulations that restrict or otherwise unfavorably impact the ability or manner in which our businesses provide primary ticketing and ticket resale services would require our businesses to change certain aspects of their business, operations and client relationships to ensure compliance, which could decrease demand for services, reduce revenues, increase costs and/or subject us to additional liabilities.

        In addition, the application of various domestic and international sales, use, value-added and other tax laws, rules and regulations to our historical and new products and services is subject to interpretation by applicable taxing authorities. While we believe that we are compliant with current tax provisions, taxing authorities may take a contrary position and such positions may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        From time to time, federal, state and local authorities and/or consumers commence investigations, inquiries or litigation with respect to compliance by us and our businesses with applicable consumer protection, advertising, unfair business practice, antitrust (and similar or related laws) and other laws. Our businesses have historically cooperated with authorities in connection with these investigations and have satisfactorily resolved each such material investigation, inquiry or litigation. We have incurred significant legal expenses in connection with the defense of governmental investigations and litigation in the past and may be required to incur additional expenses in the future should investigations and litigation be instituted. In the case of antitrust (and similar or related) matters, any adverse outcome could limit or prevent our businesses from engaging in the ticketing business generally (or in a particular market thereof) or subject them to potential damage assessments, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Maintenance of Systems and Infrastructure—Our success depends, in part, on the integrity of our systems and infrastructures. System interruption and the lack of integration and redundancy in these systems and infrastructures may have an adverse impact on our business, financial conditions and results of operations.

        Our success depends, in part, on our ability to maintain the integrity of our systems and infrastructures, including websites, information and related systems, call centers and distribution and fulfillment facilities. System interruption and the lack of integration and redundancy in our information systems and infrastructures may adversely affect our ability to operate websites, process and fulfill transactions, respond to customer inquiries and generally maintain cost-efficient operations. We may experience occasional system interruptions that make some or all systems or data unavailable or prevent our businesses from efficiently providing services or fulfilling orders. We also rely on affiliate and third-party computer systems, broadband and other communications systems and service providers in connection with the provision of services generally, as well as to facilitate, process and fulfill transactions. Any interruptions, outages or delays in our systems and infrastructures, our businesses, our affiliates and/or third parties, or deterioration in the performance of these systems and infrastructures, could impair the ability of our businesses to provide services, fulfill orders and/or process transactions. Fire, flood, power loss, telecommunications failure, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, acts of war or terrorism, acts of God and similar events or disruptions may damage or interrupt computer, broadband or other communications systems and infrastructures at any time. Any of these events could cause

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system interruption, delays and loss of critical data, and could prevent our businesses from providing services, fulfilling orders and/or processing transactions. While our businesses have backup systems for certain aspects of their operations, disaster recovery planning is not sufficient for all eventualities. In addition, we may not have adequate insurance coverage to compensate for losses from a major interruption. If any of these adverse events were to occur, it could adversely affect our business, financial conditions and results of operations.

        In addition, any penetration of network security or other misappropriation or misuse of personal consumer information could cause interruptions in the operations of our businesses and subject us to increased costs, litigation and other liabilities. Claims could also be made against us for other misuse of personal information, such as for unauthorized purposes or identity theft, which could result in litigation and financial liabilities, as well as administrative action from governmental authorities. Security breaches could also significantly damage our reputation with consumers and third parties with whom we do business. It is possible that advances in computer capabilities, new discoveries, undetected fraud, inadvertent violations of company policies or procedures or other developments could result in a compromise of information or a breach of the technology and security processes that are used to protect consumer transaction data. As a result, current security measures may not prevent any or all security breaches. We may be required to expend significant capital and other resources to protect against and remedy any potential or existing security breaches and their consequences. We also face risks associated with security breaches affecting third parties with which we are affiliated or otherwise conduct business online. Consumers are generally concerned with security and privacy of the Internet, and any publicized security problems affecting our businesses and/or those of third parties may discourage consumers from doing business with us, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Privacy—The processing, storage, use and disclosure of personal data could give rise to liabilities as a result of governmental regulation, conflicting legal requirements or differing views of personal privacy rights.

        In the processing of consumer transactions, our businesses receive, transmit and store a large volume of personally identifiable information and other user data. The sharing, use, disclosure and protection of this information are governed by the privacy and data security policies maintained by us and our businesses. Moreover, there are federal, state and international laws regarding privacy and the storing, sharing, use, disclosure and protection of personally identifiable information and user data. Specifically, personally identifiable information is increasingly subject to legislation and regulations in numerous jurisdictions around the world, the intent of which is to protect the privacy of personal information that is collected, processed and transmitted in or from the governing jurisdiction. We could be adversely affected if legislation or regulations are expanded to require changes in business practices or privacy policies, or if governing jurisdictions interpret or implement their legislation or regulations in ways that negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Our businesses may also become exposed to potential liabilities as a result of differing views on the privacy of consumer and other user data collected by these businesses. Our failure, and/or the failure by the various third party vendors and service providers with which we do business, to comply with applicable privacy policies or federal, state or similar international laws and regulations or any compromise of security that results in the unauthorized release of personally identifiable information or other user data could damage the reputation of these businesses, discourage potential users from trying our products and services and/or result in fines and/or proceedings by governmental agencies and/or consumers, one or all of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Intellectual Property—We may fail to adequately protect our intellectual property rights or may be accused of infringing intellectual property rights of third parties.

        We may fail to adequately protect our intellectual property rights or may be accused of infringing intellectual property rights of third parties. We regard our intellectual property rights, including patents, service marks, trademarks and domain names, copyrights, trade secrets and similar intellectual property (as applicable) as critical to our success. Our businesses also rely heavily upon software codes, informational databases and other components that make up their products and services.

        We rely on a combination of laws and contractual restrictions with employees, customers, suppliers, affiliates and others to establish and protect these proprietary rights. Despite these precautions, it may be possible for a third party to copy or otherwise obtain and use trade secret or copyrighted intellectual property without authorization which, if discovered, might require legal action to correct. In addition, third parties may independently and lawfully develop substantially similar intellectual properties.

        We have generally registered and continue to apply to register, or secure by contract when appropriate, our trademarks and service marks as they are developed and used, and reserve and register domain names as we deem appropriate. We generally consider the protection of our trademarks to be important for purposes of brand maintenance and reputation. While we vigorously protect our trademarks, service marks and domain names, effective trademark protection may not be available or may not be sought in every country in which products and services are made available, and contractual disputes may affect the use of marks governed by private contract. Similarly, not every variation of a domain name may be available or be registered, even if available. Our failure to protect our intellectual property rights in a meaningful manner or challenges to related contractual rights could result in erosion of brand names and limit our ability of to control marketing on or through the internet using our various domain names or otherwise, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Some of our businesses have been granted patents and/or have patent applications pending with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and/or various foreign patent authorities for various proprietary technologies and other inventions. We consider applying for patents or for other appropriate statutory protection when we develop valuable new or improved proprietary technologies or inventions are identified, and will continue to consider the appropriateness of filing for patents to protect future proprietary technologies and inventions as circumstances may warrant. The status of any patent involves complex legal and factual questions, and the breadth of claims allowed is uncertain. Accordingly, any patent application filed may not result in a patent being issued or existing or future patents may not be adjudicated valid by a court or be afforded adequate protection against competitors with similar technology. In addition, third parties may create new products or methods that achieve similar results without infringing upon patents that we own. Likewise, the issuance of a patent to us does not mean that our processes or inventions will not be found to infringe upon patents or other rights previously issued to third parties.

        From time to time, we are subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business, including claims of alleged infringement of the trademarks, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property rights of third parties. In addition, litigation may be necessary in the future to enforce our intellectual property rights, protect trade secrets or to determine the validity and scope of proprietary rights claimed by others. Any litigation of this nature, regardless of outcome or merit, could result in substantial costs and diversion of management and technical resources, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Patent litigation tends to be particularly protracted and expensive.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        Forward-looking statements in this prospectus, the public filings or other public statements of the Company are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or other public statements. Forward-looking statements include the information regarding future financial performance, business prospects and strategy, including the completion of the spin-offs and the realization of related anticipated benefits, anticipated financial position, liquidity and capital needs and other similar matters, in each case relating to the Company.

        Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "projects," "estimates," "plans," "may increase," "may fluctuate," and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "should," "would," "may" and "could" are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts. You should understand that the following important factors could affect future results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements:

    adverse changes in economic conditions generally or in any of the markets or industries in which the businesses of the Company operate;

    changes in senior management at the Company;

    adverse changes to, or interruptions in, relationships with third parties;

    changes affecting the ability of the Company to efficiently maintain and grow the market share of its various brands, as well as to extend the reach of these brands through a variety of distribution channels and to attract new (and retain existing) customers;

    consumer acceptance of new products and services offered by the Company;

    the rates of growth of the Internet and the e-commerce industry;

    changes adversely affecting the ability of the Company to adequately expand the reach of its businesses into various international markets, as well as to successfully manage risks specific to international operations and acquisitions, including the successful integration of acquired businesses;

    future regulatory and legislative actions and conditions affecting the Company, including:

    the promulgation of new, and/or the amendment of existing laws, rules and regulations applicable to the Company and its businesses; and

    changes in the application or interpretation of existing laws, rules and regulations in the case of the businesses of the Company. In each case, laws, rules and regulations include, among others, those relating to sales, use, value-added and other taxes, software programs, consumer protection and privacy, intellectual property, the Internet and e-commerce;

    competition from other companies;

    changes adversely affecting the ability of the Company and its businesses to adequately protect intellectual property rights, as well as to obtain licenses or other rights with respect to intellectual property in the future, which may or may not be available on favorable terms (if at all);

    the substantial indebtedness of the Company and the possibility that the Company may incur additional indebtedness;

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    third-party claims alleging infringement of intellectual property rights by the Company or its businesses, which could result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources, injunctions or the imposition of damages, as well as the need to enter into formal licensing or other similar arrangements with such third parties, which may or may not be available on favorable terms (if at all); and

    natural disasters, acts of terrorism, war or political instability.

        Certain of these factors and other factors, risks and uncertainties are discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of this prospectus. Other unknown or unpredictable factors may also cause actual results to differ materially from those projected by the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are difficult to anticipate and are generally beyond the control of IAC and the Company.

        You should consider the areas of risk described above, as well as those set forth under the heading "Risk Factors," in connection with considering any forward-looking statements that may be made by the Company generally. Except for the ongoing obligations of the Company to disclose material information under the federal securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements, to report events or to report the occurrence of unanticipated events unless required to do so by law.

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THE SEPARATION

General

        On July 1, 2008, the IAC Board of Directors approved the separation of IAC into five separate, publicly traded companies, with each Spinco having a single class of common stock: (1) IAC, (2) HSNi, (3) ILG, (4) Ticketmaster and (5) Tree.com. The separation will be accomplished through the distribution by IAC of all of the shares of the common stock of the Spincos held by IAC to holders of IAC common stock on the record date. Immediately following the distributions, IAC stockholders will own 100% of the outstanding common stock of IAC and the Spincos. You will not be required to make any payment, surrender or exchange your shares of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock or take any other action to receive your shares of Ticketmaster common.

        The Board of Directors of IAC has reserved the right to modify, delay or abandon the spin-off of any or all of the Spincos. In addition, the spin-offs are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of a number of conditions described under "—Conditions to the Spin-Offs."

The Number of Shares You Will Receive in the Ticketmaster Spin-off

        For every share of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock that you owned at the close of business on [    •    ], 2008, the record date, you will receive one-fifth of a share of common stock of Ticketmaster on the distribution date. As described below under "—When and How You Will Receive the Dividend," IAC will not distribute any fractional shares of Ticketmaster common stock to its stockholders.

When and How You Will Receive the Dividend

        IAC will distribute the shares of Ticketmaster common stock on [    •    ], 2008, the distribution date. However, the IAC Board of Directors may determine to delay the Ticketmaster spin-off. The Bank of New York, which currently serves as the transfer agent and registrar for IAC's common stock, will serve as transfer agent and registrar for the Ticketmaster common stock and as distribution agent in connection with the spin-offs.

        If you own IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock as of the close of business on the record date, the shares of Spinco common stock that you are entitled to receive in the spin-off will be issued electronically, as of the distribution date, to you or to your bank or brokerage firm on your behalf by way of direct registration in book-entry form. Registration in book-entry form refers to a method of recording stock ownership when no physical share certificates are issued to stockholders, as is the case in the spin-off.

        Commencing on or shortly after the distribution date, if you hold physical stock certificates that represent your shares of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock and you are the registered holder of the IAC shares represented by those certificates, the distribution agent will mail to you an account statement that indicates the number of shares of Spinco common stock that have been registered in book-entry form in your name. If you have any questions concerning the mechanics of having shares of Ticketmaster common stock registered in book-entry form, you are encouraged to contact The Bank of New York by mail at 480 Washington Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07310 or PO Box 358015, Pittsburgh, PA 15252-8015, by phone at 866-203-6218 (US and Canada) or 201-680-6685 (International), or by email at shrrelations@bnymellon.com.

        Most IAC stockholders hold their shares of IAC common stock through a bank or brokerage firm. In such cases, the bank or brokerage firm would be said to hold the stock in "street name" and ownership would be recorded on the bank or brokerage firm's books. If you hold your IAC common stock through a bank or brokerage firm, your bank or brokerage firm will credit your account for the shares of common stock of the Spincos that you are entitled to receive in the spin-offs. If you have any

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questions concerning the mechanics of having shares of Ticketmaster common stock held in "street name," you are encouraged to contact your bank or brokerage firm.

The Bank of New York, as distribution agent, will not deliver any fractional shares of Ticketmaster common stock in connection with the spin-off. Instead, The Bank of New York will aggregate all fractional shares and sell them on behalf of the holders who otherwise would be entitled to receive fractional shares. If you physically hold IAC common stock certificates and are the registered holder, you will receive a check from the distribution agent in an amount equal to your pro rata share of the aggregate net cash proceeds of the sales. We estimate that it will take approximately two weeks from the distribution date for the distribution agent to complete the distributions of the aggregate net cash proceeds. If you hold your IAC stock through a bank or brokerage firm, your bank or brokerage firm will receive on your behalf your pro rata share of the aggregate net cash proceeds of the sales and should electronically credit your account for your share of such proceeds.

Results of the Separation

        After the spin-off, we will be a separate publicly traded company. Immediately following the spin-offs, based on the number of registered stockholders of IAC common stock and Class B common stock on February 25, 2008, and without giving effect to "when-issued" trading, we expect to have approximately 1,500 stockholders of record.

        The actual number of shares to be distributed will be determined based on the number of shares of IAC common stock and class B common stock outstanding on the record date and will reflect the issuance of IAC common stock in connection with any exercise of IAC options, vesting of restricted share units or conversion of other convertible IAC securities between the date the IAC Board of Directors declares the dividend for the distribution and the record date for the spin-off and the issuance of IAC shares under vested IAC equity-based awards between the record date for the spin-off and the distribution date.

        The spin-offs will not affect the number of outstanding shares of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock or any rights of IAC stockholders. However, in connection with the spin-offs, as more fully described in IAC's proxy statement under Schedule 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), filed on July 10, 2008, IAC has sought approval from its stockholders of a proposal to amend its Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect a 1-for-2 reverse stock split of its common stock and Class B common stock, which may be implemented by IAC's Board of Directors in its sole discretion immediately following the completion of the spin-offs or, if not all of the spin-offs are effected substantially simultaneously, immediately following the first spin-off. If the reverse stock split is approved by IAC's stockholders and implemented by IAC's Board of Directors, each two shares of IAC common stock or Class B common stock will be combined into one share of IAC common stock or Class B common stock, respectively. The purpose of implementing the reverse stock split would be to seek to increase the per share trading price of IAC's common stock following the spin-offs relative to what the per share trading price would be if the reverse stock split were not implemented. An increased trading price could increase interest from institutional investors, investment funds and brokerage firms in IAC common stock, lower the transaction costs involved in purchasing IAC common stock and improve the trading liquidity of IAC common stock. There can be no assurance that the reverse stock split would have the effect of increasing the per share trading price of IAC common stock following the spin-offs relative to what the per share trading price would be if the reverse stock split were not implemented.

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Spin-Offs

        The following section describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the spin-offs to "U.S. holders" (as defined below) of IAC common stock. This summary is based on current

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provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), final, temporary or proposed U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial opinions, published positions of the IRS and all other applicable authorities, all as in effect as of the date of this document and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. Any such change could affect the accuracy of the statements and conclusions set forth in this document.

        For purposes of this discussion, the term "U.S. holder" means a beneficial owner of IAC common stock that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

    an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

    a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia;

    an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or

    a trust if (1) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) it has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

        If an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds IAC common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in such entity generally will depend on the status of the partners and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding IAC common stock, please consult your tax advisor.

        This discussion only addresses holders of IAC common stock that are U.S. holders and hold such stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code. Further, this summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to a holder in light of the holder's particular circumstances or that may be applicable to holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax law (including, for example, persons that are not U.S. holders, financial institutions, dealers in securities, traders in securities that elect mark-to-market treatment, insurance companies, mutual funds, tax-exempt organizations, partnerships or other flow-through entities and their partners or members, U.S. expatriates, holders liable for the alternative minimum tax, holders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, and holders who hold their IAC common stock as part of a hedge, straddle, constructive sale or conversion transaction, or holders who acquired IAC common stock pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation). This discussion does not address the tax consequences to any person who actually or constructively owns more than 5% of IAC common stock. In addition, no information is provided herein with respect to the tax consequences of the spin-offs under applicable state, local or non-U.S. laws or federal laws other than those pertaining to the federal income tax.

        IAC STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE SPIN-OFFS TO THEM, INCLUDING THE EFFECTS OF U.S. FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX LAWS.

        IAC has requested and expects to receive, prior to effecting any of the spin-offs, a private letter ruling from the IRS and/or an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the IAC board of directors regarding the qualification of the spin-offs, together with certain related transactions, as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code. If the private letter ruling is received prior to the spin-offs, IAC expects to receive an opinion of counsel regarding certain aspects of the transaction that are not covered by the private letter ruling. If the private letter ruling is not received prior to the spin-offs, IAC expects to receive an opinion of counsel regarding the qualification of the spin-offs as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S.

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federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, and opinions from its external tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to IAC of certain related matters and transactions, and certain state tax consequences to IAC of the spin-offs.

    Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences if Each of the Spin-Offs Qualifies as a Transaction that Is Generally Tax Free under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code

        Assuming that each of the spin-offs qualifies as a transaction that is generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code:

    no gain or loss will be recognized by, and no amount will be includible in the income of IAC as a result of the spin-offs, other than gain or income arising in connection with certain internal restructurings undertaken in connection with the spin-offs and with respect to any "excess loss account" or "intercompany transaction" required to be taken into account by IAC under U.S. Treasury regulations relating to consolidated federal income tax returns;

    an IAC stockholder will not recognize income, gain, or loss as a result of the receipt of Spinco common stock pursuant to the spin-offs, except with respect to any cash received in lieu of fractional shares of Spinco common stock;

    an IAC stockholder's aggregate tax basis in such stockholder's Spinco common stock received in the spin-offs (including any fractional share interests in Spinco common stock for which cash is received) will equal such stockholder's aggregate tax basis in its IAC common stock immediately before the spin-offs, allocated between the IAC common stock and the common stock of each Spinco (including any fractional share interest of Spinco common stock for which cash is received) in proportion to their relative fair market values on the date of the spin-offs;

    an IAC stockholder's holding period for Spinco common stock received in the spin-offs (including any fractional share interests of Spinco common stock for which cash is received) will include the holding period for that stockholder's IAC common stock; and

    an IAC stockholder who receives cash in lieu of a fractional share of Spinco common stock in the spin-offs will be treated as having sold such fractional share for cash, and will generally recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash received and the IAC stockholder's adjusted tax basis in the fractional share of Spinco common stock. Such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the stockholder's holding period for its Spinco common stock exceeds one year.

        If an IAC stockholder holds different blocks of IAC common stock (generally, shares of IAC common stock acquired on different dates or at different prices), such holder should consult its tax advisor regarding the determination of the basis and holding period of shares of Spinco common stock received in the spin-offs in respect of particular blocks of IAC common stock.

        U.S. Treasury regulations require IAC stockholders who receive Spinco common stock in the spin-offs to attach to their U.S. federal income tax returns for the year in which the Spinco stock is received a detailed statement setting forth such data as may be appropriate to demonstrate the applicability of Section 355 of the Code to the spin-offs.

    Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences If One or More of the Spin-Offs Were Taxable

        The IRS private letter ruling and/or the opinion of counsel will be based on, among other things, certain assumptions as well as on the accuracy of certain representations and statements that IAC and the Spincos make to the IRS and to counsel. If any of these representations or statements are, or become, inaccurate or incomplete, or if IAC or the Spincos breach any of their respective covenants, the IRS private letter ruling and/or the opinion of counsel may be invalid.

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        Moreover, the IRS private letter ruling would not address all the issues that are relevant to determining whether the spin-offs qualify as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding the IRS private letter ruling and/or opinion, the IRS could determine that one or more of the spin-offs should be treated as a taxable distribution if it determines that any of the representations, assumptions or undertakings that were included in the request for the private letter ruling is false or has been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the opinion of counsel that are not covered by the IRS ruling.

        If the IRS were to assert successfully that one or more of the spin-offs were taxable, the above consequences would not apply with respect to such spin-off and both IAC and holders of IAC common stock who received shares of Spinco common stock in such spin-off could be subject to tax, as described below. In addition, certain events that may or may not be within the control of IAC or a Spinco, including extraordinary purchases of IAC common stock or Spinco common stock, could cause one or more of the spin-offs not to qualify as tax free to IAC and/or holders of IAC common stock. Depending on the circumstances, a Spinco may be required to indemnify IAC and the other Spincos for some or all of the taxes and certain related losses resulting from the spin-off of such Spinco not qualifying as tax free under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Tax Sharing Agreement." If a spin-off were taxable, then:

    IAC would recognize gain in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of Spinco common stock on the date of the spin-off distributed to IAC stockholders over IAC's adjusted tax basis in the stock of such Spinco, and IAC may also recognize income or gain with respect to certain restructuring transactions undertaken in connection with such spin-off;

    each IAC stockholder who received Spinco common stock in the taxable spin-off would be treated as having received a taxable distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of such Spinco stock (including any fractional shares sold on behalf of the stockholder) on the spin-off date. That distribution would be taxable to the stockholder as a dividend to the extent of IAC's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as increased to reflect any current income, including any gain, recognized by IAC on the taxable spin-off). Any amount that exceeded IAC's earnings and profits would be treated first as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of the IAC stockholder's tax basis in its IAC common stock with any remaining amounts being taxed as capital gain;

    certain stockholders could be subject to additional special rules, such as rules relating to the dividends received deduction and extraordinary dividends; and

    a stockholder's tax basis in Spinco common stock received generally would equal the fair market value of Spinco common stock on the spin-off date, and the holding period for that stock would begin the day after the spin-off date.

        Even if one or more spin-offs otherwise qualify as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, they could be taxable to IAC under Section 355(e) of the Code if one or more persons were to acquire directly or indirectly stock representing a 50% or greater interest, by vote or value, in IAC or one of the Spincos during the four-year period beginning on the date which is two years before the date of the spin-off, as part of a plan or series of related transactions that includes the spin-off. If such an acquisition of IAC stock or Spinco stock were to trigger the application of Section 355(e), IAC would recognize taxable gain as described above, but the spin-offs would be tax free to IAC stockholders. In addition, the IRS could disagree with or challenge the conclusions reached in one or more of the tax opinions that IAC expects to receive with respect to certain related matters and transactions. In such case, IAC could recognize material amounts of taxable income or gain.

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        In connection with the spin-offs, IAC and the Spincos will enter into a Tax Sharing Agreement. Under the Tax Sharing Agreement, each Spinco will have to indemnify IAC and the other Spincos for any taxes resulting from the spin-off of such Spinco (and any related interest, penalties, legal and professional fees, and all costs and damages associated with related stockholder litigation or controversies) to the extent such amounts result from (i) any act or failure to act by such Spinco described in the covenants in the Tax Sharing Agreement, (ii) any acquisition of equity securities or assets of such Spinco or a member of its group, or (iii) any breach by such Spinco or any member of its group of any representation or covenant contained in the separation documents or in the documents relating to the IRS private letter ruling and/or tax opinions. The ability of IAC or any of the Spincos to collect under these indemnity provisions will depend on the financial position of the indemnifying party. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Tax Sharing Agreement."

        THE FOREGOING IS A SUMMARY OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE SPIN-OFFS UNDER CURRENT LAW AND IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. THE FOREGOING DOES NOT PURPORT TO ADDRESS ALL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OR TAX CONSEQUENCES THAT MAY ARISE UNDER THE TAX LAWS OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS OR THAT MAY APPLY TO PARTICULAR CATEGORIES OF STOCKHOLDERS. EACH IAC STOCKHOLDER SHOULD CONSULT ITS TAX ADVISOR AS TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE SPIN-OFFS TO SUCH STOCKHOLDER, INCLUDING THE APPLICATION OF U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX LAWS, AND THE EFFECT OF POSSIBLE CHANGES IN TAX LAWS THAT MAY AFFECT THE TAX CONSEQUENCES DESCRIBED ABOVE.

Market for Common Stock of Ticketmaster

        There is currently no public market for the Ticketmaster common stock. We have been approved to list our common stock on NASDAQ under the symbol "TKTM." The Ticketmaster common stock has been approved for inclusion in the global select market tier of the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Trading Before the Distribution Date

        Beginning on or shortly before the record date and continuing through the distribution date, it is expected that there will be two markets in IAC common stock: a "regular-way" market and an "ex-distribution" market. Shares of IAC common stock that trade on the regular way market will trade with an entitlement to shares of the common stock of the Spincos distributed pursuant to the spin-offs. Shares that trade on the ex-distribution market will trade without an entitlement to shares of the common stock of the Spincos distributed pursuant to the spin-offs. Therefore, if you sell shares of IAC common stock in the "regular-way" market up to and including through the distribution date, you will be selling your right to receive shares of the common stock of the Spincos in the spin-offs. If you own shares of IAC common stock at the close of business on the record date and sell those shares on the "ex-distribution" market, up to and including through the distribution date, you will still receive the shares of the common stock of the Spincos that you would be entitled to receive pursuant to your ownership of the shares of IAC common stock.

        Furthermore, beginning shortly before the distribution date and continuing up to and including through the distribution date, it is expected that there will be a "when-issued" market in the common stock of each of the Spincos. "When-issued" trading refers to a sale or purchase made conditionally because the security has been authorized but not yet issued. The "when-issued" trading market will be a market for shares of Spinco common stock that will be distributed to IAC stockholders on the distribution date. If you owned shares of IAC common stock at the close of business on the record date, you would be entitled to shares of the Spincos' common stock distributed pursuant to the spin-offs. You may trade this entitlement to shares of common stock of all or any of the Spincos, without the shares of IAC common stock you own, on the "when-issued" market. On the first trading day following the distribution date, "when-issued" trading with respect to Spinco common stock will end and "regular-way" trading will begin.

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Conditions to the Spin-Offs

        The IAC Board of Directors has reserved the right, in its sole discretion, to amend, modify or abandon the spin-offs and the related transactions at any time prior to the distribution date. This means IAC may cancel or delay the planned distribution of common stock of all or any of the Spincos if at any time the Board of Directors of IAC determines that the distribution of such common stock is not in the best interests of IAC and its stockholders. If IAC's Board of Directors determines to cancel the spin-off of a Spinco, stockholders of IAC will not receive any dividend of common stock of such Spinco and IAC will be under no obligation whatsoever to its stockholders to distribute such shares.

        Absent a determination of IAC's Board of Directors to the contrary, the Spincos expect that the spin-offs will be effective on [    •    ], 2008, the distribution date. In addition, the spin-offs and related transactions are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (by IAC's Board of Directors in its sole discretion) of the following conditions:

    the registration statement on Form S-1 filed by each of the Spincos with respect to its common shares shall have been declared effective by the SEC or become effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the SEC;

    the common stock of each of the Spincos shall have been accepted for listing on NASDAQ, subject to compliance with applicable listing requirements;

    no order or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of any of the spin-offs or related transactions shall be threatened, pending or in effect;

    any material consents and governmental authorizations necessary to complete the spin-offs shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect;

    the stockholders of IAC shall have approved, in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), a merger agreement providing for the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of IAC with and into IAC pursuant to which all of the outstanding shares of preferred stock of IAC shall be converted into the right to receive cash;

    the IAC Board of Directors shall have received a written solvency opinion, in form and substance acceptable to the IAC Board of Directors, from Duff & Phelps regarding the spin-offs and related transactions, which opinion shall not have been withdrawn or modified;

    IAC shall have received an opinion of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, in form and substance satisfactory to the IAC Board of Directors, regarding the qualification of the spin-offs as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code (to the extent such qualification is not addressed by an Internal Revenue Service private letter ruling (the "IRS Ruling") received by IAC), which opinion (and, in the event IAC shall have received the IRS Ruling, the IRS Ruling) shall not have been withdrawn or modified;

    IAC shall have received opinions from its external tax advisors, in form and substance satisfactory to the IAC Board of Directors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to IAC of certain related matters and transactions (to the extent such matters are not addressed by the IRS Ruling) and certain state tax consequences to IAC of the spin-offs, which opinions shall not have been withdrawn or modified; and

    IAC shall have received an opinion of Delaware counsel to IAC, in form and substance satisfactory to the IAC Board of Directors, to the effect that the spin-offs do not require approval of the stockholders of IAC under Section 271 of the DGCL.

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Reasons for the Separation

        During the fall of 2007, IAC's management, in reviewing the strategic agendas and prospects of its various businesses, concluded that a separation of IAC into five separately traded public companies would best facilitate growth of the businesses. After discussion with the IAC Board of Directors, the Board agreed. Among the factors considered in arriving at this determination were:

    While the Spincos share common attributes, both with each other and with IAC, they generally face different strategic and competitive challenges. As a result, IAC management and the IAC Board determined that, in IAC's current configuration, when facing strategic and operating issues for a particular business, whether having to do with transactional alternatives, capital investment, new business initiatives, compensation or otherwise, considerations of the other businesses and of the company as a whole had the potential to lead to different decisions than might be made by standalone companies. IAC concluded, therefore, that the current structure may not be the most responsive to the exigencies of each business and that the spin-offs will enhance the success of each business by enabling IAC and the Spincos to resolve the problems that arise from the operation of different businesses within the IAC group.

    The lack of a liquid equity currency linked directly to the individual businesses constrained each business' ability to transact in its own industry and to provide equity-based incentive programs for employees that were entirely dependent on the performance of the specific business.

    While efforts were underway to increase the benefits to each business resulting from being a part of IAC, including through cost savings, better talent development and deployment, increased business opportunities, and other initiatives, the common attributes of the Spincos were more limited than initially believed, and there was therefore a limit to the benefits to be realized from such integration and the time horizon for realizing such benefits was substantially longer than IAC had initially believed.

    IAC believed that its stock performance during recent years did not reflect its operating performance or the true value of its businesses. IAC believed that this was in part because of the complexity involved in understanding a variety of businesses represented by a single equity investment, and that increased transparency and clarity into the different businesses of IAC would allow investors to more appropriately value the merits, performance and future prospects of the companies.

        Because IAC concluded that the separation of these businesses would over time enhance their operating performance, open up strategic alternatives that may otherwise not have been readily available to them, and facilitate investor understanding and better target investor demand, IAC believes that following the spin-offs, the common stock of the five publicly traded companies will have a higher aggregate market value than would IAC if it were to remain in its current configuration. No assurances, however, can be given that such higher aggregate market value will be achieved. The IAC Board of Directors believes that such value increase would further facilitate growth of the separated businesses by reducing the costs of equity compensation and acquisitions undertaken with equity consideration, in each case resulting in a real and substantial benefit for the companies.

        The IAC Board of Directors considered a number of other potentially negative factors in evaluating the separation, including loss of synergies from operating as one company, potential disruptions to the businesses as a result of the separation, the potential impact of the separation on the anticipated credit ratings of the Spincos, risks of being unable to achieve the benefits expected to be achieved by the separation and the reaction of IAC stockholders to the separation, the risk that the plan of execution might not be completed and the one-time and ongoing costs of the separation. The IAC Board of Directors concluded that the anticipated benefits of the spin-offs outweighed these factors. In view of the wide variety of factors considered in connection with the evaluation of the

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separation and the complexity of these matters, the IAC Board of Directors did not find it useful to, and did not attempt to, quantify, rank or otherwise assign relative weights to the factors considered. The individual members of the IAC Board of Directors likely may have given different weights to different factors.

Litigation with Liberty Media Corporation

        In January 2008, IAC, Barry Diller and Liberty Media Corporation ("Liberty") commenced actions in the Delaware Chancery Court in which Liberty asserted, among other things, that Mr. Diller, the Chairman and CEO of IAC, had breached an agreement between Liberty and him and that therefore Liberty had assumed the right to exercise voting control over IAC. The basis for this claim was that IAC did not have the right to consummate the spin-offs with a single class voting structure and therefore acts in furtherance of the transaction had breached the agreement. After a chancery court decision in IAC and Mr. Diller's favor on March 28, 2008, the parties agreed, on May 13, 2008, to settle that litigation pursuant to the "Spinco Agreement." As described in more detail below under "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements with Liberty Media Corporation," the Spinco Agreement also contains, among other things, provisions that will become effective at the time of the spin-off of each Spinco with a single class of common stock, including provisions providing Liberty the right to nominate directors to the Spinco's Board of Directors so long as Liberty maintains specified ownership levels, restrictions on acquisitions and transfers of the securities of the Spinco by Liberty and its affiliates, certain standstill restrictions on Liberty and its affiliates and registration rights to be granted to Liberty.

Financial Advisor

        Allen & Company LLC provided financial advice in connection with the spin-offs. Allen & Company was retained in connection with the transaction because of the firm's familiarity with the businesses and assets of IAC and the Spincos and the firm's qualifications and reputation. IAC and Allen & Company have not yet determined the amount of fees to be paid to Allen & Company in connection with its engagement. IAC expects to pay Allen & Company a customary fee.


TREATMENT OF OUTSTANDING IAC COMPENSATORY EQUITY-BASED AWARDS

        In November of 2007, IAC's Compensation and Human Resources Committee (the "Committee") made determinations regarding the treatment in the spin-offs of IAC's compensatory equity-based awards granted on or prior to December 31, 2007. The various adjustments the Committee has determined to make are described below:

    (1)
    All unvested IAC restricted stock units ("RSUs") granted prior to August 2005 will vest immediately prior to the spin-offs, with awards thereafter settled, in accordance with applicable law, in shares of common stock of IAC, HSNi, ILG, Ticketmaster and Tree.com, in each case as though the equity holder owned the number of shares of IAC common stock underlying the IAC RSU award immediately prior to the spin-offs. Based on the most recent available information, it is expected that at the time of the spin-offs HSNi employees, ILG employees, Ticketmaster employees and Tree.com employees will hold 225,233 RSUs, 116,008 RSUs, 328,887 RSUs and 394,110 RSUs, respectively, subject to this treatment.

    (2)
    All unvested IAC RSUs scheduled to vest through February 2009 will vest immediately prior to the spin-offs, with awards thereafter settled, in accordance with applicable law, in shares of common stock of IAC, HSNi, ILG, Ticketmaster and Tree.com, in each case as though the equity holder owned the number of shares of IAC common stock underlying the IAC RSU award immediately prior to the spin-offs. Based on the most recent available information, it is expected that at the time of the spin-offs HSNi employees, ILG employees, Ticketmaster

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      employees and Tree.com employees will hold 78,772 RSUs, 39,685 RSUs, 98,306 RSUs and 32,816 RSUs, respectively, subject to this treatment.

    (3)
    Performance-based IAC RSUs granted in 2007, or Growth Shares, will be converted into non-performance-based IAC RSUs based on "target" value with the same vesting schedule and will thereafter be subject to the other adjustment and conversion provisions described below. Based on the most recent available information, it is expected that at the time of the spin-offs Ticketmaster employees will hold 192,754 RSUs subject to this treatment.

    (4)
    With respect to each IAC RSU award that provides for vesting of 100% of the award following passage of a multi-year period (cliff vesting awards), the portion of the unvested IAC RSU award that would have vested through February 2009 if the award had vested on an annual basis will convert into five separate RSU awards with respect to IAC and each of the Spincos, based on the applicable distribution ratios in the spin-offs and the two-for-one reverse stock split at IAC, but will otherwise have the same vesting terms and other applicable terms and conditions. Based on the most recent available information, it is expected that at the time of the spin-offs HSNi employees, ILG employees, Ticketmaster employees and Tree.com employees will hold 164,907 RSUs, 118,035 RSUs, 193,104 RSUs and 110,203 RSUs, respectively, subject to this treatment (inclusive of converted Growth Shares).

    (5)
    With respect to all other IAC RSUs that do not vest or convert pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2) or (4) above, the IAC RSUs will convert into an RSU award with respect to shares of common stock of the company that continues to employ the equity holder following the spin-offs, with appropriate adjustments to the number of shares of common stock underlying each such award to maintain pre- and post spin-off values, but otherwise preserving the same vesting terms and other applicable terms and conditions. Based on the most recent available information, it is expected that at the time of the spin-offs Ticketmaster employees will hold 373,482 RSUs subject to this treatment (inclusive of converted Growth Shares); and

    (6)
    All unexercised option awards, whether vested or unvested, will be split among IAC and each of the Spincos based on relative value at the time of the spin-offs, with appropriate adjustments to the number of shares of common stock underlying each such award and the per share exercise price of each such award to maintain pre- and post spin-off values, but otherwise preserving the same vesting terms and other applicable terms and conditions. Based on the most recent available information, it is expected that at the time of the spin-offs HSNi employees, ILG employees, Ticketmaster employees and Tree.com employees will hold 734,633 options, 0 options, 816,784 options and 451,885 options, respectively, subject to this treatment.

        With respect to any IAC compensatory equity-based awards granted after December 31, 2007, those awards will convert into awards with respect to shares of common stock of the company that continues to employ the equity holder following the spin-offs, with appropriate adjustments to the number of shares underlying each such award and the per share exercise price of each such award (with respect to options) to maintain pre- and post spin-off values, but otherwise preserving the same vesting terms and other applicable terms and conditions. Based on the most recent available information, it is expected that at the time of the spin-offs Ticketmaster employees will hold 99,158 RSUs and 1,326,000 options subject to this treatment. With respect to stock options, the number of shares of common stock subject to any adjusted stock option will be rounded down to the nearest whole share. With respect to restricted stock units that do not vest in connection with the spin-offs, the number of shares of common stock subject to any adjusted restricted stock unit will be rounded up to the nearest whole share. With respect to restricted stock units that vest in connection with the spin-offs, the number of shares of common stock that an individual will be entitled to receive in connection with the spin-offs will be rounded up to the nearest whole share.

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        In the event that IAC abandons the spin-off with respect to one or more Spincos, the adjustments set forth above will apply as described above except that there will be no conversion of IAC equity awards into equity awards of a Spinco that IAC does not spin-off and employees of any such Spinco will be treated as employees of IAC for purposes of the foregoing adjustments.

        The treatment of IAC compensatory equity-based awards held by persons who will be employed by IAC immediately following the spin-offs is generally similar to that described above, with certain adjustments intended to provide retention incentives for IAC corporate employees.

        The principal objective of the Committee in making these adjustments was one of fairness, with some of the particular considerations being:

    A desire to reward service prior to the spin-offs with stock of the companies that made up IAC before the spin-offs, and reward service after the spin-offs with stock of the company for which an employee will work after the spin-offs;

    A recognition that the primary motivation for the Growth Share grants, which was to provide increased incentives for employees to focus on the total performance of the entire IAC conglomerate as opposed to the individual businesses for which they worked through increased volatility of potential rewards, no longer was present given the determination to do the spin-offs;

    An interest in eliminating the complexities that would be associated with adjusting the 2007 performance conditions among five separate public companies and the possibility that such adjustments would not be equitable to all holders of the awards; and

    Compliance with the terms of the applicable equity plans, tax laws and accounting requirements.


DIVIDEND POLICY

        We do not currently expect to pay a regular cash dividend. The declaration and payment of future dividends to holders of common stock of the Company will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon many factors, including our financial condition, earnings, capital requirements of our businesses, covenants associated with certain debt obligations, legal requirements, regulatory constraints, industry practice and other factors that our board of directors deems relevant.

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TRANSFERS TO IAC AND FINANCING

        It is currently expected that in connection with the spin-offs, Ticketmaster will distribute to IAC approximately $724 million in cash, and HSNi and an entity that will become a subsidiary of ILG prior to the spin-offs will make certain distributions to IAC. To fund these distributions, each of these Spincos has entered into financing arrangements, which in the case of Ticketmaster are described below. Additionally, each of these companies may distribute some amount of cash on hand, but these amounts are not presently knowable and are unlikely to be material. The borrowing arrangements for Ticketmaster consist of a combination of secured credit facilities and privately-issued debt securities. HSNi, the borrowing subsidiary of ILG and Ticketmaster are each also expected to dividend to IAC prior to the spin-offs all net receivables owed them by IAC and its affiliates.

        Prior to Ticketmaster making its distribution to IAC, the funds escrowed from the issuance of debt securities by Ticketmaster must be released and certain amounts under the credit facilities of Ticketmaster must be drawn down. In order for the escrowed funds to be released to Ticketmaster, it must deliver a certificate to the effect that the spin-off of Ticketmaster will be consummated within five business days of such certificate on terms that are not materially adverse to the holders of the notes from the terms described in the offering memorandum related to such notes and no default or event of default under the indenture related to such notes has occurred. In order for Ticketmaster to draw down amounts under its secured credit facilities, it must deliver a certificate to the effect that no material adverse effect has occurred (subject to certain scheduled exceptions).

        IAC also is expected to make a cash contribution to Tree.com.

        These dividends and cash contributions were determined by IAC after an assessment of the optimal capital structure for Ticketmaster and for IAC, taking into account each company's cash flow prospects, working capital and other cash needs, potential acquisition agenda and other relevant factors.

        Set forth below is a summary of the principal terms of the agreements that govern the senior secured credit facilities that have been entered into in connection with the Ticketmaster spin-off. This summary is not a complete description of all of the terms of the relevant agreements.

Ticketmaster Senior Secured Credit Facilities

        Ticketmaster is the borrower under new senior secured credit facilities. The senior secured credit facilities are provided by a syndicate of banks and other financial institutions, with JPMorgan Chase Bank acting as the Lead Lender. The senior secured credit facilities permit certain agreed upon foreign subsidiaries of Ticketmaster to become borrowers under the revolving credit facility. The senior secured credit facilities provide financing of up to $650.0 million, consisting of a $100.0 million Term Loan A with a maturity of five years, a $350.0 million Term Loan B with a maturity of six years and a $200.0 million revolving credit facility with a maturity of five years. In addition, subject to certain conditions, including compliance with certain financial covenants, the senior secured credit facilities permit Ticketmaster to incur incremental term loans and revolving loans in an aggregate principal amount of up to $125.0 million. There is currently no commitment in respect of these incremental loans, nor is one currently anticipated to be in place upon the consummation of Ticketmaster's spin-off.

        The proceeds of the term loan portion of the senior secured credit facilities, together with the proceeds of the senior notes, will, and up to $25.0 million of revolving credit borrowings may, be used to fund a distribution to IAC prior to the spin-off and to fund transaction fees and expenses. The proceeds of additional revolving loans will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes.

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    Interest Rate and Fees

        The interest rates per annum applicable to loans under the senior secured credit facilities are, at Ticketmaster's option, equal to either a base rate or a LIBOR rate plus an applicable margin, which in the case of the Term Loan A and the revolving portion of the senior secured credit facilities will vary with the total leverage ratio of Ticketmaster (except that the applicable margin with respect to the Term Loan A and borrowings under the revolving portion of the senior secured credit facilities is fixed at 2.75% (2.25%) per annum for LIBOR term (revolving) loans and 1.75% (1.25%) per annum for base rate term (revolving) loans until Ticketmaster delivers financial statements for the first full fiscal quarter after the closing date for the senior secured credit facilities). The applicable margin for the Term Loan B is 3.25% per annum for LIBOR loans and 2.25% per annum for base rate loans. The base rate means the greater of the rate as quoted from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime rate and 0.5% plus the federal funds rate.

        Starting on the closing date for the senior secured credit facilities, Ticketmaster will also be required to pay facility fees on the revolving portion of the senior secured credit facilities. A commitment fee will be owed in respect of the term loans until the term loans are drawn on the funding date.

    Prepayments

        The senior secured credit facilities require Ticketmaster to prepay outstanding loans, subject to certain exceptions (including a right of reinvestment of asset sale proceeds in Ticketmaster's business) with the proceeds of certain asset sales, casualty insurance and recovery events, the incurrence of certain indebtedness and a percentage of annual excess cash flow (which may be reduced to 0% upon the achievement of a specified leverage ratio).

        In the event Ticketmaster's spin-off will not have occurred on or before the 5th business day following the date of the funding date of the senior secured credit facilities, then on such date, Ticketmaster will be required to pay all loans under the senior secured credit facilities and the commitments under the revolving credit facility will be permanently reduced to zero.

    Amortization

        The Term Loan A will amortize in an amount equal to 10% of the original principal amount during 2011, 15% in 2012 and 75% in 2013. No Term Loan A amortization payments is due in 2008, 2009 or 2010. The amortization of the Term Loan A for each year is payable in equal quarterly installments, except that the amortization for 2013 will be paid in equal installments at each quarter end in 2013 prior to the maturity date for the Term Loan A and on the maturity date of the Term Loan A.

        The Term Loan B will amortize in an amount equal to 1% per annum in equal quarterly installments commencing with the end of the first fiscal quarter in 2011, with the remaining amount payable on the date that is six years from the date of the closing of the senior secured credit facilities.

        Any voluntary prepayments made on the Term Loan A or B from time to time may be applied against otherwise scheduled amortization obligations. Any principal amounts outstanding under revolving loans are due and payable in full at maturity, five years from the date of the closing of the senior secured credit facilities.

    Guarantee and Security

        All obligations under the senior secured credit facilities are unconditionally guaranteed by each of Ticketmaster's existing and future direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions. The obligations of any foreign subsidiary borrowers under the senior secured credit facilities

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also are guaranteed by Ticketmaster and the guarantors. All obligations of Ticketmaster under the senior secured credit facilities and the guarantees of those obligations are secured by (subject to certain exceptions) a first priority pledge of all of the equity interests of each of the domestic subsidiaries of Ticketmaster; a first priority pledge of 65% of the equity interests of each of the first-tier foreign subsidiaries of Ticketmaster; and a first priority security interest in substantially all of the other assets of Ticketmaster and each guarantor. The obligations of each foreign subsidiary borrower under the revolving credit facility also are secured.

    Certain Covenants and Events of Default

        The senior secured credit facilities contain customary covenants that, among other things, restrict, subject to certain exceptions, the ability of Ticketmaster and its subsidiaries to grant liens on their assets, incur indebtedness, sell assets, make investments, engage in acquisitions, mergers or consolidations, pay dividends and other restricted payments and prepay unsecured indebtedness. The senior secured credit facility has two financial covenants: a maximum total leverage ratio of 3.50 to 1.00 and a minimum interest coverage ratio of 3.00 to 1.00. The senior secured credit facility also contains certain customary affirmative covenants and events of default, including the occurrence of a change of control (to be defined in the credit agreement).

        Set forth below is a summary of the principal terms of the agreements that govern the privately-issued debt arrangements for Ticketmaster entered into in connection with the spin-off. This summary is not a complete description of all of the terms of the relevant agreements.

Ticketmaster 10.75% Senior Notes

        Overview.    In connection with the spin-off, Ticketmaster has issued $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 10.75% Senior Notes due 2016. Interest is payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on August 1 and February 1 of each year, commencing February 1, 2009. The notes will be guaranteed by all entities that will be domestic subsidiaries of Ticketmaster following the completion of the spin-off.

        Ranking.    The notes and guarantees are general unsecured obligations of Ticketmaster and the guarantors, respectively, and:

    rank senior to all future debt of Ticketmaster and all future debt of the guarantors, in each case, that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the notes;

    rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future liabilities of Ticketmaster and the guarantors that are not so subordinated;

    are effectively subordinated to all secured debt (to the extent the value of the collateral securing such debt) of Ticketmaster (including Ticketmaster's senior secured credit facilities) and the guarantors (including the guarantees under Ticketmaster's senior secured credit facilities); and

    are structurally subordinated to all of the existing and future liabilities of Ticketmaster's foreign subsidiaries, none of which guarantee the notes.

        Redemption.    The notes are redeemable by Ticketmaster, in whole or in part, on or after August 1, 2012 at the following prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest, on August 1 of the following years: 105.375% (2012), 102.688% (2013) and 100.00% (2014 and thereafter). At any time and from time to time prior to August 1, 2012, the notes are redeemable by Ticketmaster at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus the greater of (i) 1% of the principal amount of such note; and (ii) the excess, if any, of: (A) an amount equal to the present value of (1) the redemption price of such note at August 1, 2012, plus (2) the remaining scheduled interest payments on the notes to be redeemed (subject to the right of holders on

35


the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date) to August 1, 2012 (other than interest accrued to the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points; over (B) the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed. In addition, up to 35% of the notes will be redeemable by Ticketmaster before August 1, 2011 at a price equal to 110.75% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest. Ticketmaster must also offer to redeem the notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if it experiences certain kinds of changes of control. Lastly, if Ticketmaster or certain of its subsidiaries (specifically, those that will be designated restricted subsidiaries under the indenture governing the notes) sell assets and do not apply the sale proceeds in a specified manner within a specified time, Ticketmaster will be required to make an offer to purchase notes at their face amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the purchase date.

        Certain Covenants.    The indenture governing the notes contains covenants that limit, among other things, Ticketmaster's ability and the ability of its restricted subsidiaries to incur certain additional indebtedness and issue preferred stock; make certain distributions, investments and other restricted payments; sell certain assets; agree to any restrictions on the ability of restricted subsidiaries to make payments to Ticketmaster; merge, consolidate or sell all of Ticketmaster's assets; create certain liens; and engage in transactions with affiliates on terms that are not arm's length. Certain covenants, including those pertaining to incurrence of indebtedness, restricted payments, asset sales, mergers and transactions with affiliates will be suspended during any period in which the notes are rated investment grade by both rating agencies and no default or event of default under the indenture has occurred and is continuing.

        Escrow of Proceeds; Special Mandatory Redemption.    Ticketmaster has entered into an escrow agreement pursuant to which it has deposited into escrow an amount equal to the net proceeds of the offering of the notes sold plus an additional amount sufficient to redeem the notes in cash at the special mandatory redemption price, which is equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest on the notes to the day prior to redemption (as described below), assuming the special mandatory redemption occurs on October 14, 2008. Amounts held in escrow will be released upon notice from Ticketmaster to the escrow agent that the spin-off will be consummated within five business days and that no default or event of default under the indenture has occurred and is continuing. If (i) IAC elects to abandon the spin-off or otherwise fails to deliver to the escrow agent the notice referred to above on or before September 30, 2008 or (ii) if the spin-off is not consummated within five business days after the receipt of such notice, then, within 10 business days after the relevant date, Ticketmaster will redeem all of the notes at the special mandatory redemption price.

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CERTAIN INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO TICKETMASTER

BUSINESS OF TICKETMASTER

        When used with respect to any periods prior to the spin-offs, the term "Ticketmaster" refers to IAC's ticketing and ticketing-related businesses, subsidiaries and investments. When used with respect to any periods following the spin-offs, "Ticketmaster" refers to Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation, which will hold IAC's ticketing and ticketing-related businesses, subsidiaries and investments (other than ReserveAmerica and Active.com), together with IAC's investment in Front Line Management, Inc., following the spin-offs. The following disclosure regarding Ticketmaster's business assumes the completion of the spin-offs.

        For information regarding the results of operations of Ticketmaster on a historical basis, see the Combined Financial Statements of Ticketmaster and the disclosure set forth under the caption "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ticketmaster." For information regarding the results of operations of Ticketmaster on a pro forma basis to give effect to the completion of the spin-offs, see "Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements" of Ticketmaster.

Who We Are

        As the world's leading live entertainment ticketing and marketing company, Ticketmaster connects the world to live entertainment. Ticketmaster currently operates in 20 countries worldwide, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution through www.ticketmaster.com, one of the largest e-commerce sites on the internet, and related proprietary internet and mobile channels, approximately 6,700 independent sales outlets and 19 call centers worldwide. Established in 1976, in 2007, Ticketmaster sold tickets on behalf of more than 10,000 clients worldwide, including venues, promoters, sports leagues and teams and musuem and cultural institutions, among other clients, across multiple live event categories, providing exclusive ticketing services for leading arenas, stadiums, amphitheaters, music clubs, concert promoters, professional sports franchises and leagues, college sports teams, performing arts venues, museums and theaters. Ticketmaster's distribution channels and client base provide it with significant scale—for example, in 2007, Ticketmaster brands and businesses sold approximately 141 million tickets valued at over $8.3 billion.

History

        Ticketmaster's predecessor companies, Ticketmaster Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, were organized for the primary purpose of developing stand-alone automated ticketing systems for license to individual facilities. Since then, Ticketmaster's business has grown through continued improvements in its technology, the continued expansion of its service and product offerings, as well as its client base, and the acquisition of and investment in ticketing and technology companies, as well as a number of entertainment-related businesses, both in the United States and abroad. In January 2003, IAC, at that time the majority owner of Ticketmaster, acquired the outstanding shares of Ticketmaster that it did not previously own, after which Ticketmaster became a wholly-owned subsidiary of IAC.

What We Do

    Primary (Initial Sale) Ticketing Services

        Overview.    "Primary" sales of tickets refers to the original sale of tickets to an event by or on behalf of an event presenter. For the year ended December 31, 2007, the substantial majority of

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Ticketmaster's revenues were attributable to primary ticket sale services. Ticketmaster provides primary ticket sale services to the following types of clients:

    Venues—many of the most well-known arenas, stadiums, theaters, universities, colleges, clubs and festivals in the United States and abroad, ranging in size from 100,000+ seat stadiums to small clubs, including Madison Square Garden (New York City), Staples Center (Los Angeles), The 02 (London), the University of Michigan and the University of California, Los Angeles;

    Promoters—promoters of live events, from worldwide concert tours to single, local events, including AEG Live, Jam Productions and MCD Productions;

    Sports Leagues, Teams and Events—professional sports teams, leagues, franchises and clubs and special sporting events, including Major League Baseball Advanced Media and many Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Rugby Football Union and Premier League teams, as well as the 2008 Olympic Games; and

    Museums, Cultural Institutions and Historic Sites—including the Guggenheim Museum (New York City) and the Getty Museum and Getty Villa (Los Angeles).

        When providing primary ticket sale services to clients in the U.S. and abroad (other than in the United Kingdom), Ticketmaster generally serves as the exclusive ticket sales agent for primary sales of individual tickets sold to the general public outside of facility box offices. In the United Kingdom, Ticketmaster is typically a non-exclusive ticket sales agent for its clients and instead is guaranteed a certain minimum allocation of the tickets for each event. For any particular event, Ticketmaster works with clients to identify those tickets that will be made available for sale through Ticketmaster's various distribution channels (see "—Distribution"), as well as facility box offices. To enable most or all tickets for a given event to be offered for sale simultaneously and sold through these channels, Ticketmaster licenses the Ticketmaster System and related equipment to clients and installs this system at their facility box offices. The provision of primary ticket sale services to clients is generally governed by individual, multi-year agreements between Ticketmaster and its clients.

        Consumers who purchase tickets through Ticketmaster pay an amount equal to the initial ticket face price, plus a per ticket convenience charge, a per order "order processing" fee and, if applicable, a premium delivery charge. Ticketmaster remits the entire face value of the ticket to the client, plus, in most cases, royalties in an amount specified in the written agreement between Ticketmaster and the client.

        Client Relationships.    Ticketmaster generally enters into written agreements with individual clients to provide primary ticket sale services for specified multi-year periods, typically ranging from 3 to 5 years. Pursuant to these agreements, clients generally determine what tickets will be available for sale, when such tickets will go on sale to the public and at what initial ticket face price. Agreements with venue clients generally grant Ticketmaster the right to sell tickets for all events presented at the relevant venue for which tickets are made available to the general public. Agreements with promoter clients generally grant Ticketmaster the right to sell tickets for all events presented by a given promoter at any venue, unless that venue is already covered by an existing exclusive agreement with Ticketmaster or another ticketing service provider. Under Ticketmaster's exclusive contracts, clients may not utilize, authorize or promote the services of third party ticketing companies or technologies while under contract with Ticketmaster. While Ticketmaster generally has the right to sell a substantial portion of its clients' tickets, venues and promoters often handle group sales and season tickets in-house, as well as allocate certain tickets for artist use. Ticketmaster also generally allows clients to make a certain limited number of tickets available for sale through fan or other similar clubs, from which Ticketmaster generally derives no revenues unless selected by the club to facilitate such sales. As a result, Ticketmaster does not sell all of its clients' tickets and the amount of tickets that it sells varies from client to client and from event to event, and varies as to any single client from year to year.

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        Convenience charges, which are heavily negotiated, mutually agreed upon and set forth in written agreements between Ticketmaster and its clients, vary based upon numerous factors, including:            the scope and nature of the services to be rendered, the amount and cost of equipment to be installed at the client's venue location, the amount of advertising and/or promotional allowances to be provided, the type of event and the distribution channel in which the ticket is to be sold. Client agreements also provide how and when, and by how much and with what frequency, changes may be made to per ticket convenience charges and per order "order processing" fees during the term. During the year ended December 31, 2007, per ticket convenience charges generally ranged from $2.50 to $15.00 and average revenue per ticket (which primarily includes per ticket convenience charges and per order "order processing" fees, as well as certain other revenue sources directly related to the sale of tickets) was $7.63.

        Most written agreements provide for the payment of royalties to clients, which are heavily negotiated, in an amount equal to a mutually agreed upon portion of related per ticket convenience charges on all tickets sold through all Ticketmaster distribution channels and per order "order processing" fees on all tickets sold online and by telephone. In many cases, written agreements also require Ticketmaster to advance royalties to clients, which advances are usually recoupable by Ticketmaster out of the future rights of clients to participations. In limited instances, clients have the right to receive an upfront, non-recoupable payment from Ticketmaster as an incentive to enter into the ticketing service agreement. Written agreements also specify the additional systems, if any, that may be used and purchased by clients during their relationship with Ticketmaster.

        Ticketmaster generally does not buy tickets from its clients for sale or resale to the public and typically assumes no financial risk for unsold tickets, other than indirect risk associated with its ability to recoup advances and guarantees made to clients. If an event is canceled, Ticketmaster refunds the per ticket convenience charges (but not per order "order processing" fees), except in certain European jurisdictions, where Ticketmaster is required by law to do so. Refunds of ticket prices for canceled event are funded by clients, which have historically fulfilled these obligations on a timely basis with few exceptions. Clients routinely agree by contract to include Ticketmaster's name, logos and the applicable Ticketmaster website address and charge-by-phone number in advertisements in all forms of media promoting the availability of their tickets. Ticketmaster brand names and logos are also prominently displayed on printed tickets, ticket envelopes and e-mail alerts about upcoming events that Ticketmaster sends to its customers. Ticketmaster also provides primary ticketing solutions for clients who wish to perform these functions in-house on a private label or other basis through its Paciolan and Ticketmaster VISTA brands and businesses, which license the requisite software or other rights to clients for license and per transaction fees in the case of Paciolan and per ticket fees in the case of Ticketmaster VISTA. Ticketmaster also currently licenses its name and technology exclusively to a third party that provides primary ticketing services to clients in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area, as well as to third parties and joint ventures in certain jurisdictions abroad.

    Ticket Resale Services

        The "resale" of tickets refers to the sale of tickets by a holder who originally purchased the tickets from a venue, promoter or other entity or a ticketing services provider selling on behalf of such venue, promoter or other entity. Ticketmaster currently offers ticket resale services through TicketsNow, which Ticketmaster acquired in February 2008, its TicketExchange service, which Ticketmaster launched in January 2002, and GetMeIn!, which Ticketmaster acquired in February 2008.

        TicketsNow is a leading consumer-facing marketplace for the resale of event tickets in the United States and Canada. TicketsNow enters into listing agreements with licensed ticket resellers to post ticket inventory for sale through TicketsNow at a purchase price equal to the initial ticket price determined by the relevant ticket resellers, plus an amount equal to a percentage of the initial ticket price and a service fee. TicketsNow remits the reseller-determined initial ticket price to the ticket

39



resellers and retains the remainder of the purchase price. TicketsNow also licenses point-of-sale business management software to ticket resellers for a fee, which allows them to manage their ticket inventory and operate their businesses. While TicketsNow does not generally acquire tickets for sale on its own behalf, it may do so from time to time on a limited basis.

        Ticketmaster also facilitates the resale of tickets through its TicketExchange service, which is accessible to consumers through www.ticketmaster.com. Through TicketExchange, consumers may resell and purchase tickets online that were initially sold for Ticketmaster clients in the United States, Europe and Canada who elect to participate in the TicketExchange service. Sellers and buyers each pay Ticketmaster a fee that has been negotiated with the relevant client, a portion of which is shared with such client. Consumers in the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands may buy and sell tickets to live entertainment events through Get Me In!, which charges sellers a commission and buyers a processing fee.

Marketing, Promotional and Related Services

        Ticketmaster is a leading marketer of live entertainment to fans in the markets in which it operates. For example, Ticketmaster informs fans about upcoming live events for which tickets will be available through Ticketmaster in their area through its TicketAlert email service. Fans can customize TicketAlerts to inform them about upcoming events for particular performers, teams or venues, as well as events in specified categories (music, sports, theater and family entertainment). Ticketmaster sent approximately 1.3 billion TicketAlert e-mails in 2007, reaching an average of approximately 28 million consumers per week. Ticketmaster also provides rich content on its various websites to promote events that it tickets, including artist pages that feature video content, biographical material and, through an arrangement with Apple, the ability to link to iTunes to purchase music from the artist's catalogue. Ticketmaster's commercial arrangement with Apple also allows Ticketmaster to offer consumers purchasing a ticket the opportunity to download songs for free from iTunes.

        Ticketmaster continues to develop and introduce new initiatives, as well as enter into new relationships, in an effort to help its clients sell more tickets in more markets. For example, Ticketmaster acquired a 25% interest in Evolution Artists (which does business under the brand name "iLike"), a leading, online social music discovery service that facilitates the sharing of playlists, new music and concerts, and has entered into arrangements with iLike to provide features designed to enhance the overall consumer experience on www.ticketmaster.com. Ticketmaster also offers a suite of dynamic pricing tools, such as online auctions, pursuant to which consumers bid on tickets being sold by Ticketmaster and purchases them at a price equal to the highest winning bid. For auction sales, in addition to per order "order processing" fees, Ticketmaster receives fees based on a percentage of the prices at which tickets are ultimately sold.

        Ticketmaster provides promotional and other related services to artists, such as the sale of tickets to members of artist fan clubs and the sale of artist fan club memberships, through its Echo business. Ticketmaster is also seeking to secure and strengthen its relationships with promoters and artists through its investment in Front Line Management, Inc., an artist management company that represents leading artists. Ticketmaster has also established a presence as a promoter in China through its Emma Entertainment business, a ticketing company and significant promoter of live entertainment events in China.

Distribution

        Ticketmaster sells tickets online, through independent sales outlets, call centers and via mobile channels. During the year ended December 31, 2007, 70%, 17%, 13% and less than 1% of primary ticket sales channels were transacted through these channels, respectively.

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        Online.    Ticketmaster owns and operates various branded websites, both in the U.S. and abroad, which are customized to reflect services offered in each jurisdiction. Ticketmaster's primary online ticketing website, www.ticketmaster.com, together with its other branded ticketing websites, are designed to promote ticket sales for live events and disseminate event and related merchandise information online. Consumers can access www.ticketmaster.com directly, from affiliated websites and through numerous direct links from banners and event profiles hosted by approved third party websites.

        Independent Sales Outlets.    As of December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster had approximately 6,700 "Ticket Center" independent sales outlets worldwide, approximately 2,000 of which were in the United States and approximately 4,700 of which were in various jurisdictions abroad. The majority of these independent sales outlets are located in major department, grocery and music stores, malls and, in Europe, post offices. While Ticketmaster installs and maintains the hardware and software necessary for these independent sales outlets to sell tickets, the outlets are generally responsible for staffing, daily operations and related costs. Ticketmaster pays independent sales outlets a commission, the amount of which ranges from approximately 17% to 20% of Ticketmaster's convenience charge.

        Call Centers.    As of December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster operated 19 call centers worldwide, through which consumers can generally purchase tickets by telephone or by way of an interactive voice response system, seven days a week, for at least 20 hours per day. Ticketmaster's domestic telephone system can channel all or a portion of incoming calls from any city to a selected call center in another city or region to accommodate the commencement of sales activity for a major event in a given region, as well as provide back-up capabilities in the event that a call center experiences operating difficulties.

International Operations

        Ticketmaster provides primary ticket sale services in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, primarily under the Ticketmaster brand name, and through other brand names in various other jurisdictions abroad, including China (Emma Ticketmaster), Denmark (BILLETNet), Finland (Lippupalvelu), Germany (Kartenhaus), the Netherlands (Ticket Service), Norway (billettservice.no), Spain (Tic Tack Ticket), Sweden (Ticnet) and Turkey (Biletix). Ticketmaster also provides resale ticket services in Canada through TicketsNow and in the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands through GetMeIn!.

        In addition to the businesses listed above, which it owns and operates, Ticketmaster is a party to joint ventures with third parties to provide ticket distribution services in Mexico and to supply ticketing services for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In the case of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games joint venture, Ticketmaster licenses the Ticketmaster System to the joint venture and receives a fee based on the number of tickets the joint venture sells or distributes through the system. Ticketmaster also licenses its technology in Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

        Ticket sales and revenues attributable to international operations represented approximately 41% and 34%, respectively, of total ticket sales and revenues in 2007.

Technology

        Ticketmaster's core proprietary operating system and software (the "Ticketmaster System") is designed for scalability, can be customized to satisfy a full range of client requirements and its capacity can be increased through investment in additional hardware. The entire Ticketmaster distribution network, including the Ticketmaster System, provides a single, centralized inventory control and management system capable of tracking total ticket inventory for all events, whether sales are made on a season, subscription, group or individual ticket basis. Ticketmaster believes that the Ticketmaster System enables clients to sell tickets and adapt to emerging and changing trends in the live entertainment industry in a more efficient and cost-effective manner than they could do on their own.

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        In areas of Europe outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland, Ticketmaster's operating businesses generally use localized versions of Ticketmaster's software or their own software, all of which are also proprietary to Ticketmaster. In limited cases abroad, Ticketmaster licenses ticketing systems from third parties. Ticketmaster has migrated certain of its international brands and businesses to the Ticketmaster System and intends to continue to do so over the next several years.

        The Ticketmaster System, which includes both hardware and software, is typically located in one of the multiple data centers managed by Ticketmaster staff, with the hardware and software required for use being installed at all points of sale. Ticketmaster takes significant measures to prevent outages in the case of the Ticketmaster System and related systems.

Ticketing Industry Overview

        The ticketing services industry has experienced significant changes over the past decade due to the advent of online commerce. As consumers increasingly choose to purchase tickets online and through mobile channels, sales through phone, outlet and box office channels have diminished in relative importance. As online ticket purchases increase, related ticketing costs generally decrease, which has made it easier for clients to manage and facilitate ticket sales in-house, as well as for technology-based companies to offer primary ticketing services and stand-alone, automated ticketing systems that enable clients to do their own ticketing or utilize self-ticketing systems. The advent of online commerce has also contributed to the growth of resale ticketing services and the consolidation of the resale industry, which historically has been more fragmented, consisting of a significant number of local resellers with limited inventory selling through traditional storefronts. The internet has allowed fans and other ticket resellers to reach a vastly larger audience through the aggregation of inventory on online resale websites and marketplaces, and has provided consumers with more convenient access to tickets for a larger number and greater variety of events. These changes have significantly altered the competitive landscape, in that they have resulted in a broader and more differentiated group of industry participants offering increasingly more innovative ticketing products and services.

Competition

        Live event content providers (such as owners or operators of live event venues, promoters of concerts and sports teams, among others) generally contract directly with primary ticketing service providers to sell tickets. Ticketmaster experiences substantial competition from other national, regional and local primary ticketing service providers to secure new and retain existing clients on a continuous basis. Ticketmaster also faces significant and increasing competition from companies that sell self-ticketing systems, as well as from clients, who are increasingly choosing to self-ticket through the integration of self-ticketing systems into their existing operations or the acquisition of primary ticket service providers and by increasing sales through facility box offices and season, subscription or group sales. Ticketmaster also faces competition in the resale of tickets from online auction websites and marketplaces, as well as other ticket resellers with online distribution capabilities. Ticketmaster believes that it competes on the basis of the breadth and quality of the products and services it provides, as well as the tickets it makes available for sale, the capabilities of the Ticketmaster System and related systems and its distribution network, reliability and price.

Employees

        As of December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster employed approximately 3,600 full-time and 2,600 part-time employees worldwide. Ticketmaster believes that it generally has good employee relationships, including those with employees represented by unions or other similar organizations.

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Properties

        Ticketmaster's corporate offices are located at 8800 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, California, where it currently leases approximately 70,000 square feet from IAC. Ticketmaster also leases office space in various cities throughout the United States and in the various jurisdictions abroad in which it has operations pursuant to short- and long-term leases of adequate duration. In addition, Ticketmaster owns a small office in Vancouver, Canada and a small plot of land outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ticketmaster believes that its facilities are adequate in the locations where it currently does business.

Ticketmaster Legal Proceedings

        In the ordinary course of business, Ticketmaster and its subsidiaries are parties to litigation involving property, personal injury, contract, intellectual property and other claims. The amounts that may be recovered in such matters may be subject to insurance coverage. Ticketmaster does not believe that such ordinary course litigation will have a material effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations. For a discussion of litigation reserves, see "Management Overview—Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005—General and Administrative Expense."

        Rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission require the description of material pending legal proceedings, other than ordinary, routine litigation incident to the registrant's business, and advise that proceedings ordinarily need not be described if they primarily involve damage claims for amounts (exclusive of interest and costs) not exceeding 10% of the current assets of the registrant and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. In the judgment of management, none of the pending litigation matters which Ticketmaster and its subsidiaries are defending, including those described below, involves or is likely to involve amounts of that magnitude. However, the pending litigation matters described below could involve substantial amounts, which could have an adverse effect on Ticketmaster's business, financial condition and results of operations.

    UPS Consumer Class Action Litigation

        Curt Schlessinger et al. v. Ticketmaster, No. BC304565 (Superior Court, Los Angeles County). On October 21, 2003, a purported representative action was filed in California state court, challenging Ticketmaster's charges to online customers for UPS ticket delivery. The complaint alleged in essence that it is unlawful for Ticketmaster not to disclose on its website that the fee it charges to online customers to have their tickets delivered by UPS contains a profit component. The complaint asserted a claim for violation of Section 17200 of the California Business and Professions Code and sought restitution or disgorgement of the difference between (i) the total UPS delivery fees charged by Ticketmaster in connection with online ticket sales during the applicable statute of limitations period, and (ii) the amount Ticketmaster paid to UPS for that service.

        On December 31, 2004, the court denied Ticketmaster's motion for summary judgment. On April 1, 2005, the court denied the plaintiffs' motion for leave to amend their complaint to include UPS-delivery fees charged in connection with ticket orders placed by telephone. Citing Proposition 64, a California ballot initiative that outlawed so-called "representative" actions brought on behalf of the general public, the court ruled that since the named plaintiffs did not order their tickets by telephone, they lacked standing to assert a claim based on telephone ticket sales. The plaintiffs were granted leave to file an amended complaint that would survive application of Proposition 64.

        On August 31, 2005, the plaintiffs filed an amended class-action and representative-action complaint alleging (i) as before, that Ticketmaster's website disclosures in respect of its charges for UPS ticket delivery violate Section 17200 of the California Business and Professions Code, and (ii) for the first time, that Ticketmaster's website disclosures in respect of its ticket order-processing fees

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constitute false advertising in violation of Section 17500 of the California Business and Professions Code. On this latter claim, the amended complaint seeks restitution or disgorgement of the entire amount of order-processing fees charged by Ticketmaster during the applicable statute of limitations period.

        On September 1, 2005, in light of the newly pleaded claim based upon order-processing fees, Ticketmaster removed the case to federal court pursuant to the recently enacted federal Class Action Fairness Act. See Curt Schlessinger et al. v. Ticketmaster, No. 05-CV-6515 (U.S. District Court, Central District of California). On October 3, 2005, the plaintiffs filed a motion to remand the case to state court, which Ticketmaster opposed. On March 23, 2006, the federal district court issued an order granting the plaintiffs' motion to remand the case to state court. On April 4, 2006, Ticketmaster filed a petition for leave to appeal the district court's order to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which the plaintiffs opposed. On May 25, 2006, the federal court of appeals issued an order denying Ticketmaster's petition; as a result, the case was remanded to state court.

        On August 14, 2006, the plaintiffs filed a motion for class certification, which Ticketmaster opposed. On September 25, 2006, Ticketmaster filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings, which the plaintiffs opposed. On November 21, 2006, Ticketmaster requested that the court stay the case pending the California Supreme Court's decisions in two cases (In re Tobacco II Cases, 142 Cal. App. 4th 891, and Pfizer Inc. v. Superior Court (Galfano), 141 Cal. App. 4th 290) that present issues concerning the interpretation of Proposition 64 that are directly pertinent to both of the pending motions. The plaintiffs opposed Ticketmaster's request. On November 29, 2006, the court ordered that the case be stayed pending the California Supreme Court's ruling on the two cases referenced above.

        On July 11, 2007, the court lifted its stay of the action for the limited purpose of allowing the plaintiffs to proceed with their motion for class certification. The parties thereafter submitted supplemental briefing in support of their respective positions and argued the motion at a September 20 hearing. On December 19, 2007, the court issued an order denying the plaintiffs' motion for class certification without prejudice. The court also issued an order staying the action for an additional 180 days or until the California Supreme Court issues a ruling in the Tobacco II and Pfizer appeals.

        Ticketmaster believes that the claims in this putative class action lack merit and will continue to defend itself vigorously.

    Securities Class Action Litigation

        In re Ticketmaster Online-CitySearch, Inc. Initial Public Offering Securities Litigation, Case No. 01 Civ. 10822 (S.D.N.Y.). On November 30, 2001, a purported securities class action was filed against Ticketmaster and other defendants in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Plaintiff's suit was brought on behalf of purchasers of Ticketmaster common stock during the period from the date of its initial public offering through December 6, 2000, and alleged violations by Ticketmaster of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933. Plaintiff alleged that Ticketmaster failed to disclose that its underwriters were to receive undisclosed and excessive compensation and had agreed to allocate shares in the IPO to customers in exchange for agreements to purchase shares in the aftermarket at pre-determined prices. This action was later consolidated with hundreds of similar actions against issuers and underwriters in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in In re Initial Public Offering Securities Litigation, No. 21 MC 92 (S.D.N.Y.). On February 19, 2003, the court granted a motion to dismiss the Section 10(b) claim against Ticketmaster, but denied the motion as to the Section 11 claim against Ticketmaster.

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        On October 13, 2004, the district court granted a motion for class certification in the six so-called class certification "focus" cases in the consolidated litigation. (Ticketmaster is not a party in any of these focus cases.) On December 5, 2006, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed the trial court's decision. On August 14, 2007, plaintiffs filed amended complaints containing new class definitions in the six class certification focus cases. On September 27, 2007, plaintiffs moved for certification of the classes in these cases. On November 13, 2007, the issuer defendants filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaints in the focus cases. On March 26, 2008, the district court granted this motion in part and denied it in part. Accordingly, this action remains pending against Ticketmaster.

        On June 10, 2004, plaintiffs and the issuer and individual defendants in the consolidated litigation had submitted to the district court for approval a proposed settlement that had previously been approved by various insurers of the issuer defendants. Approval of the proposed settlement would have resulted in the dismissal of all claims against Ticketmaster with no material impact on the company. However, in the wake of the appellate reversal of the district court's class-certification order, the proposed settlement was withdrawn on June 25, 2007.

        Ticketmaster believes the claims in this putative class action lack merit and will continue to defend itself vigorously.

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CAPITALIZATION

        The following table presents Ticketmaster's cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of March 31, 2008 on an historical basis and on an unaudited pro forma basis for the separation and the financing. Pro forma for the separation and the financing includes the $750 million in indebtedness that Ticketmaster will hold at separation. In connection with the separation, Ticketmaster will distribute the net proceeds of the financing to IAC and will retain its client cash and its international cash which total approximately $468.1 million as of March 31, 2008. The separation of Ticketmaster and the related financing transactions are described in the notes to the Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Balance Sheet under the Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements as if the separation and the related transactions and events had been consummated on March 31, 2008.

        The assumptions used and pro forma adjustments derived from such assumptions are based on currently available information and Ticketmaster believes such assumptions are reasonable under the circumstances.

        This table should be read in conjunction with "Selected Historical Financial Data," "Transfers to IAC and Financing," "Description of Capital Stock of the Spincos," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ticketmaster," the combined financial statements of Ticketmaster and the "Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements" and accompanying notes included in this Prospectus.

        The table below is not necessarily indicative of Ticketmaster's cash and cash equivalents and capitalization had the separation and the related financing transactions been completed on March 31, 2008. The capitalization table below may not reflect the capitalization or financial condition which would have resulted had Ticketmaster been operating as an independent, publicly-traded company at that date and is not necessarily indicative of Ticketmaster's future capitalization or financial condition.

 
  As of March 31, 2008
 
  Historical
  Unaudited
Pro Forma
for the
Separation
and
Financing

 
  (In millions)
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 502   $ 468
   
 
Long-term debt:            
Revolving Credit Facility(1)   $    
   
 
Term Loan Facility:            
    Term Loan A         100
    Term Loan B         350
   
 
  Total Term Loan         450
   
 
Senior Notes 10.75% due August 1, 2016         300
   
 
Total long-term debt         750
   
 
Invested equity     2,049     1,291
   
 
Total capitalization   $ 2,049   $ 2,041
   
 

(1)
Revolving credit facility provides for borrowing of up to $200 million, none of which is expected to be borrowed on the closing date.

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SELECTED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL DATA

        The following table presents summary selected historical combined financial information for Ticketmaster. This data was derived, in part, from the historical combined financial statements of Ticketmaster included elsewhere in this document and reflects the operations and financial position of Ticketmaster at the dates and for the periods indicated. The information in this table should be read in conjunction with the combined financial statements and accompanying notes and other financial data pertaining to Ticketmaster included herein. However, this financial information does not necessarily reflect what the historical financial position and results of operations of Ticketmaster would have been had Ticketmaster been a stand-alone company during the periods presented.

 
  Year Ended December 31,
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
  2004
(unaudited)

  2003
(unaudited)

  2008
(unaudited)

  2007
(unaudited)

 
  (In thousands)
Statement of Operations Data:                                          
Revenue   $ 1,240,477   $ 1,062,672   $ 928,704   $ 747,838   $ 723,524   $ 348,981   $ 303,577
Operating income     216,316     224,891     166,015     112,404     98,804     46,790     61,488
Net income     169,351     176,701     117,699     69,023     82,221     32,707     42,925
 
 
  December 31,
  March 31,
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
(unaudited)

  2004
(unaudited)

  2003
(unaudited)

  2008
(unaudited)

 
  (In thousands)

Balance Sheet Data (end of period):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Working capital   $ 269,917   $ 59,642   $ 96,477   $ 63,222   $ 3,753   $ 151,765
Total assets     2,306,534     1,815,711     1,772,430     1,593,879     1,484,926     2,809,949
Minority interest     7,812     669         3,485     2,355     7,766
Invested equity     1,739,177     1,357,837     1,353,045     1,270,899     1,188,671     2,048,618

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TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA
CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

        The following Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements of Ticketmaster and subsidiaries ("Ticketmaster") reflect adjustments to the historical combined financial statements of Ticketmaster to give effect to the separation and related transactions described in the notes to the Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements as of March 31, 2008 for the Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Balance Sheet and as of January 1, 2007 and January 1, 2008 for the Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2007 and the three months ended March 31, 2008, respectively.

        The assumptions used and pro forma adjustments derived from such assumptions are based on currently available information and Ticketmaster believes such assumptions are reasonable under the circumstances.

        The following Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the historical combined financial statements of Ticketmaster and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of Ticketmaster included in this information statement.

        These Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements are not necessarily indicative of Ticketmaster's results of operations or financial condition had the separation and related transactions been completed on the dates assumed. Also, they may not reflect the results of operations or financial condition which would have resulted had Ticketmaster been operating as an independent publicly-traded company during such periods. In addition, they are not necessarily indicative of Ticketmaster's future results of operations or financial condition.

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TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA
CONDENSED COMBINED BALANCE SHEET

MARCH 31, 2008

 
  Historical
  Pro Forma Adjustments
  Notes
  Pro Forma
 
  (In thousands, except share data)

ASSETS                      
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 501,752   $ 724,000   (a ) $ 468,132
            (757,620 ) (b )    
Other current assets     306,684             306,684
   
 
     
  Total current assets     808,436     (33,620 )       774,816
Non-current assets     2,001,513     26,000   (a )   2,027,513
   
 
     
TOTAL ASSETS   $ 2,809,949   $ (7,620 )     $ 2,802,329
   
 
     
LIABILITIES AND INVESTED EQUITY                      
LIABILITIES:                      
Current liabilities   $ 656,671   $       $ 656,671
Long-term debt         750,000   (a )   750,000
Other long-term liabilities     96,894             96,894
Minority interest     7,766             7,766
INVESTED EQUITY:                      
Common shares, $0.01 par value, 300,000,000 authorized; 55,747,109 issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis         557   (b )   557
Additional paid-in capital         1,237,367   (b )   1,237,367
Invested capital     2,599,884     (2,599,884 ) (b )  
Receivables from IAC and subsidiaries     (604,340 )   604,340   (b )  
Accumulated other comprehensive income     53,074             53,074
   
 
     
  Total invested equity     2,048,618     (757,620 )       1,290,998
   
 
     
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND INVESTED EQUITY   $ 2,809,949   $ (7,620 )     $ 2,802,329
   
 
     

The accompanying Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

49



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA
CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2008

 
  Historical
  Pro Forma
Adjustments

  Notes
  Pro Forma
 
 
  (In thousands, except per share data)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Revenue   $ 348,981   $       $ 348,981  
Operating expenses     302,191     1,223   (c)     303,730  
            316   (d)        
   
 
     
 
  Operating income     46,790     (1,539 )       45,251  
Other income (expense):                        
  Interest income     3,290     (1,699 ) (e)     1,591  
  Interest expense     (735 )   (16,064 ) (f)     (16,799 )
  Equity in income of uncombined affiliates     666             666  
  Other income     944             944  
   
 
     
 
Total other income (expense), net     4,165     (17,763 )       (13,598 )
   
 
     
 
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest     50,955     (19,302 )       31,653  
Income tax provision     (18,821 )   7,453   (g)     (11,368 )
Minority interest in losses of combined subsidiaries     573             573  
   
 
     
 
Net income   $ 32,707   $ (11,849 )     $ 20,858  
   
 
     
 
Pro forma earnings per share:(h)                        
  Basic earnings per share   $ 0.37  
  Diluted earnings per share   $ 0.36  

The accompanying Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

50



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA
CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2007

 
  Historical
  Pro Forma
Adjustments

  Notes
  Pro Forma
 
 
  (In thousands, except per share data)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Revenue   $ 1,240,477   $       $ 1,240,477  
Operating expenses     1,024,161     5,363
1,264
  (c)
(d)
    1,030,788  
   
 
     
 
  Operating income     216,316     (6,627 )       209,689  
Other income (expense):                        
  Interest income     33,065     (27,719 ) (e)     5,346  
  Interest expense     (1,003 )   (64,257 ) (f)     (65,260 )
  Equity in income of uncombined affiliates     6,301             6,301  
  Other income     1,120             1,120  
   
 
     
 
Total other income (expense), net     39,483     (91,976 )       (52,493 )
   
 
     
 
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest     255,799     (98,603 )       157,196  
Income tax provision     (89,007 )   38,071   (g)     (50,936 )
Minority interest in losses of combined subsidiaries     2,559             2,559  
   
 
     
 
Net income   $ 169,351   $ (60,532 )     $ 108,819  
   
 
     
 
Pro forma earnings per share:(h)                        
    Basic earnings per share   $ 1.90  
    Diluted earnings per share   $ 1.82  

The accompanying Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial Statements are
an integral part of these statements.

51



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA
CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(a)
In connection with the separation, Ticketmaster raised $750 million through a combination of privately issued debt securities (the "Notes") and secured credit facilities (the "Term Loans"). Ticketmaster raised $300 million through the Notes and $100 million and $350 million through Term Loan A and Term Loan B, respectively. In addition, Ticketmaster negotiated a $200 million revolving credit facility (the "RCF"). The total costs incurred in connection with the issuance of the Notes and borrowings under the Term Loans and the issuance of the RCF are estimated to be $26.0 million including the original issue discount of $5.3 million related to Term Loan B. The net proceeds are therefore expected to be approximately $724.0 million. The Notes have a maturity of eight years from the date of issuance and Term Loan A and Term Loan B have a term of five and six years, respectively. The RCF has a term of five years. The interest rate on the Notes is assumed to be 10.75%. The interest rates on Term Loan A and Term Loan B are LIBOR plus 2.75% and 3.25%, respectively. The RCF is expected to have a fee of 0.50% for the unused portion.

(b)
To effect the terms of the separation as follows:

(i)
The transfer of approximately $757.6 million in cash to IAC prior to Ticketmaster's separation from IAC, which includes $724.0 million from the financing referred to in note (a) above, Ticketmaster will retain its client cash as well as its international cash, which totals approximately $468.1 million as of March 31, 2008;

(ii)
The extinguishment of the receivable from IAC and subsidiaries; and

(iii)
The issuance of 55.7 million shares to effect the transfer of the ownership of Ticketmaster from IAC to IAC's shareholders based upon an expected exchange ratio of 1/5th a share of Ticketmaster for each share of IAC and the number of IAC common shares outstanding as of March 31, 2008 before giving effect to the 1 for 2 reverse stock split of IAC shares that is expected to be effected in connection with the separation.

(c)
Ticketmaster expects to incur additional costs related to being a stand-alone, public company. These costs have been estimated to be $8.9 million on an annual basis. These costs relate to the following:

additional personnel including accounting, tax, treasury, internal audit and legal personnel;

professional fees associated with audits, tax and other services;

increased insurance premiums;

increased health and welfare benefit costs;

costs associated with a board of directors;

increased franchise taxes, stock exchange listing fees, fees for preparing and distributing periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and

other administrative costs and fees.

52


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA
CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

    The total costs referred to above were compared to the corporate allocations from IAC for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and for the year ended December 31, 2007 in order to determine the incremental costs expected to be incurred for each period as follows:

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31, 2008

  Year Ended
December 31, 2007

 
 
  (In thousands)

 
Estimated stand-alone public company costs   $ 2,167   $ 8,891  
Less: corporate allocations     (944 )   (3,528 )
   
 
 
Incremental costs of being a stand-alone, public company   $ 1,223   $ 5,363  
   
 
 

        The significant assumptions involved in arriving at these estimates include:

    the number of additional personnel required to operate as a public company and the compensation level with respect to each position;

    the level of additional assistance Ticketmaster will require from professional service providers;

    the increase in insurance premiums as a stand-alone public company;

    the increase in health and welfare costs as a stand-alone entity; and

    the type and level of other costs expected to be incurred in connection with being a stand-alone public company.

    This amount excludes the $1.1 million of estimated one-time recruiting fees; professional fees for legal and tax services (e.g. initial benefit plan design); and other costs (e.g. initial stock exchange listing fees) expected to be incurred in initially establishing Ticketmaster as a stand-alone public company. These costs are therefore not expected to recur.

    The information presented above in note (c), with respect to the costs that Ticketmaster expects to incur as a stand-alone, public company, is forward looking information within the meaning of "Forward-Looking Statements" as described on pages 20-21 of this Prospectus.

(d)
To reflect the additional compensation expense associated with equity-based awards that will be granted only upon consummation of the separation.

    The awards related to the consummation of the separation are expected to be granted to the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ticketmaster in the form of stock options and restricted stock units ("RSUs"). The issuance of these awards is contingent upon the consummation of the separation. The expense related to these awards is included as a pro forma adjustment because they will vest over four years and will therefore have an impact on the ongoing operations of Ticketmaster. The amount was determined using a Black Scholes calculation for the stock option portion of the award and an assumed value for the RSU portion of the award. The aggregate estimated value of the awards is being amortized to expense on a straight-line basis over the four year vesting period of the awards. This does not reflect non-recurring compensation expense related to modifications of existing equity-based awards that will be made in connection with the separation described below.

53


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA
CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

    Vested stock options to purchase shares of IAC common stock will be modified as follows in connection with the separation:

      Each option will convert into an option to purchase shares of common stock of all five companies, with adjustments to the number of shares subject to each option and the option exercise prices based on the relative values of IAC and the other four companies following the separation, with the intent to generally maintain equivalent value immediately pre and post the transaction.

    A calculation of the estimated value of the vested options immediately prior to the separation and immediately after the separation was performed using the Black Scholes model. The incremental charge of $2 thousand resulted from the higher estimated value of the vested stock options after the separation. This higher value is due to higher estimated weighted average expected volatility of the stock price of the five companies after the separation than the expected volatility of IAC's stock price. The expense is a one-time charge because the options are fully vested and there is no future service requirement.

    The modification related to IAC issued RSUs relates to the accelerated vesting, upon the consummation of the separation, of all RSUs granted prior to August 8, 2005 and all awards that were scheduled to vest prior to February 28, 2009. The estimated expense of $6.6 million is the previously unrecognized expense associated with these awards. The expense is treated as non-recurring because after the separation no future service is required with respect to these awards.

    There may be additional stock-based awards granted in connection with the separation but the amount of such awards, if any, has not yet been determined and no expense with respect thereto has been reflected herein.

(e)
To reflect the elimination of intercompany interest income allocated by IAC to Ticketmaster.

(f)
This reflects the incremental interest expense related to the financing referred to in note (a) above. It includes interest expense at 10.75% on the Notes and LIBOR plus 2.75% and 3.25% for Term Loan A and B, respectively, LIBOR is assumed to be 2.80%, the aggregate assumed rates are therefore 5.55% and 6.05%, respectively. It also reflects expense at 0.50% on the RCF which is assumed to be unused. The interest expense on the original issue discount of the Term Loan B is $0.9 million. The interest expense calculation includes the amortization of debt issuance costs over the applicable term of each portion of the financing. An assumed 25 basis point change in the interest rate would result in an increase or decrease to interest expense by $0.8 million for the Notes and $1.1 million for the Term Loans. The interest rates are based upon current assumptions, which with respect to the Notes, is based upon the pricing of the Notes on July 16, 2008.

(g)
To reflect the tax effect of the pro forma adjustments at an assumed effective tax rate of 38.6% which represents a federal statutory rate of 35% and a state effective statutory rate of 3.6%.

(h)
Earnings per share and weighted average shares outstanding reflect the historical number of common shares used to calculate IAC's earnings per share, adjusted based on an expected exchange ratio of 1/5th of a share of Ticketmaster for each share of IAC. These amounts reflect the

54


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA
CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

    portion of outstanding equity-based awards that were included in IAC's dilutive earnings per share calculation. Pro forma earnings per share is calculated using the following:

 
  Three Months Ended March 31, 2008
  Year Ended December 31, 2007
 
  (In thousands)

Net income   $ 20,858   $ 108,819
   
 
Basic shares outstanding—weighted average shares     55,753     57,137
Other dilutive securities including stock options, warrants and restricted stock and share units     1,496     2,729
   
 
Diluted shares outstanding—weighted average shares     57,249     59,866
   
 

55



MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS OF TICKETMASTER

        The following discussion describes the financial condition and results of operations of Ticketmaster as though Ticketmaster were a separate company as of the dates and for the periods presented and includes the businesses, assets and liabilities that will comprise Ticketmaster following the spin-off.

Spin-Off

        On November 5, 2007, IAC/InterActiveCorp ("IAC") announced that its Board of Directors approved a plan to separate IAC into five publicly traded companies, identifying Ticketmaster as one of those five companies. We refer to the separation transaction herein as the "spin-off." Upon completion of the spin-off, Ticketmaster will consist of the businesses that formerly comprised IAC's Ticketmaster segment, which consists of its domestic and international ticketing and ticketing related businesses, subsidiaries and investments, excluding its ReserveAmerica subsidiary and its investment in Active.com. Ticketmaster will include IAC's investment in Front Line Management Group, Inc. ("Front Line"). The businesses to be operated by Ticketmaster following the spin-off are referred to herein as the "Ticketmaster Businesses."

Basis of Presentation

        The historical combined financial statements of Ticketmaster and its subsidiaries and the disclosure set forth in this Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ticketmaster reflect the historical financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Ticketmaster Businesses since their respective dates of acquisition by IAC, and the allocation to Ticketmaster of certain IAC corporate expenses relating to the Ticketmaster Businesses based on the historical consolidated financial statements and accounting records of IAC and using the historical results of operations and historical bases of the assets and liabilities of the Ticketmaster Businesses. However, for the purposes of these financial statements, income taxes have been computed for Ticketmaster on an as if stand-alone, separate tax return basis. These financial statements are prepared on a combined, rather than a consolidated, basis because they exclude ReserveAmerica and the investment in Active.com that were owned, and include the investment in Front Line that was not owned, either directly or indirectly, by legal entities that comprise the Ticketmaster Businesses. The ownership of ReserveAmerica and the investment in Active.com will be retained by IAC after the spin-off. These combined financial statements present IAC's and its subsidiaries net investment in the Ticketmaster Businesses as invested equity in lieu of shareholders' equity. Intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

        In the opinion of Ticketmaster's management, the assumptions underlying the historical combined financial statements of Ticketmaster are reasonable. However, this financial information does not necessarily reflect what the historical financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Ticketmaster would have been had Ticketmaster been a stand-alone company during the periods presented.

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MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW

        Ticketmaster is the world's leading live entertainment ticketing and marketing company, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution through www.ticketmaster.com, one of the largest e-commerce sites on the internet, approximately 6,700 independent sales outlets and 19 call centers worldwide. Ticketmaster serves leading arenas, stadiums, amphitheaters, music clubs, concert promoters, professional sports franchises and leagues, college sports teams, performing arts venues, museums and theaters in the United States and abroad, including Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Ticketmaster is also a party to joint ventures with third parties to provide ticket distribution services in Mexico and to supply ticketing services for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Ticketmaster licenses its technology in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China and Belgium.

Sources of Revenue

        Ticketmaster earns a majority of its revenue from primary ticketing and resale ticket services on behalf of its clients. Ticketing operations revenue primarily consists of convenience and order processing fees generated primarily through ticket sales. The sale of tickets for an event often commences several months prior to the event performance date. Ticketmaster recognizes revenue from the sale of a ticket when the ticket is sold. Fluctuations in ticket operations revenue occur largely as a result of changes in the number of tickets sold and the average revenue per ticket. The number of tickets sold varies as a result of (i) additions or losses of clients serviced by Ticketmaster; (ii) fluctuations in the scheduling of events, particularly for popular performers; (iii) overall consumer demand for live entertainment events; and (iv) the percentage of tickets for events which are sold directly by clients. The average revenue per ticket varies as a result of the amount of convenience charges earned on each ticket. The amount of convenience charges typically varies based upon numerous factors, including the face price of the ticket, the type of event, whether the ticket is purchased at an independent sales outlet, through call centers or via Ticketmaster's websites, as well as the services to be rendered to the client.

Operating Costs

        Ticketmaster records ticket operations costs specifically associated with the distribution of tickets sold through its system. The largest components of these operating costs are royalties paid to clients as a share of convenience and order processing fees, credit card fees, payroll, telecommunication and data communication costs associated with its call centers, and commissions paid on tickets distributed through independent sales outlets away from the box office, and other expenses including ticket stock and postage. These costs are primarily variable in nature. Direct payroll costs relate to the Company's call centers. Outlet commissions are paid to music chains, department stores and other independent retail locations in exchange for their providing space and personnel to service ticket purchases. The participation, if any, by clients in Ticketmaster's revenue from convenience and order processing fees is set forth in Ticketmaster's contracts with its clients.

Channels of Distribution; Marketing Costs

        Ticketmaster sells tickets online, through independent sales outlets, call centers and via mobile. During the year ended December 31, 2007, 70%, 17%, 13% and less than 1% of primary tickets were sold through these channels, respectively.

        Ticketmaster owns and operates various branded websites, both in the U.S. and abroad, which are customized to reflect services offered in each jurisdiction and designed to promote ticket sales for live events and disseminate event, performer and related merchandise information online. Consumers can access www.ticketmaster.com directly, from affiliated websites and through numerous direct links from banners and event profiles hosted by approved third party websites.

57


        As of December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster had approximately 6,700 independent sales outlets worldwide, including approximately 2,000 in the United States and approximately 4,700 in various jurisdictions abroad. Ticketmaster pays independent sales outlets a commission, the amount of which ranges from approximately 17% to 20% of Ticketmaster's convenience charge.

        As of December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster operated 19 call centers worldwide, through which consumers can generally purchase tickets by telephone, or by way of an interactive voice response system, seven days a week, for at least 20 hours per day.

        Ticketmaster markets and offers services directly to customers through www.ticketmaster.com and its other branded websites allowing customers to transact directly with Ticketmaster in a convenient manner. Ticketmaster also pays to market and distribute services on third party distribution channels, such as internet portals and search engines. In addition, some of Ticketmaster's businesses manage affiliate programs, pursuant to which they pay commissions and fees to third parties based on revenue earned. Ticketmaster has made, and expects to continue to make, investments in online and offline advertising to build its brands and drive traffic to its businesses.

        Clients routinely agree by contract to include Ticketmaster's name, logos, applicable website address and charge-by-phone number in advertisements in all forms of media promoting the availability of their tickets. The Ticketmaster brand name and logo are also prominently displayed on printed tickets, ticket envelopes and e-mail alerts about upcoming events that Ticketmaster sends to its customers.

Access to Supply

        Ticketmaster's primary ticketing services, and to a lesser extent, its ticketing resale services, depend significantly upon its ability to secure ticketing inventory through existing clients and new clients. Ticketmaster believes that the ability of its ticketing clients to reach a large qualified audience through its brands and businesses, including through its multiple distribution channels, is a significant benefit. Ticketmaster seeks to maintain and renew client contracts, and enter into new client contracts, on a favorable basis. Revenue attributable to Ticketmaster's largest client, Live Nation (including its subsidiary, House of Blues), represented approximately 17% of its total revenue in 2007. This client relationship consists of four agreements, two with Live Nation (a worldwide agreement (other than England, Scotland and Wales) that expires on December 31, 2008 and an agreement covering England, Scotland and Wales that expires on December 31, 2009) and two with House of Blues (a U.S. agreement that expires on December 31, 2009 and a Canadian agreement that expires on March 1, 2010). Revenue attributable to the worldwide agreement and the agreement covering England, Scotland and Wales represented approximately 11% and 3%, respectively, of Ticketmaster's total revenue in 2007. Ticketmaster anticipates that none of these agreements will be renewed. Revenue generated from the four Live Nation agreements for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005 are provided in the table below:

 
   
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  Expiration Date
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
 
   
  (Dollars in thousands)

Live Nation—Worldwide agreement   12/31/08   $ 138,832   $ 142,972   $ 121,923
Live Nation—England, Scotland, Wales agreement(a)   12/31/09     34,935     33,575     27,616
House of Blues—U.S. agreement   12/31/09     24,960     24,866     24,229
House of Blues—Canadian agreement   3/1/10     7,704     7,027     8,570
       
 
 
  Total revenue under Live Nation agreements       $ 206,431   $ 208,440   $ 182,338
       
 
 

(a)
Each party has the right to terminate the agreement as of December 31, 2008, in which case Live Nation would be obligated to pay Ticketmaster a termination fee in an amount equal to 1.25 times

58


    the average of Ticketmaster's annual net profits under the agreement for 2007 and 2008. Ticketmaster currently expects that the agreement will not be terminated as of December 31, 2008.

Economic and Other Trends and Events; Industry Specific Factors

        The ticketing services industry has experienced significant changes over the past decade due to the advent of online commerce. The increase in the number of online ticket sales as a percentage of all ticket sales has resulted in a general decrease in ticketing costs, making it easier for clients to manage ticket sales in-house, either using proprietary technology or stand-alone, automated ticketing systems licensed from a third party. The growth of online commerce has also contributed to the growth of resale ticketing services and the consolidation of those services, which historically has been very fragmented, consisting of a significant number of local brokers with limited inventory selling through traditional storefronts. In addition, entertainment-related expenditures such as ticket sales are sensitive to business and personal discretionary spending levels, which might tend to decline during general economic downturns.

        Ticketmaster has taken steps to replace the revenue it expects to lose upon the expiration of its contract with Live Nation, Inc. at the end of 2008. These include a number of discrete investments including new acquisitions, efforts to gain scale in the market for ticket resale services and adding resources into growth efforts internationally which come with up front costs. These continuing investments, as well as higher royalty rates and general cost increases, are expected to impact results throughout 2008, with a continuation of faster revenue growth than profit growth, though not to the extent seen in the first quarter.

        During the second quarter of 2008, Ticketmaster began a comprehensive review of its worldwide cost structure in light of significant investments that have been made through increased operating and capital expenditures, acquisitions in recent periods, and in advance of the termination of the Live Nation agreement in 2009. As a result of this review, Ticketmaster currently intends to take the following actions, among others, which it currently expects will reduce its operating expenditures by an estimated $35 million on an annualized basis: (i) integration of Paciolan and TicketsNow, which were acquired in January and February 2008, respectively, (ii) the rationalization of certain ticketing platforms, products and services, (iii) certain operating cost reductions, including, among others, reductions in personnel, payment processing and discretionary costs, (iv) the consolidation of customer contact centers and (v) the review of global marketing and sponsorship costs for efficiency. Ticketmaster currently expects that achieving these actions will require some up-front costs, principally severance costs and lease termination costs, as well as the accelerated amortization of capitalized softwear and leasehold improvements, which costs and charges are currently expected to be $4-6 million in total. Ticketmaster expects that these up-front costs and charges will principally impact its 2008 results, starting in the third quarter, but the aggregate cash costs of these actions are not expected to materially impact Ticketmaster's overall financial position or liquidity.

International Operations

        Ticketmaster's future growth depends in part on its ability to expand its brands and businesses abroad, including Europe and Asia, given the large consumer marketplace for the services that Ticketmaster's brands and businesses offer. Ticketmaster's ability to expand its international operations into jurisdictions where Ticketmaster does not currently operate depends in part on its ability to identify potential acquisition candidates, acquire them on favorable terms and successfully integrate their operations. In addition, in many countries abroad, access to ticketing inventory is fragmented and may require significant additional investment to achieve profitability levels consistent with Ticketmaster's established businesses. As a percentage of total Ticketmaster revenue, international operations represented approximately 34% in 2007, 29% in 2006 and 27% in 2005.

59


Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005

Revenue

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  % change
  2006
  % change
  2005
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
Domestic   $ 814,851   7 % $ 759,339   12 % $ 675,781
International     425,626   40 %   303,333   20 %   252,923
   
     
     
Revenue   $ 1,240,477   17 % $ 1,062,672   14 % $ 928,704
   
     
     

        Revenue in 2007 increased $177.8 million, or 17%, from 2006 driven by increases in both domestic and international revenue as worldwide tickets sold increased 11%, with a 5% increase in average revenue per ticket. Domestic revenue increased 7%, primarily due to a 5% increase in average revenue per ticket along with a 2% increase in the number of tickets sold. The increase in average domestic revenue per ticket resulted from higher convenience and processing fees due in part to annual contractual increases. International revenue increased by 40%, or 31% excluding the impact of foreign exchange, primarily due to a 26% increase in the number of tickets sold along with a 12% increase in average revenue per ticket. The increase in the number of tickets sold primarily resulted from increased ticket sales in the United Kingdom and Canada. International acquisitions contributed approximately $23.2 million to Ticketmaster's overall revenue growth in 2007.

        Ticketmaster's largest client, Live Nation, Inc. ("Live Nation") (including its subsidiary House of Blues), represented approximately 17%, 20% and 20% of its combined revenue for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Refer to page 181, Access to Supply, for a description of Ticketmaster's client relationship with Live Nation.

        Revenue in 2006 increased $134.0 million, or 14%, from 2005 driven by increases in both domestic and international revenue as total worldwide tickets sold increased by 7%, with a 6% increase in average revenue per ticket. Domestic revenue increased by 12%, primarily due to higher domestic concert ticket sales, along with a 6% increase in average domestic revenue per ticket. The increase in average domestic revenue per ticket resulted in part from a shift towards live music events. International revenue increased by 20%, or 17% excluding the impact of foreign exchange, primarily due to Ticketmaster's purchase of the remaining interest in its Australian joint venture in April 2005, along with increased revenue from the United Kingdom and Canada. International revenue reflects a 12% increase in the number of tickets sold along with a 9% increase in average revenue per ticket. International acquisitions contributed approximately $16.5 million to Ticketmaster's overall revenue growth in 2006.

Cost of Sales

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  % Change
  2006
  % Change
  2005
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

Cost of sales   $766,538   20%   $637,152   14%   $561,060
As a percentage of total revenue   62%   184 bp   60%   (46) bp   60%
Gross margins   38%   (184) bp   40%   46 bp   40%

        Cost of sales consists primarily of ticketing royalties, credit card processing fees and compensation and other employee-related costs (including stock-based compensation) for personnel engaged in call center functions. Ticketing royalties relate to Ticketmaster's clients' share of convenience and order processing charges.

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        Cost of sales in 2007 increased $129.4 million from 2006, primarily due to increases of $65.8 million in ticketing royalties, $20.1 million in compensation and other employee-related costs associated, in part, with a 12% increase in headcount, and $16.6 million in credit card processing fees which resulted from an increase in ticket revenue volume processed online. The increase in ticketing royalties is due to increased revenue and higher royalty rates. Royalties are driven in part by higher contractual royalty rates included in the renewal of contracts with various promoters and venue clients, and are usually based on a percentage of convenience and order processing revenue. Domestic and international ticketing royalties may continue to increase as a percentage of convenience and processing revenue.

        Cost of sales in 2006 increased $76.1 million from 2005, primarily due to increases of $53.3 million in ticketing royalties resulting from increased revenue and higher royalty rates, $10.6 million in compensation and other employee-related costs and $7.8 million in credit card processing fees. The increase in credit card processing fees is due to higher revenue.

Selling and marketing expense

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  % Change
  2006
  % Change
  2005
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

Selling and marketing expense   $43,487   116%   $20,123   14%   $17,691
As a percentage of total revenue   4%   161 bp   2%   (1) bp   2%

        Selling and marketing expense consists primarily of advertising and promotional expenditures and compensation and other employee-related costs (including stock-based compensation) for personnel engaged in customer service and sales functions. Advertising and promotional expenditures primarily include online marketing, including fees paid to search engines and distribution partners, as well as offline marketing, including sports sponsorship marketing and radio spending.

        Selling and marketing expense in 2007 increased $23.4 million from 2006, primarily due to increased advertising and promotional expenditures of $17.4 million and increased compensation and other employee-related costs of $5.9 million associated, in part, with a 31% increase in headcount. The increase in advertising and promotional expenditures includes $6.3 million in expenses related to sports sponsorship agreements, primarily with National Football League teams, that were not incurred in the prior year period and online marketing, including fees paid to search engines and distribution partners. Sports sponsorship agreements are intended to promote Ticketmaster's ticket resale services.

        Selling and marketing expense in 2006 increased $2.4 million from 2005, primarily due to an increase of $3.0 million in compensation and other employee-related costs, partially offset by a decrease of $0.2 million in advertising and promotional expenditures.

General and administrative expense

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  % Change
  2006
  % Change
  2005
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

General and administrative expense   $149,478   26%   $118,317   (3)%   $121,695
As a percentage of total revenue   12%   92 bp   11%   (197) bp   13%

        General and administrative expense consists primarily of compensation and other employee-related costs (including stock-based compensation) for personnel engaged in finance, legal, tax, human resources and executive management functions, facilities costs and fees for professional services.

        General and administrative expense in 2007 increased $31.2 million from 2006, primarily due to a payment of $8.7 million in settlement of litigation (in excess of prior reserves) compared to the prior

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year period which included a reduction of $5.8 million in certain litigation reserves due to more favorable settlements than previous reserves reflected. Also contributing to the increase in general and administrative expense is an increase of $9.7 million in compensation and other employee-related costs as Ticketmaster continues to build out its worldwide infrastructure, as well as increases of $2.1 million and $1.0 million in facilities costs and utilities expense, respectively. Ticketmaster expects to incur increased costs related to the additional financial and legal requirements associated with being a separate public company, as well as increased non-cash compensation associated with the modification of existing stock-based compensation awards in connection with the spin-off and the grant of new awards post spin-off.

        General and administrative expense in 2006 decreased $3.4 million from 2005, primarily due to a $5.8 million reduction in litigation reserves, partially offset by an increase of $0.5 million in compensation and other employee-related costs. The increase in compensation and other employee-related costs is primarily due to higher personnel costs in 2006 associated with increased headcount from growth in the business, partially offset by a decrease in non-cash compensation expense resulting from a $7.9 million charge in 2005 related to the modification of vested stock options in connection with the Expedia spin-off from IAC.

        Effective January 1, 2006, Ticketmaster adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 123 (revised 2004), "Share-Based Payment" ("SFAS 123R"), using the modified prospective transition method. There was no impact to the amount of stock-based compensation recorded in the combined statement of operations for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005 as a result of adopting SFAS 123R. Ticketmaster has been recognizing expense for all stock-based grants since it became wholly owned by IAC on January 17, 2003, in accordance with SFAS No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation" ("SFAS 123"). The majority of stock-based compensation expense is reflected in general and administrative expense. As of December 31, 2007, there was approximately $29.2 million of unrecognized compensation cost, net of estimated forfeitures, related to all equity-based awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 2.5 years.

Depreciation

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  % Change
  2006
  % Change
  2005
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

Depreciation   $38,458   10%   $35,080   5%   $33,495
As a percentage of total revenue   3%   (20) bp   3%   (31) bp   4%

        Depreciation in 2007 and 2006 increased $3.4 million and $1.6 million, respectively, primarily due to the incremental depreciation associated with capital expenditures made throughout 2006 and 2007 and various acquisitions, partially offset by certain fixed assets becoming fully depreciated during these periods.

Operating Income Before Amortization

        Operating Income Before Amortization is a Non-GAAP measure and is defined in "Ticketmaster's Principles of Financial Reporting".

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  % Change
  2006
  % Change
  2005
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
Operating Income Before Amortization   $255,088   (2%)   $259,839   21%   $215,068
As a percentage of total revenue   21%   (389) bp   24%   129 bp   23%

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        Operating Income Before Amortization in 2007 decreased $4.8 million from 2006, primarily due to increases in cost of sales, general and administrative expense and selling and marketing expense. The increase in these expenses was driven by higher overall royalty rates, international development and expansion, and increased marketing efforts, including ticket resale initiatives. Operating Income Before Amortization was negatively impacted by a payment of $8.7 million in settlement of litigation compared to the prior year period which included a reduction of $5.8 million in certain litigation reserves and the favorable resolution of claims and insurance settlements of $4.3 million.

        Operating Income Before Amortization in 2006 increased $44.8 million from 2005, growing at a faster rate than revenue primarily due to increased average revenue per ticket and operational efficiencies resulting from increased online ticket volumes. Operating Income Before Amortization was further impacted by the reduction of $5.8 million in certain litigation reserves and the favorable resolution of claims and insurance settlements of $4.3 million in the current year period. These favorable impacts were partially offset by increased cost of sales and general and administrative expenses.

Operating income

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  % Change
  2006
  % Change
  2005
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
Operating income   $216,316   (4%)   $224,891   35%   $166,015
As a percentage of total revenue   17%   (372) bp   21%   329 bp   18%

        Operating income in 2007 decreased $8.6 million from 2006, primarily due to the decrease in Operating Income Before Amortization described above and a $4.7 million increase in non-cash compensation expense, partially offset by a decrease in amortization of intangibles.

        Operating income in 2006 increased $58.9 million from 2005, primarily due to the increase in Operating Income Before Amortization described above, a $12.5 million decrease in non-cash compensation expense and a decrease in the amortization of intangibles.

Other income (expense)

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  % Change
  2006
  % Change
  2005
 
  (Dollars in thousands)
Other income (expense):                    
  Interest income   $33,065   (3)%   $33,982   95%   $17,417
  Interest expense   (1,003)   (232)%   (302)   (368)%   (65)
  Equity in income of unconsolidated affiliates   6,301   110%   2,997   (12)%   3,401
  Other income   1,120   14%   982   43%   689

        Interest income in 2007 decreased $0.9 million from 2006, primarily due to lower receivable balances due from IAC and subsidiaries, partially offset by interest earned on higher average international operating cash balances in 2007. Interest earned on the receivable balance is principally due to cash transfers to IAC in connection with IAC's centrally managed U.S. treasury function.

        Equity in the income of unconsolidated affiliates in 2007 increased $3.3 million from 2006, primarily due to Ticketmaster's investments in Front Line and TM Mexico.

        Interest income in 2006 increased $16.6 million from 2005, primarily due to higher receivable balances due from IAC and its subsidiaries, as well as increased interest earned on higher average operating cash balances in 2006.

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        Equity in the income of unconsolidated affiliates in 2006 decreased $0.4 million from 2005, primarily due to the absence of any equity income from Ticketmaster's investment in its Australian joint venture. Ticketmaster began to consolidate the results of its joint venture effective April 2005 when it acquired the interest it did not previously own.

Income tax provision

        In 2007, Ticketmaster recorded an income tax provision of $89.0 million which represents an effective tax rate of 35%. The 2007 tax rate approximates the federal statutory rate of 35% as state and local income taxes were substantially offset by foreign income taxed at lower rates. In 2006, Ticketmaster recorded a tax provision of $86.0 million which represents an effective tax rate of 33%. The 2006 tax rate is lower than the federal statutory rate of 35% due principally to benefits associated with Ticketmaster's assertion that the earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries are permanently reinvested and foreign income taxed at lower rates, partially offset by state and local income taxes. In 2005, Ticketmaster recorded a tax provision of $68.3 million which represents an effective tax rate of 36%. The 2005 tax rate is higher than the federal statutory rate of 35% due principally to state and local income taxes partially offset by foreign income taxed at lower rates.

        Ticketmaster adopted the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 48, "Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109" ("FIN 48") effective January 1, 2007. The cumulative effect of the adoption resulted in an increase of $1.3 million to invested capital. As of January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster had unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $0.6 million and $6.3 million, respectively, which included accrued interest of $0.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively.

        By virtue of previously filed separate company and consolidated tax returns with IAC, Ticketmaster is routinely under audit by federal, state, local and foreign authorities in the area of income tax. These audits include questioning the timing and the amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. Income taxes payable include amounts considered sufficient to pay assessments that may result from examination of prior year returns; however, the amount paid upon resolution of issues raised may differ from the amount provided. Differences between the reserves for tax contingencies and the amounts owed by Ticketmaster are recorded in the period they become known.

        The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") is currently examining the IAC consolidated tax returns for the years ended December 31, 2001 through 2003, which includes the operations of Ticketmaster from January 17, 2003, the date which Ticketmaster joined the IAC consolidated tax return. The statute of limitations for these years has been extended to December 31, 2008. Tax filings in various state, local and foreign jurisdictions are currently under examinations, the most significant of which are Florida, New York state and New York City, for various tax years after December 31, 2001. These examinations are expected to be completed by late 2008. Ticketmaster believes that it is reasonably possible that its unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by approximately $3.6 million within twelve months of the current reporting date due to the reversal of deductible temporary differences which will result in a corresponding increase in net deferred tax liabilities. An estimate of other changes in unrecognized benefits cannot be made, but are not expected to be significant.

        Under the terms of the tax sharing agreement, which will be executed in connection with the spin-off, IAC will generally retain the liability related to federal and state tax returns filed on a consolidated or unitary basis for all periods prior to the spin-off.

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FINANCIAL POSITION, LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

        As of December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster had $569.3 million of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents, including $313.6 million in funds representing amounts equal to the face value of tickets sold on behalf of its clients. Ticketmaster's cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents held in foreign jurisdictions is approximately $359.1 million at December 31, 2007, including $222.5 million in funds representing amounts equal to the face value of tickets sold on behalf of its clients, and is maintained principally in the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.

        Net cash provided by operating activities was $212.0 million and $230.7 million in 2007 and 2006, respectively. The decrease of $18.7 million in net cash provided by operating activities reflects an increase in contract deposits and accounts receivable, partially offset by an increased contribution from client funds of $69.5 million which is primarily due to timing of settlements with clients.

        Net cash used in investing activities in 2007 of $13.0 million primarily resulted from capital expenditures of $47.5 million and acquisitions, net of cash acquired, of $29.4 million, partially offset by cash transfers from IAC of $64.5 million. The cash transfers from IAC relate to IAC's centrally managed U.S. treasury function. Net cash used in investing activities in 2006 of $189.1 million primarily resulted from cash transfers to IAC of $214.2 million, capital expenditures of $39.3 million, a net increase in long-term investments of $20.6 million and acquisitions, net of cash acquired, of $17.8 million. These uses of cash were partially offset by the net proceeds of $108.9 million related to the purchases, sales and maturities of marketable securities. The increase in long-term investments in 2006 is primarily due to Ticketmaster's equity investment in Evolution Artists, Inc. ("iLike").

        During January and February 2008, Ticketmaster completed the acquisitions of Paciolan, Inc., GET ME IN! Ltd, and The V.I.P. Tour Company ("TicketsNow"). The aggregate consideration for these transactions was approximately $400 million and was funded by capital contributions from IAC. These companies are wholly-owned subsidiaries operating in the U.S. (Paciolan and TicketsNow) and United Kingdom (GET ME IN!).

        Net cash provided by financing activities in 2007 and 2006 of $30.3 million and $20.6 million, respectively, were primarily due to capital contributions of $29.4 million and $17.8 million from IAC to fund Ticketmaster's 2007 and 2006 acquisitions, respectively.

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CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COMMERCIAL COMMITMENTS

 
  Payments Due by Period
Contractual Obligations
  Total
  Less Than
1 Year

  1-3 Years
  3-5 Years
  More Than
5 Years

 
  (In thousands)
Purchase obligations(a)   $ 95,056   $ 30,726   $ 35,268   $ 25,687   $ 3,375
Operating leases     82,345     14,830     25,232     18,547     23,736
   
 
 
 
 
Total contractual cash obligations   $ 177,401   $ 45,556   $ 60,500   $ 44,234   $ 27,111
   
 
 
 
 

(a)
The purchase obligations primarily arise from sports sponsorship agreements intended to promote Ticketmaster's ticket resale services.

 
  Amount of Commitment Expiration Per Period
Other Commercial Commitments*
  Total Amounts
Committed

  Less Than
1 Year

  1-3 Years
  3-5 Years
  More Than
5 Years

 
  (In thousands)
Guarantees, surety bonds and letters of credit   $ 3,911   $ 596   $ 65   $ 3,250   $
   
 
 
 
 

*
Commercial commitments are funding commitments that could potentially require performance in the event of demands by third parties or contingent events, such as under letters of credit, surety bonds or under guarantees of debt.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

        Other than the items described above, Ticketmaster does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 31, 2007.

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Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2008 Compared to the Three Months Ended March 31, 2007

Revenue

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2008
  % change
  2007
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

Domestic   $ 239,707   15%   $ 209,077
International     109,274   16%     94,500
   
     
Total revenue   $ 348,981   15%   $ 303,577
   
     

        Revenue in 2008 increased $45.4 million, or 15%, from 2007 driven by increases in both domestic and international revenue as worldwide tickets sold increased 3%, with a 7% increase in average revenue per ticket. Domestic revenue grew by 15%, primarily due to contributions from Paciolan, Inc. ("Paciolan") and The V.I.P. Tour Company ("TicketsNow"), acquired in January and February 2008, respectively, as well as a 7% increase in average revenue per ticket and a 1% increase in the number of tickets sold. The increase in average domestic revenue per ticket resulted from higher convenience and processing fees. International revenue grew by 16%, or 6% excluding the impact of foreign exchange, primarily due to an 8% increase in average revenue per ticket along with a 5% increase in the number of tickets sold. Both the increases in the average revenue per ticket and the number of tickets sold primarily resulted from increased revenue from Canada and Australia. Acquisitions contributed approximately $18.4 million to Ticketmaster's overall revenue growth in 2008.

        Ticketmaster's largest client, Live Nation, Inc. (including its subsidiary House of Blues), represented approximately 15% and 17% of its combined revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively.

Cost of sales

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2008
  % change
  2007
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

Cost of sales   $221,022   20%   $184,784
As a percentage of total revenue   63%   246 bp   61%
Gross margins   37%   (246) bp   39%

        Cost of sales consists primarily of ticketing royalties, credit card processing fees and compensation and other employee-related costs (including stock-based compensation) for personnel engaged in call center functions. Ticketing royalties relate to Ticketmaster's clients' share of convenience and order processing charges.

        Cost of sales in 2008 increased $36.2 million from 2007, primarily due to increases of $12.7 million in ticketing royalties, $11.3 million in compensation and other employee-related costs associated, in part, with a 22% increase in headcount and $1.4 million in credit card processing fees. Included in these increases is the impact of acquisitions not in the year ago period, which contributed $0.7 million, $6.5 million and $0.7 million to ticketing royalties, compensation and other employee-related costs and credit card processing fees, respectively. Excluding the impact of acquisitions not in the year ago period, cost of sales increased $23.7 million, or 13%. The increase in ticketing royalties is due to increased revenue and higher royalty rates. Royalties are driven in part by higher contractual royalty rates included in the renewal of contracts with various promoters and venue clients, and are usually

67



based on a percentage of convenience and order processing revenue. Domestic and international ticketing royalties may continue to increase as a percentage of convenience and processing revenue.

Selling and marketing expense

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2008
  % change
  2007
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

Selling and marketing expense   $19,393   174%   $7,073
As a percentage of total revenue   6%   323 bp   2%

        Selling and marketing expense consists primarily of advertising and promotional expenditures and compensation and other employee-related costs (including stock-based compensation) for personnel engaged in customer service and sales functions. Advertising and promotional expenditures primarily include online marketing, including fees paid to search engines and distribution partners, as well as offline marketing, including sports sponsorship marketing and radio spending.

        Selling and marketing expense in 2008 increased $12.3 million from 2007, primarily due to increased advertising and promotional expenditures of $8.2 million and increased compensation and other employee-related costs of $2.4 million as Ticketmaster continues to build out its worldwide infrastructure. Included in these increases is the impact of acquisitions not in the year ago period, which contributed $2.2 million and $1.3 million to advertising and promotional expenditures and compensation and other employee-related costs, respectively. Excluding the impact of acquisitions not in the year ago period, selling and marketing expense increased $7.7 million, or 108%. The increase in advertising and promotional expenditures is due in part to an increase in sports sponsorship agreements which are intended to promote Ticketmaster's resale ticket services such as ticket exchange.

General and administrative expense

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2008
  % change
  2007
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

General and administrative expense   $41,853   22%   $34,258
As a percentage of total revenue   12%   71 bp   11%

        General and administrative expense consists primarily of compensation and other employee-related costs (including stock-based compensation) for personnel engaged in finance, legal, tax, human resources and executive management functions, facilities costs and fees for professional services.

        General and administrative expense in 2008 increased $7.6 million from 2007, primarily due to increases of $4.3 million in compensation and other employee-related costs and $1.5 million in professional fees. The increase in compensation and other employee-related costs is primarily due to an increase of $3.3 million associated with recent acquisitions not in the year ago period. Excluding the impact of acquisitions not in the year ago period, general and administrative expense increased $2.9 million, or 8%. Ticketmaster expects to incur increased costs related to the additional financial and legal requirements associated with being a separate public company, as well as increased non-cash compensation associated with the modification of existing stock-based compensation awards in connection with the spin-off and the grant of new awards in connection with and subsequent to the spin-off.

        General and administrative expense includes non-cash compensation expense of $4.3 million in 2008 compared with $1.6 million in 2007. The increase in non-cash compensation expense is primarily due to equity grants issued and assumed in recent acquisitions as well as equity grants issued to Ticketmaster employees subsequent to the first quarter of 2007. As of March 31, 2008, there was

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approximately $48.9 million of unrecognized compensation cost, net of estimated forfeitures, related to all equity-based awards, which is currently expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 3.0 years (exclusive of the impact of the modification related to the spin-off, which primarily consists of the accelerated vesting of certain restricted stock units).

Depreciation

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2008
  % change
  2007
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

Depreciation   $11,055   21%   $9,121
As a percentage of total revenue   3%   16 bp   3%

        Depreciation in 2008 increased $1.9 million from 2007, primarily due to acquisitions not in the year ago period and the incremental depreciation associated with capital expenditures made throughout 2007 and 2008, partially offset by certain fixed assets becoming fully depreciated during the period. Excluding the impact of acquisitions not in the year ago period, depreciation expense increased $0.5 million, or 5%.

Operating Income Before Amortization

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2008
  % change
  2007
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

Operating Income Before Amortization   $60,423   (14)%   $70,220
As a percentage of total revenue   17%   (582) bp   23%

        Operating Income Before Amortization in 2008 decreased $9.8 million from 2007, primarily due to increases in cost of sales, selling and marketing expense and general and administrative expense. The increase in these expenses was driven by acquisitions and strategic investments, particularly in Germany and China, increased expenses associated with product and technology initiatives, and higher overall royalty rates. Operating Income Before Amortization was further impacted by discrete items benefiting the prior year period. Excluding the impact of acquisitions not in the year ago period, Operating Income Before Amortization decreased $6.7 million, or 10%.

Operating income

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2008
  % change
  2007
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

Operating Income   $46,790   (24)%   $61,488
As a percentage of total revenue   13%   (685) bp   20%

        Operating income in 2008 decreased $14.7 million from 2007, primarily due to the decrease in Operating Income Before Amortization described above and increases of $2.9 million in non-cash compensation expense and $2.0 million in amortization of intangibles.

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Other income (expense)

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
  2008
  % change
  2007
 
 
  (Dollars in thousands)

 
Other income (expense):                  
  Interest income   $ 3,290   (39 )% $ 5,378  
  Interest expense     (735 ) 177 %   (266 )
  Equity in income of unconsolidated affiliates     666   (23 )%   865  
  Other income     944   1,048 %   83  

        Interest income in 2008 decreased $2.1 million from 2007 as average interest rates on the receivable balance from IAC and subsidiaries decreased year over year. Interest earned on the receivable balance is principally due to cash transfers to IAC in connection with IAC's centrally managed U.S. treasury function.

Income tax provision

        For the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007, Ticketmaster recorded tax provisions of $18.8 million and $24.6 million, respectively, which represent effective tax rates of 37% and 36%, respectively. The tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 are higher than the federal statutory rate of 35% due principally to state taxes.

        As of December 31, 2007 and March 31, 2008, Ticketmaster had unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $5.5 million. Included in unrecognized tax benefits at March 31, 2008 is approximately $4.6 million for tax positions included in IAC's consolidated tax return filings that will remain a liability of IAC after the spin-off. Ticketmaster recognizes interest and, if applicable, penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. Included in income tax expense for 2008 is $0.1 million, net of related deferred taxes, for interest on unrecognized tax benefits. At March 31, 2008, Ticketmaster has accrued $1.0 million for the payment of interest. There are no material accruals for penalties.

        By virtue of previously filed separate company and consolidated tax returns with IAC, Ticketmaster is routinely under audit by federal, state, local and foreign authorities in the area of income tax. These audits include questioning the timing and the amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. Income taxes payable include amounts considered sufficient to pay assessments that may result from examination of prior year returns; however, the amount paid upon resolution of issues raised may differ from the amount provided. Differences between the reserves for tax contingencies and the amounts owed by Ticketmaster are recorded in the period they become known. Ticketmaster believes that it is reasonably possible that its unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by approximately $3.6 million within twelve months of the current reporting date due to the reversal of deductible temporary differences which will result in a corresponding increase in net deferred tax liabilities. An estimate of other changes in unrecognized tax benefits cannot be made, but are not expected to be significant.

        Under the terms of the tax sharing agreement, which will be executed in connection with the spin-off, IAC will generally retain the liability related to federal and state returns filed on a consolidated or unitary basis for all periods prior to the spin-off.

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FINANCIAL POSITION, LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

        As of March 31, 2008, Ticketmaster had $502.3 million of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents, including $338.9 million in funds representing amounts equal to the face value of tickets sold on behalf of its clients. Ticketmaster's cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents held in foreign jurisdictions is approximately $349.6 million at March 31, 2008, including $220.3 million in funds representing amounts equal to the face value of tickets sold on behalf of its clients, and is maintained principally in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

        Net cash provided by operating activities was $65.8 million and $80.7 million in 2008 and 2007, respectively. The decrease of $14.9 million in net cash provided by operating activities reflects a decreased contribution from client funds of $24.3 million which is primarily due to timing of settlements with clients and an increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets, partially offset by an increase in accounts payable. The increase in accounts payable is primarily due to efforts to aggressively manage working capital.

        Net cash used in investing activities in 2008 of $540.1 million primarily resulted from acquisitions, net of cash acquired, of $395.0 million, cash transfers to IAC of $135.5 million and capital expenditures of $9.5 million. The cash transfers to IAC relate to IAC's centrally managed U.S. treasury function. Acquisitions, net of cash acquired, in 2008 primarily relate to the acquisitions of Paciolan, TicketsNow and GET ME IN! Ltd. Net cash used in investing activities in 2007 of $21.0 million primarily resulted from acquisitions, net of cash acquired, of $10.2 million and capital expenditures of $9.3 million.

        Net cash provided by financing activities in 2008 and 2007 of $394.7 million and $11.2 million, respectively, were primarily due to capital contributions of $395.0 million and $10.2 million from IAC to fund Ticketmaster's 2008 and 2007 acquisitions, respectively.

        Ticketmaster anticipates that it will need to make capital and other expenditures in connection with the development and expansion of its operations.

        In connection with the separation, Ticketmaster raised $750 million through a combination of privately issued debt securities (the "Notes") and secured credit facilities (the "Term Loans"). In addition, Ticketmaster negotiated a revolving credit facility (the "RCF"). The total costs incurred in connection with the issuance of the Notes and borrowings under the Term Loans and establishing the RCF is estimated to be $26.0 million. The net proceeds are approximately $724.0 million. In connection with the separation, Ticketmaster will distribute the net proceeds of the financing to IAC and will retain its client cash and its international cash which total approximately $468.1 million as of March 31, 2008. Upon completion of the spin-off, intercompany receivable balances will be extinguished.

        Ticketmaster believes its ability to generate cash from operations, the overall capacity and terms of its financing arrangements as discussed above, and access to the equity markets subject to restrictions under the tax sharing agreement will be sufficient to fund its operating, investing and financing cash needs for the foreseeable future.

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CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COMMERCIAL COMMITMENTS

 
  Payments Due by Period
Contractual Obligations
  Total
  Less Than
1 Year

  1-3 Years
  3-5 Years
  More Than
5 Years

 
  (In thousands)
Capital lease obligations   $ 4,490   $ 2,274   $ 2,216   $   $
Purchase obligations(a)     87,062     22,957     35,268     25,462     3,375
Operating leases     81,742     15,745     26,506     17,251     22,240
   
 
 
 
 
Total contractual cash obligations   $ 173,294   $ 40,976   $ 63,990   $ 42,713   $ 25,615
   
 
 
 
 

(a)
The purchase obligations primarily arise from sports sponsorship agreements intended to promote Ticketmaster's ticket resale services.

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TICKETMASTER'S PRINCIPLES OF FINANCIAL REPORTING

        Ticketmaster reports Operating Income Before Amortization as a supplemental measure to generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). This measure is one of the primary metrics by which Ticketmaster evaluates the performance of its businesses, on which its internal budgets are based and by which management is compensated. Ticketmaster believes that investors should have access to the same set of tools that it uses in analyzing its results. This non-GAAP measure should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results. Ticketmaster provides and encourages investors to examine the reconciling adjustments between the GAAP and non-GAAP measure which are discussed below.

Definition of Ticketmaster's Non-GAAP Measure

        Operating Income Before Amortization is defined as operating income excluding, if applicable: (1) non-cash compensation expense, (2) amortization of intangibles and goodwill impairment, (3) pro forma adjustments for significant acquisitions, and (4) one-time items. Ticketmaster believes this measure is useful to investors because it represents the operating results from the Ticketmaster Businesses, taking into account depreciation, which Ticketmaster believes is an ongoing cost of doing business, but excluding the effects of any other non-cash expenses. Operating Income Before Amortization has certain limitations in that it does not take into account the impact to Ticketmaster's statement of operations of certain expenses, including non-cash compensation, and acquisition-related accounting. Ticketmaster endeavors to compensate for the limitations of the non-GAAP measure presented by also providing the comparable GAAP measure with equal or greater prominence and descriptions of the reconciling items, including quantifying such items, to derive the non-GAAP measure.

Pro Forma Results

        Ticketmaster will only present Operating Income Before Amortization on a pro forma basis if it views a particular transaction as significant in size or transformational in nature. For the periods presented in this report, there are no transactions that Ticketmaster has included on a pro forma basis.

One-Time Items

        Operating Income Before Amortization is presented before one-time items, if applicable. These items are truly one-time in nature and non-recurring, infrequent or unusual, and have not occurred in the past two years or are not expected to recur in the next two years, in accordance with SEC rules. For the periods presented in this report, there are no one-time items.

Non-Cash Expenses That Are Excluded From Ticketmaster's Non-GAAP Measure

        Non-cash compensation expense consists principally of expense associated with the grants, including unvested grants assumed in acquisitions, of restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options. These expenses are not paid in cash, and Ticketmaster will include the related shares in its future calculations of fully diluted shares outstanding. Upon vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units and the exercise of certain stock options, the awards will be settled, at Ticketmaster's discretion, on a net basis, with Ticketmaster remitting the required tax withholding amount from its current funds.

        Amortization of intangibles is a non-cash expense relating primarily to acquisitions. At the time of an acquisition, the intangible assets of the acquired company, such as purchase and distribution agreements, are valued and amortized over their estimated lives. While it is likely that Ticketmaster will have significant intangible amortization expense as it continues to acquire companies, Ticketmaster believes that since intangibles represent costs incurred by the acquired company to build value prior to acquisition, they were part of transaction costs.

Reconciliation of Operating Income Before Amortization

        For a reconciliation of Operating Income Before Amortization to net income for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, see Note 7 to the combined financial statements. For a reconciliation of Operating Income Before Amortization to net income for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007, see Note 5 to the unaudited interim financial statements.

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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

        The following disclosure is provided to supplement the descriptions of Ticketmaster's accounting policies contained in Note 2 to the combined financial statements in regard to significant areas of judgment. Ticketmaster's management is required to make certain estimates and assumptions during the preparation of its combined financial statements in accordance with GAAP. These estimates and assumptions impact the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the combined financial statements. They also impact the reported amount of net income during any period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Because of the size of the financial statement elements to which they relate, some of Ticketmaster's accounting policies and estimates have a more significant impact on its combined financial statements than others. What follows is a discussion of some of Ticketmaster's more significant accounting policies and estimates.

    Recoverability of Long-Lived Assets

        Ticketmaster reviews the carrying value of all long-lived assets, primarily property and equipment and definite-lived intangible assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may be impaired. In accordance with SFAS 144, "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets" ("SFAS 144"), impairment is considered to have occurred whenever the carrying value of a long-lived asset exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows that is expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset. The determination of cash flows is based upon assumptions that may not occur. The value of long-lived assets that is subject to assessment for impairment in accordance with SFAS 144 is $124.9 million at December 31, 2007.

    Recoverability of Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

        In accordance with SFAS 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets" ("SFAS 142"), Ticketmaster reviews the carrying value of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets on an annual basis as of October 1st or earlier upon the occurrence of certain events or substantive changes in circumstances. Ticketmaster determines the fair value of its reporting unit and indefinite-lived intangible assets based upon an evaluation of expected discounted cash flows. This discounted cash flow analysis utilizes an evaluation of historical and forecasted operating results. The determination of discounted cash flows is based upon forecasted operating results that may not occur. The annual assessment for 2007 did not identify any impairment charges. The value of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets that is subject to assessment for impairment in accordance with SFAS 142 is $1.1 billion and $62.6 million, respectively, at December 31, 2007.

    Income Taxes

        Estimates of deferred income taxes and the significant items giving rise to the deferred assets and liabilities are shown in Note 6, and reflect management's assessment of actual future taxes to be paid on items reflected in the combined financial statements, giving consideration to both timing and the probability of realization. As of December 31, 2007, the balance of deferred tax liabilities, net, is $26.5 million. Actual income taxes could vary from these estimates due to future changes in income tax law, state income tax apportionment or the outcome of any review of IAC's tax returns by the IRS, as well as actual operating results of Ticketmaster that vary significantly from anticipated results. Effective January 1, 2007, Ticketmaster adopted the provisions of FIN 48. As a result of the adoption of FIN 48, Ticketmaster recognizes liabilities for uncertain tax positions based on the two-step process prescribed by the interpretation. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount which is more than 50% likely of being realized upon

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ultimate settlement. This measurement step is inherently difficult and requires subjective estimations of such amounts to determine the probability of various possible outcomes. Ticketmaster considers many factors when evaluating and estimating its tax positions and tax benefits, which may require periodic adjustments and which may not accurately anticipate actual outcomes.

Seasonality

        Ticketmaster's ticket sales are impacted by fluctuations in the availability of events for sale to the public, which may vary depending upon scheduling by the client. The second and fourth quarters of the year generally experience the highest revenue.

New Accounting Pronouncements

        Refer to Note 2 to the combined financial statements for a description of recent accounting pronouncements.

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QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk

        Ticketmaster conducts business in certain foreign markets, primarily in the European Union and Canada. Ticketmaster's primary exposure to foreign currency risk relates to its investments in foreign subsidiaries that transact business in a functional currency other than the U.S. Dollar, primarily the Euro, British Pound Sterling and Canadian Dollar. However, the exposure is mitigated as Ticketmaster has generally reinvested profits from its international operations in order to fund the growth of its international operations including acquisitions. Ticketmaster is also exposed to foreign currency risk related to its assets and liabilities denominated in a currency other than the functional currency.

        As currency exchange rates change, translation of the income statements of Ticketmaster's international businesses into U.S. dollars affects year-over-year comparability of operating results. Historically, Ticketmaster has not hedged translation risks because cash flows from international operations have been generally reinvested locally. Foreign exchange net gains for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005 were $1.1 million, $1.2 million and $0.6 million, respectively. Foreign exchange net gains for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 were $0.9 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

        As Ticketmaster increases its operations in international markets it becomes increasingly exposed to potentially volatile movements in currency exchange rates. The economic impact of currency exchange rate movements on Ticketmaster is often linked to variability in real growth, inflation, interest rates, governmental actions and other factors. These changes, if material, could cause Ticketmaster to adjust its financing, operating and hedging strategies.

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Management of Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster Board of Directors and Executive Officers

        The following table sets forth information as to persons who are expected to serve as Ticketmaster directors and executive officers following the spin-offs. The Ticketmaster Board of Directors, the composition of which complies with the independence requirements under the current standards imposed by the Marketplace Rules, including the transitional rules set forth therein, is currently expected to consist of eleven directors.

Name
  Age
  Position(s)
Terry Barnes   56   Vice Chairman and Director of Ticketmaster
Mark Carleton   47   Director of Ticketmaster
Brian Deevy*   53   Director of Ticketmaster
Barry Diller   66   Chairman of the Board of Ticketmaster
Jonathan L. Dolgen*   63   Director of Ticketmaster
Julius Genachowski*   45   Director of Ticketmaster
Diane Irvine*   49   Director of Ticketmaster
Victor A. Kaufman   64   Vice Chairman of the Board of Ticketmaster
Eric Korman   37   Executive Vice President of Ticketmaster
Michael Leitner*   40   Director of Ticketmaster
Jonathan F. Miller*   51   Director of Ticketmaster
Sean Moriarty   38   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Ticketmaster
Brian Regan   36   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ticketmaster
Edward Weiss   45   Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Ticketmaster

*
Independent Directors

Directors

        Background information about those individuals who are expected to serve as directors of Ticketmaster appears below.

        Terry R. Barnes, age 56, has been Chairman of Ticketmaster since January 2007. Prior to that, Mr. Barnes served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ticketmaster from June 2005 to December 2006 and Chairman from January 2003 to June 2005. He was the Co-Chairman of Ticketmaster from January 2001 until January 2003 and President and Chief Executive Officer of Ticketmaster Corporation from June 1998 until January 2001. From September 1995 until June 1998, Mr. Barnes was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Ticketmaster Ticketing Company. From 1983 until September 1995, Mr. Barnes was Vice President and General Manager of numerous subsidiaries of Ticketmaster Corporation in the Midwest. Prior to joining Ticketmaster, Mr. Barnes enjoyed an expansive music industry career, including a partnership in Village Records, a custom record label with Mercury/Polygram in Indianapolis. He was also a partner in national promotion, management and publishing companies. Mr. Barnes attended Ball State University.

        Mark Carleton, age 47, currently serves as a Senior Vice President of Liberty Media Corporation. Prior to that, he was employed by KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm from July 1982 to November 2003, most recently as a Partner and National Industry Director—Communications Segment and also served on KPMG's Board. Mr. Carleton was a practicing CPA during his time at KPMG.

        Mr. Carleton was nominated as a director by Liberty Media Corporation. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements with Liberty Media Corporation."

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        Brian Deevy, age 53, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RBC Daniels, responsible for strategic development of the firm's business, which includes mergers & acquisitions, private equity and debt capital formation and financial advisory engagements. Mr. Deevy also has primary responsibility for RBC Daniels' Cable Television Group. Mr. Deevy joined RBC Daniels in November 1981.

        Mr. Deevy was nominated as a director by Liberty Media Corporation. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements with Liberty Media Corporation."

        Barry Diller, age 66, has been a director and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IAC (and its predecessors) since August 1995. Mr. Diller also serves as the Chairman of Expedia, Inc., which position he has held since August 2005. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Diller was Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of QVC, Inc. from December 1992 through December 1994. From 1984 to 1992, Mr. Diller served as the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Fox, Inc. Prior to joining Fox, Inc., Mr. Diller served for 10 years as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures Corporation. Mr. Diller is currently a member of the boards of directors of The Washington Post Company and The Coca-Cola Company. He also serves on the Board of Conservation International and The Educational Broadcasting Company. In addition, Mr. Diller is a member of the Board of Councilors for the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television, the New York University Board of Trustees, the Tisch School of the Arts Dean's Council and the Executive Board for the Medical Sciences of University of California, Los Angeles.

        Jonathan L. Dolgen, age 63, has served as senior consultant for ArtistDirect, Inc. since October 2006. Since July 2004, Mr. Dolgen has also been a Senior Advisor to Viacom, Inc., providing advisory services to the chief executive officer on an as-requested basis. Since July 2004, Mr. Dolgen has been a private investor and since September 2004, Mr. Dolgen has been a principal of Wood River Ventures, LLC ("Wood River"), a private start-up entity that seeks investment and other opportunities primarily in the media sector. From April 1994 to July 2004, Mr. Dolgen served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Viacom Entertainment Group. Mr. Dolgen is also a Director of Expedia, Inc. and Charter Communications, Inc. Mr. Dolgen holds a B.S. from Cornell University and a J.D. from New York University.

        Diane Irvine, age 49, has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Blue Nile, Inc., an online retailer of high quality diamonds and fine jewelry in the United States, since February 2008. Prior to that, she served as President of Blue Nile since February 2007 and as Blue Nile's Chief Financial Officer from December 1999 to September 2007. Prior to her tenure at Blue Nile, Ms. Irvine served as Vice President and CFO of Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc., a timberland management and wood products company, from February 1994 to May 1999, and in various capacities, most recently as a partner, with Coopers and Lybrand LLP, from September 1981 to February 1994. Ms. Irvine serves on the Board of Directors of Blue Nile, Inc. and Davidson Companies, an investment banking and asset management company. Ms. Irvine holds a B.S. in Accounting from Illinois State University and an M.S. in Taxation from Golden Gate University.

        Julius Genachowski, age 45, co-founded Rock Creek Ventures, an investment and advisory services firm, in March of 2005 and continues to be a Managing Director there. From June 2003 until August of 2005, Mr. Genachowski serviced as the Executive Vice President and Chief of Business Operations for IAC and prior to that served as IAC's Executive Vice President and General Counsel.

        Victor A. Kaufman, age 64, has been a director of IAC (and its predecessors) since December 1996 and has been Vice Chairman of IAC since October 1999. Mr. Kaufman also serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Expedia, which position he has held since August 2005. Previously, Mr. Kaufman served in the Office of the Chairman from January 1997 to November 1997 and as Chief Financial Officer of IAC from November 1997 to October 1999. Prior to his tenure with IAC, Mr. Kaufman served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Savoy Pictures Entertainment, Inc. from March 1992 and as a director of Savoy from February 1992. Mr. Kaufman was the founding Chairman and

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Chief Executive Officer of Tri-Star Pictures, Inc. and served in such capacities from 1983 until December 1987, at which time he became President and Chief Executive Officer of Tri-Star's successor company, Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc. He resigned from these positions at the end of 1989 following the acquisition of Columbia by Sony USA, Inc. Mr. Kaufman joined Columbia in 1974 and served in a variety of senior positions at Columbia and its affiliates prior to the founding of Tri-Star.

        Michael Leitner, age 40, is a managing partner at Tennenbaum Capital Partners ("TCP"), a leading private investment firm. Prior to joining TCP in March 2005, Mr. Leitner served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for WilTel Communications from January 2004. Prior to that, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of GlobeNet Communications from January 2003. Mr. Leitner currently serves as a representative for TCP on the Boards of Directors of ITC^DeltaCom, Inc., Anacomp, Inc. and as a board observer to Wild Blue Communications.

        Mr. Leitner was nominated as a director by Liberty Media Corporation. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Agreements with Liberty Media Corporation."

        Jonathan F. Miller, age 51, is a founding partner of Velocity Interactive Group, an investment firm focusing on digital media and the consumer internet. Prior to founding Velocity in February 2007, Mr. Miller served as CEO of AOL from August 2002 to December 2006. Prior to joining AOL, Mr. Miller was employed at IAC as CEO and President of USA Information and Services. Mr. Miller is on the Board of American Film Institute, Idearc Media and a trustee of Emerson College and WNCY Public Radio in New York. Mr. Miller graduated from Harvard College in 1980.

        Sean P. Moriarty, age 38, has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Ticketmaster since January 2007 and had previously been Ticketmaster's President and Chief Operations Officer from December 2005 to January 2007, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from July 2004 to December 2005, Executive Vice President, Product and Technology, from November 2003 to July 2004, and prior to that, held progressive roles at Ticketmaster and Citysearch.com since joining in 1997. Mr. Moriarty received his bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina, was an Exchange Fellow at the University of Warwick, Coventry UK, and attended graduate school at Boston University and the University of South Carolina. He serves on the Board of Directors of iLike.com as well as several technology advisory boards.

Executive Officers

        Background about Ticketmaster's executive officers who are not expected to serve as directors appears below.

        Eric Korman, age 37, has been Executive Vice President of Ticketmaster since April 2006. Prior to joining Ticketmaster, Mr. Korman served as Senior Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions of IAC from January 2005 to April 2006. Mr. Korman joined IAC in September 2001 as Vice President of Business Development and Strategy for Electronic Commerce Services, a former subsidiary of IAC, and subsequently, he was promoted to Vice President of Strategic Planning of IAC in February 2002, and was appointed Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions in September 2003. From June 2000 to September 2001, Mr. Korman was a principal in epartners, a $650 million venture fund backed by SOFTBANK and News Corporation. From January 2000 to May 2000, Mr. Korman served as Vice President of Digital Convergence Corporation. From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Korman served in the Corporate Business Development group of The Coca-Cola Company, and from 1993 to 1995 served in the Customer Marketing group of Coca-Cola USA. Mr. Korman holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Emory University and an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Mr. Korman sits on the Board of Directors of BET.com.

        Brian Regan, age 36, has been Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ticketmaster since June 2008. Prior to that, Mr. Regan was the Senior Vice President of Finance of

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Expedia, Inc., from March 2005 to June 2008, and had previously been Expedia's Vice President of Finance from August 2004 to March 2005. Before joining Expedia, Mr. Regan served in a variety of financial roles at LendingTree, Inc. from November 1998 to August 2004, including Vice President and Controller; Vice President of Finance and Investor Relations; and, most recently, Chief Consumer Officer. Prior to that, Brian was an auditor and consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in its banking and securities industry practice in New York and Charlotte, North Carolina from August 1993 to November 1998. Mr. Regan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Bucknell University.

        Edward J. Weiss, age 45, has been Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Ticketmaster since March 2005. Mr. Weiss joined Ticketmaster in January 1998 and prior to his appointment to Executive Vice President and General Counsel, served as the company's Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel from August 2002 to March 2005. Prior to that, Mr. Weiss served as Vice President, Assistant General Counsel. Before joining Ticketmaster, Mr. Weiss served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles from September 1994 to December 1997. Mr. Weiss was an associate at the law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP in Los Angeles from October 1988 to July 1994. Mr. Weiss is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley and earned his J.D. from the University's Boalt Hall School of Law. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles & Inland Empire.

Committees of the Board of Directors

        Concurrent with the completion of the spin-offs, the Ticketmaster Board of Directors will establish the following committees: the Audit Committee, the Compensation and Human Resources Committee, the Nominating Committee and the Executive Committee. The composition of each such committee will satisfy the independence requirements and current standards of the SEC, Marketplace Rules and Internal Revenue Service rules (as applicable), including the transitional rules set forth therein.

        Audit Committee.    The Audit Committee of the Ticketmaster Board of Directors will consist of Ms. Irvine and Messrs. Genachowski and Deevy. IAC has concluded, subject to confirmation by the Ticketmaster Board of Directors, that Ms. Irvine is an "audit committee financial expert," as such term is defined in applicable SEC rules.

        The Audit Committee will function pursuant to a written charter adopted by the Ticketmaster Board of Directors, pursuant to which it will be granted the responsibilities and authority necessary to comply with Rule 10A-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Audit Committee will be appointed by the Ticketmaster Board of Directors to assist the Ticketmaster Board with a variety of matters, including monitoring (1) the integrity of Ticketmaster's financial statements, (2) the effectiveness of Ticketmaster's internal control over financial reporting, (3) the qualifications and independence of Ticketmaster's independent registered public accounting firm, (4) the performance of Ticketmaster's internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm and (5) the compliance by Ticketmaster with legal and regulatory requirements.

        Compensation and Human Resources Committee.    The Compensation and Human Resources Committee will be comprised of Messrs. Dolgen and Miller and will be authorized to exercise all of the powers of the Ticketmaster Board of Directors with respect to matters pertaining to compensation and benefits, including, but not limited to, salary matters, incentive/bonus plans, stock compensation plans, retirement programs and insurance plans.

        Nominating Committee.    The Nominating Committee will be comprised of Messrs. Dolgen and Genachowski and will be responsible for identifying individuals qualified to become members of Ticketmaster's Board of Directors, recommending to the Board director nominees for the annual meeting of shareholders and otherwise on an as needed basis.

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        Executive Committee.    The Executive Committee will have all the power and authority of the Ticketmaster Board of Directors, except those powers specifically reserved to the Ticketmaster Board of Directors by Delaware law or Ticketmaster's organizational documents.

        Other Committees.    In addition to the foregoing committees, the Ticketmaster Board of Directors, by resolution, may from time to time establish other committees of the Ticketmaster Board of Directors, consisting of one or more of its directors.

Director Compensation

        Non-Employee Director Arrangements.    Each member of the Ticketmaster Board of Directors will receive an annual retainer in the amount of $50,000. Each member of the Audit and Compensation and Human Resources Committees (including their respective chairs) will receive an additional annual retainer in the amount of $10,000. Each member of the Nominating Committee will receive an additional annual retainer in the amount of $5,000. Lastly, the chair of each of the Audit and Compensation and Human Resources Committees will receive an additional annual chairperson retainer in the amount of $15,000.

        In addition, each non-employee director will receive a grant of restricted stock units with a dollar value of $100,000 upon his or her initial election to the Ticketmaster Board of Directors and annually thereafter upon re-election on the date of Ticketmaster's annual meeting of stockholders. The terms of these restricted stock units provide for (i) vesting in two equal annual installments commencing on the first anniversary of the grant date, (ii) cancellation and forfeiture of unvested units in their entirety upon termination of service with the Ticketmaster Board of Directors and (iii) full acceleration of vesting upon a change in control of Ticketmaster. Non-employee directors are also reimbursed for all reasonable expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Ticketmaster Board and Committee meetings.

        The Compensation and Human Resources Committee will have primary responsibility for establishing non-employee director compensation arrangements, which are designed to provide competitive compensation necessary to attract and retain high quality non-employee directors and to encourage ownership of Ticketmaster stock to further align directors' interests with those of Ticketmaster's stockholders. When considering non-employee director compensation arrangements, Ticketmaster management will provide the Compensation and Human Resources Committee with information regarding various types of non-employee director compensation arrangements and practices of select peer companies.

        Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors. Under Ticketmaster's Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors, non-employee directors will be able to defer all or a portion of their Board and Board Committee fees. Eligible directors who defer all or any portion of these fees can elect to have such fees applied to the purchase of share units, representing the number of shares of Ticketmaster common stock that could have been purchased on the relevant date, or credited to a cash fund. If any dividends are paid on Ticketmaster common stock, dividend equivalents will be credited on the share units. The cash fund will be credited with deemed interest at an annual rate equal to the weighted average prime lending rate of JPMorgan Chase Bank. After a director ceases to be a member of the Ticketmaster Board of Directors, he or she will receive (i) with respect to share units, such number of shares of Ticketmaster common stock as the share units represent and (ii) with respect to the cash fund, a cash payment in an amount equal to deferred amounts, plus accrued interest. These payments will be made in either one lump sum or up to five installments, as previously elected by the eligible director at the time of the related deferral election.

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Director Independence

        Under the Marketplace Rules, Ticketmaster's Board will have a responsibility to make an affirmative determination that those members of its Board that serve as independent directors do not have any relationships with Ticketmaster and its businesses that would impair their independence. In connection with these determinations, Ticketmaster's Board will review information regarding transactions, relationships and arrangements involving Ticketmaster and its businesses and each director that it deems relevant to independence, including those required by the Marketplace Rules. This information is obtained from director responses to a questionnaire circulated by Ticketmaster management, Ticketmaster records and publicly available information. Following these determinations, Ticketmaster management will monitor those transactions, relationships and arrangements that are relevant to such determinations, as well as solicit updated information potentially relevant to independence from internal personnel and directors, to determine whether there have been any developments that could potentially have an adverse impact on Ticketmaster's prior independence determinations.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

        Ticketmaster's Board of Directors will have a Compensation and Human Resources Committee comprised of Messrs. Dolgen and Miller, neither of whom will be or has been in the past an officer or employee of Ticketmaster or any of its businesses at the time of their respective service on the Committee.

Ticketmaster Executive Compensation

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

    Roles and Responsibilities

        To date, the compensation of Ticketmaster's executive officers has been predominantly determined by IAC, acting in effect as Ticketmaster's compensation committee. IAC's compensation process is principally driven by IAC's General Counsel, who has primary responsibility for administering compensation and making compensation recommendations, with all material decisions approved by IAC's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and, where appropriate, the Compensation Committee of IAC's Board of Directors (specifically with respect to all awards of IAC equity).

        This Compensation Discussion and Analysis deals exclusively with historical information while Ticketmaster has been a part of IAC. Following the spin-off, Ticketmaster will have an independent board of directors, which will in turn have a compensation committee with the responsibility of establishing Ticketmaster's compensation philosophy and programs and determining appropriate payments and awards to its executive officers. Because Ticketmaster's compensation committee has not yet been established, Ticketmaster cannot predict what compensation philosophies and programs will be adopted following the spin-off, and therefore this historical report is not necessarily indicative of the practices it will follow when it is an independent public company.

        In general, IAC has been responsible for establishing bonus pools and equity pools for Ticketmaster, and then such pools are allocated throughout Ticketmaster, with IAC directly establishing all compensation elements for Ticketmaster's CEO and Chairman, while the Ticketmaster CEO makes the determinations for Ticketmaster's other executive officers, subject to IAC's review and approval.

        Neither Ticketmaster nor IAC has an ongoing relationship with any particular compensation consulting firm, though IAC has from time to time retained the services of consultants on specific occasions regarding broad-based IAC compensation programs. At no time has a consultant been engaged with respect to compensation of any of Ticketmaster's executive officers.

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    Philosophy and Objectives

        Ticketmaster's executive officer compensation program is designed to increase long-term stockholder value by attracting, retaining, motivating and rewarding leaders with the competence, character, experience and ambition necessary to enable Ticketmaster to meet its growth objectives.

        When establishing compensation packages for a given executive, Ticketmaster has followed a flexible approach, and has made decisions based on a host of factors particular to a given executive situation, including its firsthand experience with the competition for recruiting and retaining executives, negotiation and discussion with the relevant individual, competitive survey data, internal equity considerations and other factors Ticketmaster deems relevant at the time.

        Similarly, Ticketmaster has not followed an arithmetic approach to establishing compensation levels and measuring and rewarding performance, as Ticketmaster believes these often fail to adequately take into account the multiple factors that contribute to success at the individual and business level. In any given period, Ticketmaster may have multiple objectives, and these objectives, and their relative importance, often change as the competitive and strategic landscape shifts, even within a given compensation cycle. As a result, formulaic approaches often over-compensate or under-compensate a given performance level. Accordingly, Ticketmaster has historically avoided the use of strict formulas in its compensation practices and has relied primarily on a discretionary approach.

    Compensation Elements

        Ticketmaster's compensation packages for executive officers have primarily consisted of salary, annual bonuses, long term incentives (typically equity awards), perquisites and other benefits. Prior to making specific decisions related to any particular element of compensation, Ticketmaster typically reviews the total compensation of each executive, evaluating the executive's total near and long-term compensation in the aggregate. Ticketmaster determines which element or combinations of compensation elements (salary, bonus or equity) can be used most effectively to further its compensation objectives. However, all such decisions are subjective, and made on a facts and circumstances basis without any prescribed relationship between the various elements of the total compensation package.

    Salary

        General.    Ticketmaster typically negotiates a new executive officer's starting salary upon arrival, based on the executive's prior compensation history, prior compensation levels for the particular position within Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster's location, salary levels of other executives within Ticketmaster, salary levels available to the individual in alternative opportunities, reference to certain survey information and the extent to which Ticketmaster desires to secure the executive's services.

        Once established, salaries can increase based on a number of factors, including the assumption of additional responsibilities, internal equity, periodic market checks and other factors which demonstrate an executive's increased value to Ticketmaster.

        Ticketmaster utilizes the Radford Executive Survey, Radford International Survey and the Croner Executive Compensation Survey when referring to survey data in formulating compensation packages.

        2007.    Mr. Moriarty received a salary increase from $400,000 to $500,000 effective January 1, 2007 in connection with his assuming the Ticketmaster CEO position. In establishing this salary level, IAC relied on comparable internal positions as well as its general experience recruiting for similar roles. No other executive officer salaries were adjusted during 2007.

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        2008.    Mr. Moriarty entered into an employment agreement with Ticketmaster (the "New Moriarty Agreement") which pays Mr. Moriarty a base salary of $700,000. This salary was the result of negotiation with Mr. Moriarty.

    Annual Bonuses

        General.    Ticketmaster's bonus program is designed to reward performance on an annual basis. Because of the variable nature of the bonus program, and because in any given year bonuses have the potential to make up a significant portion of an executive's total compensation, the bonus program provides an important incentive tool to achieve Ticketmaster's annual objectives.

        After consultation with Ticketmaster management, IAC establishes the annual bonus pool for Ticketmaster based on its assessment of Ticketmaster's performance for the completed year. In large part, success has been measured based on Ticketmaster's growth in profitability, but this is measured subjectively both in absolute terms over the prior year and in comparison to Ticketmaster's competitors, taking into account economic and other factors, without any pre-established targets. Additionally, consideration has sometimes been given to achievement of various strategic objectives over the course of the year and other factors IAC and Ticketmaster's management deem relevant. No quantified weight has been given to any particular consideration and there has generally been no formulaic calculation. Rather, IAC has engaged in an overall assessment of appropriate bonus levels based on a subjective interpretation of corporate performance.

        IAC has established the bonus of the Ticketmaster CEO and the Chairman, in large part based on the same considerations used in establishing the bonus pool for Ticketmaster generally. The CEO has then generally been responsible for allocating the remainder of the bonus pool to the rest of the company, including the other executive officers. Historically, Ticketmaster executive officers have not had target bonus opportunities, though Mr. Moriarty has a target bonus of 100% of his base salary under the new Moriarty Agreement.

        Ticketmaster generally pays bonuses shortly after year-end following finalization of financial results for the prior year.

        2007.    Ticketmaster's 2007 bonus pool primarily reflects disappointing year over year profit growth, with aggregate executive officer bonuses being considerably lower than those paid in previous years. Overall, the bonus pool reflected approximately 50% of the bonus pool from the prior year, adjusted to account for increased headcount, and executive officer bonuses reflected similar reductions.

    Long-Term Incentives

        General.    Ticketmaster believes that ownership shapes behavior, and that by providing a meaningful portion of an executive officer's compensation in stock, an executive's incentives are aligned with stockholder interests in a manner that drives better performance over time. As part of IAC, that led to Ticketmaster's executive officers receiving IAC equity awards on a regular basis.

        In setting particular award levels, the predominant objectives have been providing the person with effective retention incentives, appropriate reward for past performance, and incentives for strong future performance. Appropriate levels to meet these goals may vary from year to year, and from individual to individual, based on a variety of factors.

        The annual corporate performance factors relevant to setting bonus amounts that were discussed above, while taken into account, have generally been less relevant in setting annual equity awards, as the awards tend to be more forward looking, and are a longer-term retention and reward instrument than annual bonuses.

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        Awards to the Ticketmaster CEO and Chairman are made by IAC. Additionally, IAC establishes a pool for annual equity awards which the Ticketmaster CEO allocates to the company's employees, including the executive officers, subject to IAC's approval. In establishing the equity pool for Ticketmaster, IAC has taken into account historical practices, its view of market compensation generally, the dilutive impact of equity grants across IAC, and other relevant factors. Additionally, IAC approves any equity grants recommended to be made to Ticketmaster executives outside of the annual process. Executive officers receive grants that are subjectively determined based on the Ticketmaster CEO's view of how best to allocate the equity pool for retention, reward and motivation based on a host of subjective factors (including past contribution, retention risk, contribution potential, and market data), with grants equal to annual salary being a basic guideline.

        Except where otherwise noted, equity awards have been made following year-end after finalization of financial results for the prior year. The meeting of the Compensation and Human Resources Committee of the IAC Board at which the awards are made is generally scheduled months in advance and without regard to the timing of the release of earnings or other material information.

        Restricted Stock Units.    Until 2008, IAC used restricted stock units, or RSUs, as its exclusive equity compensation tool for Ticketmaster's executive officers. Through 2006, these awards generally vested in equal annual installments over 5 years (annual vesting RSUs), or cliff vested at the end of five years (cliff-vesting RSUs). Annual awards were intended to provide frequent rewards and near-term retention incentives, while cliff-vesting RSUs provided more of a long-term retention mechanism.

        In February 2007, IAC implemented a new equity instrument, Growth Shares, which were RSU grants that cliff vested at the end of three years in varying amounts depending upon growth in IAC's publicly reported metric, Adjusted Earnings Per Share, with certain modifications.

        These awards were introduced throughout IAC to more closely link long-term reward with IAC's overall performance and to provide greater retentive effect by providing the opportunity to earn greater amounts through increased IAC performance. However, in connection with the spin-off, these awards will be converted into three-year cliff-vesting awards at the "target" value (or 50% of the shares actually granted), without variability based on performance. For information regarding the reasons behind this conversion, see "The Separation—Treatment of Outstanding IAC Compensatory Equity-Based Awards."

        Stock Options.    In 2008, IAC used non-qualified stock options as its primary equity compensation tool for Ticketmaster's executive officers to continue the shift to performance-based equity that began with the granting of Growth Shares in 2007. IAC believes that following the spin-offs, Ticketmaster's performance will have a greater correlation to the Ticketmaster stock price than it did to IAC's stock price in the current conglomerated structure, thus making stock options a more targeted equity incentive tool for Ticketmaster than it would have been as part of IAC. Stock options generally vest in equal installments over four years. IAC continues to use RSUs with a cliff-vesting schedule in certain cases to reward executive leadership, contribution and to provide a retention mechanism.

        2007.    Mr. Moriarty received 10,038 annual vesting RSUs and 35,131 Growth Shares (at target performance). This increased grant coincided with his assumption of the Ticketmaster CEO position. Mr. Barnes did not receive a grant due to his receipt of an RSU grant with a value of $1 million on the date of grant the prior year in connection with his entering into an employment agreement with Ticketmaster, which grant vested in early 2008. Mr. Korman received 5,019 RSUs and 17,565 Growth Shares, Ms. Bracey received 4,391 RSUs and 10,664 Growth Shares and Mr. Weiss received 4,391 RSUs and 4,391 Growth Shares.

        Under the New Moriarty Agreement, Mr. Moriarty will receive, at the time of the spin-off, restricted stock units that cliff vest at the end of four years covering shares of Ticketmaster stock with a value of $2 million at the time of the spin-off. Additionally, Mr. Moriarty will receive three tranches of

85



options with exercise prices based on enterprise values of $2.5 billion, $3.0 billion and $3.5 billion (or, if greater, the fair market value at the time of the spin-off), each of which is intended to yield $5 million of compensation in the event Ticketmaster's equity value, plus a number equal to the amount of debt Ticketmaster has outstanding at the time of the spin-off, is equal to $5.0 billion at the time of exercise. These grants vest annually over four years.

        2008.    Mr. Barnes and Mr. Korman each received 100,000 non-qualified stock options, and Mr. Korman also received 16,000 RSUs that will cliff vest after three years. These awards were specifically determined by IAC as a means of increasing the stakes of these two key executives prior to the spin-off. Mr. Weiss received 30,000 stock options as determined by Mr. Moriarty. As Ms. Bracey has announced that she is leaving the company, she did not receive stock options in 2008.

        Spin-Off Adjustments.    In the spin-off, equity awards denominated in IAC stock will be adjusted as described in "The Separation—Treatment of Outstanding IAC Compensatory Equity-Based Awards."

        Presuming the spin-off transactions occur prior to February 2009, the following table reflects the effect of these adjustments on all equity awards held by Ticketmaster's executive officers:

 
  Upon Completion of the Spin-Off*
Name

  RSUs
that will
vest (#)

  RSUs
that will
convert exclusively into RSUs of Ticketmaster
and vest
on regular schedule (#)

  RSUs that
will be split
among the
post-transaction
companies and vest after February 2009 on regular schedule (#)

  Options outstanding at December 31, 2007—all of which will be split among the post-transaction companies (#)
  Options granted after December 31, 2007—all of which will be converted into options of Ticketmaster
(#)

Sean Moriarty   48,497   36,529   34,260   23,374  
Terry Barnes   43,129       56,783   100,000
Eric Korman   21,389   26,024   38,487     100,000
Susan Bracey(1)   12,440   11,940   7,108   16,353  
Edward Weiss   5,380   10,750   2,927     30,000

*
Excludes 19,358, 44,876, 8,637, 11,335, 6,278 RSUs that vested since December 31, 2007 or will vest prior to August 1, 2008 for Mr. Moriarty, Mr. Barnes, Mr. Korman, Ms. Bracey and Mr. Weiss, respectively.

(1)
Received during 2007 in her role as Chief Financial Officer of Ticketmaster. Ms. Bracey has since announced she will be leaving Ticketmaster.

    Change of Control and Severance

        Ticketmaster believes that providing executives with severance and change of control protection is critical to allowing executives to fully value the forward looking elements of their compensation packages, and therefore limit retention risk during uncertain times. Accordingly, Ticketmaster employment agreements and equity awards generally provide for salary continuation in the event of certain employment terminations beyond the control of the executive, as well as varying degrees of accelerated vesting in the event of a change of control of the company.

    Other Compensation

        Under limited circumstances, certain Ticketmaster executive officers have received non-cash and non-equity compensatory benefits. The values of these benefits are reported under the heading "Other Annual Compensation" in this filing pursuant to applicable rules. The executive officers do not participate in any deferred compensation or retirement program other than IAC's 401(k) plan.

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    Tax Deductibility

        IAC's practice has been to structure Ticketmaster's compensation program in such a manner so that the compensation is deductible by IAC for federal income tax purposes. However, because Ticketmaster's executive officers will now be subject to the limitations on deductibility under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and were not previously, certain compensatory arrangements established prior to the spin-off but that will be paid following the spin-off may not result in deductible compensation for Ticketmaster.

Summary Compensation Table

Name and Principal Position
  Year
  Salary
($)

  Bonus
($)

  Stock
Awards
($)(1)

  All Other
Compensation
($)(2)

  Total
($)

Terry Barnes
Chairman
  2007   600,000   375,000   959,988   38,239   1,973,227
Sean Moriarty
CEO
  2007   500,000   375,000   1,241,277   6,300   2,122,577
Eric Korman
EVP
  2007   350,000   240,000   621,576   9,571   1,221,147
Susan Bracey
CFO
  2007   315,000   140,000   461,204   6,643   922,847
Edward Weiss
EVP and General Counsel
  2007   315,000   150,000   228,999   6,300   700,299

(1)
Reflects the dollar amount recognized by IAC for financial statement reporting purposes for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, in accordance with SFAS 123R, for IAC restricted stock units ("RSUs") awarded in and prior to 2007 under IAC's stock and annual incentive plans. These amounts do not, therefore, represent the value of IAC equity compensation awarded or realized in 2007. For further discussion of IAC's accounting for its equity compensation plans, see note 4 of IAC's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 29, 2008. For information on awards made and realized in 2007, see the Grants of Plan-Based Awards and Option Exercises and Stock Vested tables below.

(2)
See the table below for additional information on amounts for 2007. Pursuant to SEC rules, perquisites and personal benefits are not reported for any named executive for whom such amounts were less than $10,000 in aggregate for the fiscal year.

 
  Terry
Barnes

  Sean
Moriarty

  Eric
Korman

  Susan
Bracey

  Edward
Weiss

Premium for supplemental life, health and disability insurance   $ 27,082                
Tax gross up for relocation expenses           $ 3,271        
401(k) plan company match   $ 6,857   $ 6,300   $ 6,300   $ 6,643   $ 6,300
Auto and phone expenses                    
   
 
 
 
 
  Total All Other Compensation   $ 33,939   $ 6,300   $ 9,571   $ 6,643   $ 6,300
   
 
 
 
 

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Grants of Plan-Based Awards

        The table below provides information regarding IAC equity awards granted to Ticketmaster's named executives in 2007.

 
   
  Estimated Future Payouts Under Equity Incentive Plan Awards (1)(2)
  All other stock awards: number of shares of stock or units (#)(2)
   
 
   
  Grant Date Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards ($)(3)
Name

  Grant
Date

  Threshold
(#)

  Target
(#)

  Maximum
(#)

Terry Barnes            
Sean Moriarty   2/16/07   1,953   35,131   70,262   10,038   1,799,984
Eric Korman   2/16/07   976   17,565   35,130   5,019   899,972
Susan Bracey   2/16/07   592   10,664   21,328   4,391   599,941
Edward Weiss   2/16/07   244   4,391   8,782   4,391   349,963

(1)
Reflects performance based RSU awards which cliff vest at the end of three years in varying amounts depending upon the growth in IAC's publicly reported metric, Adjusted Earnings Per Share, with certain modifications. The threshold amount represents 5.56% of the target payout, which amount would vest upon achieving the minimum growth threshold. These awards will be converted into three year cliff-vesting awards in the spin-offs as described under "Treatment of Outstanding IAC Compensatory Equity-Based Awards."

(2)
RSU award recipients would be credited with amounts for cash dividends paid on IAC common stock, with such additional amounts vesting concurrently with the related RSU award. For information on the treatment of RSU awards granted to Ticketmaster named executives upon a termination of employment or a change in control, see the discussion under Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control below.

(3)
The fair value of equity incentive plan awards is based on the target payout.

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Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

        The table below provides information regarding various IAC equity awards held by Ticketmaster's named executives as of December 31, 2007. The market value of all RSU awards is based on the closing price of IAC common stock as of December 31, 2007 ($26.92), the last trading day of 2007.

 
   
   
   
  Stock Awards(1)(2)
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Equity incentive plan awards: Market or payout value of unearned shares, units or other rights that have not vested ($)(4)
 
  Option Awards(1)
   
   
   
Name
  Number of securities underlying unexercised options
(#)(3)
(exercisable)

  Option exercise price ($)
  Option expiration date
  Number of shares or units of stock that have not vested
(#)(4)

  Market value of shares or units of stock that have not vested
($)(4)

  Equity incentive plan awards: Number of unearned shares, units or other rights that have not vested
(#)(4)

Terry Barnes   17,509
39,274
  $
$
31.00
33.13
  12/20/09
3/19/12
 

88,005
 

2,369,095
 

 


Sean Moriarty

 

23,374

 

$

46.77

 

12/27/09

 


103,513

 


2,786,570

 


1,953

 


52,575

Eric Korman

 


 

 


 


 

60,972

 

1,641,366

 

976

 

26,274

Susan Bracey

 

5,250
11,103

 

$
$

25.55
33.13

 

5/1/10
3/19/12

 



32,159

 



865,720

 



592

 



15,937

Edward Weiss

 


 

 


 


 

20,944

 

563,812

 

244

 

6,568

(1)
For a discussion regarding how these IAC equity awards will be treated in the spin-offs, see under "The Separation—Treatment of Outstanding IAC Compensatory Equity-Based Awards."

(2)
Amounts shown for equity incentive plan awards are based on achieving the minimum growth threshold in accordance with SEC rules.

(3)
On August 9, 2005, IAC completed the separation of its travel and travel-related businesses and investments (other than Interval and TV Travel Shop) into an independent public company (the "Expedia Spin-Off"). In connection with the Expedia Spin-Off, each then vested option to purchase shares of IAC common stock was converted into an option to purchase shares of IAC common stock and an option to purchase shares of Expedia common stock. Adjustments were made to the number of shares subject to each IAC and Expedia stock option to give effect to the one-for-two reverse stock split effected in connection with the Expedia Spin-Off and to the corresponding exercise prices based on the relative market capitalizations of IAC and Expedia at the time of the Expedia Spin-Off. The adjusted IAC and Expedia stock options otherwise have the same terms and conditions, including exercise periods, as the corresponding vested IAC stock options outstanding immediately prior to the Expedia Spin-Off.

    For the named executives, any value realized upon the exercise of Expedia stock options is treated for tax purposes as compensation payable to them in their respective capacities as executive officers of Ticketmaster. Accordingly, information regarding Expedia stock options held by Ticketmaster's named executives as of December 31, 2007 appears in the table immediately below

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    and information regarding any exercises of Expedia stock options by such named executives is reported in the Option Exercises and Stock Vested table below.

Name
  Number of Options
(#)

  Option Exercise Price ($)
  Option Expiration Date
Sean Moriarty   23,374   $ 37.45   12/27/09

Susan Bracey

 

4,910
2,750

 

$
$

26.53
20.46

 

3/19/12
5/1/10
(4)
The table below provides the following information regarding RSU awards held by Ticketmaster's named executives as of December 31, 2007: (i) the grant date of each award, (ii) the number of RSUs outstanding (on an aggregate and grant-by-grant basis), (iii) the market value of RSUs outstanding as of December 31, 2007, (iv) the vesting schedule for each award and (v) the total number of RSUs that vested or are scheduled to vest in each of the fiscal years ending December 31, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

 
  Number of Unvested RSUs as of 12/31/07
  Market Value of Unvested RSUs as of 12/31/07
  Vesting Schedule (#)
Grant Date
  (#)
  ($)
  2008
  2009
  2010
  2011
  2012
Terry Barnes                            
  2/4/04(a)   7,669   206,449   3,834   3,835      
  2/4/04(b)   29,490   793,871     29,490      
  2/10/05(a)   14,706   395,886   4,902   4,901   4,903    
  12/14/05(c)   36,140   972,889   36,140        
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total   88,005   2,369,095   44,876   38,226   4,903    
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sean Moriarty                            
  2/12/03(d)   4,502   121,194   4,502        
  2/4/04(a)   5,841   157,240   2,920   2,921      
  2/4/04(b)   29,490   793,871     29,490      
  2/10/05(a)   12,442   334,939   4,147   4,147   4,148    
  12/14/05(e)   23,130   622,660   5,782   5,783   5,782   5,783  
  12/14/05(f)   18,070   486,444         18,070  
  2/16/07(a)   10,038   270,223   2,007   2,008   2,007   2,008   2,008
  2/16/07(g)   35,131   945,727       35,131    
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total   138,644   3,732,298   19,358   44,349   47,068   25,861   2,008
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eric Korman                            
  2/12/03(d)   1,577   42,453   1,577        
  2/4/04(a)   1,770   47,648   885   885      
  2/10/05(a)   3,394   91,366   1,131   1,131   1,132    
  2/10/05(b)   15,081   405,981       15,081    
  2/6/06(a)   8,624   232,158   2,156   2,156   2,156   2,156  
  2/6/06(b)   17,966   483,645         17,966  
  5/17/06(a)   7,541   203,004   1,885   1,885   1,885   1,886  
  2/16/07(a)   5,019   135,111   1,003   1,004   1,004   1,004   1,004
  2/16/07(g)   17,565   472,850       17,565    
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total   78,537   2,114,216   8,637   7,061   38,823   23,012   1,004
   
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Susan Bracey                            
  2/12/03(d)   2,815   75,780   2,815        
  9/30/03(d)   901   24,255   901        
  2/4/04(a)   3,505   94,355   1,752   1,753      
  2/10/05(a)   9,049   243,599   3,016   3,016   3,017    
  2/6/06(a)   11,498   309,526   2,874   2,875   2,874   2,875  
  2/16/07(a)   4,391   118,206   878   878   878   878   879
  2/16/07(g)   10,664   287,075       10,664    
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total   42,823   1,152,796   12,236   8,522   17,433   3,753   879
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Edward Weiss                            
  2/12/03(d)   901   24,255   901        
  2/4/04(a)   1,453   39,115   726   727      
  2/10/05(a)   2,701   72,711   899   900   902    
  2/6/06(a)   11,498   309,526   2,874   2,875   2,874   2,875  
  2/16/07(a)   4,391   118,206   878   878   878   878   879
  2/16/07(g)   4,391   118,206       4,391    
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total   25,335   682,019   6,278   5,380   9,045   3,753   879
   
 
 
 
 
 
 

(a)
These awards vest in five equal annual installments on each of the first five anniversaries of the grant date, subject to continued employment.

(b)
These awards vest in one lump sum installment on the fifth anniversary of the grant date, subject to continued employment.

(c)
This award vests in one lump sum installment on January 31, 2008.

(d)
These awards vest in four equal installments, beginning on the second anniversary of the grant date, subject to continued employment.

(e)
This award vests in five equal annual installments on each of the first five anniversaries of February 1, 2006, subject to continued employment.

(f)
This award vests in one lump sum installment on February 1, 2011, subject to continued employment.

(g)
Represents the initial "target" award. See the Grants of Plan-Based Awards table and footnote (1) thereto.

Option Exercises and Stock Vested

        The table below provides information regarding the number of shares acquired by Ticketmaster's named executives in 2007 upon the exercise of stock options and the vesting of RSU awards and the related value realized, in each case, excluding the effect of any applicable taxes. The dollar value realized upon exercise of stock options represents the difference between (i) the sale price of the shares acquired on exercise for simultaneous exercise and sale transactions and (ii) the exercise price of the stock option, multiplied by the number of stock options that were exercised. The dollar value

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realized upon vesting of RSUs represents the closing price of IAC common stock on the applicable vesting date multiplied by the number of RSUs so vesting.

 
  Option Awards
  Stock Awards
Name
  Number of Shares Acquired on Exercise
(#) (1)

  Value Realized on Exercise
($)

  Number of Shares Acquired on Vesting
(#)

  Value Realized on Vesting
($)

Terry Barnes   219,544   1,852,600   8,734   342,246
Sean Moriarty   27,360   163,502   17,350   677,463
Eric Korman   -   -   7,630   297,278
Susan Bracey   15,587   164,548   11,354   438,151
Edward Weiss   18,441   136,439   5,399   212,186

(1)
Includes 119,544, 12,086, 15,587 and 8,603 Expedia shares acquired by Mr. Barnes, Mr. Moriarty, Ms. Bracey and Mr. Weiss, respectively, upon the exercise of Expedia stock options received in connection with the Expedia Spin-Off.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

    Change of Control

        Pursuant to the terms of IAC's (and, following the spin-off, Ticketmaster's) equity compensation plans and the award agreements thereunder, upon a change of control the named executive officers are generally entitled to accelerated vesting of (i) equity awards made prior to 2006 and (ii) equity awards made thereafter if, following such change in control, their employment is terminated by the company for any reason other than death, disability or cause (as defined in the relevant employment agreement), or by the executive for good reason (as defined in the plan or relevant employment agreement) (a "Qualifying Termination"). Under the New Moriarty Agreement, Mr. Moriarty would receive full acceleration of all vesting on his existing equity awards and on the stock options to be granted at the time of the spin-off. A portion of the restricted stock units to be granted Mr. Moriarty at the time of the spin-off would vest equal to 25% of the award plus an additional 25% for each 12 months of completed service from the date of the spin-off until the change of control, provided in no event would such amount be less than 50% or more than 100%.

    Severance

        Cash.    Upon a Qualifying Termination, Ticketmaster's executive officers are generally entitled to salary continuation for the remainder of their agreements. The expiration dates of the employment agreements for Mr. Korman and Mr. Weiss are April 10, 2009 and December 31, 2009, respectively. Mr. Barnes' agreement recently expired and a new agreement has not yet been executed. Ms. Bracey announced that she will be leaving Ticketmaster. In connection with her departure, Ms. Bracey will receive (i) an amount equal to her monthly base salary ($26,250) multiplied by the number of complete months she was employed by Ticketmaster from December 1, 2007 through her date of termination (but no more than 9 months of salary), and (ii) an amount sufficient to enable Ms. Bracey to cover the cost of her continued participation in Ticketmaster's health plan for a number of months equal to the number of complete months she was employed by Ticketmaster from December 1, 2007 through her date of termination. Additionally, Mr. Weiss has the right to receive this salary continuation in the event he resigns voluntarily following a change in his reporting officer. Mr. Moriarty, whose agreement runs four years from the date of the spin-off, is entitled to 24 months salary continuation from the date of a Qualifying Termination and a pro rated bonus for the year in which the termination occurs.

        Equity.    In the event Mr. Weiss is terminated or resigns following a change in his reporting officer, he will be entitled to acceleration of all his equity awards that were granted prior to 2008. Additionally,

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Ms. Bracey will receive accelerated vesting of any RSUs granted to Ms. Bracey on or prior to December 1, 2007 that are not vested on the date of her termination. Under the New Moriarty Agreement, a Qualifying Termination would entitle Mr. Moriarty to full acceleration of all vesting on his existing equity awards and on the stock options to be granted at the time of the spin-off, plus a portion of the restricted stock units to be granted Mr. Moriarty at the time of the spin-off would vest equal to 25% of the award plus an additional 25% for each 12 months of completed service from the date of the spin-off until the Qualifying Termination, provided in no event would such amount be less than 50% or more than 100%.

        Obligations.    The receipt of the payments and benefits described above are all subject to the execution of a general release and to compliance with confidentiality, non-solicitation of employees and non-solicitation of customer covenants set forth in the relevant employment agreements. Salary continuation payments will be offset by the amount of any compensation earned by an executive from other employment during the severance payment period.

        The amounts shown in the table assume that the termination or change in control was effective as of December 31, 2007 and that the price of IAC common stock on which certain calculations are based was the closing price of $26.92 on The Nasdaq Stock Market on that date. These amounts are estimates of the incremental amounts that would have been paid out to the executive upon such terminations/change in control, and do not take into account equity grants made, and contractual obligations entered into, after December 31, 2007. The actual amounts to be paid out can only be determined at the time the event actually occurs.

Name and Benefit
  Termination
without
cause

  Resignation
for good
reason

  Death or
Disability

  Change in
Control

  Termination
w/o cause or
for good
reason in
connection
with Change
in Control

Terry Barnes                    
Cash Severance (salary)   50,000   50,000   50,000     50,000
RSUs (vesting accelerated)   972,889       1,396,206   2,369,095
Consulting Payments (1)   60,000     60,000     60,000
Total estimated value   1,082,889   50,000   110,000   1,396,206   2,479,095
Sean Moriarty                    
Cash Severance (salary)   541,667         541,667
RSUs (vesting accelerated)   121,194     105,015   2,635,306   3,732,296
Consulting Payments (1)   28,000     28,000     28,000
Total estimated value   690,861     133,105   2,635,306   4,301,963
Eric Korman                    
Cash Severance (salary)   447,125   447,125       447,125
RSUs (vesting accelerated)   21,240     36,773   587,448   2,114,216
Total estimated value   468,365   447,125   36,773   587,448   2,561,341
Susan Bracey                    
Cash Severance (salary)          
RSUs (vesting accelerated)   12,114     75,349   600,370   1,152,795
Total estimated value   12,114     75,349   600,370   1,152,795
Edward Weiss                    
Cash Severance (salary)          
RSUs (vesting accelerated)   12,114     20,998   136,081   682,018
Total estimated value   12,114     20,998   136,081   682,018

(1)
Consulting payments are payable upon termination other than for death or cause.

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TICKETMASTER SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

        As of the date hereof, all of Ticketmaster's outstanding shares of common stock are owned by IAC. After the distribution, IAC will no longer own any shares of Ticketmaster common stock. The following table presents information relating to the expected beneficial ownership of shares of Ticketmaster common stock, assuming completion of the distribution as if it occurred on April 30, 2008, by (i) each individual or entity expected to own beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding shares of Ticketmaster common stock, assuming that there are 278,735,546 shares of common stock and Class B common stock of IAC outstanding immediately prior to the spin-offs and a distribution ratio of one-fifth of a share of TM common stock for every share of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock (ii) each director of Ticketmaster, (iii) the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and the other three named executive officers in the Ticketmaster summary compensation table (see "Ticketmaster Executive Compensation") and (iv) all of Ticketmaster's executive officers and directors as a group.

        Unless otherwise indicated, beneficial owners listed here may be contacted at Ticketmaster's corporate headquarters at 8800 West Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069. For each listed person, the number of shares of Ticketmaster common stock and percent of such class listed assumes the conversion or exercise of any Ticketmaster equity securities owned by such person that are or will become convertible or exercisable, and the exercise of stock options and the vesting of restricted stock units, if any, that will vest, within 60 days of April 30, 2008, but does not assume the conversion, exercise or vesting of any such equity securities owned by any other person.

        The share amounts for each beneficial owner listed here are based on each such individual's beneficial ownership of shares of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock as of April 30, 2008, and assuming a distribution ratio of one-fifth of a share of Ticketmaster common stock for every share of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock. To the extent that Ticketmaster directors and executive officers own shares of IAC common stock at the time of the distribution, they will participate in the distribution on the same terms as other holders of IAC common stock. In addition, following the distribution, Ticketmaster expects that all IAC stock-based awards held by these individuals will be adjusted to become awards relating to common stock of all five companies resulting from the spin-offs. Those awards that will relate to Ticketmaster common stock are reflected in the table below based upon the expected adjustment formula described under the caption "The Separation—Treatment of Outstanding IAC Compensatory Equity-Based Awards."

        The actual number of shares of Ticketmaster capital stock outstanding as of the date of the distribution may differ due, among other things, to the exercise of stock options or warrants or the

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vesting of restricted stock units, in each case, between April 30, 2008 and the date of the distribution and to the extent the other assumptions set forth above differ from actual developments.

 
  Ticketmaster Common
Stock

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner

  Shares
  %
Clearbridge Advisors, LLC, et al(1)(2)
399 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10022
  2,651,312   4.75
Lord Abbett & Co. LLC(1)(2)
90 Hudson Street, 11th Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07302
  7,839,768   14.06
Liberty Media Corporation(3)(4)
12300 Liberty Boulevard
Englewood, CO 80112
  16,643,961   29.86
Terry Barnes(5)(6)   6,547   *
Mark Carleton    
Brian Deevy    
Barry Diller(5)   1,716,484   3.08
Jonathan L. Dolgen(7)   1,790   *
Diane Irvine    
Julius Genachowski   3,365   *
Eric Korman(5)    
Victor Kaufman(5)   9,143   *
Michael Leitner    
Jonathan F. Miller    
Sean Moriarty(5)    
Edward Weiss(5)   1,755   *
All executive officers and directors as a group (13 persons)   1,739,084   3.12

*
The percentage of shares beneficially owned does not exceed 1%.

(1)
We have not been able to determine the person or persons controlling the fund through publicly available information.

(2)
Based upon information regarding IAC holdings reported on a Schedule 13G, as amended, which was filed with the SEC on February 14, 2008 and a distribution ratio of one-fifth of a share of TM common stock for every share of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock.

(3)
Liberty Media Corporation is a publicly traded corporation. According to Liberty Media Corporation's Schedule 14A, filed April 24, 2008, Liberty's chairman, John C. Malone, controls 33% of the voting power of Liberty Media Corporation.

(4)
Based on 58,796,381 shares of IAC common stock held by Liberty and 4,000,000, 15,618,230, 4,005,190 and 800,006 shares of IAC Class B common stock held by each of BDTV Inc., BDTV II Inc., BDTV III Inc. and BDTV IV Inc., respectively and a distribution ratio of one-fifth of a share of TM common stock for every share of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock.

(5)
Excludes any equity awards that will vest upon completion of the spin-offs.

(6)
Calculation is based, in part, on 30,026 shares of IAC common stock held in trust with Mr. Barnes's spouse, 211 shares of IAC common stock held in an IRA account maintained by Mr. Barnes's spouse, and 2,500 shares of IAC common stock held by Mr. Barnes son, who shares his household. Mr. Barnes's disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of IAC common stock held by his spouse and son.

(7)
Calculation is based, in part, on 467 shares of IAC common stock held by a charitable foundation with which Mr. Dolgen is affiliated. Mr. Dolgen disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares of IAC common stock.

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK OF TICKETMASTER

General

        The following is a summary of information concerning the capital stock of the Company. The summaries and descriptions below do not purport to be complete statements of the relevant provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company or its by-laws. The summary is qualified by reference to these documents, which you must read for complete information on the capital stock of the Company. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws of the Company are included as exhibits to the Company's registration statement on Form S-1, of which this prospectus is a part.

Distributions of Securities

        In the past three years, the Company has not sold any securities, including sales of reacquired securities, new issues, securities issued in exchange for property, services, or other securities, and new securities resulting from the modification of outstanding securities, that were not registered under the Securities Act.

Common Stock

        Immediately following the spin-off, our authorized capital stock will consist of 300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and the preferred stock described below.

        Shares Outstanding.    Immediately following the spin-off, we expect that the number of shares of common stock that we will have issued and outstanding will be approximately 55.75 million shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (based on a distribution ratio of one-fifth of a share of Ticketmaster for each share of IAC common stock and Class B common stock outstanding). This is based upon approximately 253,135,548 shares of IAC common stock and 25,599,998 shares of IAC Class B common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2008.

        Dividends.    Subject to prior dividend rights of the holders of any preferred shares, holders of shares of common stock of the Company are entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by its board of directors out of funds legally available for that purpose.

        Voting Rights.    Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. Holders of shares of common stock do not have cumulative voting rights. In other words, a holder of a single share of our common stock cannot cast more than one vote for each position to be filled on our board of directors.

        Other Rights.    In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company after the satisfaction in full of the liquidation preferences of holders of any preferred shares, holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to ratable distribution of the remaining assets available for distribution to stockholders. Shares of common stock are not subject to redemption by operation of a sinking fund or otherwise. Holders of shares of common stock are not currently entitled to preemptive rights.

        Fully Paid.    The issued and outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. This means the full purchase price for the outstanding shares of common stock has been paid and the holders of such shares will not be assessed any additional amounts for such shares. Any additional shares of common stock that we may issue in the future will also be fully paid and non-assessable.

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Preferred Stock

        Ticketmaster is authorized to issue up to 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share. Our board of directors, without further action by the holders of our common stock, may issue shares of preferred stock. The board of directors is vested with the authority to fix by resolution the designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including, without limitation, redemption rights, dividend rights, liquidation preferences and conversion or exchange rights of any class or series of preferred stock, and to fix the number of classes or series of preferred stock, the number of shares constituting any such class or series and the voting powers for each class or series.

        The authority possessed by our board of directors to issue preferred stock could potentially be used to discourage attempts by third parties to obtain control of the Company through a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise by making such attempts more difficult or more costly. Our board of directors may issue preferred stock with voting rights or conversion rights that, if exercised, could adversely affect the voting power of the holders of our common stock. There are no current agreements or understandings with respect to the issuance of preferred stock and the board of directors does not have a present intention to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Restrictions on Payment of Dividends

        The Company is incorporated in Delaware and is governed by Delaware law. Delaware law allows a corporation to pay dividends only out of surplus, as determined under Delaware law.

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law

        Section 203 ("Section 203") of the Delaware General Corporation Law prohibits certain transactions between a Delaware corporation and an "interested stockholder." Generally, an "interested stockholder" for this purpose is a stockholder who is directly or indirectly a beneficial owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting power of a Delaware corporation. This provision, if applicable, prohibits certain business combinations between an interested stockholder and a corporation for a period of three years after the date on which the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless: (1) the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder is approved by the corporation's board of directors before the stockholder became an interested stockholder, (2) the interested stockholder acquired at least 85% of the voting power (as calculated pursuant to Section 203) of the corporation in the transaction in which the stockholder became an interested stockholder, or (3) the business combination is approved by a majority of the board of directors and the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds of the outstanding voting power not owned by the interested stockholder at or subsequent to the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder. These restrictions do not apply in certain circumstances, including if the corporation's certificate of incorporation contains a provision expressly electing not to be governed by Section 203. If such a provision is adopted by an amendment to the corporation's certificate of incorporation, the amendment will be effective immediately if, among other requirements, the corporation has never had a class of voting stock listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders. If this and other requirements are not satisfied, the amendment will not be effective until 12 months after its adoption and will not apply to any business combination between the corporation and any person who became an interested stockholder on or prior to such adoption.

        Because Ticketmaster previously was a public company, the amendment to its certificate of incorporation by which Ticketmaster will elect not to be governed by Section 203 that will be adopted at the time of its spin-off will not be effective for 12 months. Consequently, the restrictions on certain business combinations in Section 203 will apply in respect of Ticketmaster until 12 months after its

97


spin-off. However, because, among other reasons, the board of directors of Ticketmaster approved the spin-off of Ticketmaster, the restrictions in Section 203 will not apply to business combinations between Ticketmaster and Liberty Media Corporation.

Anti-takeover Effects of the Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws of Ticketmaster and Delaware Law

        Some provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws and certain provisions of Delaware law could make the following more difficult:

    acquisition of the Company by means of a tender offer;

    acquisition of the Company by means of a proxy contest or otherwise; or

    removal of incumbent officers and directors of the Company.

    Size of Board and Vacancies

        Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws provide that the number of directors on the Company's board of directors will be fixed exclusively by the board of directors. Newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors will be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, provided that a majority of the entire board of directors, or a quorum, is present and any vacancies in the board of directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause will be filled generally by the majority vote of the remaining directors in office, even if less than a quorum is present.

    Elimination of Stockholder Action by Written Consent

        Our Amended and Restated certificate of incorporation and by-laws expressly eliminate the right of stockholders to act by written consent. Stockholder action must take place at the annual or a special meeting of the Company's stockholders.

    Stockholder Meetings

        Under our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws, stockholders are not entitled to call special meetings of stockholders; only a majority of our board of directors or specified individuals may call such meetings.

    Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and Proposals

        Our Amended and Restated by-laws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and nomination of candidates for election as directors other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. In particular, stockholders must notify the corporate secretary in writing prior to the meeting at which the matters are to be acted upon or directors are to be elected. The notice must contain the information specified in our Amended and Restated by-laws. To be timely, the notice must be received at the Company's principal executive office not later than 45 or more than 75 days prior to the first anniversary of the date on which the Company first mailed its proxy materials for the preceding year's annual meeting of stockholders. However, if the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to or delayed by more than 30 days after the anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting, notice by the stockholder, to be timely, must be delivered no later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Moreover, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the board of directors is increased and there is no public announcement by the Company naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased board of

98


directors at least 55 days prior to the first anniversary of the date on which the Company first mailed its proxy materials for the preceding year's annual meeting of stockholders, the stockholder's notice will be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it is delivered to the corporate secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Company.

    Undesignated Preferred Stock

        The authorization in our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with respect to the issuance of undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for the our board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change control of the Company. The provision in our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation authorizing such preferred stock may have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying changes of control of the Company's management.

NASDAQ Listing

        The Company has been approved to list its shares of common stock on NASDAQ and expects that its shares will trade under the ticker symbol "TKTM."

Resale of Ticketmaster Common Stock

        As security holders, you will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, which provisions may limit the timing of purchases and sales of our securities by you. In addition, if you are deemed an "affiliate" of Ticketmaster (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act), the securities offered hereby may be deemed "restricted securities" (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) notwithstanding their registration under this registration statement. As a result you will not be able to sell the securities offered hereby absent an effective registration statement covering such sales or an available exemption from registration under the Securities Act.

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Agreements with Liberty Media Corporation

        In May 2008, in connection with the settlement of litigation relating to the proposed spin-offs, IAC entered into a "Spinco Agreement" with Liberty and affiliates of Liberty that hold shares of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock (together with Liberty, the "Liberty Parties"), among others. At the time of the spin-offs, each Spinco will assume from IAC all of those rights and obligations under the Spinco Agreement providing for post-spin-off governance arrangements at the Spincos. As of April 30, 2008, Liberty may be deemed to beneficially own (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) 83,219,807 shares of IAC common stock that consists of shares of common stock and Class B common stock. Such shares constitute 29.9% of the outstanding shares of IAC common stock. Immediately following the spin-offs, it is expected that Liberty will beneficially own shares of common stock in each of the Spincos representing approximately 29.9% of the outstanding common stock of each of the Spincos. The following summary describes the material terms of those governance arrangements and related matters and is qualified by reference to the full Spinco Agreement, which has been filed as an exhibit to each of the Form S-1 registration statements of the Spincos. The Spinco Agreement also requires each Spinco to enter into a registration rights agreement with the Liberty Parties at the time of the spin-offs, as described below.

    Spinco Agreement

    Representation of Liberty on the Spinco Boards of Directors

        The Spinco Agreement generally provides that so long as Liberty beneficially owns securities of a Spinco representing at least 20% of the total voting power of the Spinco's equity securities, Liberty has the right to nominate up to 20% of the directors serving on the Spinco Board of Directors (rounded up to the nearest whole number). Any director nominated by Liberty must be reasonably acceptable to a majority of the directors on the Spinco's Board who were not nominated by Liberty. All but one of Liberty's nominees serving on the Spinco Board of directors must qualify as "independent" under applicable stock exchange rules. In addition, the Nominating and/or Governance committee of the Spinco Board may include only "Qualified Directors," namely directors other than any who were nominated by Liberty, are officers or employees of the Spinco or were not nominated by the Nominating and/or Governance Committee of the Spinco's Board in their initial election to the Board and for whose election any Liberty Party voted shares.

        Until the second anniversary of the spin-off of a Spinco, the Liberty Parties agreed to vote all of the equity securities of a Spinco beneficially owned by them in favor of the election of the full slate of director nominees recommended to stockholders by the Spinco Board of Directors so long as the slate includes the director-candidates that Liberty has the right to nominate.

    Acquisition Restrictions

        The Liberty Parties have agreed in the Spinco Agreement not to acquire beneficial ownership of any equity securities of a Spinco (with specified exceptions) unless:

    the acquisition was approved by a majority of the Qualified Directors;

    the acquisition is permitted under the provisions described in "Competing Offers" below; or

    after giving effect to the acquisition, Liberty's ownership percentage of the equity securities of the Spinco, based on voting power, would not exceed the Applicable Percentage.

        The "Applicable Percentage" initially is Liberty's ownership percentage upon the spin-off of a Spinco, based on voting power (expected to be approximately 30%), plus 5%, but in no event more than 35%. Following a spin-off, the Applicable Percentage for the Spinco will be reduced for specified

100


transfers of equity securities of the Spinco by the Liberty Parties. During the first two years following the spin-off of a Spinco, acquisitions by the Liberty Parties are further limited to specified extraordinary transactions and, otherwise, to acquisitions representing no more than one-third of the Spinco Common Stock received by the Liberty Parties in the spin-off.

    Standstill Restrictions

        Until the second anniversary of the spin-off, unless a majority of the Qualified Directors consent or to the extent permitted by the provisions described under "Acquisition Restrictions" or "Competing Offers" or in certain other limited circumstances, no Liberty Party may:

    offer to acquire beneficial ownership of any equity securities of such Spinco;

    initiate or propose any stockholder proposal or seek or propose to influence, advise, change or control the management, Board of Directors, governing instruments or policies or affairs of such Spinco;

    offer, seek or propose, collaborate on or encourage any merger or other extraordinary transaction;

    subject any equity securities of such Spinco to a voting agreement;

    make a request to amend any of the provisions described under "Acquisition Restrictions", "Standstill Restrictions" or "Competing Offers";

    make any public disclosure, or take any action which could reasonably be expected to require such Spinco to make any public disclosure, with respect to any of the provisions described under "Standstill Restrictions"; or

    enter into any discussions, negotiations, arrangements or understandings with any third party with respect to any of the provisions described under "Standstill Restrictions".

    Transfer Restrictions

        Unless a majority of the Qualified Directors consent, the Spinco Agreement prohibits transfers by the Liberty Parties of any equity securities of a Spinco to any person except for certain transfers, including:

    transfers under Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or, if Rule 144 is not applicable, in "broker transactions");

    transfers pursuant to a third party tender or exchange offer or in connection with any merger or other business combination, which merger or business combination has been approved by the Spinco;

    transfers in a public offering in a manner designed to result in a wide distribution, provided that no such transfer is made, to the knowledge of the Liberty Parties, to any person whose ownership percentage (based on voting power) of the Spinco's equity securities, giving effect to the transfer, would exceed 15%;

    a transfer of all of the equity securities of the Spinco beneficially owned by the Liberty Parties and their affiliates in a single transaction if the transferee's ownership percentage (based on voting power), after giving effect to the transfer, would not exceed the Applicable Percentage and only if the transferee assumes all of the rights and obligations (subject to limited exceptions) of the Liberty Parties under the Spinco Agreement relating to the Spinco;

101


    specified transfers in connection with changes in the beneficial ownership of the ultimate parent company of a Liberty Party or a distribution of the equity interests of a Liberty Party or certain similar events; and

    specified transfers relating to certain hedging transactions or stock lending transactions in respect of the Liberty Parties' equity securities in the Spinco, subject to specified restrictions.

        During the first two years following the applicable spin-off, transfers otherwise permitted by the first and third bullets above will be prohibited, and transfers otherwise permitted by the fourth and sixth bullets above in respect of which IAC and the Spinco do not make certain determinations with respect to the transferee will be prohibited, unless such transfers represent no more than one-third of the Spinco Common Stock received by the Liberty Parties in the spin-off.

    Competing Offers

        During the period when Liberty continues to have the right to nominate directors to a Spinco's Board of Directors, if the Spinco's Board of Directors determines to pursue certain types of transactions on a negotiated basis (either through an "auction" or with a single bidder), Liberty is granted certain rights to compete with the bidder or bidders, including the right to receive certain notices and information, subject to specified conditions and limitations. In connection with any such transaction that the Spinco is negotiating with a single bidder, the Spinco's Board must consider any offer for a transaction made in good faith by Liberty but is not obligated to accept any such offer or to enter into negotiations with Liberty.

        If a third party (x) commences a tender or exchange offer for at least 35% of the capital stock of the Spinco other than pursuant to an agreement with the Spinco or (y) publicly discloses that its ownership percentage (based on voting power) exceeds 20% and the Spinco's Board fails to take certain actions to block such third party from acquiring an ownership percentage of the Spinco (based on voting power) exceeding the Applicable Percentage, the Liberty Parties generally will be relieved of the obligations described under "Standstill Restrictions" and "Acquisition Restrictions" above to the extent reasonably necessary to permit Liberty to commence and consummate a competing offer. If Liberty's ownership percentage (based on voting power) as a result of the consummation of a competing offer in response to a tender or exchange offer described in (x) above exceeds 50%, any consent or approval requirements of the Qualified Directors in the Spinco Agreement will be terminated, and, following the later of the second anniversary of the applicable spin-off and the date that Liberty's ownership percentage (based on voting power) exceeds 50%, the obligations described under "Acquisition Restrictions" will be terminated.

    Other

        Following the spin-off of a Spinco, amendments to the Spinco Agreement and determinations required to be made thereunder (including approval of transactions between a Liberty Party and the Spinco that would be reportable under the proxy rules) will require the approval of the Qualified Directors.

    Registration Rights Agreement

        As indicated above under "Spinco Agreement," each Spinco will grant to Liberty the registration rights described below at the time of its spin-off.

        Under the registration rights agreement, the Liberty Parties and their permitted transferees (the "Holders") will be entitled to three demand registration rights (and unlimited piggyback registration rights) in respect of the shares of Spinco common stock received by the Liberty Parties as a result of the Spinco's spin-off and other shares of Spinco common stock acquired by the Liberty Parties

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consistent with the Spinco Agreement (collectively, the "Registrable Shares"). The Holders will be permitted to exercise their registration rights in connection with certain hedging transactions that they may enter into in respect of the Registrable Shares.

        The Spinco will be obligated to indemnify the Holders, and each selling Holder will be obligated to indemnify the Spinco, against specified liabilities in connection with misstatements or omissions in any registration statement.

Relationships Among IAC and the Spincos

        Following the spin-offs, the relationships among IAC and the Spincos will be governed by a number of agreements. These agreements include, among others:

    a Separation and Distribution Agreement;

    a Tax Sharing Agreement;

    an Employee Matters Agreement; and

    a Transition Services Agreement (collectively, the "Spin-Off Agreements").

        The Spin-Off Agreements will be filed as exhibits to the respective registration statement on Form S-1 of each of the Spincos, of which this prospectus is a part, and the summaries of each such agreement are qualified by reference to the full text of the applicable agreement.

    Separation and Distribution Agreement

        The Separation and Distribution Agreement will set forth the arrangements among IAC and each of the Spincos regarding the principal transactions necessary to separate each of the Spincos from IAC, as well as govern certain aspects of the relationship of a Spinco with IAC and other Spincos after the completion of the spin-offs.

        Each Spinco will agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless (and to cause the other members of its respective group to indemnify, defend and hold harmless), under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, IAC and each of the other Spincos, and each of their respective current and former directors, officers and employees, from and against any losses arising out of any breach by such indemnifying companies of the Spin-Off Agreements, any failure by such indemnifying company to assume and perform any of the liabilities allocated to such company and any liabilities relating to the indemnifying company's financial and business information included in filings made with the SEC in connection with the spin-offs. IAC will agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each of the Spincos, and each of their respective current and former directors, officers and employees, from and against losses arising out of any breach by IAC of the Spin-Off Agreements, and any failure by IAC to perform its obligations under the Separation and Distribution Agreement or any Spin-Off Agreement.

        In addition, the Separation and Distribution Agreement will also govern insurance and related reimbursement arrangements, provision and retention of records, access to information and confidentiality, cooperation with respect to governmental filings and third party consents and access to property.

    Tax Sharing Agreement

        The Tax Sharing Agreement governs the respective rights, responsibilities and obligations of IAC and each Spinco after the spin-off of such Spinco with respect to taxes for periods ending on or before the spin-off of such Spinco. In general, pursuant to the Tax Sharing Agreement, IAC will prepare and file the consolidated federal income tax return, and any other tax returns that include IAC (or any of its subsidiaries) and a Spinco (or any of its subsidiaries) for all taxable periods ending on or prior to, or

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including, the distribution date of such Spinco with the appropriate tax authorities, and, except as otherwise set forth below, IAC will pay any taxes relating thereto to the relevant tax authority (including any taxes attributable to an audit adjustment with respect to such returns; provided that IAC will not be responsible for audit adjustments relating to the business of a Spinco (or any of its subsidiaries) with respect to pre-spin off periods if such Spinco fails to fully cooperate with IAC in the conduct of such audit). Each Spinco will prepare and file all tax returns that include solely such Spinco and/or its subsidiaries and any separate company tax returns for such Spinco and/or its subsidiaries for all taxable periods ending on or prior to, or including, the distribution date of such Spinco, and will pay all taxes due with respect to such tax returns (including any taxes attributable to an audit adjustment with respect to such returns). In the event an adjustment with respect to a pre-spin off period for which IAC is responsible results in a tax benefit to a Spinco in a post-spin off period, such Spinco will be required to pay such tax benefit to IAC. In general, IAC controls all audits and administrative matters and other tax proceedings relating to the consolidated federal income tax return of the IAC group and any other tax returns for which the IAC group is responsible.

        Under the Tax Sharing Agreement a Spinco generally (i) may not take (or fail to take) any action that would cause any representation, information or covenant contained in the separation documents or the documents relating to the IRS private letter ruling and the tax opinion regarding the spin-off of such Spinco to be untrue, (ii) may not take (or fail to take) any other action that would cause the spin-off of such Spinco to lose its tax free status, (iii) may not sell, issue, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its equity securities (or equity securities of members of its group), except in certain specified transactions for a period of 25 months following the spin-off of such Spinco and (iv) may not, other than in the ordinary course of business, sell or otherwise dispose of a substantial portion of its assets, liquidate, merge or consolidate with any other person for a period of 25 months following the spin-off. Tree.com will not be subject to certain of the restrictions applicable to the other Spincos during the 25-month period following the spin-off of each such other Spinco. During the 25-month period, a Spinco may take certain actions prohibited by these covenants if (i) it obtains IAC's prior written consent, (ii) it provides IAC with an IRS private letter ruling or an unqualified opinion of tax counsel to the effect that such actions will not affect the tax free nature of the spin-off of such Spinco, in each case satisfactory to IAC in its sole discretion, or (iii) IAC obtains a private letter ruling at such Spinco's request. In addition, with respect to actions or transactions involving acquisitions of Spinco stock entered into at least 18 months after the distribution of such Spinco, such Spinco will be permitted to proceed with such transaction if it delivers an unconditional officer's certificate establishing facts evidencing that such acquisition satisfies the requirements of a specified safe harbor set forth in applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations, and IAC, after due diligence, is satisfied with the accuracy of such certification.

        Notwithstanding the receipt of any such IRS ruling, tax opinion or officer's certificate, generally each Spinco must indemnify IAC and each other Spinco for any taxes and related losses resulting from (i) any act or failure to act by such Spinco described in the covenants above, (ii) any acquisition of equity securities or assets of such Spinco or any member of its group, and (iii) any breach by such Spinco or any member of its group of any representation or covenant contained in the separation documents or the documents relating to the IRS private letter ruling or tax opinion concerning the spin-off of such Spinco.

        Under U.S. federal income tax law, IAC and the Spincos are severally liable for all of IAC's federal income taxes attributable to periods prior to and including the current taxable year of IAC, which ends on December 31, 2008. Thus, if IAC failed to pay the federal income taxes attributable to it under the Tax Sharing Agreement for periods prior to and including the current taxable year of IAC, the Spincos would be severally liable for such taxes. In the event a Spinco is required to make a payment in respect of a spin-off related tax liability of the IAC consolidated federal income tax return group under these rules for which such Spinco is not responsible under the Tax Sharing Agreement and

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full indemnification cannot be obtained from the Spinco responsible for such payment under the Tax Sharing Agreement, IAC will indemnify the Spinco that was required to make the payment from and against the portion of such liability for which full indemnification cannot be obtained from the Spinco responsible for such payment under the Tax Sharing Agreement.

        The Tax Sharing Agreement also contains provisions regarding the apportionment of tax attributes of the IAC consolidated federal income tax return group, the allocation of deductions with respect to compensatory equity interests, cooperation, and other customary matters. In general, tax deductions arising by reason of exercises of options to acquire IAC or Spinco stock, vesting of "restricted" IAC or Spinco stock, or settlement of restricted stock units with respect to IAC or Spinco stock held by any person will be claimed by the party that employs such person at the time of exercise, vesting or settlement, as applicable (or in the case of a former employee, the party that last employed such person).

    Employee Matters Agreement

        The employee matters agreement covers a wide range of compensation and benefit issues related to the spin-offs. In general, under the employee matters agreement:

    IAC will assume or retain (i) all liabilities with respect to IAC employees, former IAC employees (excluding any former employees of the Spincos) and their dependents and beneficiaries under all IAC employee benefit plans, and (ii) all liabilities with respect to the employment or termination of employment of all IAC employees, former IAC employees (excluding any former employees of the Spincos) and their dependents and beneficiaries.

    Each Spinco will assume or retain (i) all liabilities under its employee benefit plans, and (ii) all liabilities with respect to the employment or termination of employment of all such Spinco's employees, former employees and their dependents and beneficiaries.

        Subject to a transition period through the end of 2008 with respect to health and welfare benefits, after the spin-offs, the Spincos no longer will participate in IAC's employee benefit plans, but will have established their own employee benefit plans that are currently expected to be substantially similar to the plans sponsored by IAC prior to the spin-offs. Through the end of 2008, IAC will continue to provide health and welfare benefits to employees of the Spincos and each Spinco will bear the cost of this coverage with respect to its employees. Assets and liabilities from the IAC Retirement Savings Plan relating to Spinco employees and former employees will be transferred to the applicable, newly established Spinco Retirement Savings Plan as soon as practicable following the spin-offs. For a description of the treatment of outstanding IAC equity awards pursuant to the employee matters agreement, see "The Separation—Treatment of Outstanding IAC Compensatory Equity-Based Awards."

    Transition Services Agreement

        Pursuant to a transition services agreement among IAC and the Spincos, each of IAC and the Spincos currently expect that some combination of the following services, among others, will be provided by/to the parties (and/or their respective businesses) as set forth below on an interim, transitional basis following completion of the spin-offs:

    assistance with certain legal, finance, internal audit, human resources, insurance and tax affairs, including assistance with certain public company functions, from IAC to the Spincos;

    continued coverage/participation for employees of the Spincos under IAC health and welfare plans on the same basis as immediately prior to the distribution;

    the leasing/subleasing of office and/or data center space by IAC and its businesses to various Spincos (and vice versa);

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    assistance with the implementation and hosting of certain software applications by/from IAC and its businesses for various Spincos (and vice versa);

    call center and customer relations services by Ticketmaster to IAC's Reserve America business and Tree.com;

    payroll processing services by Ticketmaster to certain IAC businesses and an ILG business and by HSNi to IAC;

    tax compliance services by HSNi to ILG and accounting services by Ticketmaster to IAC; and

    such other services as to which any Spinco(s) and IAC may agree.

        The charges for these services will be on a cost plus fixed percentage or hourly rate basis to be agreed upon prior to the completion of the spin-offs. In general, the services to be provided by/to the parties (and/or their respective businesses) will begin on the date of the completion of the spin-offs and will cover a period generally not expected to exceed 12 months following the spin-offs. Any party may terminate the agreement with respect to one or more particular services being received by it upon such notice as will be provided for in the transition services agreement.

    Commercial Agreements

        Each of the Spincos currently, and for the foreseeable future, expect to provide certain services to each other pursuant to certain commercial relationships with IAC and/or other Spincos. Additionally, in connection with the spin-offs, each Spinco is expected to enter or has entered into various commercial agreements, primarily in the form of leases and distribution and services agreements, between their subsidiaries, on the one hand, and subsidiaries of IAC and/or one or more other Spincos, on the other hand, many of which will memorialize (in most material respects) pre-existing arrangements in effect prior to the spin-offs and which are intended to reflect arm's length terms and none of which is expected to constitute a material contract to the applicable Spinco. Below is a brief description of such agreements that, individually or together with similar agreements, involve revenues to either IAC or a Spinco in excess of $120,000. Distribution agreements generally involve the payment of fees (usually on a fixed-per-transaction, revenue sharing or commission basis) from the party seeking distribution of the product or service to the party that is providing the distribution.

        HSNi.    Certain subsidiaries of HSNi distribute their respective products and services via arrangements with certain subsidiaries of IAC and/or other Spincos (and vice versa). For example, HSNi sells merchandise on behalf of Shoebuy through HSN and various Cornerstone brands.

        Aggregate revenues earned in respect of commercial agreements between HSNi and IAC by HSNi subsidiaries from businesses that IAC will own following the distribution were approximately $320,000 in 2007. Aggregate payments made by HSNi subsidiaries to IAC subsidiaries in respect of these commercial agreements were approximately $1.8 million in 2007. Such numbers include payments to and received from Entertainment Publications, Inc., which was sold by IAC subsequent to December 31, 2007.

        ILG.    Certain subsidiaries of ILG distribute their respective products and services via arrangements with certain subsidiaries of IAC and/or other Spincos (and vice versa). For example, Interval promotes and distributes ticketing services for certain events, either through advance access or by passing along a deeper discount to its members via a link to the Ticketmaster booking engine.

        Aggregate revenues earned in respect of commercial agreements between ILG and IAC by ILG subsidiaries from businesses that IAC will own following the distribution were not material in 2007. Aggregate payments made by ILG subsidiaries to IAC subsidiaries in respect of these agreements were approximately $2.1 million in 2007. Such numbers include payments to and received from Entertainment Publications, Inc., which was sold by IAC subsequent to December 31, 2007.

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        Ticketmaster.    Certain subsidiaries of Ticketmaster (i) distribute their respective products and services via arrangements with certain subsidiaries of IAC and/or other Spincos (and vice versa), (ii) provide certain subsidiaries of IAC and/or other Spincos with various services (and vice versa) and/or (iii) lease office space from IAC. For example:

    Ticketmaster leases its corporate headquarters in California, as well as office space for its New York City operations at IAC's headquarters, from IAC; and

    IAC's Advertising Solutions business acts as a sales agent for Ticketmaster in connection with the sale of advertising on www.ticketmaster.com and websites of other Ticketmaster businesses.

        Aggregate revenues earned in respect of commercial agreements between Ticketmaster and IAC by Ticketmaster subsidiaries from businesses that IAC will own following the distribution were approximately $12.2 million in 2007. Aggregate payments made by Ticketmaster subsidiaries to IAC and its subsidiaries in respect of commercial agreements were approximately $4.2 million in 2007. Such numbers include payments to and received from Entertainment Publications, Inc., which was sold by IAC subsequent to December 31, 2007.

        Tree.com.    Certain subsidiaries of Tree.com (i) distribute their respective products and services via arrangements with certain subsidiaries of IAC and/or other Spincos (and vice versa), (ii) provide certain subsidiaries of IAC and/or other Spincos with various services (and vice versa) and/or (iii) lease office space from IAC. For example:

    Tree.com licenses certain real estate information to IAC's Ask.com business for use in connection with real estate related search results;

    IAC's Ask.com and Citysearch businesses provide search engine marketing services and advertising to Tree.com businesses; and

    Tree.com has agreed to provide certain mortgage brokerage services to a joint venture in which IAC is a party.

        Aggregate revenues earned in respect of commercial agreements between Tree.com and IAC by Tree.com subsidiaries from businesses that IAC will own following the distribution were approximately $300,000 in 2007. Aggregate payments made by Tree.com subsidiaries to IAC subsidiaries in respect of these commercial agreements were approximately $400,000 in 2007. Such numbers include payments to and received from Entertainment Publications, Inc., which was sold by IAC subsequent to December 31, 2007.

Certain Other Relationships and Related Person Transactions

        We are currently subject to the policies and procedures of IAC regarding the review and approval of related person transactions. Immediately prior to the spin-off, we will adopt a formal written policy governing the review and approval of related person transactions. We expect that the policies we implement will require the management of the Company to determine whether any proposed transaction, arrangement or relationship with a related person fell within the definition of "transaction" set forth in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act and if so, will require management to submit such transaction to the Company's Audit Committee for approval. The Audit Committee, in considering whether to approve related person transactions, would then consider all facts and circumstances that it deemed relevant.

        The disclosure below describes related person transactions involving the Company and related parties of IAC prior to the spin-off, as well as certain relationships involving the Company and its related parties. The terms "related person" and "transaction" have the meanings set forth in Item 404(a) of Regulations S-K under the Securities Act.

        In 2007, a Ticketmaster subsidiary received payments from an Expedia subsidiary in the aggregate amount of approximately $3.0 million for call center services. IAC and Expedia are related parties because they are under common control.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE STOCK AND ANNUAL INCENTIVE PLAN

Introduction

        Prior to the completion of the spin-off, Ticketmaster expects to adopt the Ticketmaster 2008 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan. The purpose of the plan will be to assist Ticketmaster in attracting, retaining and motivating officers and employees, and to provide Ticketmaster with the ability to provide incentives more directly linked to the profitability of our businesses and increases in stockholder value. In addition, the plan is expected to provide for the assumption of awards pursuant to the adjustment of awards granted under current plans of IAC and its subsidiaries. See "The Separation—Treatment of Outstanding IAC Compensatory Equity-Based Awards." As of the end of Ticketmaster's most recently completed fiscal year, there were no compensation plans under which equity securities of Ticketmaster were authorized for issuance.

Description

        The Stock and Annual Incentive Plan is expected to contain important features that are summarized below.

Administration

        The Stock and Annual Incentive Plan will be administered by the Compensation and Human Resources Committee or such other committee of the Board as the Ticketmaster Board of Directors may from time to time designate (the "Committee"). Among other things, the Committee will have the authority to select individuals to whom awards may be granted, to determine the type of award as well as the number of shares of Ticketmaster common stock to be covered by each award, and to determine the terms and conditions of any such awards.

Eligibility

        In addition to individuals who hold outstanding adjusted awards, persons who serve or agree to serve as officers, employees, non-employee directors or consultants of Ticketmaster and its subsidiaries and affiliates will be eligible to be granted awards under the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan (other than adjusted awards that are assumed in connection with the spin-offs).

Shares Subject to the Plan

        The Stock and Annual Incentive Plan with will authorize the issuance of up to 5,000,000 shares of Ticketmaster common stock pursuant to new awards under the plan, plus shares to be granted pursuant to the assumption of outstanding adjusted awards. No single participant may be granted awards covering in excess of 3,333,333 shares of Ticketmaster common stock over the life of the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan.

        The shares of Ticketmaster common stock subject to grant under the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan are to be made available from authorized but unissued shares or from treasury shares, as determined from time to time by the Ticketmaster Board. Other than adjusted awards, to the extent that any award is forfeited, or any option or stock appreciation right terminates, expires or lapses without being exercised, or any award is settled for cash, the shares of Ticketmaster common stock subject to such awards not delivered as a result thereof will again be available for awards under the plan. If the exercise price of any option and/or the tax withholding obligations relating to any award are satisfied by delivering shares of Ticketmaster common stock (by either actual delivery or by attestation), only the number of shares of Ticketmaster common stock issued net of the shares of Ticketmaster common stock delivered or attested to will be deemed delivered for purposes of the limits in the plan. To the extent any shares of Ticketmaster common stock subject to an award are withheld to satisfy the

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exercise price (in the case of an option) and/or the tax withholding obligations relating to such award, such shares of Ticketmaster common stock will not generally be deemed to have been delivered for purposes of the limits set forth in the plan.

        In the event of certain extraordinary corporate transactions, the Committee or the Ticketmaster Board will be able to make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to (1) the aggregate number and kind of shares or other securities reserved for issuance and delivery under the plan, (2) the various maximum limitations set forth in the plan, (3) the number and kind of shares or other securities subject to outstanding awards, and (4) the exercise price of outstanding options and stock appreciation rights.

        As indicated above, several types of stock grants can be made under the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan. A summary of these grants is set forth below. The Stock and Annual Incentive Plan will govern options and restricted stock units that convert from existing IAC options and IAC restricted stock units in connection with the spin-offs, as well as other award grants made following the spin-offs pursuant to such plans. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms that govern IAC options and IAC restricted stock units that convert into options and restricted stock units of Ticketmaster in connection with the spin-offs will govern such options and restricted stock units to the extent inconsistent with the terms described below.

Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights

        Stock options granted under the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan may either be incentive stock options or nonqualified stock options. Stock appreciation rights granted under the plan may either be granted alone or in tandem with a stock option. The exercise price of options and stock appreciation rights cannot be less than 100% of the fair market value of the stock underlying the options or stock appreciation rights on the date of grant. Optionees may pay the exercise price in cash or, if approved by the Committee, in Ticketmaster common stock (valued at its fair market value on the date of exercise) or a combination thereof, or by "cashless exercise" through a broker or by withholding shares otherwise receivable on exercise. The term of options and stock appreciation rights will be as determined by the Committee, but an ISO may not have a term longer than ten years from the date of grant. The Committee will determine the vesting and exercise schedule of options and stock appreciation rights, and the extent to which they will be exercisable after the award holder's employment terminates. Generally, unvested options and stock appreciation rights terminate upon the termination of employment, and vested options and stock appreciation rights will remain exercisable for one year after the award holder's death, disability or retirement, and 90 days after the award holder's termination for any other reason. Vested options and stock appreciation rights will also terminate upon the optionee's termination for cause (as defined in the plan). Stock options and stock appreciation rights are transferable only by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order or in the case of nonqualified stock options or stock appreciation rights, as otherwise expressly permitted by the Committee including, if so permitted, pursuant to a transfer to the participant's family members, to a charitable organization, whether directly or indirectly or by means of a trust or partnership or otherwise.

Restricted Stock

        Restricted stock may be granted with such restriction periods as the Committee may designate. The Committee may provide at the time of grant that the vesting of restricted stock will be contingent upon the achievement of applicable performance goals and/or continued service. In the case of performance-based awards that are intended to qualify under Section 162(m)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (i) such goals will be based on the attainment of one or any combination of the following: specified levels of earnings per share from continuing operations, net profit after tax, EBITDA, EBITA, gross profit, cash generation, unit volume, market share, sales, asset

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quality, earnings per share, operating income, revenues, return on assets, return on operating assets, return on equity, profits, total shareholder return (measured in terms of stock price appreciation and/or dividend growth), cost saving levels, marketing-spending efficiency, core non-interest income, change in working capital, return on capital and/or stock price, with respect to Ticketmaster or any subsidiary, division or department of Ticketmaster. Such performance goals also may be based upon the attaining of specified levels of Ticketmaster, subsidiary, affiliate or divisional performance under one or more of the measures described above relative to the performance of other entities, divisions or subsidiaries. Performance goals based on the foregoing factors are hereinafter referred to as "Performance Goals." The terms and conditions of restricted stock awards (including any applicable Performance Goals) need not be the same with respect to each participant. During the restriction period, the Committee may require that the stock certificates evidencing restricted shares be held by Ticketmaster. Restricted stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, and is forfeited upon termination of employment, unless otherwise provided by the Committee. Other than such restrictions on transfer and any other restrictions the Committee may impose, the participant will have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to the restricted stock award.

Restricted Stock Units

        The Committee may grant restricted stock units payable in cash or shares of Ticketmaster common stock, conditioned upon continued service and/or the attainment of Performance Goals determined by the Committee. The terms and conditions of restricted stock unit awards (including any Performance Goals) need not be the same with respect to each participant.

Other Stock-Based Awards

        Other awards of Ticketmaster common stock and other awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based upon, Ticketmaster common stock, including (without limitation) unrestricted stock, dividend equivalents and convertible debentures, may be granted under the plan.

Bonus Awards

        Bonus awards granted to eligible employees of Ticketmaster and its subsidiaries and affiliates under the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan will be based upon the attainment of the Performance Goals established by the Committee for the plan year or such shorter performance period as may be established by the Committee. Bonus amounts earned by any individual will be limited to $10 million for any plan year, pro rated (if so determined by the Committee) for any shorter performance period. Bonus amounts will be paid in cash or, in the discretion of Ticketmaster, in Ticketmaster common stock, as soon as practicable following the end of the plan year. The Committee may reduce or eliminate a participant's bonus award in any year notwithstanding the achievement of Performance Goals.

Change in Control

        In the event of a Change of Control (as defined in the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan), the Committee will have the discretion to determine the treatment of awards granted under the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan, including providing for the acceleration of such awards upon the occurrence of the Change of Control and/or upon a qualifying termination of employment (e.g., without cause or for good reason) following the Change of Control.

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Amendment and Discontinuance

        The Stock and Annual Incentive Plan may be amended, altered or discontinued by the Ticketmaster Board, but no amendment, alteration or discontinuance may impair the rights of an optionee under an option or a recipient of an SAR, restricted stock award, restricted stock unit award or bonus award previously granted without the optionee's or recipient's consent. Amendments to the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan will require stockholder approval to the extent such approval is required by law or agreement.

Federal Income Tax Consequences

        The following discussion is intended only as a brief summary of the federal income tax rules that are generally relevant to stock options. The laws governing the tax aspects of awards are highly technical and such laws are subject to change.

        Nonqualified Options.    Upon the grant of a nonqualified option, the optionee will not recognize any taxable income and IAC will not be entitled to a deduction. Upon the exercise of such an option or related SAR, the excess of the fair market value of the shares acquired on the exercise of the option or SAR over the exercise price or the cash paid under an SAR (the "spread") will constitute compensation taxable to the optionee as ordinary income. Ticketmaster, in computing its U.S. federal income tax, will generally be entitled to a deduction in an amount equal to the compensation taxable to the optionee, subject to the limitations of Code Section 162(m).

        ISOs.    An optionee will not recognize taxable income on the grant or exercise of an ISO. However, the spread at exercise will constitute an item includible in alternative minimum taxable income, and, thereby, may subject the optionee to the alternative minimum tax. Such alternative minimum tax may be payable even though the optionee receives no cash upon the exercise of the ISO with which to pay such tax.

        Upon the disposition of shares of stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an ISO, after the later of (i) two years from the date of grant of the ISO or (ii) one year after the transfer of the shares to the optionee (the "ISO Holding Period"), the optionee will recognize long-term capital gain or loss, as the case may be, measured by the difference between the stock's selling price and the exercise price. Ticketmaster is not entitled to any tax deduction by reason of the grant or exercise of an ISO, or by reason of a disposition of stock received upon exercise of an ISO if the ISO Holding Period is satisfied. Different rules apply if the optionee disposes of the shares of stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an ISO before the expiration of the ISO Holding Period.


USE OF PROCEEDS

        We will not receive any proceeds from the distribution of our common stock in the spin-off. Any proceeds received by us from the exercise of the stock options covered by the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan will be used for general corporate purposes.


DETERMINATION OF OFFERING PRICE

        No consideration will be paid for the shares of common stock distributed in the spin-off.


LEGAL MATTERS

        The validity of the shares of our common stock issued in the spin-off will be passed upon by the General Counsel of IAC/InterActiveCorp. Certain tax matters will be passed upon by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

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EXPERTS

        The combined financial statements of Ticketmaster at December 31, 2007 and 2006 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007 and the related financial statements schedule included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the reports of Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We have filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the SEC with respect to the shares of our common stock being registered hereunder. This prospectus, which is a part of such registration statement, does not include all of the information that you can find in such registration statement or the exhibits to such registration statement. You should refer to the registration statement, including its exhibits and schedules, for further information about us and our common stock. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or document are not necessarily complete and, if the contract or document is filed as an exhibit to a registration statement, is qualified in all respects by reference to the relevant exhibit.

        After the spin-off, we will file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The registration statement is, and any of these future filings with the SEC will be, available to the public over the Internet on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. You may read and copy any filed document at the SEC's public reference rooms in Washington, D.C. at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549 and at the SEC's regional offices in New York at 233 Broadway, New York, New York 10279 and in Chicago at Citicorp Center, 500 W. Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference rooms.

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TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES
COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
  PAGE
Audited Financial Statements:    
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

F-2
 
Combined Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005

 

F-3
 
Combined Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2007 and 2006

 

F-4
 
Combined Statements of Invested Equity for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005

 

F-5
 
Combined Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005

 

F-6
 
Notes to Combined Financial Statements

 

F-7

Schedule II—Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

 

F-29

Unaudited Interim Financial Statements

 

 
 
Combined Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007

 

F-30
 
Combined Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007

 

F-31
 
Combined Statements of Invested Equity for the three months ended March 31, 2008

 

F-32
 
Combined Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007

 

F-33
 
Notes to Unaudited Combined Financial Statements

 

F-34

F-1



Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

        We have audited the accompanying combined balance sheets of Ticketmaster and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the related combined statements of operations, invested equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule on page F-29. These financial statements and financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and the financial statement schedule based on our audits.

        We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an audit of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

        In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the combined financial position of Ticketmaster and subsidiaries at December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the combined results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic combined financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein.

                        /s/  ERNST & YOUNG LLP      

New York, New York
May 5, 2008

F-2



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
 
 
  (In thousands)
 
Service revenue   $ 1,221,798   $ 1,047,380   $ 919,786  
Interest on funds held for clients     18,679     15,292     8,918  
   
 
 
 
  Total revenue     1,240,477     1,062,672     928,704  
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)     766,538     637,152     561,060  
   
 
 
 
  Gross profit     473,939     425,520     367,644  
Selling and marketing expense     43,487     20,123     17,691  
General and administrative expense     149,478     118,317     121,695  
Amortization of intangibles     26,200     27,109     28,748  
Depreciation     38,458     35,080     33,495  
   
 
 
 
  Operating income     216,316     224,891     166,015  

Other income (expense):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Interest income     33,065     33,982     17,417  
  Interest expense     (1,003 )   (302 )   (65 )
  Equity in income of uncombined affiliates     6,301     2,997     3,401  
  Other income     1,120     982     689  
   
 
 
 
Total other income, net     39,483     37,659     21,442  
   
 
 
 
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest     255,799     262,550     187,457  
Income tax provision     (89,007 )   (85,967 )   (68,288 )
Minority interest in losses (income) of combined subsidiaries     2,559     118     (1,470 )
   
 
 
 
Net income   $ 169,351   $ 176,701   $ 117,699  
   
 
 
 

The accompanying Notes to Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

F-3



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS

 
  December 31,
2007

  December 31,
2006

 
 
  (In thousands)
 
ASSETS              
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 568,417   $ 317,577  
Restricted cash     853      
Accounts receivable, client accounts     99,453     75,367  
Accounts receivable, trade, net of allowance of $2,346 and $2,798, respectively     33,979     22,256  
Deferred income taxes     5,883     10,639  
Contract advances     63,126     28,834  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     21,149     15,134  
   
 
 
  Total current assets     792,860     469,807  
Property and equipment, net     95,122     82,599  
Goodwill     1,090,418     1,051,732  
Intangible assets, net     92,325     110,629  
Long-term investments     149,295     52,845  
Other non-current assets     86,514     48,099  
   
 
 
TOTAL ASSETS   $ 2,306,534   $ 1,815,711  
   
 
 

LIABILITIES AND INVESTED EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Accounts payable, client accounts   $ 413,075   $ 304,829  
Accounts payable, trade     14,698     14,401  
Accrued compensation and benefits     31,171     32,280  
Deferred revenue     19,829     16,751  
Income taxes payable     1,721     3,693  
Other accrued expenses and current liabilities     42,449     38,211  
   
 
 
  Total current liabilities     522,943     410,165  
Income taxes payable     982      
Other long-term liabilities     3,204     3,510  
Deferred income taxes     32,416     43,530  
Minority interest     7,812     669  
Commitments and contingencies              
INVESTED EQUITY:              
Invested capital     2,172,497     1,874,710  
Receivables from IAC and subsidiaries     (474,110 )   (539,861 )
Accumulated other comprehensive income     40,790     22,988  
   
 
 
  Total invested equity     1,739,177     1,357,837  
   
 
 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND INVESTED EQUITY   $ 2,306,534   $ 1,815,711  
   
 
 

The accompanying Notes to Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

F-4



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMBINED STATEMENTS OF INVESTED EQUITY

 
  Total
  Invested Capital
  Receivables
from IAC and
Subsidiaries

  Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income

 
 
  (In thousands)
 
Balance as of December 31, 2004   $ 1,270,899   $ 1,509,641   $ (246,815 ) $ 8,073  
Comprehensive income:                          
  Net income for the year ended December 31, 2005     117,699     117,699          
  Foreign currency translation     (7,078 )           (7,078 )
   
                   
Comprehensive income     110,621                    
Net transfers from IAC (principally funding for acquisitions and the transfer of an investment to Ticketmaster)(a)     54,311     54,311          
Net change in receivables from IAC and subsidiaries     (82,786 )       (82,786 )    
   
 
 
 
 
Balance as of December 31, 2005     1,353,045     1,681,651     (329,601 )   995  
Comprehensive income:                          
  Net income for the year ended December 31, 2006     176,701     176,701          
  Foreign currency translation     21,993             21,993  
   
                   
Comprehensive income     198,694                    
Net transfers from IAC (principally funding for acquisitions reduced by the transfer of an investment to IAC)(a)     16,358     16,358          
Net change in receivables from IAC and subsidiaries     (210,260 )       (210,260 )    
   
 
 
 
 
Balance as of December 31, 2006     1,357,837     1,874,710     (539,861 )   22,988  
Comprehensive income:                          
  Net income for the year ended December 31, 2007     169,351     169,351          
  Foreign currency translation     17,802             17,802  
   
                   
Comprehensive income     187,153                    
Cumulative effect of adoption of FIN 48     1,344     1,344          
Net transfers from IAC (principally the transfer of an investment to Ticketmaster and funding for acquisitions)(a)     127,092     127,092          
Net change in receivables from IAC and subsidiaries     65,751         65,751      
   
 
 
 
 
Balance as of December 31, 2007   $ 1,739,177   $ 2,172,497   $ (474,110 ) $ 40,790  
   
 
 
 
 

(a)
See Note 12 for a further discussion of the investment transfers.

The accompanying Notes to Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

F-5



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
 
 
  (In thousands)
 
Cash flows from operating activities:                    
Net income   $ 169,351   $ 176,701   $ 117,699  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:                    
  Amortization of intangibles     26,200     27,109     28,748  
  Depreciation     38,458     35,080     33,495  
  Non-cash compensation expense     12,572     7,839     20,305  
  Deferred income taxes     (11,210 )   (10,205 )   (8,190 )
  Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards             2,485  
  Equity in income of unconsolidated affiliates, net of dividends     1,035     (1,997 )   97  
  Minority interest in (losses) income of consolidated subsidiaries     (2,559 )   (118 )   1,470  
Changes in current assets and liabilities:                    
  Accounts receivable     (10,878 )   (3,415 )   (4,498 )
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets     (77,559 )   (667 )   (13,631 )
  Accounts payable and other current liabilities     (9,645 )   (7,506 )   12,930  
  Income taxes payable     1,081     2,220     2,702  
  Deferred revenue     2,038     1,974     2,979  
  Funds collected on behalf of clients, net     72,093     2,593     70,889  
Other, net     990     1,068     49  
   
 
 
 
Net cash provided by operating activities     211,967     230,676     267,529  
   
 
 
 
Cash flows from investing activities:                    
  Transfers from (to) IAC     64,548     (214,186 )   (110,391 )
  Acquisitions, net of cash acquired     (29,423 )   (17,844 )   (28,542 )
  Capital expenditures     (47,521 )   (39,288 )   (36,953 )
  Purchases of marketable securities         (37,841 )   (79,623 )
  Proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities         146,708     68,451  
  Increase in long-term investments     (630 )   (20,638 )    
  Other, net         (5,977 )   155  
   
 
 
 
Net cash used in investing activities     (13,026 )   (189,066 )   (186,903 )
   
 
 
 
Cash flows from financing activities:                    
  Capital contributions from IAC     29,423     17,844     28,542  
  Principal payments on long-term obligations     (2,175 )   (21 )   (17 )
  Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards     3,029     2,738      
  Other, net             (3,588 )
   
 
 
 
Net cash provided by financing activities     30,277     20,561     24,937  
   
 
 
 
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents     21,622     17,576     (6,809 )
   
 
 
 
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents     250,840     79,747     98,754  
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period     317,577     237,830     139,076  
   
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   $ 568,417   $ 317,577   $ 237,830  
   
 
 
 

The accompanying Notes to Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

F-6



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1—ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Spin-Off

        On November 5, 2007, IAC/InterActiveCorp ("IAC") announced that its Board of Directors approved a plan to separate IAC into five publicly traded companies, identifying Ticketmaster as one of those five companies. In these combined financial statements, we refer to the separation transaction herein as the "spin-off." Upon completion of the spin-off, Ticketmaster will consist of the businesses that formerly comprised IAC's Ticketmaster segment, which consists of its domestic and international ticketing and ticketing related businesses, subsidiaries and investments, excluding its ReserveAmerica subsidiary and its investment in Active.com. Ticketmaster will include IAC's investment in Front Line Management Group Inc. ("Front Line"). The businesses to be operated by Ticketmaster following the spin-off are referred to herein as the "Ticketmaster Businesses."

Basis of Presentation

        The historical combined financial statements of Ticketmaster and its subsidiaries reflect the historical financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Ticketmaster Businesses since their respective dates of acquisition by IAC, and the allocation to Ticketmaster of certain IAC corporate expenses relating to the Ticketmaster Businesses based on the historical consolidated financial statements and accounting records of IAC and using the historical results of operations and historical bases of the assets and liabilities of the Ticketmaster Businesses. However, for the purposes of these financial statements, income taxes have been computed for Ticketmaster on an as if stand-alone, separate tax return basis. These financial statements are prepared on a combined, rather than a consolidated, basis because they exclude ReserveAmerica and the investment in Active.com that were owned, and include the investment in Front Line that was not owned, either directly or indirectly, by legal entities that comprise the Ticketmaster Businesses. The ownership of ReserveAmerica and the investment in Active.com will be retained by IAC after the spin-off. These combined financial statements present IAC's and its subsidiaries net investment in the Ticketmaster Businesses as invested equity in lieu of shareholders' equity. Intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

        In the opinion of Ticketmaster's management, the assumptions underlying the historical combined financial statements of Ticketmaster are reasonable. However, this financial information does not necessarily reflect what the historical financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Ticketmaster would have been had Ticketmaster been a stand-alone company during the periods presented.

Company Overview

        Ticketmaster is the world's leading live entertainment ticketing and marketing company, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution through www.ticketmaster.com, one of the largest e-commerce sites on the internet, approximately 6,700 independent sales outlets and 19 call centers worldwide. Ticketmaster serves leading arenas, stadiums, amphitheaters, music clubs, concert promoters, professional sports franchises and leagues, college sports teams, performing arts venues, museums and theaters in the United States and abroad, including Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Ticketmaster is also a party to joint ventures with third parties to provide ticket distribution services in Mexico and to supply ticketing services for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Ticketmaster licenses its technology in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China and Belgium.

F-7


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Revenue Recognition

        Revenue, which primarily consists of convenience and order processing fees from ticketing operations, is recognized as tickets are sold, and is recorded on a net basis (net of the face value of the ticket) as Ticketmaster acts as an agent in these transactions. Interest income is earned on funds that are collected from ticket purchasers and invested until remittance to the applicable clients. As the process of collecting, holding and remitting these funds is a critical component of providing service to these clients, the interest earned on these funds is included in revenue. For the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, $18.7 million, $15.3 million and $8.9 million, respectively, of interest income is included in revenue. Sales taxes collected are not included in revenue.

Order Processing and Delivery Costs

        Costs associated with processing and delivering orders to customers are recorded as cost of sales.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

        Cash and cash equivalents include cash, money market instruments and time deposits with original maturities of less than 91 days. Cash and cash equivalents include $313.6 million and $229.5 million at December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively, of collected proceeds relating to the face value of the tickets, which are payable to clients and reflected as accounts payable, client accounts. Cash and cash equivalents held in international territories totaled $358.2 million and $218.4 million at December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.

Marketable Securities

        At times, Ticketmaster invests in marketable securities and accounts for them in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 115, "Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities." Ticketmaster did not hold any marketable securities at December 31, 2007 or 2006. Ticketmaster only invests in marketable securities with active secondary or resale markets to ensure portfolio liquidity and the ability to readily convert investments into cash to fund current operations, or satisfy other cash requirements as needed. Marketable securities are, when held, classified as available-for-sale and reported at fair value based on quoted market prices.

Accounts Receivable

        Accounts receivable, client accounts are due principally from ticketing outlets and credit card processors and represent the face value of tickets sold plus convenience and order processing fees, generally net of outlet commissions.

        Accounts receivable, trade includes amounts relating to advertising and software licensing sales and are stated at amounts due, net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Accounts receivable outstanding longer than the contractual payment terms are considered past due. Ticketmaster determines its allowance by considering a number of factors, including the length of time accounts receivable are past due, Ticketmaster's previous loss history, the specific customer's current ability to pay its obligation to Ticketmaster and the condition of the general economy and the customer's industry. Ticketmaster writes off accounts receivable when they become uncollectible.

F-8


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

Property and Equipment

        Property and equipment, including significant improvements, are recorded at cost. Repairs and maintenance and any gains or losses on dispositions are included in operations.

        Depreciation is recorded on a straight-line basis to allocate the cost of depreciable assets to operations over their estimated service lives.

Asset Category

  Depreciation Period
Computer equipment and capitalized software   1 to 3 Years
Leasehold improvements   3 to 17 Years
Furniture and other equipment   5 to 7 Years

        In accordance with American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Statement of Position No. 98-1, "Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software Developed or Obtained for Internal Use," Ticketmaster capitalizes certain qualified costs incurred in connection with the development of internal use software. Capitalization of internal use software costs begins when the preliminary project stage is completed, management with the relevant authority authorizes and commits to the funding of the software project, and it is probable that the project will be completed and the software will be used to perform the function intended. Capitalized internal use software is depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the software, not to exceed three years. Capitalized internal software costs, net of accumulated depreciation, totaled $26.7 million and $21.3 million at December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively, and are included in "Property and equipment, net" in the accompanying combined balance sheets.

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

        In accordance with SFAS No. 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets" ("SFAS No. 142"), Ticketmaster tests goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the assets might be impaired. If the carrying amount of Ticketmaster's goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, an impairment loss equal to the excess is recorded. If the carrying amount of an indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its estimated fair value, an impairment loss equal to the excess is recorded.

Long-Lived Assets and Intangible Assets with Definite Lives

        In accordance with SFAS No. 144, "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets" ("SFAS No. 144"), long-lived assets, including property and equipment and intangible assets with definite lives, are tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. The carrying amount of a long-lived asset is not recoverable if it exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset. If the carrying amount is deemed to not be recoverable, an impairment loss is recorded as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset exceeds its fair value. Amortization of definite lived intangible assets is recorded on a straight-line basis over their estimated lives.

F-9


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

Long-Term Investments

        Investments in which Ticketmaster has the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial matters of the investee are accounted for using the equity method. Investments in which Ticketmaster does not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial matters of the investee are accounted for using the cost method. Ticketmaster evaluates each equity and cost method investment for impairment on a quarterly basis and recognizes an impairment loss if a decline in value is determined to be other-than-temporary. Such impairment evaluations include, but are not limited to, the current business environment including competition and uncertainty of financial condition; going concern considerations such as the rate at which the investee company utilizes cash, and the investee company's ability to obtain additional private financing to fulfill its stated business plan; the need for changes to the investee company's existing business model due to changing business environments and its ability to successfully implement necessary changes; and comparable valuations. If Ticketmaster has not identified events or changes in circumstances that may have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of a cost investment, then the fair value of such cost method investment is not estimated, as it is impracticable to do so.

        Investments accounted for under the cost method are included in "Long-term investments" in the accompanying combined balance sheets and have a carrying value of approximately $4.1 million and $3.5 million as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. See Note 9 for discussion related to investments accounted for under the equity method.

Contract Advances

        Contract advances, which can be either recoupable or non-recoupable, represent amounts paid in advance to Ticketmaster's clients pursuant to agreements that provide for the client's participation in the convenience charges and/or order processing fees. Recoupable contract advances are generally recoupable against future royalties earned by the clients based on the contract terms over the life of the contract (generally 3 to 7 years). Non-recoupable contract advances are fixed additional incentives which are normally amortized over the life of the contract on a straight-line basis (generally 3 to 7 years). Recoupment of contract advances and amortization of non-recoupable contract advances are included in "Cost of sales" in the accompanying combined statements of operations.

Accounts Payable, Client Accounts

        Accounts payable, client accounts consists of contractual amounts due to clients for tickets sold on behalf of the organizations that sponsor events and ticketing royalties, which arise from the clients' share of convenience and order processing charges.

Deferred Revenue

        Deferred revenue primarily consists of unredeemed gift cards issued by Ticketmaster. Deferred revenue is recognized as revenue upon redemption of the gift card or when the likelihood of redemption of the gift card becomes remote (gift card breakage). The likelihood of redemption becoming remote occurs when the gift card expires or, if no expiration date exists, it generally occurs ratably over a period of three to seven years after the purchase of the gift card. Income from gift card breakage, net of any amounts subject to escheat laws, is included in "Revenue" in the accompanying combined statements of operations.

F-10


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

Advertising

        Advertising costs are expensed in the period incurred and represent both offline costs, including sports sponsorships and radio advertising, and online advertising costs, including fees paid to search engines and distribution partners. Advertising expense was $21.6 million, $6.3 million and $6.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

Research and Development

        Research and development costs, which relate primarily to software development, are charged to operations as incurred. Based on Ticketmaster's development process, technological feasibility is established upon completion of a working model. Costs incurred prior to the completion of a working model are expensed as incurred. Costs incurred subsequent to the completion of a working model and the point at which the software is ready for general release are capitalized. Research and development costs were $21.4 million, $20.1 million and $16.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

Income Taxes

        Ticketmaster accounts for income taxes under the liability method, and deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. A valuation allowance is provided on deferred tax assets if it is determined that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will not be realized. Ticketmaster records interest on potential tax contingencies as a component of income tax expense and records interest net of any applicable related income tax benefit.

        Effective January 1, 2007, Ticketmaster adopted the provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 48, "Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109" ("FIN 48"). As a result of the adoption of FIN 48, Ticketmaster recognizes liabilities for uncertain tax positions based on the two-step process prescribed by the interpretation. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount which is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement.

Foreign Currency Translation and Transaction Gains and Losses

        The financial position and operating results of substantially all foreign operations are consolidated using the local currency as the functional currency. Local currency assets and liabilities are translated at the rates of exchange as of the balance sheet date, and local currency revenue and expenses are translated at average rates of exchange during the period. Resulting translation gains or losses are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income, a separate component of invested equity. Accumulated other comprehensive income is solely related to foreign currency translation. Transaction gains and losses arising from transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the entity involved are included in the combined statements of operations.

F-11


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

        Foreign currency transaction net gains for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005 were $1.1 million, $1.2 million and $0.6 million, respectively, and are included in "Other income" in the accompanying combined statements of operations.

Stock-Based Compensation

        Effective January 1, 2006, Ticketmaster adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004), "Share-Based Payment" ("SFAS 123R"), using the modified prospective transition method and therefore has not restated results for prior periods. See Note 3 for a further description of the impact of the adoption of SFAS 123R and Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107 ("SAB 107").

Minority Interest

        Minority interest in 2007 represented minority ownership in newly acquired subsidiaries and certain international operations. In 2006, minority interest represented minority ownership in certain international operations.

        In connection with the acquisition of certain subsidiaries, former management of these businesses has retained an ownership interest. Ticketmaster is party to fair value put and call arrangements with respect to these interests. These put and call arrangements allow management to require Ticketmaster to purchase their interests or allow Ticketmaster to acquire such interests at fair value, respectively. These put and call arrangements become exercisable by Ticketmaster and the counter-party, respectively, at various dates over the next five years. Upon such exercise, the consideration payable can be denominated in either shares of IAC or cash at IAC's option. This put and call arrangement will be modified prior to the spin-off so that the consideration payable in IAC shares will be replaced with Ticketmaster shares. During 2008, none of these arrangements become exercisable. These put arrangements are exercisable by the counter-party outside the control of Ticketmaster and are accounted for in accordance with EITF Issue No. D-98 "Classification and Measurement of Redeemable Securities." Accordingly, to the extent that the fair value of these interests exceeds the value determined by normal minority interest accounting, the value of such interests is adjusted to fair value with a corresponding adjustment to invested equity.

Accounting Estimates

        Ticketmaster's management is required to make certain estimates and assumptions during the preparation of the combined financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. These estimates and assumptions impact the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the combined financial statements. They also impact the reported amount of net earnings during any period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

        Significant estimates underlying the accompanying combined financial statements include: the recoverability of contract advances; the recoverability of long-lived assets; the recovery of goodwill and intangible assets; the determination of income taxes payable and deferred income taxes, including related valuation allowances; and assumptions related to the determination of stock-based compensation.

F-12


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

Certain Risks and Concentrations

        Ticketmaster's business is subject to certain risks and concentrations including dependence on third party technology providers, exposure to risks associated with online commerce security and credit card fraud.

        Ticketmaster's largest client, Live Nation, Inc. ("Live Nation") (including its subsidiary House of Blues), represented approximately 17%, 20% and 20% of its total revenue for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. This client relationship consists of four agreements, two with Live Nation (a worldwide agreement (other than England, Scotland and Wales) that expires on December 31, 2008 and an agreement covering England, Scotland and Wales that expires on December 31, 2009) and two with House of Blues (a U.S. agreement that expires on December 31, 2009 and a Canadian agreement that expires on March 1, 2010). Ticketmaster anticipates that these contracts will not be renewed. Ticketmaster is undertaking and expects to continue to undertake efforts to replace the revenue it expects to lose upon the expiration of its contracts with Live Nation.

        Financial instruments, which potentially subject Ticketmaster to concentration of credit risk, consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are maintained with quality financial institutions of high credit and cash held in the U.S. is in excess of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

        In December 2007, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued SFAS No. 160, "Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements—an amendment of Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51" ("SFAS No. 160"). SFAS No. 160 establishes accounting and reporting standards for ownership interests in subsidiaries held by parties other than the parent, the amount of consolidated net income attributable to the parent and to the noncontrolling interest, changes in a parent's ownership interest and the valuation of retained noncontrolling equity investments when a subsidiary is deconsolidated. The Statement also establishes reporting requirements that provide sufficient disclosures that clearly identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent and the interests of the noncontrolling owners. SFAS No. 160 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008. SFAS No. 160 will be applied prospectively, except as it relates to disclosures, for which the effects will be applied retrospectively for all periods presented. Early adoption is not permitted. Ticketmaster is currently assessing the impact of SFAS No. 160 on its combined financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

        In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141 (revised 2007), "Business Combinations" ("SFAS No. 141R"), which replaces FASB Statement No. 141. SFAS No. 141R establishes principles and requirements for how an acquirer recognizes and measures in its financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree and the goodwill acquired. The Statement also establishes disclosure requirements that will enable users to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business combination. SFAS No. 141R applies prospectively to business combinations in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008. Early adoption is not permitted. Ticketmaster is currently assessing the impact of the adoption of SFAS No. 141R on its combined financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

F-13


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 3—SFAS 123R AND STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

        The equity awards described below principally relate to awards to Ticketmaster employees that were granted under various IAC stock and annual incentive plans.

        Effective January 1, 2006, Ticketmaster adopted SFAS 123R using the modified prospective transition method and has applied the classification provisions of SAB 107 regarding the SEC's interpretation of SFAS 123R and the valuation of share-based payments for public companies in its adoption of SFAS 123R.

        The adoption of SFAS 123R did not impact the amount of stock-based compensation expense recorded in the accompanying combined statements of operations as Ticketmaster had previously adopted the expense recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation" ("SFAS No. 123"). Ticketmaster has been recognizing expense for all stock-based compensation instruments since it became wholly owned by IAC on January 17, 2003.

        Prior to the adoption of SFAS 123R, the entire tax benefit from stock-based compensation was reported as a component of operating cash flows. Upon the adoption of SFAS 123R, tax benefits resulting from tax deductions in excess of the stock-based compensation expense recognized in the combined statement of operations are reported as a component of financing cash flows. For the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation of $3.0 million and $2.7 million, respectively, are included as a component of financing cash flows. For the year ended December 31, 2005, excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation of $2.5 million is included as a component of operating cash flows.

        Non-cash stock-based compensation expense related to equity awards is included in the following line items in the accompanying combined statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005 (in thousands):

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
 
Cost of sales   $ 800   $ 654   $ 1,664  
Selling and marketing expense     876     646     621  
General and administrative expense     10,896     6,539     18,020  
   
 
 
 
Non-cash stock-based compensation expense before income taxes     12,572     7,839     20,305  
Income tax benefit     (5,305 )   (3,424 )   (6,961 )
   
 
 
 
Non-cash stock-based compensation expense after income taxes   $ 7,267   $ 4,415   $ 13,344  
   
 
 
 

        The form of awards granted to Ticketmaster employees are principally restricted stock units ("RSUs"), performance stock units ("PSUs") and stock options.

        The fair value of each stock option award is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. There were no stock options granted by IAC with respect to Ticketmaster employees during the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005.

        RSUs and PSUs are awards in the form of phantom shares or units, denominated in a hypothetical equivalent number of shares of IAC common stock and with the value of each award equal to the fair value of IAC common stock at the date of grant. All outstanding award agreements provide for settlement, upon vesting, in stock for U.S. employees and in cash for non-U.S. employees. Each RSU, PSU and restricted stock grant is subject to service-based vesting, where a specific period of continued

F-14


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 3—SFAS 123R AND STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION (Continued)


employment must pass before an award vests, and certain grants also include performance-based vesting, where certain performance targets set at the time of grant must be achieved before an award vests. Ticketmaster recognizes expense for all RSUs, PSUs and restricted stock for which vesting is considered probable. For RSU and restricted stock grants to U.S. employees, the accounting charge is measured at the grant date as the fair value of IAC common stock and expensed ratably as non-cash compensation over the vesting term. For PSU grants to U.S. employees, the expense is measured at the grant date as the fair value of IAC common stock and expensed as non-cash compensation when the performance targets are considered probable of being achieved. The expense associated with RSU and PSU awards to non-U.S. employees is initially measured at fair value at the grant date and expensed ratably over the vesting term, subject to mark-to-market adjustments for changes in the price of IAC common stock, as compensation expense within general and administrative expense. The expense related to awards to international employees totaled $1.8 million, $1.1 million and $0.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Cash payments related to awards to international employees, totaled $2.4 million, $1.4 million and $0.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

        The amount of stock-based compensation expense recognized in the combined statements of operations is reduced by estimated forfeitures, as the amount recorded is based on awards ultimately expected to vest. The forfeiture rate is estimated at the grant date based on historical experience and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if the actual forfeiture rate differs from the estimated rate.

        In connection with the Expedia spin-off, all of Ticketmaster's outstanding share-based compensation instruments were modified. Accordingly, on August 9, 2005, Ticketmaster recorded a pre-tax modification charge of $8.2 million related to the treatment of vested stock options. In conjunction with the Expedia spin-off and the adoption of SFAS 123R, Ticketmaster conducted an assessment of certain assumptions used in determining the expense related to stock-based compensation which was completed in the third quarter of 2005. The cumulative effect of a change in Ticketmaster's estimate related to the number of stock-based awards that were expected to vest resulted in a reduction in stock-based compensation expense of $1.7 million. The after-tax effect of this change in estimate on net income was $1.0 million.

        As of December 31, 2007, there was approximately $29.2 million of unrecognized compensation cost, net of estimated forfeitures, related to all equity-based awards. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.5 years. At December 31, 2007, there were approximately 0.2 million awards outstanding to non-U.S. employees.

NOTE 4—GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS

        The balance of goodwill and intangible assets, net is as follows (in thousands):

 
  December 31,
 
  2007
  2006
Goodwill   $ 1,090,418   $ 1,051,732
Intangible assets with indefinite lives     62,560     62,560
Intangible assets with definite lives, net     29,765     48,069
   
 
  Total goodwill and intangible assets, net   $ 1,182,743   $ 1,162,361
   
 

F-15


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 4—GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Continued)

        Intangible assets with indefinite lives relate principally to trade names and trademarks acquired in various acquisitions. At December 31, 2007, intangible assets with definite lives relate to the following (in thousands):

 
  Cost
  Accumulated Amortization
  Net
  Weighted-Average Amortization Life (Years)
Purchase agreements   $ 163,681   $ (145,637 ) $ 18,044   6.1
Distribution agreements     28,109     (20,567 )   7,542   4.2
Other     23,339     (19,160 )   4,179   4.7
   
 
 
   
  Total   $ 215,129   $ (185,364 ) $ 29,765    
   
 
 
   

        At December 31, 2006, intangible assets with definite lives relate to the following (in thousands):

 
  Cost
  Accumulated Amortization
  Net
  Weighted-Average Amortization Life (Years)
Purchase agreements   $ 152,630   $ (123,001 ) $ 29,629   5.9
Distribution agreements     27,876     (15,909 )   11,967   4.2
Other     22,349     (15,876 )   6,473   4.8
   
 
 
   
  Total   $ 202,855   $ (154,786 ) $ 48,069    
   
 
 
   

        Amortization of intangible assets with definite lives is computed on a straight-line basis and, based on December 31, 2007 balances, such amortization for the next five years and thereafter is estimated to be as follows (in thousands):

Years Ending December 31,

   
2008   $ 16,542
2009     5,806
2010     1,453
2011     835
2012     854
2013 and thereafter     4,275
   
    $ 29,765
   

        The following tables present the balance of goodwill, including the changes in carrying amount of goodwill, for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006 (in thousands):

Balance as of
January 1, 2007

  Additions
  (Deductions)
  Foreign Exchange Translation
  Balance as of December 31, 2007
$ 1,051,732   $ 35,732   $ (5,899 ) $ 8,853   $ 1,090,418

 
 
 
 

F-16


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 4—GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Continued)

        Additions principally relate to acquisitions. Deductions principally relate to the establishment of a deferred tax asset related to acquired tax attributes.

Balance as of
January 1, 2006

  Additions
  (Deductions)
  Foreign Exchange Translation
  Balance as of December 31, 2006
$ 1,027,886   $ 20,779   $ (4,219 ) $ 7,286   $ 1,051,732

 
 
 
 

        Additions principally relate to international acquisitions. Deductions principally relate to the establishment of a deferred tax asset related to acquired tax attributes and the income tax benefit realized pursuant to the exercise of stock options assumed in business acquisitions that were vested at the transaction date and are treated as a reduction in goodwill when the income tax deductions are realized.

NOTE 5—PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

        The balance of property and equipment, net is as follows (in thousands):

 
  December 31,
 
 
  2007
  2006
 
Computer equipment and capitalized software   $ 260,983   $ 221,123  
Leasehold improvements     14,180     14,336  
Furniture and other equipment     18,375     15,811  
Projects in progress     10,249     6,624  
Land     2,500     2,153  
   
 
 
      306,287     260,047  
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization     (211,165 )   (177,448 )
   
 
 
  Total property and equipment, net   $ 95,122   $ 82,599  
   
 
 

NOTE 6—INCOME TAXES

        Ticketmaster is a member of IAC's consolidated federal and state tax returns. In all periods presented, current and deferred tax expense has been computed for Ticketmaster on a separate return basis. Ticketmaster's payments to IAC for its share of IAC's consolidated federal and state tax return liabilities have been reflected within cash flows from operating activities in the accompanying combined statements of cash flows.

        U.S. and foreign earnings from continuing operations before income taxes and minority interest are as follows (in thousands):

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
U.S.    $ 170,573   $ 199,282   $ 141,157
Foreign     85,226     63,268     46,300
   
 
 
Total   $ 255,799   $ 262,550   $ 187,457
   
 
 

F-17


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 6—INCOME TAXES (Continued)

        The components of the provision for income taxes attributable to continuing operations are as follows (in thousands):

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
 
Current income tax provision:                    
Federal   $ 62,246   $ 60,960   $ 50,892  
State     12,076     11,416     8,363  
Foreign     25,895     23,796     17,223  
   
 
 
 
Current income tax provision     100,217     96,172     76,478  
   
 
 
 
Deferred income tax (benefit) provision:                    
Federal     (9,880 )   (1,383 )   (6,277 )
State     (1,477 )   (5,533 )   356  
Foreign     147     (3,289 )   (2,269 )
   
 
 
 
Deferred income tax (benefit)     (11,210 )   (10,205 )   (8,190 )
   
 
 
 
Income tax provision   $ 89,007   $ 85,967   $ 68,288  
   
 
 
 

        Current income taxes payable has been reduced by $3.0 million, $2.7 million and $2.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively, for tax deductions attributable to stock- based compensation. The related income tax benefits of this stock-based compensation were recorded as amounts charged or credited to invested capital or a reduction in goodwill.

        The tax effects of cumulative temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2007 and 2006 are presented below (in thousands). The valuation allowance is related to items for which it is more likely than not that the tax benefit will not be realized.

 
  December 31,
 
 
  2007
  2006
 
Deferred tax assets:              
Provision for accrued expenses   $ 6,976   $ 3,881  
Net operating loss carryforwards     4,118     1,701  
Stock-based compensation     7,977     7,257  
Other     1,701     2,102  
   
 
 
Total deferred tax assets     20,772     14,941  
Less valuation allowance     (6,770 )   (4,164 )
   
 
 
Net deferred tax assets     14,002     10,777  
   
 
 

Deferred tax liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Property and equipment     (4,973 )    
Intangible and other assets     (33,992 )   (39,693 )
Other     (1,536 )   (1,685 )
   
 
 
Total deferred tax liabilities     (40,501 )   (41,378 )
   
 
 
Net deferred tax liability   $ (26,499 ) $ (30,601 )
   
 
 

F-18


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 6—INCOME TAXES (Continued)

        Included in "Other non-current assets" in the accompanying combined balance sheets at December 31, 2007 and 2006 is a non-current deferred tax asset of $0.9 million and $2.6 million, respectively. In addition, included in "Other accrued expenses and current liabilities" in the accompanying combined balance sheets at December 31, 2007 and 2006 is a current deferred tax liability of $0.9 million and $0.3 million, respectively.

        At December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster had state net operating losses ("NOLs") of approximately $14.0 million. If not utilized, the state NOLs will expire at various times between 2008 and 2024. At December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster had foreign NOLs of approximately $11.6 million available to offset future income. Of these foreign losses, approximately $5.1 million can be carried forward indefinitely, and approximately $5.2 million and $1.3 million will expire within five years and ten years, respectively. Utilization of approximately $4.2 million of foreign NOLs will be subject to annual limitations based on taxable income. During 2007, Ticketmaster did not recognize any significant tax benefits related to NOLs.

        During 2007, Ticketmaster's valuation allowance increased by approximately $2.6 million. This increase was primarily related to foreign net operating losses. At December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster had a valuation allowance of approximately $6.8 million related to the portion of tax operating loss carryforwards and other items for which it is more likely than not that the tax benefit will not be realized.

        A reconciliation of the income tax provision to the amounts computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to earnings from continuing operations before income taxes and minority interest is shown as follows (in thousands):

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
 
Income tax provision at the federal statutory rate of 35%   $ 89,530   $ 91,892   $ 65,610  
State income taxes, net of effect of federal tax benefit     6,890     8,434     4,551  
Foreign income taxed at a different statutory tax rate     (4,126 )   (4,263 )   (1,251 )
Dividends from foreign subsidiaries         27,513      
Foreign income tax credits utilized     (1,237 )   (27,969 )    
(Reduction) increase in tax on unremitted earnings of certain non-U.S. subsidiaries         (8,111 )   1,430  
Other, net     (2,050 )   (1,529 )   (2,052 )
   
 
 
 
Income tax provision   $ 89,007   $ 85,967   $ 68,288  
   
 
 
 

        In accordance with APB No. 23, no federal and state income taxes have been provided on permanently reinvested earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries aggregating approximately $139.5 million at December 31, 2007. If, in the future, these earnings are repatriated to the U.S., or if Ticketmaster determines such earnings will be repatriated to the U.S. in the foreseeable future, additional tax provisions would be required. Due to complexities in the tax laws and the assumptions that would have to be made, it is not practicable to estimate the amounts of income taxes that would have to be provided. In 2006, Ticketmaster asserted that the earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries are permanently reinvested resulting in a benefit of $8.1 million from the release of net deferred tax liabilities established in prior years.

F-19


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 6—INCOME TAXES (Continued)

        Ticketmaster adopted the provisions of FIN 48 effective January 1, 2007. FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for income taxes by prescribing the minimum recognition threshold a tax position is required to meet before being recognized in the financial statements. FIN 48 provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. The cumulative effect of the adoption resulted in an increase of $1.3 million to invested capital. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, is as follows (in thousands):

Balance at January 1, 2007   $ 583
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year     3,884
Additions for tax positions of prior years     1,022
Reductions for tax positions of prior years    
Settlements    
   
Balance at December 31, 2007   $ 5,489
   

        As of January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007, the unrecognized tax benefits, including interest, were $0.6 million and $6.3 million, respectively. Included in unrecognized tax benefits at December 31, 2007 is approximately $4.6 million for tax positions included in IAC's consolidated tax return filings. Included within "Receivables from IAC and subsidiaries" in the accompanying combined balance sheet at December 31, 2007 is approximately $5.3 million of unrecognized tax benefits and related interest that will remain a liability of IAC after the spin-off. Also included in unrecognized tax benefits at December 31, 2007 is approximately $3.6 million for tax positions which the ultimate deductibility is highly certain but for which there is uncertainty about the timing of such deductibility.

        Ticketmaster recognizes interest and, if applicable, penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. Included in income tax expense from continuing operations for the year ended December 31, 2007 is $0.4 million, net of related deferred taxes of $0.2 million, for interest on unrecognized tax benefits. At January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007 Ticketmaster has accrued $0.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively for the payment of interest. There are no material accruals for penalties.

        By virtue of previously filed separate company and consolidated tax returns with IAC, Ticketmaster is routinely under audit by federal, state, local and foreign authorities in the area of income tax. These audits include questioning the timing and the amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. Income taxes payable include amounts considered sufficient to pay assessments that may result from examination of prior year returns; however, the amount paid upon resolution of issues raised may differ from the amount provided. Differences between the reserves for tax contingencies and the amounts owed by Ticketmaster are recorded in the period they become known.

        The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") is currently examining the IAC consolidated tax returns for the years ended December 31, 2001 through 2003, which includes the operations of Ticketmaster from January 17, 2003, the date which Ticketmaster joined the IAC consolidated tax return. The statute of limitations for these years has been extended to December 31, 2008. Various IAC consolidated tax returns filed with state, local and foreign jurisdictions are currently under examination, the most

F-20


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 6—INCOME TAXES (Continued)


significant of which are Florida, New York state and New York City, for various tax years after December 31, 2001. These examinations are expected to be completed by late 2008.

        Ticketmaster believes that it is reasonably possible that its unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by approximately $3.6 million within twelve months of the current reporting date due to the reversal of deductible temporary differences which will result in a corresponding increase in net deferred tax liabilities. An estimate of other changes in unrecognized tax benefits cannot be made, but are not expected to be significant.

NOTE 7—SEGMENT INFORMATION

        Ticketmaster has one operating segment based upon how the chief operating decision maker and executive management view the business, its organizational structure and the type of service provided, which primarily is online and offline ticketing services.

        Ticketmaster's primary metric is Operating Income Before Amortization, which is defined as operating income excluding, if applicable: (1) non-cash compensation expense, (2) amortization of intangibles and goodwill impairment, (3) pro forma adjustments for significant acquisitions, and (4) one-time items. Ticketmaster believes this measure is useful to investors because it represents its combined operating results taking into account depreciation, which it believes is an ongoing cost of doing business, but excluding the effects of any other non-cash expenses. Operating Income Before Amortization has certain limitations in that it does not take into account the impact to Ticketmaster's statement of operations of certain expenses, including non-cash compensation and acquisition-related accounting.

        The following table reconciles Operating Income Before Amortization to operating income and net income in 2007, 2006 and 2005:

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
 
 
  (In thousands)

 
Operating Income Before Amortization   $ 255,088   $ 259,839   $ 215,068  
Non-cash compensation expense     (12,572 )   (7,839 )   (20,305 )
Amortization of intangibles     (26,200 )   (27,109 )   (28,748 )
   
 
 
 
  Operating income     216,316     224,891     166,015  
Interest income     33,065     33,982     17,417  
Interest expense     (1,003 )   (302 )   (65 )
Equity in income of uncombined affiliates     6,301     2,997     3,401  
Other income     1,120     982     689  
Income tax provision     (89,007 )   (85,967 )   (68,288 )
Minority interest in losses (income) of combined subsidiaries     2,559     118     (1,470 )
   
 
 
 
Net income   $ 169,351   $ 176,701   $ 117,699  
   
 
 
 

F-21


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 7—SEGMENT INFORMATION (Continued)

        Ticketmaster maintains operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and other international territories. Geographic information about the United States and international territories is presented below:

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
Revenue                  
  United States   $ 814,851   $ 759,339   $ 675,781
  All other countries     425,626     303,333     252,923
   
 
 
    $ 1,240,477   $ 1,062,672   $ 928,704
   
 
 
 
 
  December 31,
 
  2007
  2006
 
  (In thousands)

Long-lived assets (excluding goodwill and intangible assets)            
  United States   $ 63,021   $ 57,389
  All other countries     32,101     25,210
   
 
    $ 95,122   $ 82,599
   
 

NOTE 8—EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES

        At December 31, 2007 and 2006 Ticketmaster's equity investments in unconsolidated affiliates totaled $145.2 million and $49.4 million, respectively, and are included in "Long-term investments" in the accompanying combined balance sheets. In accordance with the terms of the spin-off, IAC transferred its equity investment in Front Line, valued at $125.8 million at December 31, 2007 to Ticketmaster. Such transfers totaled approximately $96.6 million and $25.0 million in the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2005, respectively, and are included in "Net transfers from IAC" in the accompanying combined statements of invested equity. Income related to the investment in Front Line, which totaled $2.9 million, $0.7 million and $0.6 million in the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively, is included in 'Total other income, net' in the accompanying combined statements of operations.

        The following is a list of investments accounted for under the equity method, the principal market that the investee operates, and the relevant ownership percentage:

 
  December 31, 2007
 
Front Line (United States)   45.99 %
Beijing Gehua Ticketmaster Ticketing Co., Ltd. (China)   40 %
TM Mexico (JV)   33.3 %
Evolution Artists, Inc. ("iLike") (United States)   25 %

F-22


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 8—EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES (Continued)

        Summarized aggregated financial information of Ticketmaster's equity investments is as follows (in thousands):

 
  2007
  2006
  2005
Current assets   $ 93,693   $ 27,037   $ 44,364
Non-current assets     176,174     8,113     3,495
Current liabilities     45,620     7,774     33,199
Non-current liabilities     13,877         503
Net sales     156,789     25,176     22,893
Gross profit     94,166     17,522     15,308
Net income     16,257     8,992     7,424

        Ticketmaster received dividends from TM Mexico of $7.3 million, $1.0 million and $3.5 million during the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

NOTE 9—COMMITMENTS

        Ticketmaster leases office space, equipment and services used in connection with its operations under various operating leases, many of which contain escalation clauses. In addition, future minimum lease payments include Ticketmaster's allocable share of an IAC data center lease. These payments commenced January 2008 and are expected to continue subsequent to the spin-off.

        Future minimum payments under operating lease agreements are as follows (in thousands):

Years Ending December 31,

   
2008   $ 14,830
2009     13,736
2010     11,496
2011     9,959
2012     8,588
Thereafter     23,736
   
  Total   $ 82,345
   

        Expenses charged to operations under lease agreements were $20.1 million, $16.0 million and $16.1 million in the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively, and include month-to-month and one-time charges relating to leases that do not require future minimum payments. In addition, rent expense charged to Ticketmaster by IAC, for which no minimum payments are required, totaled $2.4 million, $1.7 million and $1.4 million in the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. See Note 13 for a further discussion of transactions between Ticketmaster and IAC.

F-23


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 9—COMMITMENTS (Continued)

        Ticketmaster also has funding commitments that could potentially require its performance in the event of demands by third parties or contingent events, such as under letters of credit extended or under guarantees of debt, as follows (in thousands):

 
  Amount of Commitment Expiration Per Period
 
  Total
Amounts
Committed

  Less Than
1 Year

  1-3 Years
  3-5 Years
  More Than
5 Years

Guarantees, surety bonds and letters of credit   $ 3,911   $ 596   $ 65   $ 3,250   $
Purchase obligations     95,056     30,726     35,268     25,687     3,375
   
 
 
 
 
  Total commercial commitments   $ 98,967   $ 31,322   $ 35,333   $ 28,937   $ 3,375
   
 
 
 
 

        IAC guaranteed a $3.25 million line of credit granted to one of Ticketmaster's clients in connection with the production of broadway shows in China. According to the terms of the spin-off, the guarantee is expected to be transferred from IAC to Ticketmaster and, accordingly, the guarantee is included in the table above. The surety bonds primarily relate to marketing events and licensing bonds for ticketing services. The purchase obligations primarily arise from sports sponsorship agreements intended to promote Ticketmaster's ticket resale services.

NOTE 10—CONTINGENCIES

        In the ordinary course of business, Ticketmaster is a party to various lawsuits. Ticketmaster establishes reserves for specific legal matters when it determines that the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome is probable and the loss is reasonably estimable. Management has also identified certain other legal matters where it believes an unfavorable outcome is not probable and, therefore, no reserve is established. Although management currently believes that an unfavorable resolution of claims against Ticketmaster, including claims where an unfavorable outcome is reasonably possible, will not have a material impact on the liquidity, results of operations, or financial condition of Ticketmaster, these matters are subject to inherent uncertainties and management's view of these matters may change in the future. It is possible that an unfavorable outcome of one or more of these lawsuits could have a material impact on the liquidity, results of operations, or financial condition of Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster also evaluates other contingent matters, including tax contingencies, to assess the probability and estimated extent of potential loss. See Note 6 for discussion related to income tax contingencies.

NOTE 11—FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

 
  December 31, 2007
  December 31, 2006
 
 
  Carrying Amount
  Fair Value
  Carrying Amount
  Fair Value
 
 
  (In thousands)
 
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 568,417   $ 568,417   $ 317,577   $ 317,577  
Restricted cash     853     853          
Accounts receivable, net     133,432     133,432     97,623     97,623  
Guarantees, surety bonds and letters of credit     N/A     (3,911 )   N/A     (3,537 )

F-24


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 11—FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Continued)

        The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents reflected in the accompanying combined balance sheets approximates fair value as they are maintained with various high quality financial institutions. The carrying amount of accounts receivable reflected in the accompanying combined balance sheets approximate fair value as they are short-term in nature and are generally settled shortly after the sale.

NOTE 12—SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION

Supplemental Disclosure of Non-Cash Transactions

        In accordance with the terms of the spin-off, IAC transferred its equity investment in Front Line, valued at $125.8 million at December 31, 2007, to Ticketmaster. Additionally, Ticketmaster transferred its investment in Active.com, valued at $4.0 million at December 31, 2007, to IAC. The net amount of these transfers, which are included in "Net transfers from IAC" in the accompanying combined statements of invested equity, were $96.6 million, $(2.3) million and $25.0 million in the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
 
  2007
  2006
  2005
 
 
  (In thousands)
 
Cash paid during the period for:                    
  Interest   $ 822   $ 302   $ 65  
  Income tax payments, including amounts paid to IAC for Ticketmaster's share of IAC's consolidated tax liability     96,247     92,291     71,519  
  Income tax refunds     (140 )   (1,077 )   (228 )

NOTE 13—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

        Ticketmaster provided call center support services to Expedia for which they charged amounts totaling $3.0 million, $3.8 million and $0.7 million in the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Amounts receivable by Ticketmaster from Expedia related to these services were approximately $0.1 million and $0.3 million at December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively, and are included in "Accounts Receivable, trade" in the accompanying combined balance sheets. Ticketmaster and Expedia are related parties because they are under common control.

        Ticketmaster's expenses include allocations from IAC of costs associated with IAC's accounting, treasury, legal, tax, corporate support, human resources and internal audit functions. These expenses were allocated based on the ratio of Ticketmaster's revenue as a percentage of IAC's total revenue. Allocated costs were $3.5 million, $2.6 million and $2.5 million in the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively, and are included in "General and administrative expense" in the accompanying combined statements of operations. It is not practicable to determine the amounts of these expenses that would have been incurred had Ticketmaster operated as an unaffiliated entity. In the opinion of management, the allocation method is reasonable.

        Ticketmaster occupies office space in buildings in Los Angeles and New York City that are currently owned by IAC. Related rental expense charged to Ticketmaster by IAC totaled $2.4 million, $1.7 million and $1.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

F-25


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 13—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Continued)

        In accordance with the terms of the spin-off, IAC transferred its equity investment in Front Line to Ticketmaster and Ticketmaster transferred its investment in Active.com to IAC. See Notes 8 and 12 for a further description of these transfers.

        The portion of interest income reflected in the combined statements of operations that is intercompany in nature was $27.8 million, $30.5 million and $15.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. This intercompany interest relates to the receivables from IAC.

        An analysis of Ticketmaster's receivables from IAC and subsidiaries is as follows (in thousands):

 
  2007
  2006
 
Receivables from IAC and subsidiaries, beginning of year   $ 539,861   $ 329,601  
Cash transfers (from) to IAC related to its centrally managed U.S. treasury function     (83,052 )   185,413  
Interest income     27,793     30,539  
Employee equity instruments and associated tax withholdings     8,141     6,102  
Taxes (excludes tax withholdings associated with employee equity instruments)     8,925     5,500  
Allocation of non-cash compensation expense     (10,128 )   (7,839 )
Administrative expenses and other     (17,430 )   (9,455 )
   
 
 
Receivables from IAC and subsidiaries, end of year   $ 474,110   $ 539,861  
   
 
 

Relationship Between IAC and Ticketmaster after the Spin-Off

        For purposes of governing certain of the ongoing relationships between Ticketmaster and IAC at and after the spin-off, and to provide for an orderly transition, Ticketmaster and IAC are expected to enter into a separation agreement, a tax sharing agreement, an employee matters agreement and a transition services agreement (the "Spin-Off Agreements"), among other agreements.

Separation Agreement

        The separation agreement is expected to provide generally that (i) immediately prior to the spin-off, IAC will contribute or otherwise transfer to Ticketmaster all of the subsidiaries and assets comprising the Ticketmaster Businesses, (ii) Ticketmaster will assume all of the liabilities related to the Ticketmaster Businesses, (iii) each party will indemnify the other and its respective affiliates, current and former directors, officers and employees for any losses arising out of any breach of any of the Spin-Off Agreements and (iv) Ticketmaster will indemnify IAC for its failure to assume and perform any assumed liabilities and any liabilities relating to Ticketmaster financial and business information included in the SEC documentation filed with respect to the spin-off as well as such other terms as to which IAC and Ticketmaster mutually agree.

Tax Sharing Agreement

        The tax sharing agreement will govern the respective rights, responsibilities and obligations of IAC and Ticketmaster after the spin-off with respect to taxes for the periods ending on or before the spin-off. Generally, IAC will pay taxes with respect to Ticketmaster income included on its consolidated, unitary or combined federal or state tax returns, including audit adjustments with respect

F-26


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 13—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Continued)


thereto. Other pre-distribution taxes that are attributable to the Ticketmaster Businesses including taxes reported on separately-filed and all foreign returns and audit adjustments with respect thereto, will be borne solely by Ticketmaster. The tax sharing agreement is expected to contain certain customary restrictive covenants that generally prohibit Ticketmaster (absent a supplemental IRS ruling or an unqualified opinion of counsel to the contrary, in each case, in a form and substance satisfactory acceptable to IAC in its sole discretion) from taking actions that could jeopardize the tax free nature of the spin-off. Ticketmaster is expected to agree to indemnify IAC for any taxes and related losses resulting from its non-compliance with these restrictive covenants, as well as for the breach of certain representations in the Spin-Off Agreements and other documentation relating to the tax-free nature of the spin-off.

Employee Matters Agreement

        The employee matters agreement will generally provide that Ticketmaster will be responsible for, among other obligations, all employment and benefit-related obligations and liabilities related to its employees immediately prior to the spin-off (and their dependents and beneficiaries) and former employees who most recently worked for the Ticketmaster Businesses. This agreement is also expected to provide that assets and liabilities from the IAC Retirement Savings Plan of Ticketmaster employees will be transferred to a newly established Ticketmaster Retirement Savings Plan as soon as practicable following the spin-off.

Transition Services Agreement

        Under the transition services agreement, beginning on the date of the completion of the spin-off, IAC will provide to Ticketmaster on an interim, transitional basis, various services, which are expected to relate primarily to public company and operational matters, and such other services as to which IAC and Ticketmaster mutually agree. The agreed upon charges for these services will generally allow IAC to recover fully the allocated costs of providing the services, plus all out-of-pocket costs and expenses. Ticketmaster may terminate the agreement with respect to one or more particular services upon prior written notice.

Commercial Agreements

        IAC and Ticketmaster currently, and for the foreseeable future expect to provide certain services to each other pursuant to certain commercial relationships. In connection with the spin-off, IAC and Ticketmaster will enter into a number of commercial agreements between subsidiaries of IAC, on the one hand, and subsidiaries of Ticketmaster, on the other hand, many of which will memorialize (in most material respects) pre-existing arrangements in effect prior to the spin-off and all of which are intended to reflect arm's length terms. In addition, IAC and Ticketmaster believe that such agreements, whether taken individually or in the aggregate, do not constitute a material contract to either IAC or Ticketmaster.

        Aggregate revenue earned with respect to these commercial agreements by the Ticketmaster Businesses with IAC subsidiaries was $12.2 million, $11.6 million and $11.6 million, respectively, in the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005. The Ticketmaster Businesses incurred approximately $1.8 million in the years ended December 31, 2007 and less than $0.1 million in the years ended

F-27


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 13—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Continued)


December 31, 2006 and 2005 in expenses related to these commercial agreements with IAC subsidiaries.

NOTE 14—BENEFIT PLANS

        During the three years ended December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster either participated in a retirement savings plan sponsored by IAC or had a retirement savings plan in the United States that was qualified under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Subsequent to the spin-off, the net assets available for benefits of the employees of Ticketmaster are expected to be transferred from the IAC plan to a newly created Ticketmaster plan. Under the IAC plan, participating employees may contribute up to 16% of their pretax earnings, but not more than statutory limits. Ticketmaster match under the IAC plan is fifty cents for each dollar a participant contributes in this plan, with a maximum contribution of 3% of a participant's eligible earnings. Matching contributions for the IAC plan were approximately $2.5 million, $2.1 million and $1.9 million in 2007, 2006, and 2005, respectively. The increase in matching contributions for 2007 and 2006 is primarily related to increased participation in the plan. Matching contributions are invested in the same manner as each participant's voluntary contributions in the investment options provided under the plan. Investment options in the plan included IAC common stock, but neither participant nor matching contributions are required to be invested in IAC common stock.

        During the three years ended December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster also had or participated in various benefit plans, principally defined contribution plans, for its non-U.S. employees. Ticketmaster's contributions for these plans were approximately $4.1 million, $3.4 million and $2.7 million in 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

NOTE 15—QUARTERLY RESULTS (UNAUDITED)

 
  Quarter Ended
March 31,

  Quarter Ended
June 30,

  Quarter Ended
September 30,

  Quarter Ended
December 31,

 
  (In thousands)
Year Ended December 31, 2007                        
Revenue   $ 303,577   $ 293,416   $ 292,466   $ 351,018
Gross profit     118,793     109,556     111,280     134,310
Operating income     61,488     45,368     48,036     61,424
Net income     42,925     34,804     40,541     51,081
Year Ended December 31, 2006                        
Revenue   $ 240,722   $ 287,595   $ 258,497   $ 275,858
Gross profit     99,790     115,597     100,113     110,020
Operating income     58,143     65,215     45,533     56,000
Net income     39,636     45,761     34,706     56,598

F-28



Schedule II


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES
VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

Description
  Balance at
Beginning of
Period

  Charges to
Earnings

  Charges to
Other
Accounts

  Deductions
  Balance at
End of Period

 
  (In thousands)
2007                              
Allowance for doubtful accounts   $ 2,798   $ 496   $ 126   $ (1,074) (1) $ 2,346
Deferred tax valuation allowance     4,164     2,606             6,770
Other reserves     39                      

2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Allowance for doubtful accounts   $ 2,033   $ 761   $ 74   $ (70) (1) $ 2,798
Deferred tax valuation allowance     5,404     (915 )   (325 )       4,164
Other reserves     39                       39

2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Allowance for doubtful accounts   $ 1,978   $ 125   $ 484   $ (554) (1) $ 2,033
Deferred tax valuation allowance     6,513     (1,109 )           5,404
Other reserves     1,062                       39

(1)
Write-off of uncollectible accounts receivable.

F-29



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
  2008
  2007
 
 
  (In thousands)

 
Service revenue   $ 344,817   $ 300,547  
Interest on funds held for clients     4,164     3,030  
   
 
 
  Total revenue     348,981     303,577  
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)     221,022     184,784  
   
 
 
  Gross profit     127,959     118,793  
Selling and marketing expense     19,393     7,073  
General and administrative expense     41,853     34,258  
Amortization of intangibles     8,868     6,853  
Depreciation     11,055     9,121  
   
 
 
  Operating income     46,790     61,488  
Other income (expense):              
  Interest income     3,290     5,378  
  Interest expense     (735 )   (266 )
  Equity in income of uncombined affiliates     666     865  
  Other income     944     83  
   
 
 
Total other income, net     4,165     6,060  
   
 
 
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest     50,955     67,548  
Income tax provision     (18,821 )   (24,637 )
Minority interest in losses of combined subsidiaries     573     14  
   
 
 
Net income   $ 32,707   $ 42,925  
   
 
 

The accompanying Notes to Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

F-30



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS

 
  March 31,
2008

  December 31,
2007

 
 
  (unaudited)

  (audited)

 
 
  (In thousands)

 
ASSETS              
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 501,752   $ 568,417  
Restricted cash     506     853  
Accounts receivable, client accounts     161,632     99,453  
Accounts receivable, trade, net of allowance of $4,047 and $2,346, respectively     36,102     33,979  
Deferred income taxes     5,769     5,883  
Contract advances     64,105     63,126  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     38,570     21,149  
   
 
 
  Total current assets     808,436     792,860  
Property and equipment, net     110,528     95,122  
Goodwill     1,411,139     1,090,418  
Intangible assets, net     230,570     92,325  
Long-term investments     150,121     149,295  
Other non-current assets     99,155     86,514  
   
 
 
TOTAL ASSETS   $ 2,809,949   $ 2,306,534  
   
 
 

LIABILITIES AND INVESTED EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
LIABILITIES:              
Accounts payable, client accounts   $ 500,547   $ 413,075  
Accounts payable, trade     35,407     14,698  
Accrued compensation and benefits     37,436     31,171  
Deferred revenue     31,791     19,829  
Income taxes payable     1,616     1,721  
Other accrued expenses and current liabilities     49,874     42,449  
   
 
 
  Total current liabilities     656,671     522,943  
Income taxes payable     1,002     982  
Other long-term liabilities     8,004     3,204  
Deferred income taxes     87,888     32,416  
Minority interest     7,766     7,812  
Commitments and contingencies              
INVESTED EQUITY:              
Invested capital     2,599,884     2,172,497  
Receivables from IAC and subsidiaries     (604,340 )   (474,110 )
Accumulated other comprehensive income     53,074     40,790  
   
 
 
  Total invested equity     2,048,618     1,739,177  
   
 
 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND INVESTED EQUITY   $ 2,809,949   $ 2,306,534  
   
 
 

The accompanying Notes to Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

F-31



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMBINED STATEMENTS OF INVESTED EQUITY

(Unaudited)

 
  Total
  Invested Capital
  Receivables from
IAC and
Subsidiaries

  Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income

 
  (In thousands)

Balance as of December 31, 2007   $ 1,739,177   $ 2,172,497   $ (474,110 ) $ 40,790
Comprehensive income:                        
  Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2008     32,707     32,707        
  Foreign currency translation     12,284             12,284
   
                 
Comprehensive income     44,991                  
Net transfers from IAC (principally funding for acquisitions)     394,680     394,680        
Net change in receivables from IAC and subsidiaries     (130,230 )       (130,230 )  
   
 
 
 
Balance as of March 31, 2008   $ 2,048,618   $ 2,599,884   $ (604,340 ) $ 53,074
   
 
 
 

The accompanying Notes to Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

F-32



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
  2008
  2007
 
 
  (In thousands)

 
Cash flows from operating activities:              
Net income   $ 32,707   $ 42,925  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:              
  Amortization of intangibles     8,868     6,853  
  Depreciation     11,055     9,121  
  Non-cash compensation expense     4,765     1,879  
  Deferred income taxes     1,111     (3,103 )
  Equity in income of uncombined affiliates, net of dividends     (666 )   (865 )
  Minority interest in losses of combined subsidiaries     (573 )   (14 )
Changes in current assets and liabilities:              
  Accounts receivable     6,542     (6,941 )
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets     (18,692 )   (2,070 )
  Accounts payable and other current liabilities     4,964     (9,731 )
  Income taxes payable     (3,255 )   (363 )
  Deferred revenue     (581 )   (338 )
  Funds collected on behalf of clients, net     18,958     43,302  
Other, net     632     66  
   
 
 
Net cash provided by operating activities     65,835     80,721  
   
 
 
Cash flows from investing activities:              
  Transfers to IAC     (135,481 )   (1,466 )
  Acquisitions, net of cash acquired     (394,999 )   (10,219 )
  Capital expenditures     (9,487 )   (9,304 )
  Increase in long-term investments     (158 )    
   
 
 
Net cash used in investing activities     (540,125 )   (20,989 )
   
 
 
Cash flows from financing activities:              
  Capital contributions from IAC     394,999     10,219  
  Principal payments on long-term obligations     (345 )   (684 )
  Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards     28     1,659  
   
 
 
Net cash provided by financing activities     394,682     11,194  
   
 
 
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents     12,943     2,184  
   
 
 
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents     (66,665 )   73,110  
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period     568,417     317,577  
   
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   $ 501,752   $ 390,687  
   
 
 

The accompanying Notes to Combined Financial Statements are an integral part of these statements.

F-33



TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1—ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Spin-Off

        On November 5, 2007, IAC/InterActiveCorp ("IAC") announced that its Board of Directors approved a plan to separate IAC into five publicly traded companies, identifying Ticketmaster as one of those five companies. In these combined financial statements, we refer to the separation transaction as the "spin-off." Upon completion of the spin-off, Ticketmaster will consist of the businesses that formerly comprised IAC's Ticketmaster segment, which consists of its domestic and international ticketing and ticketing related businesses, subsidiaries and investments, excluding its ReserveAmerica subsidiary and its investment in Active.com. Ticketmaster will include IAC's investment in Front Line Management Group Inc. ("Front Line"). The businesses to be operated by Ticketmaster following the spin-off are referred to herein as the "Ticketmaster Businesses."

Basis of Presentation

        The historical combined financial statements of Ticketmaster and its subsidiaries reflect the historical financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Ticketmaster Businesses since their respective dates of acquisition by IAC, and the allocation to Ticketmaster of certain IAC corporate expenses relating to the Ticketmaster Businesses based on the historical consolidated financial statements and accounting records of IAC and using the historical results of operations and historical bases of the assets and liabilities of the Ticketmaster Businesses. However, for the purposes of these financial statements, income taxes have been computed for Ticketmaster on an as if stand-alone, separate tax return basis. These financial statements are prepared on a combined, rather than a consolidated, basis because they exclude ReserveAmerica and the investment in Active.com that were owned, and include the investment in Front Line that was not owned, either directly or indirectly, by legal entities that comprise the Ticketmaster Businesses. The ownership of ReserveAmerica and the investment in Active.com will be retained by IAC after the spin-off. These combined financial statements present IAC's and its subsidiaries net investment in the Ticketmaster Businesses as invested equity in lieu of shareholders' equity. Intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

        In the opinion of Ticketmaster's management, the assumptions underlying the historical combined financial statements of Ticketmaster are reasonable. However, this financial information does not necessarily reflect what the historical financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Ticketmaster would have been had Ticketmaster been a stand-alone company during the periods presented.

        The accompanying unaudited combined financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of Ticketmaster's management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for a full year. The accompanying unaudited combined financial statements should be read in conjunction with Ticketmaster's audited combined financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2007.

F-34


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 1—ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Continued)

Company Overview

        Ticketmaster is the world's leading live entertainment ticketing and marketing company, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution through www.ticketmaster.com, one of the largest e-commerce sites on the internet, approximately 6,700 independent sales outlets and 19 call centers worldwide. Ticketmaster serves leading arenas, stadiums, amphitheaters, music clubs, concert promoters, professional sports franchises and leagues, college sports teams, performing arts venues, museums and theaters in the United States and abroad, including Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Ticketmaster is also a party to joint ventures with third parties to provide ticket distribution services in Mexico and to supply ticketing services for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Ticketmaster licenses its technology in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China and Belgium.

NOTE 2—SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Accounting Estimates

        Ticketmaster's management is required to make certain estimates and assumptions during the preparation of the combined financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. These estimates and assumptions impact the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the combined financial statements. They also impact the reported amount of net earnings during any period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

        Significant estimates underlying the accompanying combined financial statements include: the recoverability of contract advances; the recoverability of long-lived assets; the recovery of goodwill and intangible assets; the determination of income taxes payable and deferred income taxes, including related valuation allowances; and assumptions related to the determination of stock-based compensation.

Other

        Interest income earned on funds that are collected from ticket purchasers and invested until remittance to the applicable clients is included in revenue. For the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007, $4.2 million and $3.0 million, respectively, of interest income is included in revenue.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

        In December 2007, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued SFAS No. 160, "Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements—an amendment of Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51" ("SFAS No. 160"). SFAS No. 160 establishes accounting and reporting standards for ownership interests in subsidiaries held by parties other than the parent, the amount of combined net income attributable to the parent and to the noncontrolling interest, changes in a parent's ownership interest and the valuation of retained noncontrolling equity investments when a subsidiary is deconsolidated. The Statement also establishes reporting requirements that provide sufficient disclosures that clearly identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent and the interests of the noncontrolling owners. SFAS No. 160 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008. SFAS No. 160 will be applied prospectively, except as it relates to disclosures, for

F-35


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 2—SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)


which the effects will be applied retrospectively for all periods presented. Early adoption is not permitted. Ticketmaster is currently assessing the impact of SFAS No. 160 on its combined financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

        In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141 (revised 2007), "Business Combinations" ("SFAS No. 141R"), which replaces FASB Statement No. 141. SFAS No. 141R establishes principles and requirements for how an acquirer recognizes and measures in its financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree and the goodwill acquired. The Statement also establishes disclosure requirements that will enable users to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business combination. SFAS No. 141R applies prospectively to business combinations in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008. Early adoption is not permitted. Ticketmaster is currently assessing the impact of the adoption of SFAS No. 141R on its combined financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

NOTE 3—GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS

        The balance of goodwill and intangible assets, net is as follows (in thousands):

 
  March 31, 2008
  December 31, 2007
Goodwill   $ 1,411,139   $ 1,090,418
Intangible assets with indefinite lives     62,560     62,560
Intangible assets with definite lives, net     168,010     29,765
   
 
  Total goodwill and intangible assets, net   $ 1,641,709   $ 1,182,743
   
 

        Intangible assets with indefinite lives relate principally to trade names and trademarks acquired in various acquisitions. At March 31, 2008, intangible assets with definite lives relate to the following (in thousands):

 
  Cost
  Accumulated
Amortization

  Net
  Weighted
Average
Amortization Life
(Years)

Purchase agreements   $ 165,661   $ (151,539 ) $ 14,122   6.1
Broker relationships     63,800     (444 )   63,356   12.0
Customer lists     34,600     (1,057 )   33,543   7.0
Technology     32,087     (9,309 )   22,778   3.5
Distribution agreements     28,929     (22,212 )   6,717   4.3
Other     40,022     (12,528 )   27,494   7.5
   
 
 
   
  Total   $ 365,099   $ (197,089 ) $ 168,010    
   
 
 
   

F-36


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 3—GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Continued)

        At December 31, 2007, intangible assets with definite lives relate to the following (in thousands):

 
  Cost
  Accumulated
Amortization

  Net
  Weighted
Average
Amortization Life
(Years)

Purchase agreements   $ 163,681   $ (145,637 ) $ 18,044   6.1
Distribution agreements     28,109     (20,567 )   7,542   4.2
Technology     8,587     (8,397 )   190   4.0
Other     14,752     (10,763 )   3,989   5.2
   
 
 
   
  Total   $ 215,129   $ (185,364 ) $ 29,765    
   
 
 
   

        Amortization of intangible assets with definite lives is computed on a straight-line basis and, based on March 31, 2008 balances, such amortization for the remainder of 2008 and each of the next five years and thereafter is estimated to be as follows (in thousands):

Remaining nine months of 2008   $ 27,081
2009     27,529
2010     23,054
2011     14,608
2012     12,026
2013     11,796
2014 and thereafter     51,916
   
    $ 168,010
   

        The following table presents the balance of goodwill, including changes in the carrying amount of goodwill, for the three months ended March 31, 2008 (in thousands):

Balance As Of
January 1, 2008

  Additions
  (Deductions)
  Foreign
Exchange
Translation

  Balance As Of
March 31, 2008

$ 1,090,418   $ 315,803   $ (14 ) $ 4,932   $ 1,411,139

 
 
 
 

        Additions principally relate to the acquisitions of TicketsNow, Paciolan, and GET ME IN! LTD. The aggregate purchase price for these acquisitions totaled approximately $425 million. Ticketmaster identified approximately $146.2 million of intangible assets other than goodwill. The goodwill recognized amounted to approximately $311.6 million. The purchase price allocation for each of these acquisitions is preliminary and subject to adjustment during the allocation period, which is not expected to last beyond a year from the respective date of purchase, and as such the goodwill may change.

F-37


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 4—PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

        The balance of property and equipment, net is as follows (in thousands):

 
  March 31, 2008
  December 31, 2007
 
Computer equipment and capitalized software   $ 283,944   $ 260,983  
Leasehold improvements     16,813     14,180  
Furniture and other equipment     20,305     18,375  
Projects in progress     10,199     10,249  
Land     2,458     2,500  
   
 
 
      333,719     306,287  
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization     (223,191 )   (211,165 )
   
 
 
  Total property and equipment, net   $ 110,528   $ 95,122  
   
 
 

NOTE 5—SEGMENT INFORMATION

        Ticketmaster has one operating segment based upon how the chief operating decision maker and executive management view the business, its organizational structure and the type of service provided, which primarily is online and offline ticketing services.

        Ticketmaster's primary metric is Operating Income Before Amortization, which is defined as operating income excluding, if applicable: (1) non-cash compensation expense, (2) amortization of intangibles and goodwill impairment, (3) pro forma adjustments for significant acquisitions, and (4) one-time items. Ticketmaster believes this measure is useful to investors because it represents its combined operating results taking into account depreciation, which it believes is an ongoing cost of doing business, but excluding the effects of any other non-cash expenses. Operating Income Before Amortization has certain limitations in that it does not take into account the impact to Ticketmaster's statement of operations of certain expenses, including non-cash compensation and acquisition-related accounting.

F-38


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 5—SEGMENT INFORMATION (Continued)

        The following table reconciles Operating Income Before Amortization to operating income and net income (in thousands):

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,

 
 
  2008
  2007
 
Operating Income Before Amortization   $ 60,423   $ 70,220  
Non-cash compensation expense     (4,765 )   (1,879 )
Amortization of intangibles     (8,868 )   (6,853 )
   
 
 
  Operating income     46,790     61,488  
Interest income     3,290     5,378  
Interest expense     (735 )   (266 )
Equity in income of uncombined affiliates     666     865  
Other income     944     83  
Income tax provision     (18,821 )   (24,637 )
Minority interest in losses of combined subsidiaries     573     14  
   
 
 
Net income   $ 32,707   $ 42,925  
   
 
 

        Non-cash compensation expense in the table above is included in the following line items in the accompanying combined statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 (in thousands):

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2008
  2007
Cost of sales   $ 235   $ 148
Selling and marketing expense     258     163
General and administrative expense     4,272     1,568
   
 
Non-cash compensation expense   $ 4,765   $ 1,879
   
 

F-39


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 5—SEGMENT INFORMATION (Continued)

        Ticketmaster maintains operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and other international territories. Geographic information about the United States and international territories is presented below (in thousands):

 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
 
  2008
  2007
Revenue:            
  United States   $ 239,707   $ 209,077
  All other countries     109,274     94,500
   
 
  Total   $ 348,981   $ 303,577
   
 
 
 
  March 31, 2008
  December 31, 2007
Long-lived assets (excluding goodwill and intangible assets):            
  United States   $ 78,811   $ 63,021
  All other countries     31,717     32,101
   
 
  Total   $ 110,528   $ 95,122
   
 

NOTE 6—EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN UNCOMBINED AFFILIATES

        At March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, Ticketmaster's equity investments in uncombined affiliates totaled $145.9 million and $145.2 million, respectively, and are included in "Long-term investments" in the accompanying combined balance sheets.

        Summarized aggregated financial information for Ticketmaster's equity investments is as follows (in thousands):

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,

 
  2008
  2007
Net sales   $ 72,149   $ 9,042
Gross profit     34,353     6,712
Net income     4,746     2,616

NOTE 7—COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

        Comprehensive income is comprised of (in thousands):

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,

 
  2008
  2007
Net income   $ 32,707   $ 42,925
Foreign currency translation     12,284     2,612
   
 
Comprehensive income   $ 44,991   $ 45,537
   
 

F-40


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 7—COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Continued)

        Accumulated other comprehensive income at March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 is solely related to foreign currency translation.

NOTE 8—INCOME TAXES

        Ticketmaster calculates its interim income tax provision in accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 28 and FASB Interpretation No. 18. At the end of each interim period, Ticketmaster makes its best estimate of the annual expected effective tax rate and applies that rate to its ordinary year-to-date earnings or loss. The tax or benefit related to significant, unusual, or extraordinary items that will be separately reported or reported net of their related tax effect are individually computed and recognized in the interim period in which those items occur. In addition, the effect of changes in enacted tax laws or rates, tax status, or judgment on the realizability of a beginning-of-the-year deferred tax asset in future years is recognized in the interim period in which the change occurs.

        The computation of the annual expected effective tax rate at each interim period requires certain estimates and assumptions including, but not limited to, the expected operating income for the year, projections of the proportion of income (or loss) earned and taxed in foreign jurisdictions, permanent and temporary differences, and the likelihood of recovering deferred tax assets generated in the current year. The accounting estimates used to compute the provision for income taxes may change as new events occur, more experience is acquired, additional information is obtained or Ticketmaster's tax environment changes. To the extent that the estimated annual effective tax rate changes during a quarter, the effect of the change on prior quarters is included in tax expense for the current quarter.

        For the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007, Ticketmaster recorded tax provisions of $18.8 million and $24.6 million, respectively, which represent effective tax rates of 37% and 36%, respectively. The tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and March 31, 2007 are higher than the federal statutory rate of 35% due principally to state taxes.

        As of December 31, 2007 and March 31, 2008, Ticketmaster had unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $5.5 million. Included in unrecognized tax benefits at March 31, 2008 is approximately $4.6 million for tax positions included in IAC's consolidated tax return filings that will remain a liability of IAC after the spin-off. Ticketmaster recognizes interest and, if applicable, penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. Included in income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2008 is $0.1 million, net of related deferred taxes, for interest on unrecognized tax benefits. At March 31, 2008, Ticketmaster has accrued $1.0 million for the payment of interest. There are no material accruals for penalties.

        By virtue of previously filed separate company and consolidated tax returns with IAC, Ticketmaster is routinely under audit by federal, state, local and foreign authorities in the area of income tax. These audits include questioning the timing and the amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. Income taxes payable include amounts considered sufficient to pay assessments that may result from examination of prior year returns; however, the amount paid upon resolution of issues raised may differ from the amount provided. Differences between the reserves for tax contingencies and the amounts owed by Ticketmaster are recorded in the period they become known.

F-41


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 8—INCOME TAXES (Continued)

        The Internal Revenue Service is currently examining the IAC consolidated tax returns for the years ended December 31, 2001 through 2003, which includes the operations of Ticketmaster from January 17, 2003, the date which Ticketmaster joined the IAC consolidated tax return. The statute of limitations for these years has been extended to December 31, 2008. Various IAC consolidated tax returns filed with state, local and foreign jurisdictions are currently under examination, the most significant of which are California, Florida, New York state and New York City, for various tax years after December 31, 2001. These examinations are expected to be completed by late 2008.

        Ticketmaster believes that it is reasonably possible that its unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by approximately $3.6 million within twelve months of the current reporting date due to the reversal of deductible temporary differences which will result in a corresponding increase in net deferred tax liabilities. An estimate of other changes in unrecognized tax benefits cannot be made, but are not expected to be significant.

NOTE 9—CONTINGENCIES

        In the ordinary course of business, Ticketmaster is a party to various lawsuits. Ticketmaster establishes reserves for specific legal matters when it determines that the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome is probable and the loss is reasonably estimable. Management has also identified certain other legal matters where it believes an unfavorable outcome is not probable and, therefore, no reserve is established. Although management currently believes that an unfavorable resolution of claims against Ticketmaster, including claims where an unfavorable outcome is reasonably possible, will not have a material impact on the liquidity, results of operations, or financial condition of Ticketmaster, these matters are subject to inherent uncertainties and management's view of these matters may change in the future. It is possible that an unfavorable outcome of one or more of these lawsuits could have a material impact on the liquidity, results of operations, or financial condition of Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster also evaluates other contingent matters, including tax contingencies, to assess the probability and estimated extent of potential loss. See Note 8 for discussion related to income tax contingencies.

NOTE 10—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

        Ticketmaster's expenses include allocations from IAC of costs associated with IAC's accounting, treasury, legal, tax, corporate support, human resources and internal audit functions. These expenses were allocated based on the ratio of Ticketmaster's revenue as a percentage of IAC's total revenue. Allocated costs were $0.9 million, and $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively, and are included in "General and administrative expense" in the accompanying combined statements of operations. It is not practicable to determine the amounts of these expenses that would have been incurred had Ticketmaster operated as an unaffiliated entity. In the opinion of management, the allocation method is reasonable.

        The portion of interest income reflected in the combined statements of operations that is intercompany in nature was $1.7 million and $4.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively. This intercompany interest relates to the receivables from IAC.

F-42


TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

NOTE 10—RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Continued)

        An analysis of Ticketmaster's receivables from IAC and subsidiaries is as follows (in thousands):

 
  March 31, 2008
 
Receivables from IAC and subsidiaries at December 31, 2007   $ 474,110  
Cash transfers to IAC related to its centrally managed U.S. treasury function     134,506  
Interest income     1,699  
Employee equity instruments and associated tax withholdings     3,888  
Taxes (excludes tax withholdings associated with employee equity instruments)     (2,277 )
Allocation of non-cash compensation expense     (2,975 )
Administrative expenses and other     (4,611 )
   
 
Receivables from IAC and subsidiaries at March 31, 2008   $ 604,340  
   
 

Relationship Between IAC and Ticketmaster after the Spin-Off

        For purposes of governing certain of the ongoing relationships between Ticketmaster and IAC at and after the spin-off, and to provide for an orderly transition, Ticketmaster and IAC are expected to enter into a separation agreement, a tax sharing agreement, an employee matters agreement and a transition services agreement (the "Spin-Off Agreements"), among other agreements. See Ticketmaster's combined financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2007 for descriptions of the Spin-Off Agreements.

F-43



PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.    Other Expenses Of Issuance And Distribution

        The following is a statement of the expenses (all of which are estimated other than the SEC registration fee) to be incurred by the Registrant in connection with the distribution of the securities registered under this registration statement:

Item
  Amount*
SEC Registration Fee   $ 80.51
Printing Fees and Expenses     100,000
Nasdaq Listing Fee     150,000
Legal Fees and Expenses     250,000
Accounting Fees and Expenses     20,000
Miscellaneous    
   
  Total   $ 520,080.51
   

*
All fees are estimates except SEC registration fee and Nasdaq listing fee

Item 15.    Indemnification Of Directors And Officers

        Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which such person is made a party by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation—a "derivative action"), if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person's conduct was unlawful. A similar standard is applicable in the case of derivative actions, except that indemnification only extends to expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action, and the statute requires court approval before there can be any indemnification where the person seeking indemnification has been found liable to the corporation. The statute provides that it is not exclusive of other indemnification that may be granted by a corporation's by-laws, disinterested director vote, stockholder vote, agreement or otherwise.

        Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that no director shall be liable to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation on liability is not permitted under the DGCL, as now in effect or as amended. Currently, Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL requires that liability be imposed for the following:

    any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders;

    any act or omission not in good faith or which involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

    unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the DGCL; and

    any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

        Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws provide that, to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as now in effect or as amended, we will indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that such person, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact such person, or a person of whom he or she is the

II-1



legal representative is or was serving, at the Company's request, as a director, officer, or trustee of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Company. To the extent authorized by the DGCL, the Company will indemnify such persons against all expenses, liability and loss (including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such persons in connection with such service. Any amendment of these provisions will not reduce the indemnification obligations of the Company relating to actions taken before such amendment.

        The Company intends to obtain policies that insure its directors and officers and those of its subsidiaries against certain liabilities they may incur in their capacity as directors and officers. Under these policies, the insurer, on behalf of the Company, may also pay amounts for which the Company has granted indemnification to the directors or officers.

Item 16.    Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

    (a)
    See Exhibit Index.

    (b)
    See Schedule II—Valuation and Qualifying Accounts.

Item 17.    Undertakings

        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 to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement.

    (2)
    That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, 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 purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement 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.

        Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act 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 Securities 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

II-2



SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on August 1, 2008.


 

 

TICKETMASTER

 

 

By:

/s/  
GREGORY R. BLATT      
Gregory R. Blatt
Vice President and Assistant Secretary

        The person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Gregory R. Blatt, Joanne Hawkins and Tanya M. Stanich and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, severally, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, any subsequent registration statements pursuant to Rule 462 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney may be executed in counterparts.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature
  Title

  Date

 

 

 

 

 
/s/  SEAN MORIARTY      
Sean Moriarty
  President and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal executive officer)
  August 1, 2008

/s/  
BRIAN REGAN      
Brian Regan

 

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal financial officer and principal accounting officer)

 

August 1, 2008

/s/  
THOMAS J. MCINERNEY      
Thomas J. McInerney

 

Director

 

August 1, 2008

/s/  
GREGORY R. BLATT      
Gregory R. Blatt

 

Director

 

August 1, 2008

II-3



INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit

  Description
2.1   Form of Separation and Distribution Agreement by and among HSN, Inc., Interval Leisure Group, Inc., Ticketmaster, Tree.com, Inc. and IAC/InterActiveCorp

2.2

 

Agreement and Plan of Merger among Ticketmaster, V.I.P. Merger Sub Inc., The V.I.P. Tour Company, TNSH, LLC, and certain stockholders of The V.I.P. Tour Company, dated January 11, 2008

3.1

 

Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Ticketmaster

3.2

 

Form of Amended and Restated By-laws of Ticketmaster

5.1

 

Opinion of the General Counsel of IAC/InterActiveCorp regarding the legality of the securities being issued

8.1

 

Opinion of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz regarding tax matters

10.1

 

Form of Tax Sharing Agreement among HSN, Inc., Interval Leisure Group, Inc., Ticketmaster, Tree.com, Inc. and IAC/InterActiveCorp

10.2

 

Form of Transition Services Agreement among HSN, Inc., Interval Leisure Group, Inc., Ticketmaster, Tree.com, Inc. and IAC/InterActiveCorp

10.3

 

Form of Employee Matters Agreement among HSN, Inc., Interval Leisure Group, Inc., Ticketmaster, Tree.com, Inc. and IAC/InterActiveCorp

10.4

 

Spinco Agreement, dated as of May 13, 2008, between IAC/InterActiveCorp, Liberty Media Corporation, LMC Silver King, Inc., Liberty HSN II, Inc., LMC USA VIII, Inc., LMC USA IX, Inc., LMC USA XI, Inc., LMC USA XII,  Inc., LMC USA XIII, Inc., LMC USA XIV, Inc., LMC USA XV, Inc., Liberty Tweety, Inc., BDTV Inc., BDTV II Inc., BDTV III Inc., BDTV IV Inc. and Barry Diller (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to IAC/InterActiveCorp's Current Report on Form 8-K (SEC File No. 0-20570) dated May 16, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference)

10.5

 

Employment Agreement between IAC/InterActiveCorp and Sean Moriarty, dated as of [                        ], 2008*†

10.6

 

Employment Agreement between Ticketmaster L.L.C. and Edward J. Weiss, effective as of January 1, 2008†

10.7

 

Employment Agreement between Ticketmaster L.L.C. and Eric Korman, effective as of April 10, 2006†

10.8

 

Letter Agreement between Ticketmaster Corporation and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, dated as of July 31, 2006

10.9

 

Letter Agreement between Ticketmaster Corporation and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, dated as of February 6, 2006

10.10

 

Letter Agreement between Ticketmaster L.L.C. and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, dated as of October 17, 2005

10.11

 

Letter Agreement between Ticketmaster L.L.C. and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, dated as of March 21, 2002

10.12

 

Letter Agreement between Ticketmaster Corporation and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, dated as of February 7, 2001

10.13

 

Amendment to License Agreement between Ticketmaster Corporation and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, dated as of August 31, 1999


10.14

 

Letter Agreement between Ticketmaster Corporation and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, dated as of July 28, 1997

10.15

 

Consent and Agreement between Ticketmaster Corporation and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, dated as of January 5, 1996

10.16

 

License Agreement between Ticketmaster Corporation and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, dated as of May 23, 1991

10.17

 

Ticketmaster 2008 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan†

10.18

 

Employment Agreement between Brian Regan and Ticketmaster L.L.C., dated as of May 19, 2008†

10.19

 

Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors†

10.20

 

Credit Agreement among Ticketmaster, as Borrower, Certain Subsidiaries of the Borrower, as Guarantors, The Lenders Party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, dated as of July 25, 2008

10.21

 

Indenture, dated as of July 28, 2008, among Ticketmaster, as Issuer, the Guarantors identified therein, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee

21.1

 

Subsidiaries of Ticketmaster

23.1

 

Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

23.2

 

Consent of the General Counsel of IAC/InterActiveCorp (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.3

 

Consent of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (included in Exhibit 8.1)

99.1

 

Consent of Terry Barnes to being named as a director

99.2

 

Consent of Mark Carleton to being named as a director

99.3

 

Consent of Brian Deevy to being named as a director

99.4

 

Consent of Barry Diller to being named as a director

99.5

 

Consent of Jonathan L. Dolgen to being named as a director

99.6

 

Consent of Julius Genachowski to being named as a director

99.7

 

Consent of Diane Irvine to being named as a director

99.8

 

Consent of Victor Kaufman to being named as a director

99.9

 

Consent of Michael Leitner to being named as a director

99.10

 

Consent of Jonathan F. Miller to being named as a director

99.11

 

Consent of Sean Moriarty to being named a director

99.12

 

Letter to stockholders of IAC/InterActiveCorp

99.13

 

Supplemental Quarterly Financial Data for the Year Ended December 31, 2007

Reflects management contracts and management and director compensatory plans
*
To be filed by amendment



QuickLinks

EXPLANATORY NOTE
TICKETMASTER
72,186,499 Shares of Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT TICKETMASTER AND THE SPIN-OFFS
RISK FACTORS
RISK FACTORS RELATING TO OUR SPIN-OFF FROM IAC
RISK FACTORS RELATING TO OUR BUSINESS FOLLOWING TICKETMASTER'S SPIN-OFF FROM IAC
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
THE SEPARATION
TREATMENT OF OUTSTANDING IAC COMPENSATORY EQUITY-BASED AWARDS
DIVIDEND POLICY
TRANSFERS TO IAC AND FINANCING
CERTAIN INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO TICKETMASTER
BUSINESS OF TICKETMASTER
CAPITALIZATION
SELECTED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL DATA
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED BALANCE SHEET MARCH 31, 2008
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2008
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2007
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS OF TICKETMASTER
MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW
FINANCIAL POSITION, LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COMMERCIAL COMMITMENTS
FINANCIAL POSITION, LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COMMERCIAL COMMITMENTS
TICKETMASTER'S PRINCIPLES OF FINANCIAL REPORTING
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Management of Ticketmaster
TICKETMASTER SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK OF TICKETMASTER
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
DESCRIPTION OF THE STOCK AND ANNUAL INCENTIVE PLAN
USE OF PROCEEDS
DETERMINATION OF OFFERING PRICE
LEGAL MATTERS
EXPERTS
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES COMBINED STATEMENTS OF INVESTED EQUITY
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES COMBINED STATEMENTS OF INVESTED EQUITY (Unaudited)
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
TICKETMASTER AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
SIGNATURES
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
EX-2.1 2 a2187104zex-2_1.htm EXHIBIT 2.1

Exhibit 2.1

 

FORM OF

 

SEPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

 

by and among

 

IAC/INTERACTIVECORP,

 

HSN, INC.,

 

INTERVAL LEISURE GROUP, INC.,

 

TICKETMASTER

 

and

 

TREE.COM,  INC.

 

DATED AS OF [      ], 2008

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I

INTERPRETATION

2

1.01.

Definitions

2

1.02.

Schedules

19

1.03.

Effective Time; Suspension

20

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

THE SEPARATION

20

2.01.

Separation

20

2.02.

Implementation

21

2.03.

Transfer of Spun Assets; Assumption of Spun Liabilities

21

2.04.

TM Assets

21

2.05.

Interval Assets

22

2.06.

HSN Assets

23

2.07.

Tree Assets

24

2.08.

Deferred Spun Assets

25

2.09.

Excluded Assets

25

2.10.

Liabilities

25

2.11.

Third Party Consents and Government Approvals

27

2.12.

Preservation of Agreements

27

2.13.

Ancillary Agreements

27

2.14.

Resignations

28

2.15.

Cooperation

28

2.16.

Intercompany Accounts Among Groups

28

2.17.

Disclaimer of Representations and Warranties

28

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

DEFERRED SEPARATION TRANSACTIONS

29

3.01.

Deferred Transfer Assets

29

3.02.

Unreleased Liabilities

30

3.03.

No Additional Consideration

30

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

31

4.01.

General Covenants

31

4.02.

Covenants of the Spincos

31

4.03.

Spinco Common Stock Escrow Accounts

32

4.04.

Cash Balance True-Ups

33

4.05.

Non-Solicitation

34

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

THE DISTRIBUTION

35

5.01.

Conditions to the Distribution

35

5.02.

Distribution of Spinco Common Stock

36

5.03.

Fractional Shares

37

5.04.

Actions in Connection with the Distributions

37

5.05.

Treatment of Integrated Warrant

38

 

i



 

ARTICLE VI

MUTUAL RELEASES; INDEMNIFICATION

39

6.01.

Release of Pre-Distribution Claims

39

6.02.

Indemnification by Spincos

43

6.03.

Indemnification by IAC

44

6.04.

Procedures for Indemnification of Third Party Claims

44

6.05.

Procedures for Indemnification of Direct Claims

46

6.06.

Adjustments to Liabilities

46

6.07.

Payments

47

6.08.

Contribution

47

6.09.

Remedies Cumulative

47

6.10.

Survival of Indemnities

47

6.11.

Shared Liabilities

47

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII

INSURANCE

48

7.01.

Insurance Matters

48

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY

49

8.01.

Agreement for Exchange of Information; Archives

49

8.02.

Ownership of Information

50

8.03.

Compensation for Providing Information

51

8.04.

Record Retention

51

8.05.

Other Agreements Providing for Exchange of Information

51

8.06.

Production of Witnesses; Records; Cooperation

51

8.07.

Confidentiality

52

8.08.

Protective Arrangements

53

8.09.

Disclosure of Third Party Information

53

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

54

9.01.

Interpretation; Agreement to Resolve Disputes

54

9.02.

Dispute Resolution; Mediation

54

9.03.

Arbitration

55

9.04.

Costs

56

9.05.

Continuity of Service and Performance

56

 

 

 

ARTICLE X

FURTHER ASSURANCES

56

10.01.

Further Assurances

56

 

 

 

ARTICLE XI

CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS

57

11.01.

Auditors and Audits; Annual and Quarterly Financial Statements and Accounting

57

 

 

 

ARTICLE XII

SOLE DISCRETION OF IAC; TERMINATION

59

12.01.

Sole Discretion of IAC

59

12.02.

Termination

59

 

 

 

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS

60

13.01.

Limitation of Liability

60

 

ii



 

13.02.

Counterparts

60

13.03.

Entire Agreement

60

13.04.

Construction

60

13.05.

Signatures

61

13.06.

Assignability

61

13.07.

Third Party Beneficiaries

61

13.08.

Payment Terms

62

13.09.

Governing Law

62

13.10.

Notices

62

13.11.

Severability

63

13.12.

Publicity

64

13.13.

Survival of Covenants

64

13.14.

Waivers of Default; Conflicts

64

13.15.

Amendments

64

 

iii



 

SEPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

 

This SEPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT, dated as of [      ], 2008, is entered into by and among IAC/InterActiveCorp, a Delaware corporation (“IAC”), HSN, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“HSN Spinco”), Interval Leisure Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“Interval Spinco”), Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“TM Spinco”), and Tree.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“Tree Spinco”; together with TM Spinco, Interval Spinco and HSN Spinco, the “Spincos”; the Spincos and IAC, collectively, the “Separate-cos” or “Parties”).

 

RECITALS:

 

WHEREAS, IAC, acting through its direct and indirect Subsidiaries, currently conducts a number of businesses, including (i) the Ticketing Business (as defined herein), (ii) the Vacations Business (as defined herein), (iii) the Retailing Business (as defined herein), (iv) the Lending and Real Estate Business (as defined herein) (together with the Ticketing Business, the Vacations Business and the Retailing Business, the “Spun Businesses”) and (v) the Remaining Business (as defined herein);

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of IAC (the “IAC Board”) has determined that it is appropriate, desirable and in the best interests of IAC and its stockholders to separate IAC into five publicly-traded companies (the “Separation”): (i) TM Spinco, which following the Separation will own and conduct, directly or indirectly, the Ticketing Business, (ii) Interval Spinco, which following the Separation will own and conduct, directly or indirectly, the Vacations Business, (iii) HSN Spinco, which following the Separation will own and conduct, directly or indirectly, the Retailing Business, (iv) Tree Spinco, which following the Separation will own and conduct, directly or indirectly, the Lending and Real Estate Business, and (v) IAC, which following the Separation will own and conduct, directly or indirectly, the Remaining Business;

 

WHEREAS, following the merger on                  , 2008 of a wholly owned subsidiary of IAC with and into IAC, the outstanding shares of capital stock of IAC consist solely of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of IAC (“ IAC Common Stock”) and Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of IAC (“IAC Class B Common Stock”);

 

WHEREAS, in order to effect the Separation, the IAC Board has determined that it is appropriate, desirable and in the best interests of IAC and its stockholders: (i) for IAC and its Subsidiaries to enter into a series of transactions as set forth in the Transactions Memorandum dated of even date herewith (the “Transactions Memo”) as a result of which one or more members of each Group (as defined herein) will, collectively, own all of such Group’s Corresponding Assets (as defined herein) and assume (or retain) all of such Group’s Corresponding Liabilities (as defined herein); and, thereafter (ii) for IAC to distribute to the holders of IAC Common Stock and the holders of IAC Class B Common Stock (in each case without consideration being paid by such stockholders), on a pro rata basis, all of the issued and

 

1



 

outstanding shares of Spinco Common Stock (as defined herein) of each Spinco;

 

WHEREAS, each of the Separate-cos has determined that it is necessary and desirable, on or prior to the Effective Time (as defined herein), to allocate and transfer to the applicable Group those Assets, and to allocate and assign to the applicable Group responsibility for those Liabilities, in respect of the activities of the Corresponding Businesses (as defined herein) of such Group;

 

WHEREAS, it is the intention of the Parties that each of the Distributions (as defined herein) qualify as a transaction that is generally tax free for United States federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”);

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the Distributions, each of HSN Spinco and/or its Subsidiaries, Interval Spinco and/or its Subsidiaries and TM Spinco and/or its Subsidiaries will, subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement, enter into separate credit facilities and/or issue new debt securities, all or a portion of the cash proceeds of borrowings under which shall be distributed to IAC;

 

WHEREAS, (a) IAC has entered into an agreement with certain holders of its 7% Senior Notes due 2013 (the “IAC Notes”) providing for, among other things, (i) IAC to exchange (the “Exchange”) new 9.5% Senior Notes due 2016 of Interval Acquisition Corp. (as defined herein) that it will receive from Interval Acquisition Corp. as set forth in the Transactions Memorandum (the “Interval Senior Notes”) and (ii) the simultaneous closing of the Exchange and the cash tender offer being made by IAC for any and all of the outstanding IAC Notes (the “IAC Notes Tender Offer”) and (b) it is intended that the issuance of the Interval Senior Notes to IAC and the Exchange, together with the IAC Notes Tender Offer, are in connection with the Interval Distribution and are intended to give rise to a succession event (with Interval as the sole successor to IAC) for credit derivatives purposes; and

 

WHEREAS, the Parties wish to set forth in this Agreement the terms on which, and the conditions subject to which, they intend to implement the measures described above.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, covenants and other provisions set forth in this Agreement, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
INTERPRETATION

 

1.01.        Definitions.  The capitalized words and expressions and variations thereof used in this Agreement or in its schedules, unless a clearly inconsistent meaning is required under the context, shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

2008 Internal Control Audit and Management Assessments” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(b).

 

AAA” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.03.

 

2



 

Accounts Receivable” means in respect of any Person, (a) all trade accounts and notes receivable and other rights to payment from customers and all security for such accounts or rights to payment, including all trade accounts receivable representing amounts receivable in respect of goods shipped or products sold or otherwise disposed of or services rendered to customers, (b) all other accounts and notes receivable and all security for such accounts or notes, and (c) any claim, remedy or other right relating to any of the foregoing.

 

Action” means any demand, action, suit, countersuit, arbitration, inquiry, proceeding or investigation by any Person or any Governmental Authority or before any Governmental Authority or any arbitration or mediation tribunal.

 

Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such first Person as of the date on which or at any time during the period for when such determination is being made.  For purposes of this definition, “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or other interests, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.02(b).

 

Agreement” means this Separation and Distribution Agreement, including all of the Schedules hereto.

 

Ancillary Agreements” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.13.

 

Applicable Law” means any applicable law, statute, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority or any outstanding order, judgment, injunction, ruling or decree by any Governmental Authority.

 

Appurtenances” means, in respect of any Land, all privileges, rights, easements, servitudes, hereditaments and appurtenances and similar interests belonging to or for the benefit of such Land, including all easements and servitudes appurtenant to and for the benefit of any Land (a “Dominant Parcel”) for, and as the primary means of, access between, the Dominant Parcel and a public way, or for any other use upon which lawful use of the Dominant Parcel for the purposes for which it is presently being used is dependent, and all rights existing in and to any streets, alleys, passages and other rights-of-way included therein or adjacent thereto.

 

Asset-Related Claims” means, in respect of any Asset, all claims of the owner against Third Parties relating to such Asset, whether choate or inchoate, known or unknown, absolute or contingent, disclosed or non-disclosed.

 

Assets” means assets, properties and rights (including goodwill), wherever located (including in the possession of owners or Third Parties or elsewhere), whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, movable or immovable, in each case whether or not recorded or reflected or required to be recorded or reflected on the books and records or financial statements of a Person, including the following:

 

3



 

(a)           Real Property;

 

(b)           Tangible Personal Property;

 

(c)           Inventories;

 

(d)           Accounts Receivable;

 

(e)           Contractual Assets;

 

(f)            Governmental Authorizations;

 

(g)           Business Records;

 

(h)           Intangible Property Rights;

 

(i)            Insurance Benefits;

 

(j)            Asset-Related Claims; and

 

(k)           Deposit Rights.

 

Authorized Auditor” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(c)(i).

 

Authorizing Spinco” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(c)(i).

 

Business Concern” means any corporation, company, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated association or any other form of association.

 

Business Day” means any day excluding (a) Saturday, Sunday and any other day which, in New York City is a legal holiday or (b) a day on which banks are authorized by Applicable Law to close in New York City.

 

Business Records” means, in respect of any Person, all data and Records relating to such Person, including client and customer lists and Records, referral sources, research and development reports and Records, cost information, sales and pricing data, customer prospect lists, customer and vendor data, production reports and Records, service and warranty Records, equipment logs, operating guides and manuals, financial and accounting Records, personnel Records (subject to Applicable Law), creative materials, advertising materials, promotional materials, studies, reports, correspondence and other similar documents and records.

 

Claim Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04(b).

 

Claimant Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

 

Code” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

 

Confidential Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.07(a).

 

4



 

Consent” means any approval, consent, ratification, waiver or other authorization.

 

Contract” means any contract, agreement, lease, purchase and/or commitment, license, consensual obligation, promise or undertaking (whether written or oral and whether express or implied) that is legally binding on any Person or any part of its property under Applicable Law, including all claims or rights against any Person, choses in action and similar rights, whether accrued or contingent with respect to any such contract, agreement, lease, purchase and/or commitment, license, consensual obligation, promise or undertaking, but excluding this Agreement and any Ancillary Agreement save as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement.

 

Contractual Asset” means, in respect of any Person, any Contract of, or relating to, such Person, any outstanding offer or solicitation made by, or to, such Person to enter into any Contract, and any promise or undertaking made by any other Person to such Person, whether or not legally binding.

 

Corresponding Annual Report” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(d).

 

Corresponding Assets” (a) with respect to HSN Spinco, any HSN Entity or the HSN Group, means the HSN Assets, (b) with respect to Interval Spinco, any Interval Entity or the Interval Group, means the Interval Assets, (c) with respect to TM Spinco, any TM Entity or the TM Group, means the TM Assets, (d) with respect to Tree Spinco, any Tree Entity or the Tree Group, means the Tree Assets and (e) with respect to IAC or the IAC Group, means the Retained Assets.

 

Corresponding Business”  (a) with respect to HSN Spinco, any HSN Entity or the HSN Group, means the Retailing Business, (b) with respect to Interval Spinco, any Interval Entity or the Interval Group, means the Vacations Business, (c) with respect to TM Spinco, any TM Entity or the TM Group, means the Ticketing Business, (d) with respect to Tree Spinco, any Tree Entity or the Tree Group, means the Lending and Real Estate Business and (e) with respect to IAC or the IAC Group, means the Remaining Business.

 

Corresponding Distribution Ratio” (i) with respect to HSN Spinco, means the HSN Distribution Ratio, (ii) with respect to Interval Spinco, means the Interval Distribution Ratio, (iii) with respect to TM Spinco, means the TM Distribution Ratio and (iv) with respect to Tree Spinco, means the Tree Distribution Ratio.

 

Corresponding Escrow Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.03.

 

Corresponding Group” (a) with respect to the Retailing Business, HSN Spinco or any HSN Entity, means the HSN Group, (b) with respect to the Vacations Business, Interval Spinco or any Interval Entity, means the Interval Group, (c) with respect to the Ticketing Business, TM Spinco or any TM Entity, means the TM Group, (d) with respect to the Lending and Real Estate Business, Tree Spinco or any Tree Entity, means the Tree Group and (e) with respect to the Remaining Business, IAC or any Remaining IAC Entity, means the IAC Group.

 

5



 

Corresponding Group Balance Sheet” (a) with respect to the Retailing Business, HSN Spinco, any HSN Entity or the HSN Group, means the HSN Group Balance Sheet, (b) with respect to the Vacations Business, Interval Spinco, any Interval Entity or the Interval Group, means the Interval Group Balance Sheet, (c) with respect to the Ticketing Business, TM Spinco, any TM Entity or the TM Group, the TM Group Balance Sheet, and (d) with respect to the Lending and Real Estate Business, Tree Spinco, any Tree Entity or the Tree Group, means the Tree Group Balance Sheet.

 

Corresponding Liabilities” (a) with respect to HSN Spinco, any HSN Entity or the HSN Group, means the HSN Liabilities, (b) with respect to Interval Spinco, any Interval Entity or the Interval Group, means the Interval Liabilities, (c) with respect to TM Spinco, any TM Entity or the TM Group, means the TM Liabilities, (d) with respect to Tree Spinco, any Tree Entity or the Tree Group, means the Tree Liabilities and (e) with respect to IAC or the IAC Group, means the Retained Liabilities.

 

Corresponding Opening Balance Sheet” (a) with respect to the Retailing Business, HSN Spinco, any HSN Entity or the HSN Group, means the HSN Opening Balance Sheet, (b) with respect to the Vacations Business, Interval Spinco, any Interval Entity or the Interval Group, means the Interval Opening Balance Sheet, (c) with respect to the Ticketing Business, TM Spinco, any TM Entity or the TM Group, means the TM Opening Balance Sheet and (d) with respect to the Lending and Real Estate Business, Tree Spinco, any Tree Entity or the Tree Group, means the Tree Opening Balance Sheet.

 

Corresponding Other Separate-cos Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02.

 

Corresponding Separate-co” (a) with respect to the Retailing Business, any HSN Entity or the HSN Group, means HSN Spinco, (b) with respect to the Vacations Business, any Interval Entity or the Interval Group, means Interval Spinco, (c) with respect to the Ticketing Business, any TM Entity or the TM Group, means TM Spinco, (d) with respect to the Lending and Real Estate Business, any Tree Entity or the Tree Group, means Tree Spinco and (e) with respect to the Remaining Business, any Remaining IAC Entity or the IAC Group, means IAC.

 

Corresponding Spinco” (a) with respect to the Retailing Business, any HSN Entity or the HSN Group, means HSN Spinco, (b) with respect to the Vacations Business, any Interval Entity or the Interval Group, means Interval Spinco, (c) with respect to the Ticketing Business, any TM Entity or the TM Group, means TM Spinco and (d) with respect to the Lending and Real Estate Business, any Tree Entity or the Tree Group, means Tree Spinco.

 

Deferred Beneficiary” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(b).

 

Deferred Corresponding Asset” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

 

Deferred Excluded Asset” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

 

Deferred Spun Asset” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

 

Deferred Transactions” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.01(a)(ii).

 

6



 

Deferred Transfer Asset” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

 

Deposit Rights” means rights relating to deposits and prepaid expenses, claims for refunds and rights of set-off in respect thereof.

 

DGCL” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

Disclosing Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08.

 

Dispute” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

 

Dispute Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

 

Dispute Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

 

Distribution Date” means the HSN Distribution Date, the Interval Distribution Date, the TM Distribution Date or the Tree Distribution Date, as applicable.

 

Distribution Record Date” means the HSN Distribution Record Date, the Interval Distribution Record Date, the TM Distribution Record Date or the Tree Distribution Record Date, as applicable

 

Distributions” means the HSN Distribution, the Interval Distribution, the TM Distribution and the Tree Distribution, and each of them a “Distribution.”

 

Effective Time” means (a) 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the earliest to occur of one or more of the HSN Distribution Date, the Interval Distribution Date, the TM Distribution Date and the Tree Distribution Date if IAC determines to effect the applicable Distribution(s) prior to the opening of trading on NASDAQ or (b) otherwise, 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on such earliest date to occur.

 

EHS Liabilities” means any Liability arising from or under any Environmental Law or Occupational Health and Safety Law.

 

Employee Matters Agreement” means the Employee Matters Agreement among the Parties to be dated as of even date herewith.

 

Encumbrance” means, with respect to any asset, mortgages, liens, hypothecations, pledges, charges, security interests or encumbrances of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under Applicable Law.

 

Environmental Law” means any Applicable Law from any Governmental Authority (a) relating to the protection of the environment (including air, water, soil and natural resources) or (b) the use, storage, handling, release or disposal of Hazardous Substances.

 

Escrow Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.03(a).

 

Escrow Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.03(a).

 

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Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Excluded Assets” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.09(a).

 

GAAP” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(d).

 

Governmental Authority” means any court, arbitration panel, governmental or regulatory authority, agency, stock exchange, commission or body.

 

Governmental Authorization” means any Consent, license, certificate, franchise, registration or permit issued, granted, given or otherwise made available by, or under the authority of, any Governmental Authority or pursuant to any Applicable Law.

 

Ground Lease” means any long-term lease (including any emphyteotic lease) of Land in which most of the rights and benefits comprising ownership of the Land and the Improvements thereon or to be constructed thereon, if any, and the Appurtenances thereto for the benefit thereof, are transferred to the tenant for the term thereof.

 

Ground Lease Property” means, in respect of any Person, any Land, Improvement or Appurtenance of such Person that is subject to a Ground Lease.

 

Group” means the IAC Group, the HSN Group, the Interval Group, the TM Group or the Tree Group, as the context requires.

 

Guaranteed Entities” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(c).

 

Guaranteed Group” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(c).

 

Guaranteed Spinco” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(c).

 

Guaranteeing Group” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(c).

 

Guaranteeing Separate-co” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02(c).

 

Hazardous Substance” means any substance to the extent presently listed, defined, designated or classified as hazardous, toxic or radioactive under any applicable Environmental Law, including petroleum and any derivative or by-products thereof.

 

HSN Assets” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06.

 

HSN Claims” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(c).

 

HSN Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of HSN Spinco.

 

HSN Distribution” means the distribution on the HSN Distribution Date, to holders of record of shares of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock as of the HSN Distribution Record Date, of the HSN Common Stock owned by IAC on the basis of a

 

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fraction of a share of HSN Common Stock equal to the HSN Distribution Ratio for every one share of IAC Common Stock or IAC Class B Common Stock.

 

HSN Distribution Date” means the date on which IAC distributes all of the issued and outstanding shares of HSN Common Stock to the holders of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock.

 

HSN Distribution Ratio” means 1/5, subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 5.02(a).

 

HSN Distribution Record Date” means such date as may be determined by the IAC Board as the record date for the HSN Distribution.

 

HSN Effective Time Cash Balance” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(c).

 

HSN Entities” means those Business Concerns forming part of the IAC Group which are identified on Schedule 2.06(b) and which on and after the Effective Time form part of the HSN Group.

 

HSN Group” means HSN Spinco, the HSN Entities and each other Person (other than any member of any other Group) that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of HSN Spinco immediately after the Effective Time, and each Person that becomes a Subsidiary of HSN Spinco after the Effective Time.

 

HSN Group Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(c).

 

HSN Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10.

 

HSN Opening Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(e).

 

HSN Releasors” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(c).

 

HSN Spinco” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

HSN Target Cash Balance” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(c).

 

IAC” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

IAC Auditor” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

 

IAC Board” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

 

IAC Claims” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(e).

 

IAC Class B Common Stock” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

 

IAC Common Stock” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

 

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IAC Group” means IAC, its Subsidiaries (subject to Section 1.04(b), other than any member of any Spinco Group) and their respective domestic and international businesses, assets and liabilities.

 

IAC Notes” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

 

IAC Record Date Share Number” with respect to any Distribution means the aggregate number of shares of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock outstanding on the applicable Distribution Record Date.

 

IAC Releasors” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(e).

 

Improvements” means, in respect of any Land, all buildings, structures, plants, fixtures and improvements located on such Land, including those under construction.

 

Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04(a).

 

Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04(b).

 

Information” means any information, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, in written, oral, electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, stored in any medium, including studies, reports, test procedures, research, records, books, contracts, instruments, surveys, discoveries, ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, manufacturing techniques, manufacturing variables, designs, specifications, drawings, blueprints, diagrams, models, prototypes, samples, products, product plans, flow charts, data, computer data, disks, diskettes, tapes, computer programs or other software, marketing plans, customer information, customer services, supplier information, communications by or to attorneys (including attorney-client privileged communications), memos and other materials prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney work product), and other technical, financial, employee or business information or data.

 

Insurance Benefits” means, in respect of any Asset or Liability, all insurance benefits, including rights to Insurance Proceeds, arising from or relating to such Asset or Liability.

 

Insurance Proceeds” means those monies (in each case net of any costs or expenses incurred in the collection thereof and net of any applicable premium adjustments (including reserves and retrospectively rated premium adjustments)):

 

(a)           received by an insured from an insurance carrier; or

 

(b)           paid by an insurance carrier on behalf of the insured.

 

Intangible Property Rights” means, in respect of any Person, all intangible rights and property of such Person, including IT Assets, going concern value and goodwill.

 

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Intercompany Accounts” means all balances related to indebtedness, including any intercompany indebtedness, loan, guaranty, receivable, payable or other account between a member of any Group, on the one hand, and a member of any other Group, on the other hand.

 

“Interval Acquisition Corp.” means Interval Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of IAC that, at the time of the Interval Distribution, will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Interval Spinco. “Interval Assets” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05.

 

Interval Claims” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(b).

 

Interval Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Interval Spinco.

 

Interval Distribution” means the distribution on the Interval Distribution Date, to holders of record of shares of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock as of the Interval Distribution Record Date, of the Interval Common Stock owned by IAC on the basis of a fraction of a share of Interval Common Stock equal to the Interval Distribution Ratio for every one share of IAC Common Stock or IAC Class B Common Stock.

 

Interval Distribution Date” means the date on which IAC distributes all of the issued and outstanding shares of Interval Common Stock to the holders of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock.

 

Interval Distribution Ratio” means 1/5, subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 5.02(a).

 

Interval Distribution Record Date” means such date as may be determined by the IAC Board as the record date for the Interval Distribution.

 

Interval Effective Time Cash Balance” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(b).

 

Interval Entities” means those Business Concerns forming part of the IAC Group which are identified on Schedule 2.05(b) and which on and after the Effective Time form part of the Interval Group.

 

Interval Group” means Interval Spinco, the Interval Entities and each other Person (other than any member of any other Group) that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of Interval Spinco immediately after the Effective Time, and each Person that becomes a Subsidiary of Interval Spinco after the Effective Time.

 

Interval Group Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(c).

 

Interval Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10.

 

Interval Opening Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(e).

 

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Interval Releasors” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(b).

 

Interval Spinco” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Interval Target Cash Balance” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(b).

 

Inventories” means, in respect of any Person, all inventories of such Person wherever located, including all finished goods, (whether or not held at any location or facility of such Person or in transit to or from such Person), work in process, raw materials, spare parts and all other materials and supplies to be used or consumed by the Person in production of finished goods.

 

IT Assets” means computers, computer software, firmware, middleware, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, data communications lines, all other information technology equipments and all associated documentation.

 

Land” means, in respect of any Person, all parcels and tracts of land in which the Person has an ownership interest.

 

Lending and Real Estate Business” means (a) the businesses and operations of Tree Spinco and its subsidiaries described in the Information Statement included as an exhibit to Tree Spinco’s Registration Statement, (b) any other business conducted primarily through the use of the Tree Assets prior to the Effective Time and (c) the businesses and operations of Business Concerns acquired or established by or for Tree Spinco or any of its Subsidiaries after the date of this Agreement.

 

Liberty Spinco Agreement” means that certain Spinco Agreement, dated as of May 13, 2008, among IAC, Barry Diller, Liberty Media Corporation and certain subsidiaries of Liberty Media Corporation that hold IAC Common Stock and/or IAC Class B Common Stock.

 

Liberty Spinco Assumption Agreement” means an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 5 to the Liberty Spinco Agreement.

 

Liberty Registration Rights Agreement” means an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 4 to the Liberty Spinco Agreement.

 

Liability” means, with respect to any Person, any and all losses, claims, charges, debts, demands, actions, causes of action, suits, damages, obligations, payments, costs and expenses, sums of money, accounts, reckonings, bonds, specialties, indemnities and similar obligations, exoneration covenants, contracts, controversies, agreements, promises, doings, omissions, variances, guarantees, make whole agreements and similar obligations, and other liabilities and requirements, including all contractual obligations, whether absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, accrued or unaccrued, known or unknown, joint or several, whenever arising, and including those arising under any Applicable Law, Action, threatened or contemplated Action (including the costs and expenses of demands, assessments, judgments, settlements and compromises relating thereto and attorneys’ fees and any and all costs and expenses, whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any such Actions or threatened or contemplated Actions) or Order of any

 

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Governmental Authority or any award of any arbitrator or mediator of any kind, and those arising under any contract, commitment or undertaking, in each case, whether or not recorded or reflected or otherwise disclosed or required to be recorded or reflected or otherwise disclosed, on the books and records or financial statements of any Person, including any Specified Financial Liability, EHS Liability or Liability for Taxes.

 

NASDAQ” means the Nasdaq Stock Market.

 

New IAC Integrated Warrant” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.05(a)(i).

 

Non-IAC Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03.

 

Non-IAC Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(e).

 

Non-Interval Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(b).

 

Non-HSN Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(c).

 

Non-Tree Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(d).

 

Non-TM Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(a).

 

Notice Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04(b).

 

Occupational Health and Safety Law” means any Applicable Law designed to provide safe and healthful working conditions and to reduce occupational safety and health hazards, and any program, whether governmental or private (such as those promulgated or sponsored by industry associations and insurance companies), designed to provide safe and healthful working conditions.

 

Old IAC Integrated Warrant” means the outstanding warrant to purchase shares of IAC Common Stock identified on Schedule 1.01(a).

 

Order” means any order, injunction, judgment, decree, ruling, assessment or arbitration award of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator.

 

Ordinary Course of Business” means any action taken by a Person that is in the ordinary course of the normal, day-to-day operations of such Person and is consistent with the past practices of such Person.

 

Parties” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Person” means any individual, Business Concern or Governmental Authority.

 

Post-Record Date IAC Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.02(a)

 

Potential Contributor” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.06(a).

 

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Prime Rate” means the rate which JPMorgan Chase & Co. (or any successor thereto or other major money center commercial bank agreed to by the Parties hereto) announces from time to time as its prime lending rate, as in effect from time to time.

 

Prospectus” with respect to a Registration Statement means the prospectus forming a part of such Registration Statement, as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time.  A Prospectus may, but need not, be a joint prospectus of all of the Spincos.

 

Providing Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08.

 

Real Property” means any Land and Improvements and all Appurtenances thereto and any Ground Lease Property.

 

Record” means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

 

Registration Statement” means, for each Spinco, the Registration Statement on Form S-1 first filed by such Spinco with the SEC on August [      ], 2008 (together with all amendments and supplements thereto) in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of such Spinco’s Spinco Common Stock.

 

Regulation S-K” means Regulation S-K of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act.

 

Relevant Time” means (a) as between any two Spincos, on the date of the later Distribution Date to occur with respect to such Spincos if such Distribution Dates are not the same date or, otherwise, on such Distribution Date and (b) as between IAC and any Spinco, on the Distribution Date with respect to such Spinco, in either such case (i) 9:00 a.m., New York City time, if IAC determines to effect the applicable Distribution(s) prior to the opening of trading on NASDAQ or (b) otherwise, 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on such earliest date to occur.

 

Remaining Business” means all IAC Businesses other than the Spun Businesses.

 

Remaining IAC Entity” means any Business Concern that is a member of the IAC Group on and after the Effective Time.

 

Representatives” means, with respect to any Person, any of such Person’s directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants, advisors, accountants or attorneys.

 

Requesting Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(a).

 

Response” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

 

Responding Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

 

Responsible Group” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(b).

 

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Responsible Separate-co” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.

 

Retailing Business” means (a) the businesses and operations of HSN Spinco and its Subsidiaries as described in the Prospectus forming a part of HSN Spinco’s Registration Statement, (b) any other business conducted primarily through the use of the HSN Assets prior to the Effective Time and (c) the businesses and operations of Business Concerns acquired or established by or for HSN Spinco or any of its Subsidiaries after the date of this Agreement.

 

Retained Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10.

 

Retaining Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(b).

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Securities Act” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Senior Party Representatives” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

 

Separate-cos” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Separation” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

 

Separation Transactions” means the transactions to effect the Separation as described in the Transactions Memo and, in the singular, means any one of them.

 

 “Shared Liability” of a Spinco means any Liability from, relating to, arising out of, or derivative of any matter, claim or litigation, whether actual or potential, associated with any securities law litigation relating to any public disclosure (or absence of public disclosure) with respect to such Spinco’s Spun Business or the Spun Entities in such Spinco’s Corresponding Group made by IAC prior to the Effective Time, including the fees and expenses of outside counsel retained by IAC in connection with the defense and/or settlement of any such matter.  For purposes of this definition, the phrase “securities law litigation” shall include claims alleging any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in alleged violation of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any similar state law and any claims premised on, related to or derivative of such alleged statements, omissions or violations, whether payable to any current, past or future holders of IAC securities or any Spinco securities, to any of the co-defendants in such action or to any Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything in Section 6.06 to the contrary, the amount of any Shared Liability shall be net of any insurance proceeds actually recovered by or on behalf of any member of any Group.

 

Specified Financial Liabilities” means, in respect of any Person, all liabilities, obligations, contingencies, instruments and other Liabilities of a financial nature with Third Parties of, or relating to, such Person, including any of the following:

 

(a)           foreign exchange contracts;

 

(b)           letters of credit;

 

15



 

(c)           guarantees of Third Party loans;

 

(d)           surety bonds (excluding surety for workers’ compensation self-insurance);

 

(e)           interest support agreements on Third Party loans;

 

(f)            performance bonds or guarantees issued by Third Parties;

 

(g)           swaps or other derivatives contracts;

 

(h)           recourse arrangements on the sale of receivables or notes; and

 

(i)            indemnities for damages for any breach of, or any inaccuracy in, any representation or warranty or any breach of, or failure to perform or comply with, any covenant, undertaking or obligation.

 

Spinco” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Spinco Auditor” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

 

Spinco Common Stock” means the HSN Common Stock, the Interval Common Stock, the TM Common Stock and/or the Tree Common Stock, as applicable.

 

Spinco Common Stock Escrow Account” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.03.

 

Spinco Group” means any of the HSN Group, the Interval Group, the TM Group and the Tree Group.

 

Spun Businesses” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

 

Spun Assets” means the HSN Assets, the Interval Assets, the TM Assets and the Tree Assets.

 

Spun Entities” means the HSN Entities, the Interval Entities, the TM Entities and the Tree Entities.

 

Spun Liabilities” means the HSN Liabilities, the Interval Liabilities, the TM Liabilities and the Tree Liabilities.

 

Subsidiary” of any Person means any corporation, partnership, limited liability entity, joint venture or other organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, of which a majority of the total voting power of capital stock or other interests entitled (without the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof, is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

 

Tangible Personal Property” means, in respect of any Person, all machinery, equipment, tools, furniture, office equipment, supplies, materials, vehicles and other items of

 

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tangible personal or movable property (other than Inventories and IT Assets) of every kind and wherever located that are owned or leased by the Person, together with any express or implied warranty by the manufacturers, sellers or lessors of any item or component part thereof and all maintenance Records and other documents relating thereto.

 

Tax” means Income Taxes and Other Taxes as defined in the Tax Sharing Agreement.

 

Tax Sharing Agreement” means the Tax Sharing Agreement among the Parties to be dated as of even date herewith.

 

Third Party” means a Person (a) that is not a Party to this Agreement, other than a member of any Group and (b) that is not an Affiliate thereof.

 

Third Party Claim” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04(b).

 

Third Party Consent” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11.

 

Ticketing Business” means (a) the businesses and operations of TM Spinco and its subsidiaries as described in the Prospectus forming a part of TM Spinco’s Registration Statement, (b) any other business conducted primarily through the use of the TM Assets prior to the Effective Time and (c) the businesses and operations of Business Concerns acquired or established by or for TM Spinco or any of its Subsidiaries after the date of this Agreement.

 

TM Assets” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04.

 

TM Claims” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(a).

 

TM Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of TM Spinco.

 

TM Distribution” means the distribution on the TM Distribution Date, to holders of record of shares of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock as of the TM Distribution Record Date, of the TM Common Stock owned by IAC on the basis of a fraction of a share of TM Common Stock equal to the TM Distribution Ratio for every one share of IAC Common Stock or IAC Class B Common Stock.

 

TM Distribution Date” means the date on which IAC distributes all of the issued and outstanding shares of TM Common Stock to the holders of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock.

 

TM Distribution Ratio” means 1/5, subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 5.02(a).

 

TM Distribution Record Date” means such date as may be determined by the IAC Board as the record date for the TM Distribution.

 

TM Effective Time Cash Balance” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(a).

 

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TM Entities” means those Business Concerns forming part of the IAC Group which are identified on Schedule 2.04(b) and which on and after the Effective Time form part of the TM Group.

 

TM Group” means TM Spinco, the TM Entities and each other Person (other than any member of any other Group) that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of TM Spinco immediately after the Effective Time, and each Person that becomes a Subsidiary of TM Spinco after the Effective Time.

 

TM Group Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(c).

 

TM Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10.

 

TM Opening Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(e).

 

TM Releasors” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(a).

 

TM Spinco” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

TM Target Cash Balance” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(a).

 

Transfer Impediment” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

 

Transactions Memo” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

 

Transition Services Agreement” means the Transition Services Agreement among the Parties to be dated as of even date herewith.

 

Tree Assets” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07.

 

Tree Claims” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(d).

 

Tree Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Tree Spinco.

 

Tree Distribution” means the distribution on the Tree Distribution Date, to holders of record of shares of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock as of the Tree Distribution Record Date, of the Tree Common Stock owned by IAC on the basis of a fraction of a share of Tree Common Stock equal to the Tree Distribution Ratio for every one share of IAC Common Stock or IAC Class B Common Stock.

 

Tree Distribution Date” means the date on which IAC distributes all of the issued and outstanding shares of Tree Common Stock to the holders of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock.

 

Tree Distribution Ratio” means 1/30, subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 5.02(a).

 

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Tree Distribution Record Date” means such date as may be determined by the IAC Board as the record date for the Tree Distribution.

 

Tree Effective Time Cash Balance” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(d).

 

Tree Entities” means those Business Concerns forming part of the IAC Group which are identified on Schedule 2.07(b) and which on and after the Effective Time form part of the Tree Group.

 

Tree Group” means Tree Spinco, the Tree Entities and each other Person (other than any member of any other Group) that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of Tree Spinco immediately after the Effective Time, and each Person that becomes a Subsidiary of Tree Spinco after the Effective Time.

 

Tree Group Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07(c).

 

Tree Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10.

 

Tree Opening Balance Sheet” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07(e).

 

Tree Releasors” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(d).

 

Tree Spinco” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Tree Target Cash Balance” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(d).

 

Unreleased Group” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.

 

Unreleased Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.

 

Unreleased Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.

 

Unreleased Separate-co” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.

 

Vacations Business” means (a) the businesses and operations of Interval Spinco and its subsidiaries as described in the Prospectus forming a part of Interval Spinco’s Registration Statement, (b) any other business conducted primarily through the use of the Interval Assets prior to the Effective Time and (c) the businesses and operations of Business Concerns acquired or established by or for Interval Spinco or any of its Subsidiaries after the date of this Agreement.

 

Warrant Share Number” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.05(a)(i).

 

1.02.   Schedules.  The following schedules are attached to this Agreement and form a part hereof:

 

Schedule 1.01(a)

 

Old IAC Integrated Warrant

Schedule 2.04(a)

 

TM Assets

Schedule 2.04(b)

 

TM Entities

 

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Schedule 2.04(c)

 

TM Group Balance Sheet

Schedule 2.05(a)

 

Interval Assets

Schedule 2.05(b)

 

Interval Entities

Schedule 2.05(c)

 

Interval Group Balance Sheet

Schedule 2.06(a)

 

HSN Assets

Schedule 2.06(b)

 

HSN Entities

Schedule 2.06(c)

 

HSN Group Balance Sheet

Schedule 2.07(a)

 

Tree Assets

Schedule 2.07(b)

 

Tree Entities

Schedule 2.07(c)

 

Tree Group Balance Sheet

Schedule 2.09(a)

 

Excluded Assets

Schedule 2.10(a)

 

TM Liabilities

Schedule 2.10(b)

 

Interval Liabilities

Schedule 2.10(c)

 

HSN Liabilities

Schedule 2.10(d)

 

Tree Liabilities

Schedule 2.10(e)

 

Retained Liabilities

Schedule 2.14(a)

 

IAC Resignation Exceptions

 

1.03.   Effective Time; Suspension.  (a) This Agreement shall be effective as of the Effective Time.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding Section 1.03(a) above, as between any two of the Parties, the provisions of, and the obligations under, this Agreement shall be suspended as between such Parties until the applicable Relevant Time (and, as the context requires, references to the Effective Time shall be deemed to refer to the Relevant Time), other than Sections 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 2.04, 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 2.09 and 2.10, each of which shall be effective as of the Effective Time.  For the avoidance of doubt, in the event that one or more of the Distributions shall not be effected on the first Distribution Date to occur, then for purposes of determining the rights and obligations between IAC and any Spinco the Spinco Common Stock of which shall have been distributed on such date, until the Distribution Date, if any, for each Spinco not so distributed, such undistributed Spinco and the members of its Corresponding Group shall continue to be treated as members of the IAC Group and shall not, upon its Distribution Date, bear any Liability for any Retained Liabilities.

 

ARTICLE II
THE SEPARATION

 

2.01.        Separation.  To the extent not already complete, IAC and the Spincos agree to implement the Separation and to cause the Corresponding Businesses of each Spinco to be transferred to such Spinco and its Subsidiaries and the Remaining Business to be held by IAC and its Subsidiaries (other than the Spincos and their Subsidiaries) as of the Effective Time, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.  The Parties acknowledge that the Separation is intended to result in each Spinco, directly or indirectly, operating its Corresponding Business, owning its Corresponding Assets and assuming its Corresponding Liabilities as set forth in this Article II.

 

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2.02.        Implementation.  The Separation shall be completed in accordance with the agreed general principles, objectives and other provisions set forth in this Article II and shall be implemented in the following manner:

 

(a)           through the completion of the steps described in the Transactions Memo;

 

(b)           through the transfer from time to time following the Effective Time of the Deferred Transfer Assets as described in Article III;

 

(c)           through the completion from time to time following the Effective Time of the Deferred Transactions, as described in Section 10.01(a); and

 

(d)           through the performance by the Parties of all other provisions of this Agreement.

 

2.03.        Transfer of Spun Assets; Assumption of Spun Liabilities.  On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in furtherance of the Separation, with effect as of the Effective Time:

 

(a)           To the extent not already complete, IAC agrees to cause the Corresponding Assets of each Spinco to be contributed, assigned, transferred, conveyed and delivered, directly or indirectly, to such Spinco, and each Spinco agrees to accept all of its Corresponding Assets and all of the rights, title and interest in and to all its Corresponding Assets owned, directly or indirectly, by IAC which, except with respect to Deferred Corresponding Assets and Unreleased Liabilities, will result in such Spinco owning, directly or indirectly, its Corresponding Business.

 

(b)           Each Spinco agrees to accept, assume and faithfully perform, discharge and fulfill all of its Corresponding Liabilities in accordance with their respective terms.

 

2.04.        TM Assets.  For the purposes of this Agreement, “TM Assets” shall mean, without duplication, those Assets whether now existing or hereinafter acquired, used or contemplated to be used or held for use exclusively or primarily in the ownership, operation or conduct of the Ticketing Business or relating exclusively or primarily to the Ticketing Business or to a TM Entity including the following:

 

(a)           all Assets expressly identified in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement or in any Schedule hereto or thereto, including those, if any, listed on Schedule 2.04(a), as Assets to be transferred to, or retained by, TM Spinco or any other member of the TM Group;

 

(b)           the outstanding capital stock, units or other equity interests of the TM Entities, as listed on Schedule 2.04(b), and the Assets owned by such TM Entities;

 

(c)           all Assets properly reflected on Schedule 2.04(c) (the “TM Group Balance Sheet”), excluding Assets disposed of by IAC or any other Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC subsequent to the date of the TM Group Balance Sheet;

 

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(d)           all Assets that have been written off, expensed or fully depreciated by IAC or any Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC that, had they not been written off, expensed or fully depreciated, would have been reflected on the TM Group Balance Sheet in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”);

 

(e)           all Assets acquired by IAC or any Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC after the date of the TM Group Balance Sheet and that would be reflected on the balance sheet of TM Spinco as of the Effective Time (the “TM Opening Balance Sheet”), if such balance sheet were prepared in accordance with GAAP; and

 

(f)            all Assets transferred to TM Spinco or any member of the TM Group pursuant to Section 10.01(a); provided, however, that any such transfer shall take effect under Section 10.01(a) and not under this Section 2.04.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, there shall be excluded from the definition of TM Assets under this Section 2.04 Business Records to the extent they are included in or primarily relate to any Excluded Asset or Retained Liability or the Remaining Business or their transfer is prohibited by Applicable Law or by agreements between any other Separate-co or any member of another Separate-co’s Corresponding Group and Third Parties or otherwise would subject any other Separate-co or any member of any other Corresponding Group to liability for such transfer.  Access to such excluded Business Records shall be governed by Article VIII.

 

2.05.        Interval Assets.  For the purposes of this Agreement, “Interval Assets” shall mean, without duplication, those Assets whether now existing or hereinafter acquired, used or contemplated to be used or held for use exclusively or primarily in the ownership, operation or conduct of the Vacations Business or relating exclusively or primarily to the Vacation Business or to an Interval Entity including the following:

 

(a)           all Assets expressly identified in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement or in any Schedule hereto or thereto, including those, if any, listed on Schedule 2.05(a), as Assets to be transferred to, or retained by, Interval Spinco or any other member of the Interval Group;

 

(b)           the outstanding capital stock, units or other equity interests of the Interval Entities, as listed on Schedule 2.05(b), and the Assets owned by such Interval Entities;

 

(c)           all Assets properly reflected on Schedule 2.05(c) (the “Interval Group Balance Sheet”), excluding Assets disposed of by IAC or any other Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC subsequent to the date of the Interval Group Balance Sheet;

 

(d)           all Assets that have been written off, expensed or fully depreciated by IAC or any Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC that, had they not been written off, expensed or fully depreciated, would have been reflected on the Interval Group Balance Sheet in accordance with GAAP;

 

(e)           all Assets acquired by IAC or any Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC after the date of the Interval Group Balance Sheet and that would be reflected on the balance

 

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sheet of Interval Spinco as of the Effective Time (the “Interval Opening Balance Sheet”), if such balance sheet were prepared in accordance with GAAP; and

 

(f)            all Assets transferred to Interval Spinco or any member of the Interval Group pursuant to Section 10.01(a); provided, however, that any such transfer shall take effect under Section 10.01(a) and not under this Section 2.05.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, there shall be excluded from the definition of Interval Assets under this Section 2.05 Business Records to the extent they are included in or primarily relate to any Excluded Asset or Retained Liability or the Remaining Business or their transfer is prohibited by Applicable Law or by agreements between any other Separate-co or any member of another Separate-co’s Corresponding Group and Third Parties or otherwise would subject any other Separate-co or any member of any other Corresponding Group to liability for such transfer.  Access to such excluded Business Records shall be governed by Article VIII.

 

2.06.        HSN Assets.  For the purposes of this Agreement, “HSN Assets” shall mean, without duplication, those Assets whether now existing or hereinafter acquired, used or contemplated to be used or held for use exclusively or primarily in the ownership, operation or conduct of the Retailing Business or relating exclusively or primarily to the Retailing Business or to an HSN Entity including the following:

 

(a)           all Assets expressly identified in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement or in any Schedule hereto or thereto, including those, if any, listed on Schedule 2.06(a), as Assets to be transferred to, or retained by, HSN Spinco or any other member of the HSN Group;

 

(b)           the outstanding capital stock, units or other equity interests of the HSN Entities, as listed on Schedule 2.06(b), and the Assets owned by such HSN Entities;

 

(c)           all Assets properly reflected on Schedule 2.06(c) (the “HSN Group Balance Sheet”), excluding Assets disposed of by IAC or any other Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC subsequent to the date of the HSN Group Balance Sheet;

 

(d)           all Assets that have been written off, expensed or fully depreciated by IAC or any Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC that, had they not been written off, expensed or fully depreciated, would have been reflected on the HSN Group Balance Sheet in accordance with GAAP;

 

(e)           all Assets acquired by IAC or any Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC after the date of the HSN Group Balance Sheet and that would be reflected on the balance sheet of HSN as of the Effective Time (the “HSN Opening Balance Sheet”), if such balance sheet were prepared in accordance with GAAP; and

 

(f)            all Assets transferred to HSN Spinco or any member of the HSN Group pursuant to Section 10.01(a); provided, however, that any such transfer shall take effect under Section 10.01(a) and not under this Section 2.06.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, there shall be excluded from the definition of HSN Assets under this Section 2.06 Business Records to the extent they are included in or primarily relate to any Excluded Asset or Retained Liability or the Remaining Business or their transfer is prohibited by Applicable Law or by agreements between any other Separate-co or any member of another Separate-co’s Corresponding Group and Third Parties or otherwise would subject any other Separate-co or any member of any other Corresponding Group to liability for such transfer.  Access to such excluded Business Records shall be governed by Article VIII.

 

2.07.        Tree Assets.  For the purposes of this Agreement, “Tree Assets” shall mean, without duplication, those Assets whether now existing or hereinafter acquired, used or contemplated to be used or held for use exclusively or primarily in the ownership, operation or conduct of the Lending and Real Estate Business or relating exclusively or primarily to the Lending and Real Estate Business or to a Tree Entity including the following:

 

(a)           all Assets expressly identified in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement or in any Schedule hereto or thereto, including those, if any, listed on Schedule 2.07(a), as Assets to be transferred to, or retained by, Tree Spinco or any other member of the Tree Group;

 

(b)           the outstanding capital stock, units or other equity interests of the Tree Entities, as listed on Schedule 2.07(b), and the Assets owned by such Tree Entities;

 

(c)           all Assets properly reflected on Schedule 2.07(c) (the “Tree Group Balance Sheet”), excluding Assets disposed of by IAC or any other Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC subsequent to the date of the Tree Group Balance Sheet;

 

(d)           all Assets that have been written off, expensed or fully depreciated by IAC or any Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC that, had they not been written off, expensed or fully depreciated, would have been reflected on the Tree Group Balance Sheet in accordance with GAAP;

 

(e)           all Assets acquired by IAC or any Subsidiary or entity controlled by IAC after the date of the Tree Group Balance Sheet and that would be reflected on the balance sheet of Tree Spinco as of the Effective Time (the “Tree Opening Balance Sheet”), if such balance sheet were prepared in accordance with GAAP; and

 

(f)            all Assets transferred to Tree Spinco or any member of the Tree Group pursuant to Section 10.01(a); provided, however, that any such transfer shall take effect under Section 10.01(a) and not under this Section 2.07.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, there shall be excluded from the definition of Assets under this Section 2.07 Business Records to the extent they are included in or primarily relate to any Excluded Asset or Retained Liability or the Remaining Business or their transfer is prohibited by Applicable Law or by agreements between any other Separate-co or any member of another Separate-co’s Corresponding Group and Third Parties or otherwise would subject any other Separate-co or any member of any other Corresponding Group to liability for such transfer.  Access to such excluded Business Records shall be governed by Article VIII.

 

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2.08.        Deferred Spun Assets.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 2.04, 2.05, 2.06 or 2.07 or elsewhere in this Agreement, the Spun Assets shall not include any Deferred Spun Assets.  The transfer to a Spinco or its Corresponding Group of any such Deferred Spun Asset shall only be completed at the time, in the manner and subject to the conditions set forth in Article III.

 

2.09.        Excluded Assets.  (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 2.04, 2.05, 2.06 or 2.07 or elsewhere in this Agreement, the following Assets of IAC (or of any other relevant member of the IAC Group) that would otherwise be included among the Corresponding Assets of a Spinco shall not be transferred to such Spinco (or any other member of its Corresponding Group), shall not form part of its Corresponding Assets and shall remain the exclusive property of IAC (or the relevant member of the IAC Group) on and after the Effective Time (the “Excluded Assets”):

 

(i)            any Asset expressly identified on Schedule 2.09(a); and

 

(ii)           any Asset transferred to IAC or to any other relevant member of the IAC Group pursuant to Section 10.01(a); provided, however, that any such transfers shall take effect under Section 10.01(a) and not under this Section 2.09.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Excluded Assets shall not include Deferred Excluded Assets.  The transfer to IAC (or to the relevant member of the IAC Group) or to another Spinco (or to the relevant member of its Corresponding Group) of any such Asset shall be completed at the time, in the manner and subject to the conditions set forth in Article III.

 

2.10.        Liabilities.  For the purposes of this Agreement, Liabilities shall be identified as “TM Liabilities,” “Interval Liabilities,” “HSN Liabilities,”  “Tree Liabilities or “Retained Liabilities” under the following principles:

 

(a)           any Liability which is expressly identified on Schedule 2.10(a) shall be a TM Liability;

 

(b)           any Liability which is expressly identified on Schedule 2.10(b) shall be an Interval Liability;

 

(c)           any Liability which is expressly identified on Schedule 2.10(c) shall be an HSN Liability;

 

(d)           any Liability which is expressly identified on Schedule 2.10(d) shall be a Tree Liability;

 

(e)           any Liability which is expressly identified on Schedule 2.10(e) shall be a Retained Liability;

 

(f)            (i) 50% of any Shared Liability of Ticketmaster Spinco shall be a Ticketmaster Liability and 50% shall be a Retained Liability, (ii) 50% of any Shared Liability of Interval Spinco shall be an Interval Liability and 50% shall be a Retained Liability, (iii) 50% of

 

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any Shared Liability of HSN Spinco shall be an HSN Liability and 50% shall be a Retained Liability and (iv) 50% of any Shared Liability of Tree Spinco shall be a Tree Liability and 50% shall be a Retained Liability;

 

(g)           any Liability of a Spun Entity, whether arising or accruing prior to, on or after the Effective Time and whether the facts on which it is based occurred on, prior to or after the Effective Time and whether or not reflected on the Corresponding Group Balance Sheet or on the Corresponding Opening Balance Sheet, shall be a Corresponding Liability of such Spun Entity’s Corresponding Group, unless it is expressly identified in this Agreement (including on any Schedule) or in any Ancillary Agreement as a Liability to be assumed or retained by IAC (or any other member of the IAC Group) or by a Spinco that is not included in such Spun Entity’s Corresponding Group (or any other relevant member of such other Spinco’s Corresponding Group), in which case it shall be a Retained Liability or a Spun Liability of such other Spinco’s Corresponding Group, as applicable;

 

(h)           any Liability relating to, arising out of, or resulting from the conduct of, a Spun Business (as conducted at any time prior to, on or after the Effective Time) or relating to a Spun Asset or a Deferred Spun Asset and whether arising or accruing prior to, on or after the Effective Time and whether the facts on which it is based occurred on, prior to or after the Effective Time and whether or not reflected on the Corresponding Group Balance Sheet or the Corresponding Opening Balance Sheet, shall be a Corresponding Liability of such Spun Business’ Corresponding Group, unless it is expressly identified in this Agreement (including on any Schedule) or in any Ancillary Agreement as a Liability to be assumed or retained by IAC (or any other member of the IAC Group) or by a Spinco that is not included in such Spun Entity’s Corresponding Group (or any other relevant member of such other Spinco’s Corresponding Group), in which case it shall be a Retained Liability or Spun Liability of such other Spinco’s Corresponding Group, as applicable;

 

(i)            any Liability which is reflected or otherwise disclosed as a liability or obligation of any Spinco Group on its Corresponding Group Balance Sheet shall be a Corresponding Liability of such Spinco Group;

 

(j)            any Liability which would be reflected or otherwise disclosed on the Corresponding Group Balance Sheet of any Spinco Group, if such balance sheet were prepared under GAAP, shall be a Corresponding Liability of such Spinco Group;

 

(k)           any Liability pursuant to contracts entered into by IAC and/or any member of the IAC Group (i) in connection with the acquisition, by IAC and/or any member of the IAC Group, of any Spun Entity and/or Spun Business or (ii) otherwise relating primarily to a Spun Entity and/or the conduct of a Spun Business, shall be a Corresponding Liability of such Spun Entity’s or Spun Business’s Corresponding Group, unless it is expressly identified in this Agreement (including on any Schedule) or in any Ancillary Agreement as a Liability to be assumed or retained by IAC (or any other member of the IAC Group) or by a Spinco that is not included in such Spun Entity’s Corresponding Group (or any other relevant member of such other Spinco’s Corresponding Group), in which case it shall be a Retained Liability or Spun Liability of such other Spinco’s Corresponding Group, as applicable;

 

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(l)            any Liability of a Remaining IAC Entity, whether arising or accruing prior to, on or after the Effective Time and whether the facts on which it is based occurred on, prior to or after the Effective Time, shall be Retained Liability, unless it is determined to be a Spun Liability pursuant to clause (a), (b), (c), (d), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j) or (k) above, in which case it shall be a Spun Liability as set forth thereunder;

 

(m)          any Liability relating to, arising out of, or resulting from the conduct of, a Remaining IAC Business (as conducted at any time prior to, on or after the Effective Time) or relating to an Excluded Asset and whether arising or accruing prior to, on or after the Effective Time and whether the facts on which it is based occurred on, prior to or after the Effective Time, shall be a Retained Liability, unless it is determined to be a Spun Liability pursuant to clause (a), (b), (c), (d), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j) or (k) above, in which case it shall be a Spun Liability as set forth thereunder; and

 

(n)           any Liability of any Spinco or any other member of any Spinco Group under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall be a Corresponding Liability of such Spinco Group and any Liability of IAC or any other member of the IAC Group under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall be a Retained Liability.

 

2.11.        Third Party Consents and Government Approvals.  To the extent that the Separation or any transaction contemplated thereby requires a Consent from any Third Party (a “Third Party Consent”) or any Governmental Authorization, the Parties will use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such Third Party Consents and Governmental Authorizations prior to the Effective Time.  If the Parties fail to obtain any such Third Party Consent or Governmental Authorization prior to the Effective Time, the matter shall be dealt with in the manner set forth in Article III.

 

2.12.        Preservation of Agreements.  The Parties each agree that all written agreements, arrangements, commitments and understandings between any member or members of its Corresponding Group, on the one hand, and any member or members of any other Group, on the other hand, shall remain in effect in accordance with their terms from and after the Effective Time, unless otherwise terminated by the relevant Parties.

 

2.13.        Ancillary Agreements.  On or prior to the Effective Time, the Parties shall execute and deliver or, as applicable, cause the appropriate members of their respective Groups to execute and deliver, each of the following agreements (collectively, the “Ancillary Agreements”):

 

(a)           the Employee Matters Agreement;

 

(b)           the Tax Sharing Agreement;

 

(c)           the Transition Services Agreement; and

 

(d)           the Transactions Memorandum, and such other agreements and instruments as may relate to or be identified in any of the foregoing agreements.

 

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2.14.        Resignations.  (a)  IAC agrees to cause each Person who is a director or an officer of any Spun Entity and who will not be or become an employee of such Spun Entity’s Spinco Group (or any member thereof) at the Effective Time to resign from such position with effect as of the Effective Time; provided, however, that this Section 2.14(a) shall not apply to the persons in the capacities set forth on Schedule 2.14(a).

 

(b)           Each Spinco agrees to cause each Person (i) who is a director or an officer of a Remaining IAC Entity or any Spun Entity that is not a member of such Spinco’s Corresponding Group and (ii) who will become an employee of such Spinco’s Corresponding Group (or any member thereof) at the Effective Time to resign from such position with effect as of the Effective Time.

 

(c)           Each Separate-co agrees to obtain all such letters of resignation or other evidence of such resignations as may be necessary or desirable in performing their respective obligations under this Section 2.14.

 

2.15.        Cooperation.  The Parties shall cooperate in all aspects of the Separation and shall sign all such documents and perform all such other acts as may be necessary or desirable to give full effect to the Separation; and each Separate-co shall cause each other member of its Corresponding Group to do likewise.

 

2.16.        Intercompany Accounts Among Groups.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in any Ancillary Agreement, from and after the Effective Time, each Separate-co agrees to cause any Intercompany Account payable by any member of its Corresponding Group to any member of any other Group to be satisfied in full.

 

2.17.        Disclaimer of Representations and Warranties.  (a)  Each of the Parties (on behalf of itself and each other member of its respective Corresponding Group) understands and agrees that, except as expressly set forth herein or in any Ancillary Agreement, no Party to this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or any other agreement or document contemplated by this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or otherwise, makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, regarding any of the Spun Assets, Spun Entities, Spun Businesses, Excluded Assets, Spun Liabilities or Retained Liabilities including any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, or any representation or warranty regarding any Consents or Governmental Authorizations required in connection therewith or their transfer, regarding the value or freedom from Encumbrances of, or any other matter concerning, any Spun Asset or Excluded Asset, or regarding the absence of any defense or right of setoff or freedom from counterclaim with respect to any claim or other Spun Asset or Excluded Asset, including any Account Receivable of any Party, or as to the legal sufficiency of any assignment, document or instrument delivered hereunder to convey title to any Spun Asset or Excluded Asset upon the execution, delivery and filing hereof or thereof.

 

(b)           Except as may expressly be set forth herein or in any Ancillary Agreement, all Spun Assets and Excluded Assets are being transferred on an “as is, where is” basis, at the risk of the respective transferees without any warranty whatsoever on the part of the transferor, formal or implicit, legal, statutory or conventional (and, in the case of any Real Property, by means of a quitclaim or similar form deed or conveyance).

 

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ARTICLE III
DEFERRED SEPARATION TRANSACTIONS

 

3.01.        Deferred Transfer Assets.  (a)  If the transfer to, or retention by, any member of a Spinco Group of any Asset that would otherwise constitute its Corresponding Asset (a “Deferred Spun Asset”; with respect to such Spinco, a “Deferred Corresponding Asset”) or the transfer to, or retention by, any member of the IAC Group of any Asset that would otherwise constitute an Excluded Asset (a “Deferred Excluded Asset,” and together with a Deferred Spun Asset, a “Deferred Transfer Asset”) cannot be accomplished without giving rise to a violation of Applicable Law, or without obtaining a Third Party Consent or a Governmental Authorization (collectively, a “Transfer Impediment”) and any such Third Party Consent or Governmental Authorization has not been obtained prior to the Effective Time, then such Asset shall be dealt with in the manner described in this Section 3.01.

 

(b)           Pending removal of such Transfer Impediment, the Person holding the Deferred Transfer Asset (the “Retaining Person”) shall hold such Deferred Transfer Asset for the use and benefit, insofar as reasonably possible, of the Party to whom the transfer of such Asset could not be made at the Effective Time (the “Deferred Beneficiary”).  The Retaining Person shall use commercially reasonable efforts to preserve such Asset and its right, title and interest therein and take all such other action as may reasonably be requested by the Deferred Beneficiary (in each case, at such Deferred Beneficiary’s expense) in order to place such Deferred Beneficiary, insofar as reasonably possible, in the same position as it would be in if such Asset had been transferred to it or retained by it with effect as of the Effective Time and so that, subject to the standard of care set forth above, all the benefits and burdens relating to such Deferred Transfer Asset, including possession, use, risk of loss, potential for gain, enforcement of rights against third parties and dominion, control and command over such Asset, are to inure from and after the Effective Time to such Deferred Beneficiary and the members of its Group.  The provisions set forth in this Article III contain all the obligations of the Retaining Person vis-à-vis the Deferred Beneficiary with respect to the Deferred Transfer Asset and the Retaining Person shall not be bound vis-à-vis the Deferred Beneficiary by any other obligations under Applicable Law.

 

(c)           The Parties shall continue on and after the Effective Time to use commercially reasonable efforts to remove all Transfer Impediments; provided, however, that no Party shall be required to make any unreasonable payment or assume any material obligations therefor.  As and when any Transfer Impediment is removed, the relevant Deferred Transfer Asset shall forthwith be transferred to its Deferred Beneficiary at no additional cost and in a manner and on terms consistent with the relevant provisions of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, including Section 2.17(b) hereof, and any such transfer shall take effect as of the date of its actual transfer.

 

(d)           Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision of Applicable Law, a Retaining Person shall not be obligated, in connection with the foregoing, to expend any money in respect of a Deferred Transfer Asset unless the necessary funds are advanced by the Deferred Beneficiary of such Deferred Transfer Asset, other than reasonable attorneys’ fees and recording or similar fees, all of which shall be promptly reimbursed by the Deferred Beneficiary of such Deferred Transfer Asset.

 

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3.02.        Unreleased Liabilities.  If at any time on or after the Effective Time, any member of any Group shall remain obligated to any Third Party in respect of any Corresponding Liability not its own — i.e., a Corresponding Liability of another Separate-co (such other Separate-co with respect such Unreleased Liability and such Unreleased Person, the “Responsible Separate-co”) — the following provisions shall apply.  The Liabilities referred to in this Section 3.02 are hereinafter referred to as the “Unreleased Liabilities,” the Person remaining obligated for such Liability in a manner contrary to what is intended under this Agreement is hereinafter referred to as the “Unreleased Person,” such Unreleased Person’s Corresponding Separate-co, the “Unreleased Separate-co” and such Unreleased Person’s Corresponding Group, the “Unreleased Group”.

 

(a)           Each Unreleased Person shall remain obligated to Third Parties for such Unreleased Liability as provided in the relevant Contract, Applicable Law or other source of such Unreleased Liability and shall pay and perform such Unreleased Liability as and when required, in accordance with its terms.

 

(b)           Each Responsible Separate-co shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Other Separate-Co Indemnified Party that is an Unreleased Person from and against any Liabilities arising in respect of each Unreleased Liability of such Unreleased Person that is a Corresponding Liability of such Responsible Separate-co.  Each Responsible Separate-co shall take, and shall cause the members of its Corresponding Group (the “Responsible Group”) to take, such other actions as may be reasonably requested by the applicable Unreleased Separate-co in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement in order to place the applicable Unreleased Group, insofar as reasonably possible, in the same position as it would be in if such Unreleased Liability had been fully contributed, assigned, transferred, conveyed, and delivered to, and accepted and assumed or retained, as applicable, by such Responsible Separate-co (or any relevant member of the Responsible Group) with effect as of the Effective Time and so that all the benefits and burdens relating to such Unreleased Liability, including possession, use, risk of loss, potential for gain, and dominion, control and command over such Unreleased Liability, are to inure from and after the Effective Time to the member or members of the Responsible Group.

 

(c)           Each Responsible Separate-co shall continue on and after the Effective Time to use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the applicable Unreleased Persons to be released from their respective Unreleased Liabilities.

 

(d)           If, as and when it becomes possible to delegate, novate or extinguish any Unreleased Liability in favor of an Unreleased Person, the relevant Parties shall promptly sign all such documents and perform all such other acts, and shall cause each member of their respective Groups, as applicable, to sign all such documents and perform all such other acts, as may be necessary or desirable to give effect to such delegation, novation, extinction or other release without payment of any further consideration by the Unreleased Person.

 

3.03.        No Additional Consideration.  For the avoidance of doubt, the transfer or assumption of any Assets or Liabilities under this Article III shall be effected without any additional consideration by any Party hereunder.

 

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ARTICLE IV
COVENANTS

 

4.01.        General Covenants.  Each Party covenants with and in favor of the other Parties that it shall, subject, in the case of IAC, to Article XII:

 

(a)           do and perform all such acts and things, and execute and deliver all such agreements, assurances, notices and other documents and instruments as may reasonably be required of it to facilitate the carrying out of the intent and purpose of this Agreement;

 

(b)           cooperate with and assist the other Parties, both before and after the Effective Time, in dealing with transitional matters relating to or arising from the Separation, the Distributions, this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements; and

 

(c)           cooperate in preparing and filing all documentation (i) to effect all necessary applications, notices, petitions, filings and other documents; and (ii) to obtain as promptly as reasonably practicable all Consents and Governmental Authorizations necessary or advisable to be obtained from any Third Party and/or any Governmental Authority in order to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including all approvals required under applicable antitrust laws).

 

4.02.        Covenants of the Spincos.  In addition to the covenants of the Spincos provided for elsewhere in this Agreement, each Spinco covenants and agrees with, and in favor of, the other Parties that it shall:

 

(a)           use commercially reasonable efforts and do all things reasonably required of it to cause the Separation and the Distributions to be completed, including cooperating with IAC to obtain:  the approval for the listing of such Spinco’s Spinco Common Stock on NASDAQ or such other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system as is reasonably acceptable to IAC;

 

(b)           use its commercially reasonable efforts to take all such action as may be necessary or desirable under applicable state securities and blue sky laws of the United States (and any comparable laws under any foreign jurisdictions) in connection with the Separation and the Distributions;

 

(c)           use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause any member of another Group to be released, as soon as reasonably practicable, from any guarantees given by any member of such other Group (the “Guaranteeing Group”; its Corresponding Separate-co, the “Guaranteeing Separate-co”) for the benefit of such Spinco (the “Guaranteed Spinco”; its Corresponding Group, the “Guaranteed Group”; its Corresponding Entities, the “Guaranteed Entities”) or any Guaranteed Entities and (to the extent necessary to secure such releases) to cause itself or one or more members of the Guaranteed Group to be substituted in all respects for any member of the Guaranteeing Group in respect of such guarantees, provided, that in the event that, notwithstanding the commercially reasonable efforts of the Guaranteed Spinco, the Guaranteed Spinco is unable to obtain such guarantee releases, the Guaranteed Spinco hereby agrees to indemnify and hold the Guaranteeing Separate-co and the other members of the

 

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Guaranteeing Group harmless from and against all Liabilities incurred by them in connection with, arising out of or resulting from such guarantees; and

 

(d)           perform and, as applicable, cause each member of its Corresponding Group to perform each of its and their respective obligations under each Ancillary Agreement.

 

4.03.        Spinco Common Stock Escrow Accounts.  (a)  Immediately following the Effective Time, each Spinco shall deposit a number of shares of its Spinco Common Stock as is equal to the product of (x) its Corresponding Distribution Ratio and (y) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock deliverable upon the exercise of the Old IAC Integrated Warrant if such warrant were to be exercised immediately prior to the Effective Time (such Spinco’s “Corresponding Escrow Shares”) into an escrow account (a “Spinco Common Stock Escrow Account”) to be established by each Spinco with The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Escrow Agent”) to be held by the Escrow Agent pursuant to the terms of an escrow agreement in customary form to be agreed upon by each of the Spincos and the Escrow Agent prior to the Effective Time (an “Escrow Agreement”).  The Spinco Common Stock Escrow Accounts will serve as a source of shares of Spinco Common Stock deliverable upon the exercise of the New IAC Integrated Warrant.  Under the terms of the Escrow Agreements, any shares of Spinco Common Stock designated for delivery upon exercise of the New IAC Integrated Warrant shall be returned to the applicable Spinco upon the expiration without exercise of the New IAC Integrated Warrant in accordance with its terms.  IAC and each Spinco acknowledge that IAC’s obligation to issue shares of IAC Common Stock to the holder of the Old IAC Integrated Warrant relates to the businesses that were conducted by the IAC Group and the Spinco Groups prior to the Effective Time.  Accordingly, from and after the Effective Time, upon an exercise of the New IAC Integrated Warrant, as between IAC and the Spincos, each Spinco will exclusively bear the obligation to deliver shares of its Spinco Common Stock.  The issuance and delivery by each Spinco of its Corresponding Escrow Shares to the applicable Spinco Common Stock Escrow Account is intended to further such Spinco’s satisfaction of such obligations following the Separation and the Distributions; provided, however, that if for any reason such Spinco Common Stock Escrow Account does not satisfy such obligations, the transfer of shares by such Spinco to the Spinco Common Stock Escrow Account under this Section 4.03 is not in substitution of the obligations of such Spinco under the immediately preceding sentence to deliver shares of its Spinco Common Stock.  For the avoidance of doubt, any obligations with respect to the delivery of any Spinco Common Stock on account of the New IAC Integrated Warrant shall be a Corresponding Liability of such Spinco.  If, at any time or from time to time following the Effective Time,

 

(X)          IAC reasonably determines in good faith (which determination, absent manifest error, shall be final and binding) in its sole discretion that, for any Spinco, its Corresponding Escrow Shares are insufficient to satisfy the obligations with respect to the New IAC Integrated Warrant, IAC shall provide to such Spinco written notice indicating the number of additional shares of such Spinco Common Stock necessary to satisfy the obligations pursuant to the New IAC Integrated Warrant and such Spinco shall promptly deposit into the applicable Spinco Common Stock Escrow Account the number of shares of such Spinco Common Stock indicated in the written notice from IAC; or

 

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(Y)           any Spinco undertakes any action, or any event shall occur, that either (i) results in an adjustment to the number of shares of its Spinco Common Stock with respect to which the New IAC Integrated Warrant is exercisable or (ii) causes that portion of the New IAC Integrated Warrant that would otherwise have been exercisable for shares of such Spinco Common Stock to become exercisable into another form of consideration (including, without limitation, in conjunction with a merger of such Spinco or a reclassification of such Spinco Common Stock), then, in each case, such Spinco shall promptly deposit into the applicable Spinco Common Stock Escrow Account the number of additional shares of such Spinco Common Stock and/or the other consideration with respect to which the New IAC Integrated Warrant is exercisable.

 

(b)  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in lieu of issuing any fractional shares of its Spinco Common Stock upon the exercise of the New IAC Integrated Warrant, the applicable Spinco shall promptly deposit into the applicable Spinco Common Stock Escrow Account cash in lieu of such fractional share in an amount computed in accordance with the terms of the New IAC Integrated Warrant.

 

4.04.        Cash Balance True-Ups.  (a)  In the event that, after review and reconciliation, the amount of cash and cash equivalents reflected in the bank statements of TM Spinco and its subsidiaries as of the Effective Time plus the balance as of the Effective Time of any note or notes of any member of the IAC Group held by any member of the TM Group less the balance as of the Effective Time of any note or notes of any member of the TM Group held by any member of the IAC Group (the “TM Effective Time Cash Balance”) is greater than $[•] (the “TM Target Cash Balance”), TM Spinco shall make one or more payments to IAC as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, but in no event more than [ninety (90)] days after the Effective Time, totaling an amount equal to the excess of the TM Effective Time Cash Balance over the TM Target Cash Balance.  In the event that, after review and reconciliation, the TM Effective Time Cash Balance is less than the TM Target Cash Balance, IAC shall make one or more payments to TM Spinco as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, but in no event more than [ninety (90)] days after the Effective Time, totaling an amount equal to the excess of the TM Target Cash Balance over the TM Effective Time Cash Balance.  Notwithstanding Section 13.08, payments pursuant to this Section 4.04(a) shall not bear any interest.

 

(b)           In the event that, after review and reconciliation, the amount of cash and cash equivalents reflected in the bank statements of Interval Spinco and its subsidiaries as of the Effective Time plus the balance as of the Effective Time of any note or notes of any member of the IAC Group held by any member of the Interval Group less the balance as of the Effective Time of any note or notes of any member of the Interval Group held by any member of the IAC Group (the “Interval Effective Time Cash Balance”) is greater than $[•] (the “Interval Target Cash Balance”), Interval Spinco shall make one or more payments to IAC as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, but in no event more than [ninety (90)] days after the Effective Time, totaling an amount equal to the excess of the Interval Effective Time Cash Balance over the Interval Target Cash Balance.  In the event that, after review and reconciliation, the Interval Effective Time Cash Balance is less than the Interval Target Cash Balance, IAC shall make one or more payments to Interval Spinco as promptly as practicable after the Effective

 

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Time, but in no event more than [ninety (90)] days after the Effective Time, totaling an amount equal to the excess of the Interval Target Cash Balance over the Interval Effective Time Cash Balance.  Notwithstanding Section 13.08, payments pursuant to this Section 4.04(b) shall not bear any interest.

 

(c)           In the event that, after review and reconciliation, the amount of cash and cash equivalents reflected in the bank statements of HSN Spinco and its subsidiaries as of the Effective Time plus the balance as of the Effective Time of any note or notes of any member of the IAC Group held by any member of the HSN Group less the balance as of the Effective Time of any note or notes of any member of the HSN Group held by any member of the IAC Group (the “HSN Effective Time Cash Balance”) is greater than $[•] (the “HSN Target Cash Balance”), HSN Spinco shall make one or more payments to IAC as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, but in no event more than [ninety (90)] days after the Effective Time, totaling an amount equal to the excess of the HSN Effective Time Cash Balance over the HSN Target Cash Balance.  In the event that, after review and reconciliation, the HSN Effective Time Cash Balance is less than the HSN Target Cash Balance, IAC shall make one or more payments to HSN Spinco as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, but in no event more than [ninety (90)] days after the Effective Time, totaling an amount equal to the excess of the HSN Target Cash Balance over the HSN Effective Time Cash Balance.  Notwithstanding Section 13.08, payments pursuant to this Section 4.04(c) shall not bear any interest.

 

(d)           In the event that, after review and reconciliation, the amount of cash and cash equivalents in the bank statements of Tree Spinco and its subsidiaries as of the Effective Time plus the balance as of the Effective Time of any note or notes of any member of the IAC Group held by any member of the Tree Group less the balance as of the Effective Time of any note or notes of any member of the Tree Group held by any member of the IAC Group (the “Tree Effective Time Cash Balance”) is greater than $[•] (the “Tree Target Cash Balance”), Tree Spinco shall make one or more payments to IAC as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, but in no event more than [ninety (90)] days after the Effective Time, totaling an amount equal to the excess of the Tree Effective Time Cash Balance over the Tree Target Cash Balance.  In the event that, after review and reconciliation, the Tree Effective Time Cash Balance is less than the Tree Target Cash Balance, IAC shall make one or more payments to Tree Spinco as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time, but in no event more than [ninety (90)] days after the Effective Time, totaling an amount equal to the excess of the Tree Target Cash Balance over the Tree Effective Time Cash Balance.  Notwithstanding Section 13.08, payments pursuant to this Section 4.04(d) shall not bear any interest.

 

4.05.  Non-Solicitation.

 

(a)           IAC and each of the Spincos shall not, and each of them shall cause the other members of its respective Corresponding Group not to, from the applicable Distribution Date of a Spinco (the “Subject Spinco”) through and including the eighteen-month anniversary of such Distribution Date, without the prior written consent of the Subject Spinco, either directly or indirectly, on their own behalf or in the service or on behalf of others, solicit for employment or solicit, aid, induce or encourage any person who is an employee of the Subject Spinco’s respective Corresponding Group as of such Distribution Date to leave his or her employment.

 

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(b)           No Spinco shall, and each of them shall cause the other members of its respective Corresponding Group not to, from the applicable Distribution Date of such Spinco through and including the eighteen-month anniversary of such Distribution Date, without the prior written consent of IAC, either directly or indirectly, on their own behalf or in the service or on behalf of others, solicit for employment or solicit, aid, induce or encourage any person who is an employee of IAC’s Corresponding Group as of such Distribution Date to leave his or her employment.

 

(c)           Nothing in this Section 4.06 shall be deemed to prohibit any general solicitation for employment through advertisements and search firms not specifically directed at employees of another Party, provided that the applicable Party has not encouraged or advised such firm to approach any such employee.

 

ARTICLE V
THE DISTRIBUTIONS

 

5.01.        Conditions to the Distributions.  (a) In addition to, and without in any way limiting, IAC’s rights under Section 12.1, completion of each Distribution is conditioned on:

 

(i)            the IAC Board not having determined that such Distribution is not in the best interests of IAC and its stockholders;

 

(ii)           the Registration Statements with respect to such Spinco’s common shares shall have been declared effective by the SEC or become effective under the Exchange Act, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the SEC;

 

(iii)          the applicable Spinco Common Stock shall have been accepted for listing on NASDAQ, subject to compliance with applicable listing requirements;

 

(iv)          no Order or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of any of the Distributions, or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, including the transactions to effect the Separation, shall be threatened, pending or in effect;

 

(v)           any material Consents and Governmental Authorizations necessary to complete the Separation and the Distributions shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect;

 

(vi)          the stockholders of IAC shall have approved, in accordance with the DGCL, a merger agreement providing for the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of IAC with and into IAC pursuant to which all of the outstanding shares of preferred stock of IAC shall be converted into the right to receive cash;

 

(vii)         the IAC Board shall have received a written solvency opinion, in form and substance acceptable to the IAC Board, from Duff & Phelps regarding the

 

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Separation, the Distributions and other transactions contemplated hereby, which opinion shall not have been withdrawn or modified;

 

(viii)        IAC shall have received an opinion of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, in form and substance satisfactory to the IAC Board, regarding the qualification of the Distributions, as transactions that are generally tax free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code (to the extent such qualification is not addressed by an Internal Revenue Service private letter ruling (the “IRS Ruling”) received by IAC), which opinion (and, in the event IAC shall have received the IRS Ruling, the IRS Ruling) shall not have been withdrawn or modified;

 

(ix)           IAC shall have received opinions from its external tax advisors, in form and substance satisfactory to the IAC Board, regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to IAC of certain related matters and transactions (to the extent such matters are not addressed by the IRS Ruling) and certain state tax consequences to IAC of the spin-offs, which opinions shall not have been withdrawn or modified; and

 

(x)            IAC shall have received an opinion of Delaware counsel to IAC, in form and substance satisfactory to the IAC Board, to the effect that the Separation and the Distributions do not require approval of the stockholders of IAC under Section 271 of the DGCL.

 

(b)           The foregoing conditions  are for the sole benefit of IAC and shall not give rise to or create any duty on the part of IAC or the IAC Board to waive or not to waive such conditions or in any way limit IAC’s right to terminate this Agreement in whole or in part as set forth in Article XII or alter the consequences of any such termination from those specified in such Article XII.  Any determination made by IAC prior to the Separation and the Distributions concerning the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in this Section 5.01 shall be final and conclusive.

 

5.02.        Distribution of Spinco Common Stock.  (a) Prior to the Effective Time and in accordance with the Transactions Memo, each Spinco shall issue to IAC such additional shares of its Spinco Common Stock (or shall take or cause to be taken such other appropriate actions to ensure that IAC has the requisite number of shares of Spinco Common Stock) to cause the number of shares of such Spinco Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time to equal the product of (x) the sum of (i) the applicable IAC Record Date Share Number and (ii) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to the exercise of outstanding IAC Stock Options or pursuant to the vesting of IAC Restricted Stock Units (as such terms are defined in the Employee Matters Agreement), in either case following the applicable Distribution Record Date and prior to the third Business Day immediately prior to the applicable Distribution Date (giving effect to any cashless exercise of IAC Stock Options or withholding of shares of IAC Common Stock to satisfy tax withholding obligations) (“Post-Record Date IAC Shares”) (y) the Corresponding Distribution Ratio.  The Corresponding Distribution Ratio with respect to any Spinco shall be appropriately adjusted in the event of any stock split, reverse stock split or similar event in respect of the IAC Common Stock and/or IAC Class B Common Stock following the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective Time.

 

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(b)           On the terms and subject to the conditions in this Agreement, with respect to each Distribution, IAC will cause the applicable distribution or transfer agent (the “Agent”) at the Effective Time to distribute all of the outstanding shares of the applicable Spinco Common Stock then owned by IAC to holders of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock as of the applicable Distribution Record Date and, in accordance with the Employee Matters Agreement, to holders of Post-Record Date IAC Shares, and to credit the number of such shares of Spinco Common Stock to book-entry accounts for each such holder or designated transferee or transferees of such holder of IAC Common Stock or IAC Class B Common Stock.  On the terms and subject to the conditions in this Agreement, each holder of IAC Common Stock or IAC Class B Common Stock on the applicable Distribution Record Date (or such holder’s designated transferee or transferees) will be entitled to receive in the applicable Distribution a fraction of a share of the applicable Spinco’s Spinco Common Stock equal to the applicable Distribution Ratio for each share of IAC Common Stock or IAC Class B Common Stock so held by such stockholder as of the applicable Distribution Record Date.  No action by any such stockholder shall be necessary for such stockholder (or such stockholder’s designated transferee or transferees) to receive the applicable number of shares of Spinco Common Stock (and, if applicable, cash in lieu of any fractional shares) that such stockholder is entitled to receive in the applicable Distribution.

 

5.03.        Fractional Shares.  With respect to each Distribution, IAC stockholders holding a number of shares of IAC Common Stock or IAC Class B Common Stock on the applicable Distribution Record Date which would entitle such stockholders to receive other than a whole number of shares of the applicable Spinco Common Stock in such Distribution, will receive cash in lieu of such fractional shares.  Fractional shares of Spinco Common Stock will not be distributed in any Distribution nor credited to book-entry accounts.  The Agent shall, as soon as practicable after the applicable Distribution Date:  (a) determine the number of whole shares and fractional shares of the applicable Spinco Common Stock to each holder of record as of close of business on the applicable Distribution Record Date, (b) aggregate all such fractional shares into whole shares and sell the whole shares obtained thereby in open market transactions as soon as practicable after the applicable Distribution Date, in each case, at then prevailing trading prices on behalf of holders who would otherwise be entitled to fractional share interests, and (c) distribute to each such holder, or for the benefit of each such beneficial owner, such holder or owner’s ratable share of the net proceeds of such sale, based upon the average gross selling price per share of applicable Spinco Common Stock, after making appropriate deductions for any amount required to be withheld for United States federal income tax purposes.  Each Spinco shall bear the cost of brokerage fees incurred in connection with the sales of fractional shares of its Spinco Common Stock, which sales shall occur as soon after the applicable Distribution Date as practicable and as determined by the Agent.  None of the Parties nor the Agent will guarantee any minimum sale price for fractional shares of Spinco Common Stock.  None of the Parties will pay any interest on the proceeds from the sale of fractional shares.  The Agent acting on behalf of the applicable Spinco will have the sole discretion to select the broker-dealers through which to sell the aggregated fractional shares and to determine when, how and at what price to sell such shares.  Neither the Agent nor the broker-dealers through which the aggregated fractional shares are sold will be Affiliates of IAC or the applicable Spinco.

 

5.04.        Actions in Connection with the Distributions.  (a) Each Spinco shall file such amendments and supplements to its respective Registration Statement as IAC may

 

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reasonably request, and such amendments as may be necessary in order to cause the same to become and remain effective as required by Applicable Law, including filing such amendments and supplements to its respective Registration Statement as may be required by the SEC or federal, state or foreign securities laws.  IAC shall mail to the holders of IAC Common Stock and IAC Class B Common Stock, at such time on or prior to the applicable Distribution Date as IAC shall determine, the Prospectus forming a part of the applicable Registration Statement, as well as any other information concerning any of the Spincos, their business, operations and management, the Separation and such other matters as IAC shall reasonably determine are necessary and as may be required by Applicable Law.

 

(b)           Each of the Spincos shall also cooperate with IAC in preparing, filing with the SEC and causing to become effective registration statements or amendments thereof which are required to reflect the establishment of, or amendments to, any employee benefit and other plans necessary or appropriate in connection with the Separation or other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.  Promptly after receiving a request from IAC, to the extent requested, each of HSN Spinco, Interval Spinco, TM Spinco and Tree Spinco, as applicable, shall prepare and, in accordance with Applicable Law, file with the SEC any such documentation that IAC determines is necessary or desirable to effectuate the Distributions, and IAC, HSN Spinco, Interval Spinco, TM Spinco and Tree Spinco shall each use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all necessary approvals from the SEC with respect thereto as soon as practicable.

 

(c)           Nothing in this Section 5.04 shall be deemed, by itself, to shift Liability for any portion of any Registration Statement or Prospectus to IAC.

 

(d)           In addition to the covenants of the Spincos provided for elsewhere in this Agreement, each Spinco covenants and agrees with, and in favor of, IAC that it shall (i) cooperate with IAC in connection with IAC’s performance of its obligations under the Liberty Spinco Agreement with respect to such Spinco to be performed by IAC prior to the Effective Time, (ii) enter into a Liberty Spinco Assumption Agreement and a Liberty Registration Rights Agreement as contemplated by the Liberty Spinco Agreement and (iii) indemnify and hold IAC and the other members of the IAC Group harmless from and against all Liabilities incurred by them in connection with, arising out of or resulting from such Spinco’s performance or failure to perform its obligations under such agreements following the Effective Time.

 

5.05.        Treatment of Integrated Warrant.  Immediately following the Effective Time:

 

(a)           the Old IAC Integrated Warrant shall by its terms, effective as of the Effective Time be adjusted (as so adjusted, the “New IAC Integrated Warrant), represent the right to receive upon due exercise (w) a number of shares of IAC Common Stock equal to the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to the Old IAC Integrated Warrant immediately prior the Effective Time (the “Warrant Share Number”); (x) a number of shares of common stock of Expedia, Inc. (or substitutions therefor) as set forth in that certain Separation Agreement, dated as of August 9, 2005, between IAC and Expedia, Inc.; (y) a number of shares of Spinco Common Stock (or substitutions therefor) of each Spinco, if any, the Distribution Date of which shall have occurred prior to such Effective Time; and (z) such number of shares of

 

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Spinco Common Stock of each Spinco whose Distribution is effected at such Effective Time as a given holder of IAC Common Stock would be entitled at the Effective Time had such holder held, on the applicable Distribution Record Date, a number of shares of IAC Common Stock equal to the Warrant Share Number; and

 

(b)           the exercise price of the New IAC Integrated Warrant will not change.

 

ARTICLE VI
MUTUAL RELEASES; INDEMNIFICATION

 

6.01.        Release of Pre-Distribution Claims.  (a) Except as provided in Section 6.01(f), effective as of the Effective Time, TM Spinco does hereby, on behalf of itself and each other member of the TM Group, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of any other Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders (other than any member of any other Group), directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the TM Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such) (the “TM Releasors”), unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably release and discharge each of the other Separate-cos, the other members of the other Groups, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of the TM Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of any other Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, trustees, administrators, successors and assigns (the “Non-TM Parties”), from any and all Actions, causes of action, choses in action, cases, claims, suits, debts, dues, damages, judgments and liabilities, of any nature whatsoever, in law, at equity or otherwise, whether direct, derivative or otherwise, which have been asserted against a Non-TM Party or which, whether currently known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, fixed or contingent, and whether or not concealed or hidden, the TM Releasors ever could have asserted or ever could assert, in any capacity, whether as partner, employer, agent or otherwise, either for itself or as an assignee, heir, executor, trustee, administrator, successor or otherwise for or on behalf of any other Person, against the Non-TM Parties, relating to any claims or transactions or occurrences whatsoever, up to but excluding the Effective Time, including in connection with the transactions and all activities to implement the Separation and the Distributions (“TM Claims”); and the TM Releasors hereby unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably agree not to initiate proceedings with respect to, or institute, assert or threaten to assert, any TM Claim.

 

(b)           Except as provided in Section 6.01(f), effective as of the Effective Time, Interval Spinco does hereby, on behalf of itself and each other member of the Interval Group, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of any other Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders (other than any member of any other Group), directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the Interval Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such) (the “Interval Releasors”), unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably release and discharge each of the other Separate-cos, the other members of the other Groups, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of the Interval Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of any other Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), and their respective

 

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heirs, executors, trustees, administrators, successors and assigns (the “Non-Interval Parties”), from any and all Actions, causes of action, choses in action, cases, claims, suits, debts, dues, damages, judgments and liabilities, of any nature whatsoever, in law, at equity or otherwise, whether direct, derivative or otherwise, which have been asserted against a Non-Interval Party or which, whether currently known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, fixed or contingent, and whether or not concealed or hidden, the Interval Releasors ever could have asserted or ever could assert, in any capacity, whether as partner, employer, agent or otherwise, either for itself or as an assignee, heir, executor, trustee, administrator, successor or otherwise for or on behalf of any other Person, against the Non-Interval Parties, relating to any claims or transactions or occurrences whatsoever, up to but excluding the Effective Time, including in connection with the transactions and all activities to implement the Separation and the Distributions (“Interval Claims”); and the Interval Releasors hereby unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably agree not to initiate proceedings with respect to, or institute, assert or threaten to assert, any Interval Claim.

 

(c)           Except as provided in Section 6.01(f), effective as of the Effective Time, HSN Spinco does hereby, on behalf of itself and each other member of the HSN Group, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of any other Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders (other than any member of any other Group), directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the HSN Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such) (the “HSN Releasors”), unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably release and discharge each of the other Separate-cos, the other members of the other Groups, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of the HSN Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of any other Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, trustees, administrators, successors and assigns (the “Non-HSN Parties”), from any and all Actions, causes of action, choses in action, cases, claims, suits, debts, dues, damages, judgments and liabilities, of any nature whatsoever, in law, at equity or otherwise, whether direct, derivative or otherwise, which have been asserted against a Non-HSN Party or which, whether currently known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, fixed or contingent, and whether or not concealed or hidden, the HSN Releasors ever could have asserted or ever could assert, in any capacity, whether as partner, employer, agent or otherwise, either for itself or as an assignee, heir, executor, trustee, administrator, successor or otherwise for or on behalf of any other Person, against the Non-HSN Parties, relating to any claims or transactions or occurrences whatsoever, up to but excluding the Effective Time, including in connection with the transactions and all activities to implement the Separation and the Distributions (“HSN Claims”); and the HSN Releasors hereby unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably agree not to initiate proceedings with respect to, or institute, assert or threaten to assert, any HSN Claim.

 

(d)           Except as provided in Section 6.01(f), effective as of the Effective Time, Tree Spinco does hereby, on behalf of itself and each other member of the Tree Group, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of any other Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders (other than any member of any other Group), directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the Tree Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such) (the “Tree Releasors”), unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably release and discharge each of the other Separate-cos, the other

 

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members of the other Groups, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of the Tree Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of any other Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, trustees, administrators, successors and assigns (the “Non-Tree Parties”), from any and all Actions, causes of action, choses in action, cases, claims, suits, debts, dues, damages, judgments and liabilities, of any nature whatsoever, in law, at equity or otherwise, whether direct, derivative or otherwise, which have been asserted against a Non-LT Party or which, whether currently known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, fixed or contingent, and whether or not concealed or hidden, the Tree Releasors ever could have asserted or ever could assert, in any capacity, whether as partner, employer, agent or otherwise, either for itself or as an assignee, heir, executor, trustee, administrator, successor or otherwise for or on behalf of any other Person, against the Non-LT Parties, relating to any claims or transactions or occurrences whatsoever, up to but excluding the Effective Time, including in connection with the transactions and all activities to implement the Separation and the Distributions (“Tree Claims”); and the Tree Releasors hereby unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably agree not to initiate proceedings with respect to, or institute, assert or threaten to assert, any Tree Claim.

 

(e)           Except as provided in Section 6.01(f), effective as of the Effective Time, IAC does hereby, on behalf of itself and each other member of the IAC Group, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of any Spinco Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the IAC Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such) (the “IAC Releasors”), unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably release and discharge each of the Spincos, the other members of the Spinco Groups, their respective Affiliates (other than any member of the IAC Group), successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time have been stockholders (other than any member of the IAC Group), directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of any Spinco Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, trustees, administrators, successors and assigns (the “Non-IAC Parties”), from any and all Actions, causes of action, choses in action, cases, claims, suits, debts, dues, damages, judgments and liabilities, of any nature whatsoever, in law, at equity or otherwise, whether direct, derivative or otherwise, which have been asserted against an Non-IAC Party or which, whether currently known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, fixed or contingent, and whether or not concealed or hidden, the IAC Releasors ever could have asserted or ever could assert, in any capacity, whether as partner, employer, agent or otherwise, either for itself or as an assignee, heir, executor, trustee, administrator, successor or otherwise for or on behalf of any other Person, against the Non-IAC Parties, relating to any claims or transactions or occurrences whatsoever, up to but excluding the Effective Time including in connection with the transactions and all activities to implement the Separation and the Distributions (“IAC Claims”); and the IAC Releasors hereby unequivocally, unconditionally and irrevocably agree not to initiate proceedings with respect to, or institute, assert or threaten to assert, any IAC Claim.

 

(f)            Nothing contained in Section 6.01(a), 6.01(b), 6.01(c), 6.01(d) or 6.01(e) shall impair any right of any Person to enforce this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or, any agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding that is contemplated by Section 2.12 or any other agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding that is entered into after the

 

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Effective Time among any member of any Group, on the one hand, and any member of any other Group, on the other hand, nor shall anything contained in those sections be interpreted as terminating as of the Effective Time any rights under any such agreements, contracts, commitments or understandings.  For purposes of clarification, nothing contained in Section 6.01(a), 6.01(b), 6.01(c), 6.01(d) or 6.01(e) shall release any Person from:

 

(i)            any Liability provided in or resulting from this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements;

 

(ii)           any Liability provided in or resulting from any agreement among any members of any Group that is contemplated by Section 2.13 (including for greater certainty, any Liability resulting or flowing from any breaches of such agreements that arose prior to the Effective Time);

 

(iii)          any Liability provided in or resulting from any other agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding that is entered into after the Effective Time between any member of any Group, on the one hand, and any member of any other Group, on the other hand;

 

(iv)          (A) with respect to each Spinco, any Corresponding Liability of such Spinco and (B) with respect to IAC, any Retained Liability;

 

(v)           any Liability that the Parties may have with respect to indemnification or contribution pursuant to Article III or Section 5.04(d) of this Agreement or this Article VI for Third Party Claims;

 

(vi)          any Liability for unpaid Intercompany Accounts; or

 

(vii)         any Liability the release of which would result in the release of any Person other than a Person released pursuant to this Section 6.01.

 

In addition, nothing contained in Section 6.01(a), 6.01(b),  6.01(c), 6.01(d) or 6.01(e) hereof shall release any Separate-co from honoring its existing obligations to indemnify any director, officer or employee of any Group who was a director, officer or employee of such Separate-co on or prior to the Effective Time, to the extent that such director, officer or employee becomes a named defendant in any litigation involving such Separate-co and was entitled to such indemnification pursuant to then existing obligations.

 

(g)           TM Spinco shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the TM Group to make, any claim or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of contribution or any indemnification, against any other Separate-co or any member of any other Group or any other Person released pursuant to Section 6.01(a), with respect to any Liabilities released pursuant to Section 6.01(a).

 

(h)           Interval Spinco shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the Interval Group to make, any claim or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of contribution or any indemnification, against any other

 

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Separate-co or any member of any other Group or any other Person released pursuant to Section 6.01(b), with respect to any Liabilities released pursuant to Section 6.01(b).

 

(i)            HSN Spinco shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the HSN Group to make, any claim or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of contribution or any indemnification, against any other Separate-co or any member of any other Group or any other Person released pursuant to Section 6.01(c), with respect to any Liabilities released pursuant to Section 6.01(c).

 

(j)            Tree Spinco shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the Tree Group to make, any claim or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of contribution or any indemnification, against any other Separate-co or any member of any other Group or any other Person released pursuant to Section 6.01(d), with respect to any Liabilities released pursuant to Section 6.01(d).

 

(k)           IAC shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the IAC Group to make, any claim or demand, or commence any Action asserting any claim or demand, including any claim of contribution or any indemnification, against any Spinco or any other member of any Spinco Group or any other Person released pursuant to Section 6.01(e), with respect to any Liabilities released pursuant to Section 6.01(e).

 

6.02.        Indemnification by Spincos.  Except as provided in Sections 6.04 and 6.05 and subject to Section 13.01, each Spinco shall, and shall cause the other members of its Corresponding Group to, fully indemnify, defend and hold harmless each other Separate-co, each other member of each other Group and each of their respective current and former directors, officers and employees, and each of the heirs, executors, trustees, administrators, successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, such Spinco’s “Corresponding Other Separate-cos Indemnified Parties”), from and against any and all Liabilities of its Corresponding Other Separate-cos Indemnified Parties relating to, arising out of or resulting from any of the following items (without duplication):

 

(a)           with respect to such Spinco, the Corresponding Business, any Corresponding Entity, any Corresponding Asset, any Corresponding Liability or, subject to Article III, any Deferred Spun Asset;

 

(b)           any breach of, or failure to perform or comply with, any covenant, undertaking or obligation of, this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, by such Spinco or any other member of it Corresponding Group, subject to any limitation on liability set forth in any Ancillary Agreement for any such breach or failure to perform or comply with any covenant, undertaking or obligation under such Ancillary Agreement; and

 

(c)           any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent relating to such Spinco’s Corresponding Group or Corresponding Business contained in any Registration Statement or any other filings made with the SEC in connection with the Separation and the Distributions.

 

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6.03.        Indemnification by IAC.  Except as provided in Sections 6.04 and 6.05 and subject to Section 13.01, IAC shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Spinco, each other member of each Spinco Group and each of their respective current and former directors, officers and employees, and each of the heirs, executors, trustees, administrators, successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Non-IAC Indemnified Parties”), from and against any and all Liabilities of the Non-IAC Indemnified Parties relating to, arising out of or resulting from any of the following items (without duplication):

 

(a)           any Remaining IAC Business or any Retained Liability;

 

(b)           any breach of, or failure to perform or comply with, any covenant, undertaking or obligation of, this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, by IAC or any other member of the IAC Group, subject to any limitation on liability set forth in any Ancillary Agreement for any such breach or failure to perform or comply with any covenant, undertaking or obligation under such Ancillary Agreement;

 

(c)           except to the extent set forth in Section 6.02(c), any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, contained in any Registration Statement or Prospectus forming a part thereof; and

 

(d)           any determination by a court of competent jurisdiction (whether or not in a final, non-appealable judgment) that any of the Spincos has any liability (whether direct or indirect) for the payment of the IAC Notes; it being understood that in the event of any such determination, IAC shall be entitled to elect either of the following options: (1) IAC shall make arrangements that are reasonably satisfactory to any such Spinco to provide assurance that IAC has the financial wherewithal to promptly satisfy the IAC Notes or (2) IAC shall repay, redeem, satisfy and discharge, or otherwise retire the IAC Notes; provided, that if such determination could reasonably be expected to result in a default under any of such Spinco’s indebtedness, then such Spinco shall be entitled to require IAC to exercise option (2) above.

 

6.04.        Procedures for Indemnification of Third Party Claims.  (a) All claims for indemnification relating to a Third Party Claim by any indemnified party (an “Indemnified Party”) hereunder shall be asserted and resolved as set forth in this Section 6.04.

 

(b)           In the event that any written claim or demand for which an indemnifying party (an “Indemnifying Party”) may have liability to any Indemnified Party hereunder, is asserted against or sought to be collected from any Indemnified Party by a Third Party (a “Third Party Claim”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly, but in no event more than ten (10) days following such Indemnified Party’s receipt of a Third Party Claim, notify the Indemnifying Party in writing of such Third Party Claim, the amount or the estimated amount of damages sought thereunder to the extent then ascertainable (which estimate shall not be conclusive of the final amount of such Third Party Claim), any other remedy sought thereunder, any relevant time constraints relating thereto and, to the extent practicable, and any other material details pertaining thereto (a “Claim Notice”); provided, however, that the failure to timely give a Claim Notice shall affect the rights of an Indemnified Party hereunder only to the extent that such failure has a material prejudicial effect on the defenses or other rights available to the

 

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Indemnifying Party with respect to such Third Party Claim. The Indemnifying Party shall have thirty (30) days (or such lesser number of days set forth in the Claim Notice as may be required by court proceeding in the event of a litigated matter) after receipt of the Claim Notice (the “Notice Period”) to notify the Indemnified Party whether it desires to defend the Indemnified Party against such Third Party Claim; provided that in the event a Claim Notice in respect of indemnification sought pursuant to Section 6.02(c) so specifies, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to require the Indemnifying Party, and in such event the Indemnifying Party shall be required, to defend the Indemnified Party against such Third Party Claim at the Indemnifying Party’s expense.

 

(c)           In the event that the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party within the Notice Period that it desires to defend the Indemnified Party against a Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to defend the Indemnified Party by appropriate proceedings and shall have the sole power to direct and control such defense, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party at the Indemnifying Party’s expense.  Once the Indemnifying Party has duly assumed the defense of a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party shall have the right, but not the obligation, to participate in any such defense and to employ separate counsel of its choosing.  The Indemnified Party shall participate in any such defense at its expense, provided that such expense shall be the responsibility of the Indemnifying Party if (i) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party are both named parties to the proceedings and the Indemnified Party shall have reasonably concluded that representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them (in which case the Indemnifying Party shall not be responsible for expenses in respect of more than one counsel for the Indemnified Party in any single jurisdiction), or (ii) the Indemnified Party assumes the defense of a Third Party Claim after the Indemnifying Party has failed to diligently defend a Third Party Claim it has assumed the defense of, as provided in the first sentence of this Section 6.04(c).  The Indemnifying Party shall not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, settle, compromise or offer to settle or compromise any Third Party Claim on a basis that would result in (i) the imposition of a consent order, injunction or decree that would restrict the future activity or conduct of the Indemnified Party or any of its Affiliates, (ii) a finding or admission of a violation of Applicable Law or violation of the rights of any Person by the Indemnified Party or any of its Affiliates or (iii) a finding or admission that would have an adverse effect on other claims made or threatened against the Indemnified Party or any of its Affiliates.

 

(d)           If the Indemnifying Party (i) elects not to defend the Indemnified Party against a Third Party Claim, whether by not giving the Indemnified Party timely notice of its desire to so defend or otherwise or (ii) after assuming the defense of a Third Party Claim or after receiving a Claim Notice specified in the proviso to the last sentence of Section 6.04(b), fails to take reasonable steps necessary to defend diligently such Third Party Claim within ten (10) days after receiving written notice from the Indemnified Party to the effect that the Indemnifying Party has so failed, the Indemnified Party shall have the right but not the obligation to assume its own defense; it being understood that the Indemnified Party’s right to indemnification for a Third Party Claim shall not be adversely affected by assuming the defense of such Third Party Claim.  The Indemnified Party shall not settle a Third Party Claim without the consent of the Indemnifying Party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

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(e)           The Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party shall cooperate in order to ensure the proper and adequate defense of a Third Party Claim, including by providing access to each other’s relevant business records and other documents, and employees; it being understood that the reasonable costs and expenses of the Indemnified Party relating thereto shall be Liabilities, subject to indemnification.

 

(f)            The Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to avoid production of confidential information (consistent with Applicable Law), and to cause all communications among employees, counsel and others representing any party to a Third Party Claim to be made so as to preserve any applicable attorney-client or work-product privileges.

 

6.05.        Procedures for Indemnification of Direct Claims.  Any claim for indemnification made directly by the Indemnified Party against the Indemnifying Party that does not result from a Third Party Claim shall be asserted by written notice from the Indemnified Party to the Indemnifying Party specifically claiming indemnification hereunder.  Such Indemnifying Party shall have a period of 45 days after the receipt of such notice within which to respond thereto.  If such Indemnifying Party does not respond within such 45-day period, such Indemnifying Party shall be deemed to have accepted responsibility to make payment and shall have no further right to contest the validity of such claim.  If such Indemnifying Party does respond within such 45-day period and rejects such claim in whole or in part, such Indemnified Party shall be free to pursue resolution as provided in Article IX.

 

6.06.        Adjustments to Liabilities.  (a)  If an Indemnified Party receives any payment from an Indemnifying Party in respect of any Liabilities and the Indemnified Party could have recovered all or a part of such Liabilities from a Third Party (a “Potential Contributor”) based on the underlying claim or demand asserted against such Indemnifying Party, such Indemnified Party shall, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, assign such of its rights to proceed against the Potential Contributor as are necessary to permit such Indemnifying Party to recover from the Potential Contributor the amount of such payment.

 

(b)           If notwithstanding Section 6.06(a) an Indemnified Party receives an amount from a Third Party in respect of a Liability that is the subject of indemnification hereunder after all or a portion of such Liability has been paid by an Indemnifying Party pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnified Party shall promptly remit to the Indemnifying Party the excess (if any) of (i) the amount paid by the Indemnifying Party in respect of such Liability, plus the amount received from the Third Party in respect thereof, over (ii) the full amount of the Liability.

 

(c)           An insurer who would otherwise be obligated to pay any claim shall not be relieved of the responsibility with respect thereto or, solely by virtue of the indemnification provisions hereof, have any subrogation rights with respect thereto, it being expressly understood and agreed that no insurer or any other Third Party shall be entitled to a “wind-fall” (i.e., a benefit they would not be entitled to receive in the absence of the indemnification provisions) by virtue of the indemnification provisions hereof.

 

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6.07.        Payments.  The Indemnifying Party shall pay all amounts payable pursuant to this Article VI by wire transfer of immediately available funds, promptly following receipt from an Indemnified Party of a bill, together with all accompanying reasonably detailed backup documentation, for a Liability that is the subject of indemnification hereunder, unless the Indemnifying Party in good faith disputes the Liability, in which event it shall so notify the Indemnified Party.  In any event, the Indemnifying Party shall pay to the Indemnified Party, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, the amount of any Liability for which it is liable hereunder no later than three (3) days following any final determination of such Liability and the Indemnifying Party’s liability therefor.  A “final determination” shall exist when (a) the parties to the dispute have reached an agreement in writing, (b) a court of competent jurisdiction shall have entered a final and non-appealable order or judgment, or (c) an arbitration or like panel shall have rendered a final non-appealable determination with respect to disputes the parties have agreed to submit thereto.

 

6.08.        Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in this Article VI shall, for any reason, be unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless the Indemnified Party hereunder in respect of any Liability, then each Indemnifying Party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Liability, in such proportion as shall be sufficient to place the Indemnified Party in the same position as if such Indemnified Party were indemnified hereunder, the Parties intending that their respective contributions hereunder be as close as possible to the indemnification under Sections 6.02 and 6.03.  If the contribution provided for in the previous sentence shall, for any reason, be unavailable or insufficient to put the Indemnified Party in the same position as if it were indemnified under Section 6.02 or 6.03, as the case may be, then the Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Liability, in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by and the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party on the one hand and the Indemnified Party on the other hand with respect to the matter giving rise to the Liability.

 

6.09.        Remedies Cumulative.  The remedies provided in this Article VI shall be cumulative and, subject to the provisions of Article IX, shall not preclude assertion by any Indemnified Party of any other rights or the seeking of any and all other remedies against any Indemnifying Party.

 

6.10.        Survival of Indemnities.  The rights and obligations of each of the Separate-cos and their respective Indemnified Parties under this Article VI shall survive the distribution, sale or other transfer by any Party of any Assets or the delegation or assignment by it of any Liabilities.

 

6.11.        Shared Liabilities.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement:

 

(a)           In order to facilitate the defense of any Shared Liability, the Parties agree that (i) the relevant Parties shall cooperate in the defense of any Shared Liability; (ii) each relevant Party shall be responsible for the costs of its own in-house counsel and other internal personnel in the defense of any Shared Liability; (iii) IAC shall be entitled to control the defense and/or settlement of any Shared Liability, although each relevant Spinco shall be entitled to

 

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observe with counsel of its own selection and at its own expense; provided, however, that after the Effective Time IAC shall not settle all or any portion of any Shared Liability unless any remaining Liability of any Spinco and its Affiliates and their respective current and former officers and directors relating to the Shared Liability will be fully released as a result of such settlement.

 

(b)           The Parties agree to act in good faith and to use their reasonable best efforts to preserve and maximize the insurance benefits due to be provided under all policies of insurance and to cooperate with one another as necessary to permit each other to access or obtain the benefits under those policies; provided, however, that nothing hereunder shall be construed to prevent any party or any other Person from asserting claims for insurance benefits or accepting insurance benefits provided by the policies.  The Parties agree to exchange information upon reasonable request of the other Party regarding requests that they have made for insurance benefits, notices of claims, occurrences and circumstances that they have submitted to the insurance companies or other entities managing the policies, responses they have received from those insurance companies or entities, including any payments they have received from the insurance companies and any agreements by the insurance companies to make payments, and any other information that the Parties may need to determine the status of the insurance policies and the continued availability of benefits thereunder.

 

(c)           If any Party receives notice or otherwise learns of the assertion by any person or entity (including a Governmental Authority) of a Shared Liability, that Party shall give the other Parties written notice of such Shared Liability, providing notice of such Shared Liability in reasonable detail.  The failure to give notice under this subsection shall not relieve any Party of its Liability for any Shared Liability except to the extent the Party is actually prejudiced by the failure to give such notice.  The Parties shall be deemed to be on notice of any Shared Liability pending prior to the Effective Time.

 

ARTICLE VII
INSURANCE

 

7.01.        Insurance Matters.  (a)  Each Spinco does hereby, for itself and each other member of its Corresponding Group, agree that no member of the IAC Group or any IAC Indemnified Party shall have any liability whatsoever as a result of the insurance policies and practices of IAC and its Affiliates as in effect at any time prior to the Effective Time, including as a result of the level or scope of any such insurance, the creditworthiness of any insurance carrier, the terms and conditions of any policy, the adequacy or timeliness of any notice to any insurance carrier with respect to any claim or potential claim or otherwise; provided this Section 7.01(a) shall not negate IAC’s agreement under Section 7.01(b).

 

(b)           IAC agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the interest and rights of each Spinco and the other members of its Corresponding Group as of the Relevant Time as insureds or beneficiaries or in any other capacity under occurrence-based insurance policies and programs (and under claims-made policies and programs to the extent a claim has been submitted prior to the Relevant Time) of IAC or any other member of the IAC Group in respect of periods prior to the Relevant Time to survive the Relevant Time for the period for which such interests and rights would have survived without regard to the transactions contemplated hereby

 

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to the extent permitted by such policies, and IAC shall continue to administer such policies and programs on behalf of the relevant Spincos and the other relevant members of the Spinco Groups, subject to such Spinco’s reimbursement to IAC and the other relevant members of the IAC Group for the actual out-of-pocket costs of such ongoing administration and the internal costs (based on the proportion of the amount of time actually spent on such matter to such employee’s normal working time) of any employee or agent of IAC of any other relevant member of the IAC Group who will be required to spend at least ten percent of his or her normal working time over any ten (10) Business Days working with respect to any such matter on behalf of a Spinco or any member of its Corresponding Group.  Any proceeds received by IAC or any other member of the IAC Group after the Relevant Time under such policies and programs in respect of a Spinco or other members of its Corresponding Group shall be for the benefit of such Spinco and such other members.

 

(c)           This Agreement is not intended as an attempted assignment of any policy of insurance or as a contract of insurance and shall not be construed to waive any right or remedy of any member of the IAC Group in respect of any insurance policy or any other contract or policy of insurance.

 

(d)           Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to restrict any member of any Spinco Group from acquiring at its own expense any other insurance policy in respect of any Liabilities or covering any period.

 

ARTICLE VIII
EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY

 

8.01.        Agreement for Exchange of Information; Archives.  (a)  Without limiting any rights or obligations under any Ancillary Agreement between the Parties and/or any other member of their respective Groups relating to confidentiality, each Party agrees to provide, and to cause its Representatives, its Group members and its respective Group members’ Representatives to provide, to the other Groups and any member thereof (a “Requesting Party”), at any time before, on or after the Effective Time, subject to the provisions of Section 8.04 and as soon as reasonably practicable after written request therefor, any Information within the possession or under the control of such Party or one of such Persons which the Requesting Party reasonably needs (i) to comply with reporting, disclosure, filing or other requirements imposed on the Requesting Party (including under applicable securities laws) by a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Requesting Party, (ii) for use in any other judicial, regulatory, administrative or other proceeding or in order to satisfy audit, accounting, claims, regulatory, litigation or similar requirements of the Requesting Party, in each case other than claims or allegations that one Party to this Agreement or any of its Group members has or brings against the other Party or any of its Group members, or (iii) subject to the foregoing clause (ii) above, to comply with its obligations under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; provided, however, that in the event that any Party determines that any such provision of Information could be commercially detrimental, violate any Applicable Law or agreement, or waive any attorney-client privilege, the Parties shall take all reasonable measures to permit the compliance with such obligations in a manner that avoids any such harm or consequence.  More particularly, and without limitation to the generality of the foregoing sentence, the Parties agree

 

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that the provisions of the Tax Sharing Agreement shall govern with respect to the sharing of Information relating to Tax.

 

(b)           After the Effective Time, each Spinco and the other members of its Spinco Group shall have access during regular business hours (as in effect from time to time), and upon reasonable advance notice, to the documents and objects of historical significance that relate to the Spun Businesses, the Spun Assets or the Spun Entities with respect to such Spinco and that are located in archives retained or maintained by (i) IAC or any other member of the IAC Group or (ii) by another Spinco or any other member of another Spinco Group.  Each Spinco and the other members of its Spinco Group may obtain copies (but not originals) of documents for bona fide business purposes and may obtain objects for exhibition purposes for commercially reasonable periods of time if required for bona fide business purposes, provided that (i) such Spinco shall cause any such objects to be returned promptly, at such Spinco’s expense, in the same condition in which they were delivered to such Spinco or to any member of its Spinco Group and (ii) such Spinco and the other members of its Spinco Group shall comply with any rules, procedures or other requirements, and shall be subject to any restrictions (including prohibitions on removal of specified objects), that are then applicable to such other Separate-co or such other member of such other Separate-co’s Group.  In any event, the foregoing shall not be deemed to restrict the access of IAC or any other member of the IAC Group to any such documents or objects.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to impose any Liability on IAC or any other member of the IAC Group if documents or objects referred to in this Section 9.01 are not maintained or preserved by IAC or any other member of the IAC Group.  Alternatively, IAC, acting reasonably, may request from any Spinco and any other member of such Spinco’s Group that they provide IAC with reasonable advance notice, with a list of the requested Information that relates to the relevant Spun Businesses, the Spun Assets or the Spun Entities and IAC shall use, and shall cause the other members of the IAC Group that are in possession of the Information requested to use, commercially reasonable efforts to locate all requested Information that is owned or possessed by IAC or any of its Group members or Representatives.  IAC will make available all such Information for inspection by the relevant Spincos or any other relevant member of any Spinco Group during normal business hours at the place of business reasonably designated by IAC.  Subject to such confidentiality or security obligations as IAC or the other relevant members of its Group may reasonably deem necessary, the Spincos and the other relevant members of the Spinco Groups may have all requested Information duplicated.  Alternatively, IAC or the other relevant members of the IAC Group may choose to deliver to a Spinco, at such Spinco’s expense, all requested Information in the form reasonably requested by such Spinco or any other member of its Group.  At IAC’s request, such Spinco shall cause such Information when no longer needed to be returned to IAC at such Spinco’s expense.

 

(c)           With respect to the other Spinco Groups and the IAC Group, each Spinco shall make available and shall cause its Corresponding Group to make available to the other Spinco Groups and the IAC Group at least the level of access provided by the IAC Group under Section 8.01(b) to all Spinco Groups.

 

8.02.        Ownership of Information.  Any Information owned by a Party or any of its Group members and that is provided to a Requesting Party pursuant to Section 8.01 shall be deemed to remain the property of the providing party.  Unless specifically set forth herein or in

 

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any Ancillary Agreement, nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as granting or conferring rights of license or otherwise in any such Information.

 

8.03.        Compensation for Providing Information.  The Party requesting Information agrees to reimburse the providing Party for the reasonable costs, if any, of creating, gathering and copying such Information, to the extent that such costs are incurred for the benefit of the Requesting Party.  Except as may be otherwise specifically provided elsewhere in this Agreement, in the Ancillary Agreements, or in any other agreement between the Parties, such costs shall be computed in accordance with the providing Party’s standard methodology and procedures.

 

8.04.        Record Retention.  To facilitate the possible exchange of Information pursuant to this Article VIII and other provisions of this Agreement after the Effective Time, the Parties agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to retain, and to cause the members of their respective Group to retain, all Information in their respective possession or control at the Effective Time in accordance with the policies of the IAC Group as in effect at the Effective Time or such other policies as may be reasonably adopted by the appropriate Party after the Effective Time.  No Party will destroy, or permit any member of its Group to destroy, any Information which another Party or any member of its Group may have the right to obtain pursuant to this Agreement prior to the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Time without first using commercially reasonable efforts to notify such other Party of the proposed destruction and giving such other Party the opportunity to take possession of such Information prior to such destruction.

 

8.05.        Other Agreements Providing for Exchange of Information.  The rights and obligations granted or created under this Article VIII are subject to any specific limitations, qualifications or additional provisions on the sharing, exchange, retention or confidential treatment of Information set forth in any Ancillary Agreement.

 

8.06.        Production of Witnesses; Records; Cooperation.  (a)  After the Effective Time, but only with respect to a Third Party Claim, each Party hereto shall use commercially reasonable efforts to, and shall cause the other relevant members of its Group to use commercially reasonable efforts to, make available to a requesting Party or any member of the Group to which such Requesting Party belongs, upon written request, its then former and current Representatives (and the former and current Representatives of its respective Group members) as witnesses and any books, records or other documents within its control (or that of its respective Group members) or which it (or its respective Group members) otherwise has the ability to make available, to the extent that any such person (giving consideration to business demands of such Representatives) or books, records or other documents may reasonably be required in connection with any Action in which the Requesting Party may from time to time be involved, regardless of whether such Action is a matter with respect to which indemnification may be sought hereunder. The Requesting Party shall bear all costs and expenses in connection therewith.

 

(b)           If a Party, being entitled to do so under this Agreement, chooses to defend or to seek to settle or compromise any Third Party Claim, the other relevant Party or Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make available to such Party, upon written request, its or their then former and current Representatives and those of its or their respective Group members

 

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as witnesses and any books, records or other documents within its or their control (or that of its or their respective Group members) or which it or they (or its or their respective Group members) otherwise has or have the ability to make available, to the extent that any such Person (giving consideration to business demands of such Representatives) or books, records or other documents may reasonably be required in connection with such defense, settlement or compromise, as the case may be, and shall otherwise cooperate in such defense, settlement or compromise, as the case may be.

 

(c)           Without limiting the foregoing, the Parties shall cooperate and consult, and shall cause their respective Group members to cooperate and consult, to the extent reasonably necessary with respect to any Actions (except in the case of an Action by one Party against another).

 

(d)           The obligation of the Parties to provide witnesses pursuant to this Section 8.06 is intended to be interpreted in a manner so as to facilitate cooperation and shall include the obligation to provide as witnesses inventors and other employees without regard to whether the witness or the employer of the witness could assert a possible business conflict (subject to the limitation set forth in the first sentence of Section 8.06(a) regarding Third Party Claims).

 

(e)           In connection with any matter contemplated by this Section 8.06, the relevant Parties will enter into, and shall cause all other relevant members of their respective Groups to enter into, a mutually acceptable joint defense agreement so as to maintain to the extent practicable any applicable attorney-client privilege or work-product privileges of any member of any Group.

 

8.07.        Confidentiality.  (a)  Subject to Section 8.08, each Separate-co shall hold, and shall cause its respective Group members and its respective Affiliates (whether now an Affiliate or hereafter becoming an Affiliate) and its Representatives to hold, in strict confidence, with at least the same degree of care that applies to IAC’s confidential and proprietary Information pursuant to policies in effect as of the Effective Time, all confidential and proprietary Information concerning another Group (or any member thereof) that is either in such Separate-co’s possession (including Information in its possession prior to the date hereof) or furnished by any other Group (or any member thereof) or by any of such other Group’s Affiliates (whether now an Affiliate or hereafter becoming an Affiliate) or their respective Representatives at any time pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (any such Information referred to herein as “Confidential Information”), and shall not use, and shall cause its respective Group members, Affiliates and Representatives not to use, any such Confidential Information other than for such purposes as shall be expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information shall not include Information that is or was (i) in the public domain other than by the breach of this Agreement or by breach of any other agreement relating to confidentiality between or among the relevant Parties and/or their respective Group members, their respective Affiliates or Representatives, (ii) lawfully acquired by such disclosing Party (or any member of the Group to which such Party belongs or any of such Party’s Affiliates) from a Third Party not bound by a confidentiality obligation, or (iii) independently generated or developed by Persons who do not have access to, or descriptions of, any such confidential or

 

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proprietary Information of the other Parties (or any member of the Group to which such other Party belongs).

 

(b)           Each Party shall maintain, and shall cause its respective Group members to maintain, policies and procedures, and develop such further policies and procedures as will from time to time become necessary or appropriate, to ensure compliance with Section 8.07(a).

 

(c)           Each Party agrees not to release or disclose, or permit to be released or disclosed, any Confidential Information to any other Person, except its Representatives who need to know such Confidential Information (who shall be advised of their obligations hereunder with respect to such Confidential Information), except in compliance with Section 8.08.  Without limiting the foregoing, when any Information furnished by another Party after the Effective Time pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement is no longer needed for the purposes contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, such Party will promptly, after request of the furnishing Party and at the election of the Party receiving such request, destroy or return to the furnishing Party all such Information in a printed or otherwise tangible form (including all copies thereof and all notes, extracts or summaries based thereon), and destroy all Information in an electronic or otherwise intangible form and certify to the furnishing Party that it has destroyed such Information (and such copies thereof and such notes, extracts or summaries based thereon). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parties agree that to the extent some Information to be destroyed or returned is retained as data or records for the purpose of business continuity planning or is otherwise not accessible in the Ordinary Course of Business, such data or records shall be destroyed in the Ordinary Course of Business in accordance, if applicable, with the business continuity plan of the applicable Party.

 

8.08.        Protective Arrangements.  In the event that any Party or any member of its Group or any Affiliate of such Party or any of their respective Representatives either determines that it is required to disclose any Confidential Information (the “Disclosing Party”) pursuant to Applicable Law or receives any demand under lawful process or from any Governmental Authority to disclose or provide Confidential Information of another Party (or any member of the Group to which such other Party belongs) (the “Providing Party”), the Disclosing Party shall, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, promptly notify the Providing Party prior to the Disclosing Party disclosing or providing such Confidential Information and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Providing Party so that the Providing Party may seek any reasonable protective arrangements or other appropriate remedy and/or waive compliance with this Section 8.08.  All expenses reasonably incurred by the Disclosing Party in seeking a protective order or other remedy will be borne by the Providing Party.  Subject to the foregoing, the Disclosing Party may thereafter disclose or provide such Confidential Information to the extent (but only to the extent) required by such Applicable Law (as so advised by legal counsel) or by lawful process or by such Governmental Authority and shall promptly provide the Providing Party with a copy of the Confidential Information so disclosed, in the same form and format as disclosed, together with a list of all Persons to whom such Confidential Information was disclosed.

 

8.09.        Disclosure of Third Party Information.  Each Spinco acknowledges that it and the other members of its respective Group may have in its or their possession confidential or proprietary Information of Third Parties that was received under confidentiality or non-disclosure

 

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agreements with such Third Party while it or they were part of the IAC Group.  Each Spinco will hold, and will cause the other members of its Group and its and their respective Representatives to hold, in strict confidence the confidential and proprietary Information of Third Parties to which such Spinco or any other member of its respective Group has access, in accordance with the terms of any agreements entered into prior to the Effective Time between one or more members of another  Group (whether acting through, on behalf of, or in connection with, the Spun Businesses) and such Third Parties.

 

ARTICLE IX
DISPUTE RESOLUTION

 

9.01.        Interpretation; Agreement to Resolve Disputes.

 

(a)           In the event of any ambiguous provision in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, or any inconsistency or conflict between or among the provisions of this Agreement and one or more Ancillary Agreements or between or among the provisions of the Ancillary Agreements, IAC’s interpretation of such ambiguity or resolution of such inconsistency or conflict shall be final and binding unless such interpretation or resolution is unreasonable or clearly erroneous; it being understood and agreed that the reasonableness of an interpretation or resolution shall be assessed without regard to whether such interpretation or resolution happens to be in IAC’s self-interest.

 

(b)           Except as otherwise specifically provided in any Ancillary Agreement, the procedures for discussion, negotiation and dispute resolution set forth in this Article IX shall apply to all disputes, controversies or claims (whether sounding in contract, tort or otherwise) that may arise out of or relate to, or arise under or in connection with this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including all actions taken in furtherance of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby on or prior to the date hereof), or the commercial or economic relationship of the Parties relating hereto or thereto, between or among any member of any Group on the one hand and any other Group on the other hand.  Each Party agrees on behalf of itself and each member of its respective Group that the procedures set forth in this Article IX shall be the sole and exclusive procedures in connection with any dispute, controversy or claim relating to any of the foregoing matters and irrevocably waives any right to commence any Action in or before any Governmental Authority, except as otherwise required by Applicable Law.

 

9.02.        Dispute Resolution; Mediation.  (a)  Any Party (a “Claimant Party”) may commence the dispute resolution process of this Section 9.02 by giving the other Party or Parties with whom there is such a controversy, claim or dispute written notice (a “Dispute Notice”) of any controversy, claim or dispute of whatever nature arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the breach, termination, enforceability or validity thereof (a “Dispute”) which has not been resolved in the normal course of business.  The relevant Parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve any Dispute by negotiation among executives of such Parties (“Senior Party Representatives”) who have authority to settle the Dispute and who are at a higher level of management than the persons who have direct responsibility for the administration of this Agreement.  Within 15 days after delivery of the Dispute Notice, the receiving Party or Parties (the “Responding Parties” and, together with the Claimant Party, the “Dispute Parties”) shall

 

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submit to the other Dispute Party or Parties a written response (the “Response”).  The Dispute Notice and the Response shall include (i) a statement setting forth the position of the Dispute Party giving such notice and a summary of arguments supporting such position and (ii) the name and title of such Dispute Party’s Senior Party Representative and any other persons who will accompany the Senior Party Representative at the meeting at which the Dispute Parties will attempt to settle the Dispute.  Within 30 days after the delivery of the Dispute Notice, the Senior Party Representatives of the Dispute Parties shall meet at a mutually acceptable time and place, and thereafter as often as they reasonably deem necessary, to attempt to resolve the Dispute.  The Dispute Parties shall cooperate in good faith with respect to any reasonable requests for exchanges of information regarding the Dispute or a Response thereto.

 

(b)           If the Dispute has not been resolved within 60 days after delivery of the Dispute Notice, or if the Dispute Parties fail to meet within 30 days after delivery of the Dispute Notice as hereinabove provided, the Dispute Parties shall make a good faith attempt to settle the Dispute by mediation pursuant to the provisions of this Section 9.02 before resorting to arbitration contemplated by Section 9.03 or any other dispute resolution procedure that may be agreed by the Dispute Parties.

 

(c)           All negotiations, conferences and discussions pursuant to this Section 9.02 shall be confidential and shall be treated as compromise and settlement negotiations.  Nothing said or disclosed, nor any document produced, in the course of such negotiations, conferences and discussions that is not otherwise independently discoverable shall be offered or received as evidence or used for impeachment or for any other purpose in any current or future arbitration.

 

(d)           Unless the Dispute Parties agree otherwise, the mediation shall be conducted in accordance with the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution Model Procedure for Mediation of Business Disputes in effect on the date of this Agreement by a mediator selected by the Dispute Parties.

 

(e)           Within 30 days after the mediator has been selected as provided above, all Dispute Parties and their respective attorneys shall meet with the mediator for one mediation session of at least four hours, it being agreed that each representative of a Dispute Party attending such mediation session shall be a Senior Party Representative with authority to settle the Dispute.  If the Dispute cannot be settled at such mediation session or at any mutually agreed continuation thereof, any of the Dispute Parties may give the other and the mediator a written notice declaring the mediation process at an end.

 

9.03.        Arbitration.  If the Dispute has not been resolved by the dispute resolution process described in Section 9.02, the Dispute Parties agree that any such Dispute shall be settled by binding arbitration before the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) in Wilmington, Delaware pursuant to the Commercial Rules of the AAA.  Any arbitrator(s) selected to resolve the Dispute shall be bound exclusively by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its choice of law rules.  Any decisions of award of the arbitrator(s) will be final and binding upon the Dispute Parties and may be entered as a judgment by the Dispute Parties hereto.  Any rights to appeal or review such award by any court or tribunal are hereby waived to the extent permitted by law.

 

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9.04.        Costs.  The costs of any mediation or arbitration pursuant to this Article IX shall be shared equally among the Dispute Parties.

 

9.05.        Continuity of Service and Performance.  Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Dispute Parties will continue to provide service and honor all other commitments under this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement during the course of dispute resolution pursuant to the provisions of this Article IX with respect to all matters not subject to such dispute, controversy or claim.

 

ARTICLE X
FURTHER ASSURANCES

 

10.01.      Further Assurances.  (a)  Except as provided in Section 12.01, each Party covenants with and in favor of the other Parties as follows:

 

(i)            prior to, on and after the Effective Time, each Party hereto shall, and shall cause the other relevant members of its Group to, cooperate with the other Parties, and without any further consideration, but at the expense of the requesting Party, to execute, acknowledge and deliver, or use commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be executed and delivered, all instruments, assurances or documents, including instruments of conveyance, assignments and transfers, and to make all filings with, and to obtain all consents, approvals or authorizations of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person under any permit, license, agreement, indenture or other instrument (including any Consents or Governmental Authorizations), and to take all such other actions as such Party may reasonably be requested to take by the requesting Party (or any member of its Group) from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, in order to give effect to the provisions, obligations and purposes of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the transfers of the Spun Businesses and of the Spun Assets and the assignment and assumption of the Spun Liabilities and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby; and

 

(ii)           to the extent that IAC or any Spinco discovers at any time following the Effective Time any Asset that was intended to be transferred to any Separate-co or any other member of another Spinco Group pursuant to this Agreement was not so transferred at the Effective Time, IAC and the Spincos shall, or shall cause the other relevant members of their Corresponding Groups to promptly, assign and transfer to such Separate-co or another member of such Separate-co’s Group reasonably designated by such Separate-co such Asset and all right, title and interest therein in a manner and on the terms consistent with the relevant provisions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 2.17(b).  Similarly, to the extent that IAC or any Spinco discovers at any time following the Effective Time any Asset that was intended to be retained by IAC or any other member of the IAC Group was not so retained at the Effective Time, the relevant Spinco shall, or shall cause the other relevant members of its Group to promptly to, assign and transfer to IAC or any other member of the IAC Group reasonably designated by IAC such Asset and all right, title and interest therein in a manner and on the terms consistent with the relevant provisions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 2.17(b).  For the avoidance of doubt, the transfer of any Assets under

 

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this paragraph (a) shall be effected without any additional consideration by any Party hereunder (such deferred transfers being referred to as “Deferred Transactions”).

 

(b)           On or prior to the Effective Time, each of the Separate-cos, in their respective capacities as direct and indirect parent companies of the members of their respective Groups, shall each approve or ratify any actions of the members of their respective Groups as may be necessary or desirable to give effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.

 

(c)           Prior to the Effective Time, if a Party identifies any commercial or other service that is needed to assure a smooth and orderly transition of the businesses in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and that is not otherwise governed by the provisions of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, the relevant Parties will cooperate in determining whether there is a mutually acceptable arms’ length basis on which the such Party can provide such service.

 

ARTICLE XI
CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS

 

11.01.      Auditors and Audits; Annual and Quarterly Financial Statements and Accounting.  Each Party agrees that during the one hundred and eighty (180) days following the Effective Time and in any event solely with respect to the preparation and audit of each of IAC’s and each Spinco’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008, the printing, filing and public dissemination of such financial statements, the audit of IAC’s internal control over financial reporting and management’s assessment thereof and management’s assessment of IAC’s disclosure controls and procedures, in each case made as of December 31, 2008:

 

(a)           Date of Spinco Auditors’ Opinions.  Each Spinco shall use commercially reasonable efforts to enable such Spinco’s auditors (in each case, such auditors, the “Spinco Auditor”) to complete their audit such that they will date their opinion on such Spinco’s audited annual financial statements on the same date that the IAC’s auditors (the “IAC Auditor”) date their opinion on IAC’s audited annual financial statements (except to the extent an earlier date is necessary to comply with SEC rules), and to enable IAC to meet its timetable for the printing, filing and public dissemination of IAC’s annual financial statements.

 

(b)           Annual Financial Statements.  Each (i) Separate-co shall provide to the other Separate-cos on a timely basis all Information reasonably required to meet such Separate-co’s schedule for the preparation, printing, filing, and public dissemination of its annual financial statements and for management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures in accordance with Item 307 of Regulation S-K and (ii) each Spinco shall provide to the IAC on a timely basis all Information reasonably required to meet IAC’s schedule for  its report on internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Item308 of Regulation S-K and its auditor’s audit of its internal control over financial reporting and management’s assessment thereof in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the SEC’s and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s rules and auditing standards thereunder (such assessments and audit being referred to as the “2008 Internal Control Audit and Management Assessments”).  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Separate-co

 

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will provide all required financial and other Information with respect to such Separate-co and its Subsidiaries to its respective auditors in a sufficient and reasonable time and in sufficient detail to permit its respective auditors to take all steps and perform all reviews necessary to provide sufficient assistance to the IAC Auditor and each other Spinco Auditor with respect to respective Information to be included or contained in the annual financial statements of such other Separate-co and to permit the IAC Auditor and IAC’s management to all complete the 2008 Internal Control Audit and Management Assessments.

 

(c)           Access to Personnel and Books and Records.

 

(i)            Each Spinco (an “Authorizing Spinco”) shall authorize its respective Spinco Auditor (the “Authorized Auditor”) to make available to each of the IAC Auditor and the Spinco Auditor of each other Spinco both the personnel who performed or are performing the annual audits of the Authorizing Spinco and work papers related to the annual audits of the Authorizing Spinco, in all cases within a reasonable time prior to the Authorized Auditor’s opinion date, so that (A) the IAC Auditor is able to perform the procedures it considers necessary to take responsibility for the work of the Authorized Auditor as it relates to the IAC Auditor’s report on IAC’s financial statements, all within sufficient time to enable IAC to meet its timetable for the printing, filing and public dissemination of IAC’s annual financial statements; and (B) each such other Spinco Auditor is able to perform the procedures it considers necessary to take responsibility for the work of the Authorized Auditor as it relates to the relevant Spinco Auditor’s report on such Spinco’s financial statements, all within sufficient time to enable such Spinco to meet its timetable for the printing, filing and public dissemination of such Spinco’s annual financial statements.

 

(ii)           IAC shall authorize the IAC Auditor to make available to each Spinco Auditor both the personnel who performed or are performing the annual audits of IAC and work papers related to the annual audits of IAC, in all cases within a reasonable time prior to the IAC Auditor’s opinion date, so that each Spinco Auditor is able to perform the procedures it considers necessary to take responsibility for the work of the IAC Auditor as it relates to such Spinco Auditor’s report on the relevant Spinco’s financial statements, all within sufficient time to enable such Spinco to meet its timetable for the printing, filing and public dissemination of such Spinco’s annual financial statements.

 

(iii)          Each Spinco shall make available to the IAC Auditor and IAC’s management such Spinco’s personnel and such Spinco’s books and records in a reasonable time prior to the IAC Auditor’s opinion date and IAC’s management’s assessment date so that the IAC Auditor and IAC’s management are able to perform the procedures they consider necessary to conduct the 2008 Internal Control Audit and Management Assessments.

 

(d)           Spinco Annual Reports.  Each Spinco will deliver to IAC a substantially final draft, as soon as the same is prepared, of the first report to be filed with the SEC that includes such Spinco’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008 (such Spinco’s “Corresponding Annual Report”); provided, however, that a Spinco may continue to

 

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revise such Corresponding Annual Report prior to the filing thereof, which changes will be delivered to IAC as soon as reasonably practicable; provided, further, that the respective personnel of IAC and each Spinco will actively consult with each other regarding any changes which a Spinco may consider making to its Corresponding Annual Report and related disclosures prior to the anticipated filing with the SEC, with particular focus on any changes which would have an effect upon IAC’s financial statements or related disclosures.

 

Nothing in this Section 11.01 shall require any Party to violate any agreement with any Third Party regarding the confidentiality of confidential and proprietary Information relating to that Third Party or its business; provided, however, that in the event that a Party is required under this Section 11.01 to disclose any such Information, such Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to seek to obtain such Third Party Consent to the disclosure of such Information.

 

ARTICLE XII
SOLE DISCRETION OF IAC; TERMINATION

 

12.01.      Sole Discretion of IAC.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, until the occurrence of the applicable Relevant Time, IAC shall have the sole and absolute discretion:

 

(a)           to determine whether to proceed with all or any part of the Separation, including any Separation Transaction, or any or all of the Distributions, and to determine the timing of and any and all conditions to the completion of the Separation and the Distributions or any part thereof or of any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement; and

 

(b)           to amend or otherwise change, delete or supplement, from time to time, any term or element of the Separation, including any Separation Transaction, or any or all of the Distributions or any other transaction contemplated  by this Agreement.

 

12.02.      Termination.  (a)  This Agreement and all Ancillary Agreements may be terminated and the transactions contemplated hereby may be amended, supplemented, modified or abandoned in any respect at any time prior to the Effective Time of the first Distribution to occur, by and in the sole and absolute discretion of IAC without the approval of any Spinco or of the stockholders of IAC.  In the event of such termination, no Party shall have any liability of any kind to any other Party or any other Person.

 

(b)           After the Effective Time of the first Distribution to occur, this Agreement may not be terminated to the extent the rights and obligations provided for hereunder are between and among IAC and those Spincos the Distribution of which shall have previously occurred except by an agreement in writing signed by the relevant Parties; provided, that IAC in its sole discretion may abandon one or more of the Distributions the Distribution date of which shall not yet have occurred and, by notice to the other Spincos, shall have the right to terminate (subject to the last sentence of Section 1.04(b)) this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to the extent of the rights and obligations provided between the Spinco(s) the Distribution of which shall have been abandoned and the Spincos the Distribution of which shall have previously occurred.

 

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ARTICLE XIII
MISCELLANEOUS

 

13.01.      Limitation of Liability.  In no event shall any member of any Group be liable to any member of any other Group for any special, consequential, indirect, collateral, incidental or punitive damages or lost profits or failure to realize expected savings or other commercial or economic loss of any kind, however caused and on any theory of liability (including negligence) arising in any way out of this Agreement, whether or not such Person has been advised of the possibility of any such damages; provided, however, that the foregoing limitations shall not limit any Party’s indemnification obligations for Liabilities with respect to Third Party Claims as set forth in Article VI.  The provisions of Article IX shall be the Parties’ sole recourse for any breach hereof or any breach of the Ancillary Agreements.

 

13.02.      Counterparts.  This Agreement and each Ancillary 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 have been signed by each of the parties thereto and delivered to the other party or parties.

 

13.03.      Entire Agreement.  This Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements, and the Schedules and Exhibits hereto and thereto and the specific agreements contemplated hereby or thereby contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all previous agreements, oral or written, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter.  No agreements or understandings exist between the Parties other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein.

 

13.04.      Construction.  In this Agreement and each of the Ancillary Agreements, unless a clear contrary intention appears:

 

(a)           the singular number includes the plural number and vice versa;

 

(b)           reference to any Person includes such Person’s successors and assigns but, if applicable, only if such successors and assigns are not prohibited by this Agreement or the relevant Ancillary Agreement, and reference to a Person in a particular capacity excludes such Person in any other capacity or individually;

 

(c)           reference to any gender includes each other gender;

 

(d)           reference to any agreement, document or instrument means such agreement, document or instrument as amended, modified, supplemented or restated, and in effect from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof subject to compliance with the requirements set forth herein or in the relevant Ancillary Agreement;

 

(e)           reference to any Applicable Law means such Applicable Law as amended, modified, codified, replaced or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect from time to time, including rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and reference to any section or other provision of any Applicable Law means that provision of such Applicable Law from time to time

 

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in effect and constituting the substantive amendment, modification, codification, replacement or reenactment of such section or other provision;

 

(f)            “herein,” “hereby,” “hereunder,” “hereof,” “hereto” and words of similar import shall be deemed references to this Agreement or to the relevant Ancillary Agreement as a whole and not to any particular article, section or other provision hereof or thereof;

 

(g)           “including” (and with correlative meaning “include”) means including without limiting the generality of any description preceding such term;

 

(h)           the Table of Contents and headings are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation hereof or thereof;

 

(i)            with respect to the determination of any period of time, “from” means “from and including” and “to” means “to but excluding;” and

 

(j)            references to documents, instruments or agreements shall be deemed to refer as well to all addenda, exhibits, schedules or amendments thereto.

 

13.05.      Signatures.  Each Party acknowledges that it and the other Party (and the other members of their respective Groups) may execute certain of the Ancillary Agreements by facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature.  Each Party expressly adopts and confirms each such facsimile, stamp or mechanical signature made in its respective name (or that of the applicable member of its Group) as if it were a manual signature, agrees that it will not assert that any such signature is not adequate to bind such Party to the same extent as if it were signed manually and agrees that at the reasonable request of the other Party at any time it will as promptly as reasonably practicable cause each such Ancillary Agreement to be manually executed (any such execution to be as of the date of the initial date thereof).

 

13.06.      Assignability.  Except as set forth in any Ancillary Agreement, this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto and thereto, respectively, and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that except as specifically provided in any Ancillary Agreement, no Party hereto or thereto may assign its respective rights or delegate its respective obligations under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other parties hereto or thereto.

 

13.07.      Third Party Beneficiaries.  Except for the indemnification rights under this Agreement of any Corresponding Indemnified Party in its capacity as such and for the release under Section 6.01 of any Person provided therein and except as specifically provided in any Ancillary Agreement, (a) the provisions of this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement are solely for the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and are not intended to confer upon any Person, except the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns, any rights or remedies hereunder and (b) there are no third party beneficiaries of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; and neither this Agreement nor any Ancillary Agreement shall provide any Third Party with any remedy, claim, liability, reimbursement, claim of action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

 

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13.08.      Payment Terms.  (a)  Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, any amount to be paid or reimbursed by one Party to the other under this Agreement shall be paid or reimbursed hereunder within thirty (30) days after presentation of an invoice or a written demand therefor and setting forth, or accompanied by, reasonable documentation or other reasonable explanation supporting such amount.

 

(b)           Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, any amount not paid when due pursuant to this Agreement (and any amount billed or otherwise invoiced or demanded and properly payable that is not paid within thirty (30) days of such bill, invoice or other demand) shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate plus 2% (or the maximum legal rate, whichever is lower), calculated for the actual number of days elapsed, accrued from the date on which such payment was due up to the date of the actual receipt of payment.

 

13.09.      Governing Law.  Except as set forth in Article IX, this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement, shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, irrespective of the choice of laws principles of the State of Delaware, as to all matters, including matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

 

13.10.      Notices.  All notices or other communications under this Agreement and, unless expressly provided therein, each Ancillary Agreement, shall be in writing and shall be deemed to be duly given when delivered in person or successfully transmitted by facsimile, addressed as follows:

 

If to IAC, to:

 

IAC/InterActiveCorp
555 West 18th Street
New York, NY  10011
Attention:  General Counsel
Telecopier:  (212) 632-9642

 

with a copy to:

 

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY  10019
Attention:  Pamela S. Seymon, Esq.
Telecopier:  (212) 403-2000

 

If to TM Spinco:

 

Ticketmaster

8800 Sunset Boulevard

West Hollywood, California 90069

Attention: General Counsel

Telecopier:  (310)       -      

 

62



 

with a copy to:

 

[              ]

 

If to Interval Spinco:

 

Interval Leisure Group, Inc.

6262 Sunset Drive

Miami, Florida 33143

Attention: General Counsel

Telecopier:  (305)       -      

 

with a copy to:

 

[              ]

 

If to HSN Spinco:

 

1 HSN Drive

St. Petersburg, Florida 33729

Attention: General Counsel

Telecopier:  (727)       -      

 

with a copy to:

 

[              ]

 

If to Tree Spinco:

 

11115 Rushmore Drive

Charlotte, North Carolina 28277

Attention: General Counsel

Telecopier:  (704)       -

 

with a copy to:

 

[              ]

 

Any Party may, by notice to the other Parties as set forth herein, change the address or fax number to which such notices are to be given.

 

13.11.      Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof or thereof, or the application of such provision to Persons or circumstances or in jurisdictions other than those as to which it has been held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and

 

63



 

effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated thereby, so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, as the case may be, is not affected in any manner adverse to any party hereto or thereto.  Upon such determination, the relevant Parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon such a suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the Parties.

 

13.12.      Publicity.  Prior to the Effective Time, IAC shall be responsible for issuing any press releases or otherwise making public statements with respect to this Agreement, the Separation, the Distributions or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and no Spinco shall make such statements without the prior written consent of IAC.  Prior to the Effective Time, the Separate-cos shall each consult with the other prior to making any filings with any Governmental Authority with respect thereto.

 

13.13.      Survival of Covenants.  Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, any covenants, representations or warranties contained in this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement shall survive the Separation and the Distributions and shall remain in full force and effect.

 

13.14.      Waivers of Default; Conflicts.  (a) Waiver by any Party of any default by the other Party of any provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of the other Party.  No failure or delay by any Party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

 

(b)           Each Party acknowledges that each of the Parties and each member of their respective Group are all currently represented by members of IAC’s legal department and IAC’s outside counsel.  IAC (on behalf of itself and every member of its Group), on the one hand, and each Spinco (on behalf of itself and every member of its Group), on the other hand, waives any conflict with respect to such common representation that may arise before, at or after the Effective Time.

 

13.15.      Amendments.  After the Effective Time, no provisions of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by any Party, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the Party against whom it is sought to enforce such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification.

 

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK.]

 

64



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives.

 

 

IAC/INTERACTIVECORP

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

HSN, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

INTERVAL LEISURE GROUP, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

TREE.COM, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

65



EX-2.2 3 a2187104zex-2_2.htm EXHIBIT 2.2

Exhibit 2.2

 

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

by and among


TICKETMASTER,

V.I.P. MERGER SUB, INC.,

THE V.I.P. TOUR COMPANY,

TNSH, LLC
as the
STOCKHOLDERS’ REPRESENTATIVE

and

THE STOCKHOLDERS OF
THE V.I.P. TOUR COMPANY SIGNATORY HERETO

January 11, 2008

 



 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

2

1.1

 

Definitions

2

1.2

 

Terms Defined Elsewhere

10

1.3

 

Interpretation

12

ARTICLE II

THE MERGER

13

2.1

 

The Merger

13

2.2

 

Effective Time

13

2.3

 

Closing of the Merger

13

2.4

 

Effects of the Merger

13

2.5

 

Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws

13

2.6

 

Directors and Officers

14

ARTICLE III

EFFECT ON THE CAPITAL STOCK OF THE CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS; PAYMENT

14

3.1

 

Conversion of Shares; Treatment of Company Options and Company Warrants

14

3.2

 

Distribution of the Initial Merger Consideration

16

3.3

 

Escrow Amount

18

3.4

 

Working Capital Adjustment to Initial Merger Consideration

19

3.5

 

Dissenting Shares

22

3.6

 

Withholding Rights

22

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

22

4.1

 

Organization and Corporate Power

23

4.2

 

Due Authorization and No Conflict

23

4.3

 

Corporate Records/Fundamental Documents

24

4.4

 

Capitalization

24

4.5

 

Subsidiaries

25

4.6

 

Financial Statements

25

4.7

 

Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities

26

4.8

 

Absence of Certain Developments

26

4.9

 

Transactions with Affiliates

26

4.10

 

Properties

27

4.11

 

Sufficiency of Assets

27

4.12

 

Tax Matters

27

 



 

4.13

 

Material Contracts

29

4.14

 

Intellectual Property

31

4.15

 

Litigation

32

4.16

 

Labor Matters

33

4.17

 

Permits; Compliance with Laws

33

4.18

 

Employee Benefit Programs

34

4.19

 

Brokers

35

4.20

 

Insurance Coverage

35

4.21

 

Investment Banking; Brokerage

36

4.22

 

Environmental Matters

36

4.23

 

Inventory

36

4.24

 

Accounts Receivable

36

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE MATERIAL STOCKHOLDERS

37

5.1

 

Organization and Corporate Power

37

5.2

 

Due Authorization and No Conflict

37

5.3

 

Ownership

37

5.4

 

No Litigation

38

ARTICLE VI

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF TICKETMASTER AND MERGER SUB

38

6.1

 

Organization and Corporate Power

38

6.2

 

Authority and Non-Contravention

38

6.3

 

Capitalization of the Surviving Corporation.

39

6.4

 

Financial Capability

40

6.5

 

No Litigation

40

6.6

 

Investment Banking; Brokerage

40

ARTICLE VII

COVENANTS

40

7.1

 

Interim Operations of the Company

40

7.2

 

Access

42

7.3

 

Information Rights

43

7.4

 

Confidentiality

43

7.5

 

Efforts and Actions of the Parties

43

7.6

 

Exclusivity.

45

 



 

7.7

 

Covenant Not to Compete; Non-Solicitation; Retained Information.

46

7.8

 

Notice of Certain Events

48

7.9

 

Release

48

7.10

 

Certain Agreements

49

7.11

 

Tax Matters

49

7.12

 

Other Stockholder Notification

51

7.13

 

Indemnification of Officers and Directors

51

7.14

 

Employee Matters.

51

7.15

 

Crystal Lake Lease Covenant

53

7.16

 

Termination of Agreements

53

ARTICLE VIII

CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS

53

8.1

 

Conditions to the Company’s, Ticketmaster’s and Merger Sub’s Obligation to Effect the Closing

53

8.2

 

Conditions to Obligations of Ticketmaster and Merger Sub to Effect the Closing

54

8.3

 

Conditions to Obligations of the Company and the Material Stockholders

56

8.4

 

Frustration of Closing Conditions

57

ARTICLE IX

TERMINATION

57

9.1

 

Termination

57

9.2

 

Effect of Termination

58

ARTICLE X

SURVIVAL; TRANSACTION RELATED INDEMNIFICATION

59

10.1

 

Survival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants

59

10.2

 

Indemnification by Material Stockholders

59

10.3

 

Indemnification by Ticketmaster

60

10.4

 

Limitations on Indemnification

60

10.5

 

Notice; Payment of Losses; Defense of Third-Party Claims

61

10.6

 

Calculation of Losses

63

10.7

 

Exclusive Remedy

63

ARTICLE XI

STOCKHOLDERS’ REPRESENTATIVE

64

11.1

 

The Stockholders’ Representative

64

11.2

 

No Reliance

66

ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

67

12.1

 

Binding Effect; Assignment

67

 



 

12.2

 

Notices

67

12.3

 

Choice of Law

68

12.4

 

Entire Agreement; Amendments and Waivers

68

12.5

 

Counterparts

69

12.6

 

Severability

69

12.7

 

No Third Party Beneficiaries

69

12.8

 

Specific Performance

69

12.9

 

Expenses

69

12.10

 

Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers

69

12.11

 

Publicity

70

12.12

 

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

70

 

Exhibits

 

Exhibit A - Stockholders of the Company

 

Exhibit B - Form of Stockholders’ Agreement

 

Exhibit C - Amended Certificate of Incorporation of the Company

 

Exhibit D - Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company

 

Exhibit E - Form of Escrow Agreement

 

Exhibit F - Form of Legal Opinion of Perkins Coie

 

Exhibit G - Form of Cash, Indebtedness and Expenses Schedule

 

Exhibit H - Form of Payment Schedule

 

Exhibit I - Accounting Principles

 



 

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

 

This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”), dated as of January 11, 2008, is entered into by and among The V.I.P. Tour Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation (“Ticketmaster”), V.I.P. Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Ticketmaster (“Merger Sub”), TNSH, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, acting in its capacity as the Stockholders’ Representative in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Stockholders’ Representative”) and the stockholders of the Company set forth on the signature page hereto (the “Material Stockholders”, and each individually, a “Material Stockholder”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, as of the date of this Agreement, all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are owned by the Material Stockholders and by the Company’s other stockholders (the “Other Stockholders” and, together with the Material Stockholders, the holders of Company Options and the holders of Company Warrants, the “Stockholders”, all as set forth on Exhibit A);

 

WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire that Merger Sub merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”), and that at such time, the Shares, the outstanding and unexercised Company Options (other than the Rollover Options) and the Company Warrants shall be converted into the right to receive, as the case may be, the Initial Merger Consideration and the Initial Liquidation Preference, in each case subject in each case to adjustment as set forth in, and pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of, this Agreement and the DGCL, and in each case following which such holder thereof shall have no further rights under or with respect to such Company Options (other than the Rollover Options) or Company Warrants;

 

WHEREAS, each Rollover Option that is outstanding and unexercised as of the Effective Time shall be assumed by the Surviving Corporation and become an option (an “Assumed Option”) to purchase a number of shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock as set forth in this Agreement, subject to adjustment and pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of, this Agreement and the DGCL;

 

WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Company, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub have each determined that the Merger is fair, advisable and in the best interests of their respective stockholders and have each approved this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, and the board of directors of the Company has recommended the adoption of this Agreement by the holders of the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock; and

 

WHEREAS, this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the Transactions, including the Merger, have been approved by (a) the holders of a majority of the Common Stock and (b) the holders of 66.67% of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and

 



 

sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

1.1           Definitions.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Accounts Receivable” means (a) all accounts receivable and other rights to payment from customers of the Company and the Subsidiaries and (b) all other accounts and notes receivable of the Company and the Subsidiaries.

 

Affiliate” of a Person means (i) with respect to an individual, any member of such Person’s family (including any child, step-child, parent, step-parent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law), (ii) with respect to an entity, any officer, director, stockholder, member, partner, investor, employee and agent of such entity, except that with respect to Section 7.7 of this Agreement the foregoing will be limited to officers, directors, managers or employees of an entity or beneficial owners of such entity’s equity capital who have decision making authority over investments made by such entity, and (iii) with respect to any Person, any Person which directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person.

 

Aggregate Liquidation Preference” means the aggregate Liquidation Preference payable to all holders of Preferred Stock in connection with the Merger.

 

Aggregate Option Exercise Price” means the sum of the cash exercise prices that would be payable upon exercise of all Company Options (including Rollover Options) and Company Warrants immediately prior to the Closing.

 

Business” means the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, as conducted as of the date of this Agreement, including the Company’s provision of on-line and off-line ticketing distribution services through Subsidiary websites including TicketsNow.com, Inc., OpenSeats, Inc., NetTickets.com, Inc., ShowMe Tickets, LLC and a centralized operator staffed call center, and the aggregation of ticket inventories of companies, agencies, individuals and other dealers nationwide into a comprehensive database for on-line purchases by consumers for sporting, concert and theatre events.

 

Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by Law to close.

 

Cash Equivalents” means, as of any date of determination, (a) marketable securities (i) issued or directly and unconditionally guaranteed as to interest and principal by the United States Government or (ii) issued by any agency of the United States the obligations of which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one year after such date, (b) marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof, in each case maturing within one year after such date and having, at the time of the acquisition thereof, a rating of at least A 1 from S&P or any successor thereto or at least P 1 from Moody’s

 

2



 

or any successor thereto, (c) certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances and time deposits maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any commercial bank organized under the Laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia that at the time of acquisition thereof (i) is at least “adequately capitalized” (as defined in the regulations of its primary federal banking regulator) and (ii) has Tier 1 capital (as defined in such regulations) of not less than $100,000,000, (d) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the type described in clause (a) above, entered into with a bank meeting the qualifications set forth in clause (c) above, and (e) shares of any money market mutual fund that (i) has substantially all of its assets invested continuously in the types of investments referred to in clauses (a) through (d) above, (ii) has net assets of not less than $500,000,000, and (iii) has the highest rating obtainable from either S&P or Moody’s.

 

Closing Date Cash” means the amount equal to (a) cash and Cash Equivalents of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of 11:59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (determined without giving effect to the consummation of the Transactions) minus (b) cash and Cash Equivalents the use of which by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is restricted by an enforceable agreement or pursuant to applicable Law.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Company Option” means each option to purchase Common Stock granted under any employee stock option plan or arrangement of the Company, including, options granted under the Company’s 2005 Equity Incentive Plan

 

Company Transaction Expenses” means (i) the third party fees, costs and expenses incurred by the Company or the Subsidiaries prior to or on the Closing Date in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, and the consummation of the Transactions, including the fees and expenses of the Company and the Subsidiaries’ Representatives, including one-half of any transfer Taxes, payable in connection with the Transactions and one-half of any filing fees payable in connection with any filings required under the HSR Act and (ii) any special bonuses, transaction bonuses, change in control bonuses, success fees or other bonus payments paid or payable to any employees of the Company or the Subsidiaries in connection with the Transactions.

 

Company Warrants” means those certain warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock.

 

Consent” means any consent, approval, authorization, waiver, grant, franchise, license, exemption or Order of, or any registration, certificate, qualification, declaration or filing with, or any notice to, any Person, including any Governmental Body.

 

Contracts” means all contracts, agreements, leases, subleases, instruments, undertakings, commitments or other enforceable arrangements, whether written or oral.

 

control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, or as trustee or executor, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of stock, as trustee or executor, by Contract or otherwise.

 

3



 

Crystal Lake Lease” means that certain Industrial Lease Agreement, by and between the Company and WM Rockhill Properties, dated as of February 27, 2006 and amended on May 18, 2007, for the premises at 265 Exchange Drive, Crystal Lake, Illinois, 60014.

 

Current Assets” means, as of any particular date of determination, the current assets of the Company determined in accordance with GAAP, but excluding for purposes of this definition only cash and short term investments, employee loans, employee advances, debt financing costs and current deferred Tax asset.

 

Current Liabilities” means, as of any particular date of determination, the current liabilities of the Company determined in accordance with GAAP, but excluding for purposes of this definition only short-term deferred Tax Liability, Taxes payable and current portion of long-term debt.

 

Encumbrance” means any claim, lien, pledge, option, charge, easement, security interest, deed of trust, mortgage, conditional sales agreement, encumbrance or other right of third parties, whether voluntarily incurred or arising by operation of Law, and includes any agreement to give any of the foregoing in the future, and any contingent sale or other title retention agreement or lease in the nature thereof.

 

Environmental Law” means all applicable Laws governing or relating to pollution or the protection of the environment or human health or safety.

 

Escrow Expiration Date” means the date that is 60 days following delivery to the Surviving Corporation of the Surviving Corporation’s audited consolidated financial statements for the 2008 fiscal year.

 

Fully-Diluted Closing Common Stock Number” means the sum of (i) the number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, as reflected on the Payment Schedule, (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion of the Preferred Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time, as reflected on the Payment Schedule, (iii) the number of shares of Common Stock underlying Company Options (other than any such shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rollover Options) immediately prior to the Effective Time, as reflected on the Payment Schedule, and (iv) the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Company Warrants immediately prior to the Effective Time, as reflected on the Payment Schedule.

 

Fundamental Documents” means the documents by which a Person (other than an individual) establishes its legal existence or which govern its internal affairs.  For example, the “Fundamental Documents” of a corporation include its certificate of incorporation and by-laws, and the “Fundamental Documents” of a limited liability company include its certificate of formation and operating agreement.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted United States accounting principles consistently applied over all relevant periods.

 

4



 

Governmental Body” means any court, administrative agency, regulatory body, commission or other Governmental Body or instrumentality of the United States or any other country or any state, county, municipality or other governmental division of any country.

 

Hazardous Substance” means any material or substance regulated, or that could result in Liability, under any Environmental Law, including any asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, petroleum or petroleum product, or polychlorinated biphenyls.

 

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money (excluding deferred revenue incurred in the ordinary course of business), (b) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of assets, property or services (excluding current liabilities), (c) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations under capital leases (which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital lease obligations on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP), (f) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar facilities, (h) all customer deposits relating to Inventory to be acquired by the Company and its Subsidiaries after the Closing Date, (i) all amounts payable to brokers relating to Inventory sold by such brokers on behalf of the Company or the Subsidiaries (j) all direct or indirect guarantee, support or keep-well obligations of such Person with respect to obligations of the kind referred to in clauses (a) through (i) of this definition and (k) all obligations of the kind referred to in clauses (a) through (i) of this definition of other Persons secured by (or for which the holder of such obligations has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Encumbrance on property owned by such Person, whether or not such Person has assumed or otherwise become liable for the payment of such obligations.

 

Indemnity Cap” means an amount equal to $15,000,000.

 

 “Initial Liquidation Preference” means the Aggregate Liquidation Preference.

 

Initial Per Common Share Merger Consideration” means the amount equal to (x) the Initial Merger Consideration plus the Aggregate Option Exercise Price divided by (y) the Fully-Diluted Closing Common Stock Number.

 

Initial Per Share Liquidation Preference” means the amount equal to the Initial Liquidation Preference divided by the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Closing on the Closing Date.

 

Intellectual Property Rights” means all intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark applications, trade dress, logos, designs, devices, domain names and the goodwill of the Company and the Subsidiaries connected with the foregoing, copyrights, software (including source code and object code), databases, systems, websites, mask works, know-how, technical information, trade secrets, processes, formulae, franchises, licenses, inventions, discoveries, technical advances, designs or design protocols, instructions, drawings, blueprints, specifications, marketing materials, and all documentation and media constituting, describing or relating to the foregoing, including manuals, memoranda and

 

5


 

records, and any registrations or applications for registration of any of the foregoing.

 

Interim Tax Period” means with respect to any Straddle Period, the portion of such Straddle Period that begins on the first day of such Straddle Period and ends on the Closing Date.

 

Inventory” has the meaning ascribed to it under GAAP, and shall include all Tickets.

 

IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service, or any successor entity thereto.

 

Knowledge” of the Company means the knowledge of the Persons set forth on Schedule 1.1(a), in each case, which such Person would have after a reasonable investigation of the surrounding circumstances, whether or not in fact they made such reasonable investigation.

 

Law(s)” means, with respect to any Person, any federal, state, local or other statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation, Order or other requirement of any Governmental Body existing as of the date of this Agreement or as of the Closing Date applicable to such Person or any of such Person’s property, assets, officers, directors, employees, consultants or agents.

 

Liability” means any and all direct or indirect indebtedness, liabilities, obligations, claims, Losses, damages, deficiencies or responsibilities, whether known or unknown, accrued or fixed, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, secured or unsecured or determined or determinable, whether or not of a kind required by GAAP to be set forth on a financial statement, including those arising under any Law and those arising under any Contract.

 

Liquidation Preference” means, with respect to each share of the Preferred Stock, the amount payable per share pursuant to a Liquidation Event as defined in and determined pursuant to Article IV of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, dated June 15, 2007.

 

Live Entertainment Industry” means the industry that includes the promotion, presentation, performance and/or ticketing of concerts, sporting events, theatrical presentations, family entertainment, festivals, conventions and/or any other live entertainment acts or events of any kind or nature.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means any change, event, occurrence, effect, development or circumstance that, individually or in the aggregate, is or would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the Business, condition (financial or otherwise), assets, Liabilities, or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than changes, events, occurrences, effects, developments or circumstances arising out of, resulting from or attributable to (a) changes in conditions in the United States economy or United States capital or financial markets generally, (b) changes affecting the Live Entertainment Industry, (c) changes in Law or changes in GAAP, except in each case to the extent that any such change has had or could reasonably be expected to have a disproportionate effect on the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, compared to other Persons in the same industry as the Company and the Subsidiaries, or (d) the Company’s compliance with any written request received from Ticketmaster under Section 7.16 [Termination of Use] of this Agreement.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Services, Inc.

 

6



 

Option Exchange Ratio” means one-for-one.

 

Option Rollover Amount” means an amount equal to (a) the Initial Per Common Share Merger Consideration (provided, that for purposes of this definition, the definition of “Fully Diluted Closing Common Stock Number” shall be deemed to include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Rollover Options), multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock into which the Rollover Options are exercisable minus (b) the aggregate exercise price of the Rollover Options.

 

Order” means any order, restriction, judgment, writ, temporary or permanent injunction, award, decree, stipulation, determination or writ of any Governmental Body.

 

 “Ordinary Course of Business” or “Ordinary Course” or any similar phrase means the ordinary course of the Business, consistent with the past practice of the Company and the Subsidiaries, to the extent applicable.

 

Participating Rights Holders” means those Persons who, immediately prior to the Effective Time, are holders of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Company Options (other than with respect to any Rollover Options) and/or the Company Warrants, and whose interests therein, as the result of the Merger, are converted into rights to receive a portion of the Initial Merger Consideration.  For the avoidance of doubt, a Person who is excluded from this definition due to their ownership of Rollover Options is only excluded with respect to their Rollover Options, and is a Participating Rights Holder with respect to any other Common Stock, Company Options or Company Warrants that such Person holds.

 

Permits” means all licenses, permits, franchises, approvals, authorizations, consents or Orders of, or filings with, any Governmental Body, whether foreign, federal, state or local, or any other Person, necessary for the past or present conduct of, or relating to the operation of the Business.

 

Permitted Encumbrances” means (a) liens for Taxes not yet due and payable, (b) statutory or common Law Encumbrances to secure landlords or lessors under leases or rental agreements regarding the premises rented to the extent that no payment or performance under any such lease or rental agreement is in arrears or is otherwise due, (c) deposits or pledges made in connection with, or to secure payment of, worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance, or programs mandated under applicable Laws, (d) statutory or common Law Encumbrances in favor of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics and materials to secure claims for labor, materials or supplies and other like Encumbrances, which secure obligations to the extent that payment thereof is not in arrears or otherwise due, and (e) Encumbrances that do not materially in the aggregate detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially in the aggregate impair the operations of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

 

Person” means any person or entity, whether an individual, trustee, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, business association, firm, joint venture or Governmental Body.

 

Personal Element” means a natural Person’s full name (or last name if associated with an address), telephone number, email address, Unique Identifying Number, photograph, or any

 

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other information, alone or in combination, that allows the identification of a natural Person.

 

Pre-Closing Taxes”  means all Liability for Taxes for the Pre-Closing Tax Period and the Interim Tax Period.  For purposes of calculating such Liability for the Interim Tax Period, the portion of any Tax that is allocable to the Interim Tax Period shall be deemed to equal: (a) in the case of Taxes based upon or related to income or receipts, the amount that would be payable if the Straddle Period had ended on the Closing Date and the books of the Company and the Subsidiaries closed as of the close of such date, (b) in the case of Taxes imposed on specific transactions or events, Taxes imposed on specific transactions or events occurring on or before the Closing Date, and (c) in the case of Taxes imposed on a periodic basis, or in the case of any other Taxes not covered by clause (a) or clause (b), the amount of such Taxes for the entire Straddle Period multiplied by a fraction (a) the numerator of which is the number of calendar days in the period ending on the Closing Date and (b) the denominator of which is the number of calendar days in the entire Straddle Period.

 

Pre-Closing Tax Period” means any Tax period (or portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date.

 

Proceeding” means any claim, action, suit, complaint, demand, litigation, prosecution, contest, hearing, inquiry, inquest, audit or other judicial, administrative or arbitration proceeding.

 

Publicly Available Software” means any software that requires as a condition of use, modification, and/or distribution of such software that such software or other software incorporated into or derived from such software (a) be disclosed or distributed in source code form, (b) be licensed for the purpose of making derivative works, or (c) be redistributable at no or minimal charge.

 

Representative” means, with respect to any Person, any officer, director, principal, attorney, accountant, advisor, agent, employee or other representative of such Person.

 

Reserve Amount” means $1,000,000.

 

Rollover Holders” means Cheryl Rosner, Sridhar Murthy, Shawn Freeman, Todd Rumlow and Michael Regent.

 

Rollover Options” means those Company Options held by the Rollover Holders that, in accordance with their current vesting schedules and as set forth on Schedule 1.1.(b) would in the event that the Merger was not consummated remain unvested as of the date that is 15 months following the Closing Date.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group.

 

Shares” mean, collectively, the shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock.

 

Stockholders’ Agreement” means the Stockholders’ Agreement of Ticketmaster, dated as of the date hereof, by and among Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation and each Rollover Holder, in the form of Exhibit B.

 

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Straddle Period”  means any Tax period that includes but does not end on the Closing Date.

 

Subsequent Per Share Common Merger Consideration” means an amount equal to the percentage specified on the Payment Schedule of the portion of the Escrow Amount that is released from the Escrow Account pursuant to the terms hereof and the terms of the Escrow Agreement.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, as of any date of determination, any other Person as to which such Person owns, directly or indirectly, or otherwise controls, more than 50% of the voting shares or other similar interests or the sole general partner interest or managing member or similar interest of such Person.

 

Surviving Corporation Common Stock” is the common stock of the Surviving Corporation,  $0.01 par value per share.

 

Taxes” means (a) any and all federal, state, local, foreign and other taxes, including income taxes, estimated taxes, alternative or add-on minimum taxes, excise taxes, sales taxes, franchise taxes, employment and payroll related taxes, withholding taxes, transfer taxes, gross receipts taxes, license taxes, severance taxes, stamp taxes, occupation taxes, premium taxes, capital stock taxes, profits taxes, social security (or similar) taxes, unemployment taxes, disability taxes, real property taxes, personal property taxes, value added taxes or other similar taxes including all additions to tax, interest, fines and penalties, whether disputed or not and including any obligations to indemnify or otherwise assume or succeed to the Tax Liability of any other Person and (b) any Liability for the payment of any amount of the type described in the immediately preceding clause (a) as a result of (1) being a “transferee” of another Person, (2) being a member of an affiliated, combined, consolidated or unitary group, or (3) any contractual Liability.

 

Tax Refund” means any refund, rebate, abatement, reduction or other recovery (whether directly or indirectly through a right of setoff or credit) of Taxes (including payments of estimated Taxes) of the Company, its Subsidiaries and their respective Affiliates and any interest thereon with respect to all Pre-Closing Tax Periods.

 

Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, or information return or statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof, filed or required to be filed with any Governmental Body.

 

 “Ticket” means any printed, electronic or other type of evidence of the right to occupy space at or attend any concert, sporting, entertainment or other act or event or any kind or nature whatsoever, even if not evidenced by any physical manifestation of such right (for example, a “smart card”), including a ticket, license, parking pass, backstage pass or luxury box pass.

 

Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement, the Stockholders’ Agreement and the other agreements to be executed and delivered in connection herewith.

 

Unique Identifying Number” means an identifier uniquely associated with a Person such

 

9



 

as a social security number, driver’s license number, passport number or customer number, but excluding an identifier which is randomly or otherwise assigned so that it cannot be reasonably used to identify the Person.

 

User Data” means (i) all data related to impression and click-through activity of website users, including user identification and associated activities at a web site as well as pings and activity related to closed loop reporting and all other data associated with a user’s behavior on the Internet, (ii) all data that contains a Personal Element, (iii) known, or reasonably inferred information or attributes about a user or identifier, and (iv) all derivatives and aggregations of (i), (ii) and (iii), including user profiles.

 

Working Capital” means (i) Current Assets minus (ii) Current Liabilities.

 

1.2                                 Terms Defined Elsewhere.  The following is a list of additional terms used in this Agreement and a reference to the Article hereof in which such term is defined:

 

Term

 

Section

Actual Closing Balance Sheet

 

Section 3.4(d)

Actual Closing Date Cash

 

Section 3.4(d)

Actual Closing Date Indebtedness

 

Section 3.4(d)

Actual Working Capital

 

Section 3.4(d)

Acquisition Transaction

 

Section 7.6(a)

Adjusted Merger Consideration

 

Section 3.4(f)

Agreement

 

Preamble

Assumed Option

 

Recitals

Bankruptcy and Equity Exception

 

Section 4.2

Base Balance Sheet

 

Section 4.6

Base Merger Consideration

 

Section 3.2(a)(i)

Cash, Indebtedness and Expenses Schedule

 

Section 3.1(h)

Certificate of Merger

 

Section 2.2

Closing

 

Section 2.3

Closing Date

 

Section 2.3

Common Stock

 

Section 3.1(b)

Company

 

Preamble

Company Dissenting Shares

 

Section 3.5

Company Terminating Breach

 

Section 9.1(d)

Continuing Employee

 

Section 7.14(a)

Deductible

 

Section 10.4(a)

DGCL

 

Section 2.1

Disclosure Schedule

 

Article IV

Effective Time

 

Section 2.2

Employee Benefit Program

 

Section 4.18(a)

ERISA

 

Section 4.18(a)

Escrow Account

 

Section 3.3(a)

Escrow Agent

 

Section 3.3(a)

Escrow Agreement

 

Section 3.3(a)

Escrow Amount

 

Section 3.3(a)

 

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Estimated Closing Balance Sheet

 

Section 3.4(a)

Estimated Closing Date Cash

 

Section 3.4(a)

Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness

 

Section 3.4(a)

Estimated Working Capital

 

Section 3.4(a)

Excepted Representations

 

Section 10.1

Final Closing Balance Sheet

 

Section 3.4(b)

Final Closing Date Cash

 

Section 3.4(b)

Final Closing Date Indebtedness

 

Section 3.4(b)

Final Working Capital

 

Section 3.4(b)

Financial Information

 

Section 4.6

Firm

 

Section 3.4(c)

Fundamental Representations

 

Section 10.1

HSR Act

 

Section 4.2

Indemnified Party

 

Section 10.3

Indemnifying Party

 

Section 10.3

Initial Merger Consideration

 

Section 3.2(a)

Interim Period

 

Section 7.1(a)

Investor Restricted Period

 

Section 7.7(b)

Investor Restricted Stockholder

 

Section 7.7(b)

Losses

 

Section 10.2

Management Restricted Period

 

Section 7.7(b)

Management Restricted Stockholder

 

Section 7.7(b)

Material Contract

 

Section 4.13

Material Stockholder

 

Preamble

Merger

 

Recitals

Merger Sub

 

Preamble

Net Working Capital Target

 

Section 3.2(a)(iii)

November 30, 2007 Unaudited Financials

 

Section 4.6

Objection Notice

 

Section 3.4(c)

Other Stockholders

 

Recitals

Parachute Payment Waiver

 

Section 7.14(e)

Payment Schedule

 

Section 3.1(g)

Preferred Stock

 

Section 3.1(b)

Privacy Policy

 

Section 4.13(d)

Released Persons

 

Section 7.9

Reserve Account

 

Section 3.2(e)

Special Representations

 

Section 10.1

Stockholders

 

Recitals

Stockholders’ Representative

 

Preamble

Stockholder Indemnified Party

 

Section 10.3

Stockholder Indemnifying Party

 

Section 10.2

Surviving Corporation

 

Section 2.1

Tax Reduction

 

Section 7.11(b)

Termination Date

 

Section 9.1(f)

Ticketmaster

 

Preamble

Ticketmaster Indemnified Party

 

Section 10.2

 

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Ticketmaster Indemnifying Party

 

Section 10.3

Ticketmaster Plans

 

Section 7.14(b)

Ticketmaster Shares

 

Section 6.3(a)

Ticketmaster Terminating Breach

 

Section 9.1(e)

Transactions

 

Section 2.1

 

1.3                                 Interpretation.

 

In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(a)                                  words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa;

 

(b)                                 a reference to a “Subsidiary” is a reference to a Subsidiary of the Company unless otherwise expressly set forth herein;

 

(c)                                  a reference to a clause, party, annex, exhibit or schedule is a reference to a clause of, and a party, annex, exhibit and schedule to this Agreement, including the Disclosure Schedule, and a reference to this Agreement includes any annex, exhibit and schedule hereto, including the Disclosure Schedule;

 

(d)                                 a reference to a statute, regulation, proclamation, ordinance or by-law includes all statues, regulations, proclamations, ordinances or by-laws amending, consolidating or replacing it, whether passed by the same or another Governmental Body with legal power to do so, and a reference to a statute includes all regulations, proclamations, ordinances and by-laws issued under the statute;

 

(e)                                  a reference to a document includes all amendments or supplements to, or replacements or novations of, that document;

 

(f)                                    a reference to a party to a document includes that party’s successors, permitted transferees and permitted assigns;

 

(g)                                 the use of the term “including” means “including, without limitation”;

 

(h)                                 the words “herein”, “hereof”, “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole, including the annexes, schedules and exhibits, as the same may from time to time be amended, modified, supplemented or restated, and not to any particular Article, sub-section, paragraph, subparagraph or clause contained in this Agreement;

 

(i)                                     the Article and paragraph headings used in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not govern of affect the interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement;

 

(j)                                     where specific language is used to clarify by example a general statement contained herein, such specific language shall not be deemed to modify, limit or restrict in any manner the construction of the general statement to which it relates;

 

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(k)                                  the language used in this Agreement has been chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party;

 

(l)                                     unless otherwise specified herein, all statements or references to dollar amounts or “$” set forth herein or in any other Transaction Document shall refer to United States Dollars; and

 

(m)                               accounting terms not defined in this Agreement shall have the respective meanings given to them under GAAP.

 

ARTICLE II
THE MERGER

 

2.1                                 The Merger.  On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company at the Effective Time.  At the Effective Time, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease and the Company shall continue as the surviving corporation (the “Surviving Corporation”).  The Merger and the other transactions expressly contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are collectively referred to herein as the “Transactions.”

 

2.2                                 Effective Time.  Prior to the Closing, the Company shall prepare, and on the Closing Date, the Company shall file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, a certificate of merger in form and substance satisfactory to Ticketmaster (the “Certificate of Merger”) executed in accordance with the relevant provisions of the DGCL and shall make all other filings or recordings required under the DGCL (in each case in form and substance satisfactory to Ticketmaster).  The Merger shall become effective at such time as the Certificate of Merger is duly filed with such Secretary of State, or at such other time as Ticketmaster and the Company shall agree and specify in the Certificate of Merger (the time the Merger becomes effective being referred to herein as the “Effective Time”).

 

2.3                                 Closing of the Merger.  The closing of the Transactions (the “Closing”) shall take place at the offices of O’Melveny & Myers LLP, Times Square Tower, 7 Times Square, New York, New York 10036, at a time and on a date to be designated by the Company and Ticketmaster (the date upon which the Closing actually occurs being referred to herein as the “Closing Date”), which shall be not later than the second Business Day after the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VIII hereof (other than those conditions which by their terms are to be satisfied or waived at the Closing) or at such other time, date and location as the Company and Ticketmaster shall mutually agree.

 

2.4                                 Effects of the Merger.  The Merger shall have the effects set forth in Section 259 of the DGCL.

 

2.5                                 Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws.  At the Effective Time, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company shall be amended and restated in the form attached as Exhibit C, and as so amended and restated, shall be the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until amended and restated in accordance with applicable Law.  The by-laws of the Company shall be amended and restated in the form attached as Exhibit D, and as so amended

 

13



 

and restated, shall be the by-laws of the Surviving Corporation until amended and restated in accordance with applicable Law.

 

2.6                                 Directors and Officers.  The directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the directors of the Surviving Corporation until the earlier of their resignation or removal or until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, as the case may be.  The officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the officers of the Surviving Corporation until the earlier of their resignation or removal or until their respective successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified, as the case may be.

 

ARTICLE III
EFFECT ON THE CAPITAL STOCK OF THE CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS; PAYMENT

 

3.1                                 Conversion of Shares; Treatment of Company Options and Company Warrants.

 

(a)                                  Capital Stock of Merger Sub.  At the Effective Time, the 1,000 issued and outstanding shares of the common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of Merger Sub shall be converted into an aggregate number of  shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Surviving Corporation equal to the Fully-Diluted Closing Common Stock Number.

 

(b)                                 Cancellation of Stock.  At the Effective Time, each share of the Series A Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”) and common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, except as otherwise provided (i) in Section 3.5 as to Company Dissenting Shares and (ii) in Section 3.1(j) as to treasury shares, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of Ticketmaster, Merger Sub, the Company or the holder thereof, be cancelled and extinguished and be converted automatically into and become the right to receive (A) for each holder of Common Stock, their pro rata portion of the Initial Merger Consideration as specified in Section 3.1(c) and (B) for each holder of Preferred Stock, their pro rata portion of the Initial Liquidation Preference and the Initial Per Common Share Merger Consideration as specified in Section 3.1(d).

 

(c)                                  Common Stock. Each share of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (whether or not vested) (other than (x) any Company Dissenting Shares and (y) any shares of Common Stock held directly or indirectly by the Company, Ticketmaster or Merger Sub) will be converted at the Effective Time into the right to receive (i) at the Effective Time, an amount per share in cash equal to the Initial Per Common Share Merger Consideration and (ii) subsequent to the Effective Time and in accordance with Section 3.3(c)(i) and the Escrow Agreement, an amount per share in cash equal to the Subsequent Per Common Share Merger Consideration.

 

(d)                                 Preferred Stock.            Each share of Preferred Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than any Company Dissenting Shares and any shares of Preferred Stock held directly or indirectly by the Company, Ticketmaster or Merger Sub) will be converted at the Effective Time into the right to receive (i) at the Effective Time, an amount in cash equal to the Initial Per Share Liquidation Preference and an amount per

 

14



 

share in cash equal to the Initial Per Common Share Merger Consideration (ii) subsequent to the Effective Time and in accordance with Section 3.3(c)(i), an amount per share in cash equal to Subsequent Per Common Share Merger Consideration.

 

(e)                                  Company Options.  Effective as of the Effective Time, each Company Option that is outstanding and unexercised as of the Effective Time that is not a Rollover Option, shall be converted into a right to receive an amount in cash, subject to applicable withholding Tax, as follows: (i) at the Effective Time, a payment equal to the product of the Initial Per Common Share Merger Consideration multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock underlying such Company Option (whether or not vested), minus the aggregate exercise price with respect to such Company Option (with the aggregate amount of such payment rounded to the nearest whole cent) and (ii) subsequent to the Effective Time and in accordance with Section 3.3(c)(i) and the Escrow Agreement, an amount in cash equal to the Subsequent Per Share Common Merger Consideration multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock underlying such Company Option.  Upon and following the Effective Time, each holder of such a Company Option shall have no rights under or with respect to such Company Option other than the right to receive the cash amount(s) determined pursuant to the preceding sentence.  Effective as of the Effective Time, each Rollover Option that is outstanding and unexercised as of the Effective Time shall be assumed by the Surviving Corporation and become an Assumed Option to purchase a number of shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole number) equal to the product of the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such Rollover Option immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by the Option Exchange Ratio.  The per share exercise price for the Surviving Corporation Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such Assumed Option shall be equal (rounded up to the nearest whole cent) to the exercise price per share of Common Stock applicable to such Rollover Option immediately prior to the Effective Time divided by the Option Exchange Ratio.  Except as provided herein, each Assumed Option shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the option agreement evidencing such Assumed Option.  From and after the Effective Time, each Company Option shall no longer represent the right to acquire Common Stock.  Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall take all necessary or appropriate action (including obtaining any required consents and any other action reasonably requested by Ticketmaster) to effectuate the transactions contemplated by this Section 3.1(e).  Except as otherwise clearly required by applicable Law or other guidance of the Internal Revenue Service, or pursuant to a determination (within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Code or any comparable provision of Law), each of Ticketmaster, V.I.P. Merger Sub and the Surviving Corporation shall treat the Company Options as either exempt from or complying with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, as the case may be.

 

(f)                                    Company Warrants.  The Company shall provide that each Company Warrant that is outstanding and unexercised as of the Effective Time shall be cancelled and converted into the right to receive (i) at the Effective Time, an amount in cash equal to the Initial Per Share Common Merger Consideration multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Company Warrant, minus the exercise price with respect to such Company Warrant, and (ii) subsequent to the Effective Time and in accordance with Section 3.3(c)(i) and the Escrow Agreement, an amount in cash equal to the Subsequent Per Share Common Merger Consideration multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Company Warrant.

 

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(g)           Payment Schedule.  At least two Business Days before the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to Ticketmaster a true, correct and complete schedule (the “Payment Schedule”) setting forth all amounts payable at the Closing Date to Stockholders, holders of Company Options (other than the Rollover Options) and holders of Company Warrants, including a break down of the number of shares of Common Stock, the number of shares of Preferred Stock, the Company Options and the Company Warrants, in each case on a fully adjusted and diluted basis, along with the name of the holder and the amount payable to the holder thereof on the Closing Date, as applicable.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that Ticketmaster and Merger Sub can rely on the Payment Schedule as setting forth a true, complete and accurate listing of all amounts due to be paid by Ticketmaster, Merger Sub and the Participating Rights Holders at and after Closing, and upon payment by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub of the amounts and to the Persons as set forth in the Payment Schedule, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub shall be deemed to have satisfied all payment obligations with respect thereto, and shall not be subject to (and each holder of shares of Common Stock, shares of Preferred Stock, Company Options and Company Warrants hereby waives) any claims that any amounts due to any Persons thereunder have not been paid in full or an in any other way are inaccurate or incomplete.

 

(h)           Cash, Indebtedness and Expenses Schedule.  At least two Business Days before the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to Ticketmaster a true, correct and complete schedule (the “Cash, Indebtedness and Expenses Schedule”) setting forth (i) the Estimated Closing Balance Sheet, (ii) the Estimated Working Capital, (iii) the Estimated Closing Date Cash, (iv) the Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness, indicating the payees and amounts of such Indebtedness that will be paid in full as of the Closing Date and the wiring instructions therefor, and (v) the Company Transaction Expenses.

 

(i)            No Further Rights.  Each of the Shares, Company Options and Company Warrants, when converted, exchanged, redeemed or cancelled, as applicable pursuant to this Article III, shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be cancelled and retired, to the extent applicable, and each holder of a certificate or certificates representing such interests thereto shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive the consideration set forth in this Article III.  After the Effective Time, there shall be no further registration of Transfers of Shares, Company Options (other than the Rollover Options) or Company Warrants.

 

(j)            Cancellation of Shares.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, at the Effective Time, each Share held in the treasury of the Company or owned by the Company, Ticketmaster or Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of Ticketmaster, Merger Sub, the Company or the holder thereof, be cancelled and extinguished and no payment shall be made with respect thereto.

 

3.2           Distribution of the Initial Merger Consideration.

 

(a)           Initial Merger Consideration.  The initial aggregate consideration to be paid to Participating Rights Holders in connection with the Merger (the “Initial Merger Consideration”) shall be an amount equal to:

 

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(i)

 

$275,000,000 (the “Base Merger Consideration”); plus

 

 

 

 

 

(ii)

 

an amount equal to the Estimated Closing Date Cash; plus

 

 

 

 

 

(iii)

 

the amount, if any, by which the Estimated Working Capital is greater than $0.00 (the “Net

 

 

 

Working Capital Target”); minus

 

 

 

 

 

(iv)

 

the amount, if any, by which the Estimated Working Capital is less than the Net Working Capital

 

 

 

Target; minus

 

 

 

 

 

(v)

 

an amount equal to the Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness; minus

 

 

 

 

 

(vi)

 

the Initial Liquidation Preference; minus

 

 

 

 

 

(vii)

 

the Escrow Amount; minus

 

 

 

 

 

(viii)

 

the Reserve Amount; minus

 

 

 

 

 

(ix)

 

the amount of Company Transaction Expenses; minus

 

 

 

 

 

(x)

 

the Option Rollover Amount.

 

(b)           Payment to Participating Rights Holders.  On the Closing Date, Ticketmaster or Merger Sub shall pay the Initial Merger Consideration by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account specified by the Stockholders’ Representative in writing to Ticketmaster not less than two Business Days prior to the Closing, to the Stockholders’ Representative for distribution by the Stockholders’ Representative on the Closing Date (subject to the terms hereof) to the Participating Rights Holders and in accordance with Sections 3.1(c), 3.1(e), 3.1(f) and the Payment Schedule.

 

(c)           Payment to Holders of Preferred Stock.  On the Closing Date, Ticketmaster or Merger Sub shall pay the Initial Liquidation Preference by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account specified by the Stockholders’ Representative in writing to Ticketmaster not less than two Business Days prior to the Closing, to the Stockholders’ Representative for distribution on the Closing Date (subject to the terms hereof) by the Stockholders’ Representative to the holders of Preferred Stock in accordance with Section 3.1(d) and the Payment Schedule.

 

(d)           Payment of Escrow Amount.  On the Closing Date, Ticketmaster or Merger Sub shall deliver, by wire transfer in immediately available funds, the Escrow Amount to the Escrow Agent in accordance with Section 3.3(a).

 

(e)           Payment of Reserve Amount.  On the Closing Date, Ticketmaster or Merger Sub shall pay an amount equal to the Reserve Amount by wire transfer in immediately available funds to a reserve account established and maintained by the Stockholders’ Representative in connection with the Transactions (the “Reserve Account”), which shall be specified by the Stockholders’ Representative in writing to Ticketmaster not less than two

 

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Business Days prior to the Closing. The amounts held in the Reserve Account shall be used and distributed as specified in Article XI.

 

(f)            Payments by the Company.  On the Closing Date, the Company shall pay by wire transfer in immediately available funds the (i) Company Transaction Expenses and (ii) the Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness, in each case, in such amounts and to such Persons as set forth on the Cash, Indebtedness and Expenses Schedule.

 

(g)           Evidence of Ownership.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) the Stockholders’ Representative shall not deliver to (A) any Participating Rights Holder, any Initial Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 3.2(b) or (B) any holder of Preferred Stock, any Initial Liquidation Preference or pursuant to Section 3.2(c), in each case until such holder thereof has delivered to Ticketmaster or the Stockholders’ Representative certificates or other evidence of ownership of his, her or its Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Company Options or Company Warrants, as the case may be, and such other documentation as may be reasonably requested by Ticketmaster and; provided further, however, that if such Person has not delivered to the Stockholders’ Representative or Ticketmaster such documentation at Closing, the Stockholders’ Representative shall not distribute to such Person such Person’s portion of the Initial Merger Consideration or the Initial Liquidation Preference, as applicable, until such documentation is delivered.  Any additional amounts payable on or after the Closing Date (whether amounts released from escrow or otherwise) shall be paid by the Stockholders’ Representative to the Participating Rights Holders in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement and the other applicable Transaction Documents.

 

3.3           Escrow Amount.

 

(a)           Escrow Amount.  At the Closing, Ticketmaster shall deliver $15,000,000 in cash (the “Escrow Amount”) to an escrow account (the “Escrow Account”) to be established by Ticketmaster with The Bank of New York (the “Escrow Agent”).  The Escrow Agent shall hold the Escrow Amount pursuant to the terms of an escrow agreement in the form attached as Exhibit E (the “Escrow Agreement”) to serve as a source of payment and remedy for (i) any claim for Losses for which any Indemnified Party is entitled to recovery pursuant to Article X and (ii) to fund any adjustment to the Initial Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 3.4(f).

 

(b)           Allocation of Escrow Payments.  Any amounts that are required to be paid from the Escrow Amount in accordance with this Agreement and the Escrow Agreement shall be allocated to and paid to such Persons in such amounts in accordance with the manner set forth on the Payment Schedule.

 

(c)           Release of Escrow Amount.

 

(i)            Escrow Amount.  Promptly following the Escrow Expiration Date, the Escrow Agent shall release to the Stockholder’s Representative the Escrow Amount for distribution to the Participating Rights Holders, subject to Section 3.1 and the Escrow Agreement, and in accordance with the manner set forth on the Payment Schedule; provided, that any amounts paid to such holders will be less the amount of any amounts paid from such escrow

 

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account prior to the Escrow Expiration Date (and in accordance with Section 3.3(b)) and less the amount of any then pending and unresolved claims for indemnity made pursuant to Article X.

 

(ii)           Pending and Unresolved ClaimsAny portion of the Escrow Amount that remains in the Escrow Account for the satisfaction of any unresolved and then pending claims pursuant to Section 3.3(c)(i) above that is subsequently not required to satisfy any such claims, shall be distributed by the Escrow Agent to the Stockholders’ Representative for distribution in accordance with Section 3.3(c)(i).

 

3.4           Working Capital Adjustment to Initial Merger Consideration.

 

(a)           Delivery of Estimated Closing Balance Sheet.  At least two Business Days prior to the Closing, the Company will, in good faith and in accordance with the terms of this Section 3.4, prepare and deliver to Ticketmaster (i) an estimated closing balance sheet of the Company determined as of 11:59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (the “Estimated Closing Balance Sheet”), which Estimated Closing Balance Sheet shall include a reasonably detailed estimation of Working Capital as of 11:59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (“Estimated Working Capital”).  At least two Business Days prior to the Closing, the Company shall provide to Ticketmaster a good faith estimate of the Closing Date Cash as of 11:59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (the “Estimated Closing Date Cash”).  At least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall provide to Ticketmaster a schedule setting forth the Company’s good faith estimate of the amount of outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and the Subsidiaries determined as of 11:59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (the Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness”).

 

(b)           Delivery of Closing Balance Sheet.  Within 60 Business Days following the Closing, the Surviving Corporation will, in good faith and in accordance with the terms of this Section 3.4, prepare and deliver to the Stockholders’ Representative (i) a closing balance sheet of the Company determined as of 11:59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (the “Final Closing Balance Sheet”), which Final Closing Balance Sheet shall include a reasonably detailed calculation of Working Capital as of 11:59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (the “Final Working Capital”), (ii) a calculation of the Closing Date Cash determined as of 11.59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (the “Final Closing Date Cash”) and (iii) a schedule setting forth a calculation of the amount of outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and the Subsidiaries determined as of 11:59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (the “Final Closing Date Indebtedness”).

 

(c)           Review of Final Closing Balance Sheet; Objection.  The Stockholders’ Representative shall have 30 Business Days from the date of receipt of the Final Closing Balance Sheet to review the computation of Final Working Capital, Final Closing Date Cash and Final Closing Date Indebtedness.  In connection with the review of the Final Closing Balance Sheet, Ticketmaster and the Surviving Corporation will make available to the Stockholders’ Representative and its Representatives (if any) all records and work papers that the Stockholders’ Representative and its Representatives (if any) reasonably request in reviewing the Final Closing Balance Sheet.  In the event that the Stockholders’ Representative disagrees with the Final

 

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Closing Balance Sheet and/or the Final Working Capital and/or the Final Closing Date Cash and/or the Final Closing Date Indebtedness, the Stockholders’ Representative shall deliver a written notice of such disagreement to Ticketmaster and the Surviving Corporation, which notice shall include the Stockholders’ Representative’s reasonably detailed explanation of the basis of the disagreement and a reasonably detailed calculation of its proposed Final Closing Balance Sheet and/or Final Working Capital and/or Final Closing Date Cash and/or Final Closing Date Indebtedness; provided, that the parties hereto agree that any such disagreement shall be limited to whether the preparation of the Final Closing Balance Sheet and the calculations of Final Working Capital, Final Closing Date Cash and Final Closing Date Indebtedness were done in a manner consistent with the preparation of the Base Balance Sheet and the terms of this Section 3.4 and whether there were mathematical errors in the preparation of the Final Closing Balance Sheet or the calculations of Final Working Capital, Final Closing Date Cash and Final Closing Date Indebtedness (an “Objection Notice”).  If the Stockholders’ Representative has delivered an Objection Notice to Ticketmaster and the Surviving Corporation, Ticketmaster on the one hand and the Stockholders’ Representative on the other hand will endeavor to resolve any disagreements noted in the Objection Notice in good faith as soon as practicable after the delivery of such Objection Notice.  If such parties do not obtain a final resolution within 30 days after Ticketmaster has received the Objection Notice, the Stockholders’ Representative and Ticketmaster shall submit the matter for resolution to a mutually acceptable nationally recognized independent accounting firm that is not a current service provider to Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation or any of its affiliates (the “Firm”) to resolve any remaining disagreements; provided, however, that if at such time either the Stockholders’ Representative or Ticketmaster shall discover a bona fide conflict with respect to the Firm, the parties shall submit the matter to another mutually agreeable independent accounting firm of national reputation that is not a current service provider to Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation or any of its affiliates to resolve the remaining matters in dispute, and such firm shall be the Firm for all purposes of this Section 3.4.  Ticketmaster on the one hand and the Stockholders’ Representative on the other hand will direct the Firm to use its reasonable best efforts to render a determination within 30 days of submitting the matters set forth in the Objection Notice to it for resolution and the Surviving Corporation, the Stockholders’ Representative and Ticketmaster and their respective Representatives will cooperate with the Firm during its resolution of any disagreements included in the Objection Notice.  The Firm will consider only those items and amounts set forth in the Objection Notice that Ticketmaster on the one hand and the Stockholders’ Representative on the other hand are unable to resolve.  In resolving any such disputed item, the Firm may not assign a value to any item greater than the greatest value for such item claimed by any party or less than the smallest value for such item claimed by any party.  The scope of the disputes to be arbitrated by the Firm is limited to whether the preparation of the Final Closing Balance Sheet and the calculations of Final Working Capital, Final Closing Date Cash and Final Closing Date Indebtedness were done in a manner consistent with the preparation of the Base Balance Sheet and the terms of this Section 3.4 and whether there were mathematical errors in the preparation of the Final Closing Balance Sheet or the calculations of Final Working Capital, Final Closing Date Cash and Final Closing Date Indebtedness and the Firm is not to make any other determination, including any determination as to whether GAAP was followed in the preparation of the Final Closing Balance Sheet or whether the amounts of Final Working Capital, Final Closing Date Cash and Final Closing Date Indebtedness are correct.  The fees and expenses of the Firm, and the cost of any arbitration (including the fees of the Firm and reasonable attorney

 

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fees and expenses of the parties) incurred pursuant to this Section 3.4(c), shall be paid Ticketmaster and the Stockholders’ Representative in inverse proportion as they may prevail on matters resolved by the Firm (provided that the Stockholders’ Representative shall be entitled to reimbursement by the Material Stockholders pursuant to Article XI for any fees and expenses paid by it hereunder).  The determination of the Firm as to any disputed matters shall be set forth in a written statement delivered to Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation and the Stockholders’ Representative and shall be final, conclusive and binding on the parties.  The parties hereto agree that judgment may be entered upon the arbitral award of the Firm in any court having jurisdiction pursuant to Section 12.10 hereof.

 

(d)           Final and Binding Determination.  The closing balance sheet and amounts of Working Capital, Closing Date Cash and outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of 11:59 p.m. on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date as agreed to by the Surviving Corporation, the Stockholders’ Representative and Ticketmaster or as determined by the Firm, as applicable, shall be conclusive and binding on all of the parties hereto and shall be deemed the “Actual Closing Balance Sheet”, “Actual Working Capital”, “Actual Closing Date Cash and Actual Closing Date Indebtedness respectively, for all purposes of this Agreement and the Escrow Agreement.

 

(e)           Accounting Principles.  The manner in which the Estimated Closing Balance Sheet and Final Closing Balance Sheet are to be prepared, and Estimated Working Capital and Final Working Capital, Estimated Closing Date Cash and Final Closing Date Cash, and Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness and Final Closing Date Indebtedness are to be calculated, pursuant to this Section 3.4, shall be in the same way, and using the same accounting principles, methods, practices, categories, estimates, judgments and assumptions as were used in preparing the Base Balance Sheet and Working Capital as of the date of the Base Balance Sheet, (provided that all such amounts shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied).  Such accounting principles, methods, practices, categories, estimates, judgments and assumptions are set forth in reasonable detail on Exhibit I.

 

(f)            The Initial Merger Consideration shall be increased (i) by the amount by which the Actual Working Capital exceeds the Estimated Working Capital, if any, (ii) by the amount by which the Actual Closing Date Cash exceeds the Estimated Closing Date Cash, if any, and (iii) by the amount by which the Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness exceeds the Actual Closing Date Indebtedness, if any.  The Initial Merger Consideration shall be decreased (i) by the amount by which Actual Working Capital is less than the Estimated Working Capital, if any, (ii) by the amount by which the Actual Closing Date Cash is less than the Estimated Closing Date Cash, if any, and (iii) by the amount by which the Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness is less than the Actual Closing Date Indebtedness, if any.  The Initial Merger Consideration as so increased or decreased shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Adjusted Merger Consideration.”  If the Initial Merger Consideration is less than the Adjusted Merger Consideration, Ticketmaster shall, and if the Initial Merger Consideration is more than the Adjusted Merger Consideration, the Stockholders’ Representative shall, within three Business Days after the Actual Closing Balance Sheet becomes final and binding on the parties hereto, make payment by wire transfer to an account specified in writing by Ticketmaster or the Stockholders’ Representative, as the case may be, in immediately available funds of the amount of such difference.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Stockholders’

 

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Representative is required to make a payment to Ticketmaster pursuant to the terms of this Section 3.3(f), such payment shall be satisfied first, with all or any portion of the Escrow Amount by withdrawal from the Escrow Account, and second, only after the funds in the Escrow Account have been exhausted, by the Material Stockholders individually on a pro-rata basis.

 

3.5           Dissenting Shares.  Any holder of Shares issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time with respect to which appraisal and/or dissenter’s rights, if any, are available by reason of the Merger pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL (“Company Dissenting Shares”) shall not be entitled to receive any portion of the Initial Merger Consideration or Aggregate Liquidation Preference, as applicable, pursuant to Article III, unless such holder fails to perfect, effectively withdraws or loses its appraisal rights and/or rights to dissent from the Merger under the DGCL.  Such holder shall be entitled to receive only such rights as are granted under Section 262 of the DGCL.  If any such holder fails to perfect, effectively withdraws or loses such appraisal and/or dissenter’s rights under the DGCL, such Company Dissenting Shares shall thereupon be deemed to have been converted as of the Effective Time into the right to receive that portion of the Initial Merger Consideration or Aggregate Liquidation Preference, as applicable, due pursuant to the provisions of Article III.  The Company shall deliver prompt notice to Ticketmaster of any demands for appraisal of any shares of Common Stock or any shares of Preferred Stock.  The Stockholders’ Representative shall control all negotiations and Proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal under the DGCL.  Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Ticketmaster, make any payment with respect to, or settle or offer to settle, any such demands, or agree to do any of the foregoing.  Any payments made with respect to Company Dissenting Shares shall be made solely by the Surviving Corporation, and no funds or other property have been or shall be provided by Ticketmaster, Merger Sub or any of Ticketmaster’s Affiliates for such payment.

 

3.6           Withholding Rights.   Ticketmaster and Merger Sub shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Initial Merger Consideration such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Code, or any provision of United States federal, state or local, or any foreign, tax Law.  To the extent that amounts are so withheld or paid over to or deposited with the relevant Governmental Body by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the applicable Participating Rights Holder or holder or Rollover Holder, as applicable, in respect of which Ticketmaster or Merger Sub made such deduction and withholding.

 

ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
THE COMPANY

 

In order to induce Ticketmaster and Merger Sub to enter into this Agreement and consummate the Transactions, the Company hereby makes the representations and warranties contained in this Article IV to Ticketmaster and Merger Sub, in each case as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date.  Such representations and warranties are subject to the exceptions set forth in the disclosure schedule delivered to Ticketmaster pursuant to this Agreement (the “Disclosure Schedule”).  Each exception set forth in the Disclosure Schedule is identified by reference to, or has been grouped under a heading referring to, a specific individual Article of this Agreement and shall be deemed to qualify the particular Article or Articles of Article IV

 

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specified for such item, unless it is reasonably apparent that such exception is relevant to another Article or Articles of Article IV, in which case such exception shall also be deemed to qualify such other Article or Articles.

 

4.1           Organization and Corporate Power.  The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and is duly qualified, registered to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each other jurisdiction in which it conducts business (except as set forth on Schedule 4.1), except where the failure to be so qualified, registered to do business or in good standing has not had, nor would it reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has all requisite power and authority to carry on its Business as presently conducted, to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, or specified to be one, and the performance of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

 

4.2           Due Authorization and No Conflict.  This Agreement is, and, upon execution and delivery by the Company pursuant to the terms hereof, all other Transaction Documents required to be executed and delivered by the Company pursuant hereto at Closing will be, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, subject to the effect, if any, of (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar Laws of general application affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and (b) general principles of equity, including Laws governing specific performance, injunctive relief and other equitable remedies, whether considered in a proceeding at Law or in equity (sub-clauses (a) and (b), collectively, the “Bankruptcy and Equity Exception”).  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and all other Transaction Documents to be executed and delivered by the Company pursuant hereto, and the performance by the Company of the Transactions contemplated to be performed by the Company have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and stockholder action of the Company.  No further action by the Stockholders is necessary to authorize this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents or to consummate any of the Transactions.  Except (a) as set forth in Schedule 4.2, and (b) the pre-merger notification requirements of the Hart Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “HSR Act”), the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and all other Transaction Documents executed and delivered by the Company pursuant hereto and the performance by the Company of the Transactions contemplated to be performed by the Company, do not and will not: (i) violate or result in a violation of, conflict with or constitute or result in a violation of or default (whether after the giving of notice, lapse of time or both) or loss of benefit under any provision of the Company’s or any of the Subsidiaries’ Fundamental Documents, or cause the creation of any Encumbrance upon any of the assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries; (ii) violate, conflict with or result in a violation of, or constitute a default (whether after the giving of notice, lapse of time or both) under, any provision of any Law applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries; (iii) require from any Governmental Body or other third party any Consent; or (iv) materially violate or result in a material violation of, or materially conflict with or constitute or result in a material violation of or material default (whether after the giving of notice, lapse of time or both) under, accelerate or modify any material right or obligation under, or give rise to a right of termination, acceleration or modification of, any Material Contract or material Permit or other material obligation to

 

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which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or its or their assets are bound, subject to or affected.

 

4.3           Corporate Records/Fundamental Documents.  The corporate record books of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries accurately reflect all material corporate actions taken by such Person’s stockholders and board of directors and committees thereof.  The copies of the corporate records of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries, as made available to Ticketmaster, are true, correct and complete copies of the originals of such documents.  Copies of the Fundamental Documents of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have been made available to Ticketmaster and are true, correct and complete and in effect as of the date of this Agreement.

 

4.4           Capitalization.

 

(a)           The authorized capital stock of the Company as of the date of this Agreement consists of (i) 12,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which 3,860,110 shares are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement and owned by the Persons listed on Schedule 4.4 and (ii) 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, of which 3,396,937 shares are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement and owned by the Persons listed on Schedule 4.4.  All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable, and have been offered, issued, sold and delivered in compliance with applicable federal and state securities Laws (or pursuant to exemptions from such Laws) and without giving rise to preemptive rights of any kind that have not been satisfied or waived prior to the date hereof.

 

(b)           Except as set forth on Schedule 4.4, there are no outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, commitments, preemptive rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any kind relating to the issuance, redemption or sale of, nor are there any outstanding securities convertible into, redeemable or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock of any class or other equity interests of the Company, nor is the Company subject to any obligation, agreement, commitment or understanding to enter into any such subscription, option, warrant, commitment, preemptive rights, agreement, arrangement or other commitment of any kind or to issue any of such securities.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.4, the Company has no obligation to purchase, redeem, or otherwise acquire any of its capital stock or any interests therein.  No option to purchase Preferred Stock or Common Stock was granted with an exercise price less than the fair market value of one share of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, as applicable, on the date the option was granted.

 

(c)           Schedule 4.4 sets forth a true and complete list as of the date hereof of all holders of outstanding Company Options, including with respect to each holder thereto (i) whether each such Company Option is vested or unvested as of the date of this Agreement, (ii) the exercise price per underlying share, (iii) the term of each such Company Option, (iv) whether such Company Option is a nonqualified stock option or incentive stock option, (v) whether the optionee is an employee of the Company on the date of this Agreement and (vi) any restrictions on the exercise or sale of such Company Option or the underlying shares.

 

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(d)           Schedule 4.4 sets forth a true and complete list as of the date hereof of all holders of outstanding Company Warrants, including with respect to each holder thereto (i) the exercise price per underlying share, (iii) the term of each such Company Warrant, and (iii) any restrictions on the exercise or sale of such Company Warrant or the underlying shares.

 

(e)           After giving effect to the Transactions, other than as set forth in the Stockholders’ Agreement, there will be (i) no preemptive rights, rights of first refusal, put or call rights or obligations, or anti-dilution rights with respect to the issuance, sale or redemption of the Surviving Corporation’s capital stock or any interests therein, (ii) no rights to have the Surviving Corporation’s capital stock registered for sale to the public in connection with the Laws of any jurisdiction, and (iii) no documents, instruments or agreements relating to the voting of the Surviving Corporation’s voting securities or restrictions on the transfer of the Surviving Corporation’s capital stock.

 

4.5           Subsidiaries.

 

(a)           Each Subsidiary: (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) is duly qualified, registered to do business and in good standing as a foreign corporation in all jurisdictions where its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified, except in which the failure to be so duly qualified, registered to do business and in good standing has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) has all requisite corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now conducted.

 

(b)           Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries owns or has the right to acquire any stock, limited liability company interest, partnership interest, joint venture interest or other equity ownership interest in any other Person.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.5(b), all of the outstanding capital stock and other equity interests of each of the Subsidiaries (each of which is set forth on Schedule 4.5) are owned by the Company, free and clear of all Encumbrances.  All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable, and have been offered, issued, sold and delivered in compliance with applicable federal and state securities and other Laws (or pursuant to exemptions from such Laws) and without giving rise to preemptive rights of any kind.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.5(b), there are no outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, commitments, preemptive rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any kind relating to the issuance or sale of, nor are there any outstanding securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock of any class or other equity interests of any Subsidiary, nor is any Subsidiary subject to any obligation, agreement, commitment or understanding to enter into any such subscription, option, warrant, commitment, preemptive rights, agreement, arrangement or commitment or to issue any of such securities.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has any obligation to purchase, redeem, or otherwise acquire any of the capital stock or any interests therein.

 

4.6           Financial Statements.  The Company has previously furnished to Ticketmaster (i) the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2006 and the related audited consolidated statements of operations,

 

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stockholder’s equity (deficit) and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2006, respectively, and (ii) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of November 30, 2007 (the “Base Balance Sheet”) and the related unaudited consolidated income statement for the 11-month period ended November 30, 2007 (the “November 30, 2007 Unaudited Financials”, and together with the other financial statements described in clauses (i) and (ii), the “Financial Information”).  The Financial Information: (i) is true, accurate and complete in all material respects as of the date of the applicable Financial Information or for the period covered by the applicable Financial Information, (ii) has been derived from the books and records of the Company and the Subsidiaries and (iii) has been prepared in accordance with GAAP, subject in the case of any unaudited interim statements to changes from normal year-end adjustments which are not expected to be material or recurring accruals and to the absence of footnote disclosure.

 

4.7                                 Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities.  The Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any Liabilities required by GAAP to be set forth on a financial statement, whether due or to become due, except Liabilities (i) stated or adequately reserved against in the Base Balance Sheet, (ii) incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business since the date of the Base Balance Sheet that are not, individually or in the aggregate, material in amount and of the kind required by GAAP to be set forth on the Base Balance Sheet, or (iii) set forth on Schedule 4.7.  Except as set forth in the Financial Information or on Schedule 4.7, to the Knowledge of the Company, no circumstances, conditions, events or arrangements exist that may give rise to any material Liabilities required by GAAP to be set forth on a financial statement except as may arise in the Ordinary Course of Business.  The Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any actual, existing Liabilities of the type that are not required by GAAP to be set forth on a financial statement.

 

4.8                                 Absence of Certain Developments.

 

(a)                                  Since the date of the Base Balance Sheet, the Company and each Subsidiary has conducted its business only in the Ordinary Course of Business, and, except as set forth in Schedule 4.8, there has not been a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)                                 Since the date of the Base Balance Sheet, none of the Company or the Subsidiaries have taken any action listed in clauses (ii), (iii), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) and (xiii) of Section 7.1(b) as if such clauses of Section 7.1(b) had applied since the date of the Base Balance Sheet.

 

4.9                                 Transactions with AffiliatesSchedule 4.9 sets forth a true, correct and complete list of each Contract between the Company and any of the Subsidiaries on the one hand and any director, officer, stockholder or other Affiliate of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries on the other hand (specifying, in each case, the name of, date of and parties to such Contract), except for (a) any employment or compensation agreements entered into in the Ordinary Course of Business (but not any that relate to any payments of the type described in clause (c) of the definition of Company Transaction Expenses and (b) Contracts between the Company and any of the Subsidiaries or between any such Subsidiaries, in each case made in the Ordinary Course of Business.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.9, to the Knowledge of the Company, no director, officer, stockholder or other Affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is a party to any

 

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Contract with any other director, officer, stockholder or other Affiliate of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (not including the Company or any of the Subsidiaries) that relates directly or indirectly to any matters involving the Company and the Subsidiaries.

 

4.10                           Properties.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries currently owns nor has ever owned any real property or any interests therein.  Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, the Company and each of the Subsidiaries has (i) good and valid title to each item of tangible personal property used, held for use or intended for use in the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries as currently conducted, and (ii) a valid leasehold interest in all assets and real property leased by it, except for assets disposed of in the Ordinary Course of Business, free and clear of Encumbrances, except for Permitted Encumbrances.  All items of tangible personal property which, individually or in the aggregate, are material to the operation of the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries are in good condition and in a state of good maintenance and repair (ordinary wear and tear excepted) and are suitable for the purposes used.  Schedule 4.10 sets forth a true and complete list of all real property leased by the Company and each of the Subsidiaries.

 

4.11                           Sufficiency of Assets.  The assets and properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries, together with the rights of the Company and the Subsidiaries under Material Contracts to which the Company and the Subsidiaries are currently a party, are sufficient to conduct the Business as currently conducted and are sufficient for the conduct of such Business in substantially the same manner immediately following the Closing as conducted on the date hereof.  No assets, properties or rights used, held for use or intended for use in the Business as currently conducted are owned or licensed by any Person (including any Material Stockholder or any Affiliate thereof), other than the Company and the Subsidiaries.

 

4.12                           Tax Matters.

 

(a)                                  The Company and each of the Subsidiaries have timely and properly filed all Tax Returns required to be filed by it through the date hereof, and all such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all material respects.  The Company and each of the Subsidiaries have paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to be paid by it (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) whether disputed or not, except Taxes which have not yet accrued or otherwise become due.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries are presently the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return.  No claim, or notice of claim, has ever been made in writing, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, otherwise, by an authority in a jurisdiction where the Company or any of the Subsidiaries do not file Tax Returns, that the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction.  There are no liens for Taxes (other than Taxes not yet due and payable) upon any of the assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

 

(b)                                 The Company and each of the Subsidiaries have delivered or made available to Ticketmaster (i) true, correct and complete copies of all Tax Returns filed by or with respect to the Company and each Subsidiary since January 1, 2003, (ii) all ruling requests, (iii) all private letter rulings, (iv) all closing agreements, (iv) all settlement agreements, (v) all formal tax opinions, (vi) all examination reports, (vii) all statements of deficiencies and (viii) all other

 

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documents or communications relating to material Tax Liabilities of the Company or any Subsidiary,  with respect to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries relating to Taxes.

 

(c)                                  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries have waived any statute of limitations in respect of Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to any Tax payment, assessment, deficiency or collection.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any Tax allocation, indemnity or sharing arrangement.

 

(d)                                 Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any claim, dispute, audit, pending action or proceeding, nor is any such claim, dispute, action or proceeding threatened in writing or, to the Knowledge of the Company, otherwise, by any Governmental Body, for the assessment or collection of any Taxes, and no claim for the assessment or collection of any Taxes has been asserted in writing or, to the Knowledge of the Company, otherwise, against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries that has not been settled with all amounts due having been paid.  Neither the Company, the Subsidiaries, nor any officer, director or employer responsible for Tax matters of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company has Knowledge that any authority will propose or assess any additional Taxes with respect to the Company or any Subsidiary.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries have been notified in writing or, to the Knowledge of the Company, otherwise, that either the IRS or any other taxing authority has raised any issues, or intends to raise such issues, in connection with any Tax Return of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

 

(e)                                  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has been a member of an affiliated group of corporations within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code filing a combined federal income Tax Return nor does the Company or any of the Subsidiaries have any Liability for Taxes of any other Person under Treasury Regulations § 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of foreign, state or local Law) or otherwise, other than the consolidated group of which the Company is currently the parent corporation.  In addition, neither the Company, nor any of the Subsidiaries has engaged in any deferred intercompany transactions as such term is defined in the Treasury Regulations for which there remains any unrecognized deferred intercompany gain.

 

(f)                                    Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has been a United States real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code.

 

(g)                                 Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any Contract, agreement, plan or arrangement covering any employee or former employee thereof, that, individually or collectively, could give rise to the payment of any amount that would not be deductible pursuant to (i) Section 280G or (ii) as an ordinary and necessary compensatory expense under Section 162 of the Code.

 

(h)                                 The Company and each of the Subsidiaries has disclosed to the IRS all positions taken on their federal income Tax Returns which, to the Knowledge of the Company, could give rise to a substantial understatement of Tax under Section 6662 of the Code and the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have not engaged in any transaction that, could give rise

 

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to a disclosure obligation as a “reportable transaction” under Section 6011 of the Code and Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(i)                                     The unpaid Taxes of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries will not, as of the Closing Date, exceed the reserve for Taxes (other than any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between GAAP and Tax income) set forth on the face of the Base Balance Sheet, as such reserve may be adjusted to reflect operations in the ordinary course through the Closing Date.  The Company and each of the Subsidiaries has paid all estimated Taxes required to be paid as of the date such estimated Taxes became due, and such Taxes fully reflect the taxable income and gain of the Company and such Subsidiary for the periods to which such estimated Taxes relate.

 

(j)                                     Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries will be required to include any adjustment under Section 481(c) of the Code (or any corresponding provision of state, local or foreign Law) in taxable income for any Tax period ending after the Closing as a result of a change in accounting method , other than any such adjustment arising solely as a result of the Merger, for a Tax period beginning on or before the Closing.

 

(k)                                  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has any income or gain (other than any such income or gain for which the resulting taxes have been included in the Financial Information or as a liability in the determination of Actual Working Capital) reportable for a taxable period ending after the Closing Date but attributable to (i) a transaction (e.g., an installment sale) occurring in, (ii) income accounted differently for GAAP and Tax for or (iii) a change in accounting method made for, a taxable period beginning prior to the Closing Date which resulted in a deferred reporting of income or gain from such transactions or a timing difference in the reporting of income or gain between Tax and GAAP accounting methods or from such change in accounting method.

 

(l)                                     Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has distributed stock of another entity, and have not had its stock distributed by another entity, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Section 355 or 361 of the Code.

 

(m)                               No tax asset or attribute of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries was subject to a limitation in Section 382 or 383 of the Code or similar provision of state, local, or foreign Law as of December 31, 2006 and to the Knowledge of the Company there are currently no such limitations.

 

(n)                                 No Company Option is, has been, or should have been, subject to taxation pursuant to Section 409A of the Code.

 

4.13                           Material ContractsSchedule 4.13 sets forth a true, complete and accurate list of the following types of Contracts to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or subject to or bound by:

 

(a)                                  any Contract, including vendor or supply agreements, involving a commitment or payment by or to the Company or such Subsidiary in excess of $100,000;

 

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(b)                                 any Contract involving an unperformed commitment in excess of $100,000 which is not cancelable by the Company or such Subsidiary without penalty on less than 90 days notice;

 

(c)                                  any Contract with any present or former shareholder, director, officer, employee, independent contractor or consultant for the employment or engagement of any such Person, including any independent contractor or consultant;

 

(d)                                 any Contract pursuant to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries provides exclusivity or “Most Favored Nation” status to a third Person, or containing covenants limiting in any respect the freedom of the Company or the Subsidiaries or their respective Affiliates to compete in any line of business or geographic area or with any Person or entity or engaging in any particular business activities;

 

(e)                                  any Contract that purports to limit the ability of the Company or any Subsidiary to solicit or hire employees;

 

(f)                                    any Contract relating to the licensing, distribution, use, development, ownership, purchase or sale of any Intellectual Property Rights, excluding non-exclusive, commercially-available “off the shelf” licenses with annual fees of less than $100,000;

 

(g)                                 any indenture, mortgage, promissory note, loan agreement, guaranty or other agreement or commitment for borrowing or any pledge or security arrangement, except for credit with vendors in the Ordinary Course of Business;

 

(h)                                 any joint venture, partnership, development or supply agreement or other agreement which involves a sharing of revenues, profits, Losses, costs or Liabilities by or of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with any other Person;

 

(i)                                     any Contract that relates to employment or that requires any severance, change in control, termination or similar payment to any employee of the Company or the Subsidiaries or pursuant to which the Company or the Subsidiaries is or may become obligated to make any severance, bonus, change in control or other similar payment to any employee upon the consummation of the Transactions;

 

(j)                                     Contracts for the lease of any of the material assets of the Company or any Subsidiary;

 

(k)                                  any acquisition, merger, divestiture or similar agreement, other than vendor or supply agreements entered into in the Ordinary Course of Business; and

 

(l)                                     any Contract that is material to the Business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

All Contracts of the type described in (a) through (l) above (the “Material Contracts”) are valid and are in full force and effect and constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, of the other parties thereto, and, assuming the valid authorization, execution and delivery by the other

 

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parties thereto, such Material Contracts are enforceable in accordance with their respective terms subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.  The Company has provided true, correct and complete copies of all the Material Contracts to Ticketmaster prior to the date of this Agreement. With respect to all Material Contracts that are oral in form, the Company has provided to Ticketmaster a complete and accurate summary of the material terms of such oral Contracts prior to the date hereof.  The Company has no Knowledge of any notice or threat to terminate any such Material Contracts by any Person, including any Affiliate of a Material Stockholder, and neither the Company or any Subsidiary is contemplating terminating such Material Contracts.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is and is not alleged to be in breach of or material default under any such Material Contract.  The Transactions will not result in any violation of or failure by the Company, or to the Knowledge of the Company, any other party to a Material Contract to comply with any applicable, Law or Permit.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is currently paying liquidated damages in lieu of performance under any Material Contract.

 

4.14                           Intellectual Property.

 

(a)                                  Schedule 4.14 contains a complete and accurate list of all registrations and applications and all material unregistered Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and the Subsidiaries.  Except as set forth in Schedule 4.14:

 

(i)                                     to the Knowledge of the Company, the Company owns all right, title and interest in and to, or possesses valid licenses or other rights to use, all Intellectual Property Rights currently necessary for the operation of the Business as now operated by the Company and the Subsidiaries; provided, that the terms of this clause (i) are subject to the terms of clause (a)(ii) of this Section 4.14;

 

(ii)                                  the Company owns all right, title and interest in and to, or possesses valid licenses or other rights to use, all material Intellectual Property Rights (including the Intellectual Property Rights listed on Schedule 4.14);

 

(iii)                               (A) to the Knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights of the Company and the Subsidiaries currently used to conduct the Business do not infringe upon or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property Rights of others, (B) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received any written communications alleging that the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has violated or, by conducting its business, would violate any third party rights, and (C) to the Knowledge of the Company, no third party is infringing on or otherwise violating the Intellectual Property Rights of the Company currently used to conduct the Business of the Company and the Subsidiaries;

 

(iv)                              neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has embedded any Publicly Available Software in any of its Intellectual Property Rights, and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has used any Publicly Available Software in a manner that subjects any of its Intellectual Property Rights to the license obligations of any Publicly Available Software.

 

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(b)                                 The Company and each of the Subsidiaries has used commercially reasonable efforts to maintain and protect its material trademarks and patents, as listed on Schedule 4.14(b), trade secrets and confidential and proprietary information.  The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has executed an agreement with all current and past employees and other Persons who contributed to its proprietary Intellectual Property Rights to, inter alia, assign all their rights therein to the Company or to a Subsidiary of the Company, as applicable.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.14(b), neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has directly or indirectly granted any rights, licenses or interests in, or allowed access to or the possession or use of the source code of any of the Intellectual Property Rights to or by any Person; and the Company has not provided or disclosed such source code to any Person, other than its employees on a “need to know” basis and subject to reasonable confidentiality measures.

 

(c)                                  With respect to the Company’s and each of the Subsidiaries software, databases, websites and systems (and the information stored therein and transmitted thereby):  (i) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries uses commercially reasonable efforts to protect their integrity and security and prevent their unauthorized use, access, corruption or interruption; (ii) such items are, to the Knowledge of the Company and except as set forth on Schedule 4.14(c), free from material errors, defects and bugs, and function substantially in accordance with their intended purpose and (iii) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries has taken commercially reasonable actions to document its software, databases, websites and systems and their operation in a manner so that they may be understood, modified and maintained in an efficient manner by reasonably competent programmers.

 

(d)                                 The Company’s and each of the Subsidiaries’ use, license, sublicense and/or sale of any User Data collected from users of the Company’s or any of the Subsidiaries’ website(s) have complied in all material respects with the Company’s and the Subsidiaries, as the case may be, published privacy policy in effect at the time such User Data was collected (the “Privacy Policy”) and the Company and the Subsidiaries have provided to Ticketmaster prior to the date of this Agreement a copy of the Privacy Policy as currently in effect; the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have taken all commercially reasonable steps to protect its rights in the User Data.

 

4.15                           Litigation.  Except as set forth in Schedule 4.15, there is no Proceeding currently, and there has not been at any time in the past three years, pending (or threatened) before any Governmental Body (or, the Knowledge of the Company, currently threatened) against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, their respective businesses, properties or assets or, against any officer, director, Stockholder or employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries in connection with such officer’s, director’s, stockholder’s or employee’s relationship with, or actions taken on behalf of, the Company or any of the Subsidiaries that, in any such case, (a) involves a claim in excess of $100,000, (b) involves a claim for an unspecified amount which if adversely determined could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (c) involves a claim by or related to an issuer, owner, vendor, broker or supplier to the Company or the Subsidiaries or a similar Person, or Inventory of the Company or the Subsidiaries, alleging improper resales or proposed resales or alleging that such resales or proposed resales are being conducted in violation of any Law, Material Contract or material Permit, (d) questions the validity of this Agreement or seeks to prevent or render unlawful the consummation of the Transactions, or (e) seeks injunctive relief.  Neither the Company nor any

 

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of the Subsidiaries is a party to or subject to the provisions of (and no officer, director, Stockholder or employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party to or subject to the provisions of) any Order and there is no Proceeding by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (or, by any officer, director, Stockholder or employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries) currently pending or which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (or any officer, director, Stockholder or employee of the Company) intends to initiate.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries (or any officer, director, Stockholder, or employee of the Company or the Subsidiaries) is a party to or the subject of any investigation or formal or informal inquiry by any Governmental Body against or relating to the Company or any Subsidiary.  For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Proceeding” as used herein includes any Proceeding with respect to Intellectual Property Rights, Employee Benefit Programs, Environmental Laws and insurance programs.

 

4.16                           Labor MattersSchedule 4.16 lists each of the directors and officers of each of the Company and the Subsidiaries.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any collective bargaining agreements, there are no labor unions or other organizations representing any employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, and no labor unions or other organizations have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board or any other Governmental Body seeking certification as the collective bargaining representative of any employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.  No labor union or organization is engaged in or threatening to engage in any organizing activity with respect to any employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is delinquent in material payments to any of its employees for any wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses or other direct compensation for any services performed for the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, as the case may be, or material amounts required to be reimbursed to such employees.  There are no strikes, slowdowns, stoppages of work, or any other concerted interference with normal operations existing of a material nature that are pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against or involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has Liability with respect to any misclassification of any person as (x) an independent contractor rather than as an employee, or with respect to any employee leased from another employer, or (y) an employee exempt from state or federal overtime regulation.

 

4.17                           Permits; Compliance with Laws.

 

(a)                                  The Company and each of the Subsidiaries and the conduct of the Business have not, at any time during the three years preceding the date of this Agreement, violated in any material respect any Law, Material Contract, material Permit or term or condition of the Privacy Policy, and each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is currently in compliance with all of the foregoing.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries have, at any time during the three years preceding the date of this Agreement, received any written notice (or to the Knowledge of the Company, any oral notice) to the effect that it or the conduct of the Business is not in compliance in all material respects with any of the foregoing, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no existing circumstances that are likely to result in any such violations. For the avoidance of doubt, the term (x) “Law” as used herein includes all Laws with respect to Intellectual Property Rights, the use of email or the Internet in marketing, Employee Benefit Programs, Environmental Laws and insurance programs and (y) “Permit”

 

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refers to all Permits held or required to be held with respect to any Intellectual Property Rights, User Data, Environmental Laws and insurance programs.

 

(b)                                 Schedule 4.17(b) sets forth a complete list of all material Permits used, held for use or intended for use in the operation and conduct of the Business, all of which are in full force and effect as of the date hereof.  The Permits set forth on Schedule 4.17(b) constitute all of the material Permits necessary for the operation and conduct of the Business as currently conducted.  The Company and the Subsidiaries have not, and have not at any time during the three years preceding the date of this Agreement, committed any payment default or is otherwise in material default, or have received any notice of any claim of default, with respect to any such material Permit.  The Company and each Subsidiary, as applicable, own or possess such material Permits free and clear of all Encumbrances.  The Company has made available to Ticketmaster true, correct and complete copies of all material Permits set forth on Schedule 4.17(b) prior to the date hereof.

 

4.18                           Employee Benefit Programs.

 

(a)                                  Other than the Employee Benefit Programs identified in Schedule 4.18 attached hereto, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries maintains, contributes to or has any Liability with respect to, or during the past five years maintained, contributed to or had any Liability with respect to, any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), any fringe benefit, stock, equity-based compensation, phantom stock, bonus or incentive plan, severance pay or policy or agreement, retirement, pension, profit sharing or deferred compensation plan or agreement, or any similar plan or agreement or any plan or arrangement providing compensation to employees, independent contractors or non-employee directors of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (an “Employee Benefit Program”).  The terms and operation of each such Employee Benefit Program comply and have heretofore complied in all material respects with all applicable Laws relating to each such Employee Benefit Program and has been maintained and administered in all material respects in compliance with its terms.  There are no unfunded obligations of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries under any Employee Benefit Program that have not been accrued on the Base Balance Sheet.  Except as described in Schedule 4.18, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has maintained or contributed to or has any Liability with respect to, any Employee Benefit Program providing or promising any health or other non-pension benefits to employees after their employment terminates other than as required by part 6 of subtitle B of Title I of ERISA.  With respect to any Employee Benefit Program, there has occurred no “prohibited transaction,” as defined in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or breach of any duty under ERISA or other applicable Law that could result, directly or indirectly, in any Taxes, penalties or other Liability to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.  No Proceeding is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened with respect to any such Employee Benefit Program

 

(b)                                 Each Employee Benefit Program that has ever been maintained by the Company, the Subsidiaries or any of their Affiliates and that has been intended to qualify under Section 401(a) or 501(c)(9) of the Code has been determined by the IRS or pursuant to regulations, notices, rulings or other IRS pronouncements to be so qualified, or is maintained pursuant to a volume submitter or prototype document.  Each such Employee Benefit Program

 

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has, in fact, been qualified under the applicable section of the Code from the effective date of such Employee Benefit Program through and including the Closing Date (or, if earlier, the date that all of such Employee Benefit Program’s assets were distributed), and to the Knowledge of the Company, no event or omission has occurred which would cause any such Employee Benefit Program to lose its qualification under the applicable Code section.  Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has maintained, sponsored, contributed to or had any Liability with respect to any Employee Benefit Program which has been subject to Title IV of ERISA or Code Section 412 or ERISA Section 302, including, but not limited to, any “multiemployer plan” (as defined in Section 3(37) or Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).  Except for the Subsidiaries of the Company, there is no other entity that would be deemed a single employer with the Company under ERISA Section 4001(b) or part of the same “Controlled Group” as the Company for purposes of ERISA Section 302(d)(8)(C).  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.18(b) no Employee Benefit Program provides for the payment, increase, acceleration or provision of any amount or benefit upon the occurrence of any Transactions, or approval of this Agreement or the Transactions, either alone or in connection with a subsequent event.  No Employee Benefit Program is maintained outside the jurisdiction of the United States or covers any employee residing or working outside of the United States.

 

(c)                                  Each Employee Benefit Program that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” (as defined for purposes of Section 409(A)(d)(1) of the Code) has been operated since January 1, 2005 in good faith compliance with Section 409(A) of the Code and all applicable IRS guidance promulgated thereunder and as to any such plan in existence prior to January 1, 2005, has not been “materially modified” (within the meaning of IRS Notice 2005-1) at any time after October 3, 2004.

 

4.19                           Brokers.

 

(a)                                  Schedule 4.19(a) sets forth (i) the name of each of the top 20 brokers and suppliers (as determined by revenue) of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the 12 months ended September 30, 2007 and (ii) the total amount of Tickets sold by each broker or supplier in such period.

 

(b)                                 No brokers or suppliers listed on Schedule 4.19(a) (i) has terminated, or threatened to terminate, its relationship with the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or (ii) has, during the last three years, decreased materially or, to the Knowledge of the Company, has threatened to decrease materially, its services, its supplies or materials to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or its useage of the Company’s or any of the Subsidiaries’ services or products in connection with the Ordinary Course.  To the Knowledge of the Company, the Transactions will not adversely affect the relationship of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with any such brokers or suppliers.

 

4.20                           Insurance CoverageSchedule 4.20 contains an accurate listing of the insurance policies currently maintained by the Company and the Subsidiaries.  Such policies are in full force and effect on the date hereof, and will continue to be in full force and effect immediately following the consummation of the Transactions.  No notice of cancellation or non-renewal with respect to, or disallowance of any claim under, any such policy or binder has been received by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, and to the Company’s Knowledge, there is no

 

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threatened cancellation, non-renewal, disallowance or reduction in coverage or claim with respect to any of such policies.

 

4.21                           Investment Banking; Brokerage.  There are no Contracts relating to the payment of investment banking fees, brokerage commissions, broker’s or finder’s fees or similar compensation in connection with the Transactions payable by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or based on any arrangement or agreement made by or on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

 

4.22                           Environmental Matters.  Except as set forth in Schedule 4.22, (a) none of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is subject to or has pending against it any, and to the Knowledge of the Company there is no threatened Proceeding or Order under or relating to any Environmental Law and the Company has not received any written notice with respect to the business of, or any property owned or leased by, such entity from any Governmental Body or third party alleging that such entity is not in compliance with, or is subject to Liability under, any Environmental Law which noncompliance or Liability remains unresolved, (c) with respect to any real property used by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries as lessee or sublessee or any other property or facility currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of the Company and the Subsidiaries, to the Knowledge of the Company, there has been no release or threatened release of any Hazardous Substance either in excess of a reportable quantity, which remains unresolved or as would otherwise reasonably be expected to result in any material Liability to the Company under or relating to any Environmental Law, and (d) to the Knowledge of the Company, none of the Company or the Subsidiaries has assumed any material Liability or obligation of any other Person under or relating to any Environmental Law.  The Company has provided all environmental audits, assessments, reports, studies, investigations or analyses in its possession or control relating to any real property leased by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

 

4.23                           Inventory.  All Inventory of each of the Company and the Subsidiaries (i) is of a quality and quantity usable and saleable in the Ordinary Course of Business, (ii) is fairly reflected on the books and records of the Company, including the Financial Information, in accordance with GAAP, (iii) except as set forth on Schedule 4.23, as of January 3, 2008, is being held by the Company or the Subsidiaries (and no such Inventory is being held by any other Person on a consignment basis), (iv) to the Knowledge of the Company, since January 1, 2007, has been obtained through lawful means from an issuer, owner, vendor, broker, supplier or similar Person without violation or breach of any Law, material Permit or Material Contract and (v) is and will be of quantities sufficient for the normal operation of the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries consistent with their respective past practice.  The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and valid ownership, right, title and interest in and to, and have a valid right to use, the Tickets and other Inventory and the consummation of the Transactions will not in any way affect or impair such ownership rights or the Company’s ability to use such Tickets and other Inventory.

 

4.24                           Accounts Receivable.  All of the Accounts Receivable owing to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries constitute valid and enforceable claims that have arisen from bona fide transactions in the Ordinary Course of Business.  To the Knowledge of the Company, there are no known or asserted claims, refusals to pay or other rights of set-off against any such Accounts

 

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Receivable other than such as have arisen or will arise in the Ordinary Course of Business and, except as otherwise set forth on Schedule 4.24, have been recorded on the books and records of the Company in accordance with GAAP and for which adequate reserves have been established on the Base Balance Sheet.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.24: (a) no account debtor is delinquent in its payment to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries by more than 90 days, (b) no Account Receivable has been referred by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries for collection, (c) to the Knowledge of the Company, no account debtor is insolvent or bankrupt, (d) no Account Receivable has been pledged to any third party by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, and (e) no third party financing or credit source for any customer of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has disputed, on such customer’s behalf, amounts owed in respect of any material Account Receivable.

 

ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE MATERIAL STOCKHOLDERS

 

In order to induce Ticketmaster and Merger Sub to enter into this Agreement and consummate the Transactions, each Material Stockholder party hereto, severally but not jointly and severally, and on behalf of himself, herself or itself only, hereby makes to Ticketmaster and Merger Sub, the representations and warranties specified as being made by such Material Stockholder in this Article V, in each case as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date:

 

5.1                                 Organization and Corporate Power.  Each Material Stockholder (other than natural Persons) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of its state of formation.  Each Material Stockholder (other than natural Persons) has all requisite power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, or specified to be one, and the performance of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

 

5.2                                 Due Authorization and No Conflict.  This Agreement is, and, upon execution and delivery by each Material Stockholder pursuant to the terms hereof, all other Transaction Documents required to be executed and delivered by such Material Stockholder pursuant hereto at Closing will be, valid and binding obligations of such Material Stockholder, enforceable against such Material Stockholder in accordance with their respective terms, subject to the effect, if any, of the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and all other Transaction Documents to be executed and delivered by each Material Stockholder pursuant hereto, and the performance by such Material Stockholder of the Transactions contemplated to be performed by such Material Stockholder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and stockholder action of the Material Stockholder, if applicable.  No further action by the Material Stockholder or, if applicable, Affiliates thereof, is necessary to authorize this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents or to consummate any of the Transactions.  Except (a) as set forth in Schedule 5.2, the execution and delivery by each Material Stockholder of this Agreement and all other Transaction Documents executed and delivered by such Material Stockholder pursuant hereto and the performance by such Material Stockholder of the Transactions contemplated to be performed by such Material Stockholder, do not and will not: (i) violate or result in a violation of, conflict with or constitute or result in a violation of or default (whether after the giving of notice, lapse of time or both) or loss of benefit under any provision of the Material Stockholder’s Fundamental Documents, if

 

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applicable, or cause the creation of any Encumbrance upon any of the assets of such Material Stockholder, (ii) violate, conflict with or result in a violation of, or constitute a default (whether after the giving of notice, lapse of time or both) under, any provision of any Law applicable to such Material Stockholder, (iii) require from any Governmental Body or other third party any Consent or (iv) materially violate or result in a material violation of, or materially conflict with or constitute or result in a material violation of or material default (whether after the giving of notice, lapse of time or both) under, accelerate or modify any material right or obligation under, or give rise to a right of termination, acceleration or modification of, any Contract, material Permit, material license or other material obligation to which such Material Stockholder or any of his or her or its assets are bound, subject to or affected.

 

5.3                                 Ownership.  Such Material Stockholder is the sole record owner of the shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Company Options and/or Company Warrants set forth opposite such Stockholder’s name on Exhibit A attached hereto free and clear of any Encumbrances. The Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Company Options and/or Company Warrants set forth opposite such Material Stockholder’s name on Exhibit A attached represent all of the shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Company Options and/or Company Warrants owned by such Material Stockholder.

 

5.4                                 No Litigation.  There are no Proceedings by any Governmental Body or any other Person pending or, to the knowledge of such Material Stockholder, threatened, or any which would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Material Stockholder to perform his, her or its obligations, or to consummate the Transactions, nor is there any Order outstanding against such Material Stockholder or any of its Affiliates that would or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Material Stockholder to consummate the Transactions.

 

ARTICLE VI
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF TICKETMASTER AND MERGER SUB

 

In order to induce the Company and the Material Stockholders party hereto to enter into this Agreement, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub hereby jointly and severally make to the Company and the Stockholders the representations and warranties contained in this Article VI:

 

6.1                                 Organization and Corporate Power.  Each of Ticketmaster and Merger Sub is a limited liability company or corporation, as the case may be, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of its state of formation and has all required power and authority to carry on its business as presently conducted, to enter into and perform this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and to carry out the Transactions.

 

6.2                                 Authority and Non-Contravention.  Each of Ticketmaster and Merger Sub has full right, authority and power under its Fundamental Documents to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents executed by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub, as the case may be, pursuant hereto and to carry out the Transactions.  This Agreement and the Transaction Documents executed by each of Ticketmaster or Merger Sub pursuant hereto are valid and binding obligations of each of Ticketmaster or Merger Sub, as the case may be, enforceable

 

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against such party in accordance with their respective terms, subject to the effect, if any, of the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and Transaction Documents executed by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub pursuant hereto have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, limited liability company, shareholder and/or member action, as applicable under each such party’s charter and by-laws.  No further action by Ticketmaster, Merger Sub, or any of their officers, board, members or managers is necessary to authorize this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents or to consummate any of the Transactions.  The execution, delivery and performance by Ticketmaster and Merger Sub of this Agreement and Transaction Documents to be executed and delivered by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub pursuant hereto, and the consummation of the Transactions, do not and will not: (a) violate or result in a violation of, conflict with or constitute or result in a violation of or default (whether after the giving of notice, lapse of time or both) or loss of benefit under any provision of Ticketmaster’s or Merger Sub’s Fundamental Documents; (b) violate, conflict with or result in a violation of, or in any material respect constitute a default (whether after the giving of notice, lapse of time or both) under, any provision of any Law, Contract, Permit or any restriction imposed by, any Governmental Body that is applicable to Ticketmaster or Merger Sub; (c) except as set forth on Schedule 6.2 require from Ticketmaster or Merger Sub any Consent of any third party; or (d) violate or result in a violation of, or conflict with or constitute or result in a violation of or default (whether after the giving of notice, lapse of time or both) under, accelerate any obligation under, or give rise to a right of termination of, any material Contract, Permit, license, authorization or other obligation to which Ticketmaster or Merger Sub is a party or by which Ticketmaster or Merger Sub or assets of either are bound.

 

6.3                                 Capitalization of the Surviving Corporation.

 

(a)                                  The authorized capital stock of the Surviving Corporation as of the Effective Time consists of 10,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which only the shares held by Ticketmaster issued pursuant to Section 3.1(a) shall be issued and outstanding as of the Effective Time (the “Ticketmaster Shares”).  Other than the Ticketmaster Shares and the Rollover Options, as of the Effective Time, there shall be no outstanding equity securities, subscriptions, options, warrants, commitments, preemptive rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any kind relating to the issuance, redemption or sale of, nor are there any outstanding securities convertible into, redeemable or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock of any class or other equity interests of the Surviving Corporation, nor is the Surviving Corporation subject to any obligation, agreement, commitment or understanding to enter into any such subscription, option, warrant, commitment, preemptive rights, agreement, arrangement or other commitment of any kind or to issue any of such securities, except in each case as set forth in the Stockholders’ Agreement.  As of the Effective Time, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Surviving Corporation shall have been duly and validly authorized and issued, and shall be fully paid and non-assessable, and have been offered, issued, sold and delivered in compliance with applicable federal and state securities Laws (or pursuant to exemptions from such Laws).

 

(b)                                 Except as set forth in the Stockholders’ Agreement, as of the Effective Time, there shall be no outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, commitments, preemptive rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any kind relating to the issuance, redemption or sale of, nor shall there by any outstanding securities convertible into, redeemable

 

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or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock of any class or other equity interests of the Surviving Corporation, nor shall the Surviving Corporation be subject to any obligation, agreement, commitment or understanding to enter into any such subscription, option, warrant, commitment, preemptive rights, agreement, arrangement or other commitment of any kind or to issue any of such securities.  Except as set forth in the Stockholders’ Agreement, as of the Effective Time the Surviving Corporation shall have no obligation to purchase, redeem, or otherwise acquire any of its capital stock or any interests therein.

 

6.4                                 Financial Capability.  At the Closing Date, Ticketmaster shall have all of the funds necessary to pay the Initial Merger Consideration and any other payments contemplated to be paid by Ticketmaster in this Agreement.

 

6.5                                 No Litigation.  There are no Proceedings by any Governmental Body or any other Person pending or, to the knowledge of Ticketmaster or Merger Sub, threatened in writing which would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of Ticketmaster or Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions, nor is there any judgment outstanding against Ticketmaster, Merger Sub or any of their Affiliates that would or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of Ticketmaster or Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions.

 

6.6                                 Investment Banking; Brokerage.  There are no Contracts relating to the payment of any investment banking fees, brokerage commissions, broker’s or finder’s fees or similar compensation in connection with the Transactions payable by Ticketmaster, Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

ARTICLE VII
COVENANTS

 

7.1                                 Interim Operations of the Company.

 

(a)                                  Except as may be consented to in writing by Ticketmaster, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, or except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement, the Company hereby covenants to Ticketmaster and Merger Sub that, during the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending on the earlier to occur of (a) the Closing Date or (b) the termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article IX (the “Interim Period”), the Company shall conduct the Business only in the Ordinary Course of Business and shall use reasonable commercial efforts to (i) keep and cause any Subsidiary to keep the Business substantially intact, including its present operations and Inventory levels and relationship with suppliers, brokers, customers and employees, (ii) preserve intact the Company’s goodwill and present business organization, (iii) keep available the services of its current officers and employees, (iv) preserve satisfactory relationships with customers, suppliers, brokers and others having business dealings with it and (iv) take no action which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company or any other party hereto to consummate the Transactions.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding the terms of Section 7.1(a), except as contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth in Schedule 7.1(b), the Company shall not, and shall not permit

 

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any Subsidiary to, do or agree to do any of the following without the prior written consent of Ticketmaster, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld:

 

(i)                                     purchase, sell, license, lease or otherwise dispose of or acquire, or enter into any agreement or other arrangement for the purchase, sale, license, lease or other disposition or acquisition of, any properties, rights or assets, including any Intellectual Property Rights, except for purchases and sales of Inventory in the Ordinary Course;

 

(ii)                                  declare, set aside or pay any cash dividends, or make any other cash distributions in respect of its capital stock, directly or indirectly redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire its own capital stock; provided, that the Company or the Subsidiaries shall be permitted to undertake any of the foregoing actions provided that immediately after giving effect to any such action, the Company and the Subsidiaries have cash and Cash Equivalents of not less than $4,000,000;

 

(iii)                               enter into any merger, consolidation, reorganization or similar agreement;

 

(iv)                              issue, sell or dispose of any shares of capital stock, other ownership interest or debt, or any grant, option, warrants or other rights to purchase or obtain (including upon conversion, exchange or exercise) any shares of the capital stock, other ownership interest or debt of the Company or authorize any of the foregoing, except as provided by any Contract in effect as of the date hereof between the Company (or any of the Subsidiaries) and an employee or independent contractor set forth on Schedule 7.1(b); or

 

(v)                                 permit any transfers of shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary of the Company or effect or permit any Subsidiary to effect any recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split or like change in its capitalization;

 

(vi)                              issue, create, incur, assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible with respect to (whether directly, contingently, or otherwise) any Indebtedness; provided, that the Company and the Subsidiaries shall be permitted to incur Indebtedness for borrowed money in the Ordinary Course in an amount not to exceed, either individually or in the aggregate, $250,000;

 

(vii)                           make any change in the compensation payable or to become payable, or benefits provided or to be provided, to any of its officers, independent contractors or employees or make any equity based-award or bonus payments or enter into any bonus arrangements with any of such officers, independent contractors or employees, or establish, create, amend or terminate any employment, benefit, bonus, pension, deferred compensation or severance arrangement of any of the foregoing; provided, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Ticketmaster’s consent, in its sole discretion, shall be required for the Company to take any actions contemplated by this Section 7.1(b)(vii);

 

(viii)                        incur any Liability with respect to the obligations of any Person (other than the Company or one of the Subsidiaries) or cancel any debt or claim owing to, or waive any right, including any write-off or compromise of any Accounts Receivable;

 

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(ix)                                make any change in accounting methods or practices, collection policies, pricing policies or payment policies, except as required by a change in GAAP or applicable Law;

 

(x)                                   amend the charter or bylaws of the Company or any Subsidiary;

 

(xi)                                enter into any new line of business, or materially change any existing line of business that they are currently engaged in;

 

(xii)                             enter into, amend, modify, cancel or terminate, or allow or cause to lapse, accelerate or expire, any Material Contract, other than expirations or terminations pursuant to the anticipated expiration of the term of any such Contract or the renewal of any such Contract at the end of the anticipated expiration thereof without having provided Ticketmaster’s counsel notice of its intention to do so at least ten Business Days prior to entering, renewing, or terminating the Material Contract.  Such notice shall set forth all the material terms of the proposed Material Contract, or amendment(s) or renewal terms of the Material Contract, as applicable;

 

(xiii)                          make or change any material Tax election, file any amended material Tax Return, enter into any closing agreement, settle or compromise any Proceeding with respect to any Tax claim or assessment relating to the Company, consent to any extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to any Tax claim or assessment relating to the Company, change an annual accounting period, adopt any material accounting method (including any material Tax accounting method) or change any accounting method (including any material Tax accounting method); or

 

(xiv)                         enter into any Contract or agreement to take any of the actions set forth in clauses (i) through (xiii) above.

 

7.2                                 Access.  During the Interim Period, the Company shall, and shall cause the Subsidiaries to, (a) give Ticketmaster, Merger Sub and their respective Representatives reasonable access to all of its books, records, personnel, offices and other facilities and properties, (b) permit Ticketmaster, Merger Sub and their respective Representatives to make such copies and inspections thereof as may reasonably be requested, and (c) cause its officers, directors, employees and their Representatives to furnish Ticketmaster, Merger Sub and their respective Representatives with such financial and operating data and other information with respect to the Business as Ticketmaster, Merger Sub and their respective Representatives may from time to time reasonably request; provided, that any such access shall be conducted upon reasonable notice, at reasonable times and in such a manner as to maintain the confidentiality of this Agreement and the Transactions and not to unreasonably interfere with the normal operation of the Business.  No investigation by Ticketmaster, Merger Sub, or any of their Representatives and no receipt of information by Ticketmaster, Merger Sub or their Representatives shall operate as a waiver or otherwise affect any representations or warranty of the Company or any Material Stockholder or any covenant or other provision in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.

 

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7.3                                 Information Rights.  During the Interim Period, the Company shall provide Ticketmaster with copies of all monthly and quarterly statements of operations, balance sheets, statements of income, cash flow statements, stockholder’s equity and any other financial statements and accounting information that the Company and the Subsidiaries currently prepare in the Ordinary Course of Business, promptly after the preparation of such financial information by the Company or the Subsidiaries and distribution to its executive management team and board of directors.

 

7.4                                 Confidentiality.

 

(a)                                  Each party hereto acknowledges and agrees that from and after the Effective Time, no such party nor any of any of its Representatives or Affiliates shall use for any purpose, or shall disclose, any confidential or proprietary information of the Company, the Surviving Corporation or any the Subsidiaries to any Person (other than its Representatives) without the prior written consent of Ticketmaster; provided, however, that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to (i) any information which is or becomes publicly known through no fault of any Stockholder or which is lawfully obtained from a third party that is not bound by a contractual, legal or other confidentiality obligation to Ticketmaster, the Company, the Surviving Corporation, or any of the Subsidiaries, (ii) any disclosure required by applicable Law or in connection with the enforcement of any Stockholder’s rights under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.  Each Stockholder shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that their respective Representatives comply with the undertakings in this Section 7.4; provided that, in any event, such Stockholder shall be responsible for any breach of the terms hereof by any of its representatives.  The provisions of this Section 7.4 shall terminate on the date that is two years from the Closing Date.  The parties acknowledge that the Non-Disclosure Agreement dated as of September 10, 2007 between the Company and Ticketmaster shall remain in full force and effect through the Effective Time.

 

(b)                                 Each Stockholder agrees that in the event of a breach of this Section 7.4, the damage or imminent damage to the value and the goodwill of Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be inestimable and that therefore any remedy at Law or in damages would be inadequate.  Accordingly, each Stockholder agrees that Ticketmaster and its Affiliates (without the necessity of posting any bond or other security), in addition to damages incurred by reason of any such breach, be entitled to injunctive relief, including specific performance, with respect to any such breach in any court of competent jurisdiction against such Stockholder or any of its representative or Affiliates.  The duration of the restrictions set forth in this Section 7.4 as applicable to such Stockholder shall be extended by a period of time equal to the number of days, if any, during which such Stockholder is in violation of this covenant.

 

7.5                                 Efforts and Actions of the Parties.

 

(a)                                  During the Interim Period, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in addition to any other covenants set forth in this Agreement, each party hereby agrees to use reasonable commercial efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done and cooperate with each other in order to do, all things necessary, proper or advisable (subject to any applicable Laws) to cause the Closing to occur and to

 

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consummate the Transactions as promptly as practicable, including (i) preparing and filing of all forms, registrations and notices required to be filed by such party to consummate the Closings, (ii) in the case of the Company, filing the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, (iii) the taking of such other actions as are reasonably necessary for such party to make any other closing deliveries or to obtain any other requisite Consents, (iv) taking such actions as are necessary in order for the Warrants to be treated in the manner described in Section 3.1(f) and (v) the taking of such other actions as are necessary to satisfy the conditions set forth in Article VIII.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding the foregoing, each of the Company, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub will make an appropriate filing of a Notification and Report Form pursuant to the HSR Act with respect to the Transactions as promptly as practicable, and in any event on or before five Business Days after the date hereof, and will supply as promptly as practicable any additional information and documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR Act.  Each of the Company, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub shall use reasonable best efforts to take all other actions necessary to cause the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting periods under the HSR Act as soon as practicable, including requesting early termination of the applicable waiting periods; provided, however, that neither Ticketmaster nor the Company shall be required to agree to any material divestiture by Ticketmaster or the Company or any of their Subsidiaries or Affiliates of shares of capital stock or of any material portion of the business, assets or property of Ticketmaster or the Subsidiaries or Affiliates or of the Company or its Affiliates.  Except where prohibited by applicable Law or by any Governmental Body, each party shall consult with the other prior to taking a position with respect to any such filing, shall permit the other party to review and discuss in advance, and consider in good faith the views of the other party in connection with any analyses, appearances, presentations, memoranda, briefs, white papers, other materials, arguments, opinions and proposals before making or submitting any of the foregoing to any Governmental Body in connection with any Proceedings in connection with this Agreement, coordinate with the other party in preparing and providing such information and promptly provide the other party (or its counsel) copies of all filings, presentations and submissions (and a summary of oral presentations) made by the that party with any Governmental Body in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions.  In addition, except where prohibited by applicable Law, in no event shall the Company or Ticketmaster, or any of such party’s Affiliates, Subsidiaries or Representatives engage in any material discussions or negotiations with any Governmental Body in connection with the Transactions unless the other party and its Representatives are present in such discussions or negotiations.  Each of Ticketmaster and the Company also agrees that in no event shall it or any of its Representatives, Subsidiaries or Affiliates make any material agreement, including any agreement regarding any divestiture by Ticketmaster or the Company or any of their Subsidiaries or Affiliates of shares of capital stock or of any portion of the business, assets or property of Ticketmaster or of the Company or their Subsidiaries or Affiliates, with any Governmental Body in connection with the Transactions without the prior written consent of the other party.  The terms of this Section 7.5(b) are the only terms applicable to the obligations of the parties to obtain the Consents necessary to satisfy the conditions in Section 8.1(b).

 

(c)                                  Further, each of the Material Stockholders, the Stockholders’ Representative, the Company, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub shall, from time to time and without further consideration, either before or after the Closing, execute such further instruments and

 

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take such other actions as any other party hereto shall reasonably request in order to fulfill his, her or its respective obligations under any of the Transaction Documents, to effectuate the purposes of the Transaction Documents and to provide for the orderly and efficient transition of the Business following the Closing.

 

7.6                                 Exclusivity.

 

(a)                                          During the Interim Period, none of the Material Stockholders, the Company or any Subsidiary will, including through any Representative or any Affiliate of any such Person, directly or indirectly, (i) discuss, encourage, facilitate, negotiate, undertake, initiate, authorize, recommend, propose or enter into, whether as the proposed surviving, merged, acquiring or acquired corporation or otherwise, any transaction involving a merger, consolidation, business combination, purchase or disposition of any material amount of the assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any ownership interests of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries other than the Transactions (an “Acquisition Transaction”), (ii) facilitate, encourage, solicit or initiate discussions, negotiations or submissions of proposals or offers in respect of an Acquisition Transaction, (iii) furnish or cause to be furnished, to any Person, any information concerning the business, operations, properties or assets of the Company or the Subsidiaries in connection with an Acquisition Transaction that the Company reasonably believes is in connection with a potential Acquisition Transaction, or (iv) otherwise cooperate in any way with, or assist or participate in, facilitate or encourage, any effort or attempt by any other Person to do or seek any of the foregoing.

 

(b)                                         The applicable Material Stockholder or the Company, as the case may be, shall notify Ticketmaster orally and in writing promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours) after receipt by the Company, a Subsidiary, any Material Stockholder, or any Representative or any Affiliate of any such Person, of any proposal, offer or inquiry from any Person other than Ticketmaster to effect an Acquisition Transaction or any request for non-public information relating to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or for access to the properties, books or records of the Company or any Subsidiary that the Company reasonably believes is in connection with a potential Acquisition Transaction by any Person other than Ticketmaster and its Affiliates and Representatives.  Such notice shall indicate the identity of the Person making the proposal or offer, or intending to make a proposal or offer or requesting non-public information or access to the books and records of the Company or a Subsidiary, as applicable, the material terms of any such proposal or offer, or modification or amendment to such proposal or offer and copies of any such written proposals or offers or amendments or supplements thereto.  The applicable Material Stockholder or the Company, as the case may be, shall keep Ticketmaster informed, on a current basis, of any material changes in the status and any material changes or modifications in the material terms of any such proposal, offer, indication or request (including any change to the purchase price contained therein).

 

(c)                                          The Company and the Material Stockholders shall, and shall cause his, her or its respective Representatives or Affiliates to, immediately cease and cause to be terminated any existing discussions or negotiations with any Persons (other than Ticketmaster) conducted heretofore with respect to any Acquisition Transaction.  The Company shall not release any third party from the confidentiality and standstill provisions of any Contract to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party.

 

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(d)                                         The Material Stockholders and the Company acknowledge that, in the event of a breach of this Section 7.6, the damage or imminent damage to the value and the goodwill of Ticketmaster shall be inestimable and that therefore any remedy at Law or in damages would be inadequate.  Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that, following prior written notice to the applicable Material Stockholder or the Company, Ticketmaster shall (without the necessity of posting any bond or other security), in addition to Losses incurred by reason of any such breach, be entitled to injunctive relief, including specific performance, with respect to any such breach against the breaching party.

 

7.7                                 Covenant Not to Compete; Non-Solicitation; Retained Information.

 

(a)                                  The Company and each Material Stockholder party hereto acknowledge that (i) Ticketmaster and Merger Sub would not have entered into this Agreement but for the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 7.7 and (ii) the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 7.7 are essential to protect the business and goodwill of the Surviving Corporation and the Business after the Closing.

 

(b)                                 To induce Ticketmaster and Merger Sub to enter into this Agreement, each Material Stockholder set forth on Schedule 7.7(b)(i) (each such Material Stockholder, a “Management Restricted Stockholder”) covenants and agrees that, during the period commencing on the Closing and ending on the third anniversary of the Closing (the “Management Restricted Period”), and each Material Stockholder set forth on Schedule 7.7(b)(ii) (each such Material Stockholder, an “Investor Restricted Stockholder”) covenants and agrees that, during the period commencing on the Closing and ending on the one-year anniversary of the Closing (the “Investor Restricted Period”), each such Management Restricted Stockholder and each such Investor Restricted Stockholder shall not, and shall cause his, her or its respective Affiliates not to, directly or indirectly, anywhere in North America, for the relevant period referenced above in this Section 7.7(b):

 

(i)                                     form, organize or otherwise establish or create any Ticket brokering business or Ticket trading platform that competes directly or indirectly with the Business;

 

(ii)                                  operate, sponsor or purchase or participate in any Ticket brokering business or Ticket trading platform that competes directly or indirectly with the Business;

 

(iii)                               engage in any other business or activity that competes directly or indirectly with the Business;

 

(iv)                              enter the employ of, consult with, render services for, or otherwise advise or represent any Person engaged in any business that competes directly or indirectly with the Business; or

 

(v)                                 have any interest in any Person engaged in any business that competes directly or indirectly with the Business as an owner, partner, shareholder, director, officer or consultant;

 

provided, however, that each Management Restricted Stockholder and each Investor Restricted

 

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Stockholder may (x) own, directly or indirectly, solely as an investment, securities of any Person that is publicly traded as long as the Management Restricted Stockholder or Investor Restricted Stockholder (A) is not a controlling person of, or a member of a group that Controls, such Person and (B) does not, directly or indirectly, own 2% or more of any class of securities of such Person; provided further, that the covenants and restrictions set forth in this Section 7.7(b) shall not apply to portfolio companies in which the Investor Restricted Stockholders have current investments (“Existing Portfolio Companies”) or future investments by the Investor Restricted Stockholders in Existing Portfolio Companies.

 

(c)                                  During the Management Restricted Period or the Investor Restricted Period, as applicable, each Management Restricted Stockholder or Investor Restricted Stockholder, as applicable, shall not, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to not, in each case, directly or indirectly, anywhere in North America, (i) solicit or encourage any employee of the Surviving Corporation or any of its Affiliates to leave the employment of the Surviving Corporation or such Affiliate, or in any way interfere with the relationship between the Surviving Corporation or such Affiliate, on the one hand, and any such employee, on the other hand, (ii) hire any Person who currently is, or at any time after the date hereof becomes, an employee of the Surviving Corporation or its Affiliates, (iii) induce or attempt to induce any customer, supplier, vendor, broker, issuer, licensee, advertiser or other Person with whom the Company or such Restricted Stockholder currently has, or at any time after the date hereof with whom the Surviving Corporation or any of its Affiliates shall have, a business relationship (in each case with respect to the Business) to cease doing or reduce business with the Surviving Corporation or such Affiliate, or in any way interfere with or adversely affect the relationship between any such issuer, owner, vendor, broker, supplier or similar Person, on the one hand, and the Surviving Corporation or such Affiliate, on the other hand, other than in the ordinary course of business on behalf of the Surviving Corporation or its Affiliates or (iv) disparage, defame, libel or slander the Surviving Corporation, Ticketmaster or any of their Affiliates or Representatives.

 

(d)                                 In the event that the provisions of this Section 7.7 should ever be deemed to exceed the time or geographic limitations or any other limitations permitted by applicable Law in any jurisdiction, then such provisions shall be deemed reformed in such jurisdiction to the extent and only to the extent that they are deemed to have the broadest and most comprehensive applicability in all respects permitted by applicable Law.  Each of the Management Restricted Stockholders and Investor Restricted Stockholders, as applicable,  specifically acknowledges and agrees that such Person has received adequate consideration in exchange for entering into these covenants, the foregoing restrictions are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate interests of Ticketmaster, the Company and the Surviving Corporation, including the goodwill that Ticketmaster and Merger Sub shall be purchasing from the Material Stockholders pursuant to the Transactions, that Ticketmaster and Merger Sub would not have entered into this Agreement in the absence of such restrictions, that any violation of such restrictions will result in irreparable injury to Ticketmaster and the Surviving Corporation or the Company or all of the preceding entities, that the remedy at Law for any breach of the foregoing restrictions will be inadequate, and that, in the event of any such breach, Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation or the Company, in addition to any other relief available to it, shall be entitled to temporary injunctive relief before trial from any court of competent jurisdiction as a matter of course and to permanent injunctive relief without the necessity of proving actual damages.

 

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7.8                                 Notice of Certain Events.

 

(a)                                  Each of the Company, each Material Stockholder party hereto and Ticketmaster shall give prompt written notice to each other party of (i) the occurrence or nonoccurrence of any event causing any representation or warranty of such party contained in this Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate in any material adverse respect at or prior to the Closing Date, and (ii) any failure of such party to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement to be complied with or satisfied by it hereunder; provided, however, that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 7.8 shall not serve to cure such breach or non-compliance or limit or otherwise affect the remedies available hereunder to the party receiving such notice.

 

(b)                                 The Company shall promptly inform Ticketmaster of the initiation of any Proceeding that has had or reasonably could be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and of any significant developments with respect to any such Proceeding or any Proceeding in existence on the date hereof.  In addition, each of the Company, each Material Stockholder, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub shall give notice to the other party of the occurrence after the date hereof or the non-occurrence after the date hereof of any event that would reasonably be expected to prevent the satisfaction of any of the conditions set forth in Article VIII, it being understood that such notice does not modify any representation, warranty or covenant contained in this Agreement.

 

7.9                                 Release.  Effective as of the Closing Date, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, including the consideration to be received by the Material Stockholders hereunder, each Material Stockholder hereby irrevocably releases and forever discharges Ticketmaster, Merger Sub, the Surviving Corporation, the Company, the Subsidiaries and their respective Subsidiaries, Affiliates, divisions and predecessors and their respective past and present directors, officers, employees and agents, and each of their respective successors, heirs, assigns, executors and administrators (collectively, the “Released Persons”) of and from any and all manner of action and actions, cause and causes of action, suits, rights, debts, dues, sums of money, accounts, bonds, bills, covenants, contracts, controversies, omissions, promises, variances, trespasses, Losses, judgments, executions, claims and demands whatsoever, in Law or in equity which such Material Stockholder ever had, now has or which it hereafter can, shall or may have, against the Released Persons, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, matured or unmatured, fixed or contingent, for, upon or by reason of any matter relating to the Company or the Business arising at any time on or prior to the Closing Date whether in his, her or its capacity as a Material Stockholder, an employee (to the extent the Material Stockholder is or was employed by the Company) or otherwise and the Released Persons shall not have Liability with respect thereto; provided, that such release shall not cover claims or Liabilities (i) for indemnification or contribution, in any Material Stockholder’s capacity as an officer or director of the Company, under the DGCL or the Company’s Fundamental Documents, (ii) under any insurance policy of the Company in effect as of the Closing, (iii) as to accrued but unpaid benefits as of the Closing under any Employee Benefit Program of the Company, (iv) with respect to salaries and expenses that have accrued in the Ordinary Course of Business and with respect to accrued vacation and sick pay, or (v) for amounts owed pursuant to, or other rights set forth in the Transaction Documents.  Notwithstanding the foregoing clause (v) of the immediately preceding sentence, each Material

 

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Stockholder acknowledges and agrees that, notwithstanding the terms of any Preferred Stock, Common Stock, Company Option, Company Warrant or any Contract to which any Material Stockholder is a party, the portion of the Merger Consideration and any other amounts due and payable to him, her or it hereunder are the only amounts due and payable with respect to such securities of the Company, and no such Material Stockholder shall be entitled to, and each such Material Stockholder hereby waives, any and all rights to any consideration from the Company or Ticketmaster with respect to such securities (in connection with the Transactions or otherwise), except to the extent expressly set forth herein.

 

7.10                           Certain Agreements.  Each Material Stockholder party hereto hereby waives all rights to receive any notice required to be delivered to such Material Stockholder pursuant to the any Contract or agreement to which such Material Stockholder is a party in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, any other Transaction Document or any of the Transactions.  Each Material Stockholder party hereto hereby waives any appraisal or dissenter rights with respect to his, her or its Shares under the DGCL.

 

7.11                           Tax Matters.

 

(a)                                  The Surviving Corporation shall be responsible for preparing consistent with past practice, except as otherwise required by Law, and timely filing any Tax Returns with respect to the Company and each of the Subsidiaries for a Pre-Closing Tax Period that are required to be filed after the Closing Date and any Tax Returns with respect to the Company and each of the Subsidiaries relating to the taxable year ending December 31, 2007, to the extent such Tax Returns have not been filed as of the Closing Date. The Surviving Corporation shall provide each such Pre-Closing Tax Return to the Stockholders’ Representative for review and comment at least thirty (30) days prior to the due date for filing such Tax Return, and shall not file any such Tax Return without the consent of the Stockholder Representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.  To the extent the Surviving Corporation and Stockholder’s representative cannot agree, unresolved issues for Pre-Closing Tax Period Tax Returns shall be submitted to the Firm for final resolution prior to the due date of such Tax Return.   None of Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation or their respective Affiliates shall file any amended return for a Pre-Closing Tax Period, unless otherwise required by applicable law, without the consent of the Stockholder Representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

 

(b)                                 Any Tax Refunds, credits of Taxes or reductions in Taxes (each, a “Tax Reduction”) with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries relating to Pre-Closing Tax Periods actually realized, except to the extent that (i) such Tax Reduction arises as a result of a carry back of a loss or other Tax benefit attributable to a period (or portion thereof) beginning after the Closing Date, (ii) the facts and circumstances that gave rise to such Tax Reduction result or may result in an increased Tax liability for a period (or portion thereof) beginning after the Closing Date, or (iii) such Tax Reduction was included in the calculation of current assets or current Liabilities for purposes of determining Working Capital, shall be forwarded to the Stockholders’ Representative on behalf of the Material Stockholders.  Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentence to the contrary, any Tax Reduction arising in connection with the Merger, including, without limitation, those relating to compensation deductions arising in connection with the exercise or cancellation of Company Options on or prior to the

 

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Closing Date (including any deductions arising with respect to payments to former holders of Company Options from the Escrow Account) or any other compensation deductions, shall be for the account of the Buyer and shall be treated for purposes of this Section 7.11(b) as not relating to Pre-Closing Tax Periods .  All other Tax Reductions, including as a consequence of any Tax deductions, Tax benefits or other Tax assets arising in a post-Closing period attributable to transaction expenses shall in each case be for the account of the Surviving Corporation.  Ticketmaster shall, if the Stockholders’ Representative so requests and at the Material Stockholders’ expense, cause the relevant entity (Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation or any of their Subsidiaries or any successor) to file for and obtain any Tax Reductions to which the Material Stockholders are entitled hereunder unless such Tax Reduction could be expected to materially increase the Surviving Corporation’s Tax Liability.  Ticketmaster shall forward to the Stockholders’ Representative on behalf of the Material Stockholders, (i) any such Tax Reduction promptly after the Tax Reduction is received or (ii) the amount of any such credit or reduction in Taxes that is realized promptly after the credit or reduction in Taxes is realized (in each case net of any reasonable expense incurred to obtain such Tax Reduction).  For purposes of the foregoing, the reduction of Taxes or credits of Taxes shall equal the cash Tax savings that Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation, the Subsidiaries and any of their respective Affiliates would receive assuming that the Tax benefits contemplated by this Section 7.11(b) are realized by Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation, their Subsidiaries and any of their respective Affiliates after any other items of loss, deduction or credit are realized.  In the event that any Tax Reduction is granted for which a payment has been made to the Stockholders’ Representative on behalf of the Material Stockholders pursuant to this Section 7.11(b) is subsequently reduced or disallowed, the Material Stockholders shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation and their Subsidiaries against, and reimburse Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation and their Subsidiaries for any net increase in Tax Liability (taking into account any actual or reasonably expected (based upon a final agreement with the relevant taxing authorities and utilizing the assumptions set forth above) decrease in Tax Liability relating to such Tax Reduction), including interest and penalties, assessed against the Surviving Corporation and the Subsidiaries by reason of the reduction or disallowance.

 

(c)                                  The Surviving Corporation shall promptly notify the Stockholders’ Representative in writing upon receipt by the Surviving Corporation or any of the Subsidiaries of notice of any Tax audits, examinations or assessments that would give rise to indemnification under Section 10.2.  The Stockholders’ Representative shall control, at its own expense, the portion of any such audit, examination or Proceeding that relates to any such Taxes as it relates to the Pre-Closing Tax Period and the Surviving Corporation shall have the right to participate in any such audit, examination or Proceeding.  The Stockholder’s Representative shall not have the right to settle any such audit, examination or Proceeding without the consent of the Surviving Corporation (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld).  The Surviving Corporation shall control any audit, examination or Proceeding that does not relate to Taxes for which the Stockholders are responsible.

 

(d)                                 The Surviving Corporation and the Stockholders’ Representative shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to, (i) provide the other party and its Representatives and Affiliates with such assistance as may be reasonably requested in connection with the preparation of any Tax Return or any audit or other examination by any taxing authority or

 

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judicial or administrative Proceeding relating to Taxes with respect to the Company, the Surviving Corporation or any of their Subsidiaries and (ii) retain and provide the other party and its Affiliates with reasonable access to all records or information that may be relevant to such Tax Return, audit, examination or Proceeding; provided, that the foregoing shall be done at the expense of the party making such request and in a manner so as not to interfere unreasonably with the conduct of the business of the parties.

 

7.12                           Other Stockholder Notification.  In accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL, the Company shall promptly, and in any event within five Business Days after the date hereof, notify each of the holders of equity securities who have not consented to the adoption of, and become a party to, this Agreement of the existence of this Agreement and the Transactions contemplated hereby.  Together with the notice to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence, the Company shall deliver a written notice of appraisal rights under the DGCL, a summary of the Transaction Documents and the Transactions, the appropriate surrender forms and other documents to be executed and delivered to the Company and/or the Stockholders’ Representative, a joinder to this Agreement pursuant to which each such holder would enter into this Agreement as a “Material Stockholder” and such other documents and information as Ticketmaster may reasonably request, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Ticketmaster.

 

7.13                           Indemnification of Officers and Directors.   From the Effective Time, Ticketmaster and the Surviving Corporation shall not amend, repeal or otherwise modify the Fundamental Documents of the Company in any manner that would affect adversely the rights thereunder of any officer or director to indemnification, exculpation and advancement except to the extent required by applicable Law or stock exchange.  Ticketmaster shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, fulfill and honor any indemnification or exculpation agreements between the Company and any of its directors, officers or employees existing on the date hereof.  In the event that Ticketmaster or the Surviving Corporation or any of its successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, in each such case, proper provisions shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Ticketmaster or the Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 7.13.  The provisions of this Section 7.13 are intended for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, the parties hereto and each Person entitled to indemnification or insurance coverage or expense advancement pursuant to this Section 7.13, and his or her heirs and representatives.

 

7.14                           Employee Matters.

 

(a)                                  Ticketmaster agrees that each employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries who continues employment with Ticketmaster or one of its Subsidiaries (including the Surviving Corporation) after the Effective Time (a “Continuing Employee”) will be provided, for a period extending until the earlier of the termination of such Continuing Employee’s employment with such entities or the first anniversary of the Closing Date, with (i) a rate of base salary or wages that is not less favorable than the rate of base salary or wages paid by the Company and its Subsidiaries to such Continuing Employee immediately prior to the date hereof and (ii) with other benefits that, in Ticketmaster’s discretion, are either substantially

 

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similar in the aggregate to the benefits provided by the Company and its Subsidiaries to such Continuing Employee immediately prior to the date hereof or substantially similar in the aggregate to the benefits provided by Ticketmaster to its employees generally (excluding the Continuing Employees) who are similarly situated to such Continuing Employee (with the comparison of benefits under this clause (ii) determined with reference to benefits other than annual bonus, equity compensation and other forms of incentive-based compensation).

 

(b)                                 With respect to each benefit plan, program, practice, policy or arrangement maintained by Ticketmaster or its Subsidiaries (including the Surviving Corporation) following the Effective Time and in which any of the Continuing Employees participate (the “Ticketmaster Plans”), for purposes of determining eligibility to participate and vesting purposes (but not for accrual of benefits other than determining the level of vacation pay accrual), service with the Company and its Subsidiaries (or predecessor employers to the extent the Company provides past service credit) shall be treated as service with Ticketmaster and its Subsidiaries, except to the extent such service credit would result in any duplication of benefits.  Each applicable Ticketmaster Plan shall waive, to the extent permitted by applicable Law and the relevant insurance carriers, eligibility waiting periods, evidence of insurability requirements and pre existing condition limitations to the extent waived or not included under the corresponding Benefit Plan.  To the extent permitted by applicable Law and the relevant insurance carriers and to the extent applicable in the plan year that contains the Effective Date, the Employees shall be given credit under the applicable Ticketmaster Plan for amounts paid prior to the Effective Time during the calendar year in which the Effective Time occurs under a corresponding Benefit Plan for purposes of applying deductibles, co-payments and out of pocket maximums as though such amounts had been paid in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Ticketmaster Plan.

 

(c)                                  The Surviving Corporation shall, not later than three months after the Closing Date, establish a new stock option plan consistent with the terms and conditions set forth in Schedule 7.14(c) attached hereto.

 

(d)                                 Nothing in this Agreement (i) shall require Ticketmaster or any of its Subsidiaries (including the Surviving Corporation) to continue to employ any particular Continuing Employee following the Closing Date for any particular period of time, (ii) shall be construed to prohibit Ticketmaster or any of its Subsidiaries (including the Surviving Corporation) from amending or terminating any Employee Benefit Program or any Ticketmaster Plan or (iii) shall constitute or be construed as an amendment of any Employee Benefit Program or any Ticketmaster Plan.

 

(e)                                  The Company shall have obtained prior to the initiation of the requisite shareholder approval procedure under Section 7.14(f) below, a waiver of the right to receive payments and/or benefits that reasonably could constitute “parachute payments” under Section 280G of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder (a “Parachute Payment Waiver”), in a form reasonably acceptable to Ticketmaster, from each Person who, with respect to the Company, reasonably could be a “disqualified individual” (within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder), as determined immediately prior to the initiation of the requisite shareholder approval procedure under Section 7.14(f), and who, with respect to the Company, reasonably might otherwise receive, have received, or have the right or entitlement to receive any parachute payment under Section 280G of the Code, and the Company

 

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shall have delivered each such Parachute Payment Waiver to Ticketmaster on or before the Closing Date.

 

(f)                                    The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the approval by such number of shareholders of the Company as is required by the terms of Section 280G(b)(5)(B) of the Code so as to render the parachute payment provisions of Section 280G of the Code inapplicable to any and all payments and/or benefits provided pursuant to contracts or arrangements that, in the absence of the executed Parachute Payment Waivers by the affected Persons under Section 7.14(e) above, might otherwise result, separately or in the aggregate, in the payment of any amount and/or the provision of any benefit that would not be deductible by reason of Section 280G of the Code, with such stockholder approval to be solicited in a manner which satisfies all applicable requirements of such Section 280G(b)(5)(B) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, including Q-7 of Section 1.280G-1 of such Treasury Regulations.

 

7.15                           Termination of Agreements.  Each party hereto agrees and acknowledges that as of the Effective Time, the Investor Rights Agreement dated June 15, 2007, Right of First Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement dated June 15, 2007 and the Voting Agreement dated June 15, 2007, shall immediately terminate and be of no further force and effect.

 

7.16                           Termination of Use.  The Company agrees that, as soon as practicable after a request in writing from Ticketmaster (and in any event within 45 days after the Company’s receipt of such a request), the Company will cease operating, and cause the Subsidiaries to cease operating, any website that has a domain name that includes the name, trademark, service mark and/or trade name of any performing artist, athlete, sports team or league, except in each case where the Company or a Subsidiary has obtained express written permission to make such use of such person’s or entity’s name, trademark, service mark or trade name.

 

ARTICLE VIII
CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS

 

8.1                                 Conditions to the Company’s, Ticketmaster’s and Merger Sub’s Obligation to Effect the Closing.  The respective obligations of each of the Company, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub to effect the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions:

 

(a)                                  no Proceeding by or before any Governmental Body shall be pending which, if successful, would be reasonably likely to enjoin, restrain or prohibit this Agreement or consummation of the Transactions;

 

(b)                                 the consent of all Governmental Bodies who are required to give consent under any applicable Law regarding the consummation of the Transactions shall have been granted, and any waiting periods (and any extensions thereof) under the HSR Act or similar Laws applicable to the Transactions, shall have expired or been terminated;

 

(c)                                  the Certificate of Merger shall have been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and the Company and Ticketmaster shall have received a certificate

 

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issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware certifying that the Certificate of Merger has been filed and is effective;

 

(d)                                 no Law shall have been enacted or promulgated by any Governmental Body which would prohibit the consummation of the Merger; and

 

(e)                                  there shall be no Order in effect precluding consummation of the Merger.

 

8.2                                 Conditions to Obligations of Ticketmaster and Merger Sub to Effect the Closing.  The obligations of Ticketmaster and Merger Sub to consummate the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction on or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions:

 

(a)                                  the representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct in all respects at and as of the Closing, except to the extent such representations and warranties relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct on and as of such earlier date); provided, however, that in the event of a breach of a representation or warranty, the condition set forth in this Section 8.2(a) shall be deemed satisfied unless the effect of all such breaches of representations and warranties taken together would result in a Material Adverse Effect; and provided further, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.1, Section 4.2, Section 4.4, Section 4.5, and Section 4.21 shall be true and correct (disregarding all qualifications and exceptions relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect) in all respects;

 

(b)                                 the representations and warranties of the Material Stockholders shall be true and correct in all respects at and as of the Closing, except to the extent such representations and warranties relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct on and as of such earlier date); provided, however, that in the event of a breach of a representation or warranty, the condition set forth in this Section 8.2(b) shall be deemed satisfied unless the effect of all such breaches of representations and warranties taken together would result in a Material Adverse Effect; and provided further, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties contained in Section 5.1, Section 5.2, and Section 5.3 shall be true and correct (disregarding all qualifications and exceptions relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect) in all respects;

 

(c)                                  the representations and warranties of the Stockholders’ Representative contained in Section 11.1(h) shall be true and correct (disregarding all qualifications and exceptions relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect) in all respects at and as of the Closing, except to the extent such representation and warranty relates to an earlier date (in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct on and as of such earlier date);

 

(d)                                 each of the Company, the Material Stockholders and the Stockholders’ Representative shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations, agreements and covenants required to be performed or complied with by him, her or it under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date;

 

(e)                                  there shall have not occurred or exist a Material Adverse Effect;

 

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(f)                                    each of the other Transaction Documents shall have been executed by each party thereto, other than Ticketmaster and Merger Sub, and shall have been delivered to Ticketmaster;

 

(g)                                 all Indebtedness of the Company and the Subsidiaries so indicated to be paid in full on the Closing Date on the Cash, Indebtedness and Expenses Schedule shall have been paid in full and Ticketmaster shall have received (if required by the terms of such Indebtedness) payoff letters with respect to such Indebtedness in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Ticketmaster and its counsel.  Ticketmaster shall have received duly executed releases of all Encumbrances (other than Permitted Encumbrances) on the assets and properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries granted in connection with the incurrence of any such Indebtedness that is secured by the assets or stock of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Ticketmaster and its counsel; and

 

(h)                                 Ticketmaster shall have received:

 

(i)                                     from the Company, the Material Stockholders and the Stockholders’ Representative a certificate (executed by an officer of the Company or authorized person of the Stockholders, as applicable), to the effect that the statements set forth in Sections 8.3(a)-(e), as applicable, are true and correct;

 

(ii)                                  a legal opinion dated as of the Closing Date from Perkins Coie LLP, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit F;

 

(iii)                               certificates issued by (A) the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware certifying that the Company has legal existence and is in good standing; and (B) the Secretary of State (or similar authority) of each jurisdiction in which the Company has qualified to do business as a foreign corporation (or is required to be so qualified) as to such foreign qualification;

 

(iv)                              a certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company certifying copies of consent actions taken by, or resolutions of, the board of directors of the Company and the Material Stockholders required to approve the Transaction Documents and the Transactions;

 

(v)                                 duly executed Consents required by the terms of the Contracts set forth in Schedule 8.2(g)(v);

 

(vi)                              a certificate in form and substance acceptable to Ticketmaster and in compliance with the Code and Treasury Regulations certifying facts as to establish that the Transactions are exempt from withholding pursuant to Section 1445 of the Code;

 

(vii)                           resignations of each director of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries, in each case to be effective as of the Closing Date;

 

(viii)                        a joinder to this Agreement by the holders of the shares of Common Stock that, together with the holders of the shares of Common Stock that have entered into this Agreement on the date hereof, represents holders who hold in the aggregate not less than 95% of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock as of immediately prior to the

 

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Closing;  provided, however, that (A) notwithstanding the foregoing, such joinders shall be executed by the Persons set forth on Schedule 8.2(h)(viii) and (B) such joinder shall provide that such holder agrees to (x) become a party hereto, (y) be treated in the same manner as a Material Stockholder for all purposes hereunder and (z) have his, her or its shares of Common Stock subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement;

 

(ix)                                a joinder to this Agreement by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock that, together with the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock that have entered into this Agreement on the date hereof, represents holders who hold in the aggregate not less than 95% of the issued and outstanding shares of Preferred Stock as of immediately prior to the Closing;  provided, however, that (A) notwithstanding the foregoing, such joinders shall be executed by the Persons set forth on Schedule 8.2(h)(ix) and (B) such joinder shall provide that such holder agrees to (x) become a party hereto, (y) be treated in the same manner as a Material Stockholder for all purposes hereunder and (z) have his, her or its shares of Preferred Stock subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and provided, further, however, that the terms of Section 7.7 shall not apply to holders of shares of Preferred Stock that are not Restricted Investor Stockholders;

 

(x)                                   a joinder to this Agreement by the holders of the Rollover Options set forth on Schedule 8.2(h)(x)provided, that such joinder shall provide that such holder agrees to (x) become a party hereto, (y) be treated in the same manner as a Material Stockholder for all purposes hereunder and (z) have his Rollover Options subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement;

 

(xi)                                a joinder to the Stockholders’ Agreement by Michael Regent and Todd Rumlow in the form of Exhibit A to the Stockholders’ Agreement; and

 

(xii)                             from the Company, the executed Parachute Payment Waivers required by Section 7.14(e).

 

8.3                                 Conditions to Obligations of the Company and the Material Stockholders.  The obligations of the Company and the Material Stockholders to consummate the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver by the Company in its sole discretion on or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions:

 

(a)                                  the representations and warranties of Ticketmaster and Merger Sub shall be true and correct in all respects at and as of the Closing, except to the extent such representations and warranties relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct on and as of such earlier date); provided, however, that in the event of a breach of a representation or warranty, the condition set forth in this Section 8.3(a) shall be deemed satisfied unless the effect of all such breaches of representations and warranties taken together would result in a Material Adverse Effect; and provided further, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties contained in Section 6.1 and Section 6.2 shall be true and correct (disregarding all qualifications and exceptions relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect) in all respects;

 

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(b)                                 Ticketmaster and Merger Sub shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations, agreements and covenants required to be performed or complied with by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing;

 

(c)                                  the Company shall have received from Ticketmaster and Merger Sub a certificate executed by an officer of each of Ticketmaster and Merger Sub to the effect that the statements set forth in Sections 8.3(a) and 8.3(b) with respect to Ticketmaster and Merger Sub are true and correct;

 

(d)                                 each of the other Transaction Documents shall have been executed by each party thereto, other than the Company, the Stockholders’ Representative and the applicable Material Stockholders, and shall have been delivered to the Company; and

 

(e)                                  Ticketmaster or Merger Sub shall have deposited (i) with the Stockholders Representative the Initial Merger Consideration (ii) with the Escrow Agent, the Aggregate Escrow Amount and (iii) with the Stockholders’ Representative, the Reserve Amount.

 

8.4                                 Frustration of Closing Conditions.  None of the parties hereto may rely on the failure of any condition set forth in this Article VIII to be satisfied if such failure was caused by such party’s failure to act or to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Closing to occur, as required pursuant to Section 7.5.

 

ARTICLE IX
TERMINATION

 

9.1                                 Termination.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, this Agreement may be terminated or the Transactions may be abandoned at any time prior to the Closing Date:

 

(a)                                  by the mutual written consent of the Company and Ticketmaster;

 

(b)                                 by the Company or Ticketmaster if any Governmental Body shall have issued or enacted an Order or taken any other action which permanently restrains, enjoins or otherwise prohibits the Transactions and such Order or other action shall have become final and non-appealable, as applicable; provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 9.1(b) shall not be available to a party if such Order was made primarily due to the failure of such party to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement;

 

(c)                                  by the Company or Ticketmaster if any Governmental Body enacts a Law that permanently restrains or otherwise prohibits the Transactions;

 

(d)                                 by Ticketmaster, upon a breach of any covenant or agreement on the part of the Company, any Material Stockholder or the Stockholders’ Representative set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of the Company, any Material Stockholder or the Stockholders’ Representative in Article IV, Article V or Section 11.1(h), as the case may be, shall, in any case, be or become untrue such that the conditions set forth in Section 8.1 or 8.2 would not be satisfied (any such breach or occurrence, a “Company Terminating Breach”); provided, however, that if such Company Terminating Breach is curable by the Company, the

 

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applicable Material Stockholder or the Stockholders’ Representative, as the case may be, through the exercise of his, her or its commercially reasonable efforts, and the Company, the applicable Material Stockholder or the Stockholders’ Representative, as the case may be, continues to exercise such commercially reasonable efforts to cure such breach, Ticketmaster may not terminate this Agreement under this Section 9.1(d) until the date that is 20 days after the Company, the applicable Material Stockholder or the Stockholders’ Representative, as the case may be, has been provided written notice by Ticketmaster of any such Company Terminating Breach, and whereby such breach remains uncured;

 

(e)                                  by the Company, upon a breach of any covenant or agreement on the part of Ticketmaster or Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of Ticketmaster or Merger Sub in Article VI shall, in any case, be or become untrue such that the conditions set forth in Section 8.1 or 8.3 would not be satisfied (any such breach or occurrence, a “Ticketmaster Terminating Breach”); provided, however, that if such Ticketmaster Terminating Breach is curable by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub through the exercise of commercially reasonable efforts, and Ticketmaster or Merger Sub, as applicable, continues to exercise such commercially reasonable efforts to cure such breach, the Company may not terminate this Agreement under this Section 9.1(e) until the date that is 20 days after Ticketmaster or Merger Sub, as applicable, has been provided written notice by the Company of any such Ticketmaster Terminating Breach, and whereby such breach remains uncured; and

 

(f)                                    by any party hereto if the Closing shall not have occurred on or prior to April 11, 2008 (the “Termination Date”); provided, however, that if the Closing shall not have occurred solely as a result of the failure of the condition set forth in Section 8.1(b) to be satisfied (other than those conditions that can only be satisfied at Closing), the Termination Date shall automatically be extended to July 11, 2008; and provided, further, however, that no party may terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9.1(f) if such party’s failure to fulfill any of his, her or its obligations under this Agreement shall have caused the Closing not to have occurred on or before such date.

 

9.2                                 Effect of Termination.  In the event of the termination of this Agreement by any party hereto pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, written notice thereof shall forthwith be given to the other parties hereto specifying the provision hereof pursuant to which such termination of this Agreement is made, and this Agreement shall become void and of no further force and effect, except for the provisions of (a) Article I, (b) Section 7.4, (c) this Article IX and (d) Article XII.  If this Agreement is terminated as permitted by this Article IX, such termination shall be without Liability of any party hereto (or any of its Affiliates, Representatives or Representatives of its Affiliates) to any other party to this Agreement; provided, however, that if either party has intentionally and willfully breached any representation, warranty, covenant or other agreement contained in this Agreement, then in each such case nothing herein shall affect the non-breaching party’s right to Losses and other amounts on account of such other party’s breach.

 

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ARTICLE X
SURVIVAL; TRANSACTION RELATED INDEMNIFICATION

 

10.1                           Survival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants.  The representations and warranties of the parties to this Agreement that are made in this Agreement (including any representations and warranties made pursuant to any closing certificate) shall expire and terminate and be of no further force and effect after the Escrow Expiration Date, except that any bona fide good faith written claim for indemnification for breach thereof made prior to such date and delivered to Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation or the Stockholders’ Representative, as applicable, shall survive thereafter and, as to any such claim, such applicable expiration will not affect the rights to indemnification of the party making such claim; provided, however, that (a) the representations and warranties (i) of the Company contained in Section 4.1 (Organization and Corporate Power), Section 4.2 (Due Authorization and No Conflict), Section 4.4 (Capitalization), Section 4.5 (Subsidiaries) and Section 4.21 (Investment Banking; Brokerage), (ii) of the Material Stockholders contained in Sections 5.1 (Organization and Corporate Power), 5.2 Due Authorization and No Conflict) and 5.3 (Ownership), (iii) of the Stockholders’ Representative contained in Section 11.1(h) and (iv) of Ticketmaster and Merger Sub contained in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 (the representations and warranties contained in clauses (i) through (iv) collectively, the “Fundamental Representations”), shall survive until the date that is 30 days after the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, if any, and if there is no applicable statute of limitations, indefinitely and (b) the representations and warranty of the Company contained in Section 4.12 (Tax Matters) (the “Special Representation”) shall survive until the date that is 30 days after the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, and in each case, any claim by an Indemnified Party with respect to a breach thereof may be given at any time up to or including such date.  Any claim with respect to fraud or willful and intentional breach by the Company, the Material Stockholders, the Stockholders’ Representative, Ticketmaster or Merger Sub may be made at any time after the Closing.  Any written claim by an Indemnified Party with respect to a breach of any covenant or other agreement in this Agreement to be performed at or prior to Closing made by the Company, the Material Stockholders, the Stockholders’ Representative, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub may be given at any time prior to the day that is three months following the Closing Date.  All other covenants shall survive the Closing and survive indefinitely, except those that by their terms expire earlier.  No right of indemnification under this Agreement shall be limited by reason of any investigation or audit conducted before or after the Closing Date, the knowledge of any party of any breach of a representation, warranty, covenant or agreement by any other party hereto or the decision of any party hereto to complete the Closing.

 

10.2                           Indemnification by Material Stockholders.  Effective as of the Closing and subject to the time limits set forth in Section 10.1 above, each of the Material Stockholders, jointly and severally, on his, her or its own behalf and on behalf of his, her or its successors, executors, administrators, estate, heirs and assigns (collectively, the “Stockholder Indemnifying Parties”, and each individually, a “Stockholder Indemnifying Party”) agrees to defend, indemnify and hold Ticketmaster, Merger Sub, their respective Affiliates (including the Surviving Corporation and the Subsidiaries) and indirect partners, including partners of partners and stockholders and members of partners (collectively, the  “Ticketmaster Indemnified Parties”, and individually, a “Ticketmaster Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any and all damages, awards, diminution in value, lost profits, Liabilities, Losses, claims, obligations, Encumbrances, assessments, judgments, Taxes, fines, penalties and reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs and other out-of-pocket expenses (“Losses”) which are actually or could reasonably be expected to be sustained or suffered by any such Ticketmaster Indemnified Party based upon, arising out of, or by reason of each and all of the following:

 

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(a)                                  any breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company, any Material Stockholder or the Stockholders’ Representative in Article IV, Article V or Section 11.1(h) respectively (with any breach of such representations and warranties contained in Article V being solely the indemnification obligation of the Material Stockholder making such representation or warranty that has been breached);

 

(b)                                 any breach of any covenant or other agreement made by the Company (to the extent required to be performed or complied with prior to Closing), the Material Stockholders or the Stockholders’ Representative in this Agreement;

 

(c)                                  any and all Liability for Pre-Closing Taxes, to the extent such Liability has not been included in the determination of Working Capital or otherwise reduced the Adjusted Merger Consideration;

 

(d)                                 the failure of the Company to pay any Company Transaction Expenses;

 

(e)                                  the failure of the Company to pay any Indebtedness due to be paid by the Company or the Subsidiaries at the Closing except to the extent that it has reduced the Adjusted Merger Consideration; and

 

(f)                                    any amounts owed by the Surviving Corporation to any Stockholder as a result of a final and binding Order granting such holder an award under Section 262 of the DGCL.

 

10.3                           Indemnification by Ticketmaster.  Effective as of the Closing and subject to the time limits set forth in Section 10.1 above, Ticketmaster, on its own behalf and on behalf of its successors, executors, administrators, estate, heirs and assigns (collectively, the “Ticketmaster Indemnifying Parties”, and each individually, a “Ticketmaster Indemnifying Party”, and together with the Stockholder Indemnifying Parties, the “Indemnifying Parties”, and each individually, an “Indemnifying Party”) agrees to defend, indemnify and hold the Material Stockholders and their respective Affiliates (including partners of partners and stockholders and members of partners, but not the Company and the Subsidiaries) (collectively, the “Stockholder Indemnified Parties”, and each individually, a “Stockholder Indemnified Party”, and together with the Ticketmaster Indemnified Parties, the “Indemnified Parties”, and each individually, an “Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any and all Losses which are actually or could reasonably be expected to be sustained or suffered by any such Stockholder Indemnified Party based upon, arising out of, or by reason of any breach of any representation or warranty made by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub in Article VI of this Agreement, any covenant or other agreement made by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub.

 

10.4                           Limitations on Indemnification.  Notwithstanding anything in Section 10.2 to the contrary, after the Closing:

 

(a)                                  the Material Stockholder Indemnifying Parties shall not be liable for Losses in respect of claims made by any Ticketmaster Indemnified Party for indemnification for breaches of representations and warranties under Section 10.2(a) unless and to the extent the total of all Losses in respect of claims made by the Ticketmaster Indemnified Parties for

 

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indemnification shall exceed 1% of the Initial Merger Consideration in the aggregate (the “Deductible”); and

 

(b)                                 the maximum aggregate amount for which the Stockholder Indemnifying Parties shall be liable to all Ticketmaster Indemnified Parties taken together for Losses under Section 10.2(a) shall not exceed the Indemnity Cap;

 

provided, however, that the Ticketmaster Indemnified Parties shall not be subject to the limitations of the Deductible, the Indemnity Cap or any other limitation and shall be entitled to full recovery from a Stockholder Indemnifying Party in respect of claims for indemnification from a Stockholder Indemnifying Party for all Losses in connection with (i) a breach of any Fundamental Representation or Special Representation or (ii) fraud or willful and intentional breach of this Agreement by a Material Stockholder, the Stockholders’ Representative or the Company.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, except for Losses arising from a breach of a representation or warranty made by a Stockholder Indemnifying Party in Article V or in the event of fraud or willful misconduct by such Stockholder Indemnifying Party, (for which the breaching Stockholder Indemnifying Party agrees to be solely liable for all such Losses), each Stockholder Indemnifying Party shall be responsible only for his, her or its pro-rata portion (based on the amount of Initial Merger Consideration received at Closing) of any Losses  up to a maximum amount from each Stockholder Indemnifying Party equal to the aggregate amount of any Merger Consideration received by such Stockholder Indemnifying Party.

 

10.5                           Notice; Payment of Losses; Defense of Third-Party Claims.

 

(a)                                  An Indemnified Party shall give written notice of a claim for indemnification under Section 10.2 to Ticketmaster or the Stockholders’ Representative, as applicable, and the Escrow Agent promptly after, (i) in the case of an intra-party claim, the event giving rise to such Indemnified Party’s claim for indemnification, or (ii) in the case of a third-party claim, receipt of any written claim by any third party and in any event not later than 10 Business Days after receipt of any such written claim, in each case specifying in reasonable detail the amount, nature and source of the claim, and including therewith copies of any notices or other documents received from third parties with respect to such claim; provided, however, that failure to give such notice shall not limit the right of an Indemnified Party to recover indemnity or reimbursement except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party suffers any prejudice or harm with respect to such claim as a result of such failure.

 

(b)                                 Within 20 Business Days after receiving notice of a claim for indemnification or reimbursement, the Indemnifying Party shall, by written notice to the Indemnified Party, either (i) concede or deny Liability for the claim in whole or in part, or (ii) in the case of a claim asserted by a third party, advise that the matters set forth in the notice are, or will be, subject to contest or Proceedings not yet finally resolved.  If the Indemnifying Party concedes Liability in whole or in part, it shall, within 20 Business Days of such concession, pay (in accordance with and subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement) the amount of the claim to the Indemnified Party to the extent of the Liability conceded.  Any such payment shall be made in immediately available funds equal to the amount of such claim so payable.  If the Indemnifying Party denies Liability in whole or in part or advises that the matters set forth in the notice are, or will be, subject to contest or Proceedings not yet finally resolved, then the

 

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Indemnifying Party shall make no payment (except for the amount of any conceded Liability payable as set forth above) until the matter is resolved in accordance with this Agreement.

 

(c)                                  In the case of any third party claim, if, within the 20 Business Day period described in the preceding paragraph (b), after receiving the notice described in the preceding paragraph (a), the Indemnifying Party gives written notice to the Indemnified Party stating that the Indemnifying Party would be liable under the provisions hereof for indemnity in the amount of such claim if such claim were valid and that the Indemnifying Party disputes and intends to defend against such claim or Loss at the Indemnifying Party’s own cost and expense, then counsel for the defense shall be selected by the Indemnifying Party (subject to the consent of such Indemnified Party which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) and such Indemnifying Party shall not be required to make any payment to the Indemnified Party with respect to such claim or Loss as long as the Indemnifying Party is conducting a good faith and diligent defense at its own expense; provided, however, that the assumption of defense of any such matters by the Indemnifying Party shall relate solely to the claim that is subject or potentially subject to indemnification.  If the Indemnifying Party assumes such defense in accordance with the preceding sentence, it shall have the right, with the written consent of such Indemnified Party, not to be unreasonably withheld, to settle all indemnifiable matters related to claims by third parties which are susceptible to being settled, it being understood that it shall be reasonable for the Indemnified Party to withhold such consent if any such settlement would impose on any Indemnified Party equitable or non-monetary remedies, or would not provide a full release of all claims against the Surviving Corporation and the Subsidiaries, or would exceed the maximum amount payable by the Indemnifying Parties to the Indemnified Party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.  The Indemnifying Party shall keep such Indemnified Party apprised of the status of the claim and any resulting Proceeding, shall furnish such Indemnified Party with all documents and information that such Indemnified Party shall reasonably request and shall consult with such Indemnified Party prior to acting on major matters, including settlement discussions.  Notwithstanding anything herein stated, such Indemnified Party shall at all times have the right to fully participate in (but not control) such defense at its own expense directly or through counsel; provided, however, if the named parties to the Proceeding include both the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate under applicable standards of professional conduct, the reasonable expense of separate counsel for such Indemnified Party shall be paid by the Indemnifying Party; provided, however, that such Indemnifying Party shall be obligated to pay for only one counsel for the Indemnified Party in any jurisdiction. If no such notice of intent to dispute and defend is given by the Indemnifying Party, or if such diligent good faith defense is not being or ceases to be conducted, such Indemnified Party may undertake the defense of (with counsel selected by such Indemnified Party, which counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Indemnifying Party), and shall have the right to compromise or settle, such claim or Loss (exercising reasonable business judgment) and after receiving the written consent of the Indemnifying Parties.  If such claim or Loss is one that by its nature cannot be defended solely by the Indemnifying Party, then such Indemnified Party shall, at the expense of the Indemnifying Party make available all information and assistance that the Indemnifying Party may reasonably request and shall cooperate with the Indemnifying Party in such defense.

 

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(d)                                 Notwithstanding anything in this Section 10.5 to the contrary, the provisions of Section 7.11 shall, to the extent inconsistent with this Section 10.5, govern any third party claim relating to Taxes.

 

10.6                           Calculation of Losses.

 

(a)                                  The amount of any Losses for which indemnification is provided under this Article X shall be net of any amounts actually received by such Indemnified Party under insurance policies or with respect to such Losses and shall be reduced to take account of any net Tax benefit actually realized by the Indemnified Party arising from the incurrence or payment of any such Losses.  In computing the amount of any such Tax benefit actually realized, the Indemnified Party shall be deemed to recognize any item of loss, deduction or credit as a result of such indemnified Loss after the recognition of any other items of loss, deduction or credit.  In the event the Ticketmaster Indemnified Parties receive any such insurance proceeds, the amount of such recovery shall be applied first, to reimburse the Ticketmaster Indemnified Parties for their out-of-pocket expenses (including attorney’s fees and expenses) expended in pursuing such recovery, second, to refund any payments made by the Stockholder Indemnifying Parties pursuant to Article X which would not have been so paid had such recovery been obtained prior to such payment, and third, to the Ticketmaster Indemnified Parties.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms of this Section 10.6(a) shall in no event obligate Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation, the Subsidiaries any of their Affiliates to maintain any insurance policy or specific level of coverage under any policy, or permit the Indemnifying Party to withhold any or all Losses until a claim is resolved.

 

(b)                                 Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to take all appropriate steps to mitigate any of its Losses (including, to the extent consistent with sound business judgment, incurring costs only to the minimum extent necessary to remedy the breach which gives rise to the Losses) upon becoming aware of any event which would reasonably be expected to, or does, give rise thereto; provided, however, that in no event shall the terms of this Section 10.6(b) in any way obligate Ticketmaster, the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries to take any steps that would, or that could reasonably be expected to, adversely impact in any way the operation or financial performance of Ticketmaster, the Surviving Corporation, the Subsidiaries or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

(c)                                  Ticketmaster, Merger Sub, the Company, the Stockholders’ Representative and the Material Stockholders agree to treat any indemnification payments received pursuant to this Agreement for all Tax purposes as an adjustment to the Merger Consideration.

 

10.7                           Exclusive Remedy.  Following the Closing, the indemnification obligations of the Indemnifying Parties under this Article X shall be the sole and exclusive monetary remedy of the Indemnified Parties for any and all claims or rights regarding any breach or violation of any representations or warranties of the Company, any Material Stockholder, the Stockholders’ Representative, Ticketmaster or Merger Sub, as applicable, under this Agreement, other than in respect of any such claims or rights which are based on fraud or a willful and intentional breach of this Agreement.  In the event that the Material Stockholders or the Stockholders’ Representative are required to make a payment to any Ticketmaster Indemnified Party pursuant to the terms of this Article X, such payment shall be satisfied first, with the Escrow Amount by

 

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withdrawal from the Escrow Account, and second, only after funds in the Escrow Account have been exhausted, at the option of Ticketmaster, by the Material Stockholders individually on a pro-rata basis.  In the event that any amounts owed by a Material Stockholder resulting from a breach of any representation or warranty contained in Article V or Section 11.1(h) have been satisfied by amounts in the Escrow Account, such amounts shall be deducted from the amounts payable to such Material Stockholder or Stockholders upon the release of the any portion of the Escrow Amount (or, at the option of Ticketmaster, such Material Stockholder or Stockholders shall be obligated to pay an amount equal to the deducted amount into the Escrow Account).

 

ARTICLE XI
STOCKHOLDERS’ REPRESENTATIVE

 

11.1                           The Stockholders’ Representative.

 

(a)                                  Each of the Material Stockholders does hereby irrevocably make, constitute and appoint the Stockholders’ Representative as his, her or its agent, to act in his, her or its name, place and stead, as such Material Stockholder’s attorney-in-fact, to (i) execute and deliver all documents necessary or desirable to carry out the intent of the Transaction Documents (including in the name of, or on behalf of, such Material Stockholder), (ii) make all elections or decisions entered into in connection with this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, (iii) hold such Material Stockholder’s equity securities of the Company and transfer, exercise or convert such equity securities, as the case may be, in accordance with the terms hereof, (iv) act on such Material Stockholder’s behalf in connection with all obligations and agreements of the Material Stockholders under the Transaction Documents, (v) amend, waive or otherwise change the terms or conditions of this Agreement and each other Transaction Document on behalf of such Material Stockholder, (vi) defend, settle and make payments to the Ticketmaster Indemnified Parties on behalf of such Material Stockholder in connection with any claim for indemnification made by any Ticketmaster Indemnified Party pursuant to Article X hereof and to initiate and prosecute any claim for indemnification made by or on behalf of such Material Stockholder pursuant to Article X hereof (and such Material Stockholder recognizes and acknowledges, for the benefit of Ticketmaster and the Surviving Corporation, that he, she or it shall have no independent right to pursue any such claim), (vii) receive any deliveries of the Merger Consideration (as adjusted pursuant hereto), or other amounts due to such Material Stockholder under the Transaction Documents, review and accept all calculations regarding such payments and negotiate any modifications thereto (and such Material Stockholder recognizes and acknowledges, for the benefit of Ticketmaster and the Surviving Corporation, that he, she or it shall have no independent right to pursue any claim regarding such payments, calculations or modifications), (viii) give and receive on behalf of the Material Stockholders any and all notices from or to any Material Stockholder or Stockholders under the Transaction Documents, (ix) if necessary or desirable, as determined by the Stockholders’ Representative in its sole discretion, incorporate corporations, organize partnerships, organize limited liability companies and take similar actions on behalf of the Material Stockholders and take all actions in connection therewith, and (x) otherwise exercise all rights of such Material Stockholder and otherwise act on behalf of such Material Stockholder under the Transaction Documents and in connection with any of the Transactions, in each case as if such Material Stockholder had personally done such act, and the Stockholders’ Representative hereby accepts such appointment.  Any proceeds or other assets received by the Stockholders’ Representative from Ticketmaster, Merger Sub or the

 

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Company on behalf of the Material Stockholders (including the Initial Merger Consideration and the Subsequent Merger Consideration) shall be distributed to the Material Stockholders as promptly as practicable by the Stockholders’ Representative, in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.  The death, incapacity, dissolution, liquidation, insolvency or bankruptcy of any Material Stockholder shall not terminate such appointment or the authority and agency of the Stockholders’ Representative.  The power-of-attorney granted in this Article XI is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable.

 

(b)                                 The Stockholders’ Representative shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any statements furnished to it by any other Material Stockholder, the Company, Ticketmaster, Merger Sub or any third Person or any other evidence reasonably deemed by the Stockholders’ Representative to be reliable, and the Stockholders’ Representative shall be entitled to act on the advice of counsel selected by it.

 

(c)                                  The Stockholders’ Representative shall be entitled to retain counsel acceptable to it and to incur such expenses as the Stockholders’ Representative deems to be necessary or appropriate in connection with its performance of its obligations under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, and all such fees and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by the Stockholders’ Representative shall be a deducted from the Reserve Amount or otherwise shall be jointly and severally borne by each other Material Stockholder.

 

(d)                                 The Material Stockholders hereby agree to jointly and severally indemnify the Stockholders’ Representative (in its capacity as such) against, and to hold the Stockholders’ Representative (in its capacity as such) harmless from, any and all Losses and other Liabilities of whatever kind which may at any time be imposed upon, incurred by or asserted against the Stockholders’ Representative in such capacity in any way relating to or arising out of its action or failures to take action pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.

 

(e)                                  TNSH, LLC shall be the initial Stockholders’ Representative and shall serve as the Stockholders’ Representative until his resignation, which resignation shall only be effective upon the selection of a new Stockholders’ Representative as provided in this Section 11(e).  Upon the resignation of TNSH, LLC, the Material Stockholders holding a majority of the Common Stock on an as converted basis as of immediately prior to the Closing shall select a new Stockholders’ Representative.  Each time a new Stockholders’ Representative is appointed pursuant to this Agreement, such Person, as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of such appointment, shall accept such position in writing and execute a joinder to this Agreement and other Transaction Documents to which the Stockholders’ Representative is a party, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Ticketmaster.

 

(f)                                    The provisions of this Article XI shall in no way impose any obligations on Ticketmaster or Merger Sub.  In particular, notwithstanding any notice received by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub to the contrary, and absent bad faith or willful misconduct, Ticketmaster and Merger Sub (i) shall be fully protected in relying upon and shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall have no Liability to the Material Stockholders with respect to, actions, decisions and determinations of the Stockholders’ Representative and (ii) shall be entitled to

 

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assume that all actions, decisions and determinations of the Stockholders’ Representative are fully authorized by all of the Material Stockholders.

 

(g)           The Reserve Amount shall be used by the Stockholders’ Representative to cover fees and expenses incurred by the Stockholders’ Representative in connection with his acting in such capacity, to cover fees and expenses payable in connection with the Transactions that arise or become due and payable after Closing and may be used for such other matters in connection with the Transactions as the Stockholders’ Representative may reasonably determine in his sole discretion.  The Reserve Amount shall be held by the Stockholders’ Representative and each Material Stockholder shall be entitled to his, her or its pro-rata portion of the Reserve Amount when the Reserve Amount is distributed.  The Reserve Amount shall be distributed to the Material Stockholders at such times, and in such amounts, as the Stockholders’ Representative reasonably determines in his sole discretion.

 

(h)           The Stockholders’ Representative hereby represents and warrants to Ticketmaster and Merger Sub that (i) such Stockholders’ Representative has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the Transactions, and (ii) this Agreement has been, and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party will be, at or prior to the Closing, duly and validly executed and delivered by the Stockholders’ Representative and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties hereto and thereto other than the Material Stockholders and the Company) this Agreement constitutes, and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party, when so executed and delivered will constitute, the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Stockholders’ Representative, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception and (iii) none of the execution and delivery by the Stockholders’ Representative of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party or compliance by the Stockholders’ Representative with any of the provisions hereof or thereof will conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of, conflict with or cause a default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give rise to a right of termination or cancellation or result in the creation of any Encumbrances upon any of the properties or assets of the Stockholders’ Representative under, (A) any provision of any Contract or Permit to which the Stockholders’ Representative is a party or by which any of the properties or assets of the Stockholders’ Representative are bound, (B) any Order of any Governmental Body applicable to the Stockholders’ Representative or by which any of the properties or assets of the Stockholders’ Representative are bound, or (C) any applicable Law and (iv) no Consent, Order or Permit is required on the part of the Stockholders’ Representative in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Transaction Documents to which it is a party or the compliance by the Stockholders’ Representative with any of the provisions hereof or thereof.

 

11.2         No Reliance.  The decision of each Material Stockholder to consent to the Transactions pursuant to the Transaction Documents has been made by such Material Stockholder independently of any other Material Stockholder and independently of any information, materials, statements or opinions as to the terms and conditions of any Transaction Document that may have been made or given by the Stockholders’ Representative, any other Material Stockholder or by any Representative of the Stockholders’ Representative, and neither Ticketmaster, Merger Sub, the Company, the Stockholders’ Representative nor any Material

 

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Stockholder or any of their respective Representatives shall have any Liability to any other Material Stockholder (or any other Person) relating to or arising from any such information, materials, statements or opinions, except as expressly provided in a written agreement, if any, between or among the Stockholders or as a result of fraud.

 

ARTICLE XII
MISCELLANEOUS

 

12.1         Binding Effect; Assignment.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and permitted assigns, in accordance with the terms hereof.  Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by the Company or the Material Stockholders without the prior written consent of Ticketmaster, or by Ticketmaster or Merger Sub without the prior written consent of the Material Stockholders, except that Ticketmaster and Merger Sub may, without such consent, assign its rights hereunder (either before or after the Closing Date), to an Affiliate or a Subsidiary of Ticketmaster L.L.C, a Virginia limited liability company; provided, however, that no such assignment shall release Ticketmaster of any of its obligations under this Agreement.  Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, and no other Person shall have any right, benefit or obligation hereunder, unless expressly stated to be otherwise.

 

12.2         Notices.  Unless otherwise provided herein, any notice, request, instruction or other document to be given hereunder by any party to the other shall be in writing and delivered in person or by courier, telegraphed, telexed or by facsimile transmission or mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested (such mailed notice to be effective on the date of such receipt is acknowledged), as follows:

 

If to Ticketmaster or Merger Sub:

 

Ticketmaster L.L.C.
9800 West Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Attn:  General Counsel
Fax:  (310) 360-3373

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Times Square Tower
7 Times Square
New York, New York 10036
Attention:  Douglas Ryder
Fax:  (212) 326-2061

 

67



 

If to the Company, to:

 

The V.I.P. Tour Company

3800 Golf Road, Suite 125
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
Attention: Sridhar Murthy
Fax:  (815) 333-0377

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Perkins Coie LLP
101 Jefferson Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025-1114
Attention:  Ralph L. Arnheim
Fax:  (650) 838-0024

 

If to the Stockholders’ Representative, including notices for delivery to the Material Stockholders:

 

TNSH, LLC
c/o New World Ventures
1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1600
Evanston, Illinois 60201
Attention:  Chris Girgenti
Fax:  (847) 328-8297

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Perkins Coie LLP
101 Jefferson Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025-1114
Attention:  Ralph L. Arnheim
Fax:  (650) 838-0024

 

Any party may, from time to time, designate any other address to which any such notice to such party shall be sent.  Any such notice shall be deemed to have been delivered upon receipt.

 

12.3         Choice of Law.  This Agreement shall be deemed to be a Contract made under, and shall be construed in accordance with, the Laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements entered into and to be wholly performed within such State, except (a) to the extent the Laws of the State of Delaware are mandatorily applicable to the Merger and (b) with respect to the provisions set forth in Section 7.7, which shall be governed by the Laws of the State of Illinois.

 

12.4         Entire Agreement; Amendments and Waivers.  This Agreement, together with the other Transaction Documents and the Non-Disclosure Agreement dated September 10, 2007, constitutes the entire agreement among the parties pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings, negotiations and discussions, whether oral or written, of the parties.  This Agreement may only be supplemented, modified or amended by

 

68



 

written action by the Company and Ticketmaster.  No course of dealing between or among any of the parties hereto and no delay on the part of any party hereto in exercising any rights hereunder or thereunder shall operate as a waiver of the rights hereof and thereof.  No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly provided.

 

12.5         Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed by facsimile and in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

12.6         Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement is deemed or held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, this Agreement shall be considered divisible and inoperative as to such provision to the extent it is deemed to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, and in all other respects this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect; provided, however, that if any provision of this Agreement is deemed or held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable there shall be added hereto automatically a provision as similar as possible to such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision that is legal, valid and enforceable.  Further, should any provision contained in this Agreement ever be reformed or rewritten by any judicial body of competent jurisdiction, such provision as so reformed or rewritten shall be binding upon all parties hereto.

 

12.7         No Third Party Beneficiaries.  Except as set forth in Article X and Section 7.13, nothing expressed or referred to in this Agreement will be construed to give any Person other than the parties to this Agreement (and their successors and assigns) any legal or equitable right, remedy, or claim under or with respect to this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement.

 

12.8         Specific Performance.  The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event any provision of this Agreement was not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that Ticketmaster and Merger Sub shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof, in addition to any other remedy at Law or equity without the necessity of demonstrating the inadequacy of monetary damages.

 

12.9         Expenses.  Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, (a) Ticketmaster will pay its own fees and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) the Company Transaction Expenses shall be paid by the Company prior to the Effective Time, or by the Stockholders after the Effective Time.  In the event this Agreement is duly terminated pursuant to Article IX hereof, except as otherwise provided herein, each of the parties hereto shall be solely responsible for all of its respective accounting, legal, and broker fees and out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the Transactions.

 

12.10       Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers.  Each party hereto 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 another party hereto or its successors or assigns shall be brought in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law and, to the extent not so permitted, in any court sitting in the State of Delaware, and each of the parties hereto hereby (a) irrevocably submits with regard to any such

 

69



 

action or Proceeding for itself and in respect to its property, generally and unconditionally, to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts in the event any dispute arises out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby, (b) agrees that it will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave from any such court and (c) agrees that it will not bring any action relating to this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby in any court other than the aforesaid courts.  Any service of process to be made in such action or Proceeding may be made by delivery of process in accordance with the notice provisions contained in Section 12.2.  Each of the parties hereto 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, (w) the defense of sovereign immunity, (x) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts for any reason other than the failure to serve process in accordance with this Section 12.10, (y) 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 (z) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law that (i) the suit, action or Proceeding in any such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such suit, action or Proceeding is improper and (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts.

 

12.11       Publicity.  On and after the date hereof, Ticketmaster shall coordinate all publicity relating to the Transactions, including with respect to any press release, publicity statement or other public notice relating to this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or the Transactions; provided, however, that Ticketmaster shall, to the extent practicable, consult the Company with respect to, and give the Company an opportunity to review and comment upon (but not to consent to) any press release, publicity statement or other public notice made or issued with respect to the Transactions.

 

12.12       WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF PROCEEDINGS, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

70



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement or caused this Agreement to be duly executed on their respective behalf, by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

TICKETMASTER

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE V.I.P. TOUR COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

V.I.P. MERGER SUB, INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

STOCKHOLDERS’ REPRESENTATIVE:

 

 

 

 

 

TNSH, LLC, as Stockholders’ Representative

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

Signature Page to Merger Agreement

 



 

 

ADAMS STREET 2006 DIRECT FUND, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADAMS STREET 2007 DIRECT FUND, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADAMS STREET V, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW WORLD 2007, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

NWV TICKETSNOW INVESTMENT CO., LLC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

PORTAGE FOUNDERS, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

PORTAGE VENTURE FUND, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

Signature Page to Merger Agreement

 



 

 

WIND DANCER CAPITAL, LP

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

WIND DANCER CAPITAL, LP (MATTHEW B. MCCALL)

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

WIND DANCER VENTURE FUND, LLC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Name:

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Michael Domek

 

Michael Domek

 

 

 

/s/ Sridhar Murthy

 

Sridhar Murthy

 

 

 

/s/ Cheryl Rosner

 

Cheryl Rosner

 

 

 

/s/ Shawn Freeman

 

Shawn Freeman

 

 

Signature Page to Merger Agreement

 


 

Exhibit A

 

Stockholders of the Company

 

74



 

Exhibit B

 

Form of Stockholders’ Agreement

 

75



 

Exhibit C

 

Amended Certificate of Incorporation of the Company

 

76



 

Exhibit D

 

Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company

 

77



 

Exhibit E

 

Form of Escrow Agreement

 

78



 

Exhibit F

 

Form of Legal Opinion of Perkins Coie

 

79



 

Exhibit G

 

Form of Cash, Indebtedness and Expenses Schedule

 

 

 

Amount

Estimated Closing Balance Sheet:

 

 

Estimated Working Capital:

 

 

Estimated Closing Date Cash:

 

 

Estimated Closing Date Indebtedness:

 

 

 

[Payee]:

 

 

 

80



 

Exhibit H

 

Form of Payment Schedule

 

Name

 

Shares of
Common
Stock held

 

Shares of
Preferred
Stock held

 

Common
Stock
underlying
Warrants or
Options (net
of exercise
price)

 

Amount of
Initial Merger
consideration

 

% of
Reserve
Amount

 

% of
Escrow
Amount

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

81



 

Exhibit I

 

Accounting Principles

 

82



EX-3.1 4 a2187104zex-3_1.htm EXHIBIT 3.1

Exhibit 3.1

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

OF

 

TICKETMASTER

 

Ticketmaster (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, hereby certifies that:

 

1.             The original Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on September 20, 1995.

 

2.             The name under which the Corporation was initially incorporated is PerfectMarket, Inc.

 

3.             This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation restates and amends in its entirety the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation.

 

4.             This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation and by the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

 

5.             The text of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended and restated to read in full as follows:

 

FIRST:                    The name of the corporation is Ticketmaster (the “Corporation”).

 

SECOND:               The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is c/o National Registered Agents, Inc., 160 Greentree Drive, Suite 101 City of Dover, County of Kent, State of Delaware 19904.  The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at that address is National Registered Agents, Inc.

 

THIRD:                  The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State

 

1



 

of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

 

FOURTH:              A.            The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is three hundred and twenty-five million (325,000,000), consisting of three hundred million (300,000,000) shares of Common Stock, par value one cent ($.01) per share (the “Common Stock”) and twenty-five million (25,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock, par value one cent ($.01) per share (the “Preferred Stock”).

 

B.            The board of directors (the “Board”) is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, to provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in series, and by filing a certificate pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware (such certificate being hereinafter referred to as a “Preferred Stock Designation”), to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences, and rights of the shares of each such series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof.  The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, without a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or of any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to the terms of any Preferred Stock Designation.

 

C.            Each outstanding share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their vote; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation relating to any series of Preferred

 

2



 

Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock).

 

FIFTH:                   The Corporation elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

SIXTH:                   The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its directors and stockholders:

 

A.            The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.  In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon them by statute or by this Certificate of Incorporation or the by-laws of the Corporation, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.

 

B.            The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the by-laws so provide.

 

C.            Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.

 

D.            Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders

 

3



 

of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by or at the direction of the Board or by a person specifically designated with such authority by the Board.  Stockholders are not entitled to call special meetings.

 

SEVENTH:             A.            Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board.

 

B.            Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall, unless otherwise required by law or by resolution of the Board, be filled only by a majority vote of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum (and not by stockholders).  Any director so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders and until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other reason.

 

C.            Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the by-laws of the Corporation.

 

EIGHTH:                The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal by-laws of the Corporation.

 

NINTH:                  A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the

 

4



 

Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.  If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.

 

Any repeal or modification of the foregoing paragraph shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

 

TENTH:                 The Corporation reserves the right to amend or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in the manner prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware and all rights conferred upon stockholders are granted subject to this reservation.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be executed by its duly authorized officer this [    ] day of [            ], 2008.

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Chris Riley

 

Title:

Corporate Secretary

 

5



EX-3.2 5 a2187104zex-3_2.htm EXHIBIT 3.2

Exhibit 3.2

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS

 

OF

 

TICKETMASTER

 

ARTICLE I - OFFICES

 

Section 1.                       Registered Office.

 

The registered office of Ticketmaster (the “Corporation”) shall be located in the city of Dover, State of Delaware.

 

Section 2.                       Other Offices.

 

The Corporation may have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as the board of directors (the “Board”) may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

 

ARTICLE II - STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 1.                       Annual Meeting.

 

(1)           An annual meeting of the stockholders, for the election of directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as the Board shall each year fix.

 

(2)           Nominations of persons for election to the Board and the proposal of business to be transacted by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s proxy materials with respect to such meeting, (b) by or at the direction of the Board, or (c) by any stockholder of record of the Corporation (the “Record Stockholder”) at the time of the giving of the notice required in the following paragraph, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this

 



 

section.  For the avoidance of doubt, clause (c) above shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations and propose business (other than business included in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (such act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the “Exchange Act”)) before an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

(3)           For nominations or business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a Record Stockholder pursuant to clause (c) of the foregoing paragraph, (a) the Record Stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation, (b) any such business must be a proper matter for stockholder action under Delaware law, and (c) the Record Stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf any such proposal or nomination is made, must have acted in accordance with the representations set forth in the Solicitation Statement required by these Bylaws.  To be timely, a Record Stockholder’s notice shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than 45 or more than 75 days prior to the first anniversary (the “Anniversary”) of the date on which the Corporation first mailed its proxy materials for the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to or delayed by more than 30 days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, or if the Corporation did not hold an annual meeting during the preceding year, notice by the Record Stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or (ii) the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made.  Such Record Stockholder’s notice shall set forth (a) if such notice pertains to the nomination of directors, as to each person whom the Record Stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director all information relating to

 

2



 

such person as would be required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of such nominees as directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, and such person’s written consent to serve as a director if elected; (b) as to any business that the Record Stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of such business, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such Record Stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and (c) as to the Record Stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such Record Stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) (A) the class, series, and number of shares of the Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by such Record Stockholder and such beneficial owner, (B) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of capital stock of the Corporation or otherwise (a “Derivative Instrument”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (C) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant o which such stockholder has a right to vote any shares of any security of the Company, (D) any short interest in any security of the Company (for purposes of this By-law a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if such person directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any

 

3



 

profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security), (E) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (F) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner and (G) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limiation any such interests held by members of such stockholder’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information shall be supplemented by such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, not later than 10 days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date)  and (iii) a statement whether or not such Record Stockholder or beneficial owner will deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of, in the case of a proposal, at least the percentage of voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation required under applicable law to carry the proposal or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, at least the percentage of voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation reasonably believed by such Record Stockholder or beneficial holder to be sufficient to elect the nominee or nominees proposed to be nominated by such Record Stockholder (such statement, a “Solicitation Statement”).

 

(4)           Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of the third paragraph of this Section 1 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board made by the Corporation at least 55 days prior to the Anniversary, a

 

4



 

Record Stockholder’s notice required by this Bylaw shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

 

(5)           A person shall not be eligible for election or re-election as a director at an annual meeting unless (i) the person is nominated by a Record Stockholder in accordance with Section 1(2)(c) or (ii) the person is nominated by or at the direction of the Board.  Only such business shall be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section.  The chairman of the meeting shall have the power and the duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting has been made in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defectively proposed business or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded.

 

(6)           For purposes of these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or a comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

(7)           Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 1.  Nothing in this Section 1 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the

 

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Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

 

Section 2.                       Special Meetings.

 

(1)           Special meetings of the stockholders, other than those required by statute, may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the Board or by a person specifically designated with such authority by the Board.  The Board may postpone or reschedule any previously scheduled special meeting. Stockholders are not entitled to call special meetings.

 

(2)           Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting.  Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board or (b) by any stockholder of record of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in this paragraph, who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in Section 1 of this Article II.  Nominations by stockholders of persons for election to the Board may be made at such a special meeting of stockholders only if the stockholder’s notice required by the third paragraph of Section 1 of this Article II shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board to be elected at such meeting.  A person shall not be eligible for election or reelection as a director at a special meeting unless the person is nominated (i) by or at the direction of the Board or (ii) by a Record Stockholder in accordance with the notice procedures set forth in Section 1 of this Article II.

 

(3)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2, a stockholder

 

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shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.  Nothing in this Section 2 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

 

Section 3.                                                                    Notice of Meetings.

 

Notice of the place, if any, date, and time of all meetings of the stockholders, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, shall be given, not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date on which the meeting is to be held, to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law (meaning, here and hereinafter, as required from time to time by the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), a national securities exchange, or the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation).   Meetings may be held without notice if all stockholders entitled to vote are present (unless any such stockholders are present for the purpose of objecting to the meeting as lawfully called or convened), or if notice is waived by those not present.  Any previously scheduled meeting of the stockholders may be postponed, and (unless the Certificate of Incorporation otherwise provides) any special meeting of the stockholders may be canceled, by resolution of the Board upon public notice given prior to the time previously scheduled for such meeting of stockholders.

 

When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment

 

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is taken; provided, however, that if the date of any adjourned meeting is more than thirty (30) days after the date for which the meeting was originally noticed, or if a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, notice of the place, if any, date, and time of the adjourned meeting and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting, shall be given in conformity herewith.  At any adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.

 

Section 4.                                                                    Quorum.

 

At any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the shares of the stock entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for all purposes, unless or except to the extent that the presence of a larger number may be required by law.  Where a separate vote by a class or classes or series is required, a majority of the voting power of the shares of such class or classes or series present in person or represented by proxy shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter.

 

If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, (a) the chairman of the meeting or (b) the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the shares of the stock present in person or by proxy may adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date, or time.

 

Section 5.                                                                    Organization.

 

Such person as the Board may have designated or, in the absence of such a person, the Chairman of the Board or, in his or her absence, such person as may be chosen by the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, shall call to order any meeting of the stockholders and act as chairman of the meeting.  In the

 

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absence of the Secretary of the Corporation, the secretary of the meeting shall be such person as the chairman of the meeting appoints.

 

Section 6.                                                                    Conduct of Business.

 

The chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of discussion as seem to him or her in order.  The chairman shall have the power to adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date and time.  The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting.

 

Section 7.                                                                    Proxies and Voting.

 

At any meeting of the stockholders, every stockholder entitled to vote may vote in person or by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting.  Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission created pursuant to this paragraph may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.

 

The Corporation may, and to the extent required by law, shall, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof.  The Corporation may designate one or more alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act.  If no inspector or alternate is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting may, and to the extent required by law, shall, appoint one or more

 

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inspectors to act at the meeting.  Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability.  Every vote taken by ballots shall be counted by a duly appointed inspector or inspectors.

 

All elections shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast, and except as otherwise required by law, all other matters shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively.

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.

 

Section 8.                                                                    Stock List.

 

A complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders, arranged in alphabetical order for each class of stock and showing the address of each such stockholder and the number of shares registered in his or her name, shall be open to the examination of any such stockholder for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting in the manner provided by law.

 

The stock list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting as provided by law.  This list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them.

 

ARTICLE III - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 1.                                                                    Number, Election and Term of Directors.

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors

 

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under specified circumstances, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board.

 

Section 2.                                                                    Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies.

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall, unless otherwise required by law or by resolution of the Board, be filled only by a majority vote of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum (and not by stockholders).  No decrease in the number of authorized directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

Section 3.                                                                    Regular Meetings.

 

Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at such place or places, on such date or dates, and at such time or times as shall have been established by the Board and publicized among all directors.

 

Section 4.                                                                    Special Meetings.

 

Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairman of the Board, the CEO or by a majority of the Board and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as they or he or she shall fix.  Notice of the place, date, and time of each such special meeting shall be given to each director by whom it is not waived by mailing written notice not less than five (5) days before the meeting or by telephone or by telegraphing or telexing or by facsimile or electronic transmission of the same not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting.  Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.  A meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present or if those not present

 

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waive notice of the meeting in accordance with Section 2 of Article VII of these By-Laws.

 

Section 5.                                                                    Quorum.

 

At any meeting of the Board, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for all purposes.  If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting to another place, date, or time, without further notice or waiver thereof.

 

Section 6.                                                                    Participation in Meetings By Conference Telephone.

 

Members of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

Section 7.                                                                    Conduct of Business.

 

At any meeting of the Board, business shall be transacted in such order and manner as the Board may from time to time determine, and all matters shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the directors present, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law.  Action may be taken by the Board without a meeting if all members thereof consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board.  Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

Section 8.                                                                    Compensation of Directors.

 

Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of the directors.  The directors may be paid their expenses, if

 

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any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board or paid a stated salary or paid other compensation as a director.  No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.  Members of special or standing committees may be allowed compensation for attending committee meetings.

 

ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES

 

Section 1.                                                                    Committees of the Board.

 

The Board may from time to time designate committees of the Board, with such lawfully delegable powers and duties as it thereby confers, to serve at the pleasure of the Board and shall, for those committees and any others provided for herein, elect a director or directors to serve as the member or members, designating, if it desires, other directors as alternate members who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee.  In the absence or disqualification of any member of any committee and any alternate member in his or her place, the member or members of the committee present at the meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or she or they constitute a quorum, may by unanimous vote appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member.

 

Section 2.                                                                    Conduct of Business.

 

Each committee may determine the procedural rules for meeting and conducting its business and shall act in accordance therewith, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law.  Adequate provision shall be made for notice to members of all meetings; one-third (1/3) of the members, but never less than two members, shall constitute a quorum, unless the committee shall consist of one (1) member, in which event one (1) member shall constitute a quorum; and all matters shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present.  Action may be taken by any

 

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committee without a meeting if all members thereof consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of the proceedings of such committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

ARTICLE V – CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD; OFFICERS

 

Section 1.                                                                    Generally.

 

The Corporation shall have a Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer (the “CEO”), a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers as may from time to time be appointed by the Board, all of whom shall perform such duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board.  Any two (2) or more offices may be held by the same person.  Officers shall be elected by the Board, which shall consider that subject at its first meeting after every annual meeting of stockholders.  Each officer shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal.  Any number of offices may be held by the same person.  The salaries of officers elected by the Board shall be fixed from time to time by the Board or by such officers as may be designated by resolution of the Board.

 

Section 2.                                                                    Chairman of the Board of Directors.

 

Subject to the provisions of these By-laws and to the direction of the Board, the Chairman of the Board shall preside at meetings of the Board, shall have the duties as prescribed by theses By-laws and such other duties as may be delegated to him or her by the Board.

 

Section 3.                                                                    The Chief Executive Officer.

 

Subject to the provisions of these By-laws and to the direction of the Board, the CEO shall have the responsibility for the general management and control of the business and

 

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affairs of the Corporation and shall perform all duties and have all powers which are commonly incident to the office of chief executive or which are delegated to him or her by the Board.  He or she shall have power to sign all stock certificates, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation which are authorized and shall have general supervision and direction of all of the other officers, employees and agents of the Corporation.

 

Section 4.                                                                    President.

 

The Board or the CEO may elect a President to have such duties and responsibilities as from time to time may be assigned to him by the CEO or the Board.  He or she shall have general responsibility for the management and control of the operations of the Corporation and shall perform all duties and have all powers which are commonly incident to the office of chief operating officer or which are delegated to him or her by the Board or the CEO.  Subject to the direction of the Board and the Chairman of the Board, the President shall have power to sign all stock certificates, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation which are authorized, and to all acts which are authorized by the CEO or the Board, and shall, in general, have such other duties and responsibilities as are assigned consistent with the authority of President of a corporation.

 

Section 5.                                                                    Chief Financial Officer.

 

The Chief Financial Officer (if any) shall act in an executive financial capacity. He shall assist the CEO and the President, if any, in the general supervision of the Corporation’s financial policies and affairs.  Subject to the direction of the Board and the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Financial Officer shall have the power to sign all stock certificates, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation which are authorized and shall, in general, have such other duties and responsibilities as are assigned consistently with the authority of a Chief Financial Officer of a corporation.

 

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Section 6.                                                                    Vice Presidents.

 

The Board or the CEO may from time to time name one or more Vice Presidents that may include the designation of Executive Vice Presidents or Senior Vice Presidents all of whom shall perform such duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the CEO or the Board.

 

Section 7.                                                                    Treasurer.

 

The Treasurer shall have the responsibility for maintaining the financial records of the Corporation.  He or she shall make such disbursements of the funds of the Corporation as are authorized and shall render from time to time an account of all such transactions and of the financial condition of the Corporation.  The Treasurer shall also perform such other duties as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

 

Section 8.                                                                    Secretary.

 

The Secretary shall issue all authorized notices for, and shall keep minutes of, all meetings of the stockholders and the Board.  He or she shall have charge of the corporate books and shall perform such other duties as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

 

Section 9.                                                                    Delegation of Authority.

 

The Board may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officers or agents, notwithstanding any provision hereof.

 

Section 10.                                                              Removal.

 

Any officer of the Corporation may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board.

 

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ARTICLE VI - STOCK

 

Section 1.                                                                    Certificates of Stock.

 

The stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board may provide by resolution for any or all of the stock to be uncertificated shares.  Each holder of stock represented by certificates shall be entitled to a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, the Chairman or President, if any (or any Vice President), and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, certifying the number of shares owned by him or her.  Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be by facsimile.

 

Section 2.                                                                    Record Date.

 

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders, or to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may, except as otherwise required by law, fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of any meeting of stockholders, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the time for such other action as hereinbefore described; provided, however, that if no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held, and, for determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of rights or to exercise any rights of change, conversion or exchange of stock or for any other purpose, the record date shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts a resolution relating thereto.

 

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A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

 

Section 3.                                                                    Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates.

 

In the event of the loss, theft or destruction of any certificate of stock, another may be issued in its place pursuant to such regulations as the Board may establish concerning proof of such loss, theft or destruction and concerning the giving of a satisfactory bond or bonds of indemnity.  When authorizing such issue of new certificate(s), the Board may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of the lost or destroyed certificate(s), or such owner’s legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate(s) alleged to have been lost or destroyed.

 

Section 4.                                                                    Regulations.

 

The issue, transfer, conversion and registration of certificates of stock shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board may establish.

 

ARTICLE VII - NOTICES

 

Section 1.                                                                    Notices.

 

If mailed, notice to stockholders shall be deemed given when deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.  Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders may be given by electronic transmission in the manner provided in Section 232 of the DGCL.

 

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Section 2.                                                                    Waivers.

 

A written waiver of any notice, signed by a stockholder or director, or waiver by electronic transmission by such person, whether given before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to the notice required to be given to such person.  Neither the business nor the purpose of any meeting need be specified in such a waiver.  Attendance at any meeting shall constitute waiver of notice except attendance for the sole purpose of objecting to the transaction of business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

ARTICLE VIII - MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 1.                                                                    Facsimile Signatures.

 

In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these By-laws, facsimile signatures of any officer or officers of the Corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board or a committee thereof.  In case any officer or officers who have signed, or whose facsimile signature or signatures have been used on any such certificate or certificates shall cease to be such officer or officers of the Corporation, whether because of death, resignation or otherwise, before such certificate or certificates have been delivered by the Corporation, such certificate or certificates may nevertheless be adopted by the Corporation and be issued and delivered as though the person or persons who signed such certificate or certificates or whose facsimile signature or signatures have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer or officers of the Corporation.

 

Section 2.                                                                    Corporate Seal.

 

The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization, and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware”. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or otherwise reproduced.

 

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Section 3.                                                                    Reliance upon Books, Reports and Records.

 

Each director, each member of any committee designated by the Board, and each officer of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of its officers or employees, or committees of the Board so designated, or by any other person as to matters which such director or committee member reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.

 

Section 4.                                                                    Fiscal Year.

 

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be as fixed by the Board.

 

Section 5.                                                                    Time Periods.

 

In applying any provision of these By-laws which requires that an act be done or not be done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded, and the day of the event shall be included.

 

ARTICLE IX - INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

 

Section 1.                                                                    Indemnification.

 

(A) Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or a person of whom he is the legal representative is or was, at any time during which this By-Law is in effect (whether or not such person continues to serve in such capacity at the time any indemnification or payment of

 

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expenses pursuant hereto is sought or at the time any proceeding relating thereto exists or is brought), a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was at any such time serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer or trustee of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Corporation (each such person, an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer or trustee or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer or trustee, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer or trustee and shall inure to the benefit of his heirs, executors and administrators;  provided,  however, that except as provided in paragraph (C) of this By-Law, the Corporation shall indemnify any such indemnitee seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board. The right to indemnification conferred in this By-Law shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition, such advances to be paid by the Corporation within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Corporation of a statement or statements from the claimant requesting such advance or advances from time to time; provided,  however, that if the DGCL requires, the payment of such

 

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expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter, the “undertaking”) by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal (a “final disposition”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this By-Law or otherwise. The rights conferred upon indemnitees in this By-Law shall be contract rights that vest at the time of such person’s service to or at the request of the Corporation and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer or trustee and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.

 

(B)   To obtain indemnification under this By-Law, a claimant shall submit to the Corporation a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to the claimant and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to indemnification. Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of this paragraph (B), a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows: (i) by the Board by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), even though less than a quorum, or (ii) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or the Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant, or (iv) if a quorum of Disinterested

 

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Directors so directs, by the stockholders of the Corporation. If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within 10 days after such determination.

 

  (C)   If a claim under paragraph (A) of this By-Law is not paid in full by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after a written claim pursuant to paragraph (B) of this By-Law has been received by the Corporation (except in the case of a claim for advancement of expenses, for which the applicable period is twenty (20) days), the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible under the DGCL for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including the Disinterested Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including the Disinterested Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

(D)   If a determination shall have been made pursuant to paragraph (B) of this By-Law that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, the Corporation shall be bound by such

 

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determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to paragraph (C) of this By-Law.

 

(E)   The Corporation shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to paragraph (C) of this By-Law that the procedures and presumptions of this By-Law are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in such proceeding that the Corporation is bound by all the provisions of this By-Law.

 

(F)   The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this By-Law (i) shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, By-Laws, agreement, vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors or otherwise and (ii) cannot be terminated by the Corporation, the Board or the stockholders of the Corporation with respect to a person’s service prior to the date of such termination. Any amendment, modification, alteration or repeal of this By-Law that in any way diminishes, limits, restricts, adversely affects or eliminates any right of an indemnitee or his successors to indemnification, advancement of expenses or otherwise shall be prospective only and shall not in any way diminish, limit, restrict, adversely affect or eliminate any such right with respect to any actual or alleged state of facts, occurrence, action or omission then or previously existing, or any action, suit or proceeding previously or thereafter brought or threatened based in whole or in part upon any such actual or alleged state of facts, occurrence, action or omission.

 

(G)   The Corporation may grant rights to indemnification, and rights to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any current or former employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the

 

24



 

provisions of this By-Law with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of current or former directors and officers of the Corporation.

 

(H)   If any provision or provisions of this By-Law shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (1) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this By-Law (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this By-Law containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (2) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this By-Law (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this By-Law containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

(I)   For purposes of this By-Law:

 

(i)   “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Corporation who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the claimant.

 

(ii)   “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner, selected by the Disinterested Directors (if such Disinterested Directors so exist), that is experienced in matters of corporation law and shall include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing either the Corporation or the claimant in an action to determine the claimant’s rights

 

25



 

under this By-Law.

 

(J)   Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the Corporation under this By-Law shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by telecopy, telex, telegram, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Secretary of the Corporation and shall be effective only upon receipt by the Secretary.

 

     Section 2.                  Insurance.

 

The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any current or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation and any current or former director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including any person who serves or served in any such capacity with respect to any employee benefit plan maintained or sponsored by the Corporation, against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS

 

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by law, the Board is expressly authorized to adopt, amend and repeal these By-Laws subject to the power of the holders of capital stock of the Corporation to adopt, amend or repeal the By-Laws.

 

26



EX-5.1 6 a2187104zex-5_1.htm EXHIBIT 5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

August 1, 2008

 

Ticketmaster
8800 Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

 

Re:          Registration Statement on Form S-1 of Ticketmaster

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

I am the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of IAC/InterActiveCorp, a Delaware corporation (“IAC”). This opinion is being delivered in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) relating to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which relates to 72,186,499 shares of common stock (“Common Stock”), par value $.01 per share, of Ticketmaster  (the “Company”), which will be issued (i) in connection with spin-off transaction, (ii) in respect of certain equity-based awards previously issued pursuant to IAC’s equity incentive plans that will be converted, in whole or in part, in connection with the spin-off into equity-based awards under the Ticketmaster 2008 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan (the “Stock and Annual Incentive Plan”), (iii) in respect of equity-based awards that may be granted from time to time following the spin-off pursuant to the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan and (iv) pursuant to the Ticketmaster Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (such IAC equity incentive plans, the Stock and Annual Incentive Plan and the Ticketmaster Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors, the “Plans”).

 

In rendering this opinion, I have (i) examined such corporate records and other documents (including the Company’s charter and bylaws as currently in effect and the Registration Statement and the exhibits thereto), and have reviewed such matters of law, as I have deemed necessary or appropriate, (ii) assumed the genuineness of all signatures or instruments relied upon by me, and the conformity of certified copies submitted to me with the original documents to which such certified copies relate, and (iii) have further assumed that there will be no changes in applicable law between the date of this opinion and the dates on which the Securities are issued or sold pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

The Company is a Delaware corporation, and while I am not engaged in the practice of law in the State of Delaware, I am generally familiar with the Delaware General Corporation Law as presently in effect and have made such inquires as I considered necessary to render this opinion.  I am a member of the Bar of the State of New York and express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the federal laws of the United States, the laws of the State of New York and the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

Based on and subject to the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the Securities will be, upon issuance and delivery pursuant to the terms and conditions as set forth in the Registration Statement, legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

I hereby consent to be named in the Registration Statement and in the related prospectus contained therein as the attorney who passed upon the legality of the Securities and to the filing of a copy of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, I do not thereby admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

/s/ Gregory R. Blatt

 

Executive Vice President, General

Counsel and Secretary of IAC/InterActiveCorp

 



EX-8.1 7 a2187104zex-8_1.htm EXHIBIT 8.1

Exhibit 8.1

 

[WLRK Letterhead]

 

August 1, 2008

 

Ticketmaster

8800 Sunset Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90069

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (as amended through the date hereof, the “Registration Statement”) of Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation (“Ticketmaster”), including the Prospectus, forming a part thereof, relating to the proposed spin-off of Ticketmaster from IAC/InterActiveCorp and the related transactions contemplated to occur prior to or contemporaneously with the spin-off of Ticketmaster.

 

We have participated in the preparation of the discussion, set forth in the section entitled “THE SEPARATION—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Spin-Offs” in the Registration Statement.  In our opinion, such discussion of those consequences, insofar as it summarizes United States federal income tax law, is accurate in all material respects.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and to the references therein to us. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

/s/Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

 



EX-10.1 8 a2187104zex-10_1.htm EXHIBIT 10.1

Exhibit 10.1

 

FORM OF

 

TAX SHARING AGREEMENT

 

by and among

 

IAC/INTERACTIVECORP,

 

TICKETMASTER,

 

INTERVAL LEISURE GROUP, INC.,

 

HSN, INC.

 

and

 

TREE.COM, INC.

 

Dated as of
[  ], 2008

 



 

TAX SHARING AGREEMENT

 

This TAX SHARING AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [ ], 2008, by and among IAC/InterActiveCorp, a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (“Ticketmaster Spinco”), Interval Leisure Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (“Interval Spinco”), HSN, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (“HSN Spinco”), and Tree.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (“Tree Spinco”, together with Ticketmaster Spinco, Interval Spinco, and HSN Spinco, the “Spincos”, and each of the Spincos, a “Spinco”).  Each of Parent, Ticketmaster Spinco, Interval Spinco, HSN Spinco and Tree Spinco is sometimes referred to herein as a “Party” and collectively, as the “Parties”.

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, the Parties have entered into a Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of [  ], 2008 (the “Separation Agreement”), providing for the restructuring of Parent and its subsidiaries into the Parent Group, the Ticketmaster Spinco Group, the Interval Spinco Group, the HSN Spinco Group, and the Tree Spinco Group (each as defined herein);

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Separation Agreement, Parent and its subsidiaries will consummate a series of internal restructuring steps (the “Internal Restructuring Steps”) described in the Transactions Memo;

 

WHEREAS, for federal income tax purposes, it is intended that the Internal Distributions (as defined herein) shall qualify as tax-free transactions under Sections 355(a) and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Separation Agreement, the Parties will effect the Distributions (as defined herein) and related transactions;

 

WHEREAS, for federal income tax purposes, it is intended that the Distributions shall qualify as tax-free transactions under Sections 355(a) and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code;

 

WHEREAS, at the close of business on the Distribution Date of a Spinco, the taxable year of such Spinco shall close for federal income tax purposes; and

 

WHEREAS, the Parties wish to provide for the payment of Income Taxes and Other Taxes and entitlement to Refunds thereof, allocate responsibility and provide for cooperation in connection with the filing of returns in respect of Income Taxes and Other Taxes, and provide for certain other matters relating to Income Taxes and Other Taxes.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the representations, covenants and agreements herein contained and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Parties agree as follows:

 

2



 

1.             DefinitionsCapitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Separation Agreement.  For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

Actually Realized” or “Actually Realizes” shall mean, for purposes of determining the timing of the incurrence of any Spin-Off Tax Liability, Income Tax Liability or Other Tax Liability or the realization of a Refund (or any related Tax cost or benefit), whether by receipt or as a credit or other offset to Taxes payable, by a Person in respect of any payment, transaction, occurrence or event, the time at which the amount of Income Taxes or Other Taxes paid (or Refund realized) by such Person is increased above (or reduced below) the amount of Income Taxes or Other Taxes that such Person would have been required to pay (or Refund that such Person would have realized) but for such payment, transaction, occurrence or event.

 

Aggregate Spin-Off Tax Liabilities” shall mean the sum of the Spin-Off Tax Liabilities with respect to each Taxing Jurisdiction.

 

Breaching Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(c) hereof.

 

Carryback” shall mean the carryback of a Tax Attribute (including, without limitation, a net operating loss, a net capital loss or a tax credit) by a member of a Spinco Group from a Post-Distribution Taxable Period to a Pre-Distribution Taxable Period during which the member of the Spinco Group was included in a Combined Return filed for such Pre-Distribution Taxable Period.

 

Carryback Spinco” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

Cash Acquisition Merger” shall mean a merger of a newly-formed Subsidiary of a Spinco with a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, general partnership or joint venture (in each case, not previously owned directly or indirectly by such Spinco) pursuant to which such Spinco acquires such corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, general partnership or joint venture solely for cash and no Equity Securities of such Spinco or any Subsidiary of such Spinco are issued, sold, redeemed or acquired, directly or indirectly.

 

Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Combined Return” shall mean a consolidated, combined or unitary Income Tax Return or Other Tax Return that includes, by election or otherwise, one or more members of the Parent Group together with one or more members of a Spinco Group.

 

Compensatory Equity Interests” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a).

 

3



 

Distribution” or “Distributions” shall mean, individually or collectively, the Ticketmaster Spinco Distribution, the Interval Spinco Distribution, the HSN Spinco Distribution and the Tree Spinco Distribution.

 

Distribution Date” shall mean, with respect to a Spinco, the date on which the Distribution of such Spinco is completed.

 

Distribution-Related Proceeding” shall mean any Proceeding in which the IRS, another Tax Authority or any other party asserts a position that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Tax-Free Status of any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions.

 

EMA” shall mean the Employee Matters Agreement by and among Parent and the Spincos dated as of [  ], 2008.

 

Employing Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a) hereof.

 

Equity Securities” shall mean any stock or other securities treated as equity for federal income tax purposes, options, warrants, rights, convertible debt, or any other instrument or security that affords any Person the right, whether conditional or otherwise, to acquire stock or to be paid an amount determined by reference to the value of stock.

 

 “Fifty-Percent or Greater Interest” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term for purposes of Sections 355(d) and (e) of the Code.

 

Final Determination” shall mean the final resolution of liability for any Tax, which resolution may be for a specific issue or adjustment or for a taxable period, (a) by IRS Form 870 or 870-AD (or any successor forms thereto), on the date of acceptance by or on behalf of the taxpayer, or by a comparable form under the laws of any other Taxing Jurisdiction, except that a Form 870 or 870-AD or comparable form shall not constitute a Final Determination to the extent that it reserves (whether by its terms or by operation of law) the right of the taxpayer to file a claim for Refund or the right of the Tax Authority to assert a further deficiency in respect of such issue or adjustment or for such taxable period (as the case may be); (b) by a decision, judgment, decree, or other order by a court of competent jurisdiction, which has become final and unappealable; (c) by a closing agreement or accepted offer in compromise under Sections 7121 or 7122 of the Code, or a comparable agreement under the laws of any other Taxing Jurisdiction; (d) by any allowance of a Refund or credit in respect of an overpayment of Tax, but only after the expiration of all periods during which such Refund may be recovered (including by way of offset) by the Taxing Jurisdiction imposing such Tax; or (e) by any other final disposition, including by reason of the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or by mutual agreement of the parties.

 

Group” shall mean the Parent Group, the Ticketmaster Spinco Group, the Interval Spinco Group, the HSN Spinco Group or the Tree Spinco Group, as applicable.

 

4



 

HSN Spinco Consolidated Group” shall mean the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code without regard to the exclusions in Section 1504(b)(1) through (8)) of which HSN Spinco is the common parent, determined immediately after the HSN Spinco Distribution (and any predecessor or successor to such affiliated group other than the Parent Consolidated Group or any other Spinco Consolidated Group).

 

HSN Spinco Distribution” shall mean the distribution by Parent of all the common stock of HSN Spinco pro rata to holders of Distributing Common Stock and Distributing Class B Common Stock.

 

HSN Spinco Group” shall mean (a) HSN Spinco and each Person that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of HSN Spinco (including any Subsidiary of HSN Spinco that is disregarded for federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local, or foreign tax law)) immediately after the HSN Spinco Distribution after giving effect to the Spin-Off-Related Transactions, (b) any corporation (or other Person) that shall have merged or liquidated into HSN Spinco or any such Subsidiary and (c) any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

 

Income Taxes” (a) shall mean (i) any federal, state, local or foreign taxes, charges, fees, imposts, levies or other assessments that are based upon, measured by, or calculated with respect to (A) net income or profits (including, but not limited to, any capital gains, gross receipts, or minimum tax, and any tax on items of tax preference, but not including sales, use, value added, real property gains, real or personal property, transfer or similar taxes), (B) multiple bases (including, but not limited to, corporate franchise, doing business or occupation taxes), if one or more of the bases upon which such tax may be based, by which it may be measured, or with respect to which it may be calculated is described in clause (a)(i)(A) of this definition, or (C) any net worth, franchise or similar tax, in each case together with (ii) any interest and any penalties, fines, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any Tax Authority with respect thereto and (b) shall include any transferee or successor liability in respect of an amount described in clause (a) of this definition.

 

Income Tax Benefit” shall mean, with respect to a Party and the members of its Group, the excess of (a) the hypothetical Income Tax Liability of the Party and the members of its Group for such taxable period, calculated as if such Carryback had not been utilized but with all other facts unchanged over (b) the actual Income Tax Liability of the Party or the members of its Group for such taxable period, calculated taking into account such Carryback (and treating any Refund as a negative Income Tax Liability for purposes of such calculation).

 

Income Tax Return” shall mean any return, report, filing, statement, questionnaire, declaration or other document required to be filed with a Tax Authority in respect of Income Taxes.

 

Indemnified Party” shall mean any Person seeking indemnification pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

 

5



 

Indemnifying Party” shall mean any Party from which any Indemnified Party is seeking indemnification pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

 

Indemnifying Spinco” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof.

 

Injured Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(c) hereof.

 

Internal Distribution” shall mean any of the Internal Restructuring Steps that is intended to qualify as a as tax-free transaction under Section 355(a) and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code.

 

Internal Restructuring Steps” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

Interval” shall mean Interval Acquisition Corp.

 

Interval Spinco Consolidated Group” shall mean the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code without regard to the exclusions in Section 1504(b)(1) through (8)) of which Interval Spinco is the common parent, determined immediately after the Interval Spinco Distribution (and any predecessor or successor to such affiliated group other than the Parent Consolidated Group or any other Spinco Consolidated Group).

 

 “Interval Spinco Distribution” shall mean the distribution by Parent of all the common stock of Interval Spinco pro rata to holders of Distributing Common Stock and Distributing Class B Common Stock.

 

Interval Spinco Group” shall mean (a) Interval Spinco and each Person that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of Interval Spinco (including any Subsidiary of Interval Spinco that is disregarded for federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local, or foreign tax law)) immediately after the Interval Spinco Distribution after giving effect to the Spin-Off-Related Transactions, (b) any corporation (or other Person) that shall have merged or liquidated into Interval Spinco or any such Subsidiary and (c) any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

 

IRS” shall mean the Internal Revenue Service.

 

IRS Ruling” shall mean any private letter ruling issued by the IRS in connection with any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions.

 

IRS Ruling Documents” shall mean the request for a private letter ruling submitted by Parent to the IRS on April 11, 2008, together with the appendices and exhibits thereto, and any supplemental filings or other materials subsequently submitted to the IRS in connection with the Spin-Off-Related Transactions.

 

Losses” shall mean any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages, obligations, payments, costs and expenses, matured or unmatured, absolute or contingent,

 

6



 

accrued or unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, known or unknown (including, without limitation, the costs and expenses of any and all Actions, threatened Actions, demands, assessments, judgments, settlements and compromises relating thereto and attorneys’ fees and any and all expenses whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any such Actions or threatened Actions).

 

Option” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the EMA.

 

Other Tax Returns” shall mean any return, report, filing, statement, questionnaire, declaration or other document required to be filed with a Tax Authority in respect of Other Taxes.

 

Other Taxes” shall mean any federal, state, local or foreign taxes, charges, fees, imposts, levies or other assessments of any nature whatsoever, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall include superfund, sales, use, ad valorem, value added, occupancy, transfer, recording, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, occupation, premium or property taxes (in each case, together with any related interest, penalties and additions to tax, or additional amounts imposed by any Tax Authority thereon); provided, however, that Other Taxes shall not include any Income Taxes.

 

Parent Consolidated Group” shall mean the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code without regard to the exclusions in Section 1504(b)(1) through (8)) of which Parent is the common parent (and any predecessor or successor to such affiliated group).

 

Parent Group” shall mean (a) Parent and each Person that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of Parent (including any Subsidiary of Parent that is disregarded for federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local, or foreign tax law)) immediately after the Distributions after giving effect to the Spin-Off-Related Transactions, (b) any corporation (or other Person) that shall have merged or liquidated into Parent or any such Subsidiary and (c) any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

 

Parent Separate Return” shall mean any Separate Return required to be filed by Parent or any member of the Parent Group.

 

Participating Spinco” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d) hereof.

 

Party” or “Parties” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

Permitted Transaction” shall mean any transaction that satisfies the requirements of Sections 4(c).

 

Person” shall mean any individual, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, corporation, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated

 

7



 

organization or similar entity or a governmental authority or any department or agency or other unit thereof.

 

Post-Distribution Taxable Period” shall mean, with respect to a Spinco and its Subsidiaries, a taxable period that begins after the Distribution Date of such Spinco.

 

Pre-Distribution Taxable Period” shall mean, with respect to a Spinco and its Subsidiaries, a taxable period that ends on or before the Distribution Date of such Spinco.

 

Proceeding” shall mean any audit or other examination, or judicial or administrative proceeding relating to liability for, or Refunds or adjustments with respect to, Taxes.

 

Refund” shall mean any refund of Taxes, including any reduction in Tax Liabilities by means of a credit, offset or otherwise.

 

Relying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(d) hereof.

 

Representative” shall mean with respect to a Person, such Person’s officers, directors, employees and other authorized agents.

 

Representing Spinco” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.

 

Requesting Spinco” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(c)(ii) hereof.

 

Responsible Spinco” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(e) hereof.

 

Restriction Period” shall mean, with respect to a Spinco, the period beginning on the Distribution Date after the Distribution of such Spinco and ending on the twenty five (25) month anniversary thereof.

 

Separate Return” shall mean (a) in the case of any Tax Return required to be filed by any member of a Spinco Group (including any consolidated, combined or unitary return), any such Tax Return that does not include any member of the Parent Group or any member of any other Spinco Group and (b) in the case of any Tax Return required to be filed by any member of the Parent Group (including any consolidated, combined or unitary return), any such Tax Return that does not include any member of a Spinco Group.

 

Separation Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

 

8



 

Specified Restructuring Income Taxes” shall mean any Income Taxes of Parent or any entity that is or was a direct or indirect Subsidiary of Parent prior to the Distributions resulting from (a) the transfer of any Equity Securities of Interval to Interval Spinco prior to the Interval Spinco Distribution; (b) any transfer of assets by FLMG Holdings Corp. to TM Spinco or one of its Subsidiaries prior to the TM Spinco Distribution; (c) any Internal Distribution failing to achieve Tax-Free Status, (d) the sum of (i) any money and (ii) the fair market value of other property, in each case, transferred by any Spinco or Interval to any shareholder of such Spinco or Interval in connection with a Distribution exceeding (x) such shareholder’s tax basis in its shares of stock of such Spinco or Interval or (y) the net tax basis of any assets contributed by such shareholder to such Spinco, and (e) the triggering of any excess loss account as a result of the Distributions or the Internal Restructuring Steps.

 

 “Spinco Adjustment” shall mean, with respect to a Spinco, an adjustment of any item of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit on a Combined Return that is attributable to members of such Spinco Group (including, in the case of any state or local consolidated, combined or unitary income or franchise Taxes, a change in one or more apportionment factors of members of a Spinco Group) pursuant to a Final Determination for a Pre-Distribution Taxable Period.

 

 “Spinco Business” shall mean, with respect to a Spinco, each trade or business actively conducted (within the meaning of Section 355(b) of the Code) by such Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group immediately after the Distribution of such Spinco, as set forth in the IRS Ruling Documents (if applicable) and the Tax Opinion Documents.

 

Spinco Consolidated Group” or “Spinco Consolidated Groups” shall mean, individually or collectively, the Ticketmaster Spinco Consolidated Group, the Interval Spinco Consolidated Group, the HSN Spinco Consolidated Group, and the Tree Spinco Consolidated Group.

 

Spinco Group” or “Spinco Groups” shall mean, individually or collectively, the Ticketmaster Spinco Group, the Interval Spinco Group, the HSN Spinco Group, and the Tree Spinco Group.

 

Spinco Separate Return” shall mean any Separate Return required to be filed by a Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group, including, without limitation, (a) any consolidated federal Income Tax Returns of the Spinco Consolidated Group required to be filed with respect to a Post-Distribution Taxable Period and (b) any consolidated federal Income Tax Returns for any group of which any member of the Spinco Group was the common parent.

 

 “Spin-Off-Related Transactions” shall mean, with respect to a Distribution of a Spinco, any related contribution of assets to, and assumption of liabilities by, such Spinco, the Distribution of such Spinco and any Internal Restructuring Steps associated with such Distribution, in each case, as described in the Transactions Memo.

 

9



 

Spin-Off Tax Liabilities” shall mean, with respect to any Taxing Jurisdiction, the sum of (a) any increase in a Tax Liability (or reduction in a Refund) Actually Realized as a result of any corporate-level gain or income recognized with respect to the failure of any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions to qualify for Tax-Free Status under the Income Tax laws of such Taxing Jurisdiction pursuant to any settlement, Final Determination, judgment, assessment, proposed adjustment or otherwise, (b) interest on such amounts calculated pursuant to such Taxing Jurisdiction’s laws regarding interest on Tax liabilities at the highest Underpayment Rate in such Taxing Jurisdiction from the date such additional gain or income was recognized until full payment with respect thereto is made pursuant to Section 3 hereof (or in the case of a reduction in a Refund, the amount of interest that would have been received on the foregone portion of the Refund but for the failure of any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions to qualify for Tax-Free Status), and (c) any penalties actually paid to such Taxing Jurisdiction that would not have been paid but for the failure of any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions to qualify for Tax-Free Status in such Taxing Jurisdiction.

 

Supplying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(d) hereof.

 

Tax Attribute” shall mean a consolidated, combined or unitary net operating loss, net capital loss, unused investment credit, unused foreign tax credit, or excess charitable contribution (as such terms are used in Treasury Regulations 1.1502-79 and 1.1502-79A or comparable provisions of foreign, state or local tax law), or a minimum tax credit or general business credit.

 

Tax Authority” shall mean a governmental authority (foreign or domestic) or any subdivision, agency, commission or authority thereof or any quasi-governmental or private body having jurisdiction over the assessment, determination, collection or imposition of any Tax (including, without limitation, the IRS).

 

Tax Benefits” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.

 

Tax Counsel” shall mean tax counsel or an accounting firm of recognized national standing that is acceptable to Parent in its sole discretion.

 

Taxes” shall mean Income Taxes and Other Taxes.

 

Tax-Free Status” shall mean, with respect to a Distribution, the qualification of each of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions (other than the transfer by Parent of its membership interests in LendingTree, LLC to LendingTree Holdings Corp.) as (a) a transaction described in Sections 355(a) and/or 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code (or, in the case of the Internal Restructuring Steps associated with a Distribution, the qualification of such Internal Restructuring Steps as one or more transactions that are generally tax-free for federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 351, Section 355, Section 368(a), Sections 332 and 337, or otherwise), (b) except with respect to the Distribution of Tree Spinco, as a transaction in which the stock distributed thereby is “qualified property” for purposes of Section 361(c) of the Code, and (c) as a transaction in which the Parties and the members of their respective Groups recognize no income or

 

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gain other than intercompany items or excess loss accounts, if any, taken into account pursuant to the Treasury Regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 1502 of the Code.

 

Taxing Jurisdiction” shall mean the United States and every other government or governmental unit having jurisdiction to tax one or more of the Parties or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

Tax Liabilities” shall mean any liabilities for Taxes.

 

Tax Opinions” shall mean the tax opinions issued by Tax Counsel in connection with the Spin-Off-Related Transactions.

 

Tax Opinion Documents” shall mean the Tax Opinions and the information and representations provided by, or on behalf of, the Parties to Tax Counsel in connection therewith.

 

Tax-Related Losses” shall mean:

 

(a)           the Aggregate Spin-Off Tax Liabilities,

 

(b)           all accounting, legal and other professional fees, and court costs incurred in connection with any settlement, Final Determination, judgment or other determination with respect to such Aggregate Spin-Off Tax Liabilities, and

 

(c)           all costs, expenses and damages associated with stockholder litigation or controversies and any amount paid by a Party in respect of the liability of shareholders, whether paid to shareholders or to the IRS or any other Tax Authority payable by a Party or its respective Affiliates, in each case, resulting from the failure of any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions to qualify for Tax-Free Status.

 

Ticketmaster Spinco Consolidated Group” shall mean the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code without regard to the exclusions in Section 1504(b)(1) through (8)) of which Ticketmaster Spinco is the common parent, determined immediately after the Ticketmaster Spinco Distribution (and any predecessor or successor to such affiliated group other than the Parent Consolidated Group or any other Spinco Consolidated Group).

 

Ticketmaster Spinco Distribution” shall mean the distribution by Parent of all the common stock of Ticketmaster Spinco pro rata to holders of Distributing Common Stock and Distributing Class B Common Stock.

 

Ticketmaster Spinco Group” shall mean (a) Ticketmaster Spinco and each Person that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of Ticketmaster Spinco (including any Subsidiary of Ticketmaster Spinco that is disregarded for federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local, or foreign tax law)) immediately after the Ticketmaster Spinco Distribution after giving effect to the Spin-Off-Related Transactions, (b) any corporation (or other Person) that shall have merged or liquidated

 

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into Ticketmaster Spinco or any such Subsidiary and (c) any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

 

Tree Spinco Consolidated Group” shall mean the affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code without regard to the exclusions in Section 1504(b)(1) through (8)) of which Tree Spinco is the common parent, determined immediately after the Tree Spinco Distribution (and any predecessor or successor to such affiliated group other than the Parent Consolidated Group or any other Spinco Consolidated Group).

 

Tree Spinco Distribution” shall mean the distribution by Parent of all the common stock of Tree Spinco pro rata to holders of Distributing Common Stock and Distributing Class B Common Stock.

 

Tree Spinco Group” shall mean (a) Tree Spinco and each Person that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of Tree Spinco (including any Subsidiary of Tree Spinco that is disregarded for federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local, or foreign tax law)) immediately after the Tree Spinco Distribution after giving effect to the Spin-Off-Related Transactions, (b) any corporation (or other Person) that shall have merged or liquidated into Tree Spinco or any such Subsidiary and (c) any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

 

Underpayment Rate” shall mean the annual rate of interest described in Section 6621(c) of the Code for large corporate underpayments of Income Tax (or similar provision of state, local, or foreign Income Tax law, as applicable), as determined from time to time.

 

Unqualified Tax Opinion” shall mean an unqualified opinion of Tax Counsel on which Parent may rely to the effect that a transaction (a) will not disqualify any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions from having Tax-Free Status, assuming that the Spin-Off-Related Transactions would have qualified for Tax-Free Status if such transaction did not occur, and (b) will not adversely affect any of the conclusions set forth in the IRS Ruling (if applicable) or the Tax Opinions; provided, that any tax opinion obtained in connection with a proposed acquisition of Equity Securities of a Spinco (or any entity treated as a successor to such Spinco), other than Tree Spinco, entered into during the Restriction Period shall not qualify as an Unqualified Opinion unless such tax opinion concludes that such proposed acquisition will not be treated as “part of a plan (or series of related transactions),” within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, that includes the Distribution of such Spinco.

 

2.             Filing of Tax Returns; Payment of Taxes.

 

(a)           Filing of Tax Returns; Payment of Income Taxes and Other Taxes.

 

(i)            Parent Consolidated Returns; Other Combined Returns.  Parent shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed (A) all consolidated federal Income

 

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Tax Returns of the Parent Consolidated Group and (B) all other Combined Returns for all taxable periods that end, with respect to a Spinco, on or before or include the Distribution Date of such Spinco.  Parent shall pay, or cause to be paid, any and all Taxes due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on any such Tax Return (in each case, including any increase in such Tax Liabilities attributable to a Final Determination with respect to a Pre-Distribution Taxable Period (including a Spinco Adjustment); provided that Parent shall not be responsible for any Spinco Adjustment if the Spinco Group to which such Spinco Adjustment relates fails to promptly provide such cooperation as is requested by Parent in connection with Parent’s conduct of the Proceeding to which such Final Determination relates).

 

(ii)                                  Parent Separate Returns.  Parent shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed all Parent Separate Returns for all taxable periods.  Parent shall pay, or cause to be paid, any and all Taxes due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on any Parent Separate Return (including any increase in such Tax Liabilities attributable to a Final Determination).

 

(iii)                               Spinco Adjustments.  If a Spinco fails to promptly provide such cooperation as is requested by Parent in connection with Parent’s conduct of a Proceeding relating to a Spinco Adjustment with respect to such Spinco, such Spinco shall be responsible for any Tax Liabilities attributable to such Spinco Adjustment.

 

(iv)                              Spinco Separate Returns.  Each Spinco shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed its respective Spinco Separate Returns for all taxable years.  Each Spinco shall pay, or cause to be paid, and shall be responsible for, any and all Taxes due or required to be paid with respect to or required to be reported on its Spinco Separate Returns (including any increase in such Tax Liabilities attributable to a Final Determination).

 

(b)                                 Preparation of Tax Returns.

 

(i)                                     Parent (or its designee) shall determine the entities to be included in any Combined Return and make or revoke any Tax elections, adopt or change any Tax accounting methods, and determine any other position taken on or in respect of any Tax Return required to be prepared and filed by Parent pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) or (ii).  Any Tax Return filed by Parent pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) with respect to any Pre-Distribution Taxable Period shall, to the extent relating to one or more of the Spincos or their respective Spinco Groups, be prepared in good faith.  For the avoidance of doubt, with respect to the consolidated federal income tax return of Parent and its subsidiaries for any taxable year that includes one or more Distributions, Parent shall determine in its sole discretion whether to elect ratable allocation under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-76.  Each Spinco shall, and shall cause each member of its respective Spinco Group to, take all actions necessary to give effect to such election.  Each Spinco shall, and shall cause each member of its respective Spinco Group to, prepare and submit at Parent’s request (but in no event later than 90 days after such request), at its own expense, all information that Parent shall reasonably request, in such form as Parent shall reasonably request, including any such information requested to enable Parent to prepare any Tax Return required to be filed by Parent pursuant to Section 2(a)(i).

 

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(ii)                                  Except as otherwise required by applicable law or as a result of a Final Determination, (A) no Party shall, or permit or cause any member of its respective Group to, take any position that is either inconsistent with the treatment of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions as having Tax-Free Status (or analogous status under state, local or foreign law) and, (B) no Spinco shall, or permit or cause any member of its respective Spinco Group to, take any position with respect to an item of income, deduction, gain, loss, or credit on a Tax Return, or otherwise treat such item in a manner which is inconsistent with the manner such item is reported on a Tax Return required to be prepared or filed by Parent pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof (including, without limitation, the claiming of a deduction previously claimed on any such Tax Return).

 

3.                                       Indemnification for Income Taxes and Other Taxes.

 

(a)                                  Indemnification by Parent.  From and after the Distribution of a Spinco, except as otherwise provided in Sections 3(b) and 3(c), Parent and each member of the Parent Group shall be responsible for and shall jointly and severally indemnify, defend and hold harmless such Spinco and each member of its Spinco Group and each of its Representatives and Affiliates (and the heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of them) from and against (i) all Spin-Off Tax Liabilities incurred by any member of the Parent Group, (ii) without duplication, all Tax Liabilities that any member of the Parent Group is required to pay pursuant to Section 2, (iii) all Taxes, Spin-Off Tax Liabilities and Tax-Related Losses incurred by any member of any Group by reason of the breach by Parent or a member of the Parent Group of any of its representations or covenants hereunder or made in connection with the IRS Ruling (if applicable) and/or the Tax Opinions and, in each case, any related costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses), and (iv) all Specified Restructuring Income Taxes; provided, however, that neither Parent nor any member of the Parent Group shall have any obligation to indemnify, defend or hold harmless any Person pursuant to this Section 3(a) to the extent that such indemnification obligation is otherwise attributable to a breach by a Spinco (or a member of its Group) of any of its representations or covenants hereunder or made in connection with the IRS Ruling (if applicable) and/or the Tax Opinions; provided, that (x) in the event that an IRS Ruling is not obtained with respect to the Distribution of a Spinco, neither Parent nor such Spinco shall be deemed to make any representations regarding such Distribution in the IRS Ruling Documents, and (y) no Spinco makes any representations regarding any facts that, if untrue, would result in Specified Restructuring Income Taxes (other than representations regarding (1) whether such Spinco is engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business within the meaning of Section 355(b) of the Code, (2) such Spinco’s conduct after the Distribution, and (3) the matters set forth in Section 4(a)(iii) hereof).  If the indemnification obligation of Parent or any member of the Parent Group under this Section 3(a) (or any adjustment for which Parent is responsible pursuant to this Section 3(a), including any adjustment with respect to a Tax Return for which Parent is responsible pursuant to Section 2(a)(i)) results in (i) increased deductions, losses, or credits, or (ii) decreases in income, gains or recapture of Tax credits (“Tax Benefits”) to a Spinco or any member of such Spinco’s Group, which would not, but for the indemnification obligation (or the adjustment giving rise to such indemnification obligation), be allowable, then each Spinco receiving such Tax Benefit shall pay Parent the amount by which such Tax Benefit actually reduces, in cash, the amount of Tax that such Spinco or any member of its Spinco Group would have been required to pay and bear (or increases, in cash, the amount of a Refund to

 

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which such Spinco or any member of its Spinco Group would have been entitled) but for such indemnification obligation (or adjustment giving rise to such indemnification obligation).  Each Spinco receiving the Tax Benefit shall pay Parent for such Tax Benefit no later than five days after such Tax Benefit is Actually Realized.

 

(b)                                 Indemnification by Spincos.  From and after the Distribution Date of a Spinco, such Spinco (an “Indemnifying Spinco”) and each member of its Spinco Group shall be responsible for and shall jointly and severally indemnify, defend and hold harmless each other Party and the members of each other Party’s respective Group and their respective Representatives and Affiliates (and the heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of them) from and against (i) all Tax Liabilities (including Specified Restructuring Taxes), Spin-Off Tax Liabilities and Tax-Related Losses that the Indemnifying Spinco or any member of its Spinco Group is required to pay under Section 2 or is responsible for under Section 4 (including, without limitation, any Tax Liabilities or Spin-Off Tax Liabilities or Tax-Related Losses arising with respect to a Permitted Transaction for which the Indemnifying Spinco is liable pursuant to Section 4(e)(i)); (ii) all Taxes (including Specified Restructuring Income Taxes), Spin-Off Tax Liabilities and other Tax-Related Losses incurred by any member of any Group by reason of the breach by the Indemnifying Spinco or any member of its Spinco Group of any of its representations or covenants hereunder or made in connection with the IRS Ruling (if applicable) and/or the Tax Opinions) and, in each case, any related costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses); provided, that (x) in the event that an IRS Ruling is not obtained with respect to the Distribution of a Spinco, such Spinco shall not be deemed to make any representations regarding such Distribution in the IRS Ruling Documents, and (y) no Spinco makes any representations regarding any facts that, if untrue, would result in Specified Restructuring Income Taxes (other than representations regarding (1) whether such Spinco is engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business within the meaning of Section 355(b) of the Code, (2) such Spinco’s conduct after the Distribution, and (3) the matters set forth in Section 4(a)(iii) hereof).  If the indemnification obligation of a Spinco or any member of its Spinco Group under this Section 3(b) (or any adjustment for which such Spinco is responsible pursuant to this Section 3(b)) results in a Tax Benefit to another Party or any member of such other Party’s Group, which would not, but for the Tax which is the subject of the indemnification obligation (or the adjustment giving rise to such indemnification obligation), be allowable, then each Party receiving such Tax Benefit shall pay the Indemnifying Spinco the amount by which such Tax Benefit actually reduces, in cash, the amount of Tax that the Party or any member of its Group would have been required to pay and bear (or increases, in cash, the amount of a Refund to which the Party or any member of its Group would have been entitled) but for such indemnification (or adjustment giving rise to such indemnification obligation).  Each Party receiving such Tax Benefit shall pay the Indemnifying Spinco for such Tax Benefit no later than five days after such Tax Benefit is Actually Realized.

 

(c)                                  Spinco Group Indemnification Failure.  In the event that (i) pursuant to a Final Determination, any member of a Spinco Group is liable for, or otherwise required to make a payment in respect of, Spin-Off Tax Liabilities for which such Spinco Group is not responsible pursuant to this Agreement and (ii) full indemnification cannot be obtained from the Spinco Group responsible for such Spin-Off Tax Liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, Parent and each member of the Parent Group shall jointly and severally indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Spinco referred to in clause (i) and each member of its Spinco Group and each

 

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of its respective Representatives and Affiliates (and the heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of them) from and against the portion of such liability for which full indemnification cannot be obtained from the Spinco Group referred to in clause (ii).  Upon any payment by Parent or any member of the Parent Group in accordance with the preceding sentence, Parent or such member of the Parent Group shall be subrogated to any and all rights (including rights to payment and causes of action, under this Agreement or otherwise) of each member of the Spinco Group described in clause (i) in connection with the Final Determination at issue.

 

(d)                                 Timing of Indemnification Payments.  Any payment and indemnification made pursuant to this Section 3 shall be made by the Indemnifying Party promptly, but, in any event, no later than:

 

(i)                                     in the case of an indemnification obligation with respect to any Tax Liabilities or Spin-Off Tax Liabilities, the later of (A) five Business Days after the Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party and (B) five Business Days prior to the date the Indemnified Party is required to make a payment of taxes, interest, or penalties to the applicable Tax Authority (including a payment with respect to an assessment of a tax deficiency by any Taxing Jurisdiction or a payment made in settlement of an asserted tax deficiency) or realizes a reduced Refund; and

 

(ii)                                  in the case of any payment or indemnification of any Losses not otherwise described in clause (i) of this Section 3(d) (including, but not limited to, any Losses described in clause (b) or (c) of the definition of Tax-Related Losses, attorneys’ fees and expenses and other indemnifiable Losses), the later of (A) five Business Days after the Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party and (B) five Business Days prior to the date the Indemnified Party makes a payment thereof.

 

4.                                       Spin-Off Related Matters.

 

(a)                                  Representations.

 

(i)                                     IRS Ruling Documents and Tax Opinion Documents.  Each Spinco (a “Representing Spinco”) hereby represents and warrants that (A) such Representing Spinco has examined the IRS Ruling Documents and the Tax Opinion Documents (including, without limitation, the representations to the extent that they relate to the plans, proposals, intentions, and policies of the Representing Spinco or any member of its Spinco Group, or the Spinco Business of such Spinco Group), and (B) to the extent in reference to such Representing Spinco, any member of its Spinco Group, or the Spinco Business of such Spinco Group, the facts presented and the representations made therein are true, correct and complete; provided, that (x) in the event that an IRS Ruling is not obtained with respect to the Distribution of a Spinco, such Spinco shall not be deemed to make any representations regarding such Distribution in the IRS Ruling Documents, and (y) no Spinco makes any representations regarding any facts that, if untrue, would result in Specified Restructuring Income Taxes (other than representations regarding (1) whether such Spinco is engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business within the meaning of Section 355(b) of the Code, (2) such Spinco’s conduct after the Distribution, and (3) the matters set forth in Section 4(a)(iii) hereof).

 

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(ii)                                  Tax-Free Status.  Each Representing Spinco hereby represents and warrants that it has no plan or intention of taking any action, or failing to take any action or knows of any circumstance, that could reasonably be expected to cause any representation or factual statement made in this Agreement, the Separation Agreement, the IRS Ruling Documents, the Tax Opinion Documents or any of the Ancillary Agreements to be untrue; provided, that, in the event that an IRS Ruling is not obtained with respect to the Distribution of a Spinco, such Spinco shall not be deemed to make any representations regarding the IRS Ruling Documents.

 

(iii)                               Plan or Series of Related Transactions.  Each Representing Spinco hereby represents and warrants that, during the two-year period ending on the Distribution Date of such Spinco, there was no “agreement, understanding, arrangement, substantial negotiations or discussions” (as such terms are defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7(h)) by any one or more officers or directors of any member of such Spinco Group or by any other person or persons with the implicit or explicit permission of one or more of such officers or directors regarding an acquisition of all or a significant portion of the Equity Securities of such Spinco (or any predecessor); provided that no representation is made by any Spinco regarding any “agreement, understanding, arrangement, substantial negotiations or discussions” (as such terms are defined in Treasury Regulation 1.355-7(h)) by any one or more officers or directors of Parent.

 

(b)                                 Covenants.

 

(i)                                     Actions Consistent with Representations and Covenants.  No Spinco (or any member of its respective Spinco Group) shall take any action, or fail to take any action or permit any member of its respective Group, to fail to take any action, where such action or failure to act would be inconsistent with or cause to be untrue any material information, covenant or representation made in connection with the IRS Ruling (if applicable), the Tax Opinions, the Separation Agreement or this Agreement.

 

(ii)                                  Preservation of Tax-Free Status; Spinco Business.  From and after its respective Distribution, no Spinco shall (A) take any action or permit any member of its respective Spinco Group to take any action, and each Spinco shall not fail to take any action or permit any member of its respective Spinco Group to fail to take any action, in each case, unless such action or failure to act could not reasonably be expected to cause any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions to fail to have Tax-Free Status or could not require any of the Parties to reflect a liability or reserve for Income Taxes with respect to any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions in its financial statements, and (B) until the first day after the Restriction Period, engage in any transaction that could reasonably be expected to result in it or any member of its respective Spinco Group ceasing to be a company engaged in its respective Spinco Business.

 

(iii)                               Sales, Issuances and Redemptions of Equity Securities. Until the first day after the Restriction Period applicable to a Spinco, such Spinco shall not and shall not agree to (and shall cause the members of its respective Spinco Group not to and not to agree to) sell or otherwise issue to any Person, or redeem or otherwise acquire from any Person, any Equity Securities of such Spinco or any member of its Spinco Group; provided, however,

 

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that (A) the adoption of a shareholder rights plan shall not constitute a sale or issuance of Equity Securities, (B) a Spinco may issue Equity Securities to the extent the issuance satisfies Safe Harbor VIII (relating to acquisitions in connection with a person’s performance of services) or Safe Harbor IX (relating to acquisitions by a retirement plan of an employer) of Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7(d), and (C) members of a Spinco Group (other than a Spinco) may issue or sell Equity Securities to other members of the same Spinco Group, and may redeem or purchase Equity Securities from other members of the same Spinco Group, in each case, to the extent not inconsistent with the Tax-Free Status of the Spin-Off Related Transactions.  Anything in this Section 4(b)(iii) to the contrary notwithstanding, there shall be no limitation on the ability of Tree Spinco to issue Equity Securities of Tree Spinco (or any member of its Group to issue Equity Securities of such member) to any Person, or to redeem or otherwise acquire from any Person, any Equity Securities of Tree Spinco or any member of its Group; provided that any redemption or acquisition of Equity Securities of Tree Spinco by Tree Spinco or any member of its Spinco Group prior to (or pursuant to an agreement or arrangement negotiated, in whole or in part, prior to) the first anniversary of the Distribution Date of Tree Spinco shall be permitted only if such transaction satisfies the requirements of Section 4.05(1)(b) of Revenue Procedure 96-30.

 

(iv)                              Tender Offers; Other Business Combination Transactions. Until the first day after the Restriction Period applicable to a Spinco, such Spinco shall (and shall cause the members of its Spinco Group) not to (A) solicit any Person to make a tender offer for, or otherwise acquire or sell, Equity Securities of such Spinco, (B) participate in or support any unsolicited tender offer for, or other acquisition or disposition of, Equity Securities of such Spinco, or (C) approve or otherwise permit any transaction described in clauses (A) or (B).  In addition, no Spinco (nor any members of its respective Spinco Group) shall at any time, whether before or subsequent to the expiration of the Restriction Period applicable to such Spinco, engage in any action described in clauses (A), (B) or (C) of the preceding sentence pursuant to an agreement or arrangement negotiated (in whole or in part) prior to the first anniversary of the Distribution of such Spinco, even if at the time of the Distribution or thereafter such action is subject to one or more conditions.  Anything in this Section 4(b)(iv) to the contrary notwithstanding, unless (x) such action is taken prior to the first anniversary of the Distribution Date of Tree Spinco (or pursuant to an agreement or arrangement negotiated, in whole or in part, prior to the first anniversary of the Distribution Date of Tree Spinco) and (y) relates to a “subsequent sale or exchange” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-2(d)(2)(iii) (taking into account clause (E) thereof) of Tree Spinco stock, the limitations described in this Section 4(b)(iv) shall not apply to Tree Spinco (or any member of its Spinco Group).

 

(v)                                 Dispositions of Assets. Until the first day after the Restriction Period, no Spinco (nor any member of its respective Spinco Group) shall sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of or agree to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose (including in any transaction treated for federal income tax purposes as a sale, transfer or disposition) of assets (including, any shares of capital stock of a Subsidiary) that, in the aggregate, constitute more than 30% of the gross assets of such Spinco or more than 30% of the consolidated gross assets of such Spinco Group.  The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) sales, transfers, or dispositions of assets in the ordinary course of business, (B) any cash paid to acquire assets from an unrelated Person in an arm’s-length transaction, or (C) any assets transferred to a Person that

 

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is disregarded as an entity separate from the transferor for federal income tax purposes or (D) any mandatory or optional repayment (or pre-payment) of any indebtedness of such Spinco (or any member of its Spinco Group).  The percentages of gross assets or consolidated gross assets of such Spinco or its respective Spinco Group, as the case may be, sold, transferred, or otherwise disposed of, shall be based on the fair market value of the gross assets of such Spinco and the members of its respective Spinco Group as of the Distribution Date of such Spinco.  For purposes of this Section 4(b)(v), a merger of a Spinco or one of its Subsidiaries with and into any Person shall constitute a disposition of all of the assets of such Spinco or such Subsidiary.

 

(vi)                              Liquidations, Mergers, Reorganizations. Until the first day after the Restriction Period, no Spinco (nor any of its Subsidiaries) shall, or shall agree to, voluntarily dissolve or liquidate (including by converting into an entity that is treated as a “disregarded entity” or partnership for federal income tax purposes) or engage in any transaction involving a merger (except for a Cash Acquisition Merger), consolidation or other reorganization; provided, that, mergers of direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of a Spinco solely with and into such Spinco or with other direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of such Spinco, and liquidations of such Spinco’s wholly-owned subsidiaries are not subject to this Section 4(b)(vi) to the extent not inconsistent with the Tax-Free Status of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions.

 

(c)                                  Permitted Transactions.

 

(i)                                     Anything in Sections 4(b)(iii) and 4(b)(iv) to the contrary notwithstanding, a Spinco (or any member of its Group) shall not be prohibited from entering into or consummating a transaction otherwise prohibited solely by Section 4(b)(iii) or 4(b)(iv), if such transaction, together with any other transaction or transactions previously permitted pursuant to this Section 4(c)(i), would not result in one or more Persons acquiring, directly or indirectly, Equity Securities representing a 10% or greater interest, by vote or value, in such Spinco (or any successor thereto) pursuant to one or more transactions that have not been approved by Parent pursuant to Section 4(c)(ii).  In the event the transaction at issue is a redemption or purchase of Equity Securities of a Spinco by such Spinco or a member of its Spinco Group prior to (or pursuant to an agreement or arrangement negotiated, in whole or in part, prior to) the first anniversary of the Distribution Date of such Spinco, such transaction shall be permitted only if it also satisfies the requirements of Section 4.05(1)(b) of Revenue Procedure 96-30.

 

(ii)                                  Notwithstanding the restrictions otherwise imposed by Sections 4(b)(iii) through 4(b)(vi), during the Restriction Period, a Spinco (the “Requesting Spinco”) may (i) issue, sell, redeem or otherwise acquire (or cause a member of its respective Spinco Group to issue, sell, redeem or otherwise acquire) its own Equity Securities or Equity Securities of any member of its respective Spinco Group in a transaction that would otherwise breach the covenant set forth in Section 4(b)(iii) (determined after giving effect to Section 4(c)(i)), (ii) approve, participate in, support or otherwise permit a proposed business combination or transaction that would otherwise breach the covenant set forth in Section 4(b)(iv) (determined after giving effect to Section 4(c)(i)), (iii) sell or otherwise dispose of its assets or the assets of any member of its respective Spinco Group in a transaction that would otherwise breach the covenant set forth in Section 4(b)(v), or (iv) merge itself or any member of its respective Spinco Group with another

 

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entity without regard to which party is the surviving entity in a transaction that would otherwise breach the covenant set forth in Section 4(b)(vi), if and only if such transaction would not violate Section 4(b)(i) or Section 4(b)(ii) and prior to entering into any agreement contemplating a transaction described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of this Section 4(c)(ii), and prior to consummating any such transaction: (X) the Requesting Spinco obtains Parent’s written consent (which may be withheld in Parent’s sole discretion), (Y) the Requesting Spinco provides Parent with an Unqualified Tax Opinion (or, subject to Section 4(d)(iii), a private letter ruling), in each case, in form and substance satisfactory to Parent in its sole and absolute discretion exercised in good faith (and in determining whether an opinion or ruling is satisfactory, Parent may consider, among other factors, the appropriateness of any underlying assumptions and management’s representations if used as a basis for the opinion or supplemental ruling), or (Z) the Requesting Spinco shall request that Parent obtain a private letter ruling (or, if applicable, a supplemental private letter ruling) in accordance with Section 4(d)(ii) of this Agreement to the effect that such transaction will not affect the Tax-Free Status of any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions and Parent shall have received such private letter ruling, in form and substance satisfactory to Parent in its sole and absolute discretion, exercised in good faith.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any action or transaction involving an acquisition of the Requesting Spinco’s stock entered into at least 18 months after the Distribution Date of the Requesting Spinco, the Requesting Spinco shall be permitted to consummate such transaction if it delivers an unconditional officer’s certificate establishing facts evidencing that such acquisition satisfies the requirements of Safe Harbor III in Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7(d), and Parent, after due diligence, is satisfied with the accuracy of such certification.

 

(d)                                 Private Letter Rulings and Restrictions on the Spincos.

 

(i)                                     Private Letter Ruling at Parent’s Request.  Parent shall have the right to obtain a private letter ruling (or, if applicable, a supplemental private letter ruling) in its sole discretion.  If Parent determines to obtain a private letter ruling, each Spinco shall (and shall cause each member of its respective Spinco Group to) cooperate with Parent and take any and all actions reasonably requested by Parent in connection with obtaining the private letter ruling (including, without limitation, by making any representation or covenant or providing any materials or information requested by any Tax Authority; provided that none of the Spincos shall be required to make (or cause any member of their respective Spinco Groups to make) any representation or covenant that is inconsistent with historical facts or as to future matters or events over which it has no control).

 

(ii)                                  Private Letter Rulings at Spinco’s Request.  Parent agrees that at the reasonable request of a Requesting Spinco pursuant to Section 4(c), Parent shall (and shall cause each member of the Parent Group to) cooperate with the Requesting Spinco and use reasonable efforts to seek to obtain, as expeditiously as reasonably practicable, a private letter ruling (or supplemental private letter ruling) from the IRS for the purpose of confirming compliance on the part of the Requesting Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group with its obligations under Section 4(b) of this Agreement.  Further, in no event shall Parent be required to file any request for a private letter ruling under this Section 4(d)(ii) unless the Requesting Spinco represents that (A) it has reviewed the request for the private letter ruling and any materials, appendices and exhibits submitted or filed therewith, and (B) all information and representations, if any, relating to any member of the Requesting Spinco’s Spinco Group

 

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contained in the IRS Ruling Documents (if applicable) or Tax Opinion Documents are true, correct and complete in all material respects.  The Requesting Spinco shall reimburse Parent for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Parent Group in obtaining a private letter ruling requested by the Requesting Spinco within 10 Business Days after receiving an invoice from Parent therefor.  Each Spinco hereby agrees that Parent shall have sole and exclusive control over the process of obtaining a private letter ruling, and that only Parent shall have the right to apply for a private letter ruling relating to any of the Spin-Off Related Transactions.  In connection with obtaining a private letter ruling pursuant to this Section 4(d)(ii), (A) Parent shall, to the extent practicable, consult with the Requesting Spinco reasonably in advance of taking any material action in connection therewith; (B) Parent shall (1) reasonably in advance of the submission of any documents to the IRS provide the Requesting Spinco with a draft copy thereof, (2) reasonably consider the Requesting Spinco’s comments on such documents, and (3) provide the Requesting Spinco with copies of all documents submitted to or received from the Tax Authority in connection with such ruling request; and (C) Parent shall provide the Requesting Spinco with notice reasonably in advance of, and the Requesting Spinco shall have the right to attend and participate in, any formally scheduled meetings with any Tax Authority (subject to the approval of the Tax Authority) that relate to such supplemental private letter ruling.

 

(iii)                               Prohibition on the Spincos.  Each Spinco hereby agrees that, except to the extent permitted by Section 4(d)(ii) or as otherwise consented to by Parent in writing, neither it nor any member of its respective Spinco Group shall seek any guidance from the IRS or any other Tax Authority (whether written, verbal or otherwise) concerning any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions (or the impact of any transaction on any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions).

 

(e)                                  Liability of each Spinco for Undertaking Certain Actions.  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each Spinco (a “Responsible Spinco”) and the members of its respective Spinco Group shall be responsible for any and all Tax-Related Losses that are attributable to, or result from:

 

(i)                                     any act or failure to act by the Responsible Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group, which action or failure to act is inconsistent with any of the covenants set forth in Sections 4(b)(i) through 4(b)(vi) of this Agreement, in each case, determined without regard to any of the exceptions or provisos contained in such provisions or in Section 4(c)), expressly including, for this purpose, any Permitted Transaction and any act or failure to act that is inconsistent with Section 4(b)(i) or 4(b)(ii), regardless of whether such act or failure to act is permitted by Sections 4(b)(iii) through 4(b)(vi);

 

(ii)                                  any acquisition or disposition of Equity Securities of the Responsible Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group by any Person or Persons (including, without limitation, as a result of an issuance of the Responsible Spinco’s Equity Securities or a merger of another entity with and into the Responsible Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group) or any acquisition of assets of the Responsible Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group (including, without limitation, as a result of a merger) by any Person or Persons; and

 

21



 

(iii)                               any breach by the Responsible Spinco or any member of its Spinco Group of a representation or covenant made in this Agreement, the Separation Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement, or any documents relating to the IRS Ruling or the Tax Opinions; provided, that (x) in the event that an IRS Ruling is not obtained with respect to the Distribution of a Spinco, such Spinco shall not be deemed to make any representations regarding such Distribution in the IRS Ruling Documents, and (y) no Spinco makes any representations regarding any facts that, if untrue, would result in Specified Restructuring Income Taxes (other than representations regarding (1) whether such Spinco is engaged in the active conduct of a trade or business within the meaning of Section 355(b) of the Code, (2) such Spinco’s conduct after the Distribution, and (3) the matters set forth in Section 4(a)(iii) hereof).

 

(f)                                    Cooperation.

 

(i)                                     Without limiting the prohibition set forth in Section 4(d)(iii), until the first day after the Restriction Period, each Spinco shall furnish Parent with a copy of any ruling request that any member of its respective Spinco Group may file with the IRS or any other Tax Authority and any opinion received that in any respect relates to, or otherwise reasonably could be expected to have any effect on, the Tax-Free Status of any of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions with respect to such Spinco.

 

(ii)                                  Each Party shall reasonably cooperate with the Requesting Spinco in connection with any request by the Requesting Spinco for an Unqualified Tax Opinion pursuant to Section 4(c)(ii).

 

(iii)                               Until the first day after the Restriction Period, each Spinco shall provide adequate advance notice to Parent in accordance with the terms of Section 4(f)(iv) of any action described in Sections 4(b)(i) through 4(b)(vi) within a period of time sufficient to enable Parent to seek injunctive relief pursuant to Section 4(g) in a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that Tree Spinco shall not be required to provide advance notice with respect to any action described in Sections 4(b)(iii) through 4(b)(vi) with respect to which Tree Spinco is not subject to restrictions.

 

(iv)                              Each notice required by Section 4(f)(iii) shall set forth the terms and conditions of any such proposed transaction, including, without limitation, (A) the nature of any related action proposed to be taken by the board of directors of such Spinco, (B) the approximate number of Equity Securities (and their voting and economic rights) of such Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group (if any) proposed to be sold (or otherwise issued) or acquired, (C) the approximate value of such Spinco’s assets (or assets of any member of its respective Spinco Group) proposed to be transferred, and (D) the proposed timetable for such transaction, all with sufficient particularity to enable Parent to seek such injunctive relief.  Promptly, but in any event within 30 days, after Parent receives such written notice from such Spinco, Parent shall notify such Spinco in writing of Parent’s decision to seek injunctive relief pursuant to Section 4(g).

 

(v)                                 Until the first day after the Restriction Period, no Spinco nor any member of its respective Spinco Group shall take (or refrain from taking) any action to the extent that such action or inaction would have caused a representation made with respect to

 

22



 

such Spinco in connection with the IRS Ruling (but only if such IRS Ruling was received) and/or the Tax Opinions to have been untrue as of the relevant representation date, had such Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group intended to take (or refrain from taking) such action on the relevant representation date.

 

(g)                                 Enforcement.  The Parties acknowledge that irreparable harm would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Section 4 were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached.  The Parties agree that, in order to preserve the Tax-Free Status of the Spin-Off-Related Transactions, injunctive relief is appropriate to prevent any violation of the foregoing covenants; provided, however, that injunctive relief shall not be the exclusive legal or equitable remedy for any such violation.

 

5.                                       Refunds.  Parent shall be entitled to all Refunds (and any interest thereon received from the applicable Tax Authority) in respect of Taxes paid with respect to any Tax Return for which Parent or any member of the Parent Group is responsible pursuant to Section 2.  Each Spinco shall be entitled to all Refunds (and any interest thereon received from the applicable Tax Authority) in respect of Taxes paid with respect to any Tax Return for which it or members of its respective Spinco Group are responsible pursuant to Section 2.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event a Party obtains a Refund of Taxes for which it was indemnified by another Party (other than Taxes for which a Spinco is responsible pursuant to Section 2(a)(iii)), the indemnifying Party shall be entitled to such Refund.  A Party receiving a Refund to which another Party is entitled pursuant to this Section 5 shall pay the amount to which such other Party is entitled within fifteen Business Days after such Refund is Actually Realized.  The Parties shall cooperate with each other in connection with any claim for a Refund in respect of a Tax for which any member of their respective Groups is responsible pursuant to Section 2.

 

6.                                       Tax Contests.

 

(a)                                  Notification.  Each Party shall notify the other Parties in writing of any communication with respect to any pending or threatened Proceeding in connection with a Tax Liability (or any issue related thereto) of any Party or member of its Group, for which another Party or member of its Group, may be responsible pursuant to this Agreement within ten (10) Business Days of receipt; provided, however, that in the case of any Distribution-Related Proceeding (no matter which Party is responsible), such notice shall be provided no later than ten (10) Business Days after such Party first receives written notice from the IRS or other Tax Authority of such Distribution-Related Proceeding.  The notifying Party shall include with such notification a true, correct and complete copy of any written communication, and an accurate and complete written summary of any oral communication, received by such notifying Party or member of its Group.  The failure of one Party to notify the other Parties of such communication in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall not relieve such other Party of any liability or obligation that it may have under this Agreement, except to the extent that the failure timely to forward such notification actually prejudices the ability of such other Party to contest such Income Tax Liability or Other Tax Liability or increases the amount of such Income Tax Liability or Other Tax Liability.

 

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(b)           Representation with Respect to Tax Disputes.  Parent (or such member of the Parent Group as Parent shall designate) shall have the sole right to administer and control and to employ counsel of its choice at its expense in any Proceeding (including any Distribution-Related Proceeding) relating to (i) any consolidated federal Income Tax Returns of the Parent Consolidated Group, (ii) any other Combined Returns and (iii) any Parent Separate Returns.  Each Spinco (or such member of its respective Spinco Group as such Spinco shall designate) shall have the sole right to administer and control and to employ counsel of its choice at its expense in any Proceeding (excluding any Distribution-Related Proceeding) relating to its respective Spinco Consolidated Return or Spinco Separate Return.

 

(c)           Power of Attorney.  Each Spinco (and members of its respective Group) shall execute and deliver to Parent (or such member of the Parent Group as Parent shall designate) any power of attorney or other document requested by Parent (or such designee) in connection with any Proceeding described in the first sentence of Section 6(b).

 

(d)           Distribution-Related Proceedings.

 

(i)            In the event of any Distribution-Related Proceeding as a result of which a Spinco could reasonably be expected to become liable for any Tax or Tax-Related Losses (each, a “Participating Spinco”) and which Parent has the right to administer and control pursuant to Section 6(b) above, (A) Parent shall consult with each Participating Spinco reasonably in advance of taking any significant action in connection with such Proceeding, (B) Parent shall offer each Participating Spinco a reasonable opportunity to comment before submitting any written materials prepared or furnished in connection with such Proceeding, (C) Parent shall defend such Proceeding diligently and in good faith as if it were the only party in interest in connection with such Proceeding, and (D) Parent shall provide each Participating Spinco copies of any written materials relating to such Proceeding received from the relevant Tax Authority.  Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentence to the contrary, the final determination of the positions taken, including with respect to settlement or other disposition, in any Distribution-Related Proceeding shall be made in the sole discretion of Parent and shall be final and not subject to the dispute resolution provisions of Article 9 of the Separation Agreement.

 

(ii)           In the event of any Distribution-Related Proceeding with respect to any  Spinco Separate Return, (A) such Spinco shall consult with Parent reasonably in advance of taking any significant action in connection with such Proceeding, (B) such Spinco shall consult with Parent and offer Parent a reasonable opportunity to comment before submitting any written materials prepared or furnished in connection with such Proceeding, (C) such Spinco shall defend such Proceeding diligently and in good faith as if it were the only party in interest in connection with such Proceeding, (D) Parent shall be entitled to participate in such Proceeding and receive copies of any written materials relating to such Proceeding received from the relevant Tax Authority, and (E) such Spinco shall not settle, compromise or abandon any such Proceeding without obtaining the prior written consent of Parent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

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7.             Apportionment of Tax Attributes; Carrybacks.

 

(a)           Apportionment of Tax Attributes.

 

(i)            If the Parent Consolidated Group has a Tax Attribute, the portion, if any, of such Tax Attribute apportioned to any Spinco or the members of its respective Spinco Consolidated Group and treated as a carryover to the first Post-Distribution Taxable Period of such Spinco (or such member) shall be determined by Parent in accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1502-21, 1.1502-21T, 1.1502-22, 1.1502-79 and, if applicable, 1.1502-79A.

 

(ii)           No Tax Attribute with respect to consolidated federal Income Tax of the Parent Consolidated Group, other than those described in Section 7(a)(i), and no Tax Attribute with respect to consolidated, combined or unitary state, local, or foreign Income Tax, in each case, arising in respect of a Combined Return shall be apportioned to any Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group, except as Parent (or such member of the Parent Group as Parent shall designate) determines is otherwise required under applicable law.

 

(iii)          Parent (or its designee) shall determine the portion, if any, of any Tax Attribute which must (absent a Final Determination to the contrary) be apportioned to a Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group in accordance with this Section 7(a) and applicable law, and the amount of tax basis and earnings and profits to be apportioned to such Spinco or any member of its respective Spinco Group in accordance with applicable law, and shall provide written notice of the calculation thereof to such Spinco as soon as reasonably practicable after the information necessary to make such calculation becomes available to Parent.

 

(iv)          The written notice delivered by Parent pursuant to Section 7(a)(iii) shall be binding on each Spinco Group and shall not be subject to dispute resolution. Except as otherwise required by a change in applicable law or pursuant to a Final Determination, no Spinco shall take any position (whether on a Tax Return or otherwise) that is inconsistent with the information contained in such written notice.

 

(b)           Carrybacks.  Except to the extent otherwise consented to by Parent or prohibited by applicable law, each Spinco shall elect to relinquish, waive or otherwise forgo all Carrybacks.  In the event that a Spinco (the “Carryback Spinco”), or the appropriate member of its respective Spinco Group, is prohibited by applicable law to relinquish, waive or otherwise forgo a Carryback (or Parent consents to a Carryback), (i) each Party shall cooperate with the Carryback Spinco, at the Carryback Spinco’s expense, in seeking from the appropriate Tax Authority such Refund as reasonably would result from such Carryback, and (ii) the Carryback Spinco shall be entitled to any Income Tax Benefit Actually Realized by a member of another Group (including any interest thereon received from such Tax Authority), to the extent that such Refund is directly attributable to such Carryback, within 15 Business Days after such Refund is Actually Realized; provided, however, that the Carryback Spinco shall indemnify and hold the members of the other Party’s Group harmless from and against any and all collateral tax consequences resulting from or caused by any such Carryback, including (but not limited to) the loss or postponement of any benefit from the use of tax attributes generated by a member of the other Party’s Group or an Affiliate thereof if (x) such tax attributes expire unutilized, but would

 

25



 

have been utilized but for such Carryback, or (y) the use of such tax attributes is postponed to a later taxable period than the taxable period in which such tax attributes would have been utilized but for such Carryback.  If there is a Final Determination that results in any change to or adjustment of an Income Tax Benefit Actually Realized by a member of the other Party’s Group that is directly attributable to a Carryback, then the other Party (or its designee) shall make a payment to the Carryback Spinco, or the Carryback Spinco shall make a payment to the other Party (or its designee), as may be necessary to adjust the payments between the Carryback Spinco and the other Party (or its designee) to reflect the payments that would have been made under this Section 7(b) had the adjusted amount of such Income Tax Benefit been taken into account in computing the payments due under this Section 7(b).

 

8.             Cooperation and Exchange of Information.

 

(a)           Cooperation and Exchange of Information.  Each Party, on behalf of itself and the members of its Group, agrees to provide each other Party (or its designee) with such cooperation or information as such other Party (or its designee) reasonably shall request in connection with the determination of any payment or any calculations described in this Agreement, the preparation or filing of any Tax Return or claim for Refund, or the conduct of any Proceeding.  Such cooperation and information shall include, without limitation, upon reasonable notice (i) promptly forwarding copies of appropriate notices and forms or other communications (including, without limitation, information document requests, revenue agent’s reports and similar reports, notices of proposed adjustments and notices of deficiency) received from or sent to any Tax Authority or any other administrative, judicial or governmental authority, (ii) providing copies of all relevant Tax Returns, together with accompanying schedules and related workpapers, documents relating to rulings or other determinations by any Tax Authority, and such other records concerning the ownership and tax basis of property, or other relevant information, (iii) the provision of such additional information and explanations of documents and information provided under this Agreement (including statements, certificates, forms, returns and schedules delivered by either party) as shall be reasonably requested by any of the other Parties (or their designee), (iv) the execution of any document that may be necessary or reasonably helpful in connection with the filing of a Tax Return, a claim for a Refund, or in connection with any Proceeding, including such waivers, consents or powers of attorney as may be necessary for the other Party to exercise its rights under this Agreement, and (v) the use of the Party’s reasonable efforts to obtain any documentation from a governmental authority or a third party that may be necessary or reasonably helpful in connection with any of the foregoing.  It is expressly the intention of the Parties to take all actions that shall be necessary to establish Parent as the sole agent for Tax purposes of each member of the Spinco Groups with respect to all Combined Returns.  Upon reasonable notice, each Party shall make its, or shall cause the members of its respective Group, as applicable, to make their, employees and facilities available on a mutually convenient basis to provide explanation of any documents or information provided hereunder.  Any information obtained under this Section 8 shall be kept confidential, except as otherwise reasonably may be necessary in connection with the filing of Tax Returns or claims for Refund or in conducting any Proceeding.

 

(b)           Retention of Records. The Parties each agree to retain all Tax Returns, related schedules and workpapers, and all material records and other documents as

 

26



 

required under Section 6001 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder (and any similar provision of state, local, or foreign law) existing on the date hereof or created in respect of (i) any taxable period that ends on or before or includes the Distribution Date or (ii) any taxable period that may be subject to a claim hereunder until the later of (A) the expiration of the statute of limitations (including extensions) for the taxable periods to which such Tax Returns and other documents relate and (B) the Final Determination of any payments that may be required in respect of such taxable periods under this Agreement.  From and after the end of the period described in the preceding sentence of this Section 8(b), if a Party or a member of its respective Group wishes to dispose of any such records and documents, then such Party shall provide written notice thereof to the other Parties and shall provide the other Parties the opportunity to take possession of any such records and documents within 90 days after such notice is delivered; provided, however, that if no other Party, within such 90-day period, confirms its intention to take possession of such records and documents, then the Party wishing to destroy or otherwise dispose of such records and documents may do so.

 

(c)           Remedies.  Each of the Parties hereby acknowledges and agrees that (i) the failure of any member of its respective Group to comply with the provisions of this Section 8 may result in substantial harm to the other Parties, including the inability to determine or appropriately substantiate a Tax Liability (or a position in respect thereof) for which a Party (or a member of its respective Group) would be responsible under this Agreement or appropriately defend against an adjustment thereto by a Tax Authority, (ii) the remedies available to one Party (the “Injured Party”) for the breach by a member of another Party (the “Breaching Party”) of its obligations under this Section 8 shall include (without limitation) the indemnification by the Breaching Party of the Injured Party for any Tax Liabilities incurred or any tax benefit lost or postponed by reason of such breach and the forfeiture by the Breaching Party of any related rights to indemnification by the Injured Party.

 

(d)           Reliance.  If any member of a Group supplies (“Supplying Party”) information to a member of another Group (“Relying Party”) in connection with a Tax Liability and an officer of a member of the Relying Party signs a statement or other document under penalties of perjury in reliance upon the accuracy of such information, then upon the written request of the member of the Relying Party identifying the information being so relied upon, the chief financial officer of Supplying Party (or his or her designee) shall certify in writing that to his knowledge (based upon consultation with appropriate employees) the information so supplied is accurate and complete.  Each Party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each member of the other Groups and its directors, officers and employees from and against any fine, penalty, or other cost or expense of any kind attributable to a member of its respective Group having supplied, pursuant to this Section 8, a member of another Group with inaccurate or incomplete information in connection with a Tax Liability.

 

9.             Resolution of Disputes.  The provisions of Article 9 of the Separation Agreement (Dispute Resolution) shall apply to any dispute arising in connection with this Agreement; provided, however, that in the case of disputes arising under this Agreement, the relevant Parties shall jointly select the arbitrator, who shall be an attorney or accountant who is generally recognized in the tax community as a qualified and competent tax practitioner with experience in the tax area involved in the issue or issues to be resolved.

 

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10.           Payments.

 

(a)           Method of Payment.  All payments required by this Agreement shall be made by (i) wire transfer to the appropriate bank account as may from time to time be designated by the Parties for such purpose; provided that, on the date of such wire transfer, notice of the transfer is given to the recipient thereof in accordance with Section 11, or (ii) any other method agreed to by the Parties.  All payments due under this Agreement shall be deemed to be paid when available funds are actually received by the payee.

 

(b)           Interest.  Any payment required by this Agreement that is not made on or before the date required hereunder shall bear interest, from and after such date through the date of payment, at the Underpayment Rate.

 

(c)           Characterization of Payments.  For all Income Tax purposes, the Parties agree to treat, and to cause their respective Affiliates to treat, (i) any payment required by this Agreement or by the Separation Agreement, by (A) Parent to any of the Spincos as a contribution by Parent to the appropriate Spinco occurring immediately prior to the Distribution of such Spinco, (B) a Spinco to Parent as a distribution by such Spinco occurring immediately prior to the Distribution of such Spinco, and (C) a Spinco to another Spinco as a distribution by the first Spinco to Parent occurring immediately before the Distribution of the first Spinco followed by a contribution by Parent to the recipient Spinco occurring immediately before the Distribution of the second Spinco; and (ii) any payment of interest or non-federal Income Taxes by or to a Tax Authority, as taxable or deductible, as the case may be, to the Party entitled under this Agreement to retain such payment or required under this Agreement to make such payment, in either case, except as otherwise mandated by applicable law or a Final Determination; provided that in the event it is determined (A) pursuant to applicable law that it is more likely than not, or (B) pursuant to a Final Determination, that any such treatment is not permissible (or that an Indemnified Party nevertheless suffers a Tax detriment as a result of such payment), the payment in question shall be adjusted to place the Indemnified Party in the same after-tax position it would have enjoyed absent such applicable law or Final Determination.

 

11.           Compensatory Equity Interests.

 

(a)           Allocation of Deductions.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, Income Tax deductions arising by reason of exercises of Options to acquire Parent or Spinco stock, vesting of “restricted” Parent stock or Spinco stock, or settlement of restricted stock units, in each case, following the Distributions, with respect to Parent stock or Spinco stock (such Options, restricted stock and restricted stock units, collectively, “Compensatory Equity Interests”) held by any Person shall be claimed (i) in the case of an active employee, solely by the Party that employs such Person at the time of exercise, vesting, or settlement, as applicable, and (ii) in the case of a former employee, solely by the Party that last employed such Person (the Party described in clause (i) or (ii), the “Employing Party”).

 

(b)           Withholding and Reporting.  The Employing Party (or any of its Affiliates) that is entitled to claim the Tax deductions described in 11(a) with respect to Compensatory Equity Interests held by a current or former employee shall be responsible for all applicable Taxes (including, but not limited to, withholding and excise taxes) and shall satisfy, or

 

28



 

shall cause to be satisfied, all applicable Tax reporting obligations with respect to such Compensatory Equity Interests; provided, that in the event Compensatory Equity Interests are settled by the issuing corporation on a “net basis” that takes into account withholding or other Taxes for which the holder of the Compensatory Equity Interest is responsible, the issuing corporation shall promptly remit to the Employing Party an amount of cash equal to the fair market value of the shares withheld by the issuing corporation in respect of such withholding or other Taxes.

 

12.           Notices.  Notices, requests, permissions, waivers, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon (a) a transmitter’s confirmation of a receipt of a facsimile transmission (but only if followed by confirmed delivery of a standard overnight courier the following Business Day or if delivered by hand the following Business Day), or (b) confirmed delivery of a standard overnight courier or delivered by hand, to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other addresses for a party as shall be specified by like notice):

 

If to Parent, to:

 

IAC/InterActiveCorp
555 West 18th Street
New York, NY  10011
Attention:  General Counsel
Telecopier:  (212) 632-9642

 

with a copy to:

 

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY  10019
Attention:  Pamela S. Seymon, Esq.
Telecopier:  (212) 403-2000

 

If to TM Spinco:

 

Ticketmaster

8800 Sunset Boulevard

West Hollywood, California 90069

Attention: General Counsel

Telecopier:  (310)       -

 

with a copy to:

 

[              ]

 

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If to Interval Spinco:

 

Interval Leisure Group, Inc.

6262 Sunset Drive

Miami, Florida 33143

Attention: General Counsel

Telecopier:  (305)       -      

 

with a copy to:

 

[              ]

 

If to HSN Spinco:

 

1 HSN Drive

St. Petersburg, Florida 33729

Attention: General Counsel

Telecopier:  (727)       -

 

with a copy to:

 

[              ]

 

If to Tree Spinco:

 

11115 Rushmore Drive

Charlotte, North Carolina 28277

Attention: General Counsel

Telecopier:  (704)       -

 

with a copy to:

 

[              ]

 

Such names and addresses may be changed by notice given in accordance with this Section 12.

 

13.           Designation of Affiliate.  Each of the Parties may assign any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement to any member of its respective Group as it shall designate; provided, however, that no such assignment shall relieve the Party making the assignment of any obligation hereunder, including any obligation to make a payment hereunder to another Party, to the extent such designee fails to make such payment.

 

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14.           Miscellaneous.  Except to the extent otherwise provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of Article 13 (Miscellaneous) of the Separation Agreement to the extent set forth therein.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Parties has caused this Agreement to be executed on its behalf by its officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year first written above.

 

 

IAC/INTERACTIVECORP

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTERVAL LEISURE GROUP, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

HSN, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

32



 

 

TREE.COM, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

33



EX-10.2 9 a2187104zex-10_2.htm EXHIBIT 10.2

Exhibit 10.2

 

FORM OF

 

TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

by and among

 

IAC/INTERACTIVECORP,

 

HSN, Inc.,

 

INTERVAL LEISURE GROUP, INC.

 

TICKETMASTER

 

and

 

TREE.COM, INC.

 



 

TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

This TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT, dated as of [•], 2008 (this “Services Agreement”), is entered into by and among IAC/InterActiveCorp, a Delaware corporation (“IAC” or “New IAC”), HSN, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“HSNSpinco” or “HSN”), Interval Leisure Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“Interval Spinco” or “Interval”), Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“TMSpinco” or “TM”), and Tree.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“Tree Spinco” or “LT” and, together with HSNSpinco, Interval Spinco and TMSpinco, the “Spincos” and, the Spincos together with IAC, the “Parties” and each a “Party”).

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of IAC has determined it is appropriate and desirable to separate IAC and the Spincos into five publicly-traded companies all as set forth in that certain Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of even date herewith, by and among the Parties (the “Separation Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS, IAC and the Spincos expect to enter into the Separation Agreement on the date hereof, which sets forth, among other things, the assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of each of the Parties for purposes of effecting the separation of IAC and the Spincos; and

 

WHEREAS, in connection with such separation, (a) each of the Spincos desires to procure certain services from IAC and/or one or more of the other Spincos, and IAC and such other Spincos each are willing to provide such services, during a transition period commencing on the applicable Effective Date (as defined in Section 7.01), on the terms and conditions set forth in this Services Agreement; and (b) IAC desires to procure certain services from the Spincos, and each of the Spincos is willing to provide such services to IAC, during a transition period commencing on the applicable Effective Date, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Services Agreement.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, covenants and other provisions set forth in this Services Agreement, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

 

1.01.     All terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Separation Agreement.

 

2



 

ARTICLE II

 

Agreement To Provide and Accept Services

 

2.01.    Provision of Services.

 

(a)               On the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, IAC agrees with each Spinco, as applicable, that it shall provide, or shall cause its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and their respective employees designated by IAC (such designated Subsidiaries, Affiliates and employees, together with IAC, being herein collectively referred to as the “IAC Service Providers”) to provide, to such Spinco the services (“IAC Services”) listed on the Schedule of Services attached hereto (the “Services Schedule”) as being performed by IAC or a member of its Corresponding Group identified in the column of the Services Schedule titled “Spin Party” and being received by such Spinco.  Subject to  Section 3.01, any decisions as to which of the IAC Service Providers (including the decisions to use third parties) shall provide the IAC Services shall be made by IAC in its sole discretion, except to the extent specified in the Services Schedule.  Each IAC Service shall be provided in exchange for the consideration set forth with respect to such IAC Service on the Services Schedule or as IAC and such Spinco may otherwise agree in writing.  Each IAC Service shall be provided and accepted in accordance with the terms, limitations and conditions set forth herein and on the Services Schedule.

 

(b)              On the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, TMSpinco agrees with each other Spinco and IAC, as applicable, that it shall provide, or shall cause its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and their respective employees designated by it (such designated Subsidiaries, Affiliates and employees, together with TMSpinco, being herein collectively referred to as the “Ticketmaster Service Providers”) to provide, to such other Spinco or IAC, as applicable, the services (“Ticketmaster Services”) listed on the Services Schedule as being performed by TM or a or a member of its Corresponding Group identified in the column of the Services Schedule titled “Spin Party” and being received by such other Spinco or IAC, as applicable.  Subject to Section 3.01, any decisions as to which of the Ticketmaster Service Providers (including the decisions to use third parties) shall provide the Ticketmaster Services shall be made by TMSpinco in its sole discretion, except to the extent specified in the  Services Schedule.  Each Ticketmaster Service shall be provided in exchange for the consideration set forth with respect to such Service on the Services Schedule or as TMSpinco and the applicable recipient of the Ticketmaster Services may otherwise agree in writing.  Each Ticketmaster Service shall be provided and accepted in accordance with the terms, limitations and conditions set forth herein and on the Services Schedule.

 

(c)               On the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, HSNSpinco agrees with each other Spinco and IAC, as applicable, that it shall provide, or shall cause its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and their respective employees designated by it (such designated Subsidiaries, Affiliates and employees, together with HSNSpinco, being herein collectively referred to as the “HSN Service Providers”) to provide, to such other Spinco or IAC, as applicable, the services (“HSN Services”) listed on the Services Schedule as being performed by HSN or a member of its Corresponding Group identified in the column of the Services Schedule titled “Spin Party” and being received by such other Spinco or IAC, as applicable.  Subject to

 

3



 

Section 3.01, any decisions as to which of the HSN Service Providers (including the decisions to use third parties) shall provide the HSN Services shall be made by HSNSpinco in its sole discretion, except to the extent specified in the Services Schedule.  Each HSN Service shall be provided in exchange for the consideration set forth with respect to such Service on the Services Schedule or as HSNSpinco and the applicable recipient of the HSN Services may otherwise agree in writing.  Each HSN Service shall be provided and accepted in accordance with the terms, limitations and conditions set forth herein and on the Services Schedule.

 

(d)              On the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, Interval Spinco agrees with each other Spinco and IAC, as applicable, that it shall provide, or shall cause its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and their respective employees designated by it (such designated Subsidiaries, Affiliates and employees, together with Interval Spinco, being herein collectively referred to as the “Interval Service Providers”) to provide, to such other Spinco or IAC, as applicable, the services (“Interval Services”) listed on the attached Services Schedule as being performed by Interval or a member of its Corresponding Group identified in the column of the Services Schedule titled “Spin Party” and being received by such other Spinco or IAC, as applicable.  Subject to Section 3.01, any decisions as to which of the Interval Service Providers (including the decisions to use third parties) shall provide the Interval Services shall be made by Interval Spinco in its sole discretion, except to the extent specified in the Services Schedule.  Each Interval Service shall be provided in exchange for the consideration set forth with respect to such Service on the Services Schedule or as Interval Spinco and the applicable recipient of the Interval Services may otherwise agree in writing.  Each Interval Service shall be provided and accepted in accordance with the terms, limitations and conditions set forth herein and on the Services Schedule.

 

(e)               On the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, Tree Spinco agrees with each other Spinco and IAC, as applicable, that it shall provide, or shall cause its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and their respective employees designated by it (such designated Subsidiaries, Affiliates and employees, together with Tree Spinco, being herein collectively referred to as the “Tree Service Providers” and together with the IAC Service Providers, the Ticketmaster Service Providers, the HSN Service Providers and the Interval Service Providers, being herein collectively referred to as the “Service Providers”) to provide, to such other Spinco or IAC, as applicable, the services (“Tree Services” and together with the IAC Services, the Ticketmaster Services, the HSN Services and the Interval Services, being herein collectively referred to as the “Services”) listed on the Services Schedule as being performed by LT or a member of its Corresponding Group identified in the column of the Services Schedule titled “Spin Party” and being received by such other Spinco or IAC, as applicable.  Subject to Section 3.01, any decisions as to which of the Tree Service Providers (including the decisions to use third parties) shall provide the Tree Services shall be made by Tree Spinco in its sole discretion, except to the extent specified in the Services Schedule.  Each Tree Service shall be provided in exchange for the consideration set forth with respect to such Service on the Services Schedule or as Tree Spinco and the applicable recipient of the Tree Services may otherwise agree in writing.  Each Tree Service shall be provided and accepted in accordance with the terms, limitations and conditions set forth herein and on the Services Schedule.

 

(f)               As used in this Services Agreement, the term “Receiving Party” shall mean the

 

4



 

Party receiving (or the Party another member of whose Corresponding Group is receiving) the applicable Services from a Service Provider.

 

2.02.    Books and Records; Availability of Information.    Each Party shall create and maintain accurate books and records in connection with the provision of the Services performed or caused to be performed by it and, upon reasonable notice from a Receiving Party, shall make available for inspection and copying by such Receiving Party’s agents such books and records to the extent relating to the Services provided to such Receiving Party hereunder during reasonable business hours with such inspection occurring no more than one (1) time during the term in which the Service Provider has provided the applicable Service to the Receiving Party. Moreover, such inspection shall be conducted by the Receive Party or its agents in a manner that will not unreasonably interfere with the normal business operations of the Service Provider.  Each Receiving Party shall make available on a timely basis to the Service Providers all information and materials reasonably requested by such Service Providers to enable them to provide the applicable Services.  Each Receiving Party shall provide to the Service Providers reasonable access to such Receiving Party’s premises to the extent necessary for the purpose of providing the applicable Services.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Services; Payment; Independent Contractors

 

3.01.    Services To Be Provided.    (a) Unless otherwise agreed between the applicable Party providing Services hereunder and the Receiving Party (including to the extent specified in the applicable entry on the Services Schedule), (i) the Service Providers shall be required to perform the Services only in a manner, scope, nature and quality as provided by or within IAC that is similar in all material respects to the manner in which such Services were performed immediately prior to the applicable Effective Date, and (ii) the Services shall be used for substantially the same purposes and in substantially the same manner (including as to volume, amount, level or frequency, as applicable) as the Services have been used immediately prior to the applicable Effective Date; providedhowever, that the applicable entry on the Services Schedule shall control the scope of the Service to be performed (to the extent provided therein), unless otherwise agreed in writing.  Each Party and the Service Providers shall act under this Services Agreement solely as an independent contractor and not as an agent or employee of any other Party or any of such Party’s Affiliates. As an independent contractor, all overhead and personnel necessary to the Services required of the Service Providers hereunder shall be the Service Provider’s sole responsibility and shall be at the Service Provider’s sole cost and expense. No Service Provider shall have the authority to bind the Receiving Party by contract or otherwise.

 

(b)              The provision of Services by the Service Providers shall be subject to Article V hereof.

 

(c)               Each Party agrees with each other Party providing Services to it hereunder to use its reasonable efforts to reduce or eliminate its dependency on such Services as soon as is

 

5



 

reasonably practicable; provided that a breach of this Section 3.01(c) shall not affect a Service Provider’s obligation to provide any Service through the term applicable to such Service.

 

3.02.     Each Receiving Party and Party providing Services to it hereunder will use good-faith efforts to reasonably cooperate with each other in all matters relating to the provision and receipt of Services.  Such cooperation shall include obtaining all consents, licenses or approvals necessary to permit each such Party to perform its obligations to such Receiving Party hereunder; provided, however, under no circumstances shall any Service Provider be required to make any payments to any third party in respect of any such consents, licenses or approvals nor shall any Service Provider be required to make any alternative arrangements in the event that any such consents, licenses or approvals are not obtained.

 

3.03.    Additional Services.

 

(a)               From time to time during the term applicable to any Service being provided by a Service Provider, each Party may request any of the other Parties (i) to provide additional or different services which such other Party is not expressly obligated to provide under this Services Agreement if such services are of the type and scope provided by such providing Party within IAC during fiscal year 2008 or (ii) expand the scope of any Service (such additional or expanded services, the “Additional Services”).  The Party receiving such request shall consider such request in good faith and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide such Additional Service; provided, no Party shall be obligated to provide any Additional Services if it does not, in its reasonable judgment, have adequate resources to provide such Additional Services or if the provision of such Additional Services would interfere with the operation of its business.  The Party receiving the request for Additional Services shall notify the requesting Party within fifteen (15) days as to whether it will or will not provide the Additional Services.

 

(b)              If a Party agrees to provide Additional Services pursuant to Section 3.03(a), then a representative of each applicable Party shall in good faith negotiate the terms of a supplement to the Services Schedule which will describe in detail the service, project scope, term, schedule impact, price and payment terms to be charged for the Additional Services.  Once agreed to in writing, the supplement to the Services Schedule shall be deemed part of this Services Agreement as of such date and the Additional Services shall be deemed “Services” provided by such Service Provider to such Receiving Party hereunder, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

3.04.    Payments.    Except as set forth on the Services Schedule, statements will be delivered to each applicable Receiving Party within fifteen (15) days after the end of each month by the Service Providers designated by each providing Party for Services provided by such Service Provider to the Receiving Party during the preceding month, and each such statement shall set forth a brief description of such Services, the amounts charged therefor, and, except as the applicable providing Party and Receiving Party may agree or as set forth on the Services Schedule, such amounts shall be due and payable by the Receiving Party within thirty (30) days after the date of such statement.  Statements not paid within such 30-day period shall be subject to late charges, calculated at an interest rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate plus 2% (or the maximum legal rate, whichever is lower), and calculated for the actual number of days elapsed,

 

6



 

accrued from the date on which such payment was due up to the date of the actual receipt of payment.  Payments shall be made by wire transfer to an account designated in writing from time to time by the applicable Service Provider.

 

3.05.    Disclaimer of Warranty.    EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS SERVICES AGREEMENT, THE SERVICES TO BE PURCHASED UNDER THIS SERVICES AGREEMENT ARE FURNISHED AS IS, WHERE IS, WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  In the event that the provision of any Service for the account of a Receiving Party by a Service Provider conflicts with such Service Provider’s provision of such Service for its own account or the account of other Receiving Parties, priority for the provision of such Service shall be allocated in a equitable manner on an aggregate basis, and in a manner consistent with the Receiving Party’s level of use of such Service during fiscal year 2008 up to the applicable Effective Date (or as described in the applicable entry on the Services Schedule).

 

3.06.    Taxes.    In the event that any Tax is properly chargeable on the provision of the Services as indicated in the applicable entry on the Services Schedule, the Receiving Party shall be responsible for and shall pay to the applicable Service Provider the amount of any such Tax in addition to and at the same time as the applicable Service fees.  All Service fees and other consideration will be paid free and clear of and without withholding or deduction for or on account of any Tax, except as may be required by law.

 

3.07.    Use of Services.    Each party, in its capacity as a Receiving Party agrees with each applicable providing Party that it shall not, and shall cause its Affiliates not to, resell any Services to any person whatsoever or permit the use of the Services by any person other than in connection with the conduct of such Receiving Party’s operations as conducted immediately prior to the applicable Effective Date.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Term of Services

 

4.01.     Subject to Section 7.01, the provision of each Service shall commence on the date hereof and shall terminate no later than twelve (12) months after the date hereof or as of the date indicated for each such Service in the applicable entry on the Services Schedule; provided, however, that subject to the applicable entry on the Services Schedule, any Service may be cancelled or reduced in amount or any portion thereof by the Receiving Party upon ninety (90) days written notice thereof (or such other notice period if one is set forth for such Service in the applicable entry on the Services Schedule) to the applicable Service Provider subject to the requirement that such Receiving Party pay to the applicable Service Provider the actual out-of-pocket costs incurred by such Service Provider, as well as the actual incremental internal costs incurred by such Service Provider, in each case directly resulting from such cancellation (including employee severance and other termination costs), which out-of-pocket and internal costs shall be set forth in a written statement provided by such Service Provider to the Receiving

 

7



 

Party; provided, further, that such costs shall not exceed amounts payable hereunder in respect of the applicable Service for the ninety (90) days prior to such termination.  The forgoing notwithstanding and subject to Section 7.02, (i) a Service Provider may immediately terminate any individual Service provided to a Receiving Party in the event that the Receiving Party fails to make payments for such Service under Section 3.02 and has not cured such failure within thirty (30) days of written notice of such failure from the applicable Service Provider, and (ii) upon ninety (90) days written notice, the Service Provider may terminate any Service provided to a Receiving Party at such time as the Service Provider no longer provides the same Service to itself for its own account.

 

4.02.     In the event a Receiving Party requests an extension of the term applicable to the provision of Services, such request shall be considered in good faith by the applicable Service Provider.  Any terms, conditions or costs or fees to be paid by the Receiving Party for Services provided during an extended term will be on terms mutually acceptable to such Service Provider and Receiving Party.  For the avoidance of doubt, under no circumstances shall a Service Provider be required to extend the term of provision of any Service if (i) the Service Provider does not, in its reasonable judgment, have adequate resources to continue providing such Services, (ii) the extension of the term would interfere with the operation of the Service Provider’s business or (iii) the extension would require capital expenditure on the part of the Service Provider or otherwise require the Service Provider to renew or extend any Contract with any third party.

 

ARTICLE V

 

Force Majeure

 

5.01.     The Service Providers shall not be liable for any expense, loss or damage whatsoever arising out of any interruption of Service or delay or failure to perform under this Services Agreement that is due to acts of God, acts of a public enemy, acts of terrorism, acts of a nation or any state, territory, province or other political division thereof, changes in applicable law, fires, hurricanes, floods, epidemics, riots, theft, quarantine restrictions, freight embargoes or other similar causes beyond the reasonable control of the Service Providers.  In any such event, the applicable Service Provider’s obligations hereunder shall be postponed for such time as its performance is suspended or delayed on account thereof, provided that if the force majeure event continues for more that forty-five (45) days, the Service Provider may cancel unperformed Services upon written notice to the Receiving Party.  Each Service Provider will promptly notify the recipient of the Service, either orally or in writing, upon learning of the occurrence of such event of force majeure.  Upon the cessation of the force majeure event, such Service Provider will use commercially reasonable efforts to resume, or to cause any other relevant Service Provider to resume, its performance with the least practicable delay (provided that, at the election of the applicable Receiving Party, the applicable term for such suspended Service shall be extended by the length of the force majeure event unless such event has continued for more than 45 days in which case the Service may be cancelled by the Service Provider).

 

8



 

ARTICLE VI

 

Liabilities

 

6.01.    Consequential and Other Damages.  None of the Service Providers shall be liable to any Receiving Party with respect to this Services Agreement, whether in contract, tort (including negligence and strict liability) or otherwise, for any special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages whatsoever (except, in each case, to the extent any amount is paid to third parties by such Receiving Party or its Affiliates) which in any way arise out of, relate to or are a consequence of, the performance or nonperformance by it hereunder or the provision of, or failure to provide, any Service hereunder, including with respect to loss of profits, business interruptions or claims of customers.

 

6.02.    Limitation of Liability.  Subject to Section 6.03 hereof, the liability of any Service Provider with respect to this Services Agreement to any Receiving Party or in respect of any Services provided to such Receiving Party or any act or failure to act in connection herewith (including, but not limited to, the performance or breach hereof), or from the sale, delivery, provision or use of any Service provided under or covered by this Services Agreement, whether in contract, tort (including negligence and strict liability) or otherwise, shall be limited to actions or omissions resulting from intentional breach of this Services Agreement or gross negligence, and, in any event, such liability shall not exceed the fees previously paid to such Service Provider by such Receiving Party during the term of the applicable Service giving rise thereto.

 

6.03.    Obligation to Re-perform.  In the event of any breach of this Services Agreement by any Service Provider resulting from any error or defect in the performance of any Service (which breach such Service Provider can reasonably be expected to cure by re-performance in a commercially reasonable manner), the Service Provider shall use its reasonable commercial efforts to correct in all material respects such error, defect or breach or re-perform in all material respects such Service upon receipt of the written request of the applicable Receiving Party.

 

6.04.    Indemnity.  Except as otherwise provided in this Service Agreement (including the limitation of liability provisions in this Article VI), each Party shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless each other Party from and against any Liability arising out of the intentional breach hereunder or gross negligence of the Indemnifying Party or its Affiliates, employees, agents, or contractors (including with respect to the performance or nonperformance of any Service hereunder).  The procedures set forth in Sections 6.04 and 6.05 of the Separation Agreement shall apply to any claim for indemnification hereunder.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Effectiveness; Certain Deemed References; Termination

 

7.01.   Effectiveness; Certain Substitutions.  The provision of Services hereunder to any Spinco by each other applicable Party and to each other applicable Party by such Spinco shall commence as of the Distribution Date for such Spinco (the time of commencement of the provision of such Services being referred to as the “applicable Effective Date”); provided, that in

 

9



 

the event Services are contemplated to be provided hereunder to such Spinco by another Spinco (a “Later-Spun Spinco”) the spinoff of which shall not have been effected prior to or substantially simultaneously with the spinoff of such first-mentioned Spinco, references herein and in the Services Schedule to such Later-Spun Spinco in its capacity as Service Provider to such first-mentioned Spinco shall be deemed references to IAC until the Distribution Date for such Later-Spun Spinco; and, provided, further, that in the event Services are contemplated to be provided hereunder by such first-mentioned Spinco to any Later-Spun Spinco, to the extent requested in writing by IAC (a) references herein and in the Services Schedule to such Later-Spun Spinco in its capacity as Receiving Party of Services from such Spinco shall be deemed references to IAC until the Distribution Date for such Later-Spun Spinco or (b) the provision of such Service shall be suspended until the Distribution Date for such Later-Spun Spinco (it being understood that any such suspension shall not increase the term during which the Service Provider would otherwise have been required to provide such Service).

 

7.02    Termination.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, with respect to each pair of Parties (i.e., with respect to IAC and TMSpinco; IAC and HSNSpinco; IAC and Interval Spinco; IAC and Tree Spinco; TMSpinco and HSN Spinco; TMSpinco and Interval Spinco; TMSpinco and Tree Spinco; HSNSpinco and Interval Spinco; HSNSpinco and Tree Spinco; and Interval Spinco and Tree Spinco) the rights and obligations of each such Party in respect of such other Party under this Services Agreement shall terminate, and the obligation of the applicable Service Provider to provide or cause to be provided any applicable Service shall cease, on the earliest to occur of (i) the last date indicated for the termination of any Service provided by one such Party to the other such Party on the Services Schedule, as the case may be, (ii) the date on which the provision of all Services by either such Party to the other such Party has been cancelled pursuant to Article IV or Article V hereof or (iii) the date on which this Services Agreement, to the extent of the rights and obligations of such pair of Parties to each other, is terminated by either such Party, as the case may be, in accordance with the terms of Section 7.03 hereof; provided that, in each case, no such termination shall relieve any Party of any liability for any breach of any provision of this Services Agreement prior to the date of such termination.

 

7.03.    Breach of Services Agreement; Dispute Resolution.  Subject to Article VI hereof, and without limiting a Party’s obligations under Section 4.01, if a Party shall cause or suffer to exist any material breach of any of its obligations to any other Party (the “Nonbreaching Party”) under this Services Agreement, including any failure to make a payment within thirty (30) days after receipt of the statement describing the Services provided for pursuant to Section 3.04 with respect to more than one Service provided hereunder, and such breaching Party does not cure such default in all material respects within thirty (30) days after receiving written notice thereof from the Nonbreaching Party, the Nonbreaching Party shall have the right to terminate this Services Agreement to the extent of the rights and obligations of such Nonbreaching Party and breaching Party to each other hereunder immediately thereafter.  In the event a dispute arises between two or more Parties regarding the terms of this Services Agreement, such dispute shall be governed by Article IX of the Separation Agreement.

 

7.03.    Sums Due.  In addition to any other payments required pursuant to this Services Agreement, in the event of a termination of this Services Agreement with respect to the rights and obligations of a Service Provider and a Receiving Party to each other, such Service Provider

 

10



 

shall be entitled to the immediate payment of, and such Receiving Party shall within three (3) Business Days, pay to such Service Provider, all accrued amounts for Services, Taxes and other amounts due from such Receiving Party to such Service Provider under this Services Agreement as of the date of termination.

 

7.04.    Effect of Termination.   Section 2.02 hereof and Articles V, VI, VII and VIII hereof shall survive any termination or partial termination of this Services Agreement.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

Miscellaneous

 

8.01.    Incorporation of Separation Agreement Provisions.    The provisions of Article XIII of the Separation Agreement are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and unless otherwise expressly specified herein, such provisions shall apply as if fully set forth herein.

 

8.02.   Ownership of Work Product.  Subject to the Separation Agreement, (i) each Service Provider acknowledges and agrees that it will acquire no right, title or interest (including any license rights or rights of use) to any work product resulting from the provision of Services hereunder for the Receiving Party’s exclusive use and such work product shall remain the exclusive property of the Receiving Party and (ii) each Receiving Party acknowledges and agrees that it will acquire no right, title or interest (other than a non-exclusive, worldwide right of use) to any work product resulting from the provision of Services hereunder that is not for the Receiving Party’s exclusive use and such work product shall remain the exclusive property, subject to license, of the Service Provider.

 

11



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Services Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives.

 

 

 

IAC/InterActiveCorp,

 

a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

HSN, Inc.,

 

a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Interval Leisure Group, Inc.,

 

a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Ticketmaster,

 

a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Tree.com, Inc.,

 

a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

12



 

Schedule of Services

 



EX-10.3 10 a2187104zex-10_3.htm EXHIBIT 10.3

Exhibit 10.3

 

FORM OF

 

EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT

 

BY AND AMONG

 

IAC/INTERACTIVECORP

 

TICKETMASTER,

 

INTERVAL LEISURE GROUP, INC.,

 

HSN, INC.,

 

AND

 

TREE.COM, INC.

 

Dated as of [      ], 2008

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

1

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

10

2.1

Employment

10

2.2

Assumption and Retention of Liabilities; Related Assets

10

2.3

SpinCo Participation in IAC Benefit Plans

12

2.4

Terms of Participation by SpinCo Employees in SpinCo Benefit Plans

12

2.5

Commercially Reasonable Efforts

13

2.6

Regulatory Compliance

13

2.7

Approval by IAC as Sole Stockholder

13

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

SAVINGS PLANS

13

3.1

Savings Plans

13

3.2

SpinCo Savings Plans

14

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

HEALTH AND WELFARE PLANS

15

4.1

Transition Period

15

4.2

Establishment of Health and Welfare Plans

16

4.3

Retention of Sponsorship and Liabilities

17

4.4

Vendor Contracts

17

4.5

Flexible Benefit Plan

18

4.6

Workers’ Compensation Liabilities

18

4.7

Payroll Taxes and Reporting of Compensation

19

4.8

COBRA and HIPAA Compliance

19

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

EXECUTIVE BENEFITS AND OTHER BENEFITS

20

5.1

Assumption of Obligations

20

5.2

IAC Incentive Plans

21

5.3

IAC Long-Term Incentive Plans

22

5.4

Registration Requirements

38

5.5

Executive Deferred Compensation Plans

39

5.6

Severance

40

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

41

6.1

Sharing of Participant Information

41

6.2

Reasonable Efforts/Cooperation

41

6.3

No Third-Party Beneficiaries

41

6.4

Audit Rights With Respect to Information Provided

42

6.5

Fiduciary Matters

42

6.6

Consent of Third Parties

43

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

43

7.1

Effect If Effective Time Does Not Occur

43

7.2

Relationship of Parties

43

7.3

Affiliates

43

7.4

Notices

43

7.5

Incorporation of Separation Agreement Provisions

44

 

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EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT

 

This Employee Matters Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of [      ], 2008, with effect as of the Effective Time, is entered into by and among IAC/InterActiveCorp, a Delaware corporation (“IAC”), Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“TM”), Interval Leisure Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“Interval”), HSN, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“HSN”) and Tree.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of IAC (“Tree,” together with TM, Interval, HSN and Tree,  the “SpinCos,” the SpinCos and IAC, collectively, the “Parties”).

 

RECITALS:

 

WHEREAS, IAC, TM, Interval, HSN and Tree have entered into a Separation Agreement pursuant to which the Parties have set out the terms on which, and the conditions subject to which, they wish to implement the Separation (as defined in the Separation Agreement) (such agreement, as amended, restated or modified from time to time, the “Separation Agreement”).

 

WHEREAS, in connection therewith, IAC, TM, Interval, HSN and Tree have agreed to enter into this Agreement to allocate between them assets, liabilities and responsibilities with respect to certain employee compensation, pension and benefit plans, programs and arrangements and certain employment matters.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, covenants and other provisions set forth in this Agreement, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

Unless otherwise defined in this Agreement, capitalized words and expressions and variations thereof used in this Agreement or in its Appendices have the meanings set forth below.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Separation Agreement.

 

Adjustment Ratio” means (a) the IAC Stock Value divided by (b) the sum of (i) 0.5 of the IAC Post-Separation Stock Value plus (ii) 0.2 of the Ticketmaster Stock Value (or if IAC does not distribute shares of TM Common Stock on the Distribution Date, zero) plus (iii) 0.2 of the Interval Stock Value (or if IAC does not distribute shares of Interval Common Stock on the Distribution Date, zero) plus (iv) 0.2 of the HSN Stock Value (or if IAC does not distribute shares of HSN Common Stock on the Distribution Date, zero) plus (v) 0.03333 of the Tree Stock Value (or if IAC does not distribute shares of Tree Common Stock on the Distribution Date, zero).

 

Active HSN Participants” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(c).

 

Affiliate” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

Agreement” means this Employee Matters Agreement, including all the Schedules hereto.

 



 

Ancillary Agreements” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

Approved Leave of Absence” means an absence from active service (a) due to an individual’s inability to perform his or her regular job duties by reason of illness or injury and resulting in eligibility to receive benefits pursuant to the terms of the IAC Short-Term Disability Plan or the IAC Long-Term Disability Plan, or (b) pursuant to an approved leave policy with a guaranteed right of reinstatement.

 

ASO Contract” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a).

 

Auditing Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(b).

 

Award” (a) when immediately preceded by “IAC,” means IAC Restricted Stock and IAC Restricted Stock Units, (b) when immediately preceded by “TM,” means TM Restricted Stock and TM Restricted Stock Units, (c) when immediately preceded by “Interval,” means Interval Restricted Stock and Interval Restricted Stock Units, (d) when immediately preceded by “HSN,” means HSN Restricted Stock and HSN Restricted Stock Units and (e) when immediately preceded by Tree means Tree Restricted Stock and Tree Restricted Stock Units.

 

Benefit Plan” means, with respect to an entity or any of its Subsidiaries, (a) each “employee welfare benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) and all other employee benefits arrangements, policies or payroll practices (including, without limitation, severance pay, sick leave, vacation pay, salary continuation, disability, retirement, deferred compensation, bonus, stock option or other equity-based compensation, hospitalization, medical insurance or life insurance) sponsored or maintained by such entity or by any of its Subsidiaries (or to which such entity or any of its Subsidiaries contributes or is required to contribute) and (b) all “employee pension benefit plans” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), occupational pension plan or arrangement or other pension arrangements sponsored, maintained or contributed to by such entity or any of its Subsidiaries (or to which such entity or any of its Subsidiaries contributes or is required to contribute).  For the avoidance of doubt, “Benefit Plans” includes Health and Welfare Plans.  When immediately preceded by “IAC,” Benefit Plan means any Benefit Plan sponsored, maintained or contributed to by IAC or any IAC Entity.  When immediately preceded by “TM,” Benefit Plan means any Benefit Plan sponsored, maintained or contributed to by TM or any TM Entity.  When immediately preceded by “Interval,” Benefit Plan means any Benefit Plan sponsored, maintained or contributed to by Interval or any Interval Entity.  When immediately preceded by “HSN,” Benefit Plan means any Benefit Plan sponsored, maintained or contributed to by HSN or any HSN Entity.  When immediately preceded by “Tree,” Benefit Plan means any Benefit Plan sponsored, maintained or contributed to by Tree or any Tree Entity.

 

Cliff Vest” with respect to any Award means the lump-sum vesting of 100% of such Award following the passage of a multi-year period after the date of grant.  The terms “Cliff Vesting” and “Cliff Vested” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Close of the Distribution Date” means 11:59:59 P.M., Eastern Standard Time or Eastern Daylight Time (whichever shall then be in effect), on the Distribution Date.

 

COBRA” means the continuation coverage requirements for “group health plans” under Title X of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, and as codified in Code § 4980B and ERISA §§ 601 through 608.

 

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Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor federal income tax law.  Reference to a specific Code provision also includes any proposed, temporary or final regulation in force under that provision.

 

Committee” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(a).

 

Distribution Date” means the first date on which one or more of the Distributions (as defined in the Separation Agreement) occurs.

 

Effective Time Year” means the calendar year during which the Effective Time occurs.

 

Effective Time” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.  Reference to a specific provision of ERISA also includes any proposed, temporary or final regulation in force under that provision.

 

FICA” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(g)(ii)(A).

 

FICA Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(g)(ii)(A).

 

 “Former HSN Employee” means any individual who as of the Effective Time is a former employee of the IAC Group, the TM Group, the Interval Group, the HSN Group or the Tree Group, and whose last employment with any such group, was with an HSN Entity.

 

Former IAC Employee” means any individual who as of the Effective Time is a former employee of the IAC Group, the TM Group, the Interval Group, the HSN Group or the Tree Group, and whose last employment with any such group, was with an IAC Entity.

 

Former Interval Employee” means any individual who as of the Effective Time is a former employee of the IAC Group, the TM Group, the Interval Group, the HSN Group or the Tree Group, and whose last employment with any such group, was with an Interval Entity.

 

Former SpinCo Employee” means a Former TM Employee, Former Interval Employee, Former HSN Employee and/or Former Tree Employee as the context requires.

 

Former TM Employee” means any individual who as of the Effective Time is a former employee of the IAC Group, the TM Group, the Interval Group, the HSN Group or the Tree Group, and whose last employment with any such group, was with a TM Entity.

 

Former Tree Employee” means any individual who as of the Effective Time is a former employee of the IAC Group, the TM Group, the Interval Group, the HSN Group or the Tree Group, and whose last employment with any such group, was with a Tree Entity.

 

Group Insurance Policies” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a).

 

Growth Share Awards” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(g).

 

H&W Transition Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(a).

 

Health and Welfare Plans” means any plan, fund or program which was established or is maintained for the purpose of providing for its participants or their beneficiaries,

 

3



 

through the purchase of insurance or otherwise, medical, dental, surgical or hospital care or benefits, or benefits in the event of sickness, accident, disability, death or unemployment, or vacation benefits, apprenticeship or other training programs or day care centers, scholarship funds, or prepaid legal services, including any such plan, fund or program as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA.  When immediately preceded by “IAC,” Health and Welfare Plans means each Health and Welfare Plan that is an IAC Benefit Plan.  When immediately preceded by “TM,” Health and Welfare Plans means each Health and Welfare Plan that is a TM Benefit Plan.  When immediately preceded by “Interval,” Health and Welfare Plans means each Health and Welfare Plan that is an Interval Benefit Plan. When immediately preceded by “HSN,” Health and Welfare Plans means each Health and Welfare Plan that is an HSN Benefit Plan. When immediately preceded by “Tree,” Health and Welfare Plans means each Health and Welfare Plan that is a Tree Benefit Plan.

 

HIPAA” means the health insurance portability and accountability requirements for “group health plans” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended.

 

HMO Agreements” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4(a).

 

HMO” means a health maintenance organization that provides benefits under the IAC Medical Plans, the TM Medical Plans, the Interval Medical Plans, the HSN Medical Plans or the Tree Medical Plans.

 

HSN” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

 

HSN Common Stock” means common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of HSN.

 

HSN Deferred Compensation Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(c).

 

HSN Employee” means any individual who, immediately prior to the Effective Time, is either actively employed by, or then on Approved Leave of Absence from, an HSN Entity.

 

HSN Entities” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

HSN Executive Benefit Plans” means the executive benefit and nonqualified plans, programs, and arrangements established, sponsored, maintained, or agreed upon, by any HSN Entity for the benefit of employees and former employees of any HSN Entity before the Close of the Distribution Date.

 

HSN Factor” means the product obtained by multiplying (a) 0.2 and (b) the Adjustment Ratio.

 

HSN Long-Term Incentive Plan” means the long-term incentive plan or program to be established by HSN, effective immediately prior to the Distribution Date.

 

HSN Ratio” means the quotient obtained by dividing the IAC Stock Value by the HSN Stock Value.

 

HSN Retirement Savings Plan” means the 401(k) and profit sharing plan to be established by HSN pursuant to Section 3.1 of this Agreement, as in effect as of the time relevant to the applicable provision of this Agreement.

 

4



 

HSN Retirement Savings Plan Trust” means a trust relating to the HSN Retirement Savings Plan intended to qualify under Section 401(a) and be exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code.

 

HSN Stock Value” means the closing per-share price of HSN Common Stock in the “when issued market” as listed on the NASDAQ as of 4:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time in the last completed trading session immediately preceding the Effective Time.

 

IAC” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

 

IAC Common Stock” means shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of IAC.

 

IAC Employee” means any individual who, immediately prior to the Close of the Distribution Date, is either actively employed by, or then on Approved Leave of Absence from, any IAC Entity.

 

IAC Entities” means the members of the IAC Group, as defined in the Separation Agreement, and their respective Subsidiaries and Affiliates, excluding any business or operations (whether current or historical, regardless of whether discontinued or sold) that are included in the TM Group, the Interval Group, the HSN Group or the Tree Group.

 

IAC Executive Benefit Plans” means the executive benefit and nonqualified plans, programs, and arrangements established, sponsored, maintained, or agreed upon, by any IAC Entity for the benefit of employees and former employees of any IAC Entity before the Close of the Distribution Date.

 

IAC Deferred Compensation Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(a).

 

 “IAC Factor” means the product obtained by multiplying (a) 0.5 and (b) the Adjustment Ratio.

 

IAC Flexible Benefit Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.5.

 

IAC Incentive Plans” means any of the annual or short term incentive plans of IAC, all as in effect as of the time relevant to the applicable provisions of this Agreement.

 

IAC Long-Term Incentive Plans” means any of the Silver King Communications, Inc. 1995 Stock Incentive Plan, HSN, Inc. 1997 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan, USA Interactive Amended and Restated 2000 Annual Stock and Incentive Plan, IAC/InterActiveCorp 2005 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan, Home Shopping Network, Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan for Employees, Equity and Bonus Compensation Agreement with Barry Diller, TM, Inc. 1999 Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan, the Hotels Reservations Network, Inc. 2000 Stock Plan, Ticketmaster Online-Citysearch, Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan, Ticketmaster Online-Citysearch, Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan, Ticketmaster 1999 Stock Plan, and Ticketweb, Inc. 2000 Stock Plan, Styleclick, Inc. 1995 Stock Option Plan, Servicemagic, Inc. Amended and Restated 1999 Stock Option Plan, Precision Response Corporation Amended and Restated 1996 Incentive Stock Plan, TM, Inc. Amended and Restated 2001 Stock Plan, 1998 Stock Option Plan of LendingTree, Inc., Amended and Restated Stock Incentive Plan of LendingTree, Inc., the Silver King Communications, Inc. Directors Stock Option Plan, Hotwire, Inc. 2000 Equity Incentive Plan and any other stock incentive plan of IAC, all as in effect as of the time relevant to the

 

5



 

applicable provisions of this Agreement.

 

IAC Post-Separation Stock Value” means the closing per-share price of IAC Common Stock trading in the “ex-distribution market” as listed on the NASDAQ as of 4:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time in the last completed trading session immediately preceding the Effective Time.

 

IAC Rabbi Trust” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(a).

 

IAC Ratio” means the quotient obtained by dividing the IAC Stock Value by the IAC Post-Separation Stock Value.

 

IAC Retirement Savings Plan” means the InterActiveCorp Retirement Savings Plan as in effect as of the time relevant to the applicable provision of this Agreement.

 

 “IAC Stock Value” means the closing per share price of IAC Common Stock trading “regular way with due bills” as listed on the NASDAQ as of 4:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time in the last completed trading session immediately preceding the Effective Time.

 

Immediately after the Distribution Date” means on the first moment of the day after the Distribution Date.

 

Interval” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

 

Interval Common Stock” means common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Interval.

 

Interval Employee” means any individual who, immediately prior to the Effective Time, is either actively employed by, or then on Approved Leave of Absence from, an Interval Entity.

 

Interval Entities” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

Interval Executive Benefit Plans” means the executive benefit and nonqualified plans, programs, and arrangements established, sponsored, maintained, or agreed upon, by any Interval Entity for the benefit of employees and former employees of any Interval Entity before the Close of the Distribution Date.

 

Interval Factor” means the product obtained by multiplying (a) 0.2 and (b) the Adjustment Ratio.

 

Interval Long-Term Incentive Plan” means the long-term incentive plan or program to be established by Interval, effective immediately prior to the Distribution Date.

 

Interval Ratio” means the quotient obtained by dividing the IAC Stock Value by the Interval Stock Value.

 

Interval Retirement Savings Plan Trust” means a trust relating to the Interval Retirement Savings Plan intended to qualify under Section 401(a) and be exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code.

 

6



 

Interval Retirement Savings Plan” means the 401(k) and profit sharing plan to be established by Interval pursuant to Section 3.1 of this Agreement, as in effect as of the time relevant to the applicable provision of this Agreement.

 

Interval Stock Value” means the closing per-share price of Interval Common Stock in the “when issued market” as listed on the NASDAQ as of 4:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time in the last completed trading session immediately preceding the Effective Time.

 

Liability” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

Medical Plan” when immediately preceded by “IAC,” means the Benefit Plan under which medical benefits are provided to IAC Employees established and maintained by IAC.  When immediately preceded by TM, Medical Plan means the Benefit Plan under which medical benefits are provided to TM Employees to be established by TM pursuant to Article IV.  When immediately preceded by Interval, Medical Plan means the Benefit Plan under which medical benefits are provided to Interval Employees to be established by Interval pursuant to Article IV. When immediately preceded by HSN, Medical Plan means the Benefit Plan under which medical benefits are provided to HSN Employees to be established by HSN pursuant to Article IV. When immediately preceded by Tree, Medical Plan means the Benefit Plan under which medical benefits are provided to Tree Employees to be established by Tree pursuant to Article IV.

 

NASDAQ” means the National Association of Securities Dealers Inc. Automated Quotation System.

 

Net RSU Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(l).

 

Non-parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(c).

 

Option” when immediately preceded by “IAC,” means an option (either nonqualified or incentive) to purchase shares of IAC Common Stock pursuant to an IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan.  When immediately preceded by “TM,” Option means an option (either nonqualified or incentive) to purchase shares of TM Common Stock following the Effective Time pursuant to the TM Long-Term Incentive Plan.  When immediately preceded by “Interval,” Option means an option (either nonqualified or incentive) to purchase shares of Interval Common Stock following the Effective Time pursuant to the Interval Long-Term Incentive Plan.  When immediately preceded by “HSN,” Option means an option (either nonqualified or incentive) to purchase shares of HSN Common Stock following the Effective Time pursuant to the HSN Long-Term Incentive Plan.  When immediately preceded by “Tree,” Option means an option (either nonqualified or incentive) to purchase shares of Tree Common Stock following the Effective Time pursuant to the Tree Long-Term Incentive Plan.

 

Participating Company” means (a) IAC and (b) any other Person (other than an individual) that participates in a plan sponsored by any IAC Entity.

 

Parties” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

 

Person” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

PV IAC Restricted Stock Units” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(g).

 

Restricted Stock” (a) when immediately preceded by “IAC,” means shares of IAC Common Stock that are subject to restrictions on transferability and a risk of forfeiture and

 

7



 

are issued under an IAC Benefit Plan, (b) when immediately preceded by “TM,” means shares of TM Common Stock that are subject to restrictions on transferability and a risk of forfeiture and are issued under a TM Benefit Plan, (c) when immediately preceded by “Interval,” means shares of Interval Common Stock that are subject to restrictions on transferability and a risk of forfeiture and are issued under an Interval Benefit Plan, (d) when immediately preceded by “HSN,” means shares of HSN Common Stock that are subject to restrictions on transferability and a risk of forfeiture and are issued under an HSN Benefit Plan and (e) when immediately preceded by “Tree,” means shares of Tree Common Stock that are subject to restrictions on transferability and a risk of forfeiture and are issued under a Tree Benefit Plan.

 

Restricted Stock Unit” (a) when immediately preceded by “IAC,” means units issued under an IAC Benefit Plan representing a general unsecured promise by IAC to pay the value of shares of IAC Common Stock in cash or shares of IAC Common Stock, (b) when immediately preceded by “TM,” means units issued under the TM Long-Term Incentive Plan representing a general unsecured promise by TM to pay the value of shares of TM Common Stock in cash or shares of TM Common Stock, (c) when immediately preceded by “Interval,” means units issued under the Interval Long-Term Incentive Plan representing a general unsecured promise by Interval to pay the value of shares of Interval Common Stock in cash or shares of Interval Common Stock, (d) when immediately preceded by “HSN,” means units issued under the HSN Long-Term Incentive Plan representing a general unsecured promise by HSN to pay the value of shares of HSN Common Stock in cash or shares of HSN Common Stock, (e) when immediately preceded by “Tree,” means units issued under the Tree Long-Term Incentive Plan representing a general unsecured promise by Tree to pay the value of shares of Tree Common Stock in cash or shares of Tree Common Stock.

 

Separation” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

Separation Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

SpinCos” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

 

SpinCo Employee” means a TM Employee, Interval Employee, HSN Employee and/or Tree Employee as the context requires.

 

TM” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

 

TM Common Stock” means common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of TM.

 

TM Deferred Compensation Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(a).

 

TM Employee” means any individual who, immediately prior to the Effective Time, is either actively employed by, or then on Approved Leave of Absence from, a TM Entity.

 

TM Entities” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

TM Executive Benefit Plans” means the executive benefit and nonqualified plans, programs, and arrangements established, sponsored, maintained, or agreed upon, by any TM Entity for the benefit of employees and former employees of any TM Entity before the Close of the Distribution Date.

 

TM Factor” means the product obtained by multiplying (a) 0.2 and (b) the Adjustment Ratio.

 

8



 

TM Long-Term Incentive Plan” means the long-term incentive plan or program to be established by TM, effective immediately prior to the Distribution Date.

 

TM Participants” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(a).

 

TM Rabbi Trust” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(a).

 

TM Ratio” means the quotient obtained by dividing the IAC Stock Value by the TM Stock Value.

 

TM Retirement Savings Plan” means the 401(k) and profit sharing plan to be established by TM pursuant to Section 3.1 of this Agreement, as in effect as of the time relevant to the applicable provision of this Agreement.

 

TM Retirement Savings Plan Trust” means a trust relating to the TM Retirement Savings Plan intended to qualify under Section 401(a) and be exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code.

 

TM Stock Value” means the closing per-share price of TM Common Stock in the “when issued market” as listed on the NASDAQ as of 4:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time in the last completed trading session immediately preceding the Effective Time.

 

Tree” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

 

Tree Common Stock” means common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Tree.

 

Tree Deferred Compensation Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(d).

 

Tree Employee” means any individual who, immediately prior to the Effective Time, is either actively employed by, or then on Approved Leave of Absence from, a Tree Entity.

 

Tree Entities” has the meaning given that term in the Separation Agreement.

 

Tree Executive Benefit Plans” means the executive benefit and nonqualified plans, programs, and arrangements established, sponsored, maintained, or agreed upon, by any Tree Entity for the benefit of employees and former employees of any Tree Entity before the Close of the Distribution Date.

 

Tree Factor” means the product obtained by multiplying (a) 0.03333 and (b) the Adjustment Ratio.

 

Tree Long-Term Incentive Plan” means the long-term incentive plan or program to be established by Tree, effective immediately prior to the Distribution Date.

 

Tree Participants” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(d).

 

Tree Rabbi Trust” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(d).

 

Tree Ratio” means the quotient obtained by dividing the IAC Stock Value by the Tree Stock Value.

 

9


 

Tree Retirement Savings Plan” means the 401(k) and profit sharing plan to be established by Tree pursuant to Section 3.1 of this Agreement, as in effect as of the time relevant to the applicable provision of this Agreement.

 

Tree Retirement Savings Plan Trust” means a trust relating to the Tree Retirement Savings Plan intended to qualify under Section 401(a) and be exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code.

 

Tree Stock Value” means the closing per-share price of Tree Common Stock in the “when issued market” as listed on the NASDAQ as of 4:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time in the last completed trading session immediately preceding the Effective Time.

 

U.S.” means the 50 United States of America and the District of Columbia.

 

ARTICLE II
GENERAL PRINCIPLES

 

2.1           Employment.

 

(a)           All TM Employees shall continue to be employees of TM or another TM Entity, as the case may be, immediately after the Effective Time.

 

(b)           All Interval Employees shall continue to be employees of Interval or another Interval Entity, as the case may be, immediately after the Effective Time.

 

(c)           All HSN Employees shall continue to be employees of HSN or another HSN Entity, as the case may be, immediately after the Effective Time.

 

(d)           All Tree Employees shall continue to be employees of Tree or another Tree Entity, as the case may be, immediately after the Effective Time.

 

2.2           Assumption and Retention of Liabilities; Related Assets.

 

(a)           As of the Distribution Date, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, the IAC Entities shall assume or retain and IAC hereby agrees to pay, perform, fulfill and discharge, in due course in full (i) all Liabilities under all IAC Benefit Plans with respect to all IAC Employees, Former IAC Employees and their dependents and beneficiaries, (ii) all Liabilities with respect to the employment or termination of employment of all IAC Employees, Former IAC Employees and their dependents and beneficiaries, and other service providers (including any individual who is, or was, an independent contractor, temporary employee, temporary service worker, consultant, freelancer, agency employee, leased employee, on-call worker, incidental worker, or nonpayroll worker of any IAC Entity or in any other employment, non-employment, or retainer arrangement, or relationship with any IAC Entity), in each case to the extent arising in connection with or as a result of employment with or the performance of services to any IAC Entity, and (iii) any other Liabilities expressly assigned to IAC under this Agreement.  All assets held in trust to fund the IAC Benefit Plans and all insurance policies funding the IAC Benefit Plans shall be IAC Assets (as defined in the Separation Agreement), except to the extent specifically provided otherwise in this Agreement.

 

(b)           From and after the Distribution Date, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, TM and the TM Entities shall assume or retain, as applicable, and TM  hereby agrees to pay, perform, fulfill and discharge, in due course in full, (i) all Liabilities

 

10



 

under all TM Benefit Plans, (ii) all Liabilities with respect to the employment or termination of employment of all TM Employees, Former TM Employees and their dependents and beneficiaries, and other service providers (including any individual who is, or was, an independent contractor, temporary employee, temporary service worker, consultant, freelancer, agency employee, leased employee, on-call worker, incidental worker, or nonpayroll worker of TM or any TM Entity or in any other employment, non-employment, or retainer arrangement, or relationship with TM or a TM Entity), in each case to the extent arising in connection with or as a result of employment with or the performance of services to any TM Entity and (iii) any other Liabilities expressly assigned to TM or any TM Entity under this Agreement.

 

(c)           From and after the Distribution Date, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, Interval and the Interval Entities shall assume or retain, as applicable, and Interval hereby agrees to pay, perform, fulfill and discharge, in due course in full, (i) all Liabilities under all Interval Benefit Plans, (ii) all Liabilities with respect to the employment or termination of employment of all Interval Employees, Former Interval Employees and their dependents and beneficiaries, and other service providers (including any individual who is, or was, an independent contractor, temporary employee, temporary service worker, consultant, freelancer, agency employee, leased employee, on-call worker, incidental worker, or nonpayroll worker of Interval or any Interval Entity or in any other employment, non-employment, or retainer arrangement, or relationship with Interval or an Interval Entity), in each case to the extent arising in connection with or as a result of employment with or the performance of services to any Interval Entity and (iii) any other Liabilities expressly assigned to Interval or any Interval Entity under this Agreement.

 

(d)           From and after the Distribution Date, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, HSN and the HSN Entities shall assume or retain, as applicable, and HSN hereby agrees to pay, perform, fulfill and discharge, in due course in full, (i) all Liabilities under all HSN Benefit Plans, (ii) all Liabilities with respect to the employment or termination of employment of all HSN Employees, Former HSN Employees and their dependents and beneficiaries, and other service providers (including any individual who is, or was, an independent contractor, temporary employee, temporary service worker, consultant, freelancer, agency employee, leased employee, on-call worker, incidental worker, or nonpayroll worker of HSN or any HSN Entity or in any other employment, non-employment, or retainer arrangement, or relationship with HSN or an HSN Entity), in each case to the extent arising in connection with or as a result of employment with or the performance of services to any HSN Entity and (iii) any other Liabilities expressly assigned to HSN or any HSN Entity under this Agreement.

 

(e)           From and after the Distribution Date, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, Tree and the Tree Entities shall assume or retain, as applicable, and Tree hereby agrees to pay, perform, fulfill and discharge, in due course in full, (i) all Liabilities under all Tree Benefit Plans, (ii) all Liabilities with respect to the employment or termination of employment of all Tree Employees, Former Tree Employees and their dependents and beneficiaries, and other service providers (including any individual who is, or was, an independent contractor, temporary employee, temporary service worker, consultant, freelancer, agency employee, leased employee, on-call worker, incidental worker, or nonpayroll worker of Tree or any Tree Entity or in any other employment, non-employment, or retainer arrangement, or relationship with Tree or a Tree Entity), in each case to the extent arising in connection with or as a result of employment with or the performance of services to any Tree Entity and (iii) any other Liabilities expressly assigned to Tree or any Tree Entity under this Agreement.

 

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2.3           SpinCo Participation in IAC Benefit Plans.

 

(a)           Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, effective as of the Close of the Distribution Date, TM and each other TM Entity shall cease to be a Participating Company in any IAC Benefit Plan, and IAC and TM shall take all necessary action before the Distribution Date to effectuate such cessation as a Participating Company.

 

(b)           Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, effective as of the Close of the Distribution Date, Interval and each other Interval Entity shall cease to be a Participating Company in any IAC Benefit Plan, and IAC and Interval shall take all necessary action before the Distribution Date to effectuate such cessation as a Participating Company.

 

(c)           Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, effective as of the Close of the Distribution Date, HSN and each other HSN Entity shall cease to be a Participating Company in any IAC Benefit Plan, and IAC and HSN shall take all necessary action before the Distribution Date to effectuate such cessation as a Participating Company.

 

(d)           Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, effective as of the Close of the Distribution Date, Tree and each other Tree Entity shall cease to be a Participating Company in any IAC Benefit Plan, and IAC and Tree shall take all necessary action before the Distribution Date to effectuate such cessation as a Participating Company.

 

2.4           Terms of Participation by SpinCo Employees in SpinCo Benefit Plans.

 

(a)           IAC and TM shall agree on methods and procedures, including, without limitation, amending the respective Benefit Plan documents, to prevent TM Employees from receiving duplicative benefits from the IAC Benefit Plans and the TM Benefit Plans.  With respect to TM Employees, each TM Benefit Plan shall provide that all service, all compensation and all other benefit-affecting determinations that, as of December 31, 2008 were recognized under the corresponding IAC Benefit Plan shall, as of January 1, 2009 receive full recognition, credit and validity and be taken into account under such TM Benefit Plan to the same extent as if such items occurred under such TM Benefit Plan, except to the extent that duplication of benefits would result or for benefit accrual to the extent that TM adopts a final average pay defined benefit pension plan.

 

(b)           IAC and Interval shall agree on methods and procedures, including, without limitation, amending the respective Benefit Plan documents, to prevent Interval Employees from receiving duplicative benefits from the IAC Benefit Plans and the Interval Benefit Plans.  With respect to Interval Employees, each Interval Benefit Plan shall provide that all service, all compensation and all other benefit-affecting determinations that, as of December 31, 2008 were recognized under the corresponding IAC Benefit Plan shall, as of January 1, 2009 receive full recognition, credit and validity and be taken into account under such Interval Benefit Plan to the same extent as if such items occurred under such Interval Benefit Plan, except to the extent that duplication of benefits would result or for benefit accrual to the extent that Interval adopts a final average pay defined benefit pension plan.

 

(c)           IAC and HSN shall agree on methods and procedures, including, without limitation, amending the respective Benefit Plan documents, to prevent HSN Employees from receiving duplicative benefits from the IAC Benefit Plans and the HSN Benefit Plans.  With respect to HSN Employees, each HSN Benefit Plan shall provide that all service, all compensation and all other benefit-affecting determinations that, as of  December 31, 2008 were recognized under the corresponding IAC Benefit Plan shall, as of January 1, 2009 receive full recognition, credit and validity and be taken into account under

 

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such HSN Benefit Plan to the same extent as if such items occurred under such HSN Benefit Plan, except to the extent that duplication of benefits would result or for benefit accrual to the extent that HSN adopts a final average pay defined benefit pension plan.

 

(d)           IAC and Tree shall agree on methods and procedures, including, without limitation, amending the respective Benefit Plan documents, to prevent Tree Employees from receiving duplicative benefits from the IAC Benefit Plans and the Tree Benefit Plans.  With respect to Tree Employees, each Tree Benefit Plan shall provide that all service, all compensation and all other benefit-affecting determinations that, as of December 31, 2008 were recognized under the corresponding IAC Benefit Plan shall, as of January 1, 2009 receive full recognition, credit and validity and be taken into account under such Tree Benefit Plan to the same extent as if such items occurred under such Tree Benefit Plan, except to the extent that duplication of benefits would result or for benefit accrual to the extent that Tree adopts a final average pay defined benefit pension plan.

 

2.5           Commercially Reasonable Efforts.  IAC, TM, Interval, HSN and Tree shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (a) enter into any necessary agreements to accomplish the assumptions and transfers contemplated by this Agreement; and (b) provide for the maintenance of the necessary participant records, the appointment of the trustees and the engagement of recordkeepers, investment managers, providers, insurers, etc.

 

2.6           Regulatory Compliance.  IAC, TM, Interval, HSN and Tree shall, in connection with the actions taken pursuant to this Agreement, cooperate in making any and all appropriate filings required under the Code, ERISA and any applicable securities laws, implementing all appropriate communications with participants, transferring appropriate records and taking all such other actions as may be necessary and appropriate to implement the provisions of this Agreement in a timely manner.

 

2.7           Approval by IAC as Sole Stockholder.  Prior to the Effective Time, IAC shall cause (a) TM to adopt the TM 2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan, (b) Interval to adopt the Interval 2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan, (c) HSN to adopt the HSN 2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan and (d) Tree to adopt the Tree 2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

 

ARTICLE III
SAVINGS PLANS

 

3.1           Savings Plan Transition Period.  From the Distribution Date and continuing until December 31, 2008, each of TM, Interval, HSN and Tree shall adopt and maintain the IAC Retirement Savings Plan for the benefit of TM Employees and Former TM Employees, Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees, HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees and Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees, respectively, and IAC shall consent to such adoption and maintenance, in accordance with the terms of the IAC Retirement Savings Plan.  Each of the Parties agrees that, following the Distribution Date and prior to December 31, 2008, the trustee of the IAC Retirement Savings Plan shall sell all shares of IAC Common Stock, TM Common Stock, Interval Common Stock, HSN Common Stock and Tree Common Stock held in the accounts of IAC Employees and Former IAC Employees, TM Employees and Former TM Employees, Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees, HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees and Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees (provided that IAC may in its sole discretion instruct the trustee of the IAC Retirement Savings Plan not to sell the shares of IAC Common Stock held by IAC Employees and Former IAC Employees).  On and after the Distribution Date and until the completion of the sales contemplated by the immediately preceding sentence, shares of IAC Common Stock shall be held in an IAC Common Stock Fund, shares of TM Common Stock

 

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shall be held in a TM Common Stock Fund, shares of Interval Common Stock shall be held in an Interval Common Stock Fund, shares of HSN Common Stock shall be held in an HSN Common Stock Fund and shares of Tree Common Stock shall be held in a Tree Common Stock Fund, in each case, under the IAC Retirement Savings Plan.  Following the Distribution Date, IAC Employees and Former IAC Employees, TM Employees and Former TM Employees, Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees and Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees shall not be permitted to acquire shares of IAC Common Stock, TM Common Stock, Interval Common Stock, HSN Common Stock or Tree Common Stock in the IAC Common Stock Fund, the TM Common Stock Fund, the Interval Common Stock Fund, the HSN Common Stock Fund or the Tree Common Stock Fund, as applicable, under the IAC Retirement Savings Plan (provided that IAC may in its sole discretion instruct the trustee of the IAC Retirement Savings Plan to permit IAC Employees and Former IAC Employees to acquire additional shares of IAC Common Stock in the IAC Common Stock Fund).

 

3.2           SpinCo Savings Plans

 

(a)           Effective as of January 1, 2009, TM shall establish the TM Retirement Savings Plan and the TM Retirement Savings Plan Trust.  As soon as practical following the establishment of the TM Retirement Savings Plan and the TM Retirement Savings Plan Trust, IAC shall cause the accounts of the TM Employees and Former TM Employees in the IAC Retirement Savings Plan to be transferred to the TM Retirement Savings Plan and the TM Retirement Savings Plan Trust in cash or such other assets as mutually agreed by IAC and TM, and TM shall cause the TM Retirement Savings Plan to assume and be solely responsible for all Liabilities under the TM Retirement Savings Plan to or relating to TM Employees and Former TM Employees whose accounts are transferred from the IAC Retirement Savings Plan.  IAC and TM agree to cooperate in making all appropriate filings and taking all reasonable actions required to implement the provisions of this Section 3.2; provided that TM acknowledges that it will be responsible for complying with any requirements and applying for any determination letters with respect to the TM Retirement Savings Plan.

 

(b)           Effective as of January 1, 2009, Interval shall establish the Interval Retirement Savings Plan and the Interval Retirement Savings Plan Trust.  As soon as practical following the establishment of the Interval Retirement Savings Plan and the Interval Retirement Savings Plan Trust, IAC shall cause the accounts of the Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees in the IAC Retirement Savings Plan to be transferred to the Interval Retirement Savings Plan and the Interval Retirement Savings Plan Trust in cash or such other assets as mutually agreed by IAC and Interval, and Interval shall cause the Interval Retirement Savings Plan to assume and be solely responsible for all Liabilities under the Interval Retirement Savings Plan to or relating to Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees whose accounts are transferred from the IAC Retirement Savings Plan.  IAC and Interval agree to cooperate in making all appropriate filings and taking all reasonable actions required to implement the provisions of this Section 3.2; provided that Interval acknowledges that it will be responsible for complying with any requirements and applying for any determination letters with respect to the Interval Retirement Savings Plan.

 

(c)           Effective as of January 1, 2009, HSN shall establish the HSN Retirement Savings Plan and the HSN Retirement Savings Plan Trust.  As soon as practical following the establishment of the HSN Retirement Savings Plan and the HSN Retirement Savings Plan Trust, IAC shall cause the accounts of the HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees in the IAC Retirement Savings Plan to be transferred to the HSN Retirement Savings Plan and the HSN Retirement Savings Plan Trust in cash or such other assets as mutually agreed by IAC and HSN, and HSN shall cause the HSN Retirement Savings Plan to

 

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assume and be solely responsible for all Liabilities under the HSN Retirement Savings Plan to or relating to HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees whose accounts are transferred from the IAC Retirement Savings Plan.  IAC and HSN agree to cooperate in making all appropriate filings and taking all reasonable actions required to implement the provisions of this Section 3.2; provided that HSN acknowledges that it will be responsible for complying with any requirements and applying for any determination letters with respect to the HSN Retirement Savings Plan.

 

(d)           Effective as of January 1, 2009, Tree shall establish the Tree Retirement Savings Plan and the Tree Retirement Savings Plan Trust.  As soon as practical following the establishment of the Tree Retirement Savings Plan and the Tree Retirement Savings Plan Trust, IAC shall cause the accounts of the Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees in the IAC Retirement Savings Plan to be transferred to the Tree Retirement Savings Plan and the Tree Retirement Savings Plan Trust in cash or such other assets as mutually agreed by IAC and Tree, and Tree shall cause the Tree Retirement Savings Plan to assume and be solely responsible for all Liabilities under the Tree Retirement Savings Plan to or relating to Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees whose accounts are transferred from the IAC Retirement Savings Plan.  IAC and Tree agree to cooperate in making all appropriate filings and taking all reasonable actions required to implement the provisions of this Section 3.2; provided that Tree acknowledges that it will be responsible for complying with any requirements and applying for any determination letters with respect to the Tree Retirement Savings Plan.

 

ARTICLE IV
HEALTH AND WELFARE PLANS

 

4.1           Transition Period.

 

(a)           IAC will cause the IAC Health and Welfare Plans in effect on the Distribution Date to provide coverage to TM Employees and Former TM Employees, Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees, HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees and Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees (and, in each case, their beneficiaries and dependents) from and after the Distribution Date until December 31, 2008 (such period, the “H&W Transition Period”) on the same basis as immediately prior to the date of the Distribution Date and in accordance with the terms of IAC’s Health and Welfare Plans.  Following the Distribution Date, each SpinCo shall pay to IAC fees in respect of IAC covering such SpinCo’s SpinCo Employees and SpinCo Former Employees under the IAC Health and Welfare Plans, such fees to be based on the per-employee budgeted rates set forth on Exhibit A to this Agreement.  The fees contemplated by this Section 4.1 shall be payable in advance each month (i.e., not later than the first day of any month during which coverage applies) during the H&W Transition Period and shall be based on the prior month’s enrollment, with appropriate, subsequent adjustments in each succeeding month to reflect actual enrollment; provided, however, that the fees relating to the period from and including the first day of the month during which the Distribution Date occurs through the end of the month during which the Distribution Date occurs shall be payable no later than the fifth business day following the Distribution Date.  In the event that any SpinCo fails to pay in a timely manner the fees contemplated by this Section 4.1(a), IAC shall have no obligation to provide the coverage contemplated by this Section 4.1(a) to such SpinCo’s SpinCo Employees and SpinCo Former Employees.

 

(b)           Following the H&W Transition Period, but not later than May 15, 2009, IAC shall calculate in good faith the total costs and expenses of the IAC Health and Welfare Plans for 2008 (including without limitation claims paid and administration fees and IAC’s

 

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good faith estimate of claims incurred in 2008 but not reported by March 31, 2009 (such estimate to be prepared based on historical claims reporting patterns and history)) (the “2008 H&W Expenses”), and IAC promptly shall provide to each of the SpinCos the 2008 H&W Expenses following such calculation.  To the extent 2008 H&W Expenses (i) exceed the aggregate fees paid by IAC and the SpinCos in respect of coverage during 2008 of IAC Employees and Former Employees and SpinCo Employees and Former SpinCo Employees (the “2008 H&W Fees”), each of the SpinCos shall be required to pay to IAC by wire transfer such SpinCo’s ratable portion (calculated on the basis of the number of such SpinCo’s SpinCo Employees relative to the total number of IAC Employees and SpinCo Employees taken together) of the fees deficit, and (ii) is less than the 2008 H&W Fees, IAC shall pay to each of the SpinCos such SpinCo’s ratable portion (calculated on the basis of the number of such SpinCo’s SpinCo Employees relative to the total number of IAC Employees and SpinCo Employees taken together) of the excess fees collected, any such payments pursuant to clause (i) or clause (ii) to be made no later than July 15, 2009.  Any calculations made by IAC pursuant to this Section 4.1(b) shall be final and binding upon the SpinCos.  For purposes of this Section 4.1(b), any calculation based on a number of employees shall be based on [      ].

 

4.2           Establishment of Health and Welfare Plans.

 

(a)           Effective as of January 1, 2009, TM shall adopt Health and Welfare Plans for the benefit of TM Employees and Former TM Employees, and TM shall be responsible for all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from health and welfare coverage or claims incurred by or on behalf of TM Employees and Former TM Employees or their covered dependents under the TM Health and Welfare Plans prior to, on or after January 1, 2009.

 

(b)           Effective as of January 1, 2009, Interval shall adopt Health and Welfare Plans for the benefit of Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees, and Interval shall be responsible for all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from health and welfare coverage or claims incurred by or on behalf of Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees or their covered dependents under the Interval Health and Welfare Plans prior to, on or after January 1, 2009.

 

(c)           Effective as of January 1, 2009, HSN shall adopt Health and Welfare Plans for the benefit of HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees, and HSN shall be responsible for all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from health and welfare coverage or claims incurred by or on behalf of HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees or their covered dependents under the HSN Health and Welfare Plans prior to, on or after January 1, 2009.

 

(d)           Effective as of January 1, 2009, Tree shall adopt Health and Welfare Plans for the benefit of Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees, and Tree shall be responsible for all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from health and welfare coverage or claims incurred by or on behalf of Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees or their covered dependents under the Tree Health and Welfare Plans prior to, on or after January 1, 2009.

 

(e)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.2, with respect to any TM Employee, Interval Employee, HSN Employee or Tree Employee who becomes disabled under the terms of the IAC Health and Welfare Plans and becomes entitled to receive

 

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long-term or short-term disability benefits prior to January 1, 2009, such TM Employee, Interval Employee, HSN Employee or Tree Employee shall continue to receive long-term or short-term disability benefits under the IAC Health and Welfare Plans on and after January 1, 2009 in accordance with the terms of the IAC Health and Welfare Plans.

 

4.3           Retention of Sponsorship and Liabilities.  Following the Distribution Date, IAC shall retain:

 

(a)           sponsorship of all IAC Health and Welfare Plans and any trust or other funding arrangement established or maintained with respect to such plans, including any “voluntary employee’s beneficiary association,” or any assets held as of the Distribution Date with respect to such plans; and

 

(b)           all Liabilities relating to, arising out of, or resulting from health and welfare coverage or claims incurred by or on behalf of IAC Employees or Former IAC Employees or their covered dependents under the IAC Health and Welfare Plans prior to, on or after the Distribution Date.

 

Other than as contemplated by Section 4.1 with respect to the H&W Transition Period, IAC shall not assume any Liability relating to health and welfare claims incurred by or on behalf of SpinCo Employees or Former SpinCo Employees or their respective covered dependents prior to, on or after the Distribution Date, and such claims shall be satisfied pursuant to Section 4.2.  For purposes of Sections 4.2 and 4.3 of this Agreement, a claim or Liability (1) for medical, dental, vision and/or prescription drug benefits shall be deemed to be incurred upon the rendering of health services giving rise to the obligation to pay such benefits; (2) for life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment and business travel accident insurance benefits and workers’ compensation benefits shall be deemed to be incurred upon the occurrence of the event giving rise to the entitlement to such benefits; (3) for salary continuation or other disability benefits shall be deemed to be incurred upon the effective date of an individual’s disability giving rise to the entitlement to such benefits under the applicable disability policy; and (4) for a period of continuous hospitalization shall be deemed to be incurred on the date of admission to the hospital.

 

4.4           Vendor Contracts.

 

(a)           IAC and TM shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obligate the third party administrator of each administrative-services-only contract with a third-party administrator that relates to any of the IAC Health and Welfare Plans (an “ASO Contract”), each group insurance policy that relates to any of the IAC Health and Welfare Plans (“Group Insurance Policies”) and each agreement with a Health Maintenance Organization that provides medical services under the IAC Health and Welfare Plans (“HMO Agreements”), in each case, in existence as of the date of this Agreement that is applicable to TM Employees, to enter into a separate ASO Contract, Group Insurance Policy and HMO Agreement, as applicable, with TM providing for substantially similar terms and conditions as are contained in the ASO Contracts, Group Insurance Policies and HMO Agreements, as applicable, to which IAC is a party.  Such terms and conditions shall include the financial and termination provisions, performance standards, methodology, auditing policies, quality measures and reporting requirements.

 

(b)           IAC and Interval shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obligate the third party administrator of each administrative-services-only contract with an ASO Contract, each Group Insurance Policy and each HMO Agreement, in each case, in existence as of the date of this Agreement that is applicable to Interval Employees, to enter into a separate ASO Contract, Group Insurance Policy and HMO Agreement, as applicable, with Interval providing for substantially similar terms and conditions as are contained in the ASO

 

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Contracts, Group Insurance Policies and HMO Agreements, as applicable, to which IAC is a party.  Such terms and conditions shall include the financial and termination provisions, performance standards, methodology, auditing policies, quality measures and reporting requirements.

 

(c)           IAC and HSN shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obligate the third party administrator of each administrative-services-only contract with an ASO Contract, each Group Insurance Policy and each HMO Agreement, in each case, in existence as of the date of this Agreement that is applicable to HSN Employees, to enter into a separate ASO Contract, Group Insurance Policy and HMO Agreement, as applicable, with HSN providing for substantially similar terms and conditions as are contained in the ASO Contracts, Group Insurance Policies and HMO Agreements, as applicable, to which IAC is a party.  Such terms and conditions shall include the financial and termination provisions, performance standards, methodology, auditing policies, quality measures and reporting requirements.

 

(d)           IAC and Tree shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obligate the third party administrator of each administrative-services-only contract with an ASO Contract, each Group Insurance Policy and each HMO Agreement, in each case, in existence as of the date of this Agreement that is applicable to Tree Employees, to enter into a separate ASO Contract, Group Insurance Policy and HMO Agreement, as applicable, with Tree providing for substantially similar terms and conditions as are contained in the ASO Contracts, Group Insurance Policies and HMO Agreements, as applicable, to which IAC is a party.  Such terms and conditions shall include the financial and termination provisions, performance standards, methodology, auditing policies, quality measures and reporting requirements.

 

4.5           Flexible Benefit Plan.  IAC will continue to maintain on behalf of TM Employees, Interval Employees, HSN Employees and Tree Employees the health care reimbursement program, the transit and parking reimbursement program and the dependent care reimbursement program of the IAC Flexible Benefit Plan (all of such accounts, “IAC Flexible Benefit Plan”) for claims incurred with respect to 2008 elections under the IAC Flexible Benefit Plan (all such claims must be submitted no later than April 15, 2009) on the same basis as immediately prior to the Distribution Date and in accordance with the terms of the IAC Flexible Benefit Plan.  Following the Distribution Date, each SpinCo shall pay to IAC the amounts claimed by such SpinCo’s SpinCo Employees under the IAC Flexible Benefit Plan in addition to such SpinCo’s share of the administrative cost of the IAC Flexible Benefit Plan (based on IAC historical allocations), such amounts to be paid by each SpinCo on a one-month lagging basis (i.e., claims made and administrative costs incurred during a particular month shall be billed in the immediately succeeding month); provided, that each SpinCo shall remit payment to IAC no later than the fifth business day following delivery by IAC of an invoice to such SpinCo.  SpinCo Employees shall not participate in the IAC Flexible Benefit Plan with respect to any plan year after the 2008 plan year.

 

4.6           Workers’ Compensation Liabilities.

 

(a)           Except as provided below, all workers’ compensation Liabilities relating to, arising out of, or resulting from any claim by an IAC Employee, Former IAC Employee, SpinCo Employee or Former SpinCo Employee that results from an accident occurring, or from an occupational disease which becomes manifest, before the Distribution Date shall be retained by IAC.

 

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(b)           All workers’ compensation Liabilities relating to, arising out of, or resulting from any claim by an IAC Employee or Former IAC Employee that results from an accident occurring, or from an occupational disease which becomes manifest, on or after the Distribution Date shall be retained by IAC.

 

(c)           All workers’ compensation Liabilities relating to, arising out of, or resulting from any claim by a TM Employee or Former TM Employee that results from an accident occurring, or from an occupational disease which becomes manifest, on or after the Distribution Date shall be retained by TM.

 

(d)           All workers’ compensation Liabilities relating to, arising out of, or resulting from any claim by an Interval Employee or Former Interval Employee that results from an accident occurring, or from an occupational disease which becomes manifest, on or after the Distribution Date shall be retained by Interval.

 

(e)           All workers’ compensation Liabilities relating to, arising out of, or resulting from any claim by an HSN Employee or Former HSN Employee that results from an accident occurring, or from an occupational disease which becomes manifest, on or after the Distribution Date shall be retained by HSN.

 

(f)            All workers’ compensation Liabilities relating to, arising out of, or resulting from any claim by a Tree Employee or Former Tree Employee that results from an accident occurring, or from an occupational disease which becomes manifest, on or after the Distribution Date shall be retained by Tree.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, a compensable injury shall be deemed to be sustained upon the occurrence of the event giving rise to eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits or at the time that an occupational disease becomes manifest, as the case may be.  The Parties shall cooperate with respect to any notification to appropriate governmental agencies of the Effective Time and the issuance of new, or the transfer of existing, workers’ compensation insurance policies and claims handling contracts.

 

4.7           Payroll Taxes and Reporting of Compensation.  Each of IAC, TM, Interval, HSN and Tree shall, and shall cause each of its respective Subsidiaries to, take such action as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate in order to minimize Liabilities related to payroll taxes after the Distribution Date.  Each of IAC, TM, Interval, HSN and Tree shall, and shall cause each if its respective Subsidiaries to, respectively, bear its responsibility for payroll tax obligations and for the proper reporting to the appropriate governmental authorities of compensation earned by their respective employees after the Close of the Distribution Date, including compensation related to the exercise of Options and the vesting and/or settlement of Restricted Stock Units.

 

4.8           COBRA and HIPAA Compliance.

 

(a)           IAC shall be responsible for administering compliance with the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, the certificate of creditable coverage requirements of HIPAA, and the corresponding provisions of the IAC Health and Welfare Plans with respect to IAC Employees and Former IAC Employees and their covered dependents who incur a COBRA qualifying event or loss of coverage under the IAC Health and Welfare Plans at any time before, on or after the Effective Time.

 

(b)           Until December 31, 2008, IAC shall be responsible for administering compliance with the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, the certificate of

 

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creditable coverage requirements of HIPAA, and the corresponding provisions of the IAC Health and Welfare Plans with respect to SpinCo Employees and Former SpinCo Employees and their covered dependents who incur a COBRA qualifying event or loss of coverage under the IAC Health and Welfare Plans at any time through December 31, 2008.

 

(c)           On and after January 1, 2009, TM or another TM Entity shall be responsible for administering compliance with the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, the certificate of creditable coverage requirements of HIPAA, and the corresponding provisions of the TM Health and Welfare Plans and/or the IAC Health and Welfare Plans with respect to TM Employees and Former TM Employees and their covered dependents who incur a COBRA qualifying event or loss of coverage under the TM Health and Welfare Plans and/or the IAC Health and Welfare Plans at any time before, on or after the Effective Time.

 

(d)           On and after January 1, 2009, Interval or another Interval Entity shall be responsible for administering compliance with the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, the certificate of creditable coverage requirements of HIPAA, and the corresponding provisions of the Interval Health and Welfare Plans and/or the IAC Health and Welfare Plans with respect to Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees and their covered dependents who incur a COBRA qualifying event or loss of coverage under the Interval Health and Welfare Plans and/or the IAC Health and Welfare Plans at any time before, on or after the Effective Time.

 

(e)           On and after January 1, 2009, HSN or another HSN Entity shall be responsible for administering compliance with the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, the certificate of creditable coverage requirements of HIPAA, and the corresponding provisions of the HSN Health and Welfare Plans and/or the IAC Health and Welfare Plans with respect to HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees and their covered dependents who incur a COBRA qualifying event or loss of coverage under the HSN Health and Welfare Plans and/or the IAC Health and Welfare Plans at any time before, on or after the Effective Time.

 

(f)            On and after January 1, 2009, Tree or another Tree Entity shall be responsible for administering compliance with the health care continuation requirements of COBRA, the certificate of creditable coverage requirements of HIPAA, and the corresponding provisions of the Tree Health and Welfare Plans and/or the IAC Health and Welfare Plans with respect to Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees and their covered dependents who incur a COBRA qualifying event or loss of coverage under the Tree Health and Welfare Plans and/or the IAC Health and Welfare Plans at any time before, on or after the Effective Time.

 

The Parties hereto agree that the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Separation Agreement shall not constitute a COBRA qualifying event for any purpose of COBRA.

 

ARTICLE V
EXECUTIVE BENEFITS AND OTHER BENEFITS

 

5.1           Assumption of Obligations.

 

(a)           Except as provided in this Agreement, effective as of the Effective Time, TM shall assume and be solely responsible for all Liabilities to or relating to TM Employees and Former TM Employees under all IAC Executive Benefit Plans and TM Executive Benefit Plans.

 

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(b)           Except as provided in this Agreement, effective as of the Effective Time, Interval shall assume and be solely responsible for all Liabilities to or relating to Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees under all IAC Executive Benefit Plans and Interval Executive Benefit Plans.

 

(c)           Except as provided in this Agreement, effective as of the Effective Time, HSN shall assume and be solely responsible for all Liabilities to or relating to HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees under all IAC Executive Benefit Plans and HSN Executive Benefit Plans.

 

(d)           Except as provided in this Agreement, effective as of the Effective Time, Tree shall assume and be solely responsible for all Liabilities to or relating to Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees under all IAC Executive Benefit Plans and Tree Executive Benefit Plans.

 

The Parties hereto agree that none of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements, including, without limitation, this Agreement, constitutes a “change in control,” “change of control” or similar term, as applicable, within the meaning of any Benefit Plan or any IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan.

 

5.2           IAC Incentive Plans.

 

(a)           SpinCo Bonus Awards.

 

(i)            TM shall be responsible for determining all bonus awards that would otherwise be payable under the IAC Incentive Plans to TM Employees for the Effective Time Year.  TM shall also determine for TM Employees (A) the extent to which established performance criteria (as interpreted by TM, in its sole discretion) have been met, and (B) the payment level for each TM Employee.  TM shall assume all Liabilities with respect to any such bonus awards payable to TM Employees for the Effective Time Year and thereafter.

 

(ii)           Interval shall be responsible for determining all bonus awards that would otherwise be payable under the IAC Incentive Plans to Interval Employees for the Effective Time Year.  Interval shall also determine for Interval Employees (A) the extent to which established performance criteria (as interpreted by Interval, in its sole discretion) have been met, and (B) the payment level for each Interval Employee.  Interval shall assume all Liabilities with respect to any such bonus awards payable to Interval Employees for the Effective Time Year and thereafter.

 

(iii)          HSN shall be responsible for determining all bonus awards that would otherwise be payable under the IAC Incentive Plans to HSN Employees for the Effective Time Year.  HSN shall also determine for HSN Employees (A) the extent to which established performance criteria (as interpreted by HSN, in its sole discretion) have been met, and (B) the payment level for each HSN Employee.  HSN shall assume all Liabilities with respect to any such bonus awards payable to HSN Employees for the Effective Time Year and thereafter.

 

(iv)          Tree shall be responsible for determining all bonus awards that would otherwise be payable under the IAC Incentive Plans to Tree Employees for the Effective Time Year.  Tree shall also determine for Tree Employees (A) the extent to which established performance criteria (as interpreted by Tree, in its sole discretion) have been met, and (B) the payment level for each Tree Employee.  Tree shall

 

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assume all Liabilities with respect to any such bonus awards payable to Tree Employees for the Effective Time Year and thereafter.

 

(b)           IAC Bonus Awards.  IAC shall retain all Liabilities with respect to any bonus awards payable under the IAC Incentive Plans to IAC Employees for the Effective Time Year and thereafter.

 

5.3           IAC Long-Term Incentive Plans.  IAC and each of the SpinCos shall use commercially reasonable efforts to take all actions necessary or appropriate so that each outstanding Option and Award granted under any IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan held by any individual shall be adjusted as set forth in this Article V.  Following the Separation, with respect to any award adjusted under this Section 5.3, any reference to a “change in control,” “change of control” or similar definition in an award agreement, employment agreement or IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan applicable to such award (1) with respect to post-Separation equity awards denominated in shares of IAC Common Stock, shall be deemed to refer to a “change in control,” “change of control” or similar definition as set forth in the applicable award agreement, employment agreement or IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, (2) with respect to post-Separation equity awards denominated in shares of TM Common Stock, shall be deemed to refer to a “Change in Control” as defined in the TM Long-Term Incentive Plan, (3) with respect to post-Separation equity awards denominated in shares of Interval Common Stock, shall be deemed to refer to a “Change in Control” as defined in the Interval Long-Term Incentive Plan, (4) with respect to post-Separation equity awards denominated in shares of HSN Common Stock, shall be deemed to refer to a “Change in Control” as defined in the HSN Long-Term Incentive Plan, and (5) with respect to post-Separation equity awards denominated in shares of Tree Common Stock, shall be deemed to refer to a “Change in Control” as defined in the Tree Long-Term Incentive Plan.

 

(a)           IAC Options Granted Prior to January 1, 2008.  As determined by the Compensation and Human Resources Committee of the IAC Board of Directors (the “Committee”) pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, each IAC Option granted prior to January 1, 2008, whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding as of the Effective Time shall be converted at the Effective Time into an IAC Option, a TM Option, an Interval Option, an HSN Option and a Tree Option and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustments which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:

 

(i)            (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (1) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the IAC Factor, and (B) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the IAC Ratio;

 

(ii)           (A) the number of shares of TM Common Stock subject to such TM Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (1) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the TM Factor, and (B) the per share exercise

 

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price of such TM Option, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the TM Ratio (this clause (ii) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of TM Common Stock on the Distribution Date);

 

(iii)          (A) the number of shares of Interval Common Stock subject to such Interval Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (1) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the Interval Factor, and (B) the per share exercise price of such Interval Option, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the Interval Ratio (this clause (iii) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Interval Common Stock on the Distribution Date);

 

(iv)          (A) the number of shares of HSN Common Stock subject to such HSN Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (1) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the HSN Factor, and (B) the per share exercise price of such HSN Option, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the HSN Ratio (this clause (iv) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of HSN Common Stock on the Distribution Date); and

 

(v)           (A) the number of shares of Tree Common Stock subject to such Tree Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (1) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the Tree Factor, and (B) the per share exercise price of such Tree Option, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (2) the Tree Ratio (this clause (v) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Tree Common Stock on the Distribution Date);

 

provided, however, the exercise price, the number of shares of IAC Common Stock, TM Common Stock, Interval Common Stock, HSN Common Stock and Tree Common Stock subject to such options and the terms and conditions of exercise of such options shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; provided, further, that, in the case of any IAC Option to which Section 421 of the Code applies by reason of its qualification under Section 422 of the Code as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, the exercise price, the number of shares of IAC Common Stock, TM Common Stock, Interval Common Stock, HSN Common Stock and Tree Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code.

 

(b)           IAC Options Held by IAC Employees and Former IAC Employees Granted on or after January 1, 2008.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, each IAC Option held by an IAC Employee or a Former IAC Employee granted on or after January 1, 2008, whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding as of the Effective Time shall be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustments which shall apply from and after the Effective Time: 

 

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(i) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time and (B) the IAC Ratio and (ii) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the IAC Ratio; provided, however, the exercise price, the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; provided, further, that, in the case of any IAC Option to which Section 421 of the Code applies by reason of its qualification under Section 422 of the Code as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, the exercise price, the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code.

 

(c)           IAC Options Held by TM Employees and Former TM Employees Granted on or after January 1, 2008.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, each IAC Option held by a TM Employee or Former TM Employee granted on or after January 1, 2008, whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding as of the Effective Time shall be converted at the Effective Time into a TM Option and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustments which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  (i) the number of shares of TM Common Stock subject to such Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to  the Effective Time and (B) the TM Ratio and (ii) the per share exercise price of such TM Option, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the TM Ratio; provided, however, the exercise price, the number of shares of TM Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; provided, further, that, in the case of any IAC Option to which Section 421 of the Code applies by reason of its qualification under Section 422 of the Code as of the Effective Time, the exercise price, the number of shares of TM Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code.  This clause (c) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of TM Common Stock on the Distribution Date.

 

(d)           IAC Options Held by Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees Granted on or after January 1, 2008.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, each IAC Option held by an Interval Employee or Former Interval Employee granted on or after January 1, 2008, whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding as of the Effective Time shall be converted at the Effective Time into an Interval Option and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustments which shall apply from and after the Effective Time: (i) the number of shares of Interval Common Stock subject to such Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to  the Effective Time and (B) the Interval Ratio and (ii) the per share exercise price of such Interval Option, rounded up

 

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to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Interval Ratio; provided, however, the exercise price, the number of shares of Interval Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; provided, further, that, in the case of any IAC Option to which Section 421 of the Code applies by reason of its qualification under Section 422 of the Code as of the Effective Time, the exercise price, the number of shares of Interval Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code.  This clause (d) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Interval Common Stock on the Distribution Date.

 

(e)           IAC Options Held by HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees Granted on or after January 1, 2008.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, each IAC Option held by a HSN Employee or Former HSN Employee granted on or after January 1, 2008, whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding as of the Effective Time shall be converted at the Effective Time into a HSN Option and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustments which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  (i) the number of shares of HSN Common Stock subject to such Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to  the Effective Time and (B) the HSN Ratio and (ii) the per share exercise price of such HSN Option, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the HSN Ratio; provided, however, the exercise price, the number of shares of HSN Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; provided, further, that, in the case of any IAC Option to which Section 421 of the Code applies by reason of its qualification under Section 422 of the Code as of the Effective Time, the exercise price, the number of shares of HSN Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code.  This clause (e) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of HSN Common Stock on the Distribution Date.

 

(f)            IAC Options Held by Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees Granted on or after January 1, 2008.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, each IAC Option held by a Tree Employee or Former Tree Employee granted on or after January 1, 2008, whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding as of the Effective Time shall be converted at the Effective Time into a Tree Option and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustments which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  (i) the number of shares of Tree Common Stock subject to such Option, rounded down to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock subject to such IAC Option immediately prior to  the Effective Time and (B) the Tree Ratio and (ii) the per share exercise price of such Tree Option, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the per share exercise price of such IAC Option immediately prior to the Effective Time by (B) the Tree

 

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Ratio; provided, however, the exercise price, the number of shares of Tree Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; provided, further, that, in the case of any IAC Option to which Section 421 of the Code applies by reason of its qualification under Section 422 of the Code as of the Effective Time, the exercise price, the number of shares of Tree Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code.  This clause (f) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Tree Common Stock on the Distribution Date.

 

(g)           IAC Restricted Stock Units.

 

(i)            Conversion of Growth Share Awards.  IAC has awarded IAC Restricted Stock Units that may vest from 0% to 200% of the IAC Restricted Stock Units granted depending upon performance of IAC (the “Growth Share Awards”).  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, prior to the Effective Time and prior to any other action contemplated by this Section 5.3(g), the Growth Share Awards shall be amended such that the number of IAC Restricted Stock Units subject to each Growth Share Award shall be fixed at 100% (target) of the IAC Restricted Stock Units subject to the initial Growth Share Awards (there will be no upward or downward variability and the balance of the IAC Restricted Stock Units subject to the initial Growth Share Award shall be forfeited), the vesting of such IAC Restricted Stock Units shall cease to be subject to satisfaction of performance goals (subject to the last sentence of this Section 5.3(g)(i)), the IAC Restricted Stock Units shall Cliff Vest on the three-year anniversary of the initial grant date of such Growth Share Award and the IAC Restricted Stock Units subject to each Growth Share Award shall otherwise remain subject to the same terms and conditions, subject to any further adjustments described in this Section 5.3(g).  The vesting of Growth Share Awards intended to satisfy the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) of the Code will remain subject to applicable performance goals adopted for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

(ii)           Accelerated Vesting and Settlement of Certain IAC Restricted Stock Units.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, (I) all IAC Restricted Stock Units (x) awarded prior to August 8, 2005 or (y) awarded on or after August 8, 2005, but prior to January 1, 2008, and scheduled to vest on or before February 28, 2009, and (II) all PV IAC Restricted Stock Units (as defined below) held by award holders with respect to whom the Committee determines to provide for accelerated vesting on the Distribution Date (clauses (I) and (II) together, “Accelerated RSUs”):

 

(A)          subject to the proviso below, with respect to the Accelerated RSUs listed on Schedule [      ], such Accelerated RSUs will vest on the Distribution Date and be settled on January 2, 2009, such that on January 2, 2009, for each share of IAC Common Stock underlying any such award immediately prior to the Effective Time, the holder of such award shall be entitled to receive (subject to application of Section 5.3(g)(x) below):  (1) a number of shares of IAC Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of shares of IAC Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time (“Delayed IAC Common Stock”); (2) a number of shares of TM Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of

 

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shares of TM Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time (“Delayed TM Common Stock”) (this clause (2) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of TM Common Stock on the Distribution Date); (3) a number of shares of Interval Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of shares of Interval Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time (“Delayed Interval Common Stock”) (this clause (3) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Interval Common Stock on the Distribution Date); (4) a number of shares of HSN Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of shares of HSN Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time (“Delayed HSN Common Stock”) (this clause (4) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of HSN Common Stock on the Distribution Date); and (5) a number of shares of Tree Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of shares of Tree Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time (“Delayed Tree Common Stock,” and together with Delayed IAC Common Stock, Delayed TM Common Stock, Delayed Interval Common Stock and Delayed HSN Common Stock, “Delayed Common Stock”) (this clause (5) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Tree Common Stock on the Distribution Date); provided, however, that immediately prior to the Effective Time, with respect to each individual holding IAC Restricted Stock Units subject to this Section 5.3(g)(ii), IAC shall settle a number of IAC Restricted Stock Units (and withhold the corresponding number of shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units) sufficient to satisfy (x) any tax payable by such holder under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) by virtue of the operation of this Section 5.3(b)(ii) (the “FICA Amount”), and (y) applicable income tax on wages imposed under Section 3401 of the Code or the corresponding withholding provisions of applicable state, local or foreign tax laws as a result of the payment of the FICA Amount, and to pay the additional income tax at source on wages attributable to the pyramiding Code Section 3401 wages and taxes; provided, further, however, that any fractional amounts remaining after payment of the foregoing shall be converted into cash and shall accrue interest at the applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2)(A) of the Code and shall be payable by IAC on January 2, 2009;
 
(B)           with respect to any holder whose Accelerated RSUs are not subject to Tax in the United States and are not subject to Section 409A of the Code, such holder’s Accelerated RSUs will vest immediately prior to the Effective Time and be settled in cash in accordance with IAC’s customary practices applicable to such Exempt Holder; and
 
(C)           with respect to all other Accelerated RSUs not addressed in clause (A) or clause (B) above, such Accelerated RSUs will vest immediately prior to the Effective Time and be settled as soon as reasonably practicable following the Effective Time, such that for each share of IAC Common Stock underlying any such award immediately prior to the Effective Time (less a number of shares of IAC Common Stock withheld to satisfy any tax withholding obligations with respect to the vesting and settlement of such IAC Restricted Stock Units, such withholding based on the value of a share of IAC Common Stock trading “regular way with due bills”),

 

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IAC will deliver or cause to be delivered:  (1) a number of shares of IAC Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of shares of IAC Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time; (2) a number of shares of TM Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of shares of TM Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time (this clause (2) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of TM Common Stock on the Distribution Date); (3) a number of shares of Interval Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of shares of Interval Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time (this clause (3) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Interval Common Stock on the Distribution Date); (4) a number of shares of HSN Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of shares of HSN Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time (this clause (4) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of HSN Common Stock on the Distribution Date); and (5) a number of shares of Tree Common Stock, rounded up to the nearest whole share, equal to the number of shares of Tree Common Stock to which the holder would be entitled if the holder held the shares of IAC Common Stock underlying such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time (this clause (5) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Tree Common Stock on the Distribution Date).
 

(iii)          Treatment of Certain Cliff Vesting IAC Restricted Stock Unit Awards Scheduled to Vest After February 28, 2009.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, for each Cliff Vesting IAC Restricted Stock Unit Award granted prior to January 1, 2008 and scheduled to vest after February 28, 2009 (including the Growth Share Awards), with respect to such number of IAC Restricted Stock Units (rounded up to the nearest whole share) (the “PV IAC Restricted Stock Units”) that would have vested on or before February 28, 2009 if the award had been an annual installment vesting award (e.g., 60% of a 5-year cliff-vesting award granted on February 1 of 2006), for all award holders (other than award holders with respect to whom the Committee determines to provide for accelerated vesting as contemplated by clause (ii) above), the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units held as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted at the Effective Time into:

 

(A)          IAC Restricted Stock Units, and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such PV IAC Restricted Stock Unit immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  the number of shares of IAC Common Stock covered by such IAC Restricted Stock Units held by the participant, as applicable, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the number of shares of IAC Common Stock to which the holder of the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units would be entitled had the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units represented actual shares of IAC Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time;

 

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(B)           TM Restricted Stock Units, and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such PV IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  the number of shares of TM Common Stock covered by such TM Restricted Stock Units held by the participant, as applicable, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the number of shares of TM Common Stock to which the holder of the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units would be entitled had the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units represented actual shares of IAC Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time (this clause (B) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of TM Common Stock on the Distribution Date);
 
(C)           Interval Restricted Stock Units, and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such PV IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  the number of shares of Interval Common Stock covered by such Interval Restricted Stock Units held by the participant, as applicable, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the number of shares of Interval Common Stock to which the holder of the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units would be entitled had the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units represented actual shares of IAC Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time (this clause (C) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Interval Common Stock on the Distribution Date);
 
(D)          HSN Restricted Stock Units, and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such PV IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  the number of shares of HSN Common Stock covered by such HSN Restricted Stock Units held by the participant, as applicable, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the number of shares of HSN Common Stock to which the holder of the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units would be entitled had the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units represented actual shares of IAC Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time (this clause (D) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of HSN Common Stock on the Distribution Date); and
 
(E)           Tree Restricted Stock Units, and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such PV IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time: the number of shares of Tree Common Stock covered by such Tree Restricted Stock Units held by the participant, as applicable, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the number of shares of Tree Common Stock to which the holder of the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units would be entitled had the PV IAC Restricted Stock Units represented actual shares of IAC Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time (this clause (E) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Tree Common Stock on the Distribution Date).

 

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(iv)          Other IAC Restricted Stock Units Held by IAC Employees and Former IAC Employees.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, the IAC Restricted Stock Units held by an IAC Employee or a Former IAC Employee (other than those IAC Restricted Stock Units converted pursuant to Section 5.3(g)(ii) or Section 5.3(g)(iii)) shall be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  the number of shares of IAC Common Stock covered by such IAC Restricted Stock Units, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock covered by such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time and (B) the IAC Ratio.

 

(v)           Other IAC Restricted Stock Units Held by TM Employees and Former TM Employees.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, the IAC Restricted Stock Units held by a TM Employee or a Former TM Employee as of the Effective Time (other than those IAC Restricted Stock Units converted pursuant to Section 5.3(g)(ii) or Section 5.3(g)(iii)) shall be converted at the Effective Time into TM Restricted Stock Units, and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  the number of shares of TM Common Stock covered by such TM Restricted Stock Units held by the participant, as applicable, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock covered by such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time and (B) the TM Ratio.  This clause (v) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of TM Common Stock on the Distribution Date.

 

(vi)          Other IAC Restricted Stock Units Held by Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, the IAC Restricted Stock Units held by an Interval Employee or a Former Interval Employee as of the Effective Time (other than those IAC Restricted Stock Units converted pursuant to Section 5.3(g)(ii) or Section 5.3(g)(iii)) shall be converted at the Effective Time into Interval Restricted Stock Units, and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  the number of shares of Interval Common Stock covered by such Interval Restricted Stock Units held by the participant, as applicable, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock covered by such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time and (B) the Interval Ratio.  This clause (vi) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Interval Common Stock on the Distribution Date.

 

(vii)         Other IAC Restricted Stock Units Held by HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees. As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, the IAC Restricted Stock Units held by a HSN Employee or a Former HSN Employee as of the Effective Time (other

 

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than those IAC Restricted Stock Units converted pursuant to Section 5.3(g)(ii) or Section 5.3(g)(iii)) shall be converted at the Effective Time into HSN Restricted Stock Units, and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  the number of shares of HSN Common Stock covered by such HSN Restricted Stock Units held by the participant, as applicable, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock covered by such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time and (B) the HSN Ratio.  This clause (vii) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of HSN Common Stock at the Effective Time.

 

(viii)        Other IAC Restricted Stock Units Held by Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, the IAC Restricted Stock Units held by a Tree Employee or a Former Tree Employee as of the Effective Time (other than those IAC Restricted Stock Units converted pursuant to Section 5.3(g)(ii) or Section 5.3(g)(iii)) shall be converted at the Effective Time into Tree Restricted Stock Units, and shall otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting) after the Effective Time as the terms and conditions applicable to such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the following adjustment which shall apply from and after the Effective Time:  the number of shares of Tree Common Stock covered by such Tree Restricted Stock Units held by the participant, as applicable, rounded up to the nearest whole share, shall be equal to the product of (A) the number of shares of IAC Common Stock covered by such IAC Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time and (B) the Tree Ratio.  This clause (viii) shall not apply if IAC does not distribute shares of Tree Common Stock at the Effective Time.

 

(ix)           IAC Restricted Stock Units Held by Specified Individuals.  As determined by the Committee pursuant to its authority under the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Section 5.3(g), the IAC Restricted Stock Units set forth on Exhibit B to this Agreement shall be treated in the manner set forth on Exhibit B to this Agreement.

 

(x)            Settlement of Delayed Common Stock; Delayed Common Stock Diversification Arrangement.  Each holder’s Delayed Common Stock will be recorded in a book entry account administered by Deloitte LLP and each such book entry account will be subdivided among each Party’s Delayed Common Stock and further subdivided between stock settled accounts and cash settled accounts.  Each holder of Delayed Common Stock will have the ability to elect to convert any of such holder’s Delayed Common Stock to a cash settled account on not more than three occasions with respect to each Party’s Delayed Common Stock based on (1) the closing trading price of the applicable Delayed Common Stock on the date of the holder’s election if the holder makes an election during trading hours or (2) the closing trading price of the applicable Delayed Common Stock during the next trading session immediately following the holder’s election if the holder makes an election outside of trading hours (elections shall be made solely with respect to whole shares of Delayed Common Stock) (or based on such other methodology as IAC shall determine in its sole discretion and communicate to holders of Delayed Common Stock).  Elections with respect to this diversification arrangement shall be irrevocable.  Cash settled accounts will accrue interest at 2.5% per annum.  Individuals will not be entitled to

 

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move amounts from cash settled accounts into stock settled accounts.  Accounts will be frozen during the ten days immediately following the Separation and from November 30, 2008 through January 2, 2009.  On January 2, 2009, each Party will settle all cash and stock denominated accounts relating to such Party’s Delayed Common Stock using shares of such Party’s common stock with respect to stock denominated accounts and U.S. dollars with respect to cash denominated accounts and such settlement obligation shall be a Liability solely of such Party and no other Party to this Agreement.  IAC shall have sole discretion to modify the diversification arrangement.

 

(h)           IAC Restricted Stock.  Shares of IAC Restricted Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be treated in the Separation in the same manner as other outstanding shares of IAC Common Stock are treated in the Separation and will otherwise be subject to the same terms and conditions (including vesting conditions) applicable to such shares of IAC Restricted Stock immediately prior to the Separation.

 

(i)            Foreign Grants/Awards.  To the extent that the IAC Awards or any of the IAC Options are granted to non-U.S. employees under any domestic or foreign equity-based incentive program sponsored by an IAC Entity, IAC, TM, Interval, HSN and Tree shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to preserve, at and after the Effective Time, the value and tax treatment accorded to such IAC Options and such IAC Awards granted to non-U.S. employees under any domestic or foreign equity-based incentive program sponsored by an IAC Entity.

 

(j)            Miscellaneous Option and Other Award Terms.

 

(i)            After the Distribution Date, (A) IAC Options and IAC Awards adjusted pursuant to Section 5.3, regardless of by whom held, shall be settled by IAC pursuant to the terms of the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan, (B) TM Options and TM Awards, regardless of by whom held, shall be settled by TM pursuant to the terms of the TM Long-Term Incentive Plan, (C) Interval Options and Interval Awards, regardless of by whom held, shall be settled by Interval pursuant to the terms of the Interval Long-Term Incentive Plan, (D) HSN Options and HSN Awards, regardless of by whom held, shall be settled by HSN pursuant to the terms of the HSN Long-Term Incentive Plan, and (E) Tree Options and Tree Awards, regardless of by whom held, shall be settled by Tree pursuant to the terms of the Tree Long-Term Incentive Plan.

 

(ii)           Accordingly, it is intended that, (A) to the extent of the issuance of such TM Options and TM Awards in connection with the adjustment provisions of this Section 5.3, the TM Long-Term Incentive Plan shall be considered a successor to each of the IAC Long-Term Incentive Plans and to have assumed the obligations of the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan to make the adjustment of the IAC Options and IAC Awards as set forth in this Section 5.3, (B) to the extent of the issuance of such Interval Options and Interval Awards in connection with the adjustment provisions of this Section 5.3, the Interval Long-Term Incentive Plan shall be considered a successor to each of the IAC Long-Term Incentive Plans and to have assumed the obligations of the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan to make the adjustment of the IAC Options and IAC Awards as set forth in this Section 5.3, (C) to the extent of the issuance of such HSN Options and HSN Awards in connection with the adjustment provisions of this Section 5.3, the HSN Long-Term Incentive Plan shall be considered a successor to each of the IAC Long-Term

 

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Incentive Plans and to have assumed the obligations of the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan to make the adjustment of the IAC Options and IAC Awards as set forth in this Section 5.3 and (D) to the extent of the issuance of such Tree Options and Tree Awards in connection with the adjustment provisions of this Section 5.3, the Tree Long-Term Incentive Plan shall be considered a successor to each of the IAC Long-Term Incentive Plans and to have assumed the obligations of the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan to make the adjustment of the IAC Options and IAC Awards as set forth in this Section 5.3.

 

(iii)          (A) The Effective Time shall not constitute a termination of employment for any TM Employees for purposes of any IAC Option or IAC Award, any Interval Option or Interval Award, any HSN Option or HSN Award or any Tree Option or Tree Award and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, with respect to grants adjusted pursuant to this Section 5.3, employment with TM shall be treated as employment with IAC with respect to IAC Options or IAC Awards held by TM Employees, employment with TM shall be treated as employment with Interval with respect to Interval Options or Interval Awards held by TM Employees, employment with TM shall be treated as employment with HSN with respect to HSN Options and HSN Awards held by TM Employees and employment with TM shall be treated as employment with Tree with respect to Tree Options and Tree Awards held by TM Employees.

 

(B)           The Effective Time shall not constitute a termination of employment for any Interval Employees for purposes of any IAC Option or IAC Award, any TM Option or TM Award, any HSN Option or HSN Award or any Tree Option or Tree Award and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, with respect to grants adjusted pursuant to this Section 5.3, employment with Interval shall be treated as employment with IAC with respect to IAC Options or IAC Awards held by Interval Employees, employment with Interval shall be treated as employment with TM with respect to TM Options or TM Awards held by Interval Employees, employment with Interval shall be treated as employment with HSN with respect to HSN Options and HSN Awards held by Interval Employees and employment with Interval shall be treated as employment with Tree with respect to Tree Options and Tree Awards held by Interval Employees.
 
(C)           The Effective Time shall not constitute a termination of employment for any HSN Employees for purposes of any IAC Option or IAC Award, any TM Option or TM Award, any Interval Option or Interval Award or any Tree Option or Tree Award and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, with respect to grants adjusted pursuant to this Section 5.3, employment with HSN shall be treated as employment with IAC with respect to IAC Options or IAC Awards held by HSN Employees, employment with HSN shall be treated as employment with TM with respect to TM Options or TM Awards held by HSN Employees, employment with HSN shall be treated as employment with Interval with respect to Interval Options and Interval Awards held by HSN Employees and employment with HSN shall be treated as employment with Tree with respect to Tree Options and Tree Awards held by HSN Employees.
 
(D)          The Effective Time shall not constitute a termination of employment for any Tree Employees for purposes of any IAC Option or IAC Award, any TM Option or TM Award, any Interval Option or Interval Award or any Tree Option or Tree Award and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, with

 

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respect to grants adjusted pursuant to this Section 5.3, employment with Tree shall be treated as employment with IAC with respect to IAC Options or IAC Awards held by Tree Employees, employment with Tree shall be treated as employment with TM with respect to TM Options or TM Awards held by Tree Employees, employment with Tree shall be treated as employment with Interval with respect to Interval Options and Interval Awards held by Tree Employees and employment with Tree shall be treated as employment with HSN with respect to HSN Options and HSN Awards held by Tree Employees.
 
(E)           Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, with respect to grants adjusted pursuant to this Section 5.3, employment with IAC shall be treated as employment with TM with respect to TM Options or TM Awards held by IAC Employees, employment with IAC shall be treated as employment with Interval with respect to Interval Options and Interval Awards held by IAC Employees, employment with IAC shall be treated as employment with HSN with respect to HSN Options and HSN Awards held by IAC Employees and employment with IAC shall be treated as employment with Tree with respect to Tree Options and Tree Awards held by IAC Employees.
 

(k)           Waiting Period for Exercisability of Options and Grant of Options and Awards.  The IAC Options, TM Options, Interval Options, HSN Options and Tree Options shall not be exercisable during a period beginning on a date prior to the Distribution Date determined by IAC in its sole discretion, and continuing until the IAC Post-Separation Stock Value, the TM Stock Value, the Interval Stock Value, the HSN Stock Value and the Tree Stock Value are determined after the Effective Time, or such longer period as IAC, with respect to IAC Options, TM, with respect to TM Options, Interval, with respect to Interval Options, HSN, with respect to HSN Options and Tree, with respect to Tree Options, determines necessary to implement the provisions of this Section 5.3.  The IAC Restricted Stock Units, TM Restricted Stock Units, Interval Restricted Stock Units, HSN Restricted Stock Units and Tree Restricted Stock Units shall not be settled during a period beginning on a date prior to the Distribution Date determined by IAC in its sole discretion, and continuing until the IAC Post-Separation Stock Value, the TM Stock Value, the Interval Stock Value, the HSN Stock Value and the Tree Stock Value are determined immediately after the Effective Time, or such longer period as IAC, with respect to IAC Restricted Stock Units, TM, with respect to TM Restricted Stock Units, Interval, with respect to Interval Restricted Stock Units, HSN, with respect to HSN Stock Units and Tree, with respect to Tree Stock Units, determines necessary to implement the provisions of this Section 5.3.

 

(l)            Exercise of IAC Options after Distribution Record Date and prior to the Distribution Date; IAC RSUs that Vest after Distribution Record Date and prior to the Distribution Date.

 

(i)            In the event that any holder exercises an IAC Option after the first Distribution Record Date (as defined in the Separation Agreement) and prior to the third Business Day immediately preceding the Distribution Date (option exercises will not be permitted during the three Business Days immediately preceding the Distribution Date), IAC will coordinate with Smith Barney to ensure that such holder exercises such IAC Option with respect to shares of IAC Common Stock trading “regular way with due bills.”

 

(ii)           With respect to any individual that holds IAC Restricted Stock Units that vest after the first Distribution Record Date (as defined in the Separation

 

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Agreement) and prior to the Distribution Date, (1) IAC will deliver (or cause to be delivered) to such holder shares of IAC Common Stock in settlement of such IAC Restricted Stock Units due to such holder upon vesting, giving effect to the withholding of shares of IAC Common Stock to satisfy any tax withholding obligations with respect to the settlement of such IAC Restricted Stock Units, such withholding based on the value of a share of IAC Common Stock trading “regular way with due bills” (the number of shares, net of shares withheld to satisfy the tax withholding obligations, the “Net RSU Shares”) and (2) as soon as reasonably practicable following the Distribution Date, IAC will be obligated to deliver to such holder (x) the number of shares of SpinCo Common Stock with respect to each SpinCo (and any cash in lieu of fractional shares) that such holder would be entitled to receive if the holder owned the number of Net RSU Shares on the first Distribution Record Date (as defined in the Separation Agreement).

 

(m)          Obligation to Deliver Shares.  Except as provided in Section 5.3(l):

 

(i)            The obligation to deliver shares of IAC Common Stock upon the exercise of IAC Stock Options or the settlement of IAC Restricted Stock Units shall be a Liability of IAC.

 

(ii)           The obligation to deliver shares of TM Common Stock upon the exercise of TM Stock Options or the settlement of TM Restricted Stock Units shall be a Liability of TM.

 

(iii)          The obligation to deliver shares of HSN Common Stock upon the exercise of HSN Stock Options or the settlement of HSN Restricted Stock Units shall be a Liability of HSN.

 

(iv)          The obligation to deliver shares of Interval Common Stock upon the exercise of Interval Stock Options or the settlement of Interval Restricted Stock Units shall be a Liability of Interval.

 

(v)           The obligation to deliver shares of Tree Common Stock upon the exercise of Tree Stock Options or the settlement of Tree Restricted Stock Units shall be a Liability of Tree.

 

(n)           Equity and Bonus Compensation Agreement with Barry Diller.  For the avoidance of doubt, Section 5 of the Equity and Bonus Compensation Agreement with Barry Diller shall be binding on IAC and each SpinCo to the extent that any payment or distribution by such Party to or for the benefit of Mr. Diller would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or any interest or penalties are incurred by Mr. Diller with respect to such excise tax.

 

(o)           Abandonment.  In the event that on or prior to the Distribution Date IAC abandons a Distribution (as defined in the Separation Agreement) with respect to one or more SpinCos, the adjustments set forth in this Section 5.3 will apply as described above except that there will be no conversion of IAC equity awards into equity awards of a SpinCo the shares of common stock of which IAC does not distribute and SpinCo Employees and Former SpinCo Employees of any such SpinCo will be treated as IAC Employees and Former IAC Employees, respectively, for purposes of such adjustments.

 

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(p)           Restrictive Covenants.

 

(i)            Following the Distribution Date, TM shall use commercially reasonable efforts to monitor the TM Employees and Former TM Employees to determine whether any such TM Employees or Former TM Employees have breached any of the restrictive covenants in the agreements evidencing the terms of their IAC Options and IAC Awards.  As soon as practicable following TM’s reasonable belief that a TM Employee or Former TM Employee has breached any such covenant, TM shall provide IAC in writing with the name and address of such employee or former employee and a description of the breach that such employee or former employee is believed to have committed.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in any agreement evidencing the terms of any IAC Options and IAC Awards or otherwise to the contrary, it shall not be a violation of any IAC non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenant for a TM Employee to engage in acts on behalf of TM or a TM Entity that are otherwise prohibited by the terms of such non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenants and it shall not be a violation of any TM non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenant for an IAC Employee to engage in acts on behalf of IAC or an IAC Entity that are otherwise prohibited by the terms of such non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenants.  In addition, following the Effective Time, the restrictive covenants (including without limitation any proprietary rights agreements or confidential information covenants) to which any TM Employee or Former TM Employee are party shall run in favor of TM (and, to the extent relating to IAC, shall run in favor of IAC to the same extent that they ran in favor of IAC immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided, that the Effective Time shall be treated as a termination of employment from IAC for purposes of the duration of IAC’s ability to enforce the restrictive covenant) and the restrictive covenants to which any IAC Employee or Former IAC Employee are party shall run in favor of IAC.  Any employment agreement between IAC and a TM Employee or Former TM Employee shall as of the Effective Time be assigned by IAC to TM and assumed by TM.

 

(ii)           Following the Distribution Date, Interval shall use commercially reasonable efforts to monitor the Interval Employees and Former Interval Employees to determine whether any such Interval Employees or Former Interval Employees have breached any of the restrictive covenants in the agreements evidencing the terms of their IAC Options and IAC Awards.  As soon as practicable following Interval’s reasonable belief that an Interval Employee or Former Interval Employee has breached any such covenant, Interval shall provide IAC in writing with the name and address of such employee or former employee and a description of the breach that such employee or former employee is believed to have committed.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in any agreement evidencing the terms of any IAC Options and IAC Awards or otherwise to the contrary, it shall not be a violation of any IAC non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenant for an Interval Employee to engage in acts on behalf of Interval or an Interval Entity that are otherwise prohibited by the terms of such non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenants and it shall not be a violation of any Interval non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenant for an IAC Employee to engage in acts on behalf of IAC or an IAC Entity that are otherwise prohibited by the terms of such non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenants.  In addition, following the Effective Time, the restrictive covenants (including without limitation any proprietary rights agreements or confidential information covenants) to which any Interval Employee or Former Interval Employee are party shall run in favor of Interval (and, to the extent relating to IAC, shall run in favor of IAC to the same extent that they ran in favor of IAC

 

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immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided, that the Effective Time shall be treated as a termination of employment from IAC for purposes of the duration of IAC’s ability to enforce the restrictive covenant) and the restrictive covenants to which any IAC Employee or Former IAC Employee are party shall run in favor of IAC.  Any employment agreement between IAC and an Interval Employee or Former Interval Employee shall as of the Effective Time be assigned by IAC to Interval and assumed by Interval.

 

(iii)          Following the Distribution Date, HSN shall use commercially reasonable efforts to monitor the HSN Employees and Former HSN Employees to determine whether any such HSN Employees or Former HSN Employees have breached any of the restrictive covenants in the agreements evidencing the terms of their IAC Options and IAC Awards.  As soon as practicable following HSN’s reasonable belief that an HSN Employee or Former HSN Employee has breached any such covenant, HSN shall provide IAC in writing with the name and address of such employee or former employee and a description of the breach that such employee or former employee is believed to have committed.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in any agreement evidencing the terms of any IAC Options and IAC Awards or otherwise to the contrary, it shall not be a violation of any IAC non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenant for an HSN Employee to engage in acts on behalf of HSN or an HSN Entity that are otherwise prohibited by the terms of such non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenants and it shall not be a violation of any HSN non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenant for an IAC Employee to engage in acts on behalf of IAC or an IAC Entity that are otherwise prohibited by the terms of such non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenants.  In addition, following the Effective Time, the restrictive covenants (including without limitation any proprietary rights agreements or confidential information covenants) to which any HSN Employee or Former HSN Employee are party shall run in favor of HSN (and, to the extent relating to IAC, shall run in favor of IAC to the same extent that they ran in favor of IAC immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided, that the Effective Time shall be treated as a termination of employment from IAC for purposes of the duration of IAC’s ability to enforce the restrictive covenant) and the restrictive covenants to which any IAC Employee or Former IAC Employee are party shall run in favor of IAC.  Any employment agreement between IAC and an HSN Employee or Former HSN Employee shall as of the Effective Time be assigned by IAC to HSN and assumed by HSN.

 

(iv)          Following the Distribution Date, Tree shall use commercially reasonable efforts to monitor the Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees to determine whether any such Tree Employees or Former Tree Employees have breached any of the restrictive covenants in the agreements evidencing the terms of their IAC Options and IAC Awards.  As soon as practicable following Tree’s reasonable belief that a Tree Employee or Former Tree Employee has breached any such covenant, Tree shall provide IAC in writing with the name and address of such employee or former employee and the name and a description of the breach that such employee or former employee is believed to have committed.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in any agreement evidencing the terms of any IAC Options and IAC Awards or otherwise to the contrary, it shall not be a violation of any IAC non-competition or

 

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non-solicitation of clients or customers covenant for a Tree Employee to engage in acts on behalf of Tree or a Tree Entity that are otherwise prohibited by the terms of such non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenants and it shall not be a violation of any Tree non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenant for an IAC Employee to engage in acts on behalf of IAC or an IAC Entity that are otherwise prohibited by the terms of such non-competition or non-solicitation of clients or customers covenants.  In addition, following the Effective Time, the restrictive covenants (including without limitation any proprietary rights agreements or confidential information covenants) to which any Tree Employee or Former Tree Employee are party shall run in favor of Tree (and, to the extent relating to IAC, shall run in favor of IAC to the same extent that they ran in favor of IAC immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided, that the Effective Time shall be treated as a termination of employment from IAC for purposes of the duration of IAC’s ability to enforce the restrictive covenant) and the restrictive covenants to which any IAC Employee or Former IAC Employee are party shall run in favor of IAC.  Any employment agreement between IAC and a Tree Employee or Former Tree Employee shall as of the Effective Time be assigned by IAC to Tree and assumed by Tree.

 

5.4           Registration Requirements.

 

(a)           As soon as possible following the time as of which the Registration Statement (as defined in the Separation Agreement) is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission but in any case before the Distribution Date, TM agrees that it shall file a Form S-8 Registration Statement and a Form S-3 Registration Statement with respect to and cause to be registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the shares of TM Common Stock authorized for issuance under the TM Long-Term Incentive Plan as required pursuant to such Act and any applicable rules or regulations thereunder, with such registration to be effective prior to the Distribution Date.

 

(b)           As soon as possible following the time as of which the Registration Statement (as defined in the Separation Agreement) is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission but in any case before the Distribution Date, Interval agrees that it shall file a Form S-8 Registration Statement and a Form S-3 Registration Statement with respect to and cause to be registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the shares of Interval Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Interval Long-Term Incentive Plan as required pursuant to such Act and any applicable rules or regulations thereunder, with such registration to be effective prior to the Distribution Date.

 

(c)           As soon as possible following the time as of which the Registration Statement (as defined in the Separation Agreement) is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission but in any case before the Distribution Date, HSN agrees that it shall file a Form S-8 Registration Statement and a Form S-3 Registration Statement with respect to and cause to be registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the shares of HSN Common Stock authorized for issuance under the HSN Long-Term Incentive Plan as required pursuant to such Act and any applicable rules or regulations thereunder, with such registration to be effective prior to the Distribution Date.

 

(d)           As soon as possible following the time as of which the Registration Statement (as defined in the Separation Agreement) is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission but in any case before the Distribution Date, Tree agrees that it shall file a Form S-8 Registration Statement and a Form S-3 Registration Statement with respect to and cause to be registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the shares of Tree Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Tree Long-Term Incentive Plan as required pursuant to such Act and any applicable rules or regulations thereunder, with such registration to be effective prior to the Distribution Date.

 

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(e)           IAC agrees that, following the Distribution Date, it shall use reasonable efforts to continue to maintain a Form S-8 Registration Statement with respect to and cause to be registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the shares of IAC Common Stock authorized for issuance under the IAC Long-Term Incentive Plans as required pursuant to such Act and any applicable rules or regulations thereunder.

 

5.5           Executive Deferred Compensation Plans.

 

(a)           Effective as of the Distribution Date, TM shall establish a deferred compensation plan (the “TM Deferred Compensation Plan”) and a related rabbi trust (the “TM Rabbi Trust”), each of which is substantially identical to the IAC/InterActiveCorp Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (“IAC Deferred Compensation Plan”) and the related rabbi trust for the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan (the “IAC Rabbi Trust”), to provide benefits to TM Employees and Former TM Employees from and after the Distribution Date who were participants in the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan as of immediately prior to the Distribution Date (“TM Participants”).  All benefits under the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan with respect to TM Participants shall be assumed by TM and paid under the TM Deferred Compensation Plan.  Effective on the Distribution Date or as soon as administratively practicable after the Distribution Date, IAC shall cause the trustee of the IAC Rabbi Trust to transfer an amount of assets from the IAC Rabbi Trust to the TM Rabbi Trust equal to the account balances of TM Participants as of the date of such transfer to fund the benefits of TM Participants under the TM Deferred Compensation Plan.

 

(b)           Effective as of the Distribution Date, each Interval Employee and Former Interval Employee shall be deemed to have elected to receive a lump sum distribution of his or her accrued benefits under the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan in 2009 and shall be paid such benefits by IAC in 2009 in accordance with the terms of such plans.

 

(c)           Effective as of the Distribution Date, HSN shall establish a deferred compensation plan (the “HSN Deferred Compensation Plan”) that is substantially identical to the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan as of immediately prior to the Distribution Date to provide benefits to HSN Employees from and after the Distribution Date who were participants in the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan as of immediately prior to the Distribution Date and had made effective elections to defer compensation earned in 2008 (“Active HSN Participants”).  Each Active HSN Participant and each other HSN Employee and Former HSN Employee shall be deemed to have elected to receive a lump sum distribution of his or her accrued benefits under the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan and HSN Deferred Compensation Plan in 2009 and shall be paid such benefits in 2009 in accordance with the terms of such plans.  IAC shall be liable for any benefits accrued under the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan by any Active HSN Participant, other HSN Employee and Former HSN Employee prior to the Distribution Date and HSN shall be liable for any benefits accrued by Active HSN Participants after the Distribution Date.  No portion of the IAC Rabbi Trust shall be transferred to HSN or any rabbi trust established by HSN or shall be used to pay the benefits of Active HSN Participants accrued after the Distribution Date.

 

(d)           Effective as of the Distribution Date, Tree shall establish a deferred compensation plan (the “Tree Deferred Compensation Plan”) and a related rabbi trust (the “Tree Rabbi Trust”) (each of which is substantially identical to the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan and IAC Rabbi Trust) to provide benefits to Tree Employees and Former Tree Employees from and after the Distribution Date who were participants in the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan as of immediately prior to the Distribution Date (“Tree Participants”).  All benefits under the IAC Deferred Compensation Plan with respect to Tree

 

39



 

Participants shall be assumed by Tree and paid under the Tree Deferred Compensation Plan.  Effective on the Distribution Date or as soon as administratively practicable after the Distribution Date, IAC shall cause the trustee of the IAC Rabbi Trust to transfer an amount of assets from the IAC Rabbi Trust to the Tree Rabbi Trust equal to the account balances of Tree Participants as of the date of such transfer to fund the benefits of Tree Participants under the Tree Deferred Compensation Plan.

 

5.6           Severance.

 

(a)           A TM Employee shall not be deemed to have terminated employment for purposes of determining eligibility for severance benefits in connection with or in anticipation of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement.  TM shall be solely responsible for all Liabilities in respect of all costs arising out of payments and benefits relating to the termination or alleged termination of any TM Employee or Former TM Employee’s employment that occurs prior to, as a result of, in connection with or following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement, including any amounts required to be paid (including any payroll or other taxes), and the costs of providing benefits, under any applicable severance, separation, redundancy, termination or similar plan, program, practice, contract, agreement, law or regulation (such benefits to include any medical or other welfare benefits, outplacement benefits, accrued vacation, and taxes).

 

(b)           An Interval Employee shall not be deemed to have terminated employment for purposes of determining eligibility for severance benefits in connection with or in anticipation of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement.  Interval shall be solely responsible for all Liabilities in respect of all costs arising out of payments and benefits relating to the termination or alleged termination of any Interval Employee or Former Interval Employee’s employment that occurs prior to, as a result of, in connection with or following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement, including any amounts required to be paid (including any payroll or other taxes), and the costs of providing benefits, under any applicable severance, separation, redundancy, termination or similar plan, program, practice, contract, agreement, law or regulation (such benefits to include any medical or other welfare benefits, outplacement benefits, accrued vacation, and taxes).

 

(c)           An HSN Employee shall not be deemed to have terminated employment for purposes of determining eligibility for severance benefits in connection with or in anticipation of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement.  HSN shall be solely responsible for all Liabilities in respect of all costs arising out of payments and benefits relating to the termination or alleged termination of any HSN Employee or Former HSN Employee’s employment that occurs prior to, as a result of, in connection with or following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement, including any amounts required to be paid (including any payroll or other taxes), and the costs of providing benefits, under any applicable severance, separation, redundancy, termination or similar plan, program, practice, contract, agreement, law or regulation (such benefits to include any medical or other welfare benefits, outplacement benefits, accrued vacation, and taxes).

 

(d)           A Tree Employee shall not be deemed to have terminated employment for purposes of determining eligibility for severance benefits in connection with or in anticipation of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement.  Tree shall be solely responsible for all Liabilities in respect of all costs arising out of payments and benefits relating to the termination or alleged termination of any Tree

 

40



 

Employee or Former Tree Employee’s employment that occurs prior to, as a result of, in connection with or following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement, including any amounts required to be paid (including any payroll or other taxes), and the costs of providing benefits, under any applicable severance, separation, redundancy, termination or similar plan, program, practice, contract, agreement, law or regulation (such benefits to include any medical or other welfare benefits, outplacement benefits, accrued vacation, and taxes).

 

ARTICLE VI
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

 

6.1           Sharing of Participant Information.  IAC and each of the SpinCos shall share with one another, and IAC shall cause each other IAC Entity to share, TM shall cause each other TM Entity to share, Interval shall cause each other Interval Entity to share, HSN shall cause each other HSN Entity to share and Tree shall cause each other Tree Entity to share with one another and their respective agents and vendors (without obtaining releases) all participant information necessary for the efficient and accurate administration of each of the IAC Benefit Plans, the TM Benefit Plans, the Interval Benefit Plans, the HSN Benefit Plans and the Tree Benefit Plans.  IAC, TM, Interval, HSN, Tree and their respective authorized agents shall, subject to applicable laws, be given reasonable and timely access to, and may make copies of, all information relating to the subjects of this Agreement in the custody of such other Party, to the extent necessary for such administration.  Until December 31, 2008, all participant information shall be provided in the manner and medium applicable to Participating Companies in IAC Benefit Plans generally, and thereafter until December 31, 2009, all participant information shall be provided in a manner and medium as may be agreed to by IAC, TM, Interval, HSN and/or Tree, as applicable.

 

6.2           Reasonable Efforts/Cooperation.  Each of the Parties hereto will use its commercially reasonable efforts to promptly take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable laws and regulations to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  Each of the Parties hereto shall cooperate fully on any issue relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement for which the other Party seeks a determination letter or private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, an advisory opinion from the Department of Labor or any other filing (including, but not limited to, securities filings (remedial or otherwise)), consent or approval with respect to or by a governmental agency or authority in any jurisdiction in the United States or abroad.

 

6.3           No Third-Party Beneficiaries.  This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Parties and is not intended to confer upon any other Persons any rights or remedies hereunder.  Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall preclude IAC or any other IAC Entity, at any time after the Close of the Distribution Date, from amending, merging, modifying, terminating, eliminating, reducing, or otherwise altering in any respect any IAC Benefit Plan, any benefit under any Benefit Plan or any trust, insurance policy or funding vehicle related to any IAC Benefit Plan.  Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall preclude TM or any other TM Entity, at any time after the Close of the Distribution Date, from amending, merging, modifying, terminating, eliminating, reducing, or otherwise altering in any respect any TM Benefit Plan, any

 

41



 

benefit under any Benefit Plan or any trust, insurance policy or funding vehicle related to any TM Benefit Plan.  Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall preclude Interval or any other Interval Entity, at any time after the Close of the Distribution Date, from amending, merging, modifying, terminating, eliminating, reducing, or otherwise altering in any respect any Interval Benefit Plan, any benefit under any Benefit Plan or any trust, insurance policy or funding vehicle related to any Interval Benefit Plan.  Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall preclude HSN or any other HSN Entity, at any time after the Close of the Distribution Date, from amending, merging, modifying, terminating, eliminating, reducing, or otherwise altering in any respect any HSN Benefit Plan, any benefit under any Benefit Plan or any trust, insurance policy or funding vehicle related to any HSN Benefit Plan.  Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall preclude Tree or any other Tree Entity, at any time after the Close of the Distribution Date, from amending, merging, modifying, terminating, eliminating, reducing, or otherwise altering in any respect any Tree Benefit Plan, any benefit under any Benefit Plan or any trust, insurance policy or funding vehicle related to any Tree Benefit Plan.

 

6.4           Audit Rights With Respect to Information Provided.

 

(a)           Each Party, and its duly authorized representatives, shall have the right to conduct reasonable audits with respect to all information required to be provided to it by any other Party under this Agreement.

 

(b)           The Party conducting an audit pursuant to this Section 6.4(a) (the “Auditing Party”) may adopt reasonable procedures and guidelines for conducting audits and the selection of audit representatives under this Section 6.4.  The Auditing Party shall have the right to make copies of any records at its expense, subject to any restrictions imposed by applicable laws and to any confidentiality provisions set forth in the Separation Agreement, which are incorporated by reference herein.  The Party being audited shall provide the Auditing Party’s representatives with reasonable access during normal business hours to its operations, computer systems and paper and electronic files, and provide workspace to its representatives.  After any audit is completed, the Party being audited shall have the right to review a draft of the audit findings and to comment on those findings in writing within thirty business days after receiving such draft.

 

(c)           The Auditing Party’s audit rights under this Section 6.4 shall include the right to audit, or participate in an audit facilitated by the Party being audited, of any Subsidiaries and Affiliates of the Party being audited and to require the other Party to request any benefit providers and third parties with whom the Party being audited has a relationship, or agents of such Party, to agree to such an audit to the extent any such Persons are affected by or addressed in this Agreement (collectively, the “Non-parties”).  The Party being audited shall, upon written request from the Auditing Party, provide an individual (at the Auditing Party’s expense) to supervise any audit of a Non-party.  The Auditing Party shall be responsible for supplying, at the Auditing Party’s expense, additional personnel sufficient to complete the audit in a reasonably timely manner.  The responsibility of the Party being audited shall be limited to providing, at the Auditing Party’s expense, a single individual at each audited site for purposes of facilitating the audit.

 

6.5           Fiduciary Matters.  It is acknowledged that actions required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement may be subject to fiduciary duties or standards of conduct under ERISA or other applicable law, and no Party shall be deemed to be in violation of this Agreement if it fails to comply with any provisions hereof based upon its good faith determination that to do so would violate such a fiduciary duty or standard.  Each Party shall be responsible for taking such actions as are deemed necessary and appropriate to comply with its own fiduciary responsibilities and shall fully release and indemnify the other Party for any Liabilities caused by the failure to satisfy any such responsibility.

 

42



 

6.6           Consent of Third Parties.  If any provision of this Agreement is dependent on the consent of any third party (such as a vendor) and such consent is withheld, the Parties hereto shall use commercially reasonable efforts to implement the applicable provisions of this Agreement to the full extent practicable.  If any provision of this Agreement cannot be implemented due to the failure of such third party to consent, the Parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to implement the provision in a mutually satisfactory manner.  The phrase “commercially reasonable efforts” as used herein shall not be construed to require any Party to incur any non-routine or unreasonable expense or Liability or to waive any right.

 

ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS

 

7.1           Effect If Effective Time Does Not Occur.  If the Separation Agreement is terminated prior to the Distribution Date, then this Agreement shall terminate and all actions and events that are, under this Agreement, to be taken or occur effective immediately prior to or as of the Close of the Distribution Date, or Immediately after the Distribution Date, or otherwise in connection with the Separation Transactions, shall not be taken or occur except to the extent specifically agreed by the Parties.

 

7.2           Relationship of Parties.  Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed or construed by the Parties or any third party as creating the relationship of principal and agent, partnership or joint venture between the Parties, it being understood and agreed that no provision contained herein, and no act of the Parties, shall be deemed to create any relationship between the Parties other than the relationship set forth herein.

 

7.3           Affiliates.  Each of IAC, TM, Interval, HSN and Tree shall cause to be performed, and hereby guarantees the performance of, all actions, agreements and obligations set forth in this Agreement to be performed by another IAC Entity, TM Entity, Interval Entity, HSN Entity or Tree Entity, respectively.

 

7.4           Notices.  All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given to a Party when (a) delivered to the appropriate address by hand or by nationally recognized overnight courier service (costs prepaid); (b) sent by facsimile with confirmation of transmission by the transmitting equipment; or (c) received or rejected by the addressee, if sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, in each case to the following addresses and facsimile numbers and marked to the attention of the person (by name or title) designated below (or to such other address, facsimile number or person as a Party may designate by notice to the other Parties):

 

(a)           if to IAC:

 

IAC/InterActiveCorp
555 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
Attention:  General Counsel
Facsimile No.:  (212) 314-7379

 

(b)           if to TM:

 

Ticketmaster
8800 West Sunset Blvd

West Hollywood, CA 90069
Attention:  General Counsel
Facsimile No.:  [      ]

 

43



 

(c)           if to Interval:

 

Interval Leisure Group, Inc.
6262 Sunset Drive
Miami, FL 33143
Attention:  General Counsel
Facsimile No.:  [      ]

 

(d)           if to HSN:

 

HSN, Inc.
1 HSN Drive
St. Petersburg, FL 33729
Attention:  General Counsel
Facsimile No.:  [      ]

 

(e)           if to Tree:

 

Tree.com, Inc.
11115 Rushmore Drive
Charlotte, NC 28277
Attention:  General Counsel
Facsimile No.:  [      ]

 

7.5           Abandonment.  IAC may in its sole discretion abandon one or more of the Distributions (as defined in the Separation Agreement) prior to the Distribution Date, and, by notice to the other SpinCos, shall have the right to terminate this Agreement to the extent of the rights and obligations provided between the SpinCo(s) the Distribution of which shall have been abandoned, on the one hand, and the other SpinCos and IAC, on the other hand.  In the event that one or more of the Distributions (as defined in the Separation Agreement) shall not be effected on the Distribution Date, (a) any provisions contained in this Agreement regarding the rights or obligations of a SpinCo the Distribution of which shall have been abandoned shall have no effect, (b) such SpinCo shall continue to be treated as a member of the IAC Group (as defined in the Separation Agreement) and (c) such SpinCo’s SpinCo Employees and Former SpinCo Employees shall be treated as IAC Employees and Former IAC Employees, respectively, for purposes of this Agreement.

 

7.6           Incorporation of Separation Agreement Provisions.  The following provisions of the Separation Agreement are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and unless otherwise expressly specified herein, such provisions shall apply as if fully set forth herein mutatis mutandis (references in this Section 7.6 to an “Article” or “Section” shall mean Articles or Sections of the Separation Agreement, and references in the material incorporated herein by reference shall be references to the Separation Agreement):  Article VI (relating to Mutual Releases; Indemnification); Article VIII (relating to Exchange of Information; Confidentiality); Article IX (relating to Dispute Resolution); Article X (relating to Further Assurances); Article XII (relating to Sole Discretion of IAC; Termination) and Article XIV (relating to Miscellaneous).

 

44



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Employee Matters Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

IAC/INTERACTIVECORP

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Gregory R. Blatt

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

INTERVAL LEISURE GROUP, INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

HSN, INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

TREE.COM, INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

45



 

Exhibit A

 



EX-10.6 11 a2187104zex-10_6.htm EXHIBIT 10.6

Exhibit 10.6

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between Edward J. Weiss (“Employee”) and Ticketmaster L.L.C., a Virginia limited liability company (the “Company”), and is effective January 1, 2008 (the “Effective Date”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish its right to the services of Employee, in the capacity described below, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, and Employee is willing to accept such employment on such terms and conditions.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements hereinafter set forth, Employee and the Company have agreed and do hereby agree as follows:

 

1A.          EMPLOYMENT.  During the Term (as defined below), the Company shall employ Employee, and Employee shall be employed, as Executive Vice President and Chief Counsel, or such other equivalent title as may be agreed between Employee and the Company.  During Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee shall do and perform all services and acts necessary or advisable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities as are commensurate and consistent with Employee’s position and shall render such services on the terms set forth herein.  During Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee shall report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company or such other person(s) as from time to time may be designated by the Company (hereinafter referred to as the “Reporting Officer”).  Employee shall have such powers and duties with respect to the Company as may reasonably be assigned to Employee by the Reporting Officer, to the extent consistent with Employee’s position.  Employee agrees to devote all of Employee’s working time, attention and efforts to the Company and to perform the duties of Employee’s position in accordance with the Company’s policies as in effect from time to time.

 

2A.          TERM.  The term of this Agreement shall be two years (the “Term”); provided, that certain terms and conditions herein may specify a greater period of effectiveness.

 

3A.          COMPENSATION.

 

(a)           BASE SALARY.  During the period that Employee is employed with the Company hereunder, the Company shall pay Employee an annual base salary of $335,000 (the “Base Salary”), payable in equal biweekly installments (or, if different, in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice as in effect from time to time).  For all purposes under this Agreement, the term “Base Salary” shall refer to the Base Salary as in effect from time to time.

 

(b)           DISCRETIONARY BONUS.  During the period that Employee is employed with the Company hereunder, Employee shall be eligible to receive discretionary annual bonuses.

 



 

(c)           BENEFITS.  From the Effective Date through the date of termination of Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason, Employee shall be entitled to participate in any welfare, health and life insurance and pension benefit programs as may be adopted from time to time by the Company on the same basis as that provided to similarly situated employees of the Company.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Employee shall be entitled to the following benefits:

 

(i)            Reimbursement for Business Expenses.  During the period that Employee is employed with the Company hereunder, the Company shall reimburse Employee for all reasonable, necessary and documented expenses incurred by Employee in performing Employee’s duties for the Company, on the same basis as similarly situated employees and in accordance with the Company’s policies as in effect from time to time.

 

(ii)           Vacation.  During the period that Employee is employed with the Company hereunder, Employee shall be entitled to paid vacation each year, in accordance with the plans, policies, programs and practices of the Company applicable to similarly situated employees of the Company generally.

 

4A.          NOTICES.  All notices and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given by first-class mail, certified or registered with return receipt requested, or by hand delivery, or by overnight delivery by a nationally recognized carrier, in each case to the applicable address set forth below, and any such notice is deemed effectively given when received by the recipient (or if receipt is refused by the recipient, when so refused):

 

If to the Company:

Ticketmaster L.L.C.

 

8800 Sunset Boulevard

 

West Hollywood, CA 90069

 

Attention: SVP, Chief People Officer

 

 

If to Employee:

At the most recent address for Employee on file at the Company.

 

Either party may change such party’s address for notices by notice duly given pursuant hereto.

 

5A.          GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION.  This Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto (including, without limitation, any dispute arising out of or related to this Agreement) shall be governed by and construed under and in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California without reference to its principles of conflicts of laws.  Any such dispute will be heard and determined before an appropriate federal court located in the State of California in Los Angeles County, or, if not maintainable therein, then in an appropriate California state court located in Los Angeles County, and each party hereto submits itself and its property to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the foregoing courts with respect to such disputes.  Each party hereto (i) agrees that service of process may be made by mailing a copy of any relevant document to the address of the party set forth above, (ii) waives to the fullest extent

 

2



 

permitted by law any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the courts referred to above on the grounds of inconvenient forum or otherwise as regards any dispute between the parties hereto arising out of or related to this Agreement, (iii) waives to the fullest extent permitted by law any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue in the courts referred to above as regards any dispute between the parties hereto arising out of or related to this Agreement and (iv) agrees that a judgment or order of any court referred to above in connection with any dispute between the parties hereto arising out of or related to this Agreement is conclusive and binding on it and may be enforced against it in the courts of any other jurisdiction.

 

6A.          COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.

 

7A.          STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS.  Employee expressly understands and acknowledges that the Standard Terms and Conditions attached hereto are incorporated herein by reference, deemed a part of this Agreement and are binding and enforceable provisions of this Agreement.  References to “this Agreement” or the use of the term “hereof” shall refer to this Agreement and the Standard Terms and Conditions attached hereto, taken as a whole.

 

8A.          SECTION 409A OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.  This Agreement is not intended to constitute a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations issued thereunder (“Section 409A”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if this Agreement or any benefit paid to Employee hereunder is subject to Section 409A and if Employee is a “Specified Employee” (as defined under Section 409A) as of the date of Employee’s termination of employment hereunder, then the payment of benefits, if any, scheduled to be paid by the Company to Employee hereunder during the first six (6) month period beginning on the date of a termination of employment hereunder shall be delayed during such six (6) month period and shall commence immediately following the end of such six (6) month period (and, if applicable, the period in which such payments were scheduled to be made if not for such delay shall be extended accordingly).  In no event shall the Company be required to pay Employee any “gross-up” or other payment with respect to any taxes or penalties imposed under Section 409A with respect to any benefit paid to Employee hereunder.

 

[The Signature Page Follows]

 

3



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by its duly authorized officer and Employee has executed and delivered this Agreement on March 12, 2008.

 

 

TICKETMASTER L.L.C.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sean Moriarty

 

Name: Sean Moriarty

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Edward J. Weiss

 

Name: Edward J. Weiss

 



 

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

1.             TERMINATION OF EMPLOYEE’S EMPLOYMENT.

 

(a)           DEATH.  In the event Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated by reason of Employee’s death, the Company shall pay Employee’s designated beneficiary or beneficiaries, within thirty (30) days of Employee’s death in a lump sum in cash, (i) Employee’s Base Salary through the end of the month in which death occurs and (ii) any other Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(g) below).

 

(b)           DISABILITY.  If, as a result of Employee’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness (“Disability”), Employee shall have been absent from the full-time performance of Employee’s duties with the Company for a period of four (4) consecutive months and, within thirty (30) days after written notice is provided to Employee by the Company (in accordance with Section 4A hereof), Employee shall not have returned to the full-time performance of Employee’s duties, Employee’s employment under this Agreement may be terminated by the Company for Disability.  During any period prior to such termination during which Employee is absent from the full-time performance of Employee’s duties with the Company due to Disability, the Company shall continue to pay Employee’s Base Salary at the rate in effect at the commencement of such period of Disability, offset by any amounts payable to Employee under any disability insurance plan or policy provided by the Company.  Upon termination of Employee’s employment due to Disability, the Company shall pay Employee within thirty (30) days of such termination (i) Employee’s Base Salary through the end of the month in which termination occurs in a lump sum in cash, offset by any amounts payable to Employee under any disability insurance plan or policy provided by the Company; and (ii) any other Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(g) below).

 

(c)           TERMINATION FOR CAUSE.  Upon the termination of Employee’s employment by the Company for Cause (as defined below), the Company shall have no further obligation hereunder, except for the payment of any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(g) below).  As used herein, “Cause” shall mean:  (i) the plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, or conviction for, the commission of a felony offense by Employee; provided, however, that after indictment, the Company may suspend Employee from the rendition of services, but without limiting or modifying in any other way the Company’s obligations under this Agreement; (ii) a material breach by Employee of a fiduciary duty owed to the Company; (iii) a material breach by Employee of any of the covenants made by Employee in Section 2 hereof; (iv) the willful or gross neglect by Employee of the material duties required by this Agreement; or (v) a violation by Employee of any Company policy pertaining to ethics, wrongdoing or conflicts of interest.

 

(d)           TERMINATION BY THE COMPANY OTHER THAN FOR DEATH, DISABILITY OR CAUSE.  If Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated prior to the expiration of the Term by the Company for any reason other than Employee’s death or Disability or for Cause, then (i) the Company shall pay to Employee an amount equal to the Base Salary that Employee would have been paid from the date of such termination through the end of the Term had the Employee’s employment not terminated, payable in equal biweekly installments

 



 

(or, if different, in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice as in effect from time to time) over the course of the then remaining Term (the “Cash Severance Payments”); and (ii) the Company shall pay Employee within thirty (30) days of the date of such termination in a lump sum in cash any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(g) below).  The payment to Employee of the severance benefits described in this Section 1(d) shall be subject to Employee’s execution and non-revocation of a general release of the Company and its affiliates, in a form substantially similar to that used for similarly situated executives of the Company and its affiliates, and Employee’s compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in Section 2 hereof.  Employee acknowledges and agrees that the severance benefits described in this Section 1(d) constitutes good and valuable consideration for such release.

 

(e)           RESIGNATION BY EMPLOYEE FOR CHANGE IN REPORTING OFFICER.  In the event that a General Counsel or Chief Legal Officer of the Company is hired and made the Reporting Officer (the “Reporting Officer Change”), and after a good faith effort to work under such Reporting Officer, including discussing with senior management of the Company any issues Employee has about such Reporting Officer, Employee determines, in his sole discretion, that there is a significant style and/or personality conflict with such Reporting Officer, then Employee may, conditioned upon his continued compliance with Section 2 of these Standard Terms and Conditions for their duration, resign from employment by the Company and (i) the Company shall pay to Employee the Cash Severance Payments; (ii) the Company shall pay Employee within thirty (30) days of the date of such termination in a lump sum in cash any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(g) below); and (iii) the vesting of all employee equity awards granted prior to the Effective Date will be accelerated to the date of resignation (the benefits provided under clauses (i)-(iii) of this Section 1(e) are referred to as the “Severance Benefits”).  Any such resignation may be tendered after six months following the date of the Reporting Officer Change, but no later than twelve months after such date.  If there is a Reporting Officer Change, and within twelve months of that change Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated prior to the expiration of the Term by the Company for any reason other than Employee’s death or Disability or for Cause, then Employee shall, conditioned upon his continued compliance with Section 2 of these Standard Terms and Conditions for their duration, be entitled to the Severance Benefits.  The payment to Employee of the Severance Benefits described in this Section 1(e) shall be subject to Employee’s execution and non-revocation of a general release of the Company and its affiliates, in a form substantially similar to that used for similarly situated executives of the Company and its affiliates, and Employee’s compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in Section 2 hereof.  Employee acknowledges and agrees that the Severance Benefits described in this Section 1(e) constitutes good and valuable consideration for such release.

 

(f)            MITIGATION; OFFSET.  In the event of termination of Employee’s employment pursuant to Section 1(d) or his resignation pursuant to Section 1(e), Employee shall use his reasonable best efforts to seek other comparable employment and to take other reasonable actions to mitigate the Cash Severance Payments.  If Employee obtains other employment during the period of time in which the Company is required to make Cash Severance Payments, the amount of any such remaining payments or benefits to be provided to Employee shall be reduced by the amount of compensation and benefits earned by Employee from such other employment through the end of such period.  For purposes of this Section 1(f), Employee shall have an obligation to

 

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inform the Company regarding Employee’s employment status following termination and during the period of time in which the Company is making Cash Severance Payments.

 

(g)           ACCRUED OBLIGATIONS.  As used in this Agreement, “Accrued Obligations” shall mean the sum of (i) any portion of Employee’s accrued but unpaid Base Salary through the date of death or termination of employment for any reason, as the case may be; (ii) any compensation previously earned but deferred by Employee (together with any interest or earnings thereon) that has not yet been paid and that is not otherwise to be paid at a later date pursuant to the executive deferred compensation plan of the Company, if any, and (iii) any reimbursements that Employee is entitled to receive under Section 3A(c)(i) of the Agreement.

 

(h)           AMENDED PLAN DEFINITION.  Employee hereby agrees and acknowledges that the following definition of “Good Reason” shall apply to restricted stock units granted to Employee under the IAC/InterActiveCorp 2005 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and that the following definition of “Good Reason” shall replace the definition of “Good Reason” contained in Section 10 of the Plan:  “Good Reason” means, without Employee’s prior written consent: (1) a material reduction in your rate of annual base salary from the rate of annual base salary in effect for you immediately prior to the Change in Control (as defined in the Plan), (2) a relocation of your principal place of business more than 35 miles from the city in which your principal place of business was located immediately prior to the Change in Control (as defined in the Plan) or (3) a material and demonstrable adverse change in the nature and scope of your duties from those in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control (as defined in the Plan).  In order to invoke a Termination of Employment (as defined in the Plan) for Good Reason under the Plan, Employee shall provide written notice to the Company of the existence of one or more of the conditions described in clauses (1) through (3) within 90 days following your knowledge of the initial existence of such condition or conditions, and the Company shall have 30 days following receipt of such written notice (the “Cure Period”) during which it may remedy the condition.  In the event that the Company fails to remedy the condition constituting Good Reason during the Cure Period, Employee must terminate employment, if at all, within 90 days following the Cure Period in order for such Termination of Employment under the Plan to constitute a Termination of Employment for Good Reason under the Plan.”

 

2.             CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION; NON-SOLICITATION; AND PROPRIETARY RIGHTS.

 

(a)           CONFIDENTIALITY.  Employee acknowledges that, while employed by the Company, Employee will occupy a position of trust and confidence.  The Company, its subsidiaries and/or affiliates shall provide Employee with “Confidential Information” as referred to below.  Employee shall not, except as may be required to perform Employee’s duties hereunder or as required by applicable law, without limitation in time, communicate, divulge, disseminate, disclose to others or otherwise use, whether directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information regarding the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries and/or affiliates.

 

“Confidential Information” shall mean information about the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, and their respective businesses, employees, consultants, contractors, clients and customers that is not disclosed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates

 

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for financial reporting purposes or otherwise generally made available to the public (other than by Employee’s breach of the terms hereof) and that was learned or developed by Employee in the course of employment by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, including (without limitation) any proprietary knowledge, trade secrets, data, formulae, information and client and customer lists and all papers, resumes, and records (including computer records) of the documents containing such Confidential Information.  Employee acknowledges that such Confidential Information is specialized, unique in nature and of great value to the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates, and that such information gives the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates a competitive advantage.  Employee agrees to deliver or return to the Company, at the Company’s request at any time or upon termination or expiration of Employee’s employment or as soon thereafter as possible, all documents, computer tapes and disks, records, lists, data, drawings, prints, notes and written information (and all copies thereof) furnished by the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates or prepared by Employee in the course of Employee’s employment by the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates.  As used in this Agreement, “subsidiaries” and “affiliates” shall mean any company controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company.

 

(b)           POST SEPARATION COOPERATION.  During the one year period commencing immediately upon the termination of Employee’s employment for any reason (other than termination resulting from Employee’s death), Employee shall be available for consultation with the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates concerning their general operations and the industries in which they engage in business, as maybe be reasonably required without jeopardizing Employee’s then full-time, non-Ticketmaster employment opportunities; provided, however, that Employee shall not be obligated to devote more than 24 hours during such one year period to the performance of such duties.  The Company agrees to reimburse Employee for all reasonable and necessary business expenses incurred by Employee in the performance of such consultation in accordance with the Company’s reimbursement policy, including, without limitation, the submission of supporting evidence as reasonably required by the Company.  If it becomes clear, or the parties reasonably anticipate, that that consultation required of Employee will exceed 24 hours, the parties shall agree on appropriate reasonable compensation for Employee for such consulting services.

 

(c)           NON-SOLICITATION OF EMPLOYEES.  Employee recognizes that he will possess Confidential Information about other employees, consultants and contractors of the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates relating to their education, experience, skills, abilities, compensation and benefits, and inter-personal relationships with suppliers to and customers of the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates.  Employee recognizes that the information he will possess about these other employees, consultants and contractors is not generally known, is of substantial value to the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates in developing their respective businesses and in securing and retaining customers, and will be acquired by Employee because of Employee’s business position with the Company.  Employee agrees that, during Employee’s employment hereunder and for a period of eighteen (18) months thereafter, Employee will not, directly or indirectly, hire or solicit or recruit any employee of (i) the Company and/or (ii) its subsidiaries and/or affiliates with whom Employee has had direct contact during his employment hereunder, in each case, for the purpose of being employed by Employee or by any business, individual, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity on whose behalf Employee is acting as

 

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an agent, representative or employee and that Employee will not convey any such Confidential Information or trade secrets about employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates to any other person except within the scope of Employee’s duties hereunder.

 

(d)           NON-SOLICITATION OF CLIENTS.  During Employee’s employment hereunder and for a period of eighteen (18) months thereafter, Employee shall not solicit any Clients of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates or encourage (regardless of who initiates the contact) any such customers to use the facilities or services of any competitor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  “Client” shall mean any person who engages the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates to sell, on its Clients’ behalf as agent, tickets to the public.

 

(e)           PROPRIETARY RIGHTS; ASSIGNMENT.  All Employee Developments (defined below) shall be considered works made for hire by Employee for the Company or, as applicable, its subsidiaries or affiliates, and Employee agrees that all rights of any kind in any Employee Developments belong exclusively to the Company.  In order to permit the Company to exploit such Employee Developments, Employee shall promptly and fully report all such Employee Developments to the Company.  Except in furtherance of his obligations as an employee of the Company, Employee shall not use or reproduce any portion of any record associated with any Employee Development without prior written consent of the Company or, as applicable, its subsidiaries or affiliates.  Employee agrees that in the event actions of Employee are required to ensure that such rights belong to the Company under applicable laws, Employee will cooperate and take whatever such actions are reasonably requested by the Company, whether during or after the Term, and without the need for separate or additional compensation.  “Employee Developments” means any idea, know-how, discovery, invention, design, method, technique, improvement, enhancement, development, computer program, machine, algorithm or other work of authorship, whether developed, conceived or reduced to practice during or following the period of employment, that (i) concerns or relates to the actual or anticipated business, research or development activities, or operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or (ii) results from or is suggested by any undertaking assigned to Employee or work performed by Employee for or on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, whether created alone or with others, during or after working hours, or (iii) uses, incorporates or is based on Company equipment, supplies, facilities, trade secrets or inventions of any form or type.  All Confidential Information and all Employee Developments are and shall remain the sole property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  Employee shall acquire no proprietary interest in any Confidential Information or Employee Developments developed or acquired during the Term.  To the extent Employee may, by operation of law or otherwise, acquire any right, title or interest in or to any Confidential Information or Employee Development, Employee hereby assigns and covenants to assign to the Company all such proprietary rights without the need for a separate writing or additional compensation.  Employee shall, both during and after the Term, upon the Company’s request, promptly execute, acknowledge, and deliver to the Company all such assignments, confirmations of assignment, certificates, and instruments, and shall promptly perform such other acts, as the Company may from time to time in its discretion deem necessary or desirable to evidence, establish, maintain, perfect, enforce or defend the Company’s rights in Confidential Information and Employee Developments.

 

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(f)            COMPLIANCE WITH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.  During the period that Employee is employed with the Company hereunder, Employee shall adhere to the policies and standards of professionalism set forth in the Company’s Policies and Procedures as they may exist from time to time.

 

(g)           SURVIVAL OF PROVISIONS.  The obligations contained in this Section 2 shall, to the extent provided in this Section 2, survive the termination or expiration of Employee’s employment with the Company and, as applicable, shall be fully enforceable thereafter in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.  If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that any restriction in this Section 2 is excessive in duration or scope or is unreasonable or unenforceable under applicable law, it is the intention of the parties that such restriction may be modified or amended by the court to render it enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

 

3.             TERMINATION OF PRIOR AGREEMENTS.  This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and, as of the Effective Date, terminates and supersedes any and all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.  Employee acknowledges and agrees that neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has made, and is not making, and in executing this Agreement, Employee has not relied upon, any representations, promises or inducements except to the extent the same is expressly set forth in this Agreement.

 

4.             ASSIGNMENT; SUCCESSORS.  This Agreement is personal in its nature and none of the parties hereto shall, without the consent of the others, assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder; provided, that the Company may assign this Agreement to, or allow any of its obligations to be fulfilled by, or take actions through, any affiliate of the Company and, in the event of the merger, consolidation, transfer, or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (a “Transaction”) with or to any other individual or entity, this Agreement shall, subject to the provisions hereof, be binding upon and inure to the benefit of such successor and such successor shall discharge and perform all the promises, covenants, duties, and obligations of the Company hereunder, and in the event of any such assignment or Transaction, all references herein to the “Company” shall refer to the Company’s assignee or successor hereunder.

 

5.             WITHHOLDING.  The Company shall make such deductions and withhold such amounts from each payment and benefit made or provided to Employee hereunder, as may be required from time to time by applicable law, governmental regulation or order.

 

6.             HEADING REFERENCES.  Section headings in this Agreement are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose.  References to “this Agreement” or the use of the term “hereof” shall refer to these Standard Terms and Conditions and the Employment Agreement attached hereto, taken as a whole.

 

7.             REMEDIES FOR BREACH.  Employee expressly agrees and understands that Employee will notify the Company in writing of any alleged breach of this Agreement by the Company, and

 

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the Company will have thirty (30) days from receipt of Employee’s notice to cure any such breach.  Employment expressly agrees and understands that in the event of any termination of Employee’s employment by the Company during the Term, the Company’s contractual obligations to Employee shall be fulfilled through compliance with its obligations under Section 1 of the Standard Terms and Conditions.

 

                Employee expressly agrees and understands that the remedy at law for any breach by Employee of Section 2 of the Standard Terms and Conditions will be inadequate and that damages flowing from such breach are not usually susceptible to being measured in monetary terms.  Accordingly, it is acknowledged that, upon Employee’s violation of any provision of such Section 2, the Company shall be entitled to obtain from any court of competent jurisdiction immediate injunctive relief and obtain a temporary order restraining any threatened or further breach as well as an equitable accounting of all profits or benefits arising out of such violation.  Nothing shall be deemed to limit the Company’s remedies at law or in equity for any breach by Employee of any of the provisions of this Agreement, including Section 2, which may be pursued by or available to the Company.

 

8.             WAIVER; MODIFICATION.  Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants, or conditions hereof shall not be deemed a waiver of such term, covenant, or condition, nor shall any waiver or relinquishment of, or failure to insist upon strict compliance with, any right or power hereunder at any one or more times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of such right or power at any other time or times.  This Agreement shall not be modified in any respect except by a writing executed by each party hereto.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a change in Employee’s title, duties and/or level of responsibilities, including by way of the assignment of Employment (in consultation with Employee) to another position with the Company or any of its affiliates that does not result in a material reduction in Employee’s title, duties and/or level of responsibilities as of the date of this Agreement, excluding for this purpose any such reduction that is an isolated and inadvertent action not taken in bad faith or that is authorized pursuant to this Agreement shall not constitute a modification or a breach of this Agreement.

 

9.             SEVERABILITY.  In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any portion of this Agreement is in violation of any law or public policy, only the portions of this Agreement that violate such law or public policy shall be stricken.  All portions of this Agreement that do not violate any statute or public policy shall continue in full force and effect.  Further, any court order striking any portion of this Agreement shall modify the stricken terms as narrowly as possible to give as much effect as possible to the intentions of the parties under this Agreement.

 

10.           INDEMNIFICATION.  The Company shall indemnify and hold Employee harmless for acts and omissions in Employee’s capacity as an officer, director or employee of the Company to the maximum extent permitted under applicable law; provided, however, that neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates shall indemnify Employee for any losses incurred by Employee as a result of acts described in Section 1(c) of this Agreement.

 

[The Signature Page Follows]

 

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ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED:

 

Date: March 12, 2008

 

 

TICKETMASTER L.L.C.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sean Moriarty

 

Name: Sean Moriarty

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Edward J. Weiss

 

Name: Edward J. Weiss

 



EX-10.7 12 a2187104zex-10_7.htm EXHIBIT 10.7

Exhibit 10.7

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between Eric Korman (“Employee”) and Ticketmaster L.L.C., a Virginia limited liability company (the “Company”), as of April 11th, 2006 and shall be effective as of April 10, 2006 (the “Effective Date”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish its right to the services of Employee, in the capacity described below, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, and Employee is willing to accept such employment on such terms and conditions.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements hereinafter set forth, Employee and the Company have agreed and do hereby agree as follows:

 

1A.                             EMPLOYMENT. The Company agrees to employ Employee as Executive Vice President and Employee accepts and agrees to such employment. During Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee shall do and perform all services and acts necessary or advisable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities as are commensurate and consistent with Employee’s position and shall render such services on the terms set forth herein. Employee shall render such other services for the Company and corporations controlled by, under common control with or controlling, directly or indirectly, the Company (other than Expedia, Inc. and its subsidiaries), and to successor entities and assignees of the Company (each, a “Company Affiliate”) as the Company may from time to time reasonably request and as shall be consistent with the duties Employee is to perform for the Company and with Employee’s position, status and experience. During Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee shall report directly to the President and Chief Operating Officer (hereinafter referred to as the “Reporting Officer”). Employee shall have such powers and duties with respect to the Company as may reasonably be assigned to Employee by the Reporting Officer, to the extent consistent with Employee’s position and status. Employee agrees to devote all of Employee’s working time, attention and efforts to the Company and to perform the duties of Employee’s position in accordance with the Company’s written policies as in effect from time to time, which are generally applicable to all senior executives of the Company.   Employee’s principal place of employment shall be the Company’s offices in West Hollywood, California.

 

2A.                             TERM OF AGREEMENT. The term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall continue for a period of three (3) years (the “Term”), unless sooner terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of the Standard Terms and Conditions attached hereto (the “Standard Terms and Conditions”). For the avoidance of doubt, the parties’ post-termination obligations including but not limited to the confidentiality, consulting, non-solicitation of employees, and non-solicitation of clients provisions in the Agreement shall survive the Term of Employee’s employment hereunder.

 



 

3A.                             COMPENSATION.

 

(a)              BASE SALARY. During the Term, the Company shall pay Employee an annual base salary of $350,000 (the “Base Salary”), payable in equal biweekly installments or in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice as in effect from time to time. For all purposes under this Agreement, the term “Base Salary” shall refer to Base Salary as in effect from time to time. Employee’s salary shall be reviewed each February for an increase (but not a decrease) during the Term in relation to Employee’s responsibilities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to increase Employee’s Base Salary.

 

(b)             SIGNING BONUS. Upon execution of this Agreement and within 10 days after the Effective Date, Company shall pay Employee a one-time signing bonus in the amount of $150,000. In the event Employee resigns without Good Reason or is terminated for Cause during the first year of the Term, Employee shall refund to the Company a prorated portion of the signing bonus, in the amount of $12,500.00 multiplied by the number of whole calendar months from the date of such resignation or termination through the end of the first year of the Term.

 

(c)              RESTRICTED STOCK. In consideration of Employee’s entering into this Agreement and as an inducement to  join the Company, Employee will receive under IAC’s Stock & Annual Incentive Plan (the “IAC Incentive Plan”) an award of restricted stock units (the “Restricted Stock Units”) representing shares of common stock of IAC/InterActiveCorp valued at $250,000 subject to the approval of the Compensation/Benefits Committee of the Board of Directors of IAC/InterActiveCorp. The award will be governed by a Restricted Stock Unit agreement. The value of Employee’s award will be converted into the number of units Employee will receive based on the average of the closing prices of IAC stock for the 30 trading days ending on the trading day prior to the Effective Date, and will be rounded down to the nearest whole unit. This Restricted Stock Unit grant shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the annual grant which the Executive is eligible to receive under the IAC Incentive Plan, which annual grant is to be determined by the Committee (as defined in the IAC Incentive Plan) of the Board of Directors of IAC as provided under the terms of the Plan.

 

(d)                  DISCRETIONARY BONUS. During the Term, Employee shall be eligible to receive discretionary annual bonuses.

 

(e)                   BENEFITS. From the Effective Date through the date of termination of Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason, Employee shall be entitled to participate in any welfare, health and life insurance and pension benefit and incentive programs as may be adopted from time to time by the Company for its

 

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senior executives. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Employee shall be entitled to the following benefits:

 

(i)                                     Reimbursement for Business Expenses. During the Term, the Company shall reimburse Employee for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by Employee in performing Employee’s duties for the Company, on the same basis as similarly situated employees and in accordance with the Company’s policies as in effect from time to time.

 

(ii)                                  Vacation. During the Term, Employee shall be entitled to paid vacation in accordance with the plans, policies, programs and practices of the Company applicable to similarly situated employees of the Company generally.

 

4A.                             NOTICES. All notices and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given by first-class mail, certified or registered with return receipt requested or hand delivery acknowledged in writing by the recipient personally, and shall be deemed to have been duly given three days after mailing or immediately upon duly acknowledged hand delivery to the respective persons named below:

 

If to the Company:

 

Ticketmaster L.L.C.

 

 

8800 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Attention: General Counsel

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

InterActiveCorp.

 

 

152 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
Attention: General Counsel

 

 

 

If to Employee:

 

Eric Korman

 

 

911 Park Avenue

 

 

New York, New York 10021

 

Either party may change such party’s address for notices by notice duly given pursuant hereto.

 

5A.                             GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION. This Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto shall be governed by and construed under and in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California without reference to the principles of conflicts of laws. Any and all disputes between the parties which may arise pursuant to this Agreement will be heard and determined before an appropriate federal court in California, or, if not maintainable therein, then in an appropriate California state court. The parties acknowledge that such courts have jurisdiction to interpret and enforce the

 

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provisions of this Agreement, and the parties consent to, and waive any and all objections that they may have as to, personal jurisdiction and/or venue in such courts.

 

6A.                             COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. Employee expressly understands and acknowledges that the Standard Terms and Conditions attached hereto are incorporated herein by reference, deemed a part of this Agreement and are binding and enforceable provisions of this Agreement. References to “this Agreement” or the use of the term “hereof” shall refer to this Agreement and the Standard Terms and Conditions attached hereto, taken as a whole.

 

7A.                             RELOCATION.

 

(i)                                     Except as otherwise prohibited by applicable laws or regulations, the Company shall reimburse Employee for his actual, reasonable and documented expenses relating to relocating from New York to California, as provided by Company policy as such policy may be amended from time to time, up to a total relocation allowance consistent with the Executive Level of IAC corporate policy. Employee must complete his relocation on or before April 10, 2007 in order to receive the relocation allowance.

 

(ii)                                  Should Employee’s employment terminate for any reason other than Cause, as defined in the Standard Terms and Conditions, at any time during the first year of the Term, the Company shall relocate Employee to New York, New York on the same terms as set forth in paragraph 7(A)(i) hereinabove.

 

8A.                             SECTION 409A.  The benefits provided under this Agreement shall comply with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder. To the extent so required in order to comply with Section 409A of the Code, (i) amounts and benefits to be paid or provided under this Agreement shall be paid or provided to Employee in a single lump sum on the first business day after the date that is six months following the date of termination of Employee’s employment or shall begin six months and one day following the date of termination, and (ii) the Company and Employee agree to amend or modify this Agreement and any agreements relating hereto as may be necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by its duly authorized officer and Employee has executed and delivered this Agreement as of April 11th, 2006.

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER L.L.C.
8800 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Edward J. Weiss

 

Name: Edward J. Weiss

 

Title:

EVP, GC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Eric Korman

 

EMPLOYEE

 

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STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

1.                                       TERMINATION OF EMPLOYEE’S EMPLOYMENT.

 

(a)                                  DEATH. In the event Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated by reason of Employee’s death, the Company shall pay Employee’s designated beneficiary or beneficiaries, within 30 days of Employee’s death, in a lump sum in cash, Employee’s Base Salary through the end of the month in which death occurs and any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(g) below).

 

(b)                                 DISABILITY. If, as a result of Employee’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness (“Disability”), Employee shall have been absent from the full-time performance of Employee’s duties with the Company for a period of four consecutive months and, within 30 days after written notice is provided to Employee by the Company (in accordance with Section 4A above), Employee shall not have returned to the full-time performance of Employee’s duties, Employee’s employment under this Agreement may be terminated by the Company for Disability. During any period prior to such termination during which Employee is absent from the full-time performance of Employee’s duties with the Company due to Disability, the Company shall continue to pay Employee’s Base Salary at the rate in effect at the commencement of such period of Disability, offset by any amounts payable to Employee under any disability insurance plan or policy provided by the Company. Upon termination of Employee’s employment due to Disability, the Company shall pay Employee within 30 days of such termination (i) Employee’s Base Salary through the end of the month in which termination occurs in a lump sum in cash, offset by any amounts payable to Employee under any disability insurance plan or policy provided by the Company; and (ii) any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(g) below).

 

(c)                                  TERMINATION FOR CAUSE; RESIGNATION BY EMPLOYEE WITHOUT GOOD REASON. The Company may terminate Employee’s employment under this Agreement for Cause at any time prior to the expiration of the Term. The Employee may resign from his employment with the Company without Good Reason upon 30 days’ written notice to the Company. In the event of Employee’s termination for Cause or upon Employee’s resignation without Good Reason, this Agreement shall terminate without further obligation by the Company, except for the payment of any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(g) below).

 

As used herein, “Cause” shall mean: (i) the plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, or conviction for, the commission of a felony offense by Employee; provided, however, that after indictment, the Company may suspend Employee from the rendition of services, but without limiting or modifying in any other way the Company’s obligations under this Agreement; (ii) a material breach by Employee of a fiduciary duty owed to the Company; (iii) a material breach by Employee of any of

 

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the covenants made by Employee in Section 2 hereof; (iv) the willful or gross neglect by Employee of the material duties and responsibilities required by this Agreement; (v) a material breach by the Employee of his duty not to engage in any transaction that represents, directly or indirectly, self-dealing with the Company or any Company Affiliate which has not been approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company’s Board of Directors, if such material breach remains uncured after the lapse of 30 days following the date that the Company has given Employee written notice thereof; (vi) any act of misappropriation, embezzlement, intentional fraud or similar misconduct involving the Company or any Company Affiliate; (vii) a material violation of any written Company policy pertaining to ethics, wrongdoing or conflicts of interest; and (viii) the repeated non-prescription abuse of any controlled substance which, in any case described in this clause, the Company’s Board of Directors reasonably determines renders the Employee unfit to serve in his capacity as an officer or employee of the Company or any Company Affiliate; provided that before a cessation of Employee’s employment shall be deemed to be a termination of Employee’s employment for Cause, (A) the Company shall provide written notice to Employee that identifies the conduct described in clauses (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, as applicable, and (B) in the event that the event or condition is curable, Employee shall have failed to remedy such event or condition within 30 days after Employee shall have received from the Company the written notice described in clause (A) above.

 

As used herein, “Good Reason” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following without Employee’s written consent, (i) a material adverse change in Employee’s title, duties, operational authorities or reporting responsibilities from those in effect immediately following the Effective Date, excluding for this purpose any such change that is an isolated and inadvertent action not taken in bad faith and that is remedied by the Company promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Employee or that is authorized pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) any reduction in Base Salary or any of the benefits described in Section 3A of this Agreement as described above; (iii) failure by the Company to pay Employee his Signing Bonus or grant the Employee the Restricted Stock Units as contemplated by Sections 3A(b) and 3A(c) of this Agreement, respectively, on the terms and conditions provided in such sections; or (iv) a relocation of Employee’s principal place of business more than 50 miles from the Los Angeles, California metropolitan area.

 

(d)                                 TERMINATION BY THE COMPANY OTHER THAN FOR DEATH, DISABILITY OR CAUSE; RESIGNATION BY EMPLOYEE FOR GOOD REASON. Upon termination of Employee’s employment prior to expiration of the Term (A) by the Company for any reason other than Employee’s death or Disability or for Cause or (B) upon Employee’s resignation for Good Reason, the Company shall pay Employee, (i) in accordance with its normal payroll practices, the Employee’s Base Salary through the end of the Term and (ii) within 30 days of the date of such termination in a lump sum in cash any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(g) below). The payment to Employee of the severance benefits

 

7



 

described in this Section 1(d) shall be subject to Employee’s execution and non-revocation of a general release of the Company and the Company Affiliates in a form substantially similar: to that used for similarly situated executives of the Company and the Company Affiliates and attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

(e)                                  NOTICE OF TERMINATION. Any termination of Employee’s employment, whether by the Company or by the Employee, shall require a notice of termination to be issued by the Company or the Employee to the other party. The notice of termination shall specify the effective date of the termination and shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for such termination by the Company or the Employee.

 

(f)                                    MITIGATION; OFFSET. In the event of termination of Employee’s employment prior to the end of the Term, in no event shall Employee be obligated to seek other employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of severance benefits or other compensation or benefits. If Employee obtains other employment during the Term, the amount of any severance payments to be made to Employee under Section 1(d) hereof after the date such employment is secured shall be offset by the amount of compensation earned by Executive from such employment through the end of the Term. For purposes of this Section 1(f), Employee shall have an obligation to inform the Company promptly regarding Employee’s employment status following termination and during the period encompassing the Term.

 

(g)                                 ACCRUED OBLIGATIONS. As used in this Agreement, “Accrued Obligations” shall mean the sum of (i) any portion of Employee’s Base Salary through the date of death or termination of employment for any reason, as the case may be, which has not yet been paid; (ii) any compensation previously earned but deferred by Employee (together with any interest or earnings thereon) that has not yet been paid; and (iii) any unused vacation time accrued through the date of the Employee’s termination of employment for any reason.

 

2.                                       CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION; NON-SOLICITATION; AND PROPRIETARY RIGHTS.

 

(a)                                  CONFIDENTIALITY. Employee acknowledges that while employed by the Company Employee will occupy a position of trust and confidence. Employee shall not, except (i) as may be required to perform Employee’s duties hereunder, (ii) required by applicable law, (iii) as may be required by a court of competent jurisdiction, or any governmental agency having supervisory authority over the business of the Company or any administrative body or legislative body (including a committee thereof) with jurisdiction to order Employee to divulge, disclose or make accessible such information or (iv) with the Company’s consent, without limitation in time or until such information shall have become public other than by Employee’s unauthorized disclosure, disclose to others or use, whether directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries or

 

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Company Affiliates. “Confidential Information” shall mean information about the Company or any Company Affiliates, and their clients and customers that is not disclosed by the Company or any Company Affiliates for financial reporting purposes and that was learned by Employee in the course of employment by the Company or any Company Affiliates, including (without limitation) any proprietary knowledge, trade secrets, data, formulae, information and client and customer lists and all papers, resumes, and records (including computer records) of the documents containing such Confidential Information. Employee acknowledges that such Confidential Information is specialized, unique in nature and of great value to the Company and the Company Affiliates, and that such information gives the Company and the Company Affiliates a competitive advantage. Employee agrees to deliver or return to the Company, at the Company’s request at any time or upon termination or expiration of Employee’s employment or as soon thereafter as possible, all documents, computer tapes and disks, records, lists, data, drawings, prints, notes and written information (and all copies thereof) furnished by the Company and the Company Affiliates or prepared by Employee in the course of Employee’s employment by the Company and the Company Affiliates.

 

(b)                                 NON-SOLICITATION OF EMPLOYEES. Employee recognizes that he will possess confidential information about other employees of the Company and the Company Affiliates relating to their education, experience, skills, abilities, compensation and benefits, and inter-personal relationships with suppliers to and customers of the Company and the Company Affiliates. Employee recognizes that the information he will possess about these other employees is not generally known, is of substantial value to the Company and the Company Affiliates in developing their respective businesses and in securing and retaining customers, and will be acquired by Employee because of Employee’s business position with the Company. Employee agrees that, during Employee’s employment and during the period commencing immediately upon the termination of Employee’s employment for any reason and ending on the later of (i) the end of the Term and (ii) the second anniversary of the date of termination of Employee’s employment (the “Non-Solicit Period”), Employee will not, directly or indirectly, solicit or recruit any employee of the Company or any of the Company Affiliates for the purpose of being employed by Employee or by any business, individual, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity on whose behalf Employee is acting as an agent, representative or employee and that Employee will not convey any such confidential information or trade secrets about other employees of the Company or any of the Company Affiliates to any other person except within the scope of Employee’s duties hereunder; provided, however, that the restrictions in this paragraph shall not prohibit Employee (i) from placing advertisements in newspapers or other media of general circulation advertising employment opportunities and (ii) from hiring persons who respond to such advertisements, provided that they were not otherwise solicited by Employee in violation of this section. The mere fact that Employee is an employee of a company, business, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity soliciting employees of the Company,

 

9



 

without the Employee’s involvement in the solicitation, will not cause Employee to violate this provision.

 

(c)                                  NON-SOLICITATION OF CUSTOMERS. During Employee’s employment and during the Non-Solicit Period, Employee shall not induce or attempt to induce any Customer of the Company or any Company Affiliate to cease doing business with the Company or any Company Affiliate, or in any way interfere with the relationship between any such Customer on the one hand, and the Company or any Company Affiliate, on the other hand; provided, however, that, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to prohibit Employee from calling upon or soliciting a Customer during the Non-Solicit Period if such action relates to a product or service not sold or performed by the Company. The mere fact that Employee is an employee of a company, business, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity soliciting customers or suppliers of the Company, without the Employee’s involvement, directly or indirectly, in the solicitation, will not cause Employee to violate this provision. “Customer” shall mean any person who engages the Company or any of the Company Affiliates to sell, on its behalf as agent, tickets to the public.

 

(d)                                 PROPRIETARY RIGHTS; ASSIGNMENT. All Employee Developments shall be made for hire by the Employee for the Company or any of the Company Affiliates. “Employee Developments” means any idea, discovery, invention, design, method, technique, improvement, enhancement, development, computer program, machine, algorithm or other work or authorship that (i) relates to the business or operations of the Company or any of the Company Affiliates, or (ii) results from or is suggested by any undertaking assigned to the Employee or work performed by the Employee for or on behalf of the Company or any of the Company Affiliates, whether created alone or with others, during or after working hours. All Confidential Information and all Employee Developments shall remain the sole property of the Company or any of the Company Affiliates. The Employee shall acquire no proprietary interest in any Confidential Information or Employee Developments developed or acquired during the Term. To the extent the Employee may, by operation of law or otherwise, acquire any right, title or interest in or to any Confidential Information or Employee Development, the Employee hereby assigns to the Company all such proprietary rights. The Employee shall, both during and after the Term, upon the Company’s request, promptly execute and deliver to the Company all such assignments, certificates and instruments, and shall promptly perform such other acts, as the Company may from time to time in its discretion deem necessary or desirable to evidence, establish, maintain, perfect, enforce or defend the Company’s rights in Confidential Information and Employee Developments.

 

(e)                                  COMPLIANCE WITH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. During the Term, Employee shall adhere to the policies and standards of professionalism set forth in the Company’s written Policies and Procedures of general applicability as they may exist from time to time.

 

10



 

(f)                                    REMEDIES FOR BREACH. Employee expressly agrees and understands that Employee will notify the Company in writing of any alleged breach of this Agreement by the Company, and the Company will have 30 days from receipt of Employee’s notice to cure any such breach. Employee expressly agrees and understands that the remedy at law for any breach by Employee of this Section 2 will be inadequate and that damages flowing from such breach are not usually susceptible to being measured in monetary terms. Accordingly, it is acknowledged that upon Employee’s violation of any provision of this Section 2 the Company shall be entitled to obtain from any court of competent jurisdiction immediate injunctive relief and obtain a temporary order restraining any threatened or further breach as well as an equitable accounting of all profits or benefits arising out of such violation. Nothing in this Section 2 shall be deemed to limit the Company’s remedies at law or in equity for any breach by Employee of any of the provisions of this Section 2, which may be pursued by or available to the Company.

 

(g)                                 SURVIVAL OF PROVISIONS. The obligations contained in this Section 2 shall, to the extent provided in this Section 2, survive the termination or expiration of Employee’s employment with the Company and, as applicable, shall be fully enforceable thereafter in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in any state that any restriction in this Section 2 is excessive in duration or scope or is unreasonable or unenforceable under the laws of that state, it is the intention of the parties that such restriction may be modified or amended by the court to render it enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by the law of that state.

 

3.                                       TERMINATION OF PRIOR AGREEMENTS. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and terminates and supersedes any and all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. Employee acknowledges and agrees that neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has made, and is not making, and in executing this Agreement, the Employee has not relied upon, any representations, promises or inducements except to the extent the same is expressly set forth in this Agreement. Employee hereby represents and warrants that by entering into this Agreement, Employee will not rescind or otherwise breach an employment agreement with Employee’s current employer prior to the natural expiration date of such agreement.

 

4.                                       ASSIGNMENT; SUCCESSORS. This Agreement is personal in its nature and none of the parties hereto shall, without the consent of the others, assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder, provided that, in the event of the merger, consolidation, transfer, or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company with or to any other individual or entity, this Agreement shall, subject to the provisions hereof, be binding upon and inure to the benefit of such successor and such successor shall discharge and perform all the promises, covenants, duties, and obligations of the Company hereunder, and all references herein to the “Company” shall refer to such successor.

 

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5.                                       WITHHOLDING. The Company shall make such deductions and withhold such amounts from each payment and benefit made or provided to Employee hereunder, as may be required from time to time by applicable law, governmental regulation or order.

 

6.                                       HEADING REFERENCES. Section headings in this Agreement are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose. References to “this Agreement” or the use of the term “hereof” shall refer to these Standard Terms and Conditions and the Employment Agreement attached hereto, taken as a whole.

 

7.                                       WAIVER; MODIFICATION. Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants, or conditions hereof shall not be deemed a waiver of such term, covenant, or condition, nor shall any waiver or relinquishment of, or failure to insist upon strict compliance with, any right or power hereunder at any one or more times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of such right or power at any other time or times. This Agreement shall not be modified in any respect except by a writing executed by each party hereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, neither the assignment of Employee to a different Reporting Officer due to a reorganization or an internal restructuring of the Company or the Company Affiliates nor a change in the title of the Reporting Officer shall constitute a modification or a breach of this Agreement.

 

8.                                       SEVERABILITY. In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any portion of this Agreement is in violation of any law or public policy, only the portions of this Agreement that violate such law or public policy shall be stricken. All portions of this Agreement that do not violate any statute or public policy shall continue in full force and effect. Further, any court order striking any portion of this Agreement shall modify the stricken terms as narrowly as possible to give as much effect as possible to the intentions of the parties under this Agreement.

 

9.                                       INDEMNIFICATION. The Company shall indemnify and hold Employee harmless for acts and omissions in Employee’s capacity as an officer, director or employee of the Company, or any of the Company Affiliates for which the Employee performs services, to the maximum extent permitted under applicable law; provided, however, that neither the Company, nor any of the Company Affiliates shall indemnify Employee for any losses incurred by Employee as a result of acts described in Section 1(c) of these Standard Terms and Conditions.

 

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ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED:

Dated as of: April 11th, 2006

 

 

TICKETMASTER L.L.C.
8800 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Edward J. Weiss

 

Name:

Edward J. Weiss

 

Title:

EVP, GC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Eric Korman

 

 

EMPLOYEE

 

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EXHIBIT A
FORMS OF GENERAL RELEASE

 

14


 

RELEASE FOR CALIFORNIA EMPLOYEES UNDER AGE 40

 

SETTLEMENT AND RELEASE AGREEMENT

 

This Settlement and Release Agreement (the “Agreement”) is entered into by and between                                    for itself and all of its affiliated, parent, related, and subsidiary companies, joint venturers and partnerships, as well as their respective directors, officers, partners, employees, agents, attorneys, successors, and assigns, past and present, and each of them, including, but not limited to, Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation (collectively “Ticketmaster”), on the one hand, and                        , on behalf of himself/herself and his/her agents, representatives, heirs, executors, trustees, and assigns (collectively, “Employee”), on the other hand.

 

AGREEMENTS

 

1.             Severance of Employment Relationship. Employee and Ticketmaster agree and acknowledge that Employee will cease to be employed by Ticketmaster effective as of                          , 200     (the “Termination Date”).  Employee hereby confirms his/her agreement and understanding that as of such Termination Date:  (a) Employee will have no further continuing right to be employed by Ticketmaster; (b) Employee will no longer hold himself/herself out as an employee of Ticketmaster; (c) Employee will have received all compensation, expense reimbursement and other benefits to which he/she is or may be entitled to receive as an employee of Ticketmaster through the Termination Date, including but not limited to payment for all accrued but unused vacation time; and (d) Employee will have returned to Ticketmaster any and all documents, agreements, records, instruments, office equipment, keys and other property of Ticketmaster (and copies thereof) that are in his/her possession or under his/her control, if any. [Add if Employee was previously granted stock options and was terminated for cause after discussing with the General Counsel of Ticketmaster: Furthermore, Employee understands and agrees that he/she has been terminated for cause, and that any stock options that had been granted to him/her have been cancelled pursuant to the terms of his/her stock option agreement.]

 

2.             Payment of Consideration.

 

(a) Upon execution of this Agreement by Employee, in consideration for the promises and representations made in this Agreement, and as full and final settlement for any and all claims Employee has or may have against Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster agrees to pay Employee a lump sum in the amount of                                     week(s) salary, minus all applicable withholdings. Employee understands and agrees that such payment is not salary but rather severance and thus, among other things, such payment will not be eligible for 401(k) deductions or employer matching contributions and

 

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Ticketmaster may withhold Federal and state taxes at the rates applicable to unearned income.

 

(b)           After the Termination Date, Employee will not receive or accrue any benefits. From the Termination Date through                                       , Ticketmaster will pay Employee’s COBRA payments.

 

3.             Release of Known and Unknown Claims. In consideration for the promises undertaken, Employee irrevocably and unconditionally releases and forever discharges Ticketmaster, as defined above, as well its affiliated, parent, related, and subsidiary companies, licensees, joint venturers and partnerships, as well as their respective directors, officers, shareholders, partners, employees, agents, attorneys, successors, and assigns, past and present, and each of them, from any and all claims, demands, liabilities, suits or damages of any type or kind, whether in law or in equity, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, arising from or in any way related to Employee’s employment with Ticketmaster, and/or the severance of such employment from Ticketmaster and/or any events regarding Employee’s employment occurring prior to the execution of the Agreement, including without limitation, all of those based on allegations of discrimination or harassment on the basis race, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, religion, disability, handicap, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation or any other bases protected by federal, state or local laws; any claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq.; the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.; the California Fair Employment & Housing Act, California Government Code § 12900, et seq.; violation of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”); violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act or any other safety and/or health laws, statutes or regulations; violation of the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”); or any contract, tort, wage and hour law, and/or any federal, state or local fair employment practice or civil rights law, ordinance or executive order, or any other wrongdoing or improper conduct whatsoever, including but not limited to: any claims for violation of any state or federal law or regulations; or for breach of contract (express or implied); breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; wrongful discharge; retaliation; violation of public policy; sexual assault and/or battery; invasion of privacy; misrepresentation; defamation; fraud; fraudulent inducement; or emotional distress; and any and all other claims or torts whatsoever, all to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

4.             Waiver of California Civil Code Section 1542.

 

(a)           In executing this Agreement, Employee waives and relinquishes all rights and benefits afforded by California Civil Code Section 1542 and does so understanding and acknowledging the significance and consequences of the specific waiver of Section 1542. Section 1542 states as follows:

 

A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of

 

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executing the release, which if known by him must have materially affected his settlement with the debtor.

 

(b)           Thus, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1542, Employee expressly acknowledges that paragraph 3, above, is also intended to include in its effect, without limitation, all such claims which Employee does not know or suspect to exist at the time of the execution of this Agreement, and that this Agreement contemplates the extinguishment of those claims.

 

(c)           Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee may later discover facts different from or in addition to those Employee now knows or believes to be true in entering into this Agreement. Employee agrees to assume the risk of the possible discovery of additional or different facts, including facts which may have been concealed or hidden, and agrees that this Agreement shall remain effective regardless of such additional or different facts.

 

5.             Warranties. Employee specifically represents that he/she has no pending complaints or charges against Ticketmaster with any state or federal court or any local, state or federal agency, division or department, based on any events occurring prior to the date of execution of this Agreement. Employee further represents that he/she will not in the future file, participate in, instigate or encourage the filing of any lawsuit by any party in any state or federal court or any proceeding before any local, state or federal agency, department or division, claiming that Ticketmaster has violated any local, state or federal laws, statutes, ordinances or regulations based upon events occurring prior to the date of the execution of this Agreement.

 

6.             Non-Disclosure of Proprietary Information. Employee recognizes and acknowledges that the Proprietary Information of Ticketmaster (as defined below), represents a valuable, special and unique asset of Ticketmaster. “Proprietary Information of Ticketmaster” means all information known or intended to be known only to employees of Ticketmaster or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates in a confidential relationship with Ticketmaster relating to Ticketmaster’s employees, executives, agents, representatives, operations and clients, as well as technical matters pertaining to the business of Ticketmaster or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, including, but not limited to, any information, business plans, financial information, design specifications, programs, listings, documentation or other supporting or related materials or information of any nature or description whatsoever relating to Ticketmaster’s hardware, software, systems and equipment as it now exists, including any and all improvements in the state of the art relative hereto or applications, adaptations and modification thereof, whether now existing or developed in the future, except for any information within the public domain. Employee consents and agrees that Employee will not at any time use or disclose any Proprietary Information of Company to any person, firm, corporation, association or entity for any reason or purpose whatsoever. If Employee is served with any subpoena, court order, or other legal process seeking disclosure of any Proprietary  Information  of Ticketmaster, or this Agreement, or any information or

 

17



 

documentation regarding the severance of Employee’s employment from Ticketmaster, Employee shall promptly send to the General Counsel of Ticketmaster within forty-eight (48) hours via facsimile at (310) 360-3373, such subpoena, court order, or other legal process so that Ticketmaster may exercise any applicable legal remedies. Employee agrees not to remove any documents, records or other information from the premises of Ticketmaster or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates containing any such Proprietary Information of Ticketmaster and acknowledges that such documents, records and other information are the exclusive property of Ticketmaster or its subsidiaries or affiliates. The confidentiality obligations imposed upon Employee by the terms of this Agreement shall be continuing.

 

7.             Non-Disparagement. Employee agrees not to make any negative, disparaging, detrimental or derogatory comments to any third party about Ticketmaster or about its businesses, employees, executives, agents or representatives at any time whatsoever. Employee further agrees not to make any statements that would adversely affect Ticketmaster’s business reputation.

 

8.             Non-Disclosure of this Agreement. Employee agrees that this Agreement is confidential and Employee will not disclose the existence of this Agreement, any of the terms of this Agreement or any facts regarding Employee’s employment at Ticketmaster to any person or entity, except: (1) to Employee’s attorneys, accountants or any governmental taxing authority on a need to know basis only; or (2) in response to an order or subpoena issued by a court or government agency; provided, however, that notice of receipt of such judicial order, inquiry or subpoena shall be communicated via facsimile within 72 hours to the General Counsel for Ticketmaster, at (310) 360-3373 so that Ticketmaster will have the opportunity to intervene to assert whatever rights it has to nondisclosure prior to Employee’s response to the order, inquiry or subpoena. Employee further agrees to inform any such attorneys, accountants and governmental authorities or agencies about this confidentiality provision and that they will agree to be bound by it.

 

9.             Knowing and Voluntary. The parties acknowledge and represent that they have carefully read and fully understand all of the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. The parties further acknowledge and represent that they enter into this Agreement freely, knowingly and without coercion and based on their own judgment and not in reliance upon any representation or promises made by any party or its attorneys to any other party.

 

10.           Attorneys’ Fees. Should any party institute any action or proceeding to enforce, interpret or apply any provision of this Agreement, or any released claims, the parties agree that the prevailing party shall be entitled to reimbursement by the losing party of all costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, all of its attorneys’ fees.

 

11.           Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed and governed by the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to its conflict of laws provisions.

 

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12.           Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

13.           Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is deemed to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable, the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining parts shall not be affected.

 

14.           Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with that certain                                                     dated as of                [fill in name and date of any confidentiality/nondisclosure agreement signed by the Employee related to his/her employment with Ticketmaster], contains all of the terms and conditions agreed upon by the parties regarding the subject matter of this Agreement. Any prior agreements, promises, negotiations, or representations, either oral or written, by either the parties hereto or their attorneys, relating to the subject matter of this Agreement not expressly set forth in this Agreement are of no force or effect. No modifications of this Agreement can be made except in writing signed by Employee and an authorized representative of Ticketmaster.

 

15.           Denial of Liability. Employee expressly recognizes that this Agreement shall not in any way be construed as an admission by Ticketmaster of any unlawful or wrongful acts whatsoever. Ticketmaster expressly denies any breach of any contracts, policies or procedures, or a violation of any state or federal law or regulation.

 

16.           Waiver. No waiver by any party of any breach of any term or provision of this Agreement shall be a waiver of any preceding, concurrent or succeeding breach of this Agreement or of any other term or provision of this Agreement. No waiver shall be binding on the part of, or on behalf of, any other party entering into this Agreement.

 

17.           Ambiguities. Both parties have participated in the negotiation of this Agreement and, thus, it is understood and agreed that the general rule that ambiguities are to be construed against the drafter shall not apply to this Agreement. In the event that any language of this Agreement is found to be ambiguous, each party shall have an opportunity to present evidence as to the actual intent of the parties with respect to any such ambiguous language.

 

THE SIGNATORIES HAVE CAREFULLY READ THIS ENTIRE AGREEMENT. THE PARTIES HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE CONTENTS OF THIS AGREEMENT FULLY EXPLAINED TO THEM BY THEIR ATTORNEYS. THE SIGNATORIES FULLY UNDERSTAND THE FINAL AND BINDING EFFECT OF THIS AGREEMENT. THE ONLY PROMISES MADE TO ANY SIGNATORY ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT, AND TO SIGN THIS AGREEMENT, ARE CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT. THE SIGNATORIES ARE SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT VOLUNTARILY.

 

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PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

 

THIS SETTLEMENT AND RELEASE AGREEMENT
INCLUDES A RELEASE OF KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Settlement Agreement and Release on the dates set forth below.

 

 

DATED:             ,        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[                                                                         ]

 

 

 

DATED:             ,        

 

By:

 

 

20



 

RELEASE FOR CALIFORNIA EMPLOYEES AGE 40 AND OVER

 

SETTLEMENT AND RELEASE AGREEMENT

 

This Settlement and Release Agreement (the “Agreement”) is entered into by and between                             for itself and all of its, affiliated, parent, related, and subsidiary companies, joint venturers and partnerships, as well as their respective directors, officers, partners, employees, agents, attorneys, successors, and assigns, past and present, and each of them, including, but not limited to, Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation (collectively “Ticketmaster”), on the one hand, and                                               , on behalf of himself/herself and his/her agents, representatives, heirs, executors, trustees, and assigns (collectively, “Employee”), on the other hand.

 

AGREEMENTS

 

1.             Severance of Employment Relationship. Employee and Ticketmaster agree and acknowledge that Employee will cease to be employed by Ticketmaster effective as of                                    , 200     (the “Termination Date”).  Employee hereby confirms his/her agreement and understanding that as of such Termination Date: (a) Employee will have no further continuing right to be employed by Ticketmaster; (b) Employee will no longer hold himself/herself out as an employee of Ticketmaster; (c) Employee will have received all compensation, expense reimbursement and other benefits to which he/she is or may be entitled to receive as an employee of Ticketmaster through the Termination Date, including but not limited to payment for all accrued but unused vacation time; and (d) Employee will have returned to Ticketmaster any and all documents, agreements, records, instruments, office equipment, keys and other property of Ticketmaster (and copies thereof) that are in his/her possession or under his/her control, if any. [Add if Employee was previously granted stock options and was terminated for cause after discussing with the General Counsel of Ticketmaster: Furthermore, Employee understands and agrees that he/she has been terminated for cause, and that any stock options that had been granted to him/her have been cancelled pursuant to the terms of his/her stock option agreement.]

 

2.             Payment of Consideration.

 

(a)           On the eighth day after Employee’s execution of this Agreement, in consideration for the promises and representations made in this Agreement, and as full and final settlement for any and all claims Employee has or may have against Ticketmaster,  Ticketmaster agrees to pay Employee a lump sum in the amount of                             week(s) salary, minus all applicable withholdings. Employee understands and agrees that such payment is not salary but rather severance and thus, among other things, such payment will not be eligible for 401(k) deductions or employer matching contributions and Ticketmaster may withhold Federal and state taxes at the rates applicable to unearned income.

 

21



 

(b)                                 After the Termination Date, Employee will not receive or accrue any benefits. From the Termination Date through                               , Ticketmaster will pay Employee’s COBRA payments.

 

3.                                       Release of Known and Unknown Claims. In consideration for the promises undertaken, Employee irrevocably and unconditionally releases and forever discharges Ticketmaster, as defined above, as well its affiliated, parent, related, and subsidiary companies, licensees, joint venturers and partnerships, as well as their respective directors, officers, shareholders, partners, employees, agents, attorneys, successors, and assigns, past and present, and each of them, from any and all claims, demands, liabilities, suits or damages of any type or kind, whether in law or in equity, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, arising from or in any way related to Employee’s employment with Ticketmaster, and/or the severance of such employment from Ticketmaster and/or any events regarding Employee’s employment occurring prior to the execution of the Agreement, including without limitation, all of those based on allegations of discrimination or harassment on the basis race, color, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, religion, disability, handicap, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation or any other bases protected by federal, state or local laws; any claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq.; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended by the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq.; the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.; the California Fair Employment & Housing Act, California Government Code § 12900, et seq.; violation of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”); violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act or any other safety and/or health laws, statutes or regulations; violation of the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”); or any contract, tort, wage and hour law, and/or any federal, state or local fair employment practice or civil rights law, ordinance or executive order, or any other wrongdoing or improper conduct whatsoever, including but not limited to: any claims for violation of any state or federal law or regulations; or for breach of contract (express or implied); breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; wrongful discharge; retaliation; violation of public policy; sexual assault and/or battery; invasion of privacy; misrepresentation; defamation; fraud; fraudulent inducement; or emotional distress; and any and all other claims or torts whatsoever, all to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

4.                                       Waiver of California Civil Code Section 1542.

 

(a)           In executing this Agreement, Employee waives and relinquishes all rights and benefits afforded by California Civil Code Section 1542 and does so understanding and acknowledging the significance and consequences of the specific waiver of Section 1542. Section 1542 states as follows:

 

A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of

 

22



 

executing the release, which if known by him must have materially affected his settlement with the debtor.

 

(b)           Thus, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1542, Employee expressly acknowledges that paragraph 3, above, is also intended to include in its effect, without limitation, all such claims which Employee does not know or suspect to exist at the time of the execution of this Agreement, and that this Agreement contemplates the extinguishment of those claims.

 

(c)           Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee may later discover facts different from or in addition to those Employee now knows or believes to be true in entering into this Agreement. Employee agrees to assume the risk of the possible discovery of additional or different facts, including facts which may have been concealed or hidden, and agrees that this Agreement shall remain effective regardless of such additional or different facts.

 

5.             Right of Attorney, Time to Consider, Revocations. Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee was provided twenty-one (21) days to consider this Agreement and to consult with counsel and have the opportunity to receive independent legal advice with respect to the matters hereinabove set forth and the asserted rights arising out of said matters, and has been encouraged to do so. To the extent that Employee has taken less than twenty-one (21) days to consider this Agreement, Employee acknowledges that Employee has had sufficient time to consider the Agreement and to consult with counsel and that Employee did not desire or need additional time.

 

This Agreement is revocable by Employee for a period of seven (7) calendar days following Employee’s execution of this Agreement. The revocation must be in writing, must specifically revoke this Agreement, and must be directed to the General Counsel of Ticketmaster at facsimile number (310) 360-3373.

 

6.             Warranties. Employee specifically represents that he/she has no pending complaints or charges against Ticketmaster with any state or federal court or any local, state or federal agency, division or department, based on any events occurring prior to the date of execution of this Agreement. Employee further represents that he/she will not in the future file, participate in, instigate or encourage the filing of any lawsuit by any party in any state or federal court or any proceeding before any local, state or federal agency, department or division, claiming that Ticketmaster has violated any local, state or federal laws, statutes, ordinances or regulations based upon events occurring prior to the date of the execution of this Agreement.

 

7.             Non-Disclosure of Proprietary Information.    Employee recognizes and acknowledges that the Proprietary Information of Ticketmaster (as defined below), represents

 

23



 

a valuable, special and unique asset of Ticketmaster. “Proprietary Information of Ticketmaster” means all information known or intended to be known only to employees of Ticketmaster or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates in a confidential relationship with Ticketmaster relating to Ticketmaster’s employees, executives, agents, representatives, operations and clients, as well as technical matters pertaining to the business of Ticketmaster or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, including, but not limited to, any information, business plans, financial information, design specifications, programs, listings, documentation or other supporting or related materials or information of any nature or description whatsoever relating to Ticketmaster’s hardware, software, systems and equipment as it now exists, including any and all improvements in the state of the art relative hereto or applications, adaptations and modification thereof, whether now existing or developed in the future, except for any information within the public domain. Employee consents and agrees that Employee will not at any time use or disclose any Proprietary Information of Company to any person, firm, corporation, association or entity for any reason or purpose whatsoever. If Employee is served with any subpoena, court order, or other legal process seeking disclosure of any Proprietary Information of Ticketmaster, or this Agreement, or any information or documentation regarding the severance of Employee’s employment from Ticketmaster, Employee shall promptly send to the General Counsel of Ticketmaster within forty-eight (48) hours via facsimile at (310) 360-3373, such subpoena, court order, or other legal process so that Ticketmaster may exercise any applicable legal remedies. Employee agrees not to remove any documents, records or other information from the premises of Ticketmaster or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates containing any such Proprietary Information of Ticketmaster and acknowledges that such documents, records and other information are the exclusive property of Ticketmaster or its subsidiaries or affiliates. The confidentiality obligations imposed upon Employee by the terms of this Agreement shall be continuing.

 

8.             Non-Disparagement. Employee agrees not to make any negative, disparaging, detrimental or derogatory comments to any third party about Ticketmaster or about its businesses, employees, executives, agents or representatives at any time whatsoever. Employee further agrees not to make any statements that would adversely affect Ticketmaster’s business reputation.

 

24



 

9.             Non-Disclosure of this Agreement. Employee agrees that this Agreement is confidential and Employee will not disclose the existence of this Agreement, any of the terms of this Agreement or any facts regarding Employee’s employment at Ticketmaster to any person or entity, except: (1) to Employee’s attorneys, accountants or any governmental taxing authority on a need to know basis only; or (2) in response to an order or subpoena issued by a court or government agency; provided, however, that notice of receipt of such judicial order, inquiry or subpoena shall be communicated via facsimile within 72 hours to the General Counsel for Ticketmaster, at (310) 360-3373 so that Ticketmaster will have the opportunity to intervene to assert whatever rights it has to nondisclosure prior to Employee’s response to the order, inquiry or subpoena. Employee further agrees to inform any such attorneys, accountants and governmental authorities or agencies about this confidentiality provision and that they will agree to be bound by it.

 

10.           Knowing and Voluntary. The parties acknowledge and represent that they have carefully read and fully understand all of the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. The parties further acknowledge and represent that they enter into this Agreement freely, knowingly and without coercion and based on their own judgment and not in reliance upon any representation or promises made by any party or its attorneys to any other party.

 

11.           Attorneys’ Fees. Should any party institute any action or proceeding to enforce, interpret or apply any provision of this Agreement, or any released claims, the parties agree that the prevailing party shall be entitled to reimbursement by the losing party of all costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, all of its attorneys’ fees.

 

12.           Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed and governed by the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to its conflict of laws provisions.

 

13.           Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

14.           Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is deemed to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable, the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining parts shall not be affected.

 

15.           Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with that certain                                 dated as of                  [fill in name and date of any confidentiality/nondisclosure agreement signed by the Employee related to his/her employment with Ticketmaster], contains all of the terms and conditions agreed upon by the parties regarding the subject matter of this Agreement. Any prior agreements, promises, negotiations, or representations, either oral or written, by either the parties hereto or their attorneys, relating to the subject matter of this Agreement not expressly set forth in this

 

25



 

Agreement are of no force or effect. No modifications of this Agreement can be made except in writing signed by Employee and an authorized representative of Ticketmaster.

 

16.           Denial of Liability. Employee expressly recognizes that this Agreement shall not in any way be construed as an admission by Ticketmaster of any unlawful or wrongful acts whatsoever. Ticketmaster expressly denies any breach of any contracts, policies or procedures, or a violation of any state or federal law or regulation.

 

17.           Waiver. No waiver by any party of any breach of any term or provision of this Agreement shall be a waiver of any preceding, concurrent or succeeding breach of this Agreement or of any other term or provision of this Agreement. No waiver shall be binding on the part of, or on behalf of, any other party entering into this Agreement.

 

18.           Ambiguities. Both parties have participated in the negotiation of this Agreement and, thus, it is understood and agreed that the general rule that ambiguities are to be construed against the drafter shall not apply to this Agreement. In the event that any language of this Agreement is found to be ambiguous, each party shall have an opportunity to present evidence as to the actual intent of the parties with respect to any such ambiguous language.

 

THE SIGNATORIES HAVE CAREFULLY READ THIS ENTIRE AGREEMENT. THE PARTIES HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE CONTENTS OF THIS AGREEMENT FULLY EXPLAINED TO THEM BY THEIR ATTORNEYS. THE SIGNATORIES FULLY UNDERSTAND THE FINAL AND BINDING EFFECT OF THIS AGREEMENT. THE ONLY PROMISES MADE TO ANY SIGNATORY ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT, AND TO SIGN THIS AGREEMENT, ARE CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT. THE SIGNATORIES ARE SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT VOLUNTARILY.

 

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

 

THIS SETTLEMENT AND RELEASE AGREEMENT
INCLUDES A RELEASE OF KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Settlement Agreement and Release on the dates set forth below.

 

 

DATED :             ,        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[                                                                         ]

 

 

 

DATED :             ,        

 

By:

 

 



EX-10.8 13 a2187104zex-10_8.htm EXHIBIT 10.8

Exhibit 10.8

 

 

8800 West Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069

 

July 31, 2006

 

Mr. Pat Darr

Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership
821 Capital Centre Boulevard
Largo, Maryland 20774

 

Dear Pat:

 

Ticketmaster Corporation, an Illinois corporation (“Ticketmaster”) and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, a Maryland limited partnership (“TGLP”) are parties to that certain License Agreement dated as of May 23, 1991, as amended by the certain Amendment to License Agreement dated as of August 31, 1999 and that certain letter agreement dated as of October 17, 2005 (as amended, “License Agreement”) pursuant to which Ticketmaster granted TGLP an exclusive license and right to the Ticketmaster System, name, logo and Mark in connection with TGLP’s computerized event ticketing business in the Market Area. Ticketmaster L.L.C., an affiliate of Ticketmaster, and TGLP are also parties to a letter agreement dated as of March 21, 2002 regarding Ticketmaster L.L.C.’s license of Non-System Related Software to certain sports teams. All terms used here and not otherwise defined shall have the meaning assigned to them in the License Agreement.

 

Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster L.L.C. and TGLP acknowledge that the letter agreement dated as of October 17, 2005 (the “October 17 Letter Agreement”) was inadvertently drafted as being between Ticketmaster L.L.C. and TGLP and the October 17 Letter Agreement should have been between Ticketmaster Corporation and TGLP. Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster L.L.C. and TGLP agree to amend the October 17 Letter Agreement to substitute Ticketmaster Corporation for Ticketmaster L.L.C.

 

Ticketmaster is offering two new software products to use in connection with its ticketing business. One product allows tickets to be sold via Internet auctions on the Web Site (the “Auctions Software”) and the other product allows ticket purchasers to post tickets purchased from TGLP off of the System for sale to third parties on the Web Site (the “TicketExchange Software”). TGLP has requested that Ticketmaster license the Auction Software and the TicketExchange Software to it for use in the Market Area, and Ticketmaster has agreed to license the Auction Software and the TicketExchange Software to TGLP in accordance with the terms and conditions of this letter agreement.

 

1.                                      Auction Software

 

a.             License of Auction Software

 

Ticketmaster grants to TGLP an exclusive right and license to use the Auction Software for events in the Market Area in accordance with the terms and conditions of this letter agreement. TGLP shall comply with and shall require its clients and consumers to comply with any rules and procedures related to Auction sales promulgated by Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster shall provide any back-end System work needed to affect such ticket sales via the Auction Software, including any connections or coordination needed between the Auction Software and the System.

 

1



 

b.             Fees Charged to Consumers

 

(i)            Auction Fees

 

TGLP shall require that each ticket to be sold using the Auction Software initially go on sale with a Starting Bid. The formula to determine the Starting Bid shall be determined by Ticketmaster from time to time. Currently, the Starting Bid is equal to the face value of the ticket plus any facility fees plus the convenience charge for such ticket that would otherwise be charged pursuant to TGLP’s ticketing agreement with the client, rounded up to the nearest bid increment (e.g., If bids are made in $10 increments, then the Starting Bid would be rounded up to the neared $10). TGLP shall charge the client an additional service charge equal to Ticketmaster’s standard additional service charge with respect to Auction Software transactions in the United States, as such service charge may be modified by Ticketmaster from time to time (“Auction Fee”). The current Auction Fee is equal to 12.9% of the Lift. The Lift equals the difference between the ultimate selling price of the ticket at the end of the auction less the Starting Bid.

 

(ii)           Auction Taxes

 

Taxes on sales of tickets using the Auction Software shall be handled in the same way as taxes for other sale of tickets. Ticketmaster shall not be responsible for any taxes on auction ticket sales, other than taxes related to the income Ticketmaster receives from such sales.

 

(iii)         Delivery Fees

 

Delivery fees for tickets purchased via the Auction Software shall be the same as tickets purchased from TGLP via ticketmaster.com, and delivery shall be handled in the same way as for regular single tickets purchased at ticketmaster.com. TGLP shall retain any such delivery fees as it would for any regular single tickets purchased at ticketmaster.com, and any credit card charges for the delivery fees shall be handled in the sale way as tickets purchased from TGLP via the Internet.

 

(iv)          Auction Credit Card Fees

 

Included within the Auction Fee shall be the credit card company charges equal to 2.9% of Lift, which rate is subject to automatic increase due to increases in interbank rates (“Auction Credit Card Fees”). TGLP shall be entitled to retain the Auction Credit Card Fees and shall be responsible for paying any fees due to the credit card company and for any chargebacks assessed by the merchant bank in connection with Auction Software transactions by consumers.

 

c.             Client Royalties

 

TGLP shall determine client royalties to be paid to TLGP’s client from the Auction Fees (“Auction Royalties”).

 

d.             Ticketmaster’s Compensation

 

In exchange for licensing the Auction Software to TGLP and for the services described above, Ticketmaster shall be entitled to (i) the Per Ticket Amount (as defined

 

2



 

in the License Agreement) for each ticket sold via the Auction Software and (ii) an amount per ticket equal to fifty percent (50%) of the Auction Income per ticket. The “Auction Income” shall be an amount equal to the Auction Fees less the Auction Credit Card Fees and any Auction Royalties.

 

e.             Settlement and Fulfillment

 

TGLP shall (i) process the Auction Software transactions contemplated by this letter agreement, (ii) provide settlement services both to Ticketmaster and its clients with respect to Auction Software transactions and (iii) shall provide fulfillment services for tickets sold via the Auction Software. Payments to Ticketmaster of Ticketmaster’s compensation in connection with Auction Software transactions shall be made in accordance with schedule for Additional Payments set forth in the License Agreement.

 

f.              Example

 

Assume the following facts are true for a ticket to be sold via the Auction Software with $10 bid increments:

 

Face Value:

 

$

50

 

Facility Fee:

 

$

2

 

Convenience Charge:

 

$

5

 

Usual Royalty to TGLP client:

 

$

1

 

Price Sold for at Auction:

 

$

100

 

 

Based on the above assumptions, current fees and assuming no taxes, the following would be the fees and income related to such ticket sold via the Auction Software:

 

Starting Bid:

 

$60 ($50 + $2 + $5 = $57, rounded up to $60)

 

 

Lift:

 

$40 ($100 - 60 = $40)

 

 

Auction Fee:

 

$5.16 (12.9% * $40 = $5.16)

 

 

Auction Credit Card Fee:

 

$1.16 (2.9% * $40 = $1.16)

 

 

Auction Income:

 

$3.00 ($5.16 - $1.16 - $1 = $3.00)

 

 

Ticketmaster Compensation:

 

Per Ticket Amount + $1.50 (50% * $3.00)

 

 

 

2.                                      TicketExchange Software

 

a.             License of TicketExchange Software

 

Ticketmaster grants to TGLP an exclusive right and license to use the TicketExchange Software for events in the Market Area in accordance with the terms and conditions of this letter agreement. TGLP shall comply and shall require its clients and consumers to comply with any rules and procedures related to sales via the TicketExchange Software promulgated by Ticketmaster. TGLP shall also be responsible for obtaining any client consents or venue consents required for sellers to sell tickets via the TicketExchange Software for a price in excess of the original purchase price of the ticket. Ticketmaster shall provide any back-end System work needed to effect such ticket sales via the TicketExchange Software.

 

3



 

b.             Fees Charges to Consumers

 

(i)            TicketExchange Fees

 

TGLP agrees that consumers will be charged Tlcketmaster’s standard fees with respect to TicketExchange Software transactions in the United States (“TicketExchange Fees”). The current TicketExchange Fees are as set forth below:

 

Type of TicketExchange Fee

 

Amount of TicketExchange Fee

 

 

 

TicketExchange Seller Fee (amount charged to sellers to sell tickets)

 

10% of TicketExchange Posting Price per ticket

(the “TicketExchange Posting Price” is the price of a ticket listed for resale which shall be at least equal to the purchase price of the ticket when purchased and no more than permitted by applicable law)

 

 

 

TicketExchange Posting Fee (amount charged to sellers to post tickets for sale)

 

$3.00 per order

 

 

 

TicketExchange Buyer Fee (amount charged to buyers to purchase tickets)

 

10% of TicketExchange Posting Price per ticket

 

 

 

TicketExchange Processing Fee (amount charged to buyers for processing ticket sales)

 

$5.00 per ticket

 

The TicketExchange Posting Fee and the TicketExchange Processing Fee shall be automatically increased on January 1 of each year by five percent (5%) of such fees in effect during the prior year. In addition to the automatic increases described above, Ticketmaster shall have the right to change the TicketExchange Fees in its sole discretion and shall notify TGLP of any such changes. Changes in TicketExchange Fees, other than annual increases described above, shall not apply to TGLP clients then subject to a contract requiring the certain TicketExchange Fees until the then current term of the contract for that client expires.

 

(ii)           TicketExchange Taxes

 

TGLP shall notify Ticketmaster of any applicable taxes that are required to be assessed in connection with transactions via the TicketExchange Software and shall require that any applicable taxes assessed against the seller in connection with a TicketExchange Software transaction shall be paid for by the seller, and any other applicable taxes required in connection with a TicketExchange Software transaction shall be paid for by the buyer. Such taxes shall be referred to herein as “TicketExchange Taxes”. Until such time as such TicketExchange Taxes can be separately listed and assessed via the TicketExchange Software, the TicketExchange

 

4



 

Buyer Fee shall be increased by the amount of such TicketExchange Taxes to be paid for by the buyer.

 

(iii)         TicketExchange Delivery Fees

 

Delivery fees for tickets purchased via the TicketExchange Software shall be determined by Ticketmaster and TGLP (“TicketExchange Delivery Fees”), and Ticketmaster shall provide delivery of such tickets, Credit card charges for the TicketExchange delivery fees shall be determined in accordance with paragraph 2(iv) below.

 

(iv)          TicketExchange Credit Card Fees

 

The credit card company charges for TicketExchange Software transactions shall be an amount equal to 3.5% of the total of the TicketExchange Posting Price, TicketExchange Buyer Fee, TicketExchange Processing Fee, TicketExchange Taxes and TicketExchange Delivery Fee, which rate is subject to increase due to increases in interbank rates (“TicketExchange Credit Card Fees”). Ticketmaster shall be entitled to retain the TicketExchange Credit Card Fees and shall be responsible for paying any fees due to the credit card company and any chargebacks assessed by the merchant bank in connection with the TicketExchange Software transactions by consumers.

 

c.             Client Royalties

 

Ticketmaster and TGLP shall mutually agree on any royalties to be paid to TGLP’s clients from the TicketExchange Fees (“TicketExchange Royalties”).

 

d.             Ticketmaster’s Compensation

 

In exchange for licensing the TicketExchange Software to TGLP and for the services described above, Ticketmaster shall be entitled to an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the TicketExchange Income from each ticket sale via the TicketExchange Software. The “TicketExchange Income” shall be the amount equal to the TicketExchange Fees plus the TicketExchange Delivery Fees less the TicketExchange Credit Card Fees, any applicable TicketExchange Taxes and any TicketExchange Royalties.

 

e.             Settlement and Fulfillment

 

Ticketmaster shall (i) process the TicketExchange Software transactions contemplated by this letter agreement, (ii) provide settlement services both to TGLP and to the sellers of tickets via the TicketExchange Software and (iii) shall provide fulfillment services for tickets sold via the TicketExchange Software. TGLP shall be responsible for providing any required settlements to its clients.

 

f.              Example

 

Assume the following facts are true for a ticket to be sold via the TicketExchange Software:

 

TicketExchange Posting Price:

 

$

100

 

Royalty to TGLP client:

 

5

 

Delivery fee:

 

$

2.50

 

 

5



 

Based on the above assumptions, current fees and assuming no taxes, the following would be the fees and income related to such ticket sold via the TicketExchange Software:

 

TicketExchange Seller Fee:

 

$10 (10% * $100 = $10)

 

 

TicketExchange Buyer Fee:

 

$10 (10% * $100 = $10)

 

 

TicketExchange Credit Card Fee:

 

$4.11 (3.5%*($100+$10+$5+$2.5) = $4.11))

 

 

Gross Revenue from Fees

 

$30.50 ($10+$3+$10+$5+$2.50 = $30.50)

 

 

TicketExchange Income:

 

$21.39 ($30.50 - $4.11 - $5 = $21.39)

 

 

Ticketmaster Compensation:

 

$10.70 (50% * $21.39 = $10,695)

 

 

 

3.             Access to Data

 

Ticketmaster shall have the right to confirm that Ticketmaster’s compensation related to auctions paid by TGLP is correct, and Ticketmaster will need access to sales of auction tickets by TGLP in the Market Area in order to exercise that right. In addition, in order for Ticketmaster to provide settlement and fulfillment functions related to TicketExchange Software transactions, Ticketmaster will need ticket sales data for tickets sold via the TicketExchange Software in the Market Area and the personally identifiable information of persons who bought and sold tickets via the TicketExchange Software in the Market Area. TGLP hereby consents to Ticketmaster accessing the information described in this paragraph directly from the System. Ticketmaster shall only use the personally identifiable information in connection with its fulfillment services.

 

This letter agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each party and constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement of such party, enforceable in accordance with its terms. No agreement or understanding between TGLP or Ticketmaster and any third party contains or shall contain any provision inconsistent with any provision or the purpose or intent of this letter agreement. In the event of a conflict between this letter agreement and the License Agreement, this letter agreement shall control. Except as specifically set forth herein, all terms and conditions of the License Agreement shall continue in full force and effect throughout the term and are hereby ratified and confirmed by the parties. This letter agreement shall not be amended without a writing signed by both parties.

 

If you agree with the terms and conditions of this letter agreement, please acknowledge your agreement by signing in the space provided below and returning a copy to me.

 

 

 

 

Best regards,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David Goldberg

 

 

Name:

David Goldberg

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Corporation

 

6



 

ACCEPTED AND AGREED
this 25 day of August 2006

 

TICKETMASTER GROUP LIMITED PARTNERSHIP,
a Maryland limited partnership

 

By: AP Tickets, Inc., its sole general partner

 

 

By:

/s/ Patrick R. Darr

 

Name:

Patrick R. Darr

 

Title:

President

 

 

 

ACCEPTED AND AGREED WITH RESPECT TO

THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF THIS LETTER AGREEMENT

 

TICKETMASTER L.L.C.

 

By:

/s/ David Goldberg

 

Name:

David Goldberg

 

Title:

Executive Vice President

 

 

7



EX-10.9 14 a2187104zex-10_9.htm EXHIBIT 10.9

Exhibit 10.9

 

 

Patrick R.Darr
President

Centreplex Office Building

 

 

821 Copilot Centre Boulevard

 

 

Largo, Maryland 20774

 

 

301-808-4330 - fax 301-808-4332

 

 

pdarr@tmtickets.com

 

February 6, 2006

 

By Telecopy and UPS

 

Ticketmaster Corporation

8800 Sunset Boulevard

West Hollywood, California 90069

Attention: Terry Barnes, Chairman and Ed Weiss, Executive Vice President and General Counsel

 

Re:                             License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) dated May 23, 1991 between Ticketmaster Corporation (“TM”) and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership (“TGLP”), as amended, and as previously extended pursuant to a notice dated February 7, 2001 (the “Extension Notice”)

 

Dear Terry:

 

The purpose of this letter is to notify TM, pursuant to Section 2 of the License Agreement, that TGLP elects to renew the License Agreement for a second, additional five (5)-year term, commencing on July 1, 2006. We previously agreed in the Extension Notice that the Operational Date under the License Agreement was July 1, 1991. Therefore, July 1, 2006 will be the fifteenth (15th) anniversary of the Operational Date, and also the commencement date of the second, five (5)-year renewal term. The second renewal term will expire on June 30, 2011.

 

Please sign, date and return this letter to Patrick Darr by telecopy to acknowledge your receipt of this letter and to signify your agreement that the term of the License Agreement has been renewed until June 30, 2011 by this notice. In addition, we are sending via UPS two (2) originals copies of this agreement signed by Patrick Darr. Please sign one (1) original copy and return it to Patrick Darr. Thank you.

 

Very truly yours,

 

Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership

 

By:

 

AP Tickets, Inc., Sole General Partner

 

 

 

 

 

By

 /s/ Patrick R. Darr

 

 

 

 

Patrick R. Darr, President

 

 

 

cc:

 

Michael H. Leahy, Esq.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receipt of Notice and Renewal of Term of License Agreement Acknowledged and Agreed to:

 

 

 

Ticketmaster corporation

 

 

By

/s/ Edward Weiss

 

 

Dated: February 16, 2006

 



EX-10.10 15 a2187104zex-10_10.htm EXHIBIT 10.10

Exhibit 10.10

 

October 17, 2005

 

Mr. Patrick Darr

Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership

821 Capital Centre Boulevard

Largo, Maryland 20774

 

Dear Pat:

 

Ticketmaster L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (“Ticketmaster”) and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, a Maryland limited partnership (“TGLP”) are parties to that certain License Agreement dated as of May 23,1991, as amended by the certain Amendment to License Agreement dated as of August 31, 1999 (as amended, “License Agreement”) pursuant to which Ticketmaster granted TGLP an exclusive license and right to the Ticketmaster System, name, logo and Mark in connection with TGLP’s computerized event ticketing business in the Market Area. Ticketmaster is upgrading the operating system for the System (“Operating System”) and is providing TGLP with the right to use such upgrade pursuant to the terms of the License Agreement. In connection therewith, Ticketmaster has agreed to host and manage the Operating System for TGLP, and TGLP has agreed to purchase certain hardware related to the upgraded Operating System and to pay certain operating expenses related to such hardware in accordance with the terms and conditions of this letter agreement. All terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meaning assigned to them in the License Agreement.

 

Ticketmaster shall manage and host the upgraded Operating System on behalf of TGLP and warrants that it shall exercise the same care in connection with such functions that it exercises in connection with the management and hosting of its operating systems on its own behalf.

 

TGLP agrees to purchase the hardware set forth under Section A of Exhibit A attached hereto for use in connection with such upgraded Operating System for $57,200 which equals Ticketmaster’s cost for such hardware plus 10%. The purchase price of such hardware shall be due within thirty (30) days of receipt of such hardware. Since Ticketmaster is managing the Operating System for TGLP, whenever Ticketmaster introduces a new version or upgrades the Operating System or other core ticketing components and such new version or upgrade requires any upgrade or change to the infrastructure under TGLP’s control, TGLP agrees to make such changes to the infrastructure and purchase any new hardware as required by Ticketmaster within sixty (60) days of notice from Ticketmaster. Furthermore, as Ticketmaster upgrades its existing core Operating System or Ticketing hardware, TGLP will reimburse Ticketmaster for the equivalent reasonable upgrades to the hardware dedicated to TGLP.

 

The upgrade to the Operating System will also cause additional Ticketmaster operating expenses related to additional operating services as described under Section B of Exhibit A attached hereto. TGLP agrees to pay the operating expenses for the required operating services by increasing the Per Ticket Amount by $0.025 for each applicable period so that the Per Ticket Amount is equal to $0.175 for the current

 



 

operational year. In the event TGLP decides to receive the optional operating services, TGLP shall pay for such operating services by increasing the Per Ticket Amount by an additional $0.025 for each applicable period so that the Per Ticket Amount would be $0.20 for the current operational year. If changes to the Operating System cause additional operating expenses, TGLP agrees to pay any additional operating expenses reasonably determined by Ticketmaster either by increasing the Per Ticket Amount or by paying such operating expenses directly, as determined by Ticketmaster.

 

This letter agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each party and constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement of such party, enforceable in accordance with its terms. No agreement or understanding between TGLP or Ticketmaster and any third party contains or shall contain any provision inconsistent with any provision or the purpose or intent of this fetter agreement. In the event of a conflict between this letter agreement and the License Agreement, this letter agreement shall control. Except as specifically set forth herein, all terms and conditions of the License Agreement shall continue in full force and effect throughout the term and are hereby ratified and confirmed by the parties. This letter agreement shall not be amended without a writing signed by both parties.

 

If you agree with the terms and conditions of this letter agreement, please acknowledge your agreement by signing in the space provided below and returning a copy to me.

 

 

 

Best regards,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David Goldberg

 

 

Name:

David Goldberg

 

 

 

Ticketmaster LLC.

 

 

 

 

ACCEPTED AND AGREED

 

 

 

this 19 day of October 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER GROUP LIMITED PARTNERSHIP,

 

 

 

a Maryland limited partnership

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: AP Tickets, Inc., Its sole general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Patrick R. Darr

 

 

 

Name:

Patrick R. Darr

 

 

 

Title:

President

 

 

 

 



 

Exhibit A

 

A.          Hardware

 

Quantity

 

Description

 

Ticketmaster’s Cost

 

2

 

Monitoring and Configuration Server

 

$

7,000

 

2

 

Switching Equipment

 

$

7,000

 

1

 

Console Server

 

$

3,000

 

2

 

IPTT Bridge Servers

 

$

7,000

 

2

 

Media Converter

 

$

2,000

 

2

 

Ticketing Server

 

$

12,000

 

2

 

Authorization Server

 

$

7,000

 

1

 

Reporting Server

 

$

3,500

 

1

 

Ticketing Server

 

$

3,500

 

 

B.           Operating Services

 

Required Operating Services

 

Backups – daily backups near line storage

 

Backups – off site tape backups

 

Optional Operating Services

 

Nitrun Operations

 

Swing Shift Operations

 

Regional Programmer

 



EX-10.11 16 a2187104zex-10_11.htm EXHIBIT 10.11

Exhibit 10.11

 

 

3701 Wilshire Blvd. - 9th Floor

Los Angeles, California 90010
213 639-6100 Tel

 

213 382-6210 Fax

 

March 21, 2002

 

Mr. Pat Darr

Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership

One Harry S. Truman Drive

Landover, Maryland 20785

 

Re: System and Non System-Related Software Licensing Arrangements

 

Dear Pat:

 

This letter sets forth certain agreements between Ticketmaster L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (“Ticketmaster”), and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, a Maryland limited partnership (“TGLP”), with respect to Ticketmaster’s license of and the provision of related software maintenance and support obligations for certain software products to the sports teams and venue in the Market Area (as explained further below), all on the terms set forth herein. The sports teams are the Washington Redskins, Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens (“Sports Teams”), and the venue is MCI Center (“Venue”). We shall have the right to add other clients or venues provided we get your prior written approval.

 

Ticketmaster Corporation (“TM Corp”), an Illinois corporation and affiliate of Ticketmaster, and TGLP are party to that certain License Agreement dated as of May 23, 1991, as amended by that certain Amendment to License Agreement dated as of August 31, 1999 (as amended, the “License Agreement”). The License Agreement provides certain terms and provisions regarding the license by TM Corp or Ticketmaster to TGLP of software related to the System and the license by TM Corp or Ticketmaster to TGLP of Non System-Related Software and TGLP’s ability to sublicense the same to its clients in the Market Area. All terms capitalized and not defined herein shall have the meaning given those terms in the License Agreement.

 

The parties acknowledge and agree that TGLP has heretofore paid Ticketmaster $120,000 as a license fee for the Non System-Related Software known as ARCHTICS and $50,000 as a sublicense fee for ARCHTICS as related to the Baltimore Orioles and that TGLP has not been required to pay, and has not paid, any further license or sublicense fees as provided for or required by the License Agreement as of the date of this letter agreement.

 

With TGLP’s knowledge and consent, Ticketmaster has met with, discussed, negotiated and entered into contractual arrangements (both written and oral) (collectively, “Actions”) with the Sports Teams and Venue related to the following System and Non System-Related Software:

 



 

ARCHTICS, FanTM, Ticketmaster AccountManager (formerly known as Online Subscriber Services or OSS) (“TM AccountManager”), TM Charge, the Ticketmaster Marketplace (which currently includes ticket forwarding, ticket selling, right of first refusal and GroupManager features and which may be expanded to include future features of which TGLP will be notified) and SIMS (Subscriber Interactive Voice Management Services) (collectively, “Software”). We shall have the right to add other software products provided we get your prior written approval. Ticketmaster has described to TGLP the nature of such Actions taken by Ticketmaster through the date hereof and described an outline of agreed terms, and TGLP hereby ratifies its prior consent and ratifies all such Actions taken and such outlined terms in regard to the Sports Teams and Venue and the license to them of the Software (“Approved Actions”).

 

The parties agree that Ticketmaster can continue such Approved Actions with the Sports Teams and Venue and can directly enter into written agreements or amendments or extensions with them as consistent with the Approved Actions. The parties further agree to waive the provisions of Section 12(b) of the License Agreement and Section 8 of the Amendment as they relate to the payment of license and/or sublicense fees among the parties and right of TGLP to sublicense the Non System-Related Software, except for the payment of certain maintenance fees related to the Baltimore Orioles as covered by our separate agreement.

 

Ticketmaster and TGLP agree that TGLP shall be entitled to receive fifty percent (50%) of all transaction fees as mutually agreed between Ticketmaster and TGLP collected (and retained) by Ticketmaster under any TM AccountManager agreement with a Sports Team or the Venue (including the Ticketmaster Marketplace) (“TM AccountManager Fees”). Ticketmaster will deliver to TGLP regular payments quarterly within thirty (30) days of the end of each calendar quarter of the TM AccountManager Fees to which TGLP is entitled, as netted by any deductions or offsets allowed hereunder, with each payment to be on account of TM AccountManager Fees collected by Ticketmaster during the calendar quarter preceding such payment due date. Each payment shall be accompanied by a written accounting. In the event that Ticketmaster is required to refund any TM AccountManager Fees (as a result of chargeback or otherwise) previously paid out to TGLP, Ticketmaster shall have the right to deduct such refunded TM AccountManager Fees against future disbursements owed to TGLP hereunder.

 

Ticketmaster and TGLP further agree that TGLP shall be entitled to fees related to the processing of the Sports Teams’ and the Venue’s VISA and MasterCard transactions on the TM Charge system. TGLP will be entitled to the amount by which the TM Charge rate charged to and collected from any Sports Team or Venue (and retained by Ticketmaster) exceeds 2.2% (“TM Charge Fees”). The TM Charge rate charged to the Sports Teams and the Venue shall be 2.5% unless otherwise mutually agreed between Ticketmaster and TGLP. Ticketmaster will deliver to TGLP regular payments quarterly within thirty (30) days of the end of each calendar quarter of the TM Charge Fees to which TGLP is entitled, as netted by any deductions allowed hereunder, with each payment to be on account of TM Charge Fees collected by Ticketmaster during the calendar quarter preceding such payment due date. Each payment shall be accompanied by a written accounting. In the event that Ticketmaster is required to refund any TM Charge Fees (as a result of chargeback or otherwise) previously paid out to TGLP, Ticketmaster shall have the right to deduct such refunded TM Charge Fees against future disbursements owed to TGLP hereunder.

 

2



 

Other than as explicitly provided herein, TGLP shall have no right to any other fees or revenue from the Software included as of the date of this letter agreement. As to any System or Non System-Related Software that may be approved hereunder in the future, it is the parties’ intent that TGLP shall be entitled to share 50/50 in any transaction fees but shall have no right to share in any license or maintenance fees; provided that Ticketmaster agrees that the fee structure offered in the Market Area shall be substantially similar to the fee structure offered in the rest of the United States (“Substantially Similar”).

 

The parties agree further that Ticketmaster can take actions similar to the Approved Actions, and the parties will waive the fees and sublicense rights waived herein, with regard to the Sports Teams, the Venue, future clients or venues approved hereunder, and as to the Software and future software approved hereunder, all on terms as mutually agreed, provided that TGLP’s consent shall not be unreasonably withheld if the terms are Substantially Similar.

 

This letter agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each party and constitutes the legal, valid, and binding agreement of such party, enforceable in accordance with its terms. No agreement or understanding between TGLP or Ticketmaster and any third party contains or shall contain any provision inconsistent with any provision, or the purpose or intent, of this letter agreement. In the event of a conflict between this letter agreement and the terms and conditions of the License Agreement, the terms and conditions of this letter agreement shall control. Except as specifically set forth herein to the contrary, all of the terms and conditions of the License Agreement are in full force and effect, shall continue in full force and effect throughout the term and are hereby ratified and confirmed by the parties. This letter agreement shall not be amended without a writing signed by both parties.

 

If this letter agreement coincides with your understanding of matters related to the System and Non System-Related Software, please acknowledge your agreement by signing below and returning a copy to me, which may be done in counterparts.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

/s/ Dave Scarborough

 

Dave Scarborough

Executive Vice President

Ticketmaster L.L.C.

 

 

cc:

 

Tim Wood

 

 

Brad Serwin, Esq.

 

 

Paula Atkinson, Esq.

 

3



 

AGREED AND ACCEPTED

this 27 day of March, 2002:

 

Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership,

a Maryland limited partnership

 

By: AP Tickets, Inc., its sole general partner

 

By:

/s/ Patrick Darr

 

Name:

 Patrick Darr

 

Title:

   President

 

 

4



EX-10.12 17 a2187104zex-10_12.htm EXHIBIT 10.12

Exhibit 10.12

 

 

 

 

Paul d’Eustachio

President

 

 

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

 

 

One North Harry Truman Drive

 

 

Largo, Maryland 20774

February 7, 2001

 

301-808-4300 - fax 301-808-4325

 

By  Telecopy and Certified Mail

 

Ticketmaster Corporation

 

 

3701 Wilshire Boulevard, 9th Floor

 

 

Los Angeles, California 90010

 

 

Attention:

 

Terry Barnes, Chairman, and Daniel R. Goodman, Executive

 

 

Vice-President and General Counsel

 

 

 

Re:

 

License Agreement dated May 23,1991 between Ticketmaster

 

 

Corporation and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, as amended

 

 

(the “License Agreement”)

 

Gentlemen:

 

The purpose of this letter is to notify you, pursuant to Section 2 of the License Agreement, that Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership elects to renew the License Agreement for an additional five (5)-year term. We believe the “Operational Date” under the License Agreement is July 1, 1991 and that July 1, 2001 will be the tenth anniversary of such “Operational Date”. Therefore,  the five (5)-year renewal term will commence as of July 1, 2001 and will end on June 30, 2006.

 

We believe that this notice is effective to renew the term of the License Agreement for an additional five (5)-year term. However, we would be pleased to have our counsel prepare an amendment to the License Agreement to evidence the renewal if you would prefer.

 

Please sign and return this letter to Paul d’Eustachio by telecopy to acknowledge your receipt of this letter and to signify your agreement that the term of the License Agreement has been renewed by this notice. Thank you.

 

Very truly yours,

 

Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership

 

 

 

 

 

By:

AP Tickets, Inc., Sole General Partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Paul d’Eustachio

 

 

 

Paul d’Eustachio, President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cc:

Norman J. Gantz, Esq.
Michael H. Leahy, Esq.

 

 

Ticketmaster Corporation

Attention:

 

Terry Barnes, Chairman, and Daniel R. Goodman, Executive

 

 

Vice-President and General Counsel

 

CONCERTS · SPORTS · PERFORMING ARTS · MUSEUMS · GALLERIES · TOURIST ATTRACTIONS · FAMILY & SPECIAL EVENTS · CLUBS

 



 

Receipt of Notice and Renewal of Term Of License Agreement Acknowledged and
Agreed to
:

 

Ticketmaster Corporation

 

 

By

/s/ Daniel Goodman

 

 

 

Dated: February 26, 2001

 

 

2



EX-10.13 18 a2187104zex-10_13.htm EXHIBIT 10.13

Exhibit 10.13

 

AMENDMENT TO LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

THIS AMENDMENT TO LICENSE AGREEMENT (“Amendment”) is entered into this 31st day of August, 1999, by and between Ticketmaster Corporation (“Ticketmaster”) and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership (“User”), with reference to the following facts:

 

A.                                     Ticketmaster and User entered into that certain License Agreement dated as of May 23, 1991 (“License Agreement”), whereby Ticketmaster granted User an exclusive license and right to use the Ticketmaster System, name, logo and Mark in connection with User’s computerized event ticketing business in the Market Area upon the terms and conditions set forth in the License Agreement.

 

B.                                       Ticketmaster and User hereby desire to amend the License Agreement in certain respects as set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants set forth herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

1.                                         Defined Term(s). For purposes of the License Agreement, as hereby, amended, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

“System” means and includes any software or hardware or combination thereof which is owned or controlled by, or licensed to or otherwise authorized for use by, Ticketmaster in connection with a computer based system for distributing tickets used in the United States, including related procedures established and maintained by Ticketmaster for the purpose of voice and data communications or selling, accounting, auditing or controlling the sale of tickets for events.

 

“TM System User” means and includes any person, sole proprietorship, partnership corporation, joint venture or other legal entity (other than Ticketmaster) operating the System within the United States. Any such entity may be wholly owned or controlled by Ticketmaster, partially owned, a joint venture or independent of Ticketmaster.

 

All other capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the License Agreement.

 

2.                                         Condition to Effectiveness. This Amendment shall not be effective unless and until the parties have entered into and executed a definitive settlement and release agreement with respect to claims asserted in and related to that certain lawsuit entitled Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership v. Ticketmaster Corporation (and related counterclaim), USDC Case No. 97 C2337, filed on or about April 4, 1997 in United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the Court shall have entered a final non-appealable Order dismissing the lawsuit with prejudice. The “Effective Date” of this Amendment shall be the same date as the Effective Date of the Settlement Agreement being executed concurrently herewith, as defined in paragraph 4 thereof.

 



 

3.                                         Additional Payments. Effective as of September 1, 1997, each of the Per Ticket Amounts set forth in the table in Section 4 of the License Agreement shall be increased by an amount equal to $0.02. The amount of the Additional Payment for each applicable period since September 1, 1997 shall be recalculated based upon such increase in the Per Ticket Amounts, and the additional amount due through July 31, 1999, shall be paid by User to Ticketmaster no later than five days subsequent to the Effective Date. All Additional Payments resulting from such $0.02 increase to the Per Ticket Amount shall be in consideration of the settlement of the litigation referred to in Section 2 above and Ticketmaster’s agreement to permit User to continue to have the right and license to use the Mark within the Market Area in accordance with the provisions of the License Agreement, as amended hereby.

 

4.                                         Upgrades. Sections 12(b), 12(c), 12(d) and 12(e) of the License Agreement are hereby deleted in their entirety and the following are hereby substituted in lieu thereof:

 

(b)                                Ticketmaster shall provide to User during the term of this Agreement, at no additional cost to User (except as set forth in Section 12(e) below) and at the request of User, any software used on, in connection with or as any part of any System operated or used in the United States by Ticketmaster or any TM System User. Such software shall include, without limitation, enhancements, upgrades to the System’s operating software, new software products (including, by way of example only, “FANTm” and “IVR”) and software embedded in or part of any hardware. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Ticketmaster shall have no obligation to provide User with (i) the beta versions of any software, or developmental or experimental software, whether or not in use by Ticketmaster or any TM System User in connection with any System or (ii) software developed for special events or attractions (including, by way of example only, the Olympics) and which is not practical for day-to-day use because of its complexity or unique purpose and may not be cost effective for day-to-day use, or which for other economic reasons is not made generally available to TM System Users outside of the scope of a single use special event application and therefore does not become a permanent part of the System. Notwithstanding the foregoing, User shall have the right to such special event software pursuant to the terms of this Section 12(b) should a comparable special event (i.e., the Summer Olympics occurs in the Washington/Baltimore region) be held in the Market Area.

 

(c)                                 If, at any time during the term of this Agreement, User shall receive an upgrade to or improved version of the software used in the System, the implementation of which would require a conversion of User’s database, Ticketmaster shall, upon User’s request, promptly effect such conversion on behalf of User and shall bill User for such efforts in accordance with Section 12(e) below.

 

(d)                                In the event that User shall, at any time during the term of this Agreement, request that Ticketmaster develop custom enhancements to the System to meet certain specific performance criteria reasonably requested by User, Ticketmaster shall use reasonable efforts to cause such custom enhancements to be developed by its

 

2



 

programmers in consideration of the payment by User to Ticketmaster of the costs set forth in Section 12(e) below.

 

(e)                                 User shall be responsible for the direct and actual out-of-pocket costs incurred by Ticketmaster in installing any provided software and training User’s personnel in the using of provided software under Section 12(b), converting User’s database under Section 12(c), and developing custom enhancements under Section 12(d). Such direct and actual out-of-pocket costs shall include transportation and lodging and actual hourly personnel costs, but shall not include overhead, miscellaneous administrative costs and other similar indirect costs. Pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement, User shall also be responsible for the costs of any and all hardware used by User in connection with any software provided under this Section 12, including, without limitation, all direct and actual costs for the installation of such hardware,

 

In addition, the second and third sentences of Section 8 of the License Agreement are hereby deleted in their entirety, it being the intent of the parties that User shall have access throughout the Term of the License Agreement to the most current technology available from Ticketmaster for use in connection with the System, and that Ticketmaster shall make available to User hardware and software, such that User will have the ability to operate a system having performance capabilities equal to those of any other TM System User.

 

5.                                         Cooperation and Support.   Section 12 of the License Agreement is hereby amended to add the following to the end of such Section:

 

(g)                                At Ticketmaster’s request, User shall cooperate with Ticketmaster and utilize reasonable efforts to participate in Ticketmaster promotional campaigns, tours, events or other programs which are conducted on a national or regional basis. Ticketmaster shall use its reasonable efforts to offer User the opportunity to participate fully in all such promotional campaigns, tours or other programs which involve the Market Area. In the event that User shall agree, in writing, to participate fully in any such program designated by Ticketmaster, then User shall receive a share of revenues received by Ticketmaster (after deduction of actual costs to Ticketmaster regarding the establishment of the program, including, without limitation, legal fees, but exclusive of administrative costs) for its participation in such programs that is reasonably proportionate to User’s participation, or a share of compensation that is otherwise mutually agreeable to the parties,

 

(h)                                With User’s prior consent, Ticketmaster and/or a TM System User may sell tickets to events located or to take place within the Market Area and, with Ticketmaster’s prior consent (or that of the TM System User in the relevant geographic area), User may sell tickets to events located or to take place outside of the Market Area, in which event revenue due each party shall be calculated taking the per ticket gross revenue received in excess of the ticket face price (expressly excluding any revenue derived from handling charges), reducing such gross revenue by direct actual sales costs

 

3



 

such as (but not necessarily limited to) credit card processing fees and venue and promoter rebates and royalties, and splitting the resulting net revenue equally between the parties, unless the parties shall mutually agree to a different revenue distribution. User shall not receive a share of revenues as contemplated by the immediately preceding sentence for special events covered by Section 5 of this Agreement.

 

(i)                                    Ticketmaster shall utilize reasonable efforts to permit User to participate in (A) Ticketmaster’ s periodic national technology support conference calls and meetings to the extent that those calls and meetings take place, subject to Ticketmaster’s right to exclude User in order to protect attorney/client privileged communications or confidential or proprietary information, and (B) conference calls and meetings concerning national or regional promotional, marketing, sales or similar campaigns in which User has agreed to participate to the extent that those calls and meetings take place. Ticketmaster shall also provide User with appropriate documents relative to the administration of any such campaign in which User has agreed to participate.

 

6.                                         Internet Sales. Ticketmaster and/or Ticketmaster Online-City Search shall integrate User’s ticket sales information and ticket sales transaction processing onto Ticketmaster’s Internet web site (currently known as “ticketmaster.com”) (the “Web Site”), and shall enable User and its clients to sell tickets through the Web Site in the same manner as other TM System Users, it being agreed and understood that Ticketmaster will use reasonable efforts, with User’s cooperation, to perform its obligations pursuant to this sentence within ten days after the date of this Amendment. User agrees to reimburse Ticketmaster and/or Ticketmaster Online- City Search for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with making such access to the Web Site available to User, in accordance with Section 12(e) of the License Agreement, as amended. In addition to any other payments due to Ticketmaster under the License Agreement, as amended hereby, and in consideration of Ticketmaster and/or Ticketmaster Online-City Search making the Web Site available to User as aforesaid, User shall pay Ticketmaster an amount equal to $0.25 per ticket for each ticket sold by User through the Web Site. Such payments shall constitute Additional Payments as defined in Section 4 of the License Agreement, as amended hereby. Upon completion of Ticketmaster’s performance of its obligations pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 6, User shall promptly discontinue the provision of ticket and merchandise sales information and services on that certain web site currently known as “ticketmasterwb.com”.

 

7.                                         Equipment. Section 14 of the License Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:

 

During the term of this Agreement, User shall have the right to purchase from Ticketmaster or from any entity owned or controlled by Ticketmaster (i) any hardware, computer equipment, voice or data communications equipment or other equipment developed or manufactured by Ticketmaster or any entity owned or controlled by Ticketmaster, or (ii) any third party hardware or equipment offered for sale by Ticketmaster or any entity owned or controlled by Ticketmaster, where such hardware

 

4



 

or equipment shall be used by User on or in connection with the System. The obligations of this paragraph shall extend to all upgrades, advances or other technological improvements, but Ticketmaster shall have no obligation to sell to User developmental or experimental hardware or equipment, whether or not in use by Ticketmaster or any TM System User in connection with the System. The cost to User of any such provided hardware or equipment sold hereunder shall be (i) 150% of Ticketmaster’s direct and actual cost for Ticketmaster developed or manufactured hardware or equipment or (ii) 110% of Ticketmaster’s cost for hardware and equipment developed or manufactured by third parties. If requested by User, Ticketmaster shall assist User with the installation, start-up, initial use and training on the use of said hardware and equipment. User shall reimburse Ticketmaster for the cost of delivering, installing, starting up and training User in the operation of such hardware and equipment in accordance with Section 12(e) of this Agreement.

 

8.                                         Non System-Related Software. The provisions of Section 12(b) of the License Agreement, as amended hereby, shall not apply to software owned or licensed by Ticketmaster or any entity owned or controlled by Ticketmaster that does work with or rely on a connection (either periodic or continuous) to the System for proper operation and which are offered by Ticketmaster or such other entity for sale or license to third parties (“Non System-Related Software”). Examples of software falling within the scope of Section 12(b) of the License Agreement, as amended hereby (and not within the scope of this Section 8), include, without limitation, bar coding (e.g., FANTm), IVR voice response units, ticket sales kiosks, credit card authorization, client settlement and similar accounting programs, PCI, disaster recovery programs, VRun reports, offline archiving of accounts, niterun, TMWIN99 or similar Systems communications software and fraud programs. Examples of software falling outside of the scope of Section 12(b) of the License Agreement, as amended hereby (and within the scope of this Section 8), include Archtics season ticketing software and Foxman’s FanTracker. Solely as a means of further illustrating the intent of the parties, should Ticketmaster acquire the rights to software sometimes known as Paceolan, the Paceolan software would be covered by this Section 8 and not by Section 12(b) of the License Agreement, as amended hereby, but any interface developed by Ticketmaster to connect the system to the Paceolan software would be covered by Section 12(b), as amended hereby. User shall have the right to license (if licensing is offered as an option) or purchase (if purchasing is offered as an option) any and all of such Non System-Related Software from Ticketmaster or such entity owned or controlled by Ticketmaster for sublicense or sale to User’s clients. The cost to User of any such Non System-Related Software shall be equal to the lowest generally prevailing fee charged from time to time to clients by Ticketmaster or such entity owned or controlled by Ticketmaster for such Non Systems-Related Software, it being agreed and understood that User may determine, in its sole discretion, the amount to be charged to User’s clients with respect to the sublicense or sale of such Non Systems-Related Software to those clients. It is further agreed and understood that User shall pay a separate fee to Ticketmaster each time that the Non Systems-Related Software is sublicensed or sold by User to a client (e.g., if the Archtics season ticketing software is sublicensed or sold by User to ten venues, User shall pay Ticketmaster the applicable fee times ten).   No later than five days subsequent to the Effective Date, User shall pay $50,000 to

 

5



 

Ticketmaster, being the fee payable with respect to the license by User of the Archtics season ticketing software to be sublicensed by User to the Baltimore Orioles. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such $50,000 license payment shall not be applicable for the use of the Archtics season ticketing software, alone or through User’s System, by the Washington Redskins or the Baltimore Ravens National Football League football teams or their respective successors or assigns inasmuch as the purchase of the Archtics use license by those entities occurred prior to the acquisition of Distributed Systems Architects, Inc/Archtics by Ticketmaster.

 

9.                                         Use of Ticketmaster Facilities.

 

(a)                    Except as otherwise provided in Section 9(b), if Ticketmaster’s or its affiliates’ facilities are to be used by User in connection with any software provided by Ticketmaster to User pursuant to the License Agreement, as amended hereby, then User shall pay to Ticketmaster or its affiliates, as applicable, such amounts as may be required by Sections 12(e) and 14 of the License Agreement, as amended hereby, together with an amount that reflects User’s proportionate share of costs of the use of the facility not otherwise covered by said Sections 12(e) and 14.

 

(b)                   User shall have access to and use of Ticketmaster’s disaster recovery facility (the “Facility”), currently located at Ticketmaster’s Detroit data center, which access and use shall be pursuant to such guidelines as Ticketmaster may reasonably establish for all similar Facility users. In consideration of such access to and use of the Facility, User shall pay Ticketmaster a fee of $40,000 for the first year of User’s access to and use of the Facility (which year shall commence as of the date of User’s access to the Facility) and $36,000 for each subsequent year of access to and use of the Facility, payable in full, for each applicable year, no later than 30 days after the commencement of such year, plus any direct and actual out-of-pocket costs incurred by Ticketmaster in training User’s personnel at User’s offices relative to the use of the Facility. In addition to the foregoing, User shall be responsible for the cost of necessary data communication equipment upgrades made by Ticketmaster on behalf of User (as determined pursuant to Section 14 of the License Agreement, as amended hereby); a proportionate share of future data communication cost increases related to the operation of the Facility; and, the installation and operational costs of the data communications line necessary to transmit User’s System data to the Facility. The Facility shall receive and save a continuous stream of User’s System data during all of User’s operating hours. In the event that User’s System fails, for whatever reason, the Facility shall have the capability of regenerating User’s then-current System database onto hardware installed at the Facility, and coming online through dial-up or other data communications to User’s clients, outlets, phonerooms and administrative offices, to provide continuing ticket sales and other ticketing functions until full use of User’s System is restored.

 

10.                                   Consent to Transfer. Ticketmaster hereby consents to the transfer of Centre Group Limited Partnership’s interest in User to Washington Sports & Entertainment Limited Partnership (or to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Washington Sports & Entertainment Limited Partnership if such subsidiary agrees in writing to be bound by the terms and conditions of Section 16 of the License Agreement); provided, however, that such transfer is consummated

 

6



 

by December 31, 1999 and written verification of such transfer is received by Ticketmaster by January 15,2000. Said transfer, if consummated, shall have no impact on the parties’ respective rights and obligations under the License Agreement or this Amendment, and User shall remain liable for all of User’s duties and obligations thereunder and hereunder. By its execution of this Amendment in the space provided below, Washington Sports & Entertainment Limited Partnership agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of Section 16 of the License Agreement if such transfer to Washington Sports & Entertainment Limited Partnership is consummated. User represents that Washington Sports & Entertainment Limited Partnership is under common control with Centre Group Limited Partnership, and prior to the Effective Date User has provided Ticketmaster with a letter outlining the identity of and relationship between the transferor and the transferee.

 

11.                                 Remedies. The intent of the parties is to cooperate to advance their mutual interests, and to reduce the likelihood of future disputes. To that end, the parties amend as follows those provisions of the License Agreement outlining their respective rights and remedies in the event of a breach or default (including, without limitation, those governing termination). Except for the provisions of Sections 10, 11(a) (i) and (ii), 11(b), (11(c) and 11(d) of the License Agreement, which remain in full force and effect, in the event of any breach or alleged breach of the License Agreement, the complaining party shall give the other written notice of the alleged breach and, if curable, of the proposed remedy or cure. The defaulting party shall remedy said breach within seven days or (solely with respect to a breach other than a failure to pay when due amounts owing to Ticketmaster under the License Agreement) such longer period as may be reasonably required to effectuate such remedy so long as remedial action is commenced within such seven-day period and is actively and diligently pursued to completion. Except as set forth in Sections 10, 11(a)(i) and (ii), 11(b), 11(c) and 11(d) of the License Agreement, no breach shall justify termination of the License Agreement unless there has been a material and substantial non-performance or other breach of the License Agreement.

 

12.                                   Use of the System: In the event that the System is, at any time during the term of the License Agreement, being operated by Ticketmaster or a TM System User outside of the Market Area in connection with any independent or third-party computer system (other than any such connection which is in the developmental, experimental or testing stage), then Ticketmaster will authorize User (at no additional charge to User by Ticketmaster solely to provide such authorization) to operate the System within the Market Area in connection with such independent or third-party computer system (if permitted by such independent or third-party provider) in the same manner as being operated by Ticketmaster or such TM System User. By way of example only:

 

If a theater uses the Paceolan ticketing system to sell season tickets and walk up box office tickets, and interfaces the Paceolan system to a TM System User’s System, so that ticket inventory can be transferred back and forth between the two systems to permit the sale of telephone, outlet, or internet sales on the TM System User’s System, then User shall be permitted that use.

 

7



 

13.                                   Representations and Warranties. Each party represents and warrants that (i) it has full and exclusive power and authority to enter into and be bound by this Amendment and that the person executing this Amendment on behalf of such party is duly authorized to do so, and (ii) this Amendment is a duly authorized, valid and binding agreement of such party, enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms.

 

14.                                   Notices. Section 22 of the License Agreement is amended to change the addresses for notice to the following:

 

If to Ticketmaster, to:

Ticketmaster Corporation

 

3701 Wilshire Blvd., 9th Floor

 

Los Angeles, CA 90010

 

 

 

Attn: Terry Barnes, President and CEO,

 

and Daniel R. Goodman, Executive V.P.

 

and General Counsel

 

 

With a copy to:

Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg

 

Two North LaSalle Street

 

Suite 2100

 

Chicago, Illinois 60602

 

Attn:  Norman J, Gantz

 

 

If to User, to:

Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership

 

c/o AP Tickets, Inc.

 

One Harry S. Truman Drive

 

Landover, Maryland 20785

 

Attn:   Abe Pollin

 

  Paul d’Eustachio

 

 

With a copy to:

Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC

 

1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.

 

Washington, D.C. 20036-5339

 

Attn:   David M. Osnos

 

15.                                   Conflicting Terms. In the event a conflict arises between this Amendment and the terms and conditions of the License Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Amendment shall control. Except as specifically set forth herein to the contrary, all of the terms and conditions of the License Agreement are in full force and effect, shall continue in full force and effect throughout the term and are hereby ratified and confirmed by the parties.

 

8



 

16.                                   Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed and delivered in multiple counterparts, each of which, when so executed and delivered, shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER CORPORATION,

 

TICKETMASTER GROUP LIMITED PARTNERSHIP,

an Illinois corporation

 

a Maryland limited partnership

 

 

 

 

 

By:

AP Tickets, Inc., its sole General Partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Terry Barnes

 

By:

 /s/ Paul d’Eustachio

Title:

President and CEO

 

Name:

     Paul d’Eustachio

 

 

 

Title:

     President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGREED TO AS OF THE DATE HEREOF FOR

PURPOSES OF SECTION 10.

 

WASHINGTON SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

 

 

By:

 Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

9



EX-10.14 19 a2187104zex-10_14.htm EXHIBIT 10.14

Exhibit 10.14

 

Paul d’Eustachio
President

 

 

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

July 28, 1997

1 Harry S. Truman Drive

 

Landover Maryland 20785

 

(301) 808-4300

 

Fax (301) 808-4325

 

Ned S. Goldstein

Senior Vice President
and General Counsel

Ticketmaster Corporation
8800 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069

 

Re:      License Agreement

 

Dear Mr. Goldstein:

 

Ticketmaster has raised a question of whether “Additional Payments” are due under the License Agreement in connection with certain tickets sold by the USAir Arena, Baltimore Arena and Patriot Center box offices. In response, we have carefully reviewed the issue of box office sales, sought to compile relevant information and reached the following conclusions.

 

First, while there is some ambiguity in the terms of the License Agreement, and in their application to this matter, TGLP will make an Additional Payment to Ticketmaster in connection with certain tickets sold by the USAir Arena box office. Second, TGLP does not believe that Additional Payments are due in connection with sales by the Baltimore Arena and Patriot Center box offices. Both conclusions are discussed further below.

 

Turning first to the USAir Arena, it imposes a $1.00 service charge upon certain advance sale tickets sold through the box office. There is no service charge upon season tickets or date-of-event sales. Nor are service charges imposed on advance sales to certain events, such as Ringling Brothers and Disney on Ice.

 

The USAir Arena also sells a limited number of tickets on what it refers to as a consignment basis. This typically involves the advance sale to a third-party of a block of tickets for a particular event. Service charges for consignments generally range from $2 to $5 per ticket.

 

USAir Arena box office employees generate a daily spreadsheet which includes a line item showing service charges collected that day. Using these spread sheets, the USAir Arena Accounting Department then prepares monthly spreadsheets compiling total service charges collected. This line item includes both the $1.00 service charge applied to certain advance sales and the consignment charges.

 

Total service charge income for the USAir Arena box office during the previous three fiscal years (July 1, 1994 through June 30, 1997) was as follows:

 

1995

 

$

69,079

 

1996

 

$

77,240

 

1997

 

$

87,945

 

 

CONCERTS  ·  SPORTS  ·  PERFORMING ARTS · CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS  ·  FAMILY & SPECIAL EVENTS  ·  CLUBS

 



 

To ensure that Ticketmaster receives all payments to which it may be entitled under the License Agreement, we have assumed that each dollar of revenue collected reflects one ticket sold. In fact, the number of tickets to which a service charge applied was substantially less, because the service charges applied to consignments exceeded $1.00 per ticket.

 

Using that assumption, we then made the following calculations:

 

 

 

 

 

Per Ticket Amount

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under License

 

 

 

Fiscal Year

 

Number of Tickets

 

Agreement

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1995

 

69,079

 

.07

 

$

4,836

 

1996

 

77,240

 

.08

 

$

6,179

 

1997

 

87,945

 

.08

 

$

7.036

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

 

$

18,051

 

 

The USAir Arena Accounting Department no longer has records which isolate service charge income from all other sources of revenue for fiscal years 1992, 1993 and 1994. We have, however, compiled information enabling us to make a relatively accurate computation of the number of tickets to which a service charge was applied, and made assumptions in Ticketmaster’s favor designed to ensure that it receives all Additional Payments to which it may be entitled.

 

Again assuming that every dollar of service charge revenue reflects one ticket sold, during each of fiscal years 1995, 1996 and 1997 approximately 8% of all tickets sold by the USAir Arena box office carried a service charge. (The total number of box office sales during fiscal years 1995, 1996 and 1997 were 920,229, 934,982 and 1,120,045, respectively.) Although, for the reasons set forth above, that assumption substantially overstates the actual number of tickets subject to a service charge, we have applied the same 8% figure to the total number of tickets sold by the USAir Arena box office for fiscal years 1992, 1993 and 1994. Total box office ticket sales those years were 833,925, 828,476 and 8X8,225, respectively. Applying the 8% figure, this translates to 66,714, 66,278 and 71,058 tickets bearing a service charge during those years.

 

We then made the following calculations:

 

 

 

 

 

Per Ticket Amount

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under License

 

 

 

Fiscal Year

 

Number of Tickets

 

Agreement

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1992

 

66,714

 

.06

 

$

4,003

 

1993

 

66,278

 

.06

 

3,977

 

1994

 

71,058

 

.07

 

4,974

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

 

$

12,954

 

 

2



 

Enclosed is a check for $ 31,005, reflecting Additional Payments for the period July 1, 1991 through June 30, 1997, for box office sales at the USAir Arena, 1 believe that this payment exceeds the maximum amount potentially due under the License Agreement. In addition, it is our intention to work with the USAir Arena to establish a system for reporting such sales, and remitting payments to Ticketmaster, each year going forward.

 

The USAir Arena also charges season ticket holders a handling fee in connection with certain transactions, such as the exchange of tickets to one game for those of another. It is a flat fee (generally $5.00) and does not vary according to the number of tickets involved. We do not believe that an Additional Payment is due under the License Agreement in connection with these handling fees, but provide this information to ensure that the factual record is complete.

 

Turning to the Baltimore Arena, I am informed that it imposes a $1.00 service charge on all tickets purchased at the box office with a credit card. The purpose of the charge is to offset the credit card commission the City of Baltimore must pay to the credit card company with respect to such sales. The box office also sells a small number of consignment tickets to various events, for which the service charge is $3.00. Both service charges are paid to the City.

 

It is my understanding that under the current Management Agreement between Baltimore and Centre Group, Centre Group’s compensation for managing the Baltimore Arena is based upon the degree of improvement in the net operating loss of the Arena below $650,000. Net operating loss is defined as gross revenue less operating expenses. The first $100,000 of improvement goes to the City; the next $100,000 goes to Centre Group; reductions of net operating loss of more than $200,000, but less than $800,000, are split 50%-50% between the City and Centre Group; and reductions of more than $800,000 are shared 65% by the City and 35% by Centre Group.

 

In our view, no Additional Payment is due in connection with tickets sold by the Baltimore Arena box office. The service charges are imposed by the City, are paid to the City, and principally offset associated credit card expenses. As an aside, it is my understanding that the total number of ticket sales by the Baltimore Arena box office to which a service charge is applied is quite small. Indeed, I am informed that the City’s total service charge income has been less than $20,000 per year, the bulk of which consists of credit Card charges. Accordingly, should Ticketmaster disagree with our position, the amount at issue is less than $2,000 per year, and less than $10,000 for the entire term of the License Agreement.

 

Next, I understand that George Mason University imposes a $1.00 service charge on certain advance ticket sales at the Patriot Center box office. Sales to University events (such as basketball games) and children’s events (such as Disney and the Barney Show) are excluded. The service charges are paid to the University, and are included in the gross revenue of the Patriot Center.

 

It is my understanding that pursuant to the Management Agreement for the Patriot Center between the University and Centre Group, Centre Group receives a fixed fee of $250,000 per year, and a variable fee based on building gross revenue. The variable fee is two percent of building revenue if building expenses are more than 70 percent of revenue; 2.5 percent of building revenue if building expenses are between 60

 

3



 

percent and 70 percent of revenue; and three percent of building revenue if building expenses are less than 60 percent of revenue. The total fee is capped by the requirement that the fixed fee must be at least 51 percent of the total fee paid to Centre Group.

 

In our view, no Additional Payment is due in connection with sales by the Patriot Center box office. The service charge is paid to the University, and there is no direct tie between that charge and Centre Group’s compensation. We do not believe that it was the intent of the License Agreement to require an Additional Payment in these circumstances. This is illustrated by the fact that if an Additional Payment was due upon the sale of such tickets, it would substantially exceed the highest potential increase in Centre Group’s variable fee by reason of the imposition of the service charge. Specifically, while the maximum amount of the variable fee can be 2 - 3% of additional revenue generated (i. e., two or three cents), the Additional Payment would be eight cents per ticket. Plainly, neither TGLP nor an affiliate would choose to implement a program under which, in the best case, it was net out-of-pocket five cents per ticket sold by reason of the imposition of a service charge.

 

I am informed by Centre Group that the Patriot Center box office applied the $1.00 service charge to less than 40,000 tickets annually from 1991 through today. Accordingly, should Ticketmaster disagree with our position, the amount at issue is less than $4,000 per year, and less than $20,000 for the entire term of the License Agreement.

 

This letter is written for the purpose of resolving disputes between TGLP and Ticketmaster with respect to the issue of box office sales. While we do not agree with all of the positions that Ticketmaster has taken with respect to the relevant terms of the License Agreement (such as the definition of an affiliate and other relevant terms), the sums involved with respect to the issue of box office sales are quite small, and in our view should not be a source of ongoing disagreements. TGLP’s goal is to fully satisfy any obligations owing to Ticketmaster, and to avoid the recurrence of these issues in the future. To that end, I am willing to provide Ticketmaster with additional information concerning these issues, independently of the outstanding litigation. We will also consider any countervailing points you wish to raise, or proposed solutions, and address them promptly.

 

In closing, I must emphasize that much of the information set forth above was compiled by me (or at my direction), and first came to my attention, as a result of the questions recently raised. To my knowledge, neither Ticketmaster nor TGLP previously focused upon these questions. There has never been any intention to withhold funds owing to Ticketmaster.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Paul d’Eustachio

 

Paul d’Eustachio

 

 

Enclosure

 

cc:

Abe Pollin

 

David Osnos

 

4



EX-10.15 20 a2187104zex-10_15.htm EXHIBIT 10.15

Exhibit 10.15

 

TICKETMASTER CONSENT AND AGREEMENT

 

This CONSENT AND AGREEMENT (this “Consent”), dated as of January 5, 1996, made by Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, a Maryland partnership (with its successors and assigns, “TGLP”) and Ticketmaster Corporation, an Illinois corporation (with its successors and assigns, the “Consenting Party”), to NationsBank, N.A., as collateral agent (the “Collateral Agent”) for (i) certain banks (the “BANKS”) party to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 1995 among TGLP and its affiliates, the Banks and NationsBank, N.A., acting in its capacity as agent for the Banks (as amended, modified of supplemented from time to time, the “Senior Credit Agreement”) and (ii) MCI Telecommunications Corporation (with its successors and assigns, “MCI”), as lender under the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 1995 (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “Subordinated Credit Agreement” and together with the Senior Credit Agreement, the “Credit Agreements”).

 

WHEREAS, TGLP’and the Consenting Party have entered into a License Agreement dated as of May 23, 1991 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Assigned Agreement”); and

 

WHEREAS, TGLP has assigned to the Collateral Agent for security purposes, all of TGLP’s right, title and interest in the Assigned Agreement as collateral for TGLP’s obligations under the Credit Agreements and the security documents (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “Security Documents”) executed in connection therewith.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

Section 1.    Consents.  The Consenting Party:

 

(a)    Consents to the assignment by TGLP to the Collateral Agent of all of TGLP’s right, title and interest in the Assigned Agreement as collateral for the obligations of TGLP under the Credit Agreements and the Security Documents.

 

(b)    Acknowledges (and TGLP confirms) the Collateral Agent’s right to enforce all obligations to and exercise all rights and remedies of TGLP under the Assigned Agreement.

 

(c)    Agrees that the Consenting Party shall not materially modify the Assigned Agreement without the prior written consent of the Collateral Agent.

 

(d)    Agrees that, in the event of any default by TGLP under the Assigned Agreement, the Consenting Party will not terminate the Assigned Agreement until it first gives written notice to the Collateral Agent and affords the Collateral Agent a reasonable opportunity (not less than 30 days) to cure such default.

 



 

(e)    Agrees that the Collateral Agent shall not be subject to any duty or obligation under the Assigned Agreement unless and until the Collateral Agent exercises its rights to substitute itself or its designee for TGLP under the Assigned Agreement.

 

(f)    Agrees that if the Collateral Agent shall sell, assign or transfer its rights, title or interest in the Assigned Agreement pursuant to the exercise of its remedies under the Security Documents, the purchaser, assignee or transferee shall be substituted for TGLP and the Consenting Party will continue to perform its obligations under the Assigned Agreement.

 

Section 2.    Representations and Warranties.

 

The Consenting Party represents and warrants that:   (a) each of this Consent and the Assigned Agreement is in full force and effect and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Consenting Party, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights or by equitable principles; and (b) neither of the Consenting Party nor, to the best of the Consenting Party’s knowledge, TGLP is in default of any obligation under the Assigned Agreement and neither has any existing counterclaims, offsets or defenses against the other.

 

Section 3.    Miscellaneous.

 

(a)    Subject to Section 4 herein, the Consenting Party shall pay all monies due to TGLP under the Assigned Agreement directly to the Collateral Agent at an address to be furnished by the Collateral Agent.

 

(b)    All notices hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the applicable address specified herein on the signature page (unless otherwise directed by a party). In addition, notices to MCI shall be sent to:   1133 19th Street, N.W., Washington, DC.   20036; Attention:   Assistant General Counsel – Network & Facilities; Telecopy:  (202) 736-6666.

 

(c)    This Consent shall be binding upon the parties and their respective successors and assigns, provided, however, that the Consenting Party shall not transfer or assign its obligations under this Consent or the Assigned Agreement without the prior written consent of the Collateral Agent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

(d)    No failure or delay by the Collateral Agent in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof.   The rights and remedies herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies the Collateral Agent may otherwise have.

 

2



 

(e)    This Consent may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

(f)    In case any provision of this Consent shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.  In the event of a conflict between this Consent and the Assigned Agreement, the terms of this Consent shall control.

 

(g)    This Consent shall be construed under and be governed by the laws of District of Columbia (without giving effect to conflicts of law principles thereof).

 

Section 4.    Rights of MCI.

 

(a)    Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, MCI’s rights under this Consent shall be subordinate to those of the Banks under the Senior Credit Agreement.  Upon the Consenting Party’s receipt of notice from the Collateral Agent that the obligations of TGLP and its affiliates under the Senior Credit Agreement have been performed or paid in full,  MCI shall automatically succeed to the rights of the Collateral Agent hereunder, without further action.

 

(b)    Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, all notices sent to the Collateral Agent pursuant to this Consent shall also be sent to MCI in the manner and at the address specified in Section 3 herein.

 

3



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their duly authorized officers to execute and deliver this Consent and Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

NATIONSBANK, N.A., as
Collateral Agent

TICKETMASTER CORPORATION

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

Name:

 Authorized Signatory

 

Name:

 Authorized Signatory

Title:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Attention:

Peter Knickerbocker

Attention:

 

 

Address:

6610 Rockledge Drive

Address:

 

Bethesda, MD 20817

 

 

 

 

Telephone:

(301) 493-7053

Telephone:

Telecopy:

(301) 493-7262

Telecopy:

 

 

AGREED AND ACCEPTED:

 

 

TICKETMASTER GROUP LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP

MCI TELECOMMUNICATIONS
CORPORATION

 

By:   AP Tickets, Inc.,
as General Partner

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

Name:

 Authorized Signatory

 

Name:

 Authorized Signatory

Title:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 



EX-10.16 21 a2187104zex-10_16.htm EXHIBIT 10.16

Exhibit 10.16

 

LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the 23rd day of May, 1991, by and between Ticketmaster corporation, an Illinois corporation (“Ticketmaster”), and Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership, a Maryland limited partnership (“User”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H :

 

WHEREAS, Ticketmaster is the owner of certain software systems, accounting procedures and know-how which, in the aggregate, comprise a computerized event ticketing system (the “System”); and

 

WHEREAS, Ticketmaster is the owner of and/or claims ownership rights to the name, mark and logo “Ticketmaster” (the “Mark”), which Mark is used in conjunction and identified with the System; and

 

WHEREAS, the System and the Mark are known within the computerized ticketing industry and by the public as connoting a high level of quality and service; and

 

WHEREAS, User desires to be granted a license by Ticketmaster to use the System and the Mark in connection with User’s computerized event ticketing business in the territory described in Exhibit I attached hereto (the “Market Area”);

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1.  License. Ticketmaster hereby grants to User an exclusive right and license to use the System and (solely in connection with the System and the provision of computerized ticketing services) the Mark within the Market Area; subject to the rights retained by Ticketmaster in accordance with Section 5 hereof.

 

User hereby acknowledges that the System and the name “Ticketmaster” are highly regarded in the computerized ticketing industry and by the public, and that Ticketmaster deems it important that all persons using the System or such name operate in a manner consistent with good business practice. Accordingly, User agrees to operate its business in a manner that will not negatively affect the reputation of the System or the Ticketmaster name, including, without limitation thereby, the prompt settlement of accounts and the honoring of all bona fide obligations.

 

Ticketmaster further assigns all of its right, title and interest in and to those certain agreements described on Exhibit II attached hereto to User, it being agreed and understood that (i) such agreements are assigned by Ticketmaster to User as is, and without any representations and warranties whatsoever, and (ii)

 



 

User shall indemnify and hold. Ticketmaster and its officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives, affiliates, shareholders, successors and assigns harmless from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys fees) arising from or related to such agreements and to the performance thereof by User at any time from and after the date hereof.

 

2.                                     Term. The initial term of this Agreement and the license granted hereby shall commence on the date hereof, and shall remain in force, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the provisions hereof, until the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Operational Date.  This Agreement may be renewed by User for two additional five year terms by written notice of renewal delivered by User to Ticketmaster no less than 90 but no more than 150 days prior to the expiration of the then current term of this Agreement so long as User is not in default under this Agreement either at the time such notice is delivered or at the time the renewal period is scheduled to commence.

 

As used in this Agreement, (A) the term “Operational Date” shall mean the date upon which the System becomes operational in the Market Area or any part thereof, and (B) the term “Operational Year” shall mean the twelve-month period commencing on the Operational Date and ending on the first anniversary of such date and each twelve month period thereafter.

 

3.                                     Base Payments. User shall pay to Ticketmaster during each year of the term hereof a minimum annual royalty in the amount of $125,000 for the right to use the System and the Mark in the Market Area (the “Base Payment”). The Base Payment shall be payable in advance in equal quarterly installments commencing on the Operational Date.

 

All Base Payments shall be made by User directly to Ticketmaster in United States Dollars in the manner designated by Ticketmaster from time to time during the term of this Agreement, which may include wire transfer into a Ticketmaster bank account.

 

4.                                     Additional Payments. In addition to the Base Payments, User shall pay to Ticketmaster with respect to each Operational Year an additional royalty (the “Additional Payment”) equal to (i) the Number of Tickets Sold multiplied by the Per Ticket Amount minus (ii) the aggregate Base Payments actually paid by User to Ticketmaster during that Operational year. To the extent that in any Operational Year part (i) of the foregoing calculation does not exceed part (ii) thereof, no Additional Payment shall be made by User to Ticketmaster for that Operational Year and Ticketmaster shall not be obligated to return any portion of the Base Payments paid during such Operational Year or to credit any amount against Additional Payments payable in any succeeding Operational Year. As used herein “Number of Tickets Sold” shall mean for any

 

2



 

Operational Year the number of tickets sold or distributed by User, whether or not by or through the System or using the Mark, in the Market Area and to which a customer convenience charge or service charge is or normally is attached, whether at remote ticket outlets, by telephone, by mail order, at facility box offices, at User locations or elsewhere (exclusive of complimentary and season tickets and tickets sold at a facility box office by a party not affiliated with User where that party assesses a service charge no part of which accrues to the benefit or is otherwise payable to User or User’s affiliates). Further, as used herein, the “Per Ticket Amount” shall be the amount set forth below during each of the indicated Operational Years (including permissible renewal periods):

 

 

 

The Per Ticket

During Operational years

 

Amount Shall Be

 

 

 

1 through 2

 

$

0.06

3 through 4

 

$

0.07

5 through 6

 

$

0.08

7 through 8

 

$

0.09

9 through 10

 

$

0.10

11 through 12

 

$

0.11

13 through 14

 

$

0.12

15 through 16

 

$

0.13

17 through 18

 

$

0.14

19 through 20

 

$

0.15

 

In the event that this Agreement is terminated for any reason prior to its expiration, the period commencing on the day following the end of the prior Operational Year and ending on the date of termination shall be deemed to be an Operational Year for purposes of this Agreement.

 

Additional Payments for each Operational Year shall be calculated and paid by User to Ticketmaster in United States Dollars on a quarterly basis, within ten (10) days following any quarter during an Operational Year in which the aggregate per ticket royalty for such year exceeds the Base Payment for such year and in each quarter thereafter during any such year. All Additional Payments shall be made by User directly to Ticketmaster in the manner designated by Ticketmaster from time to time during the term of this Agreement, which may include wire transfer into a Ticketmaster bank account.

 

Within ten (10) days after the end of each quarter of the term hereof, User shall deliver to Ticketmaster a report of all tickets sold, printed, produced and distributed by User in the Market Area during such quarter, which report shall contain such information as may be necessary for Ticketmaster to calculate Additional Payments and such other information as Ticketmaster may reasonably request. Ticketmaster shall be entitled upon reasonable notice to

 

3



 

User to access to the books and records of User during User’s normal business hours and at User’s premises for purposes of confirming and computing the amounts of Additional Payments payable hereunder; provided, however, that access to such books and records by Ticketmaster shall not unduly disrupt normal business operations of User.

 

5.                                     Ticketmaster Rights. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Ticketmaster is hereby retaining the right for itself and for its affiliates to sell, by telephone and/or at outlets, tickets or other evidences of admission or entitlement to attend or receive transmission of the following events within the Market Area and User shall have no right, license or interest in or to use the System or the Mark with respect to said events:

 

(a)                                  Any pay per view events for cable systems, whether by use of an 800 number or otherwise; and

 

(b)                                 Special events, which do not involve any traditional venues or tickets on sale to the general public;

 

; provided, however, that User will have the right and license, on a nonexclusive basis, to use the System and the Mark with respect to pay per view events for cable systems serving only the Market Area and no other areas outside of the Market Area.

 

6.                                     Title.

 

(a)                                Title, beneficial interest and all ownership rights to the System, the Mark and all related materials furnished by Ticketmaster and licensed under this Agreement shall remain in Ticketmaster. User hereby acknowledges that the System, the Mark and all related materials furnished by Ticketmaster hereunder are claimed by Ticketmaster to be Ticketmaster’s proprietary information and trade secrets, whether or not any portion thereof is, or may be, validly copyrighted, patented, trademarked or otherwise protected.

 

(b)                               User’s rights in and to the System and the Mark furnished by Ticketmaster as a result of this Agreement may not be assigned, licensed or otherwise transferred voluntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Ticketmaster.

 

(c)                                Ticketmaster and/or User may add to, delete from or modify the System and all related materials furnished by Ticketmaster hereunder in any manner, but no such changes, however extensive, shall reduce Ticketmaster’s title to the System. Any improvements made by User shall be and remain the confidential, proprietary property and information of User except that Ticketmaster shall retain

 

4



 

all proprietary rights in the underlying System as so improved and User shall not have any right to use the System as so improved without the prior written consent of Ticketmaster (except pursuant to this Agreement).

 

(d)                                 User acknowledges and agrees that Ticketmaster has acquired all right, title and interest in and to all equipment formerly used in connection with the Ticketron System including, but not limited to, any such equipment or personal computers used at any facility box offices or outlets in the Market Area, but excluding, as to the Market Area, (i) the personal computers, printers and CRTs currently installed and being used in the facility box office at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, (ii) the printers and CRTs currently installed and being operated in the facility box offices at Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, and Patriot Center in Fairfax County, Virginia, and (iii) all “dumb” CRTs formerly being used by Ticketron in the Market Area and attached cabling (but not including any new CRTs).

 

7.                                       Use of the System and Mark.

 

(a)                                  The System (including any changes thereto made by or on behalf of Ticketmaster or User) and all related materials may be used for, by or on behalf of User only in connection with any computer equipment which User uses solely for, or solely in connection with, computerized ticketing at the facility locations and remote terminal locations within the Market Area. The System may not be utilized in connection with any additional physical computer facilities (or other computers), for any other reason or by or for any other person, firm, corporation or other organization, without the prior written consent of Ticketmaster.

 

(b)                                 User agrees that the Mark shall be the sole mark and name utilized by it in connection with the System and the operation of its ticketing business, and shall not be used with any other marks or names.

 

(c)                                  The Mark shall be used by User in accordance with such quality control standards as Ticketmaster may from time to time prescribe for use by its non-affiliated licensees with respect to products and services in connection with which the Mark is utilized. Further, User shall only use the Mark together with such notations as Ticketmaster may from time to time prescribe for purposes of advising the public of service mark, trademark and similar protection. User shall cease all use of the Mark ten (10) days after notice from Ticketmaster that User has failed to comply with any such standard unless, within such ten (10)-day

 

5



 

period, User corrects such failure to the satisfaction of Ticketmaster.

 

(d)                                 Neither User nor any of its employees, agents or representatives shall reproduce, duplicate or otherwise copy the System or any related materials furnished by Ticketmaster hereunder or any portion thereof, except for internal use directly with the System. All such materials and any copies thereof shall be returned by User to Ticketmaster immediately following termination or expiration of this Agreement.

 

8.                                        Warranties. Ticketmaster warrants to User that it is the owner of the System end the Mark (or claims ownership rights to the Mark) and has the right to grant this license to User. Ticketmaster further warrants that the System to be installed in the Market Area will be substantially the same as, and will be capable of performing (if used with the same equipment and subject to limitations based on size and capacity) as, the basic system currently being operated by Ticketmaster and its licensees in San Francisco and Philadelphia. The System does not include certain custom enhancements such as direct line credit card authorization, disaster recovery, off-line archiving of accounts, nitrun, remote VAXNET software and the TM fraud program, all of which may be purchased separately. IN THE EVENT OF ANY BREACH OF THE WARRANTY CONTAINED IN THE PREVIOUS SENTENCE, TICKETMASTER’S SOLE RESPONSIBILITY SHALL BE TO USE ITS BEST EFFORTS TO CORRECT THE SYSTEM SO THAT IT PERFORMS IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED ABOVE. THE WARRANTIES CONTAINED IN THIS PARAGRAPH 8 ARE IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

User hereby warrants to Ticketmaster that (i) it is a duly organized and validly existing limited partnership under the laws of the State of Maryland; (ii) it has all necessary power and authority to execute and perform this Agreement in accordance with its terms; (iii) the execution and performance of this Agreement by it will not breach, constitute a default under or violate any of User’s governing instruments or any agreement to which it is a party or by which its assets may be bound; (iv) this Agreement is enforceable against User in accordance with its terms; and (v) no approvals or consents of any third party (including any government agency) is necessary in order for User to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform hereunder.

 

9.                                       Breach of Warranty.

 

(a)                                  Ticketmaster shall, at its expense, defend any action brought against User to the extent such action is based on a claim that the use of the System or the Mark directly infringes any service mark, trademark, copyright or patent (“Infringement Action”) and Ticketmaster shall

 

6



 

pay any and all costs, expenses, damages, recoveries, deficiencies and attorneys’ fees awarded against User in any Infringement Action; provided that (i) Ticketmaster’s obligations under this Paragraph 9(a) are conditioned on User’s promptly notifying Ticketmaster of any Infringement Action (and all claims relating thereto); and (ii) Ticketmaster shall have sole control of the defense and all negotiations for compromise of any Infringement Action. Ticketmaster assumes no liability for the modification of the System, or any part thereof, unless such modification is made by Ticketmaster.  THE FOREGOING STATES THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE LIABILITY OF TICKETMASTER AND THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY OF USER FOR SERVICE MARK, TRADEMARK, COPYRIGHT OR PATENT INFRINGEMENT.

 

(b)                                 User’s remedy for any breach of warranty shall be limited solely to the remedies provided in this Agreement.  All other liability, either in contract or tort, is expressly disclaimed, waived and negated. In no event shall Ticketmaster be liable to User for any consequential or exemplary damages resulting from a breach of any warranty contained in this Agreement or any implied warranty or any requirement existing and applicable under the law, which contrary to the intention of the parties hereto, the law status cannot be or is not disclaimed, waived or negated.

 

10.                                 Restrictive Covenants.

 

(a)                                  User recognizes and acknowledges that the System and all related materials furnished to User by Ticketmaster hereunder represent highly confidential, proprietary information of Ticketmaster and constitutes a valuable, special and unique asset of and to the business of Ticketmaster. User covenants and agrees that, during and after the term hereof, no information, source materials, design specifications, programs, flow charts, listings, magnetic tapes, disks, punched cards, documentation or other supporting or related materials and information of any nature or description whatsoever relating to the design and operation of the System, or any portion thereof, are made available or disclosed by User, its general partner or any of their principals, officers, directors, employees, agents or representatives, directly or indirectly, to any other person, firm or corporation, for any reason or purpose whatsoever or, directly or indirectly, used by User, its general partner, or any of their principals, employees, agents or representatives; provided, however, that user may disclose pertinent portions of the System to those of its employees, agents or representatives who have a need to have access to such portions of the System in order to enable User to use the

 

7



 

System within the Market Area, and further provided that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to information within the public domain.  Ticketmaster shall have the right to bring legal action to prevent a breach or threatened breach of this confidentiality agreement and to pursue any other legal or equitable remedies for any such breach or threatened breach,  and User shall reimburse Ticketmaster for all costs and expenses, including but not limited to attorneys’ fees, incurred by Ticketmaster with respect thereto. User shall notify Ticketmaster of any such breach immediately upon discovery of such breach.  Additionally, User shall use the System only in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof; and after the expiration of the term hereof, or earlier termination of this Agreement, User shall: (i) cease all use of the System, the Mark and all related materials furnished hereunder by Ticketmaster, (ii) return to Ticketmaster all information, source materials, design specifications, programs, flow charts, listings, magnetic tapes, disks, punched cards, documentation and other supporting or related materials relating to the System (and copies thereof) ,  (iii) warrant that all such documentation and materials (and copies thereof) have been returned to Ticketmaster or have been destroyed, and (iv) warrant that any and all use of the Mark has ceased.

 

(b)                                 During the term of this Agreement, neither User, its general partner, nor any of their principal’s subsidiaries, affiliates, successors or assigns shall, directly or indirectly, as principal, agent, shareholder, partner, joint venturer, investor or in any other capacity or by any other means whatsoever, (i) compete with Ticketmaster or its affiliates within the Market Area in the computerized ticketing business or (ii) solicit the employment by User, its general partner, or any of their principals, subsidiaries, affiliates, successors or assigns of any employee of Ticketmaster or its affiliates.

 

(c)                                  User acknowledges that the remedy at law for any breach or threatened breach of the agreements and covenants set forth in this Paragraph 10 will be inadequate, and Ticketmaster shall be entitled to preliminary and permanent injunctive relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, without the requirement of posting bond or any other condition precedent thereto, for any breach or threatened breach of the agreements and covenants contained in this Paragraph 10. Such remedy shall be in addition to, and not in limitation of, any other remedy available to Ticketmaster at law, in equity or otherwise, and may be obtained by Ticketmaster notwithstanding any

 

8



 

assertion by User that Ticketmaster’s claims to proprietary rights in its confidential information is invalid or unenforceable.

 

(d)                                 Termination or expiration of this Agreement shall not terminate the continuing confidentiality obligations imposed upon User, its employees, servants and agents by the terms of this Paragraph 10.

 

(e)                                  At Ticketmaster’s request, User shall require each person permitted access to any of the confidential information to execute a confidentiality agreement in such form and containing such terms as Ticketmaster shall determine.

 

11.                                 Termination.

 

(a)                                  This Agreement may be immediately terminated by Ticketmaster if:

 

(i)                                   User shall dissolve or commence winding up its activities to effect dissolution, liquidation or termination, or shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or shall admit, in writing, its inability to pay its debts as they become due, or shall file a voluntary petition in bankruptcy, or shall be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent or shall file any petition or answer seeking any reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar relief under any present or future statute, law or regulation, or shall file any answer admitting or not contesting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceedings, or shall seek, consent to or acquiesce in the appointment of any trustee, receiver or liquidator of User or of all or any substantial part of the properties of User;

 

(ii)                                User, its general partner (or any of their principals, officers, directors, employees, agents or representatives) shall breach, or threaten to breach, any of the confidentiality obligations of User or any of them set forth in Paragraph 10 hereof; or

 

(iii)                             User shall fail to pay when due any amounts owing Ticketmaster under, or to observe or perform any terms or conditions of, this Agreement (other than Paragraph 10); provided, that any such failure shall continue for a

 

9



 

period of seven (7) days after Ticketmaster has given written notice thereof to User.

 

(b)                                 This Agreement may be immediately terminated by User if Ticketmaster shall dissolve or commence winding up its activities to effect dissolution, liquidation or termination, or shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or shall admit, in writing, its inability to pay its debts as they become due, or shall file a voluntary petition in bankruptcy, or shall be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent or shall file any petition or answer seeking any reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar relief under any present or future statute, law or regulation, or shall file any answer admitting or not contesting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceedings, or shall seek, consent to acquiesce in the appointment of any trustee, receiver or liquidator of Ticketmaster or of all or any substantial part of the properties of Ticketmaster.

 

(c)                                  Upon any such termination, (i) any past due or currently due payments (including Additional Payments for the period from the beginning of the then current License Year through the date of termination) shall become due and payable (or, if applicable, prepaid Base Payments for the remainder of the current License Year quarter shall be reimbursed), and (ii) this Agreement and the license granted hereby shall forthwith be revoked and of no further force or effect except as stated otherwise herein. Ticketmaster’s and User’s right to terminate this Agreement shall be in addition to and without prejudice to any other remedies such party may have, except as otherwise specifically provided herein.

 

(d)                                 Immediately upon any such termination User shall surrender to Ticketmaster, and Ticketmaster shall have the right peacefully to take, possession of the System, and User shall further cease to use the Mark. Ticketmaster shall thereafter own and hold the System and the Mark free of any claim or interest of User. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, User shall immediately after any such termination legally change its name so that its name shall no longer include the word “Ticketmaster” or any derivation thereof.  User shall indemnify and hold Ticketmaster harmless from and against any claim, loss, expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) or liability whatsoever resulting from, due to or arising by reason of any misuse of the System or Mark by User in any manner.

 

10


 

12.                               Enhancements and support; Source Code.

 

(a)                                 In the event that the System shall, at any time during the term of this Agreement, fail to perform in the manner warranted by Ticketmaster in Paragraph 8 hereof, Ticketmaster shall, at no charge to User, correct the System in the manner provided in said Paragraph 8.

 

(b)                                In the event that Ticketmaster shall, at any time during the term of this Agreement, develop and complete testing of enhancements to the version of software comprising a part of the System then being used by User, and Ticketmaster shall make such enhancement available to its non-affiliated licensees on a general basis, Ticketmaster shall also make such enhancement available to User in consideration of the payment by User of any and all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Ticketmaster (including, without limitation thereby, costs of materials and personnel) in connection with making such enhancement available to User, as well as the costs of all necessary new equipment.

 

(c)                                 In the event that Ticketmaster shall, at any time during the term of this Agreement, offer to User, and User shall elect to receive, an upgrade to or improved version of the software used in the System, the implementation of which would require a conversion of User’s database, User shall pay to Ticketmaster the sum of $30,000 U.S. therefor, and Ticketmaster shall effect such conversion for and on behalf of User.

 

(d)                                In the event that User shall, at any time during the term of this Agreement, request that Ticketmaster develop custom enhancements to the System to meet certain specific performance criteria reasonably requested by User, Ticketmaster shall use its reasonable efforts to cause such custom enhancements to be developed by its programmers in consideration of the payment by User to Ticketmaster of the prevailing rate then being charged by Ticketmaster to its other non-affiliated licensees.

 

(e)                                 In addition to any other fees payable by it to Ticketmaster pursuant to this Paragraph 12, User shall be responsible, and shall immediately reimburse Ticketmaster upon invoice, for any and all expenses (including travel) incurred by Ticketmaster’s employees, agents and representatives pursuant to or in connection with Ticketmaster’s performance under Paragraph 12(b), (c) and (d) above.

 

(f)                                   During the term of this Agreement Ticketmaster shall furnish User with the access code to the System at least

 

11



 

30 days prior to the date upon which that access code is to take effect.

 

13.                                 Documentation. Ticketmaster will supply User with documentation which will enable User, after the initial training of its personnel, to operate the System.

 

14.                               Equipment. During the term of this Agreement, User shall have the right to purchase all equipment it may require from time to time to be used entirely or in material part with the System from or through Ticketmaster. The cost of any such equipment which is manufactured by a party other than by Ticketmaster shall be at Ticketmaster’s cost plus ten percent (10%). The cost of any such equipment manufactured in whole or in part for or by Ticketmaster shall be at Ticketmaster’s then current market rate to its non-affiliated licensees for such equipment. The cost of delivering and installing such equipment shall be borne solely by User.

 

15.                               Indemnification. User shall indemnify and hold Ticketmaster, and its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, assigns, officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, harmless from and against any and all losses, liabilities, damages, claims, actions, causes of action and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that said indemnified parties may incur or be responsible for as a result or by virtue of the operation of User, including, without limitation thereby, User’s use of the System, but excluding those costs, expenses, damages, recoveries, deficiencies and attorneys fees awarded in any Infringement Action  pursuant to Paragraph 10(a) above.

 

16.                               Right of First Refusal. User and, by their execution of this Agreement in the space provided below, the holders of all of the general and limited partnership interests of User (the “Partners”), agree that in the event (i) User receives an offer from a third party to purchase for cash or other property any or all of the assets of User (including this Agreement) or (ii) the Partners, or any of them, receive an offer from a third party to purchase for cash or other property any or all of the general or limited partnership interests of User, which either User or the Partners wish to accept, User or the Partners, as applicable, will cause such offer to be reduced to writing and shall deliver written notice of such offer to Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster may designate one or more persons to accept the right of first refusal contained in this Section 16. The notice from User or the Partners shall also contain an irrevocable offer by them to sell the covered assets or partnership interests to Ticketmaster or its designees at a price equal to the price, and upon substantially the same terms and conditions as the terms and conditions contained in, the offer transmitted with the notice; provided, however, that if the price is not payable solely in cash, then User or the Partners, as applicable, shall advise Ticketmaster of the reasonable value Ticketmaster of such non-cash consideration (which reasonable value Ticketmaster

 

12



 

may contest) and Ticketmaster shall be permitted to deliver cash in the amount thereof in substitution for such non-cash consideration. Ticketmaster or its designees shall have the right and option, exercisable within 15 days after delivery of the notice from User or the Partners, to accept such offer as to all, but not less than all, of the assets or partnership interests affected by the offer. The closing of the purchase of the assets or partnership interests covered by the offer by Ticketmaster or its designees shall take place at the principal office of Ticketmaster (or such other place as may be agreed upon by the parties) on the fifth business day after the expiration of the 15-day period following the giving of the notice. At such closing, Ticketmaster or its designees shall make payment of the purchase price against delivery of the assets or partnership interests covered by the offer, together with appropriate instruments of assignment and transfer. If at the end of the 15-day period following the giving of notice by User or the Partners, neither Ticketmaster nor its designees have accepted the offer as to all of the assets and partnership interests covered by the offer, then User and the Partners shall have 20 days in which to sell the assets or the partnership interests covered by the offer at a price equal to that contained in the notice and upon terms and conditions not more favorable to the offeror than were contained in the notice. If, at the end of such 20-day period, User or the Partners have not completed the sale of the assets or the partnership interests covered by the offer, then they shall no longer be permitted to sell such assets or partnership interests pursuant to this Section 16 without again fully complying with the provisions of this Section 16. During the term of this Agreement, User shall keep this Agreement free and clear of any liens, pledges, security interests and encumbrances of any kind of nature whatsoever, and the Partners shall neither sell, assign, transfer, give, donate or otherwise dispose of their partnership interests (except in accordance with the terms of this section 16).

 

17.                                 Assignment. User may not assign its rights, duties, and/or obligations hereunder, nor may the System, the Mark or any materials furnished by Ticketmaster hereunder be transferred, assigned, sublicensed or otherwise disposed of by User, without the prior written consent of Ticketmaster; provided, however, that User may assign this Agreement to an entity controlled by, controlling or under common control with User solely as part of an internal reorganization of User and its affiliates so long as such entity becomes a party to and agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

18.                                 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective, successors and assigns.

 

19.                                 Entire Agreement; Amendment. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto relative to the

 

13



 

subject matter hereof, and supersedes any and all prior agreements, written or oral, between the parties relating to such subject matter. No modifications or amendments of any of the terms hereof shall be valid or binding unless made in writing and signed by Ticketmaster and User.

 

20.                                Waiver. No waiver of any breach of any provision of this Agreement shall constitute a waiver of any prior, concurrent or subsequent breach of the same or any other provision hereof, and no waiver shall be effective unless made in writing.

 

21.                                Attorneys’ Fees. In case of any action or proceeding to compel compliance with, or for a breach of, the provisions of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the other party all costs of such action or proceeding including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees.

 

22.                                 Notices. All notices which are required or permitted hereunder shall be sufficient if given in writing and delivered personally, by telecopy or by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the party receiving such notice at the following address or at such other address as may be requested in writing by either party pursuant to this Paragraph 22:

 

If to Ticketmaster, to:

 

Ticketmaster Corporation

 

 

3701 Wilshire Boulevard

 

 

7th Floor

 

 

Los Angeles, California 90010

 

 

Attn:

Fredric D. Rosen

 

 

 

Ned S. Goldstein

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

Neal Gerber & Eisenberg

 

 

Two North LaSalle Street

 

 

Suite 2200

 

 

Chicago, Illinois 60602

 

 

Attn:

Norman J. Gantz, Esq.

 

 

 

If to User, to:

 

Ticketmaster Group Limited Partnership

 

 

c/o Abe Pollin Tickets, Inc.

 

 

One Harry S. Truman Drive

 

 

Landover, Maryland 20785

 

 

Attn:

Abe Pollin

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn

 

 

1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.

 

 

Washington, D.C. 20036

 

 

Attn:

David M. Osnos and

 

 

 

Daniel F. Van Horn

 

23.                                 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent

 

14



 

jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.  Further, should any provision of this Agreement be deemed unenforceable by virtue of its scope, such provision shall be deemed limited to the extent necessary to render the same enforceable.

 

24.                                 Law to Govern. The validity construction and enforceability of this Agreement shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Any legal proceeding or other action taken or to be taken by any of the parties hereto relative to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, or to enforce or interpret the terms and conditions of this Agreement, shall be instituted in a state or Federal court located in Cook County, Illinois.  The parties hereto hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of any such court and irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such proceeding or action.  The parties hereto agree that a final judgment, from which no further appeal may be taken or from which no further petition for review may be filed, in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgement or in any other manner provided by law.

 

25.                                 Headings. The headings of paragraphs in this Agreement have been inserted for the convenience of reference only and shall in no way restrict or otherwise modify the terms of this Agreement.

 

26.                                 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but each of which together shall constitute one and the same document.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

TICKETMASTER CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER GROUP LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP

 

 

 

By:   AP TICKETS, INC.,
its General Partner

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

15



 

AGREED TO AS OF THE DATE

HEREOF FOR PURPOSES OF
SECTION 16

 

GENERAL PARTNER:

 

AP TICKETS,  INC.,
a Maryland corporation

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIMITED PARTNER:

 

 

 

CENTER GROUP LIMITED PARTNERSHIP,
a Maryland limited partnership

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Abe Pollin Sports,  Inc.,
its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

 

16



 

EXHIBIT I

 

MARKET AREA

 

(a)                            The State of Maryland.

 

(b)                           Washington, D.C., and

 

(c)                            The independent cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park, and the Counties of Arlington, Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William, in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 



 

EXHIBIT II

 

ASSIGNED AGREEMENTS

 

Centre Group Limited Partnership (Capital Centre)

Stage Right Production

Baltimore Museum of Art

Fast Lane Presents

The Washington Savoyards

The Washington Performing Arts Society

L’ Afrique, Inc. (The Kilimanjaro Club)

InterArt Project

Centre Group Limited Partnership (Baltimore Arena)

DAR Constitution Hall

Washington Ballet, Inc.

D.C. Armory Board (R.F.K. Stadium and D.C. Armory)

Morgan State University Fine Arts

The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Inc.

G Street Express

Centre Group Limited Partnership (Patriot Center)

Col Arts Associates, Inc. (Merriweather Post Pavilion)

George Washington University (Lisner Auditorium, Smith Center)

Lyric Opera House

Towson State University

The American University (Khashoggi Center)

The Kemper Open Golf Tournament

The Baltimore Zoo

Blues Alley

Birchmere Inc.

Cellar Door Productions

Alden Theatre (no contract)

The Bayou (no contract)

Ford’s Theatre

Hammerjacks

The Kennedy Center

The Olney Theatre

Pier 6

TicketPlace (no contract)

University of Maryland

Washington Performing Arts Society

Wild World

John Yates Productions (no contract)

Wolf Trap Barns (no contract)

Wolf Trap Filene Center (no contract)

BACI Productions

Dimensions Unlimited

IMP/9:30 Club (no contract)

Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (no contract)

 



EX-10.17 22 a2187104zex-10_17.htm EXHIBIT 10.17

Exhibit 10.17

 

TICKETMASTER
2008 STOCK AND ANNUAL INCENTIVE PLAN

 

SECTION 1.  Purpose; Definition

 

The purpose of this Plan is (a) to give the Company a competitive advantage in attracting, retaining and motivating officers, employees, directors and/or consultants and to provide the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates with a stock and incentive plan providing incentives directly linked to stockholder value and (b) to assume and govern other awards pursuant to the adjustment of awards granted under any IAC Long Term Incentive Plan (as defined in the Employee Matters Agreement) in accordance with the terms of the Employee Matters Agreement (“Adjusted Awards”). Certain terms used herein have definitions given to them in the first place in which they are used. In addition, for purposes of this Plan, the following terms are defined as set forth below:

 

(a)  “Affiliate” means a corporation or other entity controlled by, controlling or under common control with, the Company.

 

(b)  “Applicable Exchange” means Nasdaq or such other securities exchange as may at the applicable time be the principal market for the Common Stock.

 

(c)  “Award” means an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, or other stock-based award granted or assumed pursuant to the terms of this Plan, including Adjusted Awards.

 

(d)  “Award Agreement” means a written or electronic document or agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of a specific Award.

 

(e)  “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meaning given in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

 

(f)  “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(g)  “Bonus Award” means a bonus award made pursuant to Section 9.

 

(h)  “Cause” means, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, (i) “Cause” as defined in any Individual Agreement to which the applicable Participant is a party, or (ii) if there is no such Individual Agreement or if it does not define Cause:  (A) the willful or gross neglect by a Participant of his employment duties; (B) the plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, or conviction for, the commission of a felony offense by a Participant; (C) a material breach by a Participant of a fiduciary duty owed to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (D) a material breach by a Participant of any nondisclosure, non-solicitation or non-competition obligation owed to the Company or any of its Affiliates; or (E) before a Change in Control, such other events as shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in a Participant’s Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the general rule of Section 2(c), following a Change in Control, any determination by the Committee as to whether “Cause” exists shall be subject to de novo review.

 



 

(i)  “Change in Control” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(c).

 

(j)  “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor thereto, the Treasury Regulations thereunder and other relevant interpretive guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service or the Treasury Department.  Reference to any specific section of the Code shall be deemed to include such regulations and guidance, as well as any successor provision of the Code.

 

(k)  “Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency.

 

(l)  “Committee” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

(m)  “Common Stock” means common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

 

(n)  “Company” means Ticketmaster, a Delaware corporation, or its successor.

 

(o)  “Disability” means (i) “Disability” as defined in any Individual Agreement to which the Participant is a party, or (ii) if there is no such Individual Agreement or it does not define “Disability,” (A) permanent and total disability as determined under the Company’s long-term disability plan applicable to the Participant, or (B) if there is no such plan applicable to the Participant or the Committee determines otherwise in an applicable Award Agreement, “Disability” as determined by the Committee.  Notwithstanding the above, with respect to an Incentive Stock Option, Disability shall mean Permanent and Total Disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code and, with respect to all Awards, to the extent required by Section 409A of the Code, “disability” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(p)  “Disaffiliation” means a Subsidiary’s or Affiliate’s ceasing to be a Subsidiary or Affiliate for any reason (including, without limitation, as a result of a public offering, or a spinoff or sale by the Company, of the stock of the Subsidiary or Affiliate) or a sale of a division of the Company and its Affiliates.

 

(q)  “EBITA” means for any period, operating profit (loss) plus (i) amortization, including goodwill impairment, (ii) amortization of non-cash distribution and marketing expense and non-cash compensation expense, (iii) restructuring charges, (iv) non-cash write-downs of assets or goodwill, (v) charges relating to disposal of lines of business, (vi) litigation settlement amounts and (vii) costs incurred for proposed and completed acquisitions.

 

(r)  “EBITDA” means for any period, operating profit (loss) plus (i) depreciation and amortization, including goodwill impairment, (ii) amortization of non-cash distribution and marketing expense and non-cash compensation expense, (iii) restructuring charges, (iv) non-cash write-downs of assets or goodwill, (v) charges relating to disposal of lines of business, (vi) litigation settlement amounts and (vii) costs incurred for proposed and completed acquisitions.

 

(s)  “Eligible Individuals” means directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, and prospective employees and consultants who have accepted offers of employment or consultancy from the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates.

 

2



 

(t)  “Employee Matters Agreement” means the Employee Matters Agreement by and among IAC, Ticketmaster, Interval Leisure Group, Inc., HSN, Inc. and Tree.com, Inc.

 

(u)  “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and any successor thereto.

 

(v)  “Fair Market Value” means, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the closing price of a share of Common Stock on the Applicable Exchange on the date of measurement, or if Shares were not traded on the Applicable Exchange on such measurement date, then on the next preceding date on which Shares were traded, all as reported by such source as the Committee may select. If the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange, Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee in its good faith discretion, taking into account, to the extent appropriate, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(w)  “Free-Standing SAR” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(b).

 

(x)  “Grant Date” means (i) the date on which the Committee by resolution selects an Eligible Individual to receive a grant of an Award and determines the number of Shares to be subject to such Award or the formula for earning a number of shares or cash amount, (ii) such later date as the Committee shall provide in such resolution or (iii) the initial date on which an Adjusted Award was granted under the IAC Long Term Incentive Plan.

 

(y)  “Group” shall have the meaning given in Section 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act.

 

(z)  IAC” means IAC/InterActiveCorp, a Delaware corporation.

 

(aa)  “Incentive Stock Option” means any Option that is designated in the applicable Award Agreement as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, and that in fact so qualifies.

 

(bb)  “Individual Agreement” means an employment, consulting or similar agreement between a Participant and the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates.

 

(cc)  “Nasdaq” means the National Association of Securities Dealers Inc. Automated Quotation System.

 

(dd)  “Nonqualified Option” means any Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(ee)  “Option” means an Award granted under Section 5.

 

(ff)  “Participant” means an Eligible Individual to whom an Award is or has been granted.

 

(gg)  “Performance Goals” means the performance goals established by the Committee in connection with the grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Bonus Awards or other stock-based awards. In the case of Qualified-Performance Based Awards, (i) such goals shall be based on the attainment of one or any combination of the following: specified levels of

 

3



 

earnings per share from continuing operations, net profit after tax, EBITDA, EBITA, gross profit, cash generation, unit volume, market share, sales, asset quality, earnings per share, operating income, revenues, return on assets, return on operating assets, return on equity, profits, total stockholder return (measured in terms of stock price appreciation and/or dividend growth), cost saving levels, marketing-spending efficiency, core non-interest income, change in working capital, return on capital, and/or stock price, with respect to the Company or any Subsidiary, Affiliate, division or department of the Company and (ii) such Performance Goals shall be set by the Committee within the time period prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code and related regulations. Such Performance Goals also may be based upon the attaining of specified levels of Company, Subsidiary, Affiliate or divisional performance under one or more of the measures described above relative to the performance of other entities, divisions or subsidiaries.

 

(hh)  “Plan” means this Ticketmaster 2008 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan, as set forth herein and as hereafter amended from time to time.

 

(ii)  “Plan Year” means the calendar year or, with respect to Bonus Awards, the Company’s fiscal year if different.

 

(jj)  “Qualified Performance-Based Award” means an Award intended to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, as provided in Section 11.

 

(kk)  “Restricted Stock” means an Award granted under Section 6.

 

(ll)  “Restricted Stock Units” means an Award granted under Section 7.

 

(mm)  “Resulting Voting Power” shall mean the outstanding combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (or equivalent governing body, if applicable) of the entity resulting from a Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries).

 

(nn)  “Retirement” means retirement from active employment with the Company, a Subsidiary or Affiliate at or after the Participant’s attainment of age 65.

 

(oo)  “Section 162(m) Exemption” means the exemption from the limitation on deductibility imposed by Section 162(m) of the Code that is set forth in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.

 

(pp)  “Separation” has the meaning set forth in the Employee Matters Agreement.

 

(qq)  “Share” means a share of Common Stock.

 

(rr)  “Stock Appreciation Right” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(b).

 

(ss)  “Subsidiary” means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity during any period in which at least a 50% voting or profits interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or any successor to the Company.

 

4



 

(tt)  “Tandem SAR” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(b).

 

(uu)  “Term” means the maximum period during which an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may remain outstanding, subject to earlier termination upon Termination of Employment or otherwise, as specified in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(vv)  “Termination of Employment” means the termination of the applicable Participant’s employment with, or performance of services for, the Company and any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, if a Participant’s employment with, or membership on a board of directors of the Company and its Affiliates terminates but such Participant continues to provide services to the Company and its Affiliates in a non-employee director capacity or as an employee, as applicable, such change in status shall not be deemed a Termination of Employment. A Participant employed by, or performing services for, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate or a division of the Company and its Affiliates shall be deemed to incur a Termination of Employment if, as a result of a Disaffiliation, such Subsidiary, Affiliate, or division ceases to be a Subsidiary, Affiliate or division, as the case may be, and the Participant does not immediately thereafter become an employee of (or service provider for), or member of the board of directors of, the Company or another Subsidiary or Affiliate. Temporary absences from employment because of illness, vacation or leave of absence and transfers among the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates shall not be considered Terminations of Employment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award that constitutes “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, “Termination of Employment” shall mean a “separation from service” as defined under Section 409A of the Code.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Separation shall not constitute a Termination of Employment for purposes of any Adjusted Award.

 

SECTION 2.  Administration

 

(a)  Committee.  The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee of the Board as the Board may from time to time designate (the “Committee”), which shall be composed of not less than two directors, and shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Committee shall, subject to Section 11, have plenary authority to grant Awards pursuant to the terms of the Plan to Eligible Individuals. Among other things, the Committee shall have the authority, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Employee Matters Agreement (including the original terms of the grant of the Adjusted Award):

 

(i)  to select the Eligible Individuals to whom Awards may from time to time be granted;

 

(ii)  to determine whether and to what extent Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, other stock-based awards, or any combination thereof, are to be granted hereunder;

 

(iii)  to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;

 

5



 

(iv)  to determine the terms and conditions of each Award granted hereunder, based on such factors as the Committee shall determine;

 

(v)  subject to Section 12, to modify, amend or adjust the terms and conditions of any Award;

 

(vi)  to adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines and practices governing the Plan as it shall from time to time deem advisable;

 

(vii)  subject to Section 11, to accelerate the vesting or lapse of restrictions of any outstanding Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion determines;

 

(viii)  to interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Award issued under the Plan (and any agreement relating thereto);

 

(ix)  to establish any “blackout” period that the Committee in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable;

 

(x)  to determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, and other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award under this Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant;

 

(xi)  to decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award; and

 

(xii)  to otherwise administer the Plan.

 

(b)  Procedures.

 

(i)  The Committee may act only by a majority of its members then in office, except that the Committee may, except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the listing standards of the Applicable Exchange and subject to Section 11, allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any one or more of its members and may delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers to any person or persons selected by it.

 

(ii)  Subject to Section 11(c), any authority granted to the Committee may also be exercised by the full Board. To the extent that any permitted action taken by the Board conflicts with action taken by the Committee, the Board action shall control.

 

(c)  Discretion of Committee.  Subject to Section 1(h), any determination made by the Committee or by an appropriately delegated officer pursuant to delegated authority under the provisions of the Plan with respect to any Award shall be made in the sole discretion of the Committee or such delegate at the time of the grant of the Award or, unless in contravention of any express term of the Plan, at any time thereafter. All decisions made by the Committee or any appropriately delegated officer pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be final and binding on all persons, including the Company, Participants, and Eligible Individuals.

 

6



 

(d)  Award Agreements.  The terms and conditions of each Award, as determined by the Committee, shall be set forth in an Award Agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant receiving such Award upon, or as promptly as is reasonably practicable following, the grant of such Award. The effectiveness of an Award shall not be subject to the Award Agreement’s being signed by the Company and/or the Participant receiving the Award unless specifically so provided in the Award Agreement. Award Agreements may be amended only in accordance with Section 12 hereof.

 

SECTION 3.  Common Stock Subject to Plan

 

(a)  Plan Maximums.  The maximum number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be the sum of (a) the number of Shares that may be issuable upon exercise or vesting of the Adjusted Awards and (b) 5,000,000. The maximum number of Shares that may be granted pursuant to Options intended to be Incentive Stock Options shall be 3,333,333 Shares.  Shares subject to an Award under the Plan may be authorized and unissued Shares or may be treasury Shares.

 

(b)  Individual Limits.  No Participant may be granted Awards covering in excess of 1,466,666 Shares during the term of the Plan; provided that Adjusted Awards shall not be subject to this limitation.

 

(c)  Rules for Calculating Shares Delivered.

 

(i)  With respect to Awards other than Adjusted Awards, to the extent that any Award is forfeited, or any Option and the related Tandem SAR (if any) or Free-Standing SAR terminates, expires or lapses without being exercised, or any Award is settled for cash, the Shares subject to such Awards not delivered as a result thereof shall again be available for Awards under the Plan.

 

(ii)  With respect to Awards other than Adjusted Awards, if the exercise price of any Option and/or the tax withholding obligations relating to any Award are satisfied by delivering Shares to the Company (by either actual delivery or by attestation), only the number of Shares issued net of the Shares delivered or attested to shall be deemed delivered for purposes of the limits set forth in Section 3(a). To the extent any Shares subject to an Award are withheld to satisfy the exercise price (in the case of an Option) and/or the tax withholding obligations relating to such Award, such Shares shall not be deemed to have been delivered for purposes of the limits set forth in Section 3(a).

 

(d)  Adjustment Provision.  In the event of a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, stock rights offering, liquidation, Disaffiliation, or similar event affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Corporate Transaction”), the Committee or the Board may in its discretion make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to (i) the aggregate number and kind of Shares or other securities reserved for issuance and delivery under the Plan, (ii) the various maximum limitations set forth in Sections 3(a) and 3(b) upon certain types of Awards and upon the grants to individuals of certain types of Awards, (iii) the number and kind of Shares or other securities subject to outstanding Awards; and (iv) the exercise price of outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. In the event of a stock

 

7



 

dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, separation, spinoff, reorganization, extraordinary dividend of cash or other property, share combination, or recapitalization or similar event affecting the capital structure of the Company (each, a “Share Change”), the Committee or the Board shall make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to (i) the aggregate number and kind of Shares or other securities reserved for issuance and delivery under the Plan, (ii) the various maximum limitations set forth in Sections 3(a) and 3(b) upon certain types of Awards and upon the grants to individuals of certain types of Awards, (iii) the number and kind of Shares or other securities subject to outstanding Awards; and (iv) the exercise price of outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. In the case of Corporate Transactions, such adjustments may include, without limitation, (1) the cancellation of outstanding Awards in exchange for payments of cash, property or a combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of such Awards, as determined by the Committee or the Board in its sole discretion (it being understood that in the case of a Corporate Transaction with respect to which stockholders of Common Stock receive consideration other than publicly traded equity securities of the ultimate surviving entity, any such determination by the Committee that the value of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall for this purpose be deemed to equal the excess, if any, of the value of the consideration being paid for each Share pursuant to such Corporate Transaction over the exercise price of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall conclusively be deemed valid); (2) the substitution of other property (including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company) for the Shares subject to outstanding Awards; and (3) in connection with any Disaffiliation, arranging for the assumption of Awards, or replacement of Awards with new awards based on other property or other securities (including, without limitation, other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company), by the affected Subsidiary, Affiliate, or division or by the entity that controls such Subsidiary, Affiliate, or division following such Disaffiliation (as well as any corresponding adjustments to Awards that remain based upon Company securities). The Committee may adjust in its sole discretion the Performance Goals applicable to any Awards to reflect any Share Change and any Corporate Transaction and any unusual or non-recurring events and other extraordinary items, impact of charges for restructurings, discontinued operations, and the cumulative effects of accounting or tax changes, each as defined by generally accepted accounting principles or as identified in the Company’s financial statements, notes to the financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis or the Company’s other SEC filings,  provided that in the case of Performance Goals applicable to any Qualified Performance-Based Awards, such adjustment does not violate Section 162(m) of the Code.  Any adjustment under this Section 3(d) need not be the same for all Participants.

 

(e)  Section 409A.  Notwithstanding the foregoing: (i) any adjustments made pursuant to Section 3(d) to Awards that are considered “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall be made in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; (ii) any adjustments made pursuant to Section 3(d) to Awards that are not considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made in such a manner as to ensure that after such adjustment, the Awards either (A) continue not to be subject to Section 409A of the Code or (B) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; and (iii) in any event, neither the Committee nor the Board shall have the authority to make any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(d) to the extent the existence of such authority would cause an Award that

 

8



 

is not intended to be subject to Section 409A of the Code at the Grant Date to be subject thereto as of the Grant Date.

 

SECTION 4.  Eligibility

 

Awards may be granted under the Plan to Eligible Individuals and, with respect to Adjusted Awards, in accordance with the terms of the Employee Matters Agreement; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the Company and its subsidiaries or parent corporation (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code) and, with respect to Adjusted Awards that are intended to qualify as incentive stock options within the meaning of Section 421 of the Code, in accordance with the terms of the Employee Matters Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.  Options and Stock Appreciation Rights

 

With respect to Adjusted Awards, the provisions below will be applicable only to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the Employee Matters Agreement and the terms of the Adjusted Award assumed under the Employee Matters Agreement:

 

(a)  Types of Options.  Options may be of two types: Incentive Stock Options and Nonqualified Options. The Award Agreement for an Option shall indicate whether the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Option.

 

(b)  Types and Nature of Stock Appreciation Rights.  Stock Appreciation Rights may be “Tandem SARs,” which are granted in conjunction with an Option, or “Free-Standing SARs,” which are not granted in conjunction with an Option. Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant shall be entitled to receive an amount in cash, Shares, or both, in value equal to the product of (i) the excess of the Fair Market Value of one Share over the exercise price of the applicable Stock Appreciation Right, multiplied by (ii) the number of Shares in respect of which the Stock Appreciation Right has been exercised. The applicable Award Agreement shall specify whether such payment is to be made in cash or Common Stock or both, or shall reserve to the Committee or the Participant the right to make that determination prior to or upon the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right.

 

(c)  Tandem SARs.  A Tandem SAR may be granted at the Grant Date of the related Option. A Tandem SAR shall be exercisable only at such time or times and to the extent that the related Option is exercisable in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5, and shall have the same exercise price as the related Option. A Tandem SAR shall terminate or be forfeited upon the exercise or forfeiture of the related Option, and the related Option shall terminate or be forfeited upon the exercise or forfeiture of the Tandem SAR.

 

(d)  Exercise Price.  The exercise price per Share subject to an Option or Free-Standing SAR shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, and shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a share of the Common Stock on the applicable Grant Date. In no event may any Option or Free-Standing SAR granted under this Plan be amended, other than pursuant to Section 3(d), to decrease the exercise price thereof, be cancelled in conjunction with the grant of any new Option or Free-Standing SAR with a lower exercise price or otherwise be subject to any action that would be treated, for accounting

 

9



 

purposes, as a “repricing” of such Option or Free-Standing SAR, unless such amendment, cancellation, or action is approved by the Company’s stockholders.

 

(e)  Term.  The Term of each Option and each Free-Standing SAR shall be fixed by the Committee, but shall not exceed ten years from the Grant Date.

 

(f)  Vesting and Exercisability.  Except as otherwise provided herein, Options and Free-Standing SARs shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Committee. If the Committee provides that any Option or Free-Standing SAR will become exercisable only in installments, the Committee may at any time waive such installment exercise provisions, in whole or in part, based on such factors as the Committee may determine. In addition, the Committee may at any time accelerate the exercisability of any Option or Free-Standing SAR.

 

(g)  Method of Exercise.  Subject to the provisions of this Section 5, Options and Free-Standing SARs may be exercised, in whole or in part, at any time during the applicable Term by giving written notice of exercise to the Company or through the procedures established with the Company’s appointed third-party Option administrator specifying the number of Shares as to which the Option or Free-Standing SAR is being exercised; provided, however, that, unless otherwise permitted by the Committee, any such exercise must be with respect to a portion of the applicable Option or Free-Standing SAR relating to no less than the lesser of the number of Shares then subject to such Option or Free-Standing SAR or 100 Shares. In the case of the exercise of an Option, such notice shall be accompanied by payment in full of the purchase price (which shall equal the product of such number of Shares multiplied by the applicable exercise price) by certified or bank check or such other instrument as the Company may accept. If approved by the Committee, payment, in full or in part, may also be made as follows:

 

(i)  Payments may be made in the form of unrestricted Shares (by delivery of such Shares or by attestation) of the same class as the Common Stock subject to the Option already owned by the Participant (based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the Option is exercised); provided, however, that, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the right to make a payment in the form of already owned Shares of the same class as the Common Stock subject to the Option may be authorized only at the time the Option is granted.

 

(ii)  To the extent permitted by applicable law, payment may be made by delivering a properly executed exercise notice to the Company, together with a copy of irrevocable instructions to a broker to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds necessary to pay the purchase price, and, if requested, the amount of any federal, state, local or foreign withholding taxes. To facilitate the foregoing, the Company may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, enter into agreements for coordinated procedures with one or more brokerage firms. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Committee may also provide for Company loans to be made for purposes of the exercise of Options.

 

(iii)  Payment may be made by instructing the Company to withhold a number of Shares having a Fair Market Value (based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the applicable Option is exercised) equal to the product of (A) the exercise price multiplied by (B) the number of Shares in respect of which the Option shall have been exercised.

 

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(h)  Delivery; Rights of Stockholders.  No Shares shall be delivered pursuant to the exercise of an Option until the exercise price therefor has been fully paid and applicable taxes have been withheld. The applicable Participant shall have all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company holding the class or series of Common Stock that is subject to the Option or Stock Appreciation Right (including, if applicable, the right to vote the applicable Shares and the right to receive dividends), when the Participant (i) has given written notice of exercise, (ii) if requested, has given the representation described in Section 14(a), and (iii) in the case of an Option, has paid in full for such Shares.

 

(i)  Terminations of Employment.  Subject to Section 10, a Participant’s Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall be forfeited upon such Participant’s Termination of Employment, except as set forth below:

 

(i)  Upon a Participant’s Termination of Employment by reason of death, any Option or Stock Appreciation Right held by the Participant that was exercisable immediately before the Termination of Employment may be exercised at any time until the earlier of (A) the first anniversary of the date of such death and (B) the expiration of the Term thereof;

 

(ii)  Upon a Participant’s Termination of Employment by reason of Disability or Retirement, any Option or Stock Appreciation Right held by the Participant that was exercisable immediately before the Termination of Employment may be exercised at any time until the earlier of (A) the first anniversary of such Termination of Employment and (B) the expiration of the Term thereof;

 

(iii)  Upon a Participant’s Termination of Employment for Cause, any Option or Stock Appreciation Right held by the Participant shall be forfeited, effective as of such Termination of Employment;

 

(iv)  Upon a Participant’s Termination of Employment for any reason other than death, Disability, Retirement or for Cause, any Option or Stock Appreciation Right held by the Participant that was exercisable immediately before the Termination of Employment may be exercised at any time until the earlier of (A) the 90th day following such Termination of Employment and (B) expiration of the Term thereof; and

 

(v)  Notwithstanding the above provisions of this Section 5(i), if a Participant dies after such Participant’s Termination of Employment but while any Option or Stock Appreciation Right remains exercisable as set forth above, such Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised at any time until the later of (A) the earlier of (1) the first anniversary of the date of such death and (2) expiration of the Term thereof and (B) the last date on which such Option or Stock Appreciation Right would have been exercisable, absent this Section 5(i)(v).

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee shall have the power, in its discretion, to apply different rules concerning the consequences of a Termination of Employment; provided, however, that if such rules are less favorable to the Participant than those set forth above, such rules are set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. If an Incentive Stock Option is exercised after the expiration of the exercise periods that apply for purposes of Section 422 of the Code, such Option will thereafter be treated as a Nonqualified Option.

 

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(j)  Nontransferability of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.  No Option or Free-Standing SAR shall be transferable by a Participant other than (i) by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, or (ii) in the case of a Nonqualified Option or Free-Standing SAR, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order or as otherwise expressly permitted by the Committee including, if so permitted, pursuant to a transfer to the Participant’s family members or to a charitable organization, whether directly or indirectly or by means of a trust or partnership or otherwise. For purposes of this Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, “family member” shall have the meaning given to such term in General Instructions A.1(a)(5) to Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto. A Tandem SAR shall be transferable only with the related Option as permitted by the preceding sentence. Any Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable, subject to the terms of this Plan, only by the applicable Participant, the guardian or legal representative of such Participant, or any person to whom such Option or Stock Appreciation Right is permissibly transferred pursuant to this Section 5(j), it being understood that the term “Participant” includes such guardian, legal representative and other transferee; provided, however, that the term “Termination of Employment” shall continue to refer to the Termination of Employment of the original Participant.

 

SECTION 6.  Restricted Stock

 

With respect to Adjusted Awards, the provisions below will be applicable only to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the Employee Matters Agreement and the terms of the Adjusted Award assumed under the Employee Matters Agreement:

 

(a)  Nature of Awards and Certificates.  Shares of Restricted Stock are actual Shares issued to a Participant, and shall be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration or issuance of one or more stock certificates. Any certificate issued in respect of Shares of Restricted Stock shall be registered in the name of the applicable Participant and, in the case of Restricted Stock, shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Award, substantially in the following form:

 

“The transferability of this certificate and the shares of stock represented hereby are subject to the terms and conditions (including forfeiture) of the Ticketmaster 2008 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan and an Award Agreement. Copies of such Plan and Agreement are on file at the offices of Ticketmaster, 8800 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069.”

 

The Committee may require that the certificates evidencing such shares be held in custody by the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed and that, as a condition of any Award of Restricted Stock, the applicable Participant shall have delivered a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to the Common Stock covered by such Award.

 

(b)  Terms and Conditions.  Shares of Restricted Stock shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

 

(i)  The Committee shall, prior to or at the time of grant, condition the vesting or transferability of an Award of Restricted Stock upon the continued service of the applicable

 

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Participant or the attainment of Performance Goals, or the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant. In the event that the Committee conditions the grant or vesting of an Award of Restricted Stock upon the attainment of Performance Goals or the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant, the Committee may, prior to or at the time of grant, designate such an Award as a Qualified Performance-Based Award. The conditions for grant, vesting, or transferability and the other provisions of Restricted Stock Awards (including without limitation any Performance Goals) need not be the same with respect to each Participant.

 

(ii)  Subject to the provisions of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, during the period, if any, set by the Committee, commencing with the date of such Restricted Stock Award for which such vesting restrictions apply and until the expiration of such vesting restrictions (the “Restriction Period”), the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber Shares of Restricted Stock.

 

(iii)  Except as provided in this Section 6 and in the applicable Award Agreement, the applicable Participant shall have, with respect to the Shares of Restricted Stock, all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company holding the class or series of Common Stock that is the subject of the Restricted Stock, including, if applicable, the right to vote the Shares and the right to receive any cash dividends. If so determined by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement and subject to Section 14(e), (A) cash dividends on the class or series of Common Stock that is the subject of the Restricted Stock Award shall be automatically deferred and reinvested in additional Restricted Stock, held subject to the vesting of the underlying Restricted Stock, and (B) subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 3(d), dividends payable in Common Stock shall be paid in the form of Restricted Stock of the same class as the Common Stock with which such dividend was paid, held subject to the vesting of the underlying Restricted Stock.

 

(iv)  Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, upon a Participant’s Termination of Employment for any reason during the Restriction Period, all Shares of Restricted Stock still subject to restriction shall be forfeited by such Participant; provided, however, that subject to Section 11(b), the Committee shall have the discretion to waive, in whole or in part, any or all remaining restrictions with respect to any or all of such Participant’s Shares of Restricted Stock.

 

(v)  If and when any applicable Performance Goals are satisfied and the Restriction Period expires without a prior forfeiture of the Shares of Restricted Stock for which legended certificates have been issued, unlegended certificates for such Shares shall be delivered to the Participant upon surrender of the legended certificates.

 

SECTION 7.  Restricted Stock Units

 

With respect to Adjusted Awards, the provisions below will be applicable only to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the Employee Matters Agreement and the terms of the Adjusted Award assumed under the Employee Matters Agreement:

 

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(a)  Nature of Awards.  Restricted Stock Units are Awards denominated in Shares that will be settled, subject to the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Units, in an amount in cash, Shares or both, based upon the Fair Market Value of a specified number of Shares.

 

(b)  Terms and Conditions.  Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

 

(i)  The Committee shall, prior to or at the time of grant, condition the grant, vesting, or transferability of Restricted Stock Units upon the continued service of the applicable Participant or the attainment of Performance Goals, or the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant. In the event that the Committee conditions the grant or vesting of Restricted Stock Units upon the attainment of Performance Goals or the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant, the Committee may, prior to or at the time of grant, designate such Awards as Qualified Performance-Based Awards. The conditions for grant, vesting or transferability and the other provisions of Restricted Stock Units (including without limitation any Performance Goals) need not be the same with respect to each Participant. An Award of Restricted Stock Units shall be settled as and when the Restricted Stock Units vest or at a later time specified by the Committee or in accordance with an election of the Participant, if the Committee so permits.

 

(ii)  Subject to the provisions of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, during the period, if any, set by the Committee, commencing with the date of such Restricted Stock Units for which such vesting restrictions apply and until the expiration of such vesting restrictions (the “Restriction Period”), the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber Restricted Stock Units.

 

(iii)  The Award Agreement for Restricted Stock Units shall specify whether, to what extent and on what terms and conditions the applicable Participant shall be entitled to receive current or deferred payments of cash, Common Stock or other property corresponding to the dividends payable on the Common Stock (subject to Section 14(e) below).

 

(iv)  Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, upon a Participant’s Termination of Employment for any reason during the Restriction Period, all Restricted Stock Units still subject to restriction shall be forfeited by such Participant; provided, however, that subject to Section 11(b), the Committee shall have the discretion to waive, in whole or in part, any or all remaining restrictions with respect to any or all of such Participant’s Restricted Stock Units.

 

SECTION 8.  Other Stock-Based Awards

 

Other Awards of Common Stock and other Awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based upon or settled in, Common Stock, including (without limitation), unrestricted stock, performance units, dividend equivalents, and convertible debentures, may be granted under the Plan.

 

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SECTION 9.  Bonus Awards

 

(a)  Determination of Awards.  The Committee shall determine the total amount of Bonus Awards for each Plan Year or such shorter performance period as the Committee may establish in its sole discretion. Prior to the beginning of the Plan Year or such shorter performance period as the Committee may establish in its sole discretion (or such later date as may be prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service under Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall establish Performance Goals for Bonus Awards for the Plan Year or such shorter period; provided, that such Performance Goals may be established at a later date for Participants who are not “covered employees” (within the meaning of Section 162(m)(3) of the Code). Bonus amounts payable to any individual Participant with respect to a Plan Year will be limited to a maximum of $10 million. For performance periods that are shorter than a Plan Year, such $10 million maximum may be pro-rated if so determined by the Committee.

 

(b)  Payment of Awards.  Bonus Awards under the Plan shall be paid in cash or in shares of Common Stock (valued at Fair Market Value as of the date of payment) as determined by the Committee, as soon as practicable following the close of the Plan Year or such shorter performance period as the Committee may establish. It is intended that a Bonus Award will be paid no later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third month following the later of: (i) the end of the Participant’s taxable year in which the requirements for such Bonus Award have been satisfied by the Participant or (ii) the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which the requirements for such Bonus Award have been satisfied by the Participant.  The Committee may at its option establish procedures pursuant to which Participants are permitted to defer the receipt of Bonus Awards payable hereunder. The Bonus Award for any Plan Year or such shorter performance period to any Participant may be reduced or eliminated by the Committee in its discretion.

 

SECTION 10.  Change in Control Provisions

 

(a)  Adjusted Awards.  With respect to all Adjusted Awards, subject to paragraph (e) of this Section 10, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, upon a Participant’s Termination of Employment, during the two-year period following a Change in Control, by the Company other than for Cause or Disability or by the Participant for Good Reason (as defined below):

 

(i)  any Options outstanding as of such Termination of Employment which were outstanding as of the date of such Change in Control shall be fully exercisable and vested and shall remain exercisable until the later of (i) the last date on which such Option would be exercisable in the absence of this Section 10(a) and (ii) the earlier of (A) the first anniversary of such Change in Control and (B) expiration of the Term of such Option;

 

(ii)  the restrictions and deferral limitations applicable to any Restricted Stock shall lapse, and such Restricted Stock outstanding as of such Termination of Employment which were outstanding as of the date of such Change in Control shall become free of all restrictions and become fully vested and transferable; and

 

(iii)  all Restricted Stock Units outstanding as of such Termination of Employment which were outstanding as of the date of such Change in Control shall be considered to be earned and payable in full, and any restrictions shall lapse and such Restricted Stock Units shall be

 

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settled as promptly as is practicable in (subject to Section 3(d)) the form set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(b)  Impact of Event on Awards other than Adjusted Awards.   Subject to paragraph (e) of this Section 10, and paragraph (d) of Section 12, unless otherwise provided in any applicable Award Agreement and except as otherwise provided in paragraph (a) of this Section 10, in connection with a Change of Control, the Committee may make such adjustments and/or settlements of outstanding Awards as it deems appropriate and consistent with the Plan’s purposes, including, without limitation, the acceleration of vesting of Awards either upon a Change of Control or upon various terminations of employment following a Change of Control.  The Committee may provide for such adjustments as a term of the Award or may make such adjustments following the granting of the Award.

 

(c)  Definition of Change in Control.  For purposes of the Plan, unless otherwise provided in an option agreement or other agreement relating to an Award, a “Change in Control” shall mean the happening of any of the following events:

 

(i)  The acquisition by any individual, entity or Group (a “Person”), other than the Company, of Beneficial Ownership of equity securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the voting power of the then outstanding equity securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that any acquisition that would constitute a Change in Control under this subsection (i) that is also a Business Combination shall be determined exclusively under subsection (iii) below; or

 

(ii)  Individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date, whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors at such time shall become an Incumbent Director, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or

 

(iii)  Consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, the purchase of assets or stock of another entity, or other similar corporate transaction (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless immediately following such Business Combination, (A) more than 50% of the Resulting Voting Power shall reside in Outstanding Company Voting Securities retained by the Company’s stockholders in the Business Combination and/or voting securities received by such stockholders in the Business Combination on account of Outstanding Company Voting Securities, and (B) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or equivalent governing body, if applicable) of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were Incumbent Directors at the time of the initial agreement, or action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or

 

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(iv)  Approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Separation shall not constitute a Change in Control.  For the avoidance of doubt, with respect to Adjusted Awards, any reference in an Award Agreement or the applicable IAC Long Term Incentive Plan to a “change in control,” “change of control” or similar definition shall be deemed to refer to a Change of Control hereunder.

 

(d)  For purposes of this Section 10, “Good Reason” means (i) “Good Reason” as defined in any Individual Agreement or Award Agreement to which the applicable Participant is a party, or (ii) if there is no such Individual Agreement or if it does not define Good Reason, without the Participant’s prior written consent: (A) a material reduction in the Participant’s rate of annual base salary from the rate of annual base salary in effect for such Participant immediately prior to the Change in Control, (B) a relocation of the Participant’s principal place of business more than 35 miles from the city in which such Participant’s principal place of business was located immediately prior to the Change in Control or (C) a material and demonstrable adverse change in the nature and scope of the Participant’s duties from those in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control.  In order to invoke a Termination of Employment for Good Reason, a Participant shall provide written notice to the Company of the existence of one or more of the conditions described in clauses (A) through (C) within 90 days following the Participant’s knowledge of the initial existence of such condition or conditions, and the Company shall have 30 days following receipt of such written notice (the “Cure Period”) during which it may remedy the condition.  In the event that the Company fails to remedy the condition constituting Good Reason during the Cure Period, the Participant must terminate employment, if at all, within 90 days following the Cure Period in order for such Termination of Employment to constitute a Termination of Employment for Good Reason.

 

(e)  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Award is subject to Section 409A of the Code, this Section 10 shall be applicable only to the extent specifically provided in the Award Agreement and as permitted pursuant to Section 14(k).

 

SECTION 11.  Qualified Performance-Based Awards; Section 16(b)

 

(a)  The provisions of this Plan are intended to ensure that all Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted hereunder to any Participant who is or may be a “covered employee” (within the meaning of Section 162(m)(3) of the Code) in the tax year in which such Option or Stock Appreciation Right is expected to be deductible to the Company qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, and all such Awards shall therefore be considered Qualified Performance-Based Awards and this Plan shall be interpreted and operated consistent with that intention (including, without limitation, to require that all such Awards be granted by a committee composed solely of members who satisfy the requirements for being “outside directors” for purposes of the Section 162(m) Exemption (“Outside Directors”)). When granting any Award other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the Committee may designate such Award as a Qualified Performance-Based Award, based upon a determination that (i) the recipient is or may be a “covered employee” (within the meaning of Section 162(m)(3) of the Code) with respect to such Award, and (ii) the Committee wishes such Award to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, and the terms of any such Award (and of the grant thereof) shall be

 

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consistent with such designation (including, without limitation, that all such Awards be granted by a committee composed solely of Outside Directors).

 

(b)  Each Qualified Performance-Based Award (other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right) shall be earned, vested and payable (as applicable) only upon the achievement of one or more Performance Goals (as certified in writing by the Committee, except if compensation is attributable solely to the increase in the value of the Common Stock), together with the satisfaction of any other conditions, such as continued employment, as the Committee may determine to be appropriate, and no Qualified Performance-Based Award may be amended, nor may the Committee exercise any discretionary authority it may otherwise have under this Plan with respect to a Qualified Performance-Based Award under this Plan, in any manner that would cause the Qualified Performance-Based Award to cease to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption; provided, however, that (i) the Committee may provide, either in connection with the grant of the applicable Award or by amendment thereafter, that achievement of such Performance Goals will be waived upon the death or Disability of the Participant or under any other circumstance with respect to which the existence of such possible waiver will not cause the Award to fail to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption as of the Grant Date, and (ii) the provisions of Section 10 shall apply notwithstanding this Section 11(b).

 

(c)  The full Board shall not be permitted to exercise authority granted to the Committee to the extent that the grant or exercise of such authority would cause an Award designated as a Qualified Performance-Based Award not to qualify for, or to cease to qualify for, the Section 162(m) Exemption.

 

(d)  The provisions of this Plan are intended to ensure that no transaction under the Plan is subject to (and not exempt from) the short-swing recovery rules of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (“Section 16(b)”). Accordingly, the composition of the Committee shall be subject to such limitations as the Board deems appropriate to permit transactions pursuant to this Plan to be exempt (pursuant to Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) from Section 16(b), and no delegation of authority by the Committee shall be permitted if such delegation would cause any such transaction to be subject to (and not exempt from) Section 16(b).

 

SECTION 12.  Term, Amendment and Termination

 

(a)  Effectiveness.  The Plan shall be effective as of the date (the “Effective Date”) it is adopted by the Board, subject to the approval by the holders of at least a majority of the voting power represented by outstanding capital stock of the Company that is entitled generally to vote in the election of directors.

 

(b)  Termination.  The Plan will terminate on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date. Awards outstanding as of such date shall not be affected or impaired by the termination of the Plan.

 

(c)  Amendment of Plan.  The Board may amend, alter, or discontinue the Plan, but no amendment, alteration or discontinuation shall be made which would materially impair the rights of the Participant with respect to a previously granted Award without such Participant’s consent, except such an amendment made to comply with applicable law, including without limitation

 

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Section 409A of the Code, stock exchange rules or accounting rules. In addition, no such amendment shall be made without the approval of the Company’s stockholders to the extent such approval is required by applicable law or the listing standards of the Applicable Exchange.

 

(d)  Amendment of Awards.  Subject to Section 5(d), the Committee may unilaterally amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted, but no such amendment shall cause a Qualified Performance-Based Award to cease to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption or without the Participant’s consent materially impair the rights of any Participant with respect to an Award, except such an amendment made to cause the Plan or Award to comply with applicable law, stock exchange rules or accounting rules.

 

SECTION 13.  Unfunded Status of Plan

 

It is presently intended that the Plan constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. The Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or other arrangements to meet the obligations created under the Plan to deliver Common Stock or make payments; provided, however, that unless the Committee otherwise determines, the existence of such trusts or other arrangements is consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan.

 

SECTION 14.  General Provisions

 

(a)  Conditions for Issuance.  The Committee may require each person purchasing or receiving Shares pursuant to an Award to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that such person is acquiring the Shares without a view to the distribution thereof. The certificates for such Shares may include any legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or agreements made pursuant thereto, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for Shares under the Plan prior to fulfillment of all of the following conditions: (i) listing or approval for listing upon notice of issuance, of such Shares on the Applicable Exchange; (ii) any registration or other qualification of such Shares of the Company under any state or federal law or regulation, or the maintaining in effect of any such registration or other qualification which the Committee shall, in its absolute discretion upon the advice of counsel, deem necessary or advisable; and (iii) obtaining any other consent, approval, or permit from any state or federal governmental agency which the Committee shall, in its absolute discretion after receiving the advice of counsel, determine to be necessary or advisable.

 

(b)  Additional Compensation Arrangements.  Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements for its employees.

 

(c)  No Contract of Employment.  The Plan shall not constitute a contract of employment, and adoption of the Plan shall not confer upon any employee any right to continued employment, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate to terminate the employment of any employee at any time.

 

(d)  Required Taxes.  No later than the date as of which an amount first becomes includible in the gross income of a Participant for federal, state, local or foreign income or employment or other tax purposes with respect to any Award under the Plan, such Participant

 

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shall pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Company regarding the payment of, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to such amount. If determined by the Company, withholding obligations may be settled with Common Stock, including Common Stock that is part of the Award that gives rise to the withholding requirement. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be conditional on such payment or arrangements, and the Company and its Affiliates shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment otherwise due to such Participant. The Committee may establish such procedures as it deems appropriate, including making irrevocable elections, for the settlement of withholding obligations with Common Stock.

 

(e)  Limitation on Dividend Reinvestment and Dividend Equivalents.  Reinvestment of dividends in additional Restricted Stock at the time of any dividend payment, and the payment of Shares with respect to dividends to Participants holding Awards of Restricted Stock Units, shall only be permissible if sufficient Shares are available under Section 3 for such reinvestment or payment (taking into account then outstanding Awards). In the event that sufficient Shares are not available for such reinvestment or payment, such reinvestment or payment shall be made in the form of a grant of Restricted Stock Units equal in number to the Shares that would have been obtained by such payment or reinvestment, the terms of which Restricted Stock Units shall provide for settlement in cash and for dividend equivalent reinvestment in further Restricted Stock Units on the terms contemplated by this Section 14(e).

 

(f)  Designation of Death Beneficiary.  The Committee shall establish such procedures as it deems appropriate for a Participant to designate a beneficiary to whom any amounts payable in the event of such Participant’s death are to be paid or by whom any rights of such eligible Individual, after such Participant’s death, may be exercised.

 

(g)  Subsidiary Employees.  In the case of a grant of an Award to any employee of a Subsidiary of the Company, the Company may, if the Committee so directs, issue or transfer the Shares, if any, covered by the Award to the Subsidiary, for such lawful consideration as the Committee may specify, upon the condition or understanding that the Subsidiary will transfer the Shares to the employee in accordance with the terms of the Award specified by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. All Shares underlying Awards that are forfeited or canceled should revert to the Company.

 

(h)  Governing Law and Interpretation.  The Plan and all Awards made and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to principles of conflict of laws. The captions of this Plan are not part of the provisions hereof and shall have no force or effect.

 

(i)  Non-Transferability.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 5(j) or by the Committee, Awards under the Plan are not transferable except by will or by laws of descent and distribution.

 

(j)  Foreign Employees and Foreign Law Considerations.  The Committee may grant Awards to Eligible Individuals who are foreign nationals, who are located outside the United States or who are not compensated from a payroll maintained in the United States, or who are

 

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otherwise subject to (or could cause the Company to be subject to) legal or regulatory provisions of countries or jurisdictions outside the United States, on such terms and conditions different from those specified in the Plan as may, in the judgment of the Committee, be necessary or desirable to foster and promote achievement of the purposes of the Plan, and, in furtherance of such purposes, the Committee may make such modifications, amendments, procedures, or subplans as may be necessary or advisable to comply with such legal or regulatory provisions.

 

(k)  Section 409A of the Code.  It is the intention of the Company that no Award shall be “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, unless and to the extent that the Committee specifically determines otherwise as provided in the immediately following sentence, and the Plan and the terms and conditions of all Awards shall be interpreted accordingly. The terms and conditions governing any Awards that the Committee determines will be subject to Section 409A of the Code, including any rules for elective or mandatory deferral of the delivery of cash or Shares pursuant thereto and any rules regarding treatment of such Awards in the event of a Change in Control, shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, and shall comply in all respects with Section 409A of the Code.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, with respect to any Award that constitutes a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” subject to Section 409A of the Code, any payments (whether in cash, Shares or other property) to be made with respect to the Award upon the Participant’s Termination of Employment shall be delayed until the first day of the seventh month following the Participant’s Termination of Employment if the Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(l)  Employee Matters Agreement.  Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, to the extent that the terms of this Plan are inconsistent with the terms of an Adjusted Award, the terms of the Adjusted Award shall be governed by the Employee Matters Agreement, the applicable IAC Long-Term Incentive Plan and the award agreement entered into thereunder.

 

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EX-10.18 23 a2187104zex-10_18.htm EXHIBIT 10.18

Exhibit 10.18

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between Brian Regan (“Employee”) and Ticketmaster L.L.C., a Virginia limited liability company (the “Company”), as of May 19, 2008 and shall be effective as of June 9, 2008 (the “Effective Date”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish its right to the services of Employee, in the capacity described below, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, and Employee is willing to accept such employment on such terms and conditions.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements hereinafter set forth, Employee and the Company have agreed and do hereby agree as follows:

 

1A.          EMPLOYMENT.  The Company agrees to employ Employee as EVP, Chief Financial Officer and Employee accepts and agrees to such employment.  During Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee shall do and perform all services and acts necessary or advisable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities as are commensurate and consistent with Employee’s position and shall render such services on the terms set forth herein.  Employee shall render such other services for the Company and corporations controlled by, under common control with or controlling, directly or indirectly, the Company, and to successor entities and assignees of the Company (each, a “Company Affiliate”) as the Company may from time to time reasonably request and as shall be consistent with the duties Employee is to perform form the Company and with Employee’s experience.  During Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee shall report directly to the President and CEO, currently Sean Moriarty, or such other person as from time to time may be designated by the Company (hereinafter referred to as the “Reporting Officer”) and shall maintain current or a comparable title at the discretion of the Company.  Employee shall have such powers and duties with respect to the Company as may reasonably be assigned to Employee by the Reporting Officer, to the extent consistent with Employee’s position and status.  Employee agrees to devote all of Employee’s working time, attention and efforts to the Company and to perform the duties of Employee’s position in accordance with the Company’s policies as in effect from time to time.

 

2A.          TERM OF AGREEMENT.  The term (“Term”) of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall continue until for a period of three (3) years, unless sooner terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of the Standard Terms and Conditions attached hereto. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties’ post-termination obligations including but not limited to the confidentiality, covenant not to compete, consulting, non-solicitation of employees, and non-solicitation of clients provisions in the Agreement shall survive the Term of Employee’s employment hereunder.

 

3A.          COMPENSATION.

 

(a)           BASE SALARY.  During the Term, the Company shall pay Employee an annual base salary of $375,000 (the “Base Salary”), payable in equal biweekly installments or in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice as in effect from time to time.  For all purposes under this Agreement, the term “Base Salary” shall refer to Base Salary as in effect from time to time.

 

(b)           SIGNING BONUS.  The Company shall pay Employee a signing bonus in the amount of $175,000, payable the first pay-period following Employee’s start date.  Such signing bonus is subject to forfeiture in the event Employee resigns without Good Reason or is terminated for cause prior to the first anniversary of Employee’s start date.

 

(c)           DISCRETIONARY BONUS.  During the Term, Employee shall be eligible to receive discretionary annual bonuses.  Employee shall receive a minimum annual bonus in 2009 of $175,000, provided Employee is employed at such time that bonuses for similarly situated employees are paid.

 

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(d)           RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS. Employee will receive under IAC’s Stock & Annual Incentive Plan an award of restricted stock units (the “Restricted Stock Units”) representing shares of common stock of IAC/InterActiveCorp in the amount of 20,000 units, subject to the approval of the Compensation/Benefits Committee of the Board of Directors of IAC/InterActiveCorp. The award will be governed by a Restricted Stock Unit agreement.

 

(e)           STOCK OPTIONS. Employee will receive under IAC’s Stock & Annual Incentive Plan an award of stock options (the “Stock Options”) representing shares of common stock of IAC/InterActiveCorp in the amount of 150,000 options, subject to the approval of the Compensation/Benefits Committee of the Board of Directors of IAC/InterActiveCorp. The award will be governed by a Stock Options agreement.

 

(f)            BENEFITS.  From the Effective Date through the date of termination of Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason, Employee shall be entitled to participate in any welfare, health and life insurance and pension benefit and incentive programs as may be adopted from time to time by the Company.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Employee shall be entitled to the following benefits:

 

(i)            Reimbursement for Business Expenses.  During the Term, the Company shall reimburse Employee for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by Employee in performing Employee’s duties for the Company, on the same basis as similarly situated employees and in accordance with the Company’s policies as in effect from time to time.

 

(ii)           Vacation.  During the Term, Employee shall be entitled to paid vacation in accordance with the plans, policies, programs and practices of the Company applicable to similarly situated employees of the Company generally.

 

(iii)          Relocation Expenses.  Except as otherwise prohibited by applicable law or regulations, the Company shall provide relocation assistance to Employee per the IAC / Ticketmaster Relocation Policy.

 

4A.          NOTICES.  All notices and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given by first-class mail, certified or registered with return receipt requested or hand delivery acknowledged in writing by the recipient personally, and shall be deemed to have been duly given three days after mailing or immediately upon duly acknowledged hand delivery to the respective persons named below:

 

If to the Company:

 

Ticketmaster L.L.C.

 

 

8800 Sunset Boulevard

 

 

West Hollywood, CA 90069

 

 

Attention: General Counsel

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

InterActiveCorp.

 

 

555 West 18th Street

 

 

New York, New York 10011

 

 

Attention: General Counsel

 

 

 

If to Employee:

 

6910 Fairway Pl SE

 

 

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

 

 

Either party may change such party’s address for notices by notice duly given pursuant hereto.

 

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5A.          GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION.  This Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto shall be governed by and construed under and in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California without reference to the principles of conflicts of laws.  Any and all disputes between the parties which may arise pursuant to this Agreement will be heard and determined before an appropriate federal court in California, or, if not maintainable therein, then in an appropriate California state court.  The parties acknowledge that such courts have jurisdiction to interpret and enforce the provisions of this Agreement, and the parties consent to, and waive any and all objections that they may have as to, personal jurisdiction and/or venue in such courts.

 

6A.          COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.  Employee expressly understands and acknowledges that the Standard Terms and Conditions attached hereto are incorporated herein by reference, deemed a part of this Agreement and are binding and enforceable provisions of this Agreement.  References to “this Agreement” or the use of the term “hereof” shall refer to this Agreement and the Standard Terms and Conditions attached hereto, taken as a whole.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by its duly authorized officer and Employee has executed and delivered this Agreement as of May 21, 2008

 

 

TICKETMASTER L.L.C.

8800 Sunset Boulevard

West Hollywood, CA  90069

 

 

By:

/s/ Beverly Carmichael

 

By:

/s/ Brian Regan

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

Beverly Carmichael

 

Name:

Brian Regan

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

SVP, Human Resources & Chief People Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

1.             TERMINATION OF EMPLOYEE’S EMPLOYMENT.

 

(a)           DEATH.  In the event Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated by reason of Employee’s death, the Company shall pay Employee’s designated beneficiary or beneficiaries, within 30 days of Employee’s death in a lump sum in cash, Employee’s Base Salary through the end of the month in which death occurs and any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(f) below).

 

(b)           DISABILITY.  If, as a result of Employee’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness (“Disability”), Employee shall have been absent from the full-time performance of Employee’s duties with the Company for a period of four consecutive months and, within 30 days after written notice is provided to Employee by the Company (in accordance with Section 4A above), Employee shall not have returned to the full-time performance of Employee’s duties, Employee’s employment under this Agreement may be terminated by the Company for Disability.  During any period prior to such termination during which Employee is absent from the full-time performance of Employee’s duties with the Company due to Disability, the Company shall continue to pay Employee’s Base Salary at the rate in effect at the commencement of such period of Disability, offset by any amounts payable to Employee under any disability insurance plan or policy provided by the Company.  Upon termination of Employee’s employment due to Disability, the Company shall pay Employee within 30 days of such termination (i) Employee’s Base Salary through the end of the month in which termination occurs in a lump sum in cash, offset by any amounts payable to Employee under any disability insurance plan or policy provided by the Company; and (ii) any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(f) below).

 

(c)           TERMINATION FOR CAUSE.  The Company may terminate Employee’s employment under this Agreement for Cause at any time prior to the expiration of the Term.   As used herein, “Cause” shall mean:   (i) the plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, or conviction for, the commission of a felony offense by Employee; provided, however, that after indictment, the Company may suspend Employee from the rendition of services, but without limiting or modifying in any other way the Company’s obligations under this Agreement; (ii) a material breach by Employee of a fiduciary duty owed to the Company; (iii) a material breach by Employee of any of the covenants made by Employee in Section 2 hereof; (iv) the willful or gross neglect by Employee of the material duties required by this Agreement; (v) unsatisfactory performance of Employee’s duties or responsibilities as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors; provided that the Company has given Employee written notice specifying the unsatisfactory performance of his duties and responsibilities, which remains uncorrected by the Employee after the lapse of 30 days following the receipt of the written notice (vi) a material breach by the Employee of his duty not to engage in any transaction that represents, directly or indirectly, self-dealing with the Company or any Company Affiliates which has not been approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company’s Board of Directors, if such material breach remains uncured after the lapse of 30 days following the date that the Company has given the Employee written notice thereof; (vii) any act of misappropriation, embezzlement, intentional fraud or similar contact involving the Company or any Company Affiliates; (viii) intentional infliction of any damage of a material nature to any property of the Company or any Company Affiliates; (ix) a violation of any Company policy pertaining to ethics, wrongdoing or conflicts of interest; and (x) the repeated non-prescription abuse of any controlled substance which, in any case described in this clause, the Company’s Board of Directors reasonably determines renders the Employee unfit to serve in his capacity as an officer or employee of the Company or any Company Affiliates.  In the event of Employee’s termination for Cause, this Agreement shall terminate without further obligation by the Company, except for the payment of any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(f) below).

 

(d)           TERMINATION BY THE EMPLOYEE FOR GOOD REASON.  The Employee may terminate this Agreement at any time prior to the expiration of the Term for Good Reason, which

 

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is defined as any of the following: (i) failure of the Company to comply with a material item in the agreement; (ii) a substantial or unusual increase in the Employee’s duties and responsibilities without an offer of additional reasonable compensation as determined by the Company; (iii) a substantial or unusual decrease in the Employee’s duties, responsibilities and/or compensation.  Prior to the Employee’s termination of this Agreement for Good Reason, the Employee must provide the Company with thirty (30) days advance written notice in which the Company may attempt to resolve the issue.

 

(e)           TERMINATION BY THE COMPANY OTHER THAN FOR DEATH, DISABILITY OR CAUSE.  If Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company for any reason other than Employee’s death or Disability or for Cause, then (i) the Company shall pay Employee the Base Salary through the end of the Term over the course of the then remaining Term; and (ii) the Company shall pay Employee within 30 days of the date of such termination in a lump sum in cash any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(f) below).  The payment to Employee of the severance benefits described in this Section 1(d) shall be subject to Employee’s execution and non-revocation of a general release of the Company and its affiliates in a form substantially similar to that used for similarly situated executives of the Company and its affiliates.

 

(f)            MITIGATION; OFFSET.  In the event of termination of Employee’s employment prior to the end of the Term, Employee shall use reasonable best efforts to seek other employment and to take other reasonable actions to mitigate the amounts payable under Section 1 hereof.  If Employee obtains other employment during the Term, the amount of any payment or benefit provided for under Section 1 hereof which has been paid to Employee shall be refunded to the Company by Employee in an amount equal to any compensation earned by Employee as a result of employment with or services provided to another employer after the date of Employee’s termination of employment and prior to the otherwise applicable expiration of the Term, and all future amounts payable by the Company to Employee during the remainder of the Term shall be offset by the amount earned by Employee from another employer.  Any non-cash compensation (including unvested equity) received from a subsequent employer will not be considered as compensation to be offset against amounts paid or to be paid to Employee in the event of termination without cause.  For purposes of this Section 1(e), Employee shall have an obligation to inform the Company regarding Employee’s employment status following termination and during the period encompassing the Term.

 

(g)           ACCRUED OBLIGATIONS.  As used in this Agreement, “Accrued Obligations” shall mean the sum of (i) any portion of Employee’s Base Salary through the date of death or termination of employment for any reason, as the case may be, which has not yet been paid; and (ii) any compensation previously earned but deferred by Employee (together with any interest or earnings thereon) that has not yet been paid.

 

2.                                       CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION; NON-SOLICITATION; AND PROPRIETARY RIGHTS.

 

(a)           CONFIDENTIALITY.  Employee acknowledges that while employed by the Company Employee will occupy a position of trust and confidence.  Employee shall not, except as may be required to perform Employee’s duties hereunder or as required by applicable law, without limitation in time or until such information shall have become public other than by Employee’s unauthorized disclosure, disclose to others or use, whether directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  “Confidential Information” shall mean information about the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, and their clients and customers that is not disclosed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates for financial reporting purposes and that was learned by Employee in the course of employment by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, including (without limitation) any proprietary knowledge, trade secrets, data, formulae, information and client and customer

 

5



 

lists and all papers, resumes, and records (including computer records) of the documents containing such Confidential Information.  Employee acknowledges that such Confidential Information is specialized, unique in nature and of great value to the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates, and that such information gives the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates a competitive advantage.  Employee agrees to deliver or return to the Company, at the Company’s request at any time or upon termination or expiration of Employee’s employment or as soon thereafter as possible, all documents, computer tapes and disks, records, lists, data, drawings, prints, notes and written information (and all copies thereof) furnished by the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates or prepared by Employee in the course of Employee’s employment by the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates.  As used in this Agreement, “subsidiaries” and  “affiliates” shall mean any company controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company.

 

(b)           POST-SEPARATION COOPERATION.  During the one year period commencing immediately upon the termination of Employee’s employment for any reason (other than termination resulting from Employee’s death), Employee shall be available for consultation with the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates concerning their general operations and the industries in which they engage in business, as may be reasonably required without jeopardizing Employee’s then full-time, non-Ticketmaster Business employment opportunities; provided, however, that Employee shall not be obligated to devote more than 24 hours during such one year period to the performance of such duties.  The Company agrees to reimburse Employee for all reasonable and necessary business expenses incurred by Employee in the performance of such consultation in accordance with the Company’s reimbursement policy, including, without limitation, the submission of supporting evidence as reasonably required by the Company.

 

(c)           NON-SOLICITATION OF EMPLOYEES.  Employee recognizes that he will possess confidential information about other employees of the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates relating to their education, experience, skills, abilities, compensation and benefits, and inter-personal relationships with suppliers to and customers of the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates.  Employee recognizes that the information he will possess about these other employees is not generally known, is of substantial value to the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates in developing their respective businesses and in securing and retaining customers, and will be acquired by Employee because of Employee’s business position with the Company.  Employee agrees that, during Employee’s employment and during the period commencing immediately upon the termination of Employee’s employment for any reason and ending on the later of (i) the end of the Term and (ii) the second anniversary of the date of termination of Employee’s employment (the “Non-Solicit Period”), Employee will not, directly or indirectly, solicit or recruit any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates for the purpose of being employed by Employee or by any business, individual, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity on whose behalf Employee is acting as an agent, representative or employee and that Employee will not convey any such confidential information or trade secrets about other employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates to any other person except within the scope of Employee’s duties hereunder. The mere fact that Employee is an employee of a company, business, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity soliciting employees of the Company, without the Employee’s involvement in the solicitation, will not cause Employee to violate this provision.

 

(d)           NON-COMPETITION.  During Employee’s employment and during the Non-Solicit Period, Employee shall not, without the prior written consent of the Company, directly or indirectly engage in or assist any activity which is the same as, similar to or competitive with the Ticketmaster Businesses (other than on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates) including, without limitation, whether such engagement or assistance is an officer, director, proprietor, employee, partner, investor (other than as a holder of less than 5% of the outstanding capital stock of a publicly traded corporation), guarantor, consultant, advisor, agent, sales representative or other participant, anywhere in the world that the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates has been engaged, including, without limitation, the United States, Canada, Mexico, England,

 

6



 

Ireland, Scotland, Europe, Australia and China.  Nothing herein shall limit Employee’s ability to own interests in or manage entities which sell tickets as an incidental part of their primary business (e.g. cable networks, on-line computer services, sports teams, arenas, hotels, cruise lines, theatrical and movie productions and the like) and which do not hold themselves out generally as competitors of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  The “Ticketmaster Businesses” are defined as (A) the principal businesses of the Company as of the date hereof, namely (i) the computerized sale and/or resale of tickets for sporting, theatrical, live theatrical, live events, musical or any other events on behalf of various venues and promoters through distribution channels currently being utilized by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, (ii) the provision of fan club and marketing services to artists, and (iii) the promotion of live events, and (B) the principal businesses of the Company at the time that the Employee ceases to be a Company employee.  The determination of the principal businesses of the Company at the time the Employee ceases to be a Company employee will be made with reference to the definition of the principal businesses as of the date hereof in terms of the relative importance of the businesses to the Company at that time compared to its other activities.

 

(e)           NON-SOLICITATION OF CUSTOMERS.  During Employee’s employment and during the Non-Solicit Period, Employee shall not solicit any Customers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates or encourage (regardless of who initiates the contact) any such Customers to use the facilities or services of any competitor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  “Customer” shall mean any person who engages the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates to sell, on its behalf as agent, tickets to the public.

 

(f)            PROPRIETARY RIGHTS; ASSIGNMENT.  All Employee Developments shall be made for hire by the Employee for the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  “Employee Developments” means any idea, discovery, invention, design, method, technique, improvement, enhancement, development, computer program, machine, algorithm or other work or authorship that (i) relates to the business or operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or (ii) results from or is suggested by any undertaking assigned to the Employee or work performed by the Employee for or on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, whether created alone or with others, during or after working hours.  All Confidential Information and all Employee Developments shall remain the sole property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  The Employee shall acquire no proprietary interest in any Confidential Information or Employee Developments developed or acquired during the Term.  To the extent the Employee may, by operation of law or otherwise, acquire any right, title or interest in or to any Confidential Information or Employee Development, the Employee hereby assigns to the Company all such proprietary rights.  The Employee shall, both during and after the Term, upon the Company’s request, promptly execute and deliver to the Company all such assignments, certificates and instruments, and shall promptly perform such other acts, as the Company may from time to time in its discretion deem necessary or desirable to evidence, establish, maintain, perfect, enforce or defend the Company’s rights in Confidential Information and Employee Developments.

 

(g)           COMPLIANCE WITH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.  During the Term, Employee shall adhere to the policies and standards of professionalism set forth in the Company’s Policies and Procedures as they may exist from time to time.

 

(h)           REMEDIES FOR BREACH.  Employee expressly agrees and understands that Employee will notify the Company in writing of any alleged breach of this Agreement by the Company, and the Company will have 30 days from receipt of Employee’s notice to cure any such breach.  Employee expressly agrees and understands that the remedy at law for any breach by Employee of this Section 2 will be inadequate and that damages flowing from such breach are not usually susceptible to being measured in monetary terms.  Accordingly, it is acknowledged that upon Employee’s violation of any provision of this Section 2 the Company shall be entitled to obtain from any court of competent jurisdiction immediate injunctive relief and obtain a temporary order

 

7



 

restraining any threatened or further breach as well as an equitable accounting of all profits or benefits arising out of such violation.  Nothing in this Section 2 shall be deemed to limit the Company’s remedies at law or in equity for any breach by Employee of any of the provisions of this Section 2, which may be pursued by or available to the Company.

 

(i)            SURVIVAL OF PROVISIONS.  The obligations contained in this Section 2 shall, to the extent provided in this Section 2, survive the termination or expiration of Employee’s employment with the Company and, as applicable, shall be fully enforceable thereafter in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.  If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in any state that any restriction in this Section 2 is excessive in duration or scope or is unreasonable or unenforceable under the laws of that state, it is the intention of the parties that such restriction may be modified or amended by the court to render it enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by the law of that state.

 

3.             TERMINATION OF PRIOR AGREEMENTS.  This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and terminates and supersedes any and all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.  Employee acknowledges and agrees that neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has made, and is not making, and in executing this Agreement, the Employee has not relied upon, any representations, promises or inducements except to the extent the same is expressly set forth in this Agreement.  Employee hereby represents and warrants that by entering into this Agreement, Employee will not rescind or otherwise breach an employment agreement with Employee’s current employer prior to the natural expiration date of such agreement.

 

4.             ASSIGNMENT; SUCCESSORS.  This Agreement is personal in its nature and none of the parties hereto shall, without the consent of the others, assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder, provided that, in the event of the merger, consolidation, transfer, or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company with or to any other individual or entity, this Agreement shall, subject to the provisions hereof, be binding upon and inure to the benefit of such successor and such successor shall discharge and perform all the promises, covenants, duties, and obligations of the Company hereunder, and all references herein to the “Company” shall refer to such successor.

 

5.             WITHHOLDING.  The Company shall make such deductions and withhold such amounts from each payment and benefit made or provided to Employee hereunder, as may be required from time to time by applicable law, governmental regulation or order.

 

6.             HEADING REFERENCES.  Section headings in this Agreement are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose.  References to “this Agreement” or the use of the term “hereof” shall refer to these Standard Terms and Conditions and the Employment Agreement attached hereto, taken as a whole.

 

7.             WAIVER; MODIFICATION.  Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants, or conditions hereof shall not be deemed a waiver of such term, covenant, or condition, nor shall any waiver or relinquishment of, or failure to insist upon strict compliance with, any right or power hereunder at any one or more times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of such right or power at any other time or times.  This Agreement shall not be modified in any respect except by a writing executed by each party hereto.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, neither the assignment of Employee to a different Reporting Officer due to a reorganization or an internal restructuring of the Company or its affiliated companies nor a change in the title of the Reporting Officer shall constitute a modification or a breach of this Agreement.

 

8.             SEVERABILITY.  In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any portion of this Agreement is in violation of any law or public policy, only the portions of this Agreement that violate such law or public policy shall be stricken.  All portions of this Agreement that do not violate any statute or public policy shall continue in full force and effect.  Further, any court order striking any portion of this

 

8



 

Agreement shall modify the stricken terms as narrowly as possible to give as much effect as possible to the intentions of the parties under this Agreement.

 

9.             INDEMNIFICATION.  The Company shall indemnify and hold Employee harmless for acts and omissions in Employee’s capacity as an officer, director or employee of the Company to the maximum extent permitted under applicable law; provided, however, that neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates shall indemnify Employee for any losses incurred by Employee as a result of acts described in Section 1(c) of this Agreement.

 

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ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED:

 

Dated as of:

May 21, 2008

 

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER L.L.C.

8800 Sunset Boulevard

West Hollywood, CA  90069

 

 

By:

/s/ Beverly Carmichael

 

/s/ Brian Regan

 

 

 

 

 

Beverly Carmichael

 

Brian Regan

 

 

 

Title:

SVP, Human Resources & Chief People Officer

 

 

 

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EX-10.19 24 a2187104zex-10_19.htm EXHIBIT 10.19

Exhibit 10.19

 

Ticketmaster

Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors

 

1.             Purpose.  The purpose of the Ticketmaster Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the “Plan”) is to provide non-employee directors of Ticketmaster (or any successor thereto) (the “Company”) with an opportunity to defer Director Fees (as defined in paragraph 4(b) below).

 

2.             Effective Date.  The Plan shall become effective on August      , 2008, subject to approval by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”).

 

3.             Eligibility.  Any director of the Company who is not an employee of the Company or of any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company is eligible to participate in the Plan.

 

4.             Election to Defer Compensation.

 

(a)           Time of Eligibility.  An election to defer Director Fees by a newly elected director shall be made by such director within the 30-day period following his or her election to the Board, which election shall apply only to Director Fees earned for services performed after the date of such election.  A director who has either (i) not previously elected to defer Director Fees or (ii) discontinued (or wishes to modify) a prior election to defer Director Fees may elect to defer Director Fees (or modify an existing deferral election) by giving written notice to the Company on or prior to November 1 of each year (or such other date as may be determined from time to time by the Secretary of the Company in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Plan and in compliance with applicable law).  Any such election shall only apply to Director Fees earned for services performed during the calendar year following such written notice.  The effectiveness of a given election shall continue until the participant’s “separation from service,” as defined under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and Treasury Regulation §1.409A, from the Company and any entity that would be treated as a single employer with the Company under Section 414(b) or 414(c) of the Code (a “Separation from Service”) or until the end of the calendar year during which the director gives the Company written notice of its discontinuance or modification, whichever shall occur first.  Any notice of discontinuance or modification shall operate prospectively from the first day of the calendar year following the receipt of such written notice by the Secretary of the Company, and Director Fees payable during any subsequent calendar year shall either be paid (absent any timely future deferral election) or deferred in accordance with the terms of the discontinuance or modified election, as applicable; provided, however, that Director Fees theretofore deferred shall continue to be withheld and shall be paid in accordance with the notice of election pursuant to which they were withheld.  All written notices regarding deferral elections and/or the discontinuance or modification of prior deferral elections shall be made on a form prescribed by the Company.

 

(b)           Amount of Deferral.  A participant may elect to defer receipt of all or a specified portion of the cash fees receivable by such director for services performed as a

 



 

director of the Company (which amounts shall include fees for services as a member of one or more Committee(s) of the Board and meeting attendance fees, if any (among other fees), as and if applicable from time to time) that are otherwise payable to the director in cash (the “Director Fees”).

 

(c)           Manner of Electing Deferral.  A participant shall elect to defer Director Fees by giving written notice to the Company in a form prescribed by the Company.  Such notice shall include:

 

(i)            the percentage or amount of Director Fees to be deferred (the “Deferred Fees”);

 

(ii)           the allocation of the Deferred Fees between the “Cash Fund” or “Share Units;” and

 

(iii)          in the case of a participant’s initial election only, an election of a lump-sum payment or of a number of annual installments (not to exceed five) for the payment of the Deferred Fees (plus the amounts (if any) credited under Section 5), with such lump-sum payment or the first installment payment occurring on the later of (A) the calendar year following the calendar year in which the participant’s Separation from Service occurs (but not earlier than January 15th of such year) or (B) the first day of the seventh month following the date on which the participant’s Separation from Service occurs (and otherwise in compliance with applicable law), with any successive annual installment payments to be made not earlier than January 15th of each such year.  Any payment election made by a participant in connection with his or her initial election to participate in the Plan shall apply to all Deferred Fees, whether covered by the initial deferral election or a subsequent deferral election; provided, however, that this paragraph 4(c)(iii) shall not preclude subsequent modifications to the payment election described immediately above that are made in connection with a participant’s Separation from Service and in compliance with paragraph (d) below.

 

(d)           A participant may change his or her payment election in accordance with the following requirements:

 

(i)            Subject to clauses (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph (d), such election may not take effect until the twelve (12) month anniversary of the date the election is made and filed with the Secretary of the Company using a form prescribed by the Company;

 

(ii)           Such lump-sum payment or the first installment payment  shall not be made less than five (5) years after the date that the participant’s Deferred Fees (plus the amounts (if any) credited under Section 5)would have been paid pursuant to paragraph (c)(iii) above (or such later year if a prior modification was made pursuant to this paragraph); and

 

2



 

(iii)          Any new election shall not be effective unless made at least twelve (12) months prior to the year in which the payment of the Deferred Fees (plus the amounts (if any) credited under Section 5) would otherwise commence.

 

5.             Deferred Compensation Account.  The Company shall establish a book-entry account for each participant to record the participant’s Deferred Fees (the “Account”).

 

(a)           For Deferred Fees allocated by the participant to the Cash Fund:

 

(i)            at the time the Director Fees would otherwise have been payable, the Account will be credited with the amount of the Deferred Fees, receipt of which the participant has elected to defer, and

 

(ii)           at the end of each calendar year or terminal portion of a year, the Account will be credited with deemed interest, at an annual rate equivalent to the weighted average prime or base lending rate of JP Morgan Chase Bank (including any successor thereto or such other financial institution that may be selected from time to time by the Secretary of the Company in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Plan and in accordance with applicable law) for the relevant year or portion thereof (the “Interest Equivalents”), upon the average daily balance in the Account during such year or portion thereof.

 

(b)           For  Deferred Fees allocated by the participant to Share Units:

 

(i)            at the time the Director Fees would otherwise have been payable, (A) the Account will be credited with the amount of the Deferred Fees, receipt of which the participant has elected to defer and (B) such amount of Deferred Fees shall be converted on such date to a number of “Share Units” (computed to the nearest 1/1000 of a share) equal to the number of shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company that theoretically could have been purchased on such date with such amount of Deferred Fees, using the closing price for the Common Stock on such date (or, if such date is not a trading day, on the next preceding trading day) on The Nasdaq Stock Market’s National Market System (“Nasdaq”) or, if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted on Nasdaq, the principal stock exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded;

 

(ii)           on each date on which a dividend is paid on the Common Stock, the Account will be credited with the number of Share Units (computed to the nearest 1/1000 of a share) which theoretically could have been purchased with the amount of dividends payable on the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Share Units in the participant’s Account immediately prior to the payment of such dividend; the number of additional Share Units shall be calculated as in paragraph 5(b)(i) above, provided that, with respect to dividends paid in kind, the amount of such dividend shall be determined based on the fair

 

3



 

market value of such dividend on the date of the dividend distribution (which, if such dividend is a security that is then traded on a stock exchange, the fair market value of such security shall be the closing price on such date of the security on the principal stock exchange on which the security is then traded (or, if such date is not a trading day, on the next trading day); and

 

(iii)          on the date of the occurrence of any event described in paragraph 7(d) below, the Account will be credited with the number of Shares Units necessary for an equitable adjustment, which adjustment shall be determined in accordance with paragraphs 7(d) and 10 of the Plan and in accordance with applicable law.

 

(c)           Unless otherwise determined by the Secretary of the Company in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Plan and in accordance with applicable law, Deferred Fees shall be payable (and related amounts credited to participant Accounts) on a quarterly basis.  Each payment shall be classified as a “separate payment” under Section 409A of the Code.

 

6.             Value of Deferred Compensation Accounts.  The value of each participant’s Account on any date shall consist of (a) in the case of the Cash Fund, the sum of the Deferred Fees credited in accordance with paragraph 5 above and the Interest Equivalents credited through such date, if any, and (b) in the case of the Share Units, the market value of the corresponding number of shares of Common Stock on such date, determined using the closing price for the Common Stock on such date (or, if such date is not a trading day, on the next preceding trading day) on Nasdaq, or if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted on Nasdaq, the principal stock exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded.  A participant’s Account shall be credited with Interest Equivalents or additional Share Units, if any, as applicable for so long as there is an outstanding balance credited to the Participant’s Account.

 

7.             Payment of Deferred Compensation.  No payment shall be made from a participant’s Account except as follows:

 

(a)           The balance of Deferred Fees and Interest Equivalents in a participant’s Account credited to the Cash Fund shall be paid in cash in the manner elected in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 4(c) above.  If annual installments are elected, the amount of the first payment shall be a fraction of the balance in the participant’s Account as of the December 31 of the year preceding such payment, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is the total number of annual installments elected.  The amount of each subsequent payment shall be a fraction of the balance in the participant’s Account as of December 31 of the year preceding each subsequent payment, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is the total number of installments elected minus the number of installments previously paid.  Each payment pursuant to this paragraph 7(a) shall include Interest Equivalents, but only on the amount being paid, from the preceding December 31 to the date of payment.

 

(b)           The balance in a participant’s Account credited to Share Units shall be paid in the number of actual shares of Common Stock equal to the whole number of

 

4



 

Share Units in the participant’s Account.  If annual installments are elected, the whole number of shares of Common Stock in the first payment shall be a fraction of the number of Share Units in the participant’s Account as of December 31 of the year preceding such payment, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is the total number of annual installments elected.  The whole number of shares of Common Stock in each subsequent payment shall be a fraction of the Share Units in the participant’s Account as of December 31 of the year preceding each subsequent payment, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is the total number of installments elected minus the number of installments previously paid.  If annual installments are elected, cash payments in lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock issuable in respect of fractional Share Units, if applicable, shall be made with the last payment.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding the election of the participant pursuant to paragraph 4(c), in the event of a participant’s death while a director, “conflict of interest” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(iii), or “disability” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(4), the balance in the participant’s Account (in the case of the Cash Fund, including Interest Equivalents in relation to the elapsed portion of a year) shall be determined as of such date of death, conflict of interest or disability, and such balance shall be paid in one lump-sum payment in cash in the case of the Cash Fund or in actual shares of Common Stock in the case of Share Units to the participant or the participant’s estate, as the case may be, as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter (and otherwise in compliance with applicable law and Section 409A of the Code) but in no event later than the later of the last day of such calendar year in which the death, conflict of interest or disability occurred or ninety (90) days following the occurrence of the death, conflict of interest or disability.

 

(d)           In the event of any merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, stock rights offering, liquidation, disaffiliation, or similar event affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the Board or the Compensation and Human Resources Committee (or such other Committee as the Board may from time to time designate) (the “Committee”) may make such equitable substitutions or adjustments in the aggregate number of Share Units in a participant’s Account, in the form or type of property represented by such Share Units and in the number and kind of shares reserved for issuance as the Board or the Committee deems appropriate.  In the event of a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, separation, spinoff, reorganization, extraordinary dividend of cash or other property, share combination, or recapitalization or similar event affecting the capital structure of the Company, the Committee or the Board shall make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to the aggregate number of Share Units in a participant’s Account, in the form or type of property represented by such Share Units and in the number and kind of shares reserved for issuance.  Any successor corporation or other acquirer of the Company shall be required to assume the Company’s obligations hereunder and substitute an appropriate number of shares of stock or other equity measure of such successor entity for Share Units.

 

8.             Participant’s Rights Unsecured.  The right of a participant to receive any unpaid portion of the participant’s Account, whether the Cash Fund or Share Units, shall be an unsecured claim against the general assets of the Company.

 

5



 

9.             Nonassignability.  The right of a participant to receive any unpaid portion of the participant’s Account shall not be assigned, transferred, pledged or encumbered or be subject in any manner to alienation or anticipation.

 

10.           Administration.  This Plan shall be administered by the Secretary of the Company, who shall have the authority to adopt rules and regulations for carrying out the Plan and to interpret, construe and implement the provisions thereof.

 

11.           Stock Subject to Plan.  The total number of Share Units that may be credited to the Accounts of all eligible directors, and the total number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for issuance, under the Plan shall be 100,000.

 

12.           Conditions Upon Issuance of Common Stock.  Shares of Common Stock shall not be issued pursuant to the Plan unless the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant hereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares of Common Stock may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.

 

13.           Amendment and Termination.  This Plan may be amended, modified or terminated at any time by the Committee or the Board; provided, however, that no such amendment, modification or termination shall, without the consent of a participant, adversely affect such participant’s rights with respect to amounts theretofore accrued to the participant’s Account and any amendment or termination of the Plan shall be effected in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

 

14.           Section 409A of the Code.

 

(a)           The terms and conditions of the Plan are intended to comply (and shall be interpreted in accordance) with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

 

(b)           No action shall be taken under the Plan that will cause any Account to fail to comply in any respect with Section 409A of the Code without the written consent of the participant.

 

(c)           Any adjustments to Share Units and/or cash payments made pursuant to paragraph 7(d) shall be made (i) in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and (ii) in such a manner as to ensure that after such adjustment and/or cash payment, the Share Units or Deferred Fees to be paid comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

 

6



EX-10.20 25 a2187104zex-10_20.htm EXHIBIT 10.20

Exhibit 10.20

 

CONFORMED COPY

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of July 25, 2008

among

TICKETMASTER,
as Borrower,

CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES OF THE BORROWER,
as Guarantors,

THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent,

MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL CORPORATION,
as Syndication Agent,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
BARCLAYS BANK PLC,

MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING INC.,

and
WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
,

as Co-Documentation Agents,

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
and
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,
as Joint Lead Arrangers

 

and

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,

BARCLAYS CAPITAL,

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED

and

WACHOVIA CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC

as Joint Bookrunners

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Section

 

 

 

Page

 

ARTICLE I

 

 

 

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

1.01

Defined Terms

1

1.02

Interpretative Provisions

40

1.03

Accounting Terms and Provisions

41

1.04

Rounding

42

1.05

Times of Day

42

1.06

Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents

42

1.07

Additional Alternative Currencies

43

1.08

Additional Borrowers

43

1.09

Change of Currency

43

1.10

Letter of Credit Amounts

44

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

 

 

 

COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

2.01

Commitments

44

2.02

Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations

49

2.03

Additional Provisions with Respect to Letters of Credit

51

2.04

Additional Provisions with Respect to Swingline Loans

58

2.05

Repayment of Loans

60

2.06

Prepayments

61

2.07

Termination or Reduction of Commitments

65

2.08

Interest

66

2.09

Fees

66

2.10

Computation of Interest and Fees

68

2.11

Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback

68

2.12

Sharing of Payments by Lenders

70

2.13

Evidence of Debt

71

2.14

CAM Exchange

72

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

 

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

 

3.01

Taxes

73

3.02

Illegality

76

3.03

Inability to Determine Rates

76

3.04

Increased Cost; Capital Adequacy

76

 

i



 

Section

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

3.05

Compensation for Losses

78

3.06

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

78

3.07

Survival Losses

79

3.08

Additional Reserve Costs

79

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

 

GUARANTY

 

4.01

The Guaranty

80

4.02

Obligations Unconditional

80

4.03

Reinstatement

81

4.04

Certain Waivers

82

4.05

Remedies

82

4.06

Rights of Contribution

83

4.07

Guaranty of Payment; Continuing Guaranty

83

4.08

Joint and Several Liability of the Borrower

83

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

 

 

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

5.01

Conditions to Closing Date

83

5.02

Conditions to the Funding Date

84

5.03

Conditions to All Credit Extensions

88

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

 

 

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

6.01

Existence, Qualification and Power

88

6.02

Authorization; No Contravention

88

6.03

Governmental Authorization; Other Consents

89

6.04

Binding Effect

89

6.05

Financial Statements

89

6.06

No Material Adverse Effect

90

6.07

Litigation

90

6.08

No Default

90

6.09

Ownership of Property; Liens

90

6.10

Taxes

90

6.11

ERISA Compliance

91

6.12

Subsidiaries

91

6.13

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act

92

6.14

Disclosure

92

6.15

Compliance with Laws

92

 

ii



 

Section

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

6.16

Solvency

92

6.17

Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc

93

6.18

Security Agreement

93

6.19

Pledge Agreement

93

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII

 

 

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

7.01

Financial Statements

94

7.02

Certificates; Other Information

95

7.03

Notification

97

7.04

Preservation of Existence

97

7.05

Payment of Taxes and Other Obligations

97

7.06

Compliance with Law

98

7.07

Maintenance of Property

98

7.08

Insurance

98

7.09

Books and Records

98

7.10

Inspection Rights

99

7.11

Use of Proceeds

99

7.12

Joinder of Subsidiaries as Guarantors

99

7.13

Pledge of Capital Stock

100

7.14

Pledge of Other Property

100

7.15

Further Assurances Regarding Collateral

101

7.16

Post-Closing Matters

102

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

 

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

8.01

Liens

102

8.02

Investments

105

8.03

Indebtedness

107

8.04

Mergers and Dissolutions

110

8.05

Dispositions

111

8.06

Restricted Payments

111

8.07

Change in Nature of Business

112

8.08

Change in Accounting Practices or Fiscal Year

112

8.09

Transactions with Affiliates

112

8.10

Financial Covenants

113

8.11

Limitation on Subsidiary Distributions

113

8.12

Spin-Off

114

8.13

Transfers/Investments with respect to Certain Subsidiaries

114

 

iii



 

Section

 

 

Page

 

 

ARTICLE IX

 

 

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

9.01

Events of Default

115

9.02

Remedies upon Event of Default

117

9.03

Application of Funds

118

 

 

 

ARTICLE X

 

 

 

AGENTS

 

10.01

Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent

119

10.02

Rights as a Lender

120

10.03

Exculpatory Provisions

120

10.04

Reliance by Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent

121

10.05

Delegation of Duties

121

10.06

Resignation of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent

122

10.07

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Other Lenders

123

10.08

No Other Duties

123

10.09

Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent May File Proofs of Claim

123

10.10

Collateral and Guaranty Matters

124

10.11

Withholding Tax

125

10.12

Treasury Management Agreements and Swap Contracts

125

 

 

 

ARTICLE XI

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

11.01

Amendments, Etc.

126

11.02

Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication

129

11.03

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement

131

11.04

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

132

11.05

Payments Set Aside

134

11.06

Successors and Assigns

134

11.07

Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality

139

11.08

Right of Setoff

141

11.09

Interest Rate Limitation

141

11.10

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

141

11.11

Survival of Representations and Warranties

142

11.12

Severability

142

11.13

Replacement of Lenders

142

11.14

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

144

 

iv



 

Section

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

11.15

Waiver of Jury Trial

144

11.16

USA PATRIOT Act Notice

145

11.17

Designation as Senior Debt

145

11.18

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

145

 

v



 

SCHEDULES

 

Schedule 1.01A

Existing Letters of Credit

 

Schedule 1.01B

Funding Date Guarantors

 

Schedule 2.01

Lenders and Commitments

 

Schedule 2.09(c)

Funding Fees

 

Schedule 3.08

Mandatory Cost Rate

 

Schedule 5.01(c)(ii)

Scheduled Matters

 

Schedule 6.12

Subsidiaries

 

Schedule 7.08

Insurance

 

Schedule 8.01

Existing Liens

 

Schedule 8.02

Existing Investments

 

Schedule 8.03

Existing Indebtedness

 

Schedule 11.02

Notice Addresses

 

 

 

 

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit 1.01A

Form of Pledge Agreement

 

Exhibit 1.01B

Form of Security Agreement

 

Exhibit 2.02

Form of Loan Notice

 

Exhibit 2.13-1

Form of Dollar Revolving Note

 

Exhibit 2.13-2

Form of Approved Currency Revolving Note

 

Exhibit 2.13-3

Form of Swingline Note

 

Exhibit 2.13-4

Form of Term A Note

 

Exhibit 2.13-5

Form of Term B Note

 

Exhibit 3.01(e)

Form of Non-Bank Certificate

 

Exhibit 7.02(b)

Form of Compliance Certificate

 

Exhibit 7.12

Form of Joinder Agreement

 

Exhibit 11.06

Form of Assignment and Assumption

 

 

vi



 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

This CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Credit Agreement”) is entered into as of July 25, 2008, among TICKETMASTER, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors identified herein, the Lenders party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower and the Guarantors have requested that the Lenders provide revolving credit and term loan facilities for the purposes set forth herein; and

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders have agreed to make the requested facilities available on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of these premises and the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

 

I.

 

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

A.                                   Defined Terms.

 

As used in this Credit Agreement, the following terms have the meanings provided below:

 

Acquisition” means the purchase or acquisition (whether in one or a series of related transactions) by any Person of (a) more than fifty percent (50%) of the Capital Stock with ordinary voting power of another Person or (b) all or substantially all of the property (other than Capital Stock) of another Person or division or line of business or business unit of another Person, whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such Person.

 

Adjusted Eurodollar Rate” means, with respect to any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans for any Interest Period, (a) an interest rate per annum (rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100th of 1%) determined by the Administrative Agent to be equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans in effect for such Interest Period divided by (b) 1 minus the Statutory Reserves (if any) for such Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans for such Interest Period.

 

Administrative Agent” means JPMCB in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders under any of the Credit Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

 



 

Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

Administrative Questionnaire” means an administrative questionnaire for the Lenders in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

Agent” means either of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent.

 

Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Commitments” means the Approved Currency Revolving Commitments of all the Lenders.

 

Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(a)(ii).

 

Aggregate Commitment Percentage” means, for each Lender, a fraction (expressed as a percentage carried to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the amount of such Lender’s respective Revolving Commitment, Term A Loan Commitment and Term B Loan Commitment and the denominator of which is the Aggregate Commitments.

 

Aggregate Commitments” means the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Commitments, Term A Loan Commitments and Term B Loan Commitments.

 

Aggregate Dollar Revolving Commitments” means the Dollar Revolving Commitments of all the Lenders.

 

Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(a)(i).

 

Aggregate Revolving Commitments” means the collective reference to the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Commitments and the Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Commitments.

 

Aggregate Revolving Committed Amount” means the collective reference to the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount and the Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount.

 

Aggregate Term A Loan Committed Amount” means one hundred million Dollars ($100.0 million).

 

Aggregate Term B Loan Committed Amount” means three hundred fifty million Dollars ($350.0 million).

 

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Alternative Currency” means each of Euros, Canadian Dollars and Sterling and any other currency added as an “Alternative Currency” pursuant to Section 1.07 hereof.

 

Alternative Currency Equivalent” means, at any time, with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, the equivalent amount thereof in the applicable Alternative Currency as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, at such time on the basis of the Spot Rate (determined in respect of the most recent Revaluation Date) for the purchase of such Alternative Currency with Dollars.

 

Applicable Percentage” means (i) with respect to Term B Loans, (x) 3.25% in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) 2.25% in the case of Base Rate Loans and (ii) with respect to Revolving Loans, Swingline Loans, Letter of Credit Fees and Term A Loans the following percentages per annum:

 

APPLICABLE PERCENTAGES FOR REVOLVING LOANS, SWINGLINE LOANS,
LETTER OF CREDIT FEES AND TERM A LOANS

 

Pricing
Level

 

Consolidated
Total
Leverage
Ratio

 

Eurodollar Rate
Loans (other
than for
Revolving
Loans)

 

Base Rate
Loans (other
than for
Revolving
Loans)

 

Eurodollar
Rate Loans
(for Revolving
Loans) and
Letter of
Credit Fees

 

Base Rate
Loans
(for
Revolving
Loans)

 

I

 

< 1.50:1.00

 

2.25%

 

1.25%

 

1.75%

 

0.75%

 

II

 

> 1.50 but
< 2.25:1.00

 

2.50%

 

1.50%

 

2.00%

 

1.00%

 

III

 

> 2.25 but
< 3.00:1.00

 

2.75%

 

1.75%

 

2.25%

 

1.25%

 

IV

 

> 3.00:1.00

 

3.00%

 

2.00%

 

2.50%

 

1.50%

 

 

Applicable Percentages for Revolving Loans, Swingline Loans, Letter of Credit Fees and Term A Loans will be based on the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 7.02(b). Any increase or decrease in such Applicable Percentage resulting from a change in the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall become effective on the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 7.02(b); provided, however, that if (i) a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance therewith or (ii) an Event of Default pursuant to Section 9.01(a), (f) or (h) has occurred and is continuing, then, in the case of clause (i) pricing level IV shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered until the first Business Day immediately following delivery thereof, and in the case of clause (ii) pricing level IV shall apply as of the first Business Day after the occurrence of such Event of Default until the first Business Day immediately following the cure or waiver of such Event of Default.  The Applicable

 

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Percentage in effect from the Closing Date through the date for delivery of the Compliance Certificate for the first full fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date shall be determined based upon pricing level III for Revolving Loans, Swingline Loans, Letter of Credit Fees and Term A Loans.

 

Determinations by the Administrative Agent of the appropriate pricing level shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

In the event that any financial statement or Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 7.01 or 7.02 is shown to be inaccurate (regardless of whether this Credit Agreement or the Commitments are in effect or any Loans are outstanding when such inaccuracy is discovered), and such inaccuracy, if corrected, would have led to the application of a higher Applicable Percentage for any period (an “Applicable Period”) than the Applicable Percentage applied for such Applicable Period, and only in such case, then the Borrower shall immediately (i) deliver to the Administrative Agent a corrected Compliance Certificate for such Applicable Period, (ii) determine the Applicable Percentage for such Applicable Period based upon the corrected Compliance Certificate, and (iii) immediately pay to the Administrative Agent the accrued additional interest owing as a result of such increased Applicable Percentage for such Applicable Period, which payment shall be promptly applied by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 2.11.  The rights of the Administrative Agent and Lenders pursuant to this paragraph are in addition to rights of the Administrative Agent and Lenders with respect to Sections 2.08(b) and 9.02 and other of their respective rights under the Credit Documents.

 

Applicable Period” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of Applicable Percentage.

 

Applicable Time” means, with respect to any borrowings and payments in any Alternative Currency, the local time in the place of settlement for such Alternative Currency as may be determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, to be necessary for timely settlement on the relevant date in accordance with normal banking procedures in the place of payment.

 

Approved Currency” means each of Dollars and each Alternative Currency.

 

Approved Currency Revolving Commitment” means, for each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Approved Currency Revolving Loans hereunder.

 

Approved Currency Revolving Commitment Percentage” means, for each Approved Currency Revolving Lender, a fraction (expressed as a percentage carried to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is such Approved Currency Revolving Lender’s Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount and the denominator of which is the Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount.  The initial Approved Currency Revolving Commitment Percentages are set forth in Schedule 2.01.

 

Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount” means, for each Approved Currency Revolving Lender, the amount of such Lender’s Approved Currency Revolving Commitment.  The initial Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amounts are set forth in Schedule 2.01.

 

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Approved Currency Revolving Facility” means the Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Commitments and the provisions herein related to the Approved Currency Revolving Loans.

 

Approved Currency Revolving Facility Fee” has the meaning provided in Section 2.09(a).

 

Approved Currency Revolving Lenders” means those Lenders with Approved Currency Revolving Commitments, together with their successors and permitted assigns.  The initial Approved Currency Revolving Lenders are identified in Schedule 2.01.

 

Approved Currency Revolving Loan” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(a)(ii).

 

Approved Currency Revolving Notes” means the promissory notes, if any, given to evidence the Approved Currency Revolving Loans, as amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed or replaced.  A form of Approved Currency Revolving Note is attached as Exhibit 2.13-2.

 

Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered, managed or underwritten by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.06) and accepted by the Administrative Agent and, if required by Section 11.06, the Borrower, in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.06 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Attributable Principal Amount” means (a) in the case of capital leases, the amount of capital lease obligations determined in accordance with GAAP, (b) in the case of Synthetic Leases, an amount determined by capitalization of the remaining lease payments thereunder as if it were a capital lease determined in accordance with GAAP, and (c) in the case of Sale and Leaseback Transactions, the present value (discounted in accordance with GAAP at the debt rate implied in the applicable lease) of the obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the term of such lease).

 

Auto-Extension Letter of Credit” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03(b)(iii).

 

Base Rate” means (i) in the case of Loans denominated in Dollars for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the higher of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by JPMCB as its “prime rate” in effect at its principal office in New York City and (ii) in the case of Loans denominated in Canadian Dollars the greater of (a) the rate of interest publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Toronto Branch as its reference rate of interest for loans made in Canadian Dollars to Canadian customers and designed as its “prime” rate and (b) the rate of interest per annum equal to the average annual yield rate for one-month Canadian

 

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Dollar bankers’ acceptances (expressed for such purposes as a yearly rate per annum) which is shown on the “CDOR Page” (or any substitute) at 10:00 A.M. (Toronto time) on such day (or if not a Business Day, the preceding Business Day), plus 0.75% per annum.  The “prime rate” is a rate set by JPMCB or JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Toronto Branch, as applicable based upon various factors including its costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate.  Any change in such rate announced by JPMCB or JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Toronto Branch shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

 

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

 

BCV” means Broadway China Ventures, LLC.

 

Borrower” has the meaning provided in the recitals hereto, together with its successors and permitted assigns pursuant to Section 8.04.

 

Borrowing” means (a) a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period, or (b) a borrowing of Swingline Loans, as appropriate.

 

Business Day” means any day (other than a day which is a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which banks in New York are authorized or required by law to close); provided, however, that (a) when used in connection with a rate determination, borrowing, or payment in respect of a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks in London, England are not open for dealings in deposits of Dollars or foreign currencies, as applicable, in the London Interbank Market, (b) if such day relates to any dealings in any currency other than Dollars to be carried out pursuant to this Credit Agreement, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for foreign exchange dealings between banks in the home country of such foreign currency.

 

Canadian Dollars” and “C$” means the lawful currency of Canada.

 

Capital Stock” means (a) in the case of a corporation, capital stock, (b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, (c) in the case of a partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited), (d) in the case of a limited liability company, membership interests and (e) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person.

 

Cash Collateralize” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03(g).

 

Cash Equivalents” means (a) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof) having maturities of not more than twelve (12) months from the date of acquisition, (b) Dollar-denominated time deposits, money market deposits and certificates of deposit of (i) any Lender that accepts such deposits in the ordinary course of such Lender’s business, (ii) any domestic commercial bank of recognized standing

 

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having capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million or (iii) any bank whose short-term commercial paper rating from S&P is at least A-1 or from Moody’s is at least P-1, in each case with maturities of not more than two hundred seventy (270) days from the date of acquisition, (c) commercial paper issued by any issuer bearing at least an “A-2” rating for any short-term rating provided by S&P and/or Moody’s and maturing within two hundred seventy (270) days of the date of acquisition, (d) repurchase agreements entered into by the Borrower with a bank or trust company (including any of the Lenders) or recognized securities dealer having capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million for direct obligations issued by or fully guaranteed by the United States and having, on the date of purchase thereof, a fair market value of at least one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of the repurchase obligations, (e) Investments (classified in accordance with GAAP as current assets) in money market investment programs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that are administered by reputable financial institutions having capital and surplus of at least $500.0 million and the portfolios of which are limited to Investments of the character described in the foregoing subclauses hereof, (f) shares of mutual funds if no less than 95% of such funds’ investments satisfy the provisions of clauses (a) through (e) above, and (g) in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, short-term investments of comparable credit quality and tenor to those referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above which are customarily used for cash management purposes in any country in which such Foreign Subsidiary operates.

 

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the Closing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority.

 

Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:

 

(a)           any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) other than a Permitted Holder becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly or indirectly, of forty percent (40%) or more of the equity securities of the Borrower entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Borrower on a fully diluted basis;

 

(b)           during any period of twelve (12) consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of the Borrower cease to be composed of individuals (i) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by a Permitted Holder or by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body (excluding, in the

 

7



 

case of both clauses (ii) and (iii), any individual whose initial nomination for, or assumption of office as, a member of that board or equivalent governing body occurs as a result of an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents for the election or removal of one or more directors by any person or group other than a solicitation for the election of one (1) or more directors by or on behalf of the board of directors); or

 

(c)           a “change of control” or any comparable term under, and as defined in, any of the documentation relating to the Senior Notes shall have occurred.

 

Closing Date” means the date hereof.

 

Collateral” means the collateral identified in, and at any time covered by, the Collateral Documents.

 

Collateral Agent” means JPMCB in its capacity as collateral agent for the Lenders under any of the Collateral Documents, or any successor collateral agent.

 

Collateral Documents” means the Security Agreement, the Pledge Agreement, the Mortgages and any other documents executed and delivered in connection with the attachment and perfection of security interests granted to secure the Obligations.

 

Commitment Fees” has the meaning provided in Section 2.09(a).

 

Commitment Letter” means the Commitment Letter dated as of June 19, 2008 among the Borrower, JPMCB, the Lead Arrangers and the other parties thereto, together with all schedules and annexes thereto, as amended to the date hereof.

 

Commitment Percentage” means the Revolving Commitment Percentage, the Term A Loan Commitment Percentage or the Term B Loan Commitment Percentage, as appropriate.

 

Commitment Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earlier of (a)(i) in the case of Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans, the Revolving Termination Date, (ii) in the case of the Letters of Credit, the L/C Expiration Date or (iii) in the case of the Term Loans, the Funding Date, or (b) in the case of the Revolving Loans, Swingline Loans and the Letters of Credit, the date on which the applicable Revolving Commitments shall have been terminated as provided herein.

 

Commitments” means the Revolving Commitments, the L/C Commitments, the Swingline Commitment, the Term A Loan Commitments and the Term B Loan Commitments.

 

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.02(b).

 

Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, for any period for the Consolidated Group, without duplication, all expenditures with respect to property, plant and equipment during such period which should be capitalized in accordance with GAAP (including the Attributable Principal Amount of capital leases).

 

8



 

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period for the Consolidated Group, Consolidated Net Income in such period plus, without duplication, (A) in each case solely to the extent decreasing Consolidated Net Income in such period: (a) Consolidated Interest Expense (without giving effect to the second proviso of the definition of Consolidated Interest Expense), (b) provision for taxes, to the extent based on income or profits, (c) amortization and depreciation, (d) the amount of all expenses incurred in connection with the closing and funding of this Credit Agreement, the Senior Notes or the Transactions, (e) the amount of all non-cash deferred compensation expense, (f) the amount of all expenses associated with the early extinguishment of Indebtedness permitted hereunder incurred, (g) any losses from sales of Property, other than from sales in the ordinary course of business, (h) any non-cash impairment loss of goodwill or other intangibles required to be taken pursuant to GAAP, (i) any non-cash expense recorded with respect to stock options or other equity-based compensation, (j) any extraordinary loss in accordance with GAAP, (k) any restructuring, non-recurring or other unusual item of loss or expense (including write-offs and write-downs of assets), other than any write-off or write-down of inventory or accounts receivable; provided that the aggregate amount of any such losses or expenses in cash shall not exceed $25.0 million in any four quarter period ending on or prior to September 30, 2009 and $6.0 million in any four quarter period ending thereafter, (l) any non-cash loss related to discontinued operations and (m) any other non-cash charges (other than write-offs or write-downs of inventory or accounts receivable); provided that, in the case of any non-cash charge referred to in this definition of Consolidated EBITDA that relates to accruals or reserves for a future cash disbursement, such future cash disbursement shall be deducted from Consolidated EBITDA in the period when such cash is so disbursed; minus (B) in each case solely to the extent increasing Consolidated Net Income in such period:  (a) any extraordinary gain in accordance with GAAP, (b) any nonrecurring item of gain or income (including write-ups of assets), other than any write-up of inventory or accounts receivable, (c) any gains from sales of Property, other than from sales in the ordinary course of business, (d) any non-cash gain related to discontinued operations, and (e) the aggregate amount of all other non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income during such period; provided that in the case of any non-cash item referred to in clause (B) of this definition of Consolidated EBITDA that relates to a future cash payment to the Borrower or a Subsidiary, such future cash payment shall be added to Consolidated EBITDA in the period when such payment is so received by the Borrower or such Subsidiary.

 

Subject to the following sentence, Consolidated EBITDA for the fiscal quarters ended September 30, 2007, December 31, 2007, and March 31, 2008 shall be deemed to be $66.8 million, $80.2 million and $70.2 million, respectively.  Without duplication of any pro forma adjustments reflected in the amounts set forth in the immediately preceding sentence, Consolidated EBITDA for any period shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis pursuant to Section 1.03(b).

 

Consolidated Excess Cash Flow” means, for any period for the Consolidated Group, (a) net cash provided by operating activities for such period as reported on the audited GAAP cash flow statement delivered under Section 7.01(a) minus (b) the sum of, in each case to the extent not otherwise reducing net cash provided by operating activities in such period, without duplication, (i) scheduled principal payments and payments of interest in each case made in cash on Consolidated Total Funded Debt during such period (including for purposes hereof, sinking fund payments, payments in respect of the principal components under capital leases and the like relating thereto), in each case other than in connection with a refinancing thereof, (ii) Consolidated

 

9



 

Capital Expenditures made in cash during such period that are not financed with the proceeds of Indebtedness, an issuance of Capital Stock or from a reinvestment of Net Cash Proceeds referred to in Section 2.06(b)(ii), (iii) optional prepayments of Funded Debt during such period (other than prepayments of Revolving Loans owing under this Credit Agreement (unless, in the case of a prepayment of Revolving Loans, there is a simultaneous reduction in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in the amount of such prepayment pursuant to Section 2.07) and other such optional prepayments made with the proceeds of other Indebtedness), (iv) to the extent not financed with the incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness or proceeds from an issuance of Capital Stock, Subject Dispositions, Specified Dispositions or Involuntary Dispositions, cash sums expended for Investments pursuant to Sections 8.02(c), (i), (j), (k) (other than with respect to any amount expended on such Investments through the use of the Cumulative Credit) or (v) during such period, (v) without duplication of amounts deducted from Consolidated Excess Cash Flow in prior periods, the aggregate consideration required to be paid in cash by the Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant to binding contracts (the “Contract Consideration”) entered into prior to or during such period relating to Consolidated Capital Expenditures to be consummated or made during the three months following the end of such period, provided that to the extent the aggregate amount of internally generated cash actually utilized to finance such Consolidated Capital Expenditures during such three months is less than the Contract Consideration, the amount of such shortfall shall be added to Consolidated Excess Cash Flow for the period following such period and (vi) to the extent such amounts increased net cash provided by operating activities in such period, funds collected by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries on behalf of clients of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries representing the face amount of tickets sold plus (c) to the extent such amounts decreased net cash provided by operating activities in such period, funds remitted by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to clients of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries representing the face amount of tickets sold.

 

Consolidated Group” means the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters then ending, the ratio of (i) Consolidated EBITDA of the Consolidated Group to (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense of the Consolidated Group.

 

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the sum of the total interest expense of the Consolidated Group (calculated without regard to any limitations on the payment thereof) plus, without duplication, the interest component under capital leases determined on a consolidated basis minus interest income determined on a consolidated basis (except to the extent included in the Borrower’s consolidated revenues in accordance with GAAP); provided that the amortization of deferred financing, legal and accounting costs with respect to this Credit Agreement and the Senior Notes shall be excluded from Consolidated Interest Expense to the extent the same would otherwise have been included therein; provided further that subject to adjustment for events occurring after the Funding Date pursuant to Section 1.03(b), Consolidated Interest Expense for any period ending prior to the first anniversary of the Funding Date shall be determined by multiplying (x) Consolidated Interest Expense from and including the Funding Date to and including the last day of such period by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is 365 and the denominator of which is the number of days in such period.

 

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Without duplication of any of the adjustments reflected in the calculations set forth in the second proviso of the immediately preceding sentence, Consolidated Interest Expense shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis pursuant to Section 1.03(b).

 

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period for the Consolidated Group, the net income (or loss), determined on a consolidated basis (after any deduction for minority interests) of the Consolidated Group in accordance with GAAP, provided that (i) in determining Consolidated Net Income, the net income of any other Person which is not a Subsidiary of the Borrower or is accounted for by the Borrower by the equity method of accounting shall be included only to the extent of the payment of cash dividends or cash distributions by such other Person to a member of the Consolidated Group during such period, (ii) the net income of any Subsidiary of the Borrower (other than a Guarantor) that is not distributed to the Borrower or a Guarantor shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of cash dividends or similar cash distributions by that Subsidiary of that net income is not at the date of determination permitted by operation of its Organization Documents or any agreement, instrument or law applicable to such Subsidiary and (iii) the cumulative effect of any change in accounting principles shall be excluded.  Consolidated Net Income shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis pursuant to Section 1.03(b).

 

Consolidated Total Assets” means the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis determined in accordance with GAAP, as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the Borrower required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) or, for the period prior to the time any such statements are required to be so delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b), as shown on the financial statements referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.05.

 

Consolidated Total Funded Debt” means, at any time, the principal amount of all Funded Debt of the Consolidated Group at such time determined on a consolidated basis (it being understood and agreed that outstanding letters of credit shall not constitute Funded Debt unless such letters of credit have been drawn on by the beneficiary thereof and the resulting obligations have not been paid by the Borrower).

 

Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, the ratio of (i) Consolidated Total Funded Debt on such day to (ii) Consolidated EBITDA of the Consolidated Group for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending as of such day.

 

Contract Consideration” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of Consolidated Excess Cash Flow.

 

Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

 

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise

 

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voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

Credit Agreement” has the meaning provided in the recitals hereto, as the same may be amended and modified from time to time.

 

Credit Documents” means this Credit Agreement, the Notes, the Collateral Documents, the Fee Letter, the Issuer Documents, the Joinder Agreements, and the Revolving Lender Joinder Agreements and the Incremental Term Loan Joinder Agreement.

 

Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

 

Credit Parties” means the Borrower and each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a party to a Credit Document (including any Foreign Subsidiary that becomes a borrower under Section 1.08).

 

Credit Party Materials” has the meaning provided in Section 7.02.

 

Cumulative Credit” means, with respect to any proposed use of the Cumulative Credit at any time, an amount equal to (a)(i) the amount of the Consolidated Excess Cash Flow for each full fiscal quarter of the Borrower completed after the Funding Date, to the extent the financial statements required to be delivered for the period ending on the last day of such fiscal quarter pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) have been delivered and, to the extent the end of such fiscal quarter coincides with the end of a fiscal year of the Borrower, all prepayments that may be required pursuant to Section 2.06(b)(iv) with respect to the Consolidated Excess Cash Flow generated in such fiscal year have been made (provided that, to the extent the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower does not coincide with the end of a fiscal year of the Borrower, 25% of the Consolidated Excess Cash Flow generated in such fiscal quarter shall not be counted toward calculating the amount referred to in this clause (a) until the financial statements for the fiscal year in which fiscal quarter falls have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) and all prepayments that may be required pursuant to Section 2.06(b)(iv) with respect to the Consolidated Excess Cash Flow generated in such fiscal year have been made), plus (b) without duplication of any amounts referred to in clause (d), the aggregate amount of Net Cash Proceeds of any issuance of Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower (but not including any issuance or purchase referred to in Sections 8.02(c), 8.02(r) or 8.06(h)) after the Funding Date and at or prior to such time plus (c) in the case of a use of the Cumulative Credit to make an Investment pursuant to Section 8.02(k) only, the amount of Domestic Cash and Foreign Cash plus (d) to the extent not otherwise reflected in Consolidated Excess Cash Flow, the amount of cash returns on any Investment made pursuant to Section 8.02(k) (other than any Investment subsequently deemed to be made pursuant to Section 8.02(e)) in a Person other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary (to the extent such Investment was made through the use of the Cumulative Credit) resulting from interest payments, dividends, repayments of loans or advances or profits from Dispositions of Property, in each case to the extent actually received by the Borrower or a Guarantor at or prior to such time minus (e) the aggregate amount of Investments and Restricted Payments made since the Funding Date pursuant to Sections 8.02(k) (excluding Investments subsequently deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 8.02(e)) and 8.06(f), respectively, through utilization of the

 

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Cumulative Credit (excluding such proposed use of the Cumulative Credit, but including any other simultaneous proposed use of the Cumulative Credit) minus (f) the ECF Application Amount for each fiscal year of the Borrower, to the extent the financial statements for such fiscal year have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a).

 

Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

 

Default” means any event, act or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with notice, the passage of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

 

Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (a) with respect to Obligations other than (i) Eurodollar Rate Loans and (ii) Letter of Credit Fees, the Base Rate plus the Applicable Percentage, if any, applicable to such Loans plus two percent (2%) per annum; (b) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Loans, the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate plus the Applicable Percentage, if any, applicable to such Loans plus two percent (2%) per annum; and (c) with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Percentage plus two percent (2%) per annum.

 

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender as of any date of determination that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Loans, participations in L/C Obligations or participations in Swingline Loans required to be funded by it hereunder within one (1) Business Day of the date required to be funded by it hereunder and has not cured such failure prior to the date of determination, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one (1) Business Day of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute, and has not cured such failure prior to the date of determination, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.

 

Designated Revolving Obligations” means all obligations of the Borrower with respect to (a) principal and interest under the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans, (b) L/C Borrowings and interest thereon and (c) accrued and unpaid fees thereon.

 

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any Sale and Leaseback Transaction) of any Property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith (but excluding the making of any Investment pursuant to Section 8.02).

 

Disqualified Capital Stock” means Capital Stock that (a) requires the payment of any dividends or distributions (other than dividends or distributions payable solely in shares of Capital Stock other than Disqualified Capital Stock) prior to the date that is the first anniversary of the Final Maturity Date or (b) matures or is mandatorily redeemable or subject to mandatory repurchase or redemption or repurchase at the option of the holders thereof, in whole or in part and whether upon the occurrence of any event, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation, on a fixed

 

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date or otherwise, in each case prior to the date that is the first anniversary of the Final Maturity Date (other than upon payment in full of the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim has been made) and termination of the Commitments).

 

Dollar” or “$” means the lawful currency of the United States.

 

Dollar Equivalent” means, at any time, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, such amount, and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in any Alternative Currency, the equivalent amount thereof in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, at such time on the basis of the Spot Rate (determined in respect of the most recent Revaluation Date) for the purchase of Dollars with such Alternative Currency.

 

Dollar Revolving Commitment” means, for each Dollar Revolving Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Dollar Revolving Loans (and to share in Dollar Revolving Obligations) hereunder.

 

Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage” means, for each Dollar Revolving Lender, a fraction (expressed as a percentage carried to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is such Dollar Revolving Lender’s Dollar Revolving Committed Amount and the denominator of which is the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount.  The initial Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentages are set forth in Schedule 2.01.

 

Dollar Revolving Committed Amount” means, for each Dollar Revolving Lender, the amount of such Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment.  The initial Dollar Revolving Committed Amounts are set forth in Schedule 2.01.

 

Dollar Revolving Facility” means the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Commitments and the provisions herein related to the Dollar Revolving Loans, the Swingline Loans and the Letters of Credit.

 

Dollar Revolving Facility Fee” has the meaning provided in Section 2.09(a).

 

Dollar Revolving Lenders” means those Lenders with Dollar Revolving Commitments, together with their successors and permitted assigns.  The initial Dollar Revolving Lenders are identified on the signature pages hereto and are set forth in Schedule 2.01.

 

Dollar Revolving Loan” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(a)(i).

 

Dollar Revolving Notes” means the promissory notes, if any, given to evidence the Dollar Revolving Loans, as amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed or replaced.  A form of Dollar Revolving Note is attached as Exhibit 2.13-1.

 

Dollar Revolving Obligations” means the Dollar Revolving Loans, the L/C Obligations and the Swingline Loans.

 

Domestic Cash” means the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents (other than any proceeds of any Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans) reflected in the bank statements of the

 

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Borrower and the Borrower’s Domestic Subsidiaries immediately after giving effect to the Transactions, to the extent such amount is unrestricted as of the Spin-Off Date after giving effect to the Transactions, it being understood that cash required to be remitted to customers representing the face amount of tickets sold shall be deemed to be restricted (including without limitation all payments pursuant to Section 4.04 of the Separation Agreement).

 

Domestic Credit Party” means any Credit Party that is organized under the laws of any State of the United States or the District of Columbia.

 

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary, other than any Subsidiary the Capital Stock of which is to be transferred to IAC or one or more of IAC’s Subsidiaries (other than the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) in connection with the Spin Off.

 

ECF Application Amount” means, with respect to any fiscal year of the Borrower, the product of the ECF Percentage applicable to such fiscal year times the Consolidated Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year.

 

ECF Percentage” means, with respect to any fiscal year of the Borrower (x) ending on December 31, 2008, zero percent (0%) and (y) ending after December 31, 2008, if the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of such fiscal year is (i) greater than or equal to 2.50:1.00, fifty percent (50%) and (ii) less than 2.50:1.00, zero percent (0%).

 

Eligible Assignee” means (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of a Lender; (c) an Approved Fund; and (d) any other Person (other than a natural person) approved by the party or parties whose approval is required under Section 11.06(b); provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, “Eligible Assignee” shall not include the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.

 

EMU Legislation” means the legislative measures of the European Council for the introduction of, changeover to or operation of a single or unified European currency.

 

Environmental Laws” means any and all applicable federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

 

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Credit Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

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ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code).

 

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition that would reasonably be expected to constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.

 

Euro” and “” mean the lawful currency of the Participating Member States introduced in accordance with the EMU Legislation.

 

Eurodollar Rate” means, with respect to any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans for any Interest Period, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the arithmetic mean of the offered rates for deposits in the relevant Approved Currency with a term comparable to such Interest Period that appears on the Telerate British Bankers Assoc. Interest Settlement Rates Page (as defined below) at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the second full Business Day preceding the first day of such Interest Period; provided, however, that (i) if no comparable term for an Interest Period is available, the Eurodollar Rate shall be determined using the weighted average of the offered rates for the two terms most nearly corresponding to such Interest Period and (ii) if there shall at any time no longer exist a Telerate British Bankers Assoc. Interest Settlement Rates Page, “Eurodollar Rate” shall mean, with respect to each day during each Interest Period pertaining to a Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans comprising part of the same Borrowing, the rate per annum equal to the rate at which the Administrative Agent is offered deposits in the relevant Approved Currency at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period in the London interbank market for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period for the number of days comprised therein and in an amount comparable to its portion of the amount of such Borrowing to be outstanding during such Interest Period.  “Telerate British Bankers Assoc. Interest Settlement Rates Page” shall mean the display designated as Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or such other page as may replace such page on such service for the purpose of displaying the rates at which the relevant Approved Currency deposits are offered by leading banks in the London interbank deposit market).

 

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Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate.

 

Event of Default” has the meaning provided in Section 9.01.

 

Excluded Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means any Sale and Leaseback Transaction with respect to Property owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to the extent such Property is acquired after the Funding Date, so long as such Sale and Leaseback Transaction is consummated within 180 days of the acquisition of such Property.

 

Excluded Property” means (a) vehicles, (b) fee interests in real property with a fair market value of less than $2.5 million, (c) leasehold real property, (d) those assets as to which the Administrative Agent shall reasonably determine in writing that the costs of obtaining such security interest are excessive in relation to the value of the security to be afforded thereby, (e) assets if the granting or perfecting of a security interest in such assets in favor of the Collateral Agent would violate any applicable Law, (f) any right, title or interest in any license, contract or agreement to the extent, but only to the extent that a grant of a security interest therein to secure the Obligations would, under the terms of such license, contract or agreement, result in a breach of the terms of, or constitute a default under, or result in the abandonment, invalidation or unenforceability of, such license, contract or agreement (other than to the extent that any such term would be rendered ineffective pursuant to Section 9-406, 9-407, 9-408 or 9-409 of the New York UCC or any other applicable law (including, without limitation, Title 11 of the United States Code) or principles of equity), (g) any Capital Stock acquired after the Closing Date (other than Capital Stock in a Subsidiary issued or acquired after such Person became a Subsidiary) in accordance with this Credit Agreement if, and to the extent that, and for so long as (i) such Capital Stock constitutes less than 100% of all applicable Capital Stock of such person, and the Person or Persons holding the remainder of such Capital Stock are not Affiliates of the Borrower, (ii) doing so would violate applicable law or a contractual obligation binding on such Capital Stock and (iii) with respect to such contractual obligations (other than contractual obligations in connection with a joint venture agreement), such obligation existed at the time of the acquisition of such Capital Stock and was not created or made binding on such Capital Stock in contemplation of or in connection with the acquisition of such Subsidiary, (h) any Property purchased with the proceeds of purchase money Indebtedness or that is subject to a capital lease, in each case, existing or incurred pursuant to Sections 8.03(b) or (c) if the contract or other agreement in which the Indebtedness and/or Liens related thereto is granted (or the documentation providing for such capital lease obligation) prohibits or requires the consent of any Person other than a member of the Consolidated Group as a condition to the creation of any other security interest on such Property and (i) any Property that is to be transferred to IAC or one or more of its Subsidiaries (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) pursuant to the Separation Agreement in connection with the Spin-Off.

 

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party hereunder or under any other Credit Document, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however denominated) and franchise Taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income Taxes) by any jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) as a result of such recipient being organized in or having its principal office or applicable Lending Office in

 

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such jurisdiction or as a result of any other present or former connection with such jurisdiction (other than any such connections arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, or become a party to, performed its obligations or received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction specifically contemplated by, or enforced, any Credit Documents), (b) any branch profits taxes imposed under Section 884(a) of the Internal Revenue Code or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction described in clause (a) and (c) in the case of a recipient (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 11.13), any U.S. federal withholding Tax that (i) is imposed on amounts payable to such recipient pursuant to Laws in effect at the time such recipient becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office), except to the extent that such recipient (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding Tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a), or (ii) is attributable to a recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e).

 

Existing Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit listed on Schedule 1.01A and any other letter of credit issued for the benefit of any Credit Party by either L/C Issuer from and after the date hereof until the Funding Date.

 

Facility Fee” has the meaning provided in Section 2.09(a).

 

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day immediately succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100th of 1%) charged to JPMCB on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated June 19, 2008, among the Borrower, JPMCB, the Lead Arrangers and the other parties thereto, as amended to the date hereof.

 

Final Maturity Date” means, at any time, the latest of the Revolving Termination Date, the Term A Loan Termination Date, the Term B Loan Termination Date and any final maturity date applicable to any outstanding Incremental Term Loans at such time.

 

First-Tier Foreign Subsidiary” means any Foreign Subsidiary that is owned directly by a Domestic Credit Party.

 

Foreign Cash” means, at any time, any portion of the amount of the cash and Cash Equivalents (other than any proceeds of any Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans), after giving effect to any payments required to be made pursuant to Section 4.04 of the Separation Agreement, reflected in the bank statements of the Borrower’s Foreign Subsidiaries immediately after giving effect to the Transactions that is unrestricted on the Spin-Off Date and after giving effect to the Transactions and, to the extent such cash is repatriated to the Borrower or a

 

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Domestic Subsidiary, net of applicable taxes in connection with such repatriation, it being understood that cash required to be remitted to customers representing the face amount of tickets sold shall be deemed to be restricted.

 

Foreign Lender” means any Lender or L/C Issuer that is not a United States person under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

Foreign Subsidiary” means (i) any Subsidiary that is not incorporated, formed or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof, or the District of Columbia and (ii) any Subsidiary of a Subsidiary described in the foregoing clause (i).

 

FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

 

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

 

Funded Debt” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

 

(a)      all obligations for borrowed money, whether current or long-term (including the Loan Obligations hereunder), and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

 

(b)      all purchase money indebtedness (including indebtedness and obligations in respect of conditional sales and title retention arrangements, except for customary conditional sales and title retention arrangements with suppliers that are entered into in the ordinary course of business) and all indebtedness and obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business);

 

(c)      all direct obligations under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances and similar instruments;

 

(d)      the Attributable Principal Amount of capital leases;

 

(e)      the amount of all obligations of such person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Capital Stock (excluding accrued dividends that have not increased the liquidation preference of such Disqualified Capital Stock);

 

(f)       Support Obligations in respect of Funded Debt of another Person; and

 

(g)      Funded Debt of any partnership or joint venture or other similar entity in which such Person is a general partner or joint venturer, and has personal liability for

 

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such obligations, but only to the extent there is recourse to such Person for payment thereof.

 

For purposes hereof, the amount of Funded Debt shall be determined (i) based on the outstanding principal amount in the case of borrowed money indebtedness under clause (a) and purchase money indebtedness and the deferred purchase obligations under clause (b), (ii) based on the maximum face amount in the case of letter of credit obligations and the other obligations under clause (c), and (iii) based on the amount of Funded Debt that is the subject of the Support Obligations in the case of Support Obligations under clause (f).  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to mean the maximum face amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all increases thereof contemplated by such Letter of Credit or the L/C Application therefor, whether or not such maximum face amount is in effect at such time.

 

Funding Date” means the date when the conditions specified under Section 5.02 and 5.03 hereof are satisfied or waived and the initial Credit Extension hereunder is made.

 

GAAP” has the meaning provided in Section 1.03(a).

 

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

Granting Lender” has the meaning provided in Section 11.06(h).

 

Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning provided in Section 4.01(a).

 

Guarantors” means (a) as of the Funding Date, each Subsidiary of the Borrower listed on Schedule 1.01B and (b) each other Person that becomes a Guarantor pursuant to the terms hereof, in each case together with its successors; provided, that, for the avoidance of doubt, no Foreign Subsidiary shall be a Guarantor.

 

Hazardous Materials” means all materials, substances or wastes characterized, classified or regulated as hazardous, toxic, pollutant, contaminant or radioactive under Environmental Laws, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes.

 

Hedge Bank” has the meaning provided in the definition of Obligations.

 

Honor Date” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03(c)(i).

 

IAC” means IAC/InterActiveCorp, a Delaware corporation.

 

IAC Dividend” means one or more cash dividends to be paid by the Borrower, directly or indirectly, to IAC in an approximate aggregate amount of $750.0 million.

 

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Immaterial Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated as such in writing by the Borrower that had assets representing 1.0% or less of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets on, and generated less than 1.0% of the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ total revenues for the four quarters ending on, the last day of the most recent period at the end of which financial statements were required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) or, if such date of determination is prior to the first delivery date under such Sections, on (or, in the case of revenues, for the four quarters ending on) the last day of the period of the most recent financial statements referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.05; provided that if all Subsidiaries that are individually “Immaterial Subsidiaries” have aggregate Consolidated Total Assets that would represent 2.5% or more of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets on such last day or generated 2.5% or more of the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ total revenues for such four fiscal quarters, then such number of Subsidiaries of the Borrower as are necessary shall become Material Subsidiaries so that less than 2.5% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets and less than 2.5% of the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ total revenues are represented by Immaterial Subsidiaries as of such last day or for such four quarters, as the case may be (it being understood that any such determination with respect to revenues and assets shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis).

 

Incremental Loan Facilities” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(f).

 

Incremental Revolving Commitments” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(f).

 

Incremental Term Loan” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(f).

 

Incremental Term Loan Joinder Agreement” means a lender joinder agreement, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and each Lender extending Incremental Term Loans, executed and delivered in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01(h).

 

Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

 

(a)      all Funded Debt;

 

(b)      net obligations under Swap Contracts;

 

(c)      Support Obligations in respect of Indebtedness of another Person; and

 

(d)      Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture or other similar entity in which such Person is a general partner or joint venturer, and has personal liability for such obligations, but only to the extent there is recourse to such Person for payment thereof.

 

For purposes hereof, the amount of Indebtedness shall be determined (i) based on Swap Termination Value in the case of net obligations under Swap Contracts under clause (b) and (ii) based

 

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on the outstanding principal amount of the Indebtedness that is the subject of the Support Obligations in the case of Support Obligations under clause (c).

 

Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

 

Indemnitee” has the meaning provided in Section 11.04(b).

 

Information” has the meaning provided in Section 11.07.

 

Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Base Rate Loan (including Swingline Loans), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, the Revolving Termination Date and the date of the final principal amortization payment on the Term A Loans or Term B Loans, as applicable, and, in the case of any Swingline Loan, any other dates as may be mutually agreed upon by the Borrower and the Swingline Lender, and (b) as to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each Interest Period for such Loan, the date of repayment of principal of such Loan, the Revolving Termination Date and the date of the final principal amortization payment on the Term A Loans or Term B Loans, as applicable, and in addition, where the applicable Interest Period exceeds three (3) months, the date every three (3) months after the beginning of such Interest Period.  If an Interest Payment Date falls on a date that is not a Business Day, such Interest Payment Date shall be deemed to be the immediately succeeding Business Day.

 

Interest Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one (1), two (2), three (3) or six (6) and, with prior written consent of all applicable Lenders, nine (9) or twelve (12) months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice or such other period that is twelve months or less requested by the Borrower and consented to by all the directly affected Lenders; provided that:

 

(a)      any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the immediately succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;

 

(b)      any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;

 

(c)      no Interest Period with respect to any Revolving Loan shall extend beyond the Revolving Termination Date; and

 

(d)      no Interest Period with respect to the Term A Loans or Term B Loans shall extend beyond any principal amortization payment date for such Loans, except to the extent that the portion of such Loan comprised of Eurodollar Rate Loans that is expiring prior to the applicable principal amortization payment date plus the portion comprised of Base Rate Loans equals or exceeds the principal amortization payment then due.

 

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Internal Revenue Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person of or in the Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other equity or debt interest of another Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Capital Stock of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, guaranty or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor undertakes any Support Obligation with respect to Indebtedness of such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit.  For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

 

Involuntary Disposition” means the receipt by any member of the Consolidated Group of any cash insurance proceeds or condemnation awards payable by reason of theft, loss, physical destruction or damage, loss of use, taking or similar event with respect to any of its Property.

 

IP Rights” has the meaning provided in Section 6.17.

 

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance of such Letter of Credit).

 

Issuer Documents” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the L/C Application and any other document, agreement or instrument (including such Letter of Credit) entered into by the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) and the L/C Issuer (or in favor of the L/C Issuer) relating to such Letter of Credit.

 

Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.12, executed and delivered in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.12.

 

JPMCB” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

 

JPMorgan” means J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

 

Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes, executive orders and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, including, without limitation, Environmental Laws.

 

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L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing.

 

L/C Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

 

L/C Borrowing” means any extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit that has not been reimbursed.

 

L/C Commitment” means, with respect to the L/C Issuer, the commitment of the L/C Issuer to issue and to honor payment obligations under Letters of Credit, and, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to purchase participation interests in L/C Obligations up to such Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof.

 

L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

 

L/C Expiration Date” means the day that is seven (7) days prior to the Revolving Termination Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day).

 

L/C Issuer” means each of JPMCB and Wachovia Bank, National Association, in each case in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, together with its successors in such capacity and any other Dollar Revolving Lender approved by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower; provided that no other Lender shall be obligated to become an L/C Issuer hereunder.  References herein and in the other Credit Documents to the L/C Issuer shall be deemed to refer to the L/C Issuer in respect of the applicable Letter of Credit or to all L/C Issuers, as the context requires.

 

L/C Obligations” means, at any date of determination, the aggregate Dollar Equivalent amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate Dollar Equivalent amount of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including L/C Borrowings.  For all purposes of this Credit Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

L/C Sublimit” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(b).

 

Lead Arrangers” means JPMorgan and MLPF&S.

 

Lender” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto (and, as appropriate, includes the Swingline Lender) and each Person who joins as a Lender pursuant to the terms hereof, together with its successors and permitted assigns.

 

Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender set forth in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time provide notice of to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

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Letter of Credit” means each standby letter of credit issued under the Dollar Revolving Facility and shall include the Existing Letters of Credit.

 

Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning provided in Section 2.09(b).

 

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

 

Loan” means any Revolving Loan, Swingline Loan, Term A Loan, Term B Loan or Incremental Term Loan, and the Base Rate Loans and Eurodollar Rate Loans comprising such Loans.

 

Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing of Loans (including Swingline Loans), (b) a conversion of Loans from one (1) Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.02.

 

Loan Obligations” means the Revolving Obligations, Term A Loans, Term B Loans and Incremental Term Loans.

 

Major Disposition” means any Subject Disposition (or any series of related Subject Dispositions) or any Involuntary Disposition (or any series of related Involuntary Dispositions), in each case resulting in the receipt by a member of the Consolidated Group of Net Cash Proceeds in excess of $25.0 million.

 

Mandatory Cost Rate” has the meaning provided in Schedule 3.08.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, assets, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent or any Lender under any material Credit Document; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or the enforceability against any Credit Party of any material Credit Document to which it is a party.

 

Material Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower other than an Immaterial Subsidiary.

 

MLPF&S” means Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

Mortgages” means those mortgages, deeds of trust, security deeds or like instruments given by the Credit Parties, as grantors, to the Collateral Agent to secure the Obligations,

 

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and any other such instruments that may be given by any Person pursuant to the terms hereof, as such instruments may be amended and modified from time to time.

 

Multiemployer Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five (5) plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

 

Net Cash Proceeds” means the aggregate proceeds paid in cash or Cash Equivalents received by any member of the Consolidated Group in connection with any Subject Disposition, Involuntary Disposition or incurrence of Indebtedness or issuance of Capital Stock, net of (a) attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, investment banking fees, sales commissions, underwriting discounts, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, required debt payments and required payments of other obligations relating to the applicable asset to the extent such debt or obligations are secured by a Lien permitted hereunder (other than a Lien granted pursuant to a Credit Document) on such asset, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees, in each case, actually incurred in connection therewith and directly attributable thereto, (b) Taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (estimated reasonably and in good faith by the Borrower and after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements) and (c) solely with respect to a Subject Disposition, the amount of any reasonable reserve established in accordance with GAAP against any adjustment to the sale price or any liabilities (other than any taxes deducted pursuant to clause (b) above) (i) related to any of the Property Disposed of in such Subject Disposition and (ii) retained by the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations (provided, however, the amount of any subsequent reduction of such reserve (other than in connection with a payment in respect of any such liability) shall be deemed to be Net Cash Proceeds from and after the date of such reduction).  For purposes hereof, “Net Cash Proceeds” includes any cash or Cash Equivalents received upon the Disposition of any non-cash consideration received by any member of the Consolidated Group in any Subject Disposition or Involuntary Disposition.

 

New York UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

 

Non-Bank Certificate”  has the meaning provided in Section 3.01(e).

 

Non-Extension Notice Date” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03(b)(iii).

 

Notes” means the Revolving Notes, the Swingline Note, the Term A Notes and the Term B Notes.

 

Obligations” means, without duplication, (a) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Credit Party (including any Foreign Subsidiary which becomes a borrower hereunder pursuant to Section 1.08) arising under any Credit Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or

 

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hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Credit Party of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding, (b) all obligations under any Swap Contract between any Credit Party and any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time it entered into such Swap Contract, to the extent such Swap Contract is otherwise permitted hereunder (each, in such capacity, a “Hedge Bank”) and (c) all obligations under any Treasury Management Agreement between any Credit Party and any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time it entered into such Treasury Management Agreement (each, in such capacity, a “Treasury Management Bank”).

 

OID” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(h).

 

Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

 

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp or documentary Taxes or any other excise or property Taxes arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Credit Document or from the execution, delivery, registration or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document.

 

Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to Revolving Loans on any date, the Dollar Equivalent amount of the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any Borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Revolving Loans occurring on such date; (b) with respect to Swingline Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any Borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Swingline Loans occurring on such date; (c) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the Dollar Equivalent amount of the aggregate outstanding amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts and (d) with respect to the Term A Loans or Term B Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any prepayments or repayments of the Term A Loans or Term B Loans on such date.

 

Overnight Rate” means, for any day, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, the Federal Funds Rate, and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in an Alternative Currency, the rate of interest per annum at which overnight deposits in the applicable Alternative Currency, in an amount approximately equal to the amount with respect to which such

 

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rate is being determined, would be offered for such day by a branch or Affiliate of JPMCB in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency to major banks in such interbank market.

 

Participant” has the meaning provided in Section 11.06(d).

 

Participant Register” has the meaning provided in Section 11.06(d).

 

Participating Member State” means each state so described in any EMU Legislation.

 

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

 

Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five (5) plan years.

 

Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition; provided that (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or exist immediately after giving effect to such Acquisition, (ii) after giving effect on a Pro Forma Basis to the Investment to be made, as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter at the end of which financial statements were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) (or, prior to such first required delivery date for such financial statements, as of the last day of the most recent period referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.05), the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 8.10 (and if such Acquisition involves consideration greater than $15.0 million, then the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer as to the satisfaction of the requirements in this clause (ii)) and (iii) if such Acquisition involves consideration in excess of $10.0 million (or if the total of all consideration for all Acquisitions since the Closing Date exceeds $30.0 million), all assets acquired in such Acquisition shall be held by the Borrower or a Guarantor and all Persons acquired in such Acquisition shall become Guarantors; provided further that the Borrower may elect to allocate consideration expended in such Acquisition for Property to be held by members of the Consolidated Group that are not the Borrower or Guarantors or Acquisitions of Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors to Investments made pursuant to Sections 8.02(f), (k) or, to the extent the consideration comes from a Foreign Subsidiary, Section 8.02(g), so long as capacity to make such Investments pursuant to the applicable Section is available at the time of such allocation (and any consideration so allocated shall reduce capacity for Investments pursuant to such Sections to the extent that capacity for such Investments are limited by such Sections), and to the extent such consideration is in fact so allocated to one of such Sections in accordance with the foregoing requirements, such consideration shall not count toward the $10.0 million and $30.0 million limitations set forth in this clause (iii).

 

Permitted Business” means the businesses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries conducted on the Closing Date and any business reasonably related, ancillary or complementary thereto and any reasonable extension thereof.

 

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Permitted Holders” means each of (a) Barry Diller and (b) Liberty Media Corporation, and, in each case, such Person’s Affiliates and any group with respect to which any such Persons (including Affiliates) collectively exercise a majority of the voting power.  Prior to the Spin-Off, IAC and its Subsidiaries will also be deemed to be Permitted Holders.

 

Permitted Liens” means Liens permitted pursuant to Section 8.01.

 

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by the Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.

 

Platform” has the meaning provided in Section 7.02.

 

Pledge Agreement” means the pledge agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01A (it being understood that the pledgors party thereto and schedules thereto shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), given by the Credit Parties, as pledgors, to the Collateral Agent to secure the Obligations, and any other pledge agreements that may be given by any Person pursuant to the terms hereof, in each case as the same may be amended and modified from time to time.

 

Pro Forma Basis” means, with respect to any Subject Disposition, Specified Disposition, Acquisition, Incremental Loan Facilities or the Transactions, for purposes of determining the applicable pricing level under the definition of “Applicable Percentage” and determining compliance with the financial covenants and conditions and the requirements of the definition of “Immaterial Subsidiary” hereunder, that such Subject Disposition, Specified Disposition, Acquisition, Incremental Loan Facilities or the Transactions shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter for which annual or quarterly financial statements shall have been delivered in accordance with the provisions hereof, after giving effect to any Pro Forma Cost Savings.  Further, for purposes of making calculations on a “Pro Forma Basis” hereunder, (a) in the case of any Subject Disposition or Specified Disposition, (i) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property, entities or business units that are the subject of such Subject Disposition or Specified Disposition shall be excluded to the extent relating to any period prior to the date thereof and (ii) Indebtedness paid or retired in connection with such Subject Disposition or Specified Disposition shall be deemed to have been paid and retired as of the first day of the applicable period; and (b) in the case of any Acquisition, (i) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property, entities or business units that are the subject thereof shall be included to the extent relating to any period prior to the date thereof and (ii) Indebtedness incurred in connection with such Acquisition shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the applicable period (and interest expense shall be imputed for the applicable period assuming prevailing interest rates hereunder).

 

Pro Forma Cost Savings” means, with respect to any period, the reduction in net costs and related adjustments that (i) were directly attributable to an Acquisition, Subject Disposition

 

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or Specified Disposition that occurred during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to the four-quarter reference period and on or prior to the date of determination and calculated on a basis that is consistent with Regulation S-X under the Securities Laws, as amended and in effect and applied as of the date hereof, (ii) were actually implemented by the business that was the subject of any such Acquisition, Subject Disposition or Specified Disposition or actually implemented by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with such Acquisition, Subject Disposition or Specified Disposition, in each case, within 12 months after the date of the Acquisition, Subject Disposition or Specified Disposition and prior to the date of determination that are supportable and quantifiable by the underlying accounting records of such business or (iii) relate to (A) the business that is the subject of or (B) the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries arising from any such Acquisition, Subject Disposition or Specified Disposition and that the Borrower reasonably determines are probable based upon specifically identifiable actions to be taken within 12 months of the date of the Acquisition, Subject Disposition or Specified Disposition and, in each case, are described, as provided below, in a certificate from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, as if all such reductions in costs had been affected as of the beginning of such period.  Pro Forma Cost Savings described above shall be accompanied by a certificate from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower delivered to the Administrative Agent that outlines the specific actions taken or to be taken, the net cost savings achieved or to be achieved from each such action and that, in the case of clause (iii) above, such savings have been determined to be probable; provided that such net costs and related adjustments referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii) shall not exceed $15.0 million in any period for which Consolidated EBITDA is calculated.

 

Pro Rata Share” means, with respect to each Lender at any time a fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the amount of outstanding Term A Loans or Term B Loans (or, prior to the Funding Date, Term A Loan Commitments or Term B Loan Commitments) or Revolving Commitments, as applicable, of such Lender at such time and the denominator of which is the aggregate amount of Term A Loans, Term B Loans (or, prior to the Funding Date, Term A Loan Commitments or Term B Loan Commitments) or Revolving Commitments, as applicable, at such time; provided that if such Revolving Commitments have been terminated, then the Pro Rata Share of each applicable Lender shall be determined based on the Pro Rata Share of such Lender immediately prior to such termination and after giving effect to any subsequent assignments made pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

Property” means an interest of any kind in any property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, and whether tangible or intangible.

 

Qualified Capital Stock” means any Capital Stock of the Borrower other than Disqualified Capital Stock.

 

Register” has the meaning provided in Section 11.06(c).

 

Registered Public Accounting Firm” has the meaning provided in the Securities Laws and shall be independent of the Borrower as prescribed by the Securities Laws.

 

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Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

 

Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the thirty-day notice period has been waived.

 

Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing of Loans (including Swingline Loans) a Loan Notice and (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, an L/C Application.

 

Required Approved Currency Revolving Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Commitments or, if the Approved Currency Revolving Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate principal amount of Approved Currency Revolving Loans; provided that the Approved Currency Revolving Commitment of, and the portion of Approved Currency Revolving Loans held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Approved Currency Revolving Lenders

 

Required Dollar Revolving Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Commitments or, if the Dollar Revolving Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate principal amount of Dollar Revolving Obligations (including, in each case, the aggregate principal amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans); provided that the Dollar Revolving Commitment of, and the portion of Dollar Revolving Obligations held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Dollar Revolving Lenders.

 

Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than fifty percent (50%) of the sum of (i) the Term Loan Commitments (or, from and after the initial borrowings hereunder, the Term Loans) and (ii) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (or, if the Revolving Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, the Revolving Obligations (including, in each case, the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans)); provided that the Commitments of, and the portion of the Loan Obligations held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

 

Required Revolving Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or, if the Revolving Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Obligations (including, in each

 

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case, the aggregate principal amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans); provided that the Revolving Commitment of, and the portion of Revolving Obligations held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Revolving Lenders.

 

Required Term A Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate principal amount of Term A Loan Commitments (or, from and after the initial borrowings hereunder, the Term A Loans); provided that the Term A Loan Commitments held or deemed held by any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Term Lenders.

 

Required Term B Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate principal amount of Term B Loan Commitments (or, from and after the initial borrowings hereunder, the Term B Loans); provided that the Term B Loan Commitments held or deemed held by any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Term Lenders.

 

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, chief operating officer, the president, any executive vice president, the chief financial officer, the chief accounting officer, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, any vice president, any senior vice president, the secretary or the general counsel of a Credit Party, any manager of a Credit Party that is a limited liability company or the general partner of a Credit Party that is a limited partnership.  Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Credit Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Credit Party, and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Credit Party.

 

Restricted Payment” means (i) any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Capital Stock of any member of the Consolidated Group, (ii) any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Capital Stock or of any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Capital Stock or (iii) any payment or prepayment of principal on or redemption, repurchase or acquisition for value of, any (x) Indebtedness of any member of the Consolidated Group that is not secured by a Lien or (y) Subordinated Debt of any member of the Consolidated Group, except in each case, any scheduled payment of principal.

 

Revaluation Date” means, with respect to (x) any Letter of Credit, each of the following:  (i) each date of issuance of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, (ii) each date of an amendment of any such Letter of Credit having the effect of increasing the amount thereof (solely with respect to the increased amount), (iii) each date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, and (iv) such additional dates as the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer shall determine or the Required Lenders shall require and (y) any Revolving Loan, each of the following: (i) each date of Borrowing of a Revolving Loan denominated in an Alternative Currency, (ii) each date of any payment by any Revolving Lender under any Revolving Loan denominated in an Alternative

 

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Currency, and (iv) such additional dates as the Administrative Agent or the Required Revolving Lenders shall require.

 

Revolving CAM Exchange” means the exchange of the Revolving Lenders’ interests in the Designated Revolving Obligations provided for in Section 2.14.

 

Revolving CAM Exchange Date” means the first date after the Closing Date on which there shall occur (a) any event described in Section 9.01(f) or (h) with respect to the Borrower or (b) an acceleration of Revolving Loans or termination of the Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 9.02.

 

Revolving CAM Percentage” means, as to each Revolving Lender, a fraction, expressed as a decimal, of which (a) the numerator shall be the Revolving Commitments of such Revolving Lender immediately prior to the Revolving CAM Exchange Date and any termination of Revolving Commitments and (b) the denominator shall be the Aggregate Revolving Commitments of all Revolving Lenders immediately prior to the Revolving CAM Exchange Date and any termination of Revolving Commitments.

 

Revolving Commitment” means a Dollar Revolving Commitment or an Approved Currency Revolving Commitment and “Revolving Commitments” means, collectively, the Dollar Revolving Commitments and Approved Currency Revolving Commitments.

 

Revolving Commitment Percentage” means the collective reference to the Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage and the Approved Currency Revolving Commitment Percentage.

 

Revolving Committed Amount” means the collective reference to the Dollar Revolving Committed Amount and the Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount.

 

Revolving Facility” means the Dollar Revolving Facility or the Approved Currency Revolving Facility and “Revolving Facilities” means, collectively, the Dollar Revolving Facility and the Approved Currency Revolving Facility.

 

Revolving Lender” means a Dollar Revolving Lender or an Approved Currency Revolving Lender and “Revolving Lenders” means the collective reference to Dollar Revolving Lenders and Approved Currency Revolving Lenders.

 

Revolving Lender Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement, in a form to be agreed among the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and each Lender with an Incremental Revolving Commitment, executed and delivered in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01(f).

 

Revolving Loan” means a Dollar Revolving Loan or an Approved Currency Revolving Loan and “Revolving Loans” means, collectively, Dollar Revolving Loans and Approved Currency Revolving Loans.

 

Revolving Notes” means the collective reference to the Dollar Revolving Notes and the Approved Currency Revolving Notes.

 

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Revolving Obligations” means the collective reference to the Dollar Revolving Obligations and the Approved Currency Revolving Loans.

 

Revolving Termination Date” means the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means, with respect to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person (other than a Credit Party) whereby the Borrower or such Subsidiary shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property being sold or transferred.

 

Same Day Funds” means (a) with respect to disbursements and payments in Dollars, immediately available funds, and (b) with respect to disbursements and payments in an Alternative Currency, same day or other funds as may be determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, to be customary in the place of disbursement or payment for the settlement of international banking transactions in the relevant Alternative Currency.

 

Sarbanes-Oxley” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

Scheduled Matter” has the meaning provided in Section 5.01(c)(ii).

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

 

Securities Laws” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Sarbanes-Oxley and the applicable accounting and auditing principles, rules, standards and practices promulgated, approved or incorporated by the SEC or the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, as each of the foregoing may be amended and in effect on any applicable date hereunder.

 

Security Agreement” means the security agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01B, (it being understood that the grantors party thereto and schedules thereto shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), given by Credit Parties, as grantors, to the Collateral Agent to secure the Obligations, and any other security agreements that may be given by any Person pursuant to the terms hereof, in each case as the same may be amended and modified from time to time.

 

Senior Notes” means the Borrower’s 10.75% Senior Notes due 2016 in an aggregate principal amount of $300.0 million to be issued on or prior to the Funding Date and any exchange notes issued in exchange therefor pursuant to the registration rights agreement executed in connection with the issuance thereof.

 

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Separation Agreement” means the Separation Agreement to be dated on or prior to the Spin-Off Date among Interval Leisure Group, Inc., HSN, Inc., Tree.com, the Borrower and IAC, together with all schedules, annexes, exhibits and other attachments thereto.

 

Significant Subsidiary” means (1) any Subsidiary that satisfies the criteria for a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Laws, as such Regulation is in effect on the Closing Date (with the references to 10% in such Rule being deemed to be 5.0% for the purposes of this definition), and (2) any Subsidiary that, when aggregated with all other Subsidiaries that are not otherwise Significant Subsidiaries and as to which any event described in Section 9.01(f) or (h) has occurred and is continuing, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary under clause (1) of this definition.

 

Solvent” means, with respect to any Person, as of any date of determination, (a) the Fair Value and Present Fair Saleable Value of the aggregate assets of such Person exceeds the value of its Liabilities; (b) such Person will not have, as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to conduct its business; (c) such Person will be able to pay its Liabilities as they mature or become absolute; and (d) the Fair Value and Present Fair Saleable Value of the aggregate assets of such Person exceeds the value of its Liabilities by an amount that is not less than the capital of such Subject Entity (as determined pursuant to Section 154 of the Delaware General Corporate Law). The term “Solvency” shall have an equivalent meaning. For the purposes of this definition, “Fair Value”  means the aggregate amount at which the assets of the applicable entity (including goodwill) would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, within a commercially reasonable amount of time, each having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts, neither being under any compulsion to act and with equity to both; “Present Fair Saleable Value” means the aggregate amount of net consideration (giving effect to reasonable and customary costs of sale or taxes) that could be expected to be realized if the aggregate assets of the applicable entity are sold with reasonable promptness in an arm’s length transaction under present conditions for the sale of assets of comparable business enterprises; and “Liabilities”  means all debts and other liabilities of the applicable entity, whether secured, unsecured, fixed, contingent, accrued or not yet accrued.

 

SPC” has the meaning provided in Section 11.06(h).

 

Specified Disposition” means any Disposition referred to in clause (a) of the definition of Subject Disposition, to the extent a material amount of Property is disposed of in such Disposition.

 

Specified Intercompany Transfers” means a Disposition of Property by a Credit Party to a member of the Consolidated Group that is not a Credit Party.

 

Spin-Off” means the spin-off of the Borrower from IAC pursuant to the Separation Agreement, such that from and after such spin-off, the Borrower will exist as a separate publicly traded entity.

 

Spin-Off Date” means the date upon which the Spin-Off is consummated.

 

Spot Rate” for a currency means the rate determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, to be the rate quoted by the Person acting in such capacity

 

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as the spot rate for the purchase by such Person of such currency with another currency through its principal foreign exchange trading office at approximately 11:00 a.m. (x) New York time, in the case of Canadian Dollars, or (y) London time, in the case of any other currency, in each case on the date two (2) Business Days prior to the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made; provided that the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer may obtain such spot rate from another financial institution designated by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer if the Person acting in such capacity does not have as of the date of determination a spot buying rate for any such currency; and provided further that the L/C Issuer may use such spot rate quoted on the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made in the case of any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency.

 

Statutory Reserves” means for any Interest Period for any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans in Dollars, the average maximum rate at which reserves (including any marginal, supplemental or emergency reserves) are required to be maintained during such Interest Period under Regulation D by member banks of the United States Federal Reserve System in New York City with deposits exceeding one billion Dollars against “Eurocurrency liabilities” (as such term is used in Regulation D).  Borrowings of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be deemed to constitute Eurodollar liabilities and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exceptions or offsets which may be available from time to time to any Lender under Regulation D.

 

Sterling” and “£” mean the lawful currency of the United Kingdom.

 

Subject Disposition” means any Disposition other than (a) Dispositions of damaged, worn-out or obsolete Property that, in the Borrower’s reasonable judgment, is no longer used or useful in the business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries; (b) Dispositions of inventory, services or other property in the ordinary course of business; (c) Dispositions of Property to the extent that (i) such Property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement Property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement equipment or property; (d) licenses, sublicenses, leases and subleases not interfering in any material respect with the business of any member of the Consolidated Group; (e) sales or discounts of accounts receivable in connection with the compromise or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business; (f) any Disposition at any time by (i) a Credit Party to any other Credit Party, (ii) a Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party to a Credit Party or (iii) a Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party to another Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party; (g) Specified Intercompany Transfers; (h) the sale of Cash Equivalents; (i) an Excluded Sale and Leaseback Transaction; (j) Dispositions pursuant to a transaction contemplated by Section 8.12; (k) Restricted Payments permitted by Section 8.06; (l) mergers and consolidations permitted by Section 8.04 and (m) the granting of Liens permitted pursuant to Section 8.01.

 

Subordinated Debt” means (x) as to the Borrower, any Funded Debt of the Borrower that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment of any of the Loan Obligations of the Borrower and (y) as to any Guarantor, any Funded Debt of such Guarantor that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment of any of the Loan Obligations of such Guarantor.

 

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Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.  Unless otherwise provided, “Subsidiary” shall refer to a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Support Obligations” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness payable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien).  The amount of any Support Obligations shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Support Obligation is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith.

 

Swap Contract” means any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement.

 

Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination values determined in accordance therewith, such termination values, and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amounts determined as the mark-to-market values for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

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Swingline Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swingline Loan pursuant to Section 2.01(c).

 

Swingline Commitment” means, with respect to the Swingline Lender, the commitment of the Swingline Lender to make Swingline Loans, and with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to purchase participation interests in Swingline Loans.

 

Swingline Lender” means JPMCB in its capacity as such, together with any successor in such capacity.

 

Swingline Loan” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(c).

 

Swingline Note” means the promissory note given to evidence the Swingline Loans, as amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed or replaced.  A form of Swingline Note is attached as Exhibit 2.13-3

 

Swingline Sublimit” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(c).

 

Synthetic Lease” means any synthetic lease, tax retention operating lease, off-balance sheet loan or similar off-balance sheet financing arrangement that is considered borrowed money indebtedness for tax purposes but is classified as an operating lease under GAAP.

 

Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

Term A Commitment Fee” has the meaning provided in Section 2.09.

 

Term A Lenders” means, prior to the funding of the initial Term A Loans on the Funding Date, those Lenders with Term A Loan Commitments, and after funding of the Term A Loans, those Lenders holding a portion of the Term A Loans, together with their successors and permitted assigns.  The initial Term A Lenders are set forth on Schedule 2.01.

 

Term A Loan Commitment” means, for each Term A Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make a portion of the Term A Loan hereunder; provided that, at any time after funding of the Term A Loans, determinations of “Required Lenders” and “Required Term A Lenders” shall be based on the outstanding principal amount of the Term A Loan.

 

Term A Loan Commitment Percentage” means, for each Term A Lender, a fraction (expressed as a percentage carried to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the principal amount of such Lender’s Term A Loan, and the denominator of which is the Outstanding Amount of the Term A Loans.  The initial Term A Loan Commitment Percentages are set forth on Schedule 2.01.

 

Term A Loan Committed Amount” means, for each Term A Lender, the amount of such Lender’s Term A Loan Commitment.  The initial Term A Loan Committed Amounts are set forth on Schedule 2.01.

 

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Term A Loan Termination Date” means the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date.

 

Term A Loans” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(d).

 

Term A Note” means the promissory notes substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.13-4, if any, given to evidence the Term A Loans, as amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed or replaced.

 

Term B Commitment Fee” has the meaning provided in Section 2.09.

 

Term B Lenders” means, prior to the funding of the initial Term B Loans on the Funding Date, those Lenders with Term B Loan Commitments, and after funding of the Term B Loans, those Lenders holding a portion of the Term B Loans (including any Incremental Term Loans that are Term B Loans), together with their successors and permitted assigns.  The initial Term B Lenders are set forth on Schedule 2.01.

 

Term B Loan Commitment” means, for each Term B Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make a portion of the Term B Loan hereunder; provided that, at any time after funding of the Term B Loans, determinations of “Required Lenders” and “Required Term B Lenders” shall be based on the outstanding principal amount of the Term B Loan.

 

Term B Loan Commitment Percentage” means, for each Term B Lender, a fraction (expressed as a percentage carried to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the principal amount of such Lender’s Term B Loan (including any Incremental Term Loans that are Term B Loans), and the denominator of which is the Outstanding Amount of the Term B Loans (including any Incremental Term Loans that are Term B Loans).  The initial Term B Loan Commitment Percentages are set forth on Schedule 2.01.

 

Term B Loan Committed Amount” means, for each Term B Lender, the amount of such Lender’s Term B Loan Commitment.  The initial Term B Loan Committed Amounts are set forth on Schedule 2.01.

 

Term B Loan Termination Date” means the sixth anniversary of the Closing Date.

 

Term B Loans” has the meaning provided in Section 2.01(e).

 

Term B Note” means the promissory notes substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.13-5, if any, given to evidence the Term B Loans, as amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed or replaced.

 

Term Loan Commitments” means the Term A Loan Commitment and the Term B Loan Commitment.

 

Term Loan Lenders” means the Term A Lenders and the Term B Lenders.

 

Term Loans” means the Term A Loans and the Term B Loans.

 

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Transactions” means the borrowing of the Term A Loans and the Term B Loans on the Funding Date, the consummation of the Spin-Off, the issuance of the Senior Notes, the payment of the IAC Dividend, the distribution by the Borrower of intercompany receivables, directly or indirectly, to IAC or any of its subsidiaries, the other transactions contemplated by Section 8.12, and the payment of fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing.

 

Treasury Management Bank” has the meaning provided in the definition of Obligations.

 

Treasury Management Agreement” means any agreement governing the provision of treasury or cash management services, including deposit accounts, funds transfer, automated clearinghouse, zero balance accounts, returned check concentration, controlled disbursement, lockbox, purchase cards, account reconciliation and reporting and trade finance services.

 

Type” means, with respect to any Revolving Loan or Term Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

 

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in any applicable jurisdiction from time to time.

 

United States” or “U.S.” means the United States of America.

 

Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03(c)(i).

 

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:  (i) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payment of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (ii) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.

 

Wholly Owned Subsidiary” means, with respect to any direct or indirect Subsidiary of any Person, that one hundred percent (100%) of the Capital Stock with ordinary voting power issued by such Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares and investments by foreign nationals mandated by applicable Law) is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

 

B.                                     Interpretative Provisions.

 

With reference to this Credit Agreement and each other Credit Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Credit Document:

 

1.        The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.”  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.”  Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to

 

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any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Credit Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Credit Document, shall be construed to refer to such Credit Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Credit Document to “Articles,” “Sections,” “Exhibits” and “Schedules” shall be construed to refer to articles and sections of, and exhibits and schedules to, the Credit Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

2.        In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including,” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding,” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

 

3.        Section headings herein and in the other Credit Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document.

 

C.                                     Accounting Terms and Provisions.

 

1.          As used herein, “GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in effect in the United States as set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board from time to time applied on a consistent basis, subject to the provisions of this Section 1.03.  For the avoidance of doubt, for any period prior to the consummation of the Spin-Off, any financial definitions for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be calculated on a combined basis consistent with the financial statements set forth in Section 6.05.  All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Credit Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the audited financial statements referenced in Section 6.05, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

 

2.          Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, determinations of (i) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio for purposes of determining the applicable pricing level under the definition of “Applicable Percentage”, (ii) compliance with covenants and conditions and (iii) revenues for determining Material Subsidiaries and Immaterial Subsidiaries shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis.  To the extent compliance with the covenants in Section 8.10 is being

 

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calculated as of a date that is prior to the first test date under Section 8.10 in order to determine the permissibility of a transaction, the levels for the covenants as of the first test date under Section 8.10 shall apply for such purpose.

 

3.          If at any time any change in GAAP or in the consistent application thereof would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Credit Document, the Borrower may, after giving written notice thereof to the Administrative Agent, determine all such computations on such a basis; provided that if any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Credit Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided further that, until so amended (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Credit Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

 

4.          Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities.  All references herein to consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or to the determination of any amount for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to include each variable interest entity that the Borrower is required to consolidate pursuant to FASB Interpretation No. 46 - Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities: an interpretation of ARB No. 51 (January 2003) as if such variable interest entity were a Subsidiary as defined herein.

 

D.                                    Rounding.

 

Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Credit Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

E.                                      Times of Day.

 

Unless otherwise provided, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

F.                                      Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents.

 

1.          The Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, shall determine the Spot Rates as of each Revaluation Date to be used for calculating Dollar Equivalent amounts of L/C Credit Extensions and Outstanding Amounts denominated in Alternative Currencies.  Such Spot Rates shall become effective as of such Revaluation Date and shall be the Spot Rates employed in converting any amounts between the applicable currencies until the next Revaluation Date to occur.  Except for purposes of financial statements delivered hereunder or calculating

 

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covenants hereunder or except as otherwise provided herein, the applicable amount of any currency (other than Dollars) for purposes of the Credit Documents shall be such Dollar Equivalent amount as so determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable.

 

2.          Wherever in this Credit Agreement in connection with the issuance, amendment or extension of a Letter of Credit, an amount, such as a required minimum or multiple amount, is expressed in Dollars, but such Letter of Credit is denominated in an Alternative Currency, such amount shall be the relevant Alternative Currency Equivalent of such Dollar amount (rounded to the nearest unit of such Alternative Currency, with 0.5 of a unit being rounded upward), as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be.

 

G.                                     Additional Alternative Currencies.

 

The Borrower may from time to time request that an additional currency be added as “Alternative Currency;” provided that such requested currency is a lawful currency (other than Dollars) that is readily available and freely transferable and convertible into Dollars.  Such request shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and each Approved Currency Revolving Lender; provided that if such “Alternative Currency” is to be used for Letters of Credit only, such request shall be subject only to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer.

 

H.                                    Additional Borrowers.

 

Notwithstanding anything in Section 11.01 to the contrary, following the Funding Date, with the consent of the Borrower, each Approved Currency Revolving Lender and the Administrative Agent (but without the consent of any other Lender), this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents may be amended to add one or more Foreign Subsidiaries of the Borrower as additional borrowers under the Approved Currency Revolving Facility.  Any obligations in respect of borrowings by any Foreign Subsidiary under the Credit Agreement will constitute “Obligations” and “Secured Obligations” for all purposes of the Credit Documents and any such amendment may require such Foreign Subsidiary to provide additional collateral (but solely for the obligations of such Foreign Subsidiary hereunder).  Any such amendment may also affect any other amendments to this Credit Agreement (including, without limitation, amendments to Section 3.01 of this Credit Agreement and the definition of “Excluded Taxes”) and the other Credit Documents as are consented to by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and each Approved Currency Revolving Lender as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to appropriately include such Foreign Subsidiary as a Borrower hereunder (provided that no such amendment shall adversely affect the rights of any Lender that has not consented to such amendment in any material respect).

 

I.                                         Change of Currency.

 

1.          Each obligation of the Borrower to make a payment denominated in the national currency unit of any member state of the European Union that adopts the Euro as its lawful currency after the date hereof shall be redenominated into Euro at the time of such adoption (in accordance with the EMU Legislation).  If, in relation to the currency of any such member state, the basis of accrual of interest expressed in this Credit Agreement in respect of that currency

 

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shall be inconsistent with any convention or practice in the London interbank market for the basis of accrual of interest in respect of the Euro, such expressed basis shall be replaced by such convention or practice with effect from the date on which such member state adopts the Euro as its lawful currency; provided that if any Borrowing in the currency of such member state is outstanding immediately prior to such date, such replacement shall take effect, with respect to such Borrowing, at the end of the then current Interest Period.

 

2.          Each provision of this Credit Agreement shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time specify to be appropriate to reflect the adoption of the Euro by any member state of the European Union and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the Euro.

 

3.          Each provision of this Credit Agreement also shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time specify to be appropriate to reflect a change in currency of any other country and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the change in currency.

 

J.                                        Letter of Credit Amounts.

 

Unless otherwise provided, all references herein to the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to mean the Dollar Equivalent of the maximum face amount available to be drawn of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all increases thereof contemplated by such Letter of Credit or the Issuer Documents related thereto, whether or not such maximum face amount is in effect at such time.

 

II.

 

COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

A.                                   Commitments.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein:

 

1.             Revolving Loans.

 

(i)       Dollar Revolving Loans.  Following the Funding Date, each Dollar Revolving Lender severally agrees to make revolving credit loans (the “Dollar Revolving Loans”) in Dollars to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day prior to the Revolving Termination Date; provided that after giving effect to any such Dollar Revolving Loan, (x) with respect to the Dollar Revolving Lenders collectively, the Outstanding Amount of Dollar Revolving Obligations shall not exceed ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ($100,000,000) (as such amount may be increased pursuant to Section 2.01(g) or decreased pursuant to Sections 2.07 or 9.02(a), the “Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount”) and (y) with respect to each Dollar Revolving Lender individually, such Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage of Dollar Revolving Obligations shall not exceed its respective Dollar Revolving Committed Amount.  Dollar Revolving Loans may consist of Base Rate Loans, Eurodollar Rate Loans or a combination thereof, as the Borrower may request.  Dollar Revolving Loans may be repaid and reborrowed
 
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in accordance with the provisions hereof.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, no Dollar Revolving Loans in excess of $25.0 million in the aggregate may be borrowed prior to completion of the Spin-Off.
 
(ii)      Approved Currency Revolving Loans.  Following the Funding Date, each Approved Currency Revolving Lender severally agrees to make revolving credit loans (the “Approved Currency Revolving Loans”) in one or more Approved Currencies to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day prior to the Revolving Termination Date; provided that after giving effect to any such Approved Currency Revolving Loan, (x) with respect to the Approved Currency Revolving Lenders collectively, the Outstanding Amount of Approved Currency Revolving Loans shall not exceed ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ($100,000,000) (as such amount may be increased pursuant to Section 2.01(g) or decreased in accordance with the Sections 2.07 or 9.02(a), the “Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount”) and (y) with respect to each Approved Currency Revolving Lender individually, such Lender’s Approved Currency Revolving Commitment Percentage of Approved Currency Revolving Loans shall not exceed its respective Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount.  Approved Currency Revolving Loans denominated in Dollars or Canadian Dollars may consist of Base Rate Loans, Eurodollar Rate Loans or a combination thereof, as the Borrower may request.  Approved Currency Revolving Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency (other than Canadian Dollars) must consist of Eurodollar Rate Loans.  Approved Currency Revolving Loans may be repaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, no Revolving Loans in excess of $25.0 million in the aggregate may be borrowed prior to completion of the Spin-Off.
 

2.          Letters of Credit.  On and after the Funding Date, (x) each L/C Issuer, in reliance upon the commitments of the Dollar Revolving Lenders set forth herein, agrees (A) to issue Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars or in one or more Alternative Currencies, for the account of the Borrower (or for the account of any member of the Consolidated Group or BCV, but in such case the Borrower will remain obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit, and the Borrower acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of members of the Consolidated Group or BCV inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and the Borrower acknowledges that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the business of such members of the Consolidated Group and BCV) on any Business Day, (B) to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued hereunder, and (C) to honor drawings under Letters of Credit; and (y) the Dollar Revolving Lenders severally agree to purchase from the L/C Issuer a participation interest in Letters of Credit issued hereunder in an amount equal to such Dollar Revolving Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof; provided that (A) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations shall not exceed TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS ($20,000,000) (as such amount may be decreased in accordance with the provisions hereof, the “L/C Sublimit”), (B) with regard to the Dollar Revolving Lenders collectively, the Outstanding Amount of Dollar Revolving Obligations shall not exceed the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount, (C) with regard to each Dollar Revolving Lender individually, such Dollar Revolving Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage of Dollar Revolving Obligations shall not exceed its respective Dollar Revolving Committed Amount and (D) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations for the account of BCV shall not exceed $3,500,000.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may obtain

 

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Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, no Letters of Credit may be used to support the IAC Dividend, the Spin-Off, any transaction contemplated by the Spin-Off or contemplated by Section 8.12.    All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Funding Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

 

3.          Swingline Loans.  During the Commitment Period, the Swingline Lender agrees, in reliance upon the commitments of the other Dollar Revolving Lenders set forth herein, to make revolving credit loans (the “Swingline Loans”) to the Borrower in Dollars on any Business Day; provided that (i) the Outstanding Amount of Swingline Loans shall not exceed FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS ($15,000,000) (as such amount may be decreased in accordance with the provisions hereof, the “Swingline Sublimit”) and (ii) with respect to the Dollar Revolving Lenders collectively, the Outstanding Amount of Dollar Revolving Obligations shall not exceed the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount.  Swingline Loans shall be comprised solely of Base Rate Loans, and may be repaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof.  Immediately upon the making of a Swingline Loan, each Dollar Revolving Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swingline Lender a participation interest in such Swingline Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, no Swingline Loans may be used to fund the IAC Dividend, the Spin-Off, any transaction related to the Spin-Off or contemplated by Section 8.12.

 

4.          Term A Loan.  Each of the Term A Lenders severally agrees to make its portion of the term A loans (in the amount of its respective Term A Loan Committed Amount) to the Borrower on the Funding Date in a single advance in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount for all Term A Lenders of ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ($100,000,000) (the “Term A Loans”).  The Term A Loans may consist of Base Rate Loans, Eurodollar Rate Loans or a combination thereto, as the Borrower may request.  Amounts repaid on the Term A Loans may not be reborrowed.

 

5.          Term B Loan.  Each of the Term B Lenders severally agrees to make its portion of the term B loans (in the amount of its respective Term B Loan Committed Amount) to the Borrower on the Funding Date in a single advance in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount for all Term B Lenders of THREE HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($350,000,000) (the “Term B Loans”).  The Term B Loans may consist of Base Rate Loans, Eurodollar Rate Loans or a combination thereto, as the Borrower may request.  Amounts repaid on the Term B Loans may not be reborrowed.

 

6.          Incremental Loan Facilities.  Any time after the Funding Date, the Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, establish additional credit facilities of the Borrower (collectively, the “Incremental Loan Facilities”) by increasing the Aggregate Revolving Commitments hereunder as provided in Section 2.01(g) (the “Incremental Revolving Commitments”), or establishing new term loans hereunder as provided in Section 2.01(h) (the “Incremental Term Loans”); provided that:

 

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(i)                  the aggregate principal amount of loans and commitments for all the Incremental Loan Facilities established after the Funding Date will not exceed $125.0 million;

 

(ii)               no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or shall result after giving effect to any such Incremental Loan Facility;

 

(iii)            the conditions to the making of a Credit Extension under Section 5.02 shall be satisfied; and

 

(iv)           the Borrower shall have delivered a certificate to the Administrative Agent demonstrating that, after giving effect on a Pro Forma Basis to the borrowings to be made pursuant to such Incremental Loan Facility, as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter at the end of which financial statements were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) (or, prior to such first required delivery date for such financial statements, as of the last day of the most recent period referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.05), the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 8.10.

 

In connection with the establishment of any Incremental Loan Facility, (A) neither of the Lead Arrangers hereunder shall have any obligation to arrange for or assist in arranging for any Incremental Loan Facility, (B) any Incremental Loan Facility shall be subject to such conditions, including fee arrangements, as may be provided in connection therewith and (C) none of the Lenders shall have any obligation to provide commitments or loans for any Incremental Loan Facility.

 

7.                                       Establishment of Incremental Revolving Commitments.  Subject to Section 2.01(f), the Borrower may establish Incremental Revolving Commitments by increasing the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount or Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount hereunder, provided that:

 

(i)                  any Person that is not a Revolving Lender that is proposed to be a Lender under any such increased Aggregate Revolving Committed Amount shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and any Person that is proposed to provide any such increased Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount (whether or not an existing Dollar Revolving Lender) shall be reasonably acceptable to the L/C Issuer;

 

(ii)               Persons providing commitments for the Incremental Revolving Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.01(g) will provide a Revolving Lender Joinder Agreement;

 

(iii)            increases in the Aggregate Revolving Committed Amount will be in a minimum principal amount of $10.0 million and integral multiples of $5.0 million in excess thereof;

 

(iv)           if any Revolving Loans are outstanding at the time of any such increase under the applicable Revolving Facility, either (x) the Borrower will pre-pay

 

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such Revolving Loans on the date of effectiveness of the Incremental Revolving Commitments (including payment of any break-funding amounts owing under Section 3.05) or (y) each Lender with an Incremental Revolving Commitment shall purchase at par interests in each Borrowing of Revolving Loans then outstanding under the applicable Revolving Facility such that immediately after giving effect to such purchases, each Borrowing thereunder shall be held by each Lender in accordance with its Pro Rata Share of such Revolving Facility (and, in connection therewith, the Borrower shall pay all amounts that would have been payable pursuant to Section 3.05 had the Revolving Loans so purchased been prepaid on such date).

 

Any Incremental Revolving Commitment established hereunder shall have terms identical to the Dollar Revolving Commitments or Approved Currency Revolving Commitments, as the case may be, existing on the Closing Date, it being understood that the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may make (without the consent of or notice to any other party) any amendment to reflect such increase in the Revolving Commitments.

 

8.                                       Establishment of Incremental Term Loans.  Subject to Section 2.01(f), the Borrower may, at any time, establish additional term loan commitments (including additional commitments for Term B Loans), provided that:

 

(i)                  any Person that is not a Lender or Eligible Assignee that is proposed to be a Lender shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

 

(ii)               Persons providing commitments for the Incremental Term Loan pursuant to this Section 2.01(h) will provide an Incremental Term Loan Joinder Agreement;

 

(iii)            additional commitments established for the Incremental Term Loan will be in a minimum aggregate principal amount of $15.0 million and integral multiples of $5.0 million in excess thereof; provided that Incremental Term Loan Commitments shall not be established on more than three (3) separate occasions; and

 

(iv)           the final maturity date of any Incremental Term Loan shall be no earlier than the Term B Loan Termination Date;

 

(v)              the Applicable Percentage (which for the purposes of this Section 2.01(h) being deemed to include any similar interest margin measure) for any proposed Incremental Term Loans shall be determined by the Borrower and the applicable Lenders; provided that in the event that the Applicable Percentage for any proposed Incremental Term Loans is greater than the Applicable Percentage for the Term B Loans (other than such Incremental Term Loans), then the Applicable Percentage for all Term B Loans (other than such Incremental Term Loans) shall be increased to the extent necessary so that the Applicable Percentage for the Term B Loans (other than such Incremental Term Loans) is equal to the Applicable Percentage for the proposed Incremental Term Loans; provided, further, that

 

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in determining the Applicable Percentage applicable to the Term B Loans (other than such Incremental Term Loans) and the proposed Incremental Term Loans, original issue discount (“OID”) or upfront fees (other than underwriting fees paid only to Lenders under the Incremental Term Loans in their capacity as such) (which upfront fees, exclusive of the underwriting fees referred to above, shall be deemed to constitute like amounts of OID) payable to the applicable Lenders of the Term B Loans (other than such Incremental Term Loans) or the proposed Incremental Term Loans in the primary syndication thereof shall be included (with OID being equated to interest based on an assumed four-year life to maturity);

 

(vi)           the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Incremental Term Loan shall not be shorter than the Term B Loans (without giving effect to such Incremental Term Loans).

 

Any Incremental Term Loan established hereunder shall be on terms to be determined by the Borrower and the Lenders thereunder (and the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may, without the consent of any other Lender, enter into an amendment to this Credit Agreement to appropriately include the Incremental Term Loans hereunder including, without limitation, to provide that such Incremental Term Loans shall share in mandatory prepayments on the same basis as the Term A Loans and Term B Loans); provided that, to the extent that such terms and documentation are not consistent with the Term B Loans (except to the extent permitted by clause (iv), (v) or (vi) above), they shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; provided further that if any covenant, term (except to the extent permitted by clause (iv), (v) or (vi) above), event of default or remedy in any Incremental Term Loans is more favorable to the lenders thereunder than the corresponding covenant, term, event of default or remedy in the existing Term B Loans, or such Incremental Term Loans contain any covenant, term (except to the extent permitted by clause (iv), (v) or (vi) above), event of default or remedy that is not in the existing Credit Documents, the Credit Parties and the Administrative Agent and/or the Collateral Agent shall, without the consent of or notice to any other party, amend the documentation for such existing Credit Documents so that such covenant, term, event of default and/or remedy is applicable to all Loans and Commitments (or Term Loans and Term Loan Commitments, as applicable) hereunder and/or to incorporate any such covenant, event of default and/or remedy that is not in the existing Credit Documents.

 

B.                                     Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations.

 

1.                                       Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (New York time) (i) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Loans, three (3) Business Days (or, in the case of Approved Currency Revolving Loans denominated in Alternative Currency, four (4) Business Days) prior to the requested date of, (ii) with respect to Base Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, on the requested date of or (iii) in the case of Base Rate Loans denominated in Canadian Dollars, one Business Day prior to the requested date of, any Borrowing, conversion or continuation.  Except in the case of any Revolving Loan that is borrowed to refinance a Swingline Loan or L/C Borrowing

 

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(which may be in an amount sufficient to refinance such Swingline Loan or L/C Borrowing), each Borrowing, conversion or continuation shall be in a principal amount of (i) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Loans (A) denominated in Dollars, $1.0 million or a whole multiple of $1.0 million in excess thereof, (B) denominated in Euros, €1.0 million or a whole multiple of €1.0 million in excess thereof, (C) denominated in Sterling, £1.0 million or a whole multiple of £1.0 million in excess thereof and (D) denominated in Canadian Dollars, C$1.0 million or a whole multiple of C$1.0 million, (ii) with respect to Base Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or (iii) in the case of Base Rate Loans denominated in Canadian Dollars, C$1,000,000 or an integral multiple of C$100,000 in excess thereof.  Each Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower’s request is with respect to Revolving Loans, Term A Loans or Term B Loans, (ii) whether such request is for a Borrowing, conversion, or continuation, (iii) the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation (which shall be a Business Day), (iv) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (v) the Type of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (vi) if such Loans are Approved Currency Revolving Loans, the currency of such Loans (which shall be an Approved Currency) and (vii) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto.  If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation (other than with respect to Approved Currency Revolving Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency other than Canadian Dollars), then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans.  Any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans.  If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, the Interest Period will be deemed to be one (1) month.

 

2.                                       Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Pro Rata Share of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection.  In the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in Dollars in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 2:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice.  In the case of a Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in the applicable Alternative Currency in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 2:00 p.m. (London time) on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice.  Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 5.03 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 5.02), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of JPMCB with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.

 

3.                                       Except as otherwise provided herein, without the consent of the Required Lenders, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan.  During the existence of a Default or Event of Default, at

 

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the request of the Required Lenders or the Administrative Agent, (i) no Loan denominated in Dollars or Canadian Dollars may be requested as, converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and (ii) any outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loan denominated in Dollars or Canadian Dollars shall be converted to a Base Rate Loan on the last day of the Interest Period with respect thereto.

 

4.                                       The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate.  The determination of the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.  At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in JPMCB’s or JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Toronto Branch’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

 

5.                                       After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Revolving Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Revolving Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten (10) Interest Periods in effect with respect to the Revolving Loans and five (5) Interest Periods with respect to the Term A Loans and Term B Loans.

 

C.                                     Additional Provisions with Respect to Letters of Credit.

 

1.                                       Obligation to Issue or Amend.

 

1)                   The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit if:

 

subject to Section 2.03(b)(iii), the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve (12) months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer have approved such expiry date; or
 
the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the L/C Expiration Date, unless all the Dollar Revolving Lenders have approved such expiry date.
 

2)                   The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

 

any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense that was not applicable on the Closing Date and that the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;
 
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the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer;
 
except as otherwise agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent, such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $20,000;
 
such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars or an Alternative Currency;
 
except as otherwise agreed by the L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit contains provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder; or
 
a default of any Dollar Revolving Lender’s obligations to fund under Section 2.03(c) exists or any Dollar Revolving Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into satisfactory arrangements with the Borrower or such Dollar Revolving Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s risk with respect to such Dollar Revolving Lender.
 

3)                   The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if:

 

the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof; or
 
the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.
 

4)                   The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Dollar Revolving Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article X with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article X included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

 

2.                                       Procedures for Issuance and Amendment; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit.

 

5)                   Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a L/C Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer.  Such L/C Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (A) not later than 12:00 noon (New York time) at least two (2) Business Days prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be, of any Letter of Credit denominated in Dollars and (B) not later than 12:00 noon (London time) at least five (5) Business Days prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be, of any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency (or, in each case, such later date and time as the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to

 

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the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be.  In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such L/C Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount and currency thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; and (G) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require.  In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such L/C Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; (D) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (E) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require.  Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.

 

6)                   Promptly after receipt of any L/C Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such L/C Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof.  Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from the Administrative Agent, any Dollar Revolving Lender or any Credit Party, at least one (1) Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Sections 5.02 (if issued on the Funding Date) and 5.03 shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower (or Subsidiary or BCV) or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices.  Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Dollar Revolving Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to such Dollar Revolving Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof.

 

7)                   If the Borrower so requests in any L/C Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such renewal at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued (but in any event not later than 30 days prior to the scheduled expiry date thereof).  Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension.  Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Dollar Revolving Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the L/C Expiration Date; provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted or would have no obligation

 

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at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is five (5) Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date from the Administrative Agent or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 5.03 is not then satisfied, and in each case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

 

8)                   Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

 

3.                                       Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.

 

9)                   Upon any drawing under any Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof.  In the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in Dollars, the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer in Dollars.  In the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer in such Alternative Currency unless (x) the L/C Issuer (at its option) shall have specified in such notice that it will require reimbursement in Dollars, or (y) in the absence of any such requirement for reimbursement in Dollars, the Borrower shall have notified the L/C Issuer promptly following receipt of the notice of drawing that the Borrower will reimburse the L/C Issuer in Dollars.  In the case of any such reimbursement in Dollars of a drawing as of the applicable Revaluation Date under a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower of the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of the drawing promptly following the determination thereof.  Not later than (x) 12:00 noon (New York time) on or prior to the date that is three (3) Business Days following the date that the Borrower receives notice from the L/C Issuer of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in Dollars, and (y) the Applicable Time on or prior to the date that is three (3) Business Days following the date the Borrower receives notice from the L/C Issuer of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in an Alternative Currency (each such date of payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in Dollars or in the applicable Alternative Currency, as the case may be, in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing; provided, that the Borrower, and the applicable L/C Issuer may, each in their discretion, with the consent of the Administrative Agent and so long as such arrangements do not adversely affect the rights of any Lender in any material respect, enter into Letter of Credit cash collateral prefunding arrangements acceptable to them for the purpose of  reimbursing Letter of Credit draws.  If the Borrower does not to reimburse the L/C Issuer on the Honor Date, the Administrative Agent, at the request of the L/C Issuer, shall promptly notify each Dollar Revolving Lender of the Honor Date, the amount and denomination of the unreimbursed drawing (expressed in Dollars in the amount of the Dollar Equivalent thereof) (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Dollar Revolving Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof.

 

10)             Each Dollar Revolving Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, in Dollars at the Administrative Agent’s Office for payments in Dollars in an amount equal to its

 

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Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent.

 

11)             With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at (i) through and including the third Business Day following the Honor Date, the rate of interest applicable to Base Rate Revolving Loans and (ii) thereafter, the Default Rate.  In such event, each Dollar Revolving Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Revolving Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.

 

12)             Until a Revolving Lender funds its L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Revolving Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

 

13)             Each Dollar Revolving Lender’s obligation to make L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Revolving Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or Event of Default, (C) non-compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 5.03, or (D) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided that the L/C Issuer shall have complied with the provisions of Section 2.03(b)(ii).  No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

 

14)             If any Dollar Revolving Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Revolving Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Revolving Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing.  A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Dollar Revolving Lender or Approved Currency Revolving Lender, as applicable, (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

55



 

4.                                       Repayment of Participations.

 

15)             At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Dollar Revolving Lender such Revolving Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of cash collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Revolving Lender its Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Revolving Lender’s L/C Advance was outstanding) in Dollars and in the same type of funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

 

16)             If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Dollar Revolving Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Revolving Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Credit Agreement.

 

5.                                       Obligations Absolute.  The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Credit Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

 

(i)                                     any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document;
 
(ii)                                  the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower, any Subsidiary or BCV may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Credit Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;
 
(iii)                               any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;
 
(iv)                              any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person
 
56


 
purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law;
 
(v)                                 any adverse change in the relevant exchange rates or in the availability of the relevant Alternative Currency to the Borrower, any Subsidiary or BCV or in the relevant currency markets generally; or
 
(vi)                              any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or BCV.
 

The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to such Borrower and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer.  The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

 

6.                                       Role of the L/C Issuer in such Capacity.  Each Revolving Lender and the Borrower agrees that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document.  None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Revolving Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Required Dollar Revolving Lenders; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document.  The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to such Borrower’s use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as the Borrower may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement.  None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer, shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (vi) of Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower shall have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer shall be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower that are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit.  In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument

 

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transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, that may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.

 

7.                                       Cash Collateral.  Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, (i) if the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in a L/C Borrowing, or (ii) if, as of the L/C Expiration Date, any Letter of Credit may for any reason remain outstanding and partially or wholly undrawn the Borrower shall immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to such Outstanding Amount determined as of the date of such L/C Borrowing or the L/C Expiration Date, as the case may be).  The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of cash collateral, request that additional cash collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of exchange rate fluctuations.  For purposes hereof, “Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, as collateral for such L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances pursuant to customary documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to by the Lenders).  Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings.  Cash collateral shall be maintained in blocked, interest bearing deposit accounts or money market fund accounts at the Administrative Agent.

 

8.                                       Applicability of ISP.  Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Letter of Credit.

 

9.                                       Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries and BCV.  Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, BCV or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit.  The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries and BCV inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries and BCV.

 

10.                                 Letter of Credit Fees.  The Borrower shall pay Letter of Credit Fees as set forth in Section 2.09(b).

 

11.                                 Conflict with Issuer Documents.  In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.

 

D.                                    Additional Provisions with Respect to Swingline Loans.

 

1.                                       Borrowing Procedures.  Each Swingline Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent by delivery to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Each such notice must be received by the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 2:00 p.m. (New York time) on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed,

 

58



 

which shall be a minimum of $100,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day.  Promptly after receipt by the Swingline Lender of any Loan Notice, the Swingline Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Loan Notice and, if not, the Swingline Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof.  Unless the Swingline Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent prior to 3:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of the proposed Swingline Borrowing (A) directing the Swingline Lender not to make such Swingline Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in this Article II, or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 5.02 (if on the Funding Date) and Section 5.03 is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swingline Lender will, not later than 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on the borrowing date specified in such Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swingline Loan available to the Borrower at its office by crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of the Swingline Lender in immediately available funds.

 

2.                                       Refinancing.

 

17)             The Swingline Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may (and, in any event, within ten Business Days of the applicable Swingline Borrowing, shall) request that each Revolving Lender fund its risk participations in Swingline Loans in an amount equal to such Dollar Revolving Lender’s Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage of Swingline Loans then outstanding.  Each Dollar Revolving Lender shall make an amount equal to its Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage of the amount specified in such notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds for the account of the Swingline Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on the day specified in such notice.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swingline Lender.

 

18)             Each Dollar Revolving Lender’s funding of its risk participation in the relevant Swingline Loan and each Dollar Revolving Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(b)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

 

19)             If any Dollar Revolving Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender any amount required to be paid by such Dollar Revolving Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(b) by the time specified in Section 2.04(b)(i), the Swingline Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Dollar Revolving Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swingline Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swingline Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swingline Lender in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s funded participation in the relevant Swingline Loan.  A certificate of the Swingline Lender submitted to any Dollar Revolving Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

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20)    Each Dollar Revolving Lender’s obligation to purchase and fund risk participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(b) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Dollar Revolving Lender may have against the Swingline Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or Event of Default, (C) non-compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 5.03, or (D) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided that Swingline Lender has complied with the provisions of Section 2.04(a).  No such purchase or funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swingline Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

 

3.             Repayment of Participations.

 

21)    At any time after any Dollar Revolving Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swingline Loan, if the Swingline Lender receives any payment on account of such Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender will distribute to such Dollar Revolving Lender its Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage of such payment (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Dollar Revolving Lender’s risk participation was funded) in the same funds as those received by the Swingline Lender.

 

22)    If any payment received by the Swingline Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swingline Loan is required to be returned by the Swingline Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swingline Lender in its discretion), each Dollar Revolving Lender shall pay to the Swingline Lender its Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate.  The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swingline Lender.  The obligations of the Dollar Revolving Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Credit Agreement.

 

4.             Interest for Account of Swingline Lender.  The Swingline Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swingline Loans.  Until each Dollar Revolving Lender funds its risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 of any Swingline Loan, interest in respect thereof shall be solely for the account of the Swingline Lender.

 

5.             Payments Directly to Swingline Lender.  The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swingline Loans directly to the Swingline Lender.

 

E.             Repayment of Loans.

 

1.             Revolving Loans.  The Borrower shall repay to the Dollar Revolving Lenders the Outstanding Amount of Dollar Revolving Loans on the Revolving Termination Date.   The Borrower shall repay to the Approved Currency Revolving Lenders the Outstanding Amount of Approved Currency Revolving Loans on the Revolving Termination Date.

 

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2.             Swingline Loans.  The Borrower shall repay to the Swingline Lender the Outstanding Amount of the Swingline Loans on the Revolving Termination Date.

 

3.             Term A Loans.  The Borrower shall repay the aggregate principal amount of the Term A Loans (shown as a percentage of the original aggregate principal amount of the Term A Loans) in quarterly installments on the dates set forth below as follows:

 

Date

 

Principal
Amortization
Payment
(shown as a
Percentage of
Original Principal
Amount)

 

Date

 

Principal
Amortization
Payment
(shown as a
Percentage of
Original Principal
Amount)

 

March 31, 2011

 

2.5

%

December 31, 2012

 

3.75

%

June 30, 2011

 

2.5

%

March 31, 2013

 

25.00

%

September 30, 2011

 

2.5

%

June 30, 2013

 

25.00

%

December 31, 2011

 

2.5

%

Term A Loan

 

25.00

%

March 31, 2012

 

3.75

%

Termination Date

 

 

 

June 30, 2012

 

3.75

%

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2012

 

3.75

%

 

 

 

 

 

4.             Term B Loans.  The principal amount of the Term B Loans shall be payable in eleven consecutive quarterly installments which, except for the final installment (which shall be due and payable on the Term B Loan Termination Date), shall be due on the last day of each March, June, September and December, beginning with March 31, 2011.  Each of the first ten quarterly installments shall be in the principal amount equal to 0.25% of the aggregate principal amount of all Term B Loans funded on the Funding Date and the eleventh (11th) and final installment shall be due and payable on the Term B Loan Termination Date in the amount of the remaining principal balance of Term B Loans.

 

F.             Prepayments.

 

1.             Voluntary Prepayments.  The Loans may be repaid in whole or in part without premium or penalty (except, in the case of Loans other than Base Rate Loans, amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.05); provided that:

 

(i)      in the case of Loans other than Swingline Loans, (A) notice thereof must be received by 12:00 noon (New York time) by the Administrative Agent at least three (3) Business Days (or, in the case of Approved Currency Revolving Loans denominated in Alternative Currency other than Base Rate Loans denominated in Canadian Dollars, at least four (4) Business Days) prior to the date of prepayment, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, and one (1) Business Day prior to the date of prepayment, in the case of Base Rate Loans, (B) any such prepayment shall be a minimum principal amount of (u) $1.0 million and integral multiples of $1.0 million in excess thereof, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, (v) €1.0 million and integral multiples of €1.0 million

 

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in excess thereof, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans denominated in Euros, (w) £1.0 million and integral multiples of £1.0 million in excess thereof, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans denominated in Sterling, (x) C$1.0 million and integral multiples of C$1.0 million in excess thereof, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans denominated in Canadian Dollars, (y) C$1,000,000 and integral multiples of C$100,000 in excess thereof, in the case of Base Rate Loans denominated in Canadian Dollars and (z) $1,00,000 and integral multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof, in the case of Base Rate Loans denominated in Dollars, or, in each case the entire remaining principal amount thereof, if less; and
 
(ii)     in the case of Swingline Loans, (A) notice thereof must be received by the Swingline Lender by 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of prepayment (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), and (B) any such prepayment shall be in the same minimum principal amounts as for advances thereof (or any lesser amount that may be acceptable to the Swingline Lender).
 

Each such notice of voluntary prepayment hereunder shall be irrevocable and shall specify the date and amount of prepayment and the Loans and Types of Loans that are being prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans.  The Administrative Agent will give prompt notice to the applicable Lenders of any prepayment on the Loans and the Lender’s interest therein.  Prepayments of Eurodollar Rate Loans hereunder shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the amount prepaid and breakage or other amounts due, if any, under Section 3.05.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice of voluntary prepayment delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied.

 

2.             Mandatory Prepayments.  Subject in each case to Section 2.06(c):

 

(i)      Revolving Commitments.

 

                If at any time (1) the Outstanding Amount of Dollar Revolving Obligations shall exceed the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount, (2) the Outstanding Amount of Approved Currency Revolving Loans shall exceed the Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount, or (3) the Outstanding Amount of Swingline Loans shall exceed the Swingline Sublimit, immediate prepayment will be made on or in respect of the applicable Revolving Obligations in an amount equal to the difference; provided, however, that L/C Obligations will not be Cash Collateralized hereunder until the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans have been paid in full.
 
                If the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower at any time that the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations at such time exceeds an amount equal to 105% of the L/C Sublimit then in effect, then, within two (2) Business Days after receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount sufficient to reduce such Outstanding Amount as of such date of payment to an amount not to exceed 100% of the L/C Sublimit then in effect.  The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of such cash collateral, request

 

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that additional cash collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of further exchange rate fluctuations.
 
(ii)     Subject Dispositions and Involuntary Dispositions.  On or before the applicable date set forth in the next sentence, prepayment will be made on the Loan Obligations in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Net Cash Proceeds received from any Subject Disposition or Involuntary Disposition by any member of the Consolidated Group occurring after the Closing Date, but solely to the extent (x) the Net Cash Proceeds received in such Subject Disposition (or series of related Subject Dispositions) or Involuntary Disposition (or series of related Involuntary Dispositions) exceed $5.0 million, (y) the Net Cash Proceeds received in all Subject Dispositions or Involuntary Dispositions effected during the fiscal year in which the applicable Subject Disposition or Involuntary Disposition takes place exceeds $10.0 million and (z) such Net Cash Proceeds are not used to acquire, maintain, develop, construct, improve, upgrade or repair Property (other than inventory, accounts receivable, cash or Cash Equivalents) useful in the business of the Consolidated Group or to make investments in Permitted Acquisitions that are otherwise permitted hereunder within twelve (12) months of the date of such Subject Disposition or Involuntary Disposition; provided that such a reinvestment shall not be permitted if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time the Borrower commits to make such reinvestment or, if no such commitment is made, the time the reinvestment is actually made, and in either such circumstance such Net Cash Proceeds shall be used to make prepayments on the Loans.  Any such prepayment from any Net Cash Proceeds required by the previous sentence shall be made (x) in the case of a Major Disposition in respect of which the notice referred to in Section 7.02(g) has not been delivered on or before the fifteenth (15th) Business Day following the receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds from such Major Disposition or to the extent such notice does not indicate reinvestment is intended with the Net Cash Proceeds of such Major Disposition, on or before the twenty-fifth (25th) Business Day following receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds and (y) in any other case, promptly after the Borrower determines that it will not reinvest such Net Cash Proceeds in accordance with the terms and limitations of the previous sentence, but in no event later than 366 days following the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds.  To the extent that the Borrower has determined in good faith that repatriation to the United States of any or all the Net Cash Proceeds of any Subject Disposition or Involuntary Disposition by a Foreign Subsidiary would have a material adverse tax consequence to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, the Net Cash Proceeds so affected may be retained by such Foreign Subsidiary, provided that on or before the date on which any such Net Cash Proceeds would otherwise have been required to be applied to reinvestments or prepayments pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.06(b)(ii), the Borrower applies an amount equal to such Net Cash Proceeds to such reinvestments or prepayments as if such Net Cash Proceeds had been received by the Borrower rather than such Foreign Subsidiary, less the amount of additional taxes (to the extent such taxes are not already deducted pursuant to the definition of Net Cash Proceeds) that would have been payable or reserved against if such Net Cash Proceeds had been repatriated to the United States.
 
(iii)    Indebtedness.  Prepayment will be made on the Loan Obligations in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Net Cash Proceeds received from any

 

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incurrence or issuance of Indebtedness after the Closing Date (other than Indebtedness expressly permitted to be incurred or issued pursuant to Section 8.03).  Any prepayment in respect of such Indebtedness hereunder will be payable on the Business Day following receipt by the Borrower or other members of the Consolidated Group of the Net Cash Proceeds therefrom.
 
(iv)    Consolidated Excess Cash Flow.  If for any fiscal year of the Borrower ending after December 31, 2008 there shall be Consolidated Excess Cash Flow, then, on a date that is no later five Business Days following the date that financial statements for such fiscal year are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a), the Loan Obligations shall be prepaid by an amount equal to the ECF Application Amount for such fiscal year.
 
(v)     Spin-Off.  If the Spin-Off and the other material transactions that, pursuant to the terms of the Separation Agreement, are to occur prior to or substantially concurrently with the Spin-Off shall not have been consummated on or prior to the fifth Business Day following the Funding Date, then on such fifth Business Day (x) all of the Loan Obligations shall be required to be prepaid, (y) the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender shall be reduced to zero and (z) the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations.
 
(vi)    Eurodollar Prepayment Account.  If the Borrower is required to make a mandatory prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans under this Section 2.06(b), so long as no Event of Default exists, the Borrower shall have the right, in lieu of making such prepayment in full, to deposit an amount equal to such mandatory prepayment with the Administrative Agent in a cash collateral account maintained (pursuant to documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) by and in the sole dominion and control of the Administrative Agent.  Any amounts so deposited shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the prepayment of such Eurodollar Rate Loans and shall be applied to the prepayment of the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans at the earliest of (x) the end of the current Interest Periods applicable thereto, (y) three months following the date of such deposit and (z) at the election of the Administrative Agent, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default.  At the request of the Borrower, amounts so deposited shall be invested by the Administrative Agent in Cash Equivalents maturing on or prior to the date or dates on which it is anticipated that such amounts will be applied to prepay such Eurodollar Rate Loans; any interest earned on such Cash Equivalents will be for the account of the Borrower and the Borrower will deposit with the Administrative Agent the amount of any loss on any such Cash Equivalents to the extent necessary in order that the amount of the prepayment to be made with the deposited amounts may not be reduced.
 

3.             Application.  Within each Loan, prepayments will be applied first to Base Rate Loans, then to Eurodollar Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities.  In addition:

 

(i)      Voluntary Prepayments.  Prepayments of the Term A Loans or Term B Loans pursuant to Section 2.06(a) shall be applied first in direct order of maturity in respect of the principal amortization payments due on such Term A Loans under Section 2.05(c) or Term B Loans under Section 2.05(d), as applicable, within the twelve (12)

 

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months following such prepayment, and second pro rata to the remaining principal amortization installments under Section 2.05(c) or Section 2.05(d) on the Term A Loans or Term B Loans, as the case may be.  Voluntary prepayments on the Loan Obligations will be paid by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective interests therein.
 
(ii)     Mandatory Prepayments.  Mandatory prepayments on the Loan Obligations will be paid by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective interests therein; provided that:
 

(A)          Mandatory prepayments in respect of the Revolving Commitments under subsection (b)(i)(A) above shall be applied to the respective Revolving Obligations as appropriate.

 

(B)           Mandatory prepayments in respect of Subject Dispositions and Involuntary Dispositions under subsection (b)(ii) above, Indebtedness under subsection (b)(iii) and Consolidated Excess Cash Flow under subsection (b)(iv) above shall be applied (i) first to the Term A Loans and Term B Loans (pro rata based on the amount of each such tranche of Loans then outstanding), and with respect to (x) Term A Loans, first in direct order of maturity in respect of the principal amortization payments under Section 2.05(c) due on the Term A Loans within the twelve (12) months following such prepayment, and second pro rata to the remaining principal amortization installments under Section 2.05(c) on the Term A Loans, until paid in full, (y) Term B Loans, first in direct order of maturity in respect of the principal amortization payments under Section 2.05(d) due on the Term B Loans within the twelve (12) months following such prepayment, and second pro rata to the remaining principal amortization installments under Section 2.05(d) on the Term B Loans, until paid in full, then (ii) to the Revolving Obligations (without permanent reduction of the Revolving Commitments); provided that if any events in subsection (b)(ii) or subsection (b)(iii) occur prior to the Funding Date and on or following the Closing Date, then the amount that would have otherwise been required to be used to make prepayments of the Loans shall be applied first, to reduce the Term A Loan Commitments and Term B Loan Commitments and second to reduce the Revolving Commitments.

 

G.            Termination or Reduction of Commitments.

 

Voluntary Reductions.  The Commitments hereunder may be permanently reduced in whole or in part by notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent; provided that (i) any such notice thereof must be received by 12:00 noon (New York time) at least five (5) Business Days prior to the date of reduction or termination and any such reduction or terminations shall be in a minimum amount of $1.0 million and integral multiples of $1.0 million in excess thereof; and (ii) the Commitments may not be reduced to an amount less than the Outstanding Amount of Loan Obligations then outstanding thereunder.  The Administrative Agent will give prompt notice to the Lenders of any such reduction in Commitments.  Any reduction of any Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each applicable Lender according to its Pro Rata Share.  All commitment or other fees accrued with respect to any Commitment through

 

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the effective date of any termination thereof shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.  A notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied.

 

H.            Interest.

 

1.             Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Percentage; (ii) each Loan that is a Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Percentage; and (iii) each Swingline Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Percentage.

 

(b)           If any amount payable by the Borrower under any Credit Document is not paid when due and an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing under Section 9.01(a), (f) or (h), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.

 

(c)           Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

 

(d)           Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein.  Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

I.              Fees.

 

1.             Facility Fee; Commitment Fee.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each (w) Dollar Revolving Lender in accordance with its Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof, a facility fee (the “Dollar Revolving Facility Fee”) equal to 0.50% per annum of the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount, (x) Approved Currency Revolving Lender in accordance with its Approved Currency Revolving Commitment Percentage thereof, a facility fee (the “Approved Currency Revolving Facility Fee” and together with the Dollar Revolving Facility Fee, the “Facility Fees”) equal to 0.50% per annum of the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount, (y) Term A Lender in accordance with its Term A Loan Commitment Percentage thereof, a commitment fee (the “Term A Commitment Fee”) equal to 0.50% per annum of the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Term A Loan Committed Amount during the period between the Closing Date and the Funding Date and (z) Term B Lender, in accordance with its Term B Loan Percentage thereof, a commitment fee (the “Term B Commitment Fee” and together with the Term A Commitment Fee, the “Commitment Fees”) equal to 3.25% per annum

 

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of the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Term B Loan Committed Amount during the period between the Closing Date and the Funding Date; provided that, if the Borrower continues to have any outstanding Revolving Obligations after the termination of the Commitment Period, then, with respect to each Revolving Lender to whom such Revolving Obligations are then owed, such facility fee shall continue to accrue in accordance with such Lender’s Dollar Revolving Committed Percentage or Approved Currency Revolving Committed Percentage thereof, as the case may be, of the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Dollar Revolving Committed Amount or Aggregate Approved Currency Revolving Committed Amount (without giving effect to the expiration of such Commitment Period), as the case may be, from and including the date the Commitment Period terminates to but excluding the date on which such Revolving Obligations are no longer outstanding.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Funding Date occurs 60 days or more after the Closing Date, the Commitment Fee and Facility Fee for the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the Funding Date shall be increased to 0.75% per annum.  The Commitment Fees and Facility Fees shall accrue at all times during the applicable Commitment Period (and, following the expiration of the Commitment Period, the Facility Fees shall continue to accrue to the extent set forth above), including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article V is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the tenth (10th) day of each January, April, July and October (for the Commitment Fee and Facility Fee accrued during the previous calendar quarter), commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the Revolving Termination Date.  The Commitment Fee and Facility Fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears.

 

2.             Letter of Credit Fees.

 

23)    Letter of Credit Fees.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Dollar Revolving Lender in accordance with its Dollar Revolving Commitment Percentage, a Letter of Credit fee, in Dollars, for each Letter of Credit, an amount equal to the Applicable Percentage for Dollar Revolving Loans that are Eurodollar Loans multiplied by the daily maximum undrawn Outstanding Amount under such Letter of Credit (the “Letter of Credit Fees”).  For purposes of computing the daily undrawn Outstanding Amount under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.10.  The Letter of Credit Fees shall be computed on a quarterly basis in arrears, and shall be due and payable on the tenth (10th) day of each January, April, July and October (for the Letter of Credit Fees accrued during the previous calendar quarter), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the L/C Expiration Date and thereafter on demand.  If there is any change in the Applicable Percentage during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Percentage separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Percentage was in effect.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, while any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing under Section 9.01(a), (f) or (h), all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.

 

24)    Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer.  The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit, 0.125% of the daily undrawn Outstanding Amount under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears.  Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the tenth (10th) day of each January, April, July and October (for fronting fees accrued during the previous

 

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calendar quarter or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the L/C Expiration Date and thereafter on demand.  For purposes of computing the daily undrawn Outstanding Amount under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.10.  In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect.  Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

 

3.             Funding Fee.  On the Funding Date, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of (i) each Term B Lender a fee equal to 1.50% of its Term B Loan Commitment and (ii) each other Lender, the fees set forth on Schedule 2.09(c).

 

4.             Other Fees.  The Borrower shall pay to JPMCB, the Lead Arrangers, Wachovia Bank, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC, Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, Barclays Capital, Bank of America, N.A., Merrill Lynch Bank USA and Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, for their own respective accounts, fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

J.             Computation of Interest and Fees.

 

All computations of interest for Base Rate loans denominated in Canadian Dollars and Base Rate Loans denominated in Dollars when the Base Rate is determined by JPMCB’s prime rate shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed.  All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year), or, in the case of interest in respect of Eurodollar Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies as to which market practice differs from the foregoing, in accordance with such market practice.  Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.11(a), bear interest for one (1) day.  Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

K.            Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

 

1.             General.  All payments to be made by any Credit Party hereunder shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff.  All payments of principal and interest on any Loan shall be payable in the same currency as such Loan is denominated.  All payments of fees pursuant to Section 2.09 shall be payable in Dollars.  All payments in respect of Unreimbursed Amounts shall be payable in the currency provided in Section 2.03.

 

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All other payments herein shall be payable in the currency specified with respect to such payment or, if the currency is not specified, in Dollars.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, (x) all payments by the Borrower in Dollars hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in Same Day Funds not later than 3:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date specified herein and (y) all payments by the Borrower in Alternative Currency hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent’s Office for payments in such Alternative Currency and in Same Day Funds not later than 3:00 p.m. London time on the date specified herein.  The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Pro Rata Share of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office.  All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 3:00 p.m. New York time or London time, as applicable shall be deemed received on the immediately succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.  Subject to the definition of “Interest Period,” if any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

 

2.             (i)  Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed time of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in Same Day Funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans.  If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period.  If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.  Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

 

                  (ii)          Payments by the Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due.  In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the

 

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Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, receiving any such payment severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in Same Day Funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

3.             Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent.  If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article V are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

 

4.             Obligation of the Lenders Several.  The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).

 

5.             Funding Source.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

 

6.             Insufficient Funds.  If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, L/C Borrowings, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, toward payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, toward payment of principal and L/C Borrowings then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and L/C Borrowings then due to such parties.

 

L.             Sharing of Payments by Lenders.

 

If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swingline Loans held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) 

 

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purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

 

(i)      if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and
 
(ii)     the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Credit Agreement or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
 

Each Credit Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Credit Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Credit Party in the amount of such participation.

 

M.           Evidence of Debt.

 

1.             The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and evidenced by one or more entries in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent, acting solely for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 5f.103-1(c) as agent for the Borrower, in each case in the ordinary course of business.  The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon.  Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.  Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a Note for such Lender, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records.  Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

2.             In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a) above, each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records and, in the case of the Administrative Agent, entries in the Register, evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline

 

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Loans.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

 

3.             Each Lender having sold a participation in any of its Obligations, acting solely for this purpose as agent for the Borrower, shall maintain a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of such Participants (and each change thereto, whether by assignment or otherwise) and the rights, interest or obligation of such Participants in any Obligation, in any Commitment and in any right to receive any payments hereunder.

 

N.            CAM Exchange.

 

1.             On the Revolving CAM Exchange Date, (i) the Revolving Commitments shall automatically and without further act be terminated in accordance with Section 9.02; (ii) each Dollar Revolving Lender shall fund its participation in any outstanding Swingline Loans in accordance with Section 2.04(b); (iii) each Dollar Revolving Lender shall fund its L/C Advance in any outstanding L/C Borrowings; and (iv) the Revolving Lenders shall purchase at par (and in the currencies in which such Designated Revolving Obligations are denominated) interests in the Designated Revolving Obligations under each Revolving Facility (and shall make payments to the Administrative Agent for reallocation to other Revolving Lenders to the extent necessary to give effect to such purchase) and shall assume the obligations to reimburse the L/C Issuer for L/C Borrowings under the Dollar Revolving Facility such that, after giving effect to such payments, each Revolving Lender shall own an interest equal to such Revolving Lender’s Revolving CAM Percentage in the Designated Revolving Obligations under each Revolving Facility and shall have the obligation to reimburse the L/C Issuer for its Revolving CAM Percentage of each L/C Borrowing under the Dollar Revolving Facility.  Each Revolving Lender and each Person acquiring a participation from any Revolving Lender as contemplated by Section 11.06 hereby consents and agrees to the Revolving CAM Exchange.  Each of the Revolving Lenders agrees from time to time to execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent all such promissory notes and other instruments and documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request to evidence and confirm the respective interests and obligations of the Revolving Lenders after giving effect to the Revolving CAM Exchange, and each Revolving Lender agrees to surrender any promissory notes originally received by it in connection with its Revolving Loans under this Credit Agreement to the Administrative Agent against delivery of any promissory notes so executed and delivered; provided that the failure of any Revolving Lender to deliver or accept any such promissory note, instrument or document shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the Revolving CAM Exchange.

 

2.             As a result of the Revolving CAM Exchange, from and after the Revolving CAM Exchange Date, each payment received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to any Credit Document in respect of the Designated Revolving Obligations shall be distributed to the Revolving Lenders on a pro rata basis in accordance with their respective Revolving CAM Percentages.

 

3.             In the event that on or after the Revolving CAM Exchange, an L/C Borrowing is made under any Letter of Credit under the Dollar Revolving Facility that is not reimbursed by the Borrower, each Revolving Lender shall provide its L/C Advance to the L/C Issuer for its Revolving CAM Percentage of such L/C Borrowing.

 

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III.

 

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

 

A.                                   Taxes.

 

1.          Payments Free of Taxes.  Except as otherwise required by law (as determined in the good faith discretion of the applicable withholding agent), any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Credit Parties hereunder or under any other Credit Document shall be made free and clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Indemnified or Other Taxes, provided that if the applicable withholding agent shall be required by applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of the applicable withholding agent) to deduct or withhold any Indemnified Taxes (including any Other Taxes) from such payments, then (i) the sum payable by the applicable Credit Party shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions or withholdings (including deductions or withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions or withholdings been made, (ii) the applicable withholding agent shall make such deductions or withholdings and (iii) the applicable withholding agent shall timely pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

 

2.          Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower.  Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

 

3.          Indemnification by the BorrowerWithout duplication of any amounts payable under Section 3.01(a), the Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the L/C Issuer, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Upon the reasonable request of any Credit Party, the Lenders, each L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent agree to use their reasonable efforts to cooperate with such Credit Party (at such Credit Party’s direction and expense) in contesting the imposition of, or claiming a refund of, any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by such Credit Party, whether directly to a Governmental Authority or pursuant to this Section, that such Credit Party reasonably believes were not correctly or legally asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority unless the Lender, L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, determines in good faith that pursuing such a contest or refund would be materially disadvantageous to it.

 

4.          Evidence of Payments.  As soon as reasonably practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower

 

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shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

5.          Status of Lenders.  Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Credit Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or as reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.

 

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is resident for tax purposes in the United States, any Foreign Lender to the extent it may lawfully do so shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Credit Agreement, on or prior to the date on which any such form or certification expires or becomes obsolete and after the occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent form or certification previously delivered by it (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(i)           duly completed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party,
 
(ii)          duly completed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI,
 
(iii)         in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, (x) a certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit 3.01(e) (a “Non-Bank Certificate”), to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code and that interest payments being received are not effectively connected with the Foreign Lender’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business and (y) duly completed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN,
 
(iv)        in the case of a Foreign Lender that does not act or ceases to act for its own account with respect to any portion of any sums paid or payable to such Lender under any of the Credit Documents (for example, in the case of a Foreign Lender that is a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes for that is a participating Lender granting

 

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a typical participation), duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY, together with the appropriate IRS Form W-8BEN, ECI or IMY, W-9 and/or Non-Bank Certificate with respect to each beneficial owner (provided that, if the Foreign Lender is a partnership, one or more of whose beneficial owners is claiming the portfolio interest exception, the Foreign Lender may provide the Non-Bank Certificate on behalf of such beneficial owners), and any other certificate or statement of exemption required under the Internal Revenue Code or the regulations thereunder, to establish that such Foreign Lender is not acting for its own account with respect to a portion of any such sums payable to such Foreign Lender and to establish that such remaining portion may be received without deduction for, or at a reduced rate of, United States federal withholding tax; or
 
(v)      any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States federal withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower or Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made, if any.
 

Any Lender or L/C Issuer that is a United States person under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code, to the extent it may lawfully do so, shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Lender or L/C Issuer becomes a Lender or L/C Issuer, as applicable, under this Credit Agreement, on or prior to the date on which any such form or certification expires or becomes obsolete and after the occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent form or certification previously delivered by it (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 (or any successor form) certifying that such Lender or L/C Issuer is entitled to an exemption from U.S. backup withholding tax.

 

6.          Treatment of Certain Refunds.  If the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines, in its reasonable discretion, that it has received a refund of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Credit Party or with respect to which a Credit Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Credit Party under this Section with respect to the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest (attributable to the period of time that the Borrower had use of such funds) or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  This subsection shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in no event will any Lender or L/C Issuer

 

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be required to pay any amount to the Borrower the payment of which would place such Lender or L/C Issuer in a less favorable net after-tax position that such Lender or L/C Issuer would have been in if the Indemnified Tax giving rise to such refund had never been imposed.

 

B.                                     Illegality.

 

If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Eurodollar Rate Loans, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Loans that are Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans, either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans.  Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

 

C.                                     Inability to Determine Rates.

 

If the Required Lenders determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (c) the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.  Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Loans that are Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

 

D.                                    Increased Cost; Capital Adequacy.

 

1.          Increased Costs Generally.  If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)         impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for

 

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the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate) or the L/C Issuer;
 
(ii)        subject any Lender or the L/C Issuer to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Credit Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any participation in a Letter of Credit or any Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender or the L/C Issuer in respect thereof (except, in each case, for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.01 and the imposition of, or any change in the rate of, any Excluded Tax payable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer); or
 
(iii)       impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Credit Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;
 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Rate Loan (or, in the case of clause (ii) above, any Loan), or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan, or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

2.          Capital Requirements.  If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Credit Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law, then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

3.          Certificates for Reimbursement.  A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

 

4.          Delay in Requests.  Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a

 

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waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine (9) months prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

 

E.                                      Compensation for Losses.

 

Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any reasonable loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

 

1.        any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise); or

 

2.        any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

 

3.        any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 11.13;

 

including any reasonable loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

 

F.                                      Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

1.          Designation of a Different Lending Office.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its

 

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rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

2.          Replacement of Lenders.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.13.

 

3.          Limitation on Additional Amounts, Etc.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Article III of this Credit Agreement, unless a Lender gives notice to the Borrower that it is obligated to pay an amount under this Article within nine (9) months after the later of (i) the date the Lender incurs the respective increased costs, loss, expense or liability, reduction in amounts received or receivable or reduction in return on capital or (ii) the date such Lender has actual knowledge of its incurrence of the respective increased costs, loss, expense or liability, reductions in amounts received or receivable or reduction in return on capital, then such Lender shall only be entitled to be compensated for such amount by the Borrower pursuant to this Article III, to the extent of the costs, loss, expense or liability, reduction in amounts received or receivable or reduction in return on capital that are incurred or suffered on or after the date which occurs nine (9) months prior to such Lender giving notice to the Borrower that it is obligated to pay the respective amounts pursuant to this Article III.

 

G.                                     Survival Losses.

 

All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

 

H.                                    Additional Reserve Costs.

 

1.          In the case of any Lender making an Approved Currency Revolving Loan from a Lending Office in the United Kingdom or a Participating Member State, such Lender shall be entitled to require the Borrower to pay, contemporaneously with each payment of interest on each of such Loans, additional interest on such Loan at a rate per annum equal to the Mandatory Cost Rate calculated in accordance with the formula and in the manner set forth in Schedule 3.08 hereto.

 

2.          For so long as any Lender is required to comply with reserve assets, liquidity, cash margin or other requirements of any monetary or other authority (including any such requirement imposed by the European Central Bank, the European System of Central Banks or the Bank of Canada, but excluding requirements reflected in the Statutory Reserves or the Mandatory Cost Rate) in respect of any of such Lender’s Eurodollar Rate Loans, such Lender shall be entitled to require the Borrower to pay, contemporaneously with each payment of interest on each of such Lender’s Loans subject to such requirements, additional interest on such Loan at a

 

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rate per annum specified by such Lender to be the cost to such Lender of complying with such requirements in relation to such Loan.

 

3.          Any additional interest owed pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) above shall be determined in reasonable detail by the applicable Lender, which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and notified to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) at least five Business Days before each date on which interest is payable for the applicable Loan, and such additional interest so notified to the Borrower by such Lender shall be payable to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender on each date on which interest is payable for such Loan.

 

IV.

 

GUARANTY

 

A.                                   The Guaranty.

 

1.          Each of the Guarantors hereby jointly and severally guarantees to the Administrative Agent and each of the holders of the Obligations, as hereinafter provided, as primary obligor and not as surety, the prompt payment of the Obligations (the “Guaranteed Obligations”) in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof.  The Guarantors hereby further agree that if any of the Guaranteed Obligations are not paid in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise), the Guarantors will, jointly and severally, promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

 

2.          Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, in any other of the Credit Documents, Swap Contracts or other documents relating to the Obligations, the obligations of each Guarantor under this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under the Debtor Relief Laws or any comparable provisions of any applicable state law.

 

B.                                     Obligations Unconditional.

 

The obligations of the Guarantors under Section 4.01 are joint and several, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Credit Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations, or any substitution, compromise, release, impairment or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 4.02 that the

 

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obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.  Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution against the Borrower or any other Guarantor for amounts paid under this Article IV until such time as the Obligations have been irrevocably paid in full and the commitments relating thereto have expired or been terminated.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of any Guarantor hereunder, which shall remain absolute and unconditional as described above:

 

1.        at any time or from time to time, without notice to any Guarantor, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;

 

2.        any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of any of the Credit Documents, or other documents relating to the Guaranteed Obligations or any other agreement or instrument referred to therein shall be done or omitted;

 

3.        the maturity of any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any right under any of the Credit Documents or other documents relating to the Guaranteed Obligations, or any other agreement or instrument referred to therein shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any security therefor shall be released, impaired or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;

 

4.        any Lien granted to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any of the holders of the Guaranteed Obligations as security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall fail to attach or be perfected; or

 

5.        any of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be determined to be void or voidable (including, without limitation, for the benefit of any creditor of any Guarantor) or shall be subordinated to the claims of any Person (including, without limitation, any creditor of any Guarantor).

 

With respect to its obligations hereunder, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest, notice of acceptance of the guaranty given hereby and of extensions of credit that may constitute obligations guaranteed hereby, notices of amendments, waivers and supplements to the Credit Documents and other documents relating to the Guaranteed Obligations, or the compromise, release or exchange of collateral or security, and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any holder of the Guaranteed Obligations exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against any Person under any of the Credit Documents or any other documents relating to the Guaranteed Obligations or any other agreement or instrument referred to therein, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Obligations.

 

C.                                     Reinstatement.

 

Neither the Guarantors’ obligations hereunder nor any remedy for the enforcement thereof shall be impaired, modified, changed or released in any manner whatsoever by an

 

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impairment, modification, change, release or limitation of the liability of the Borrower, by reason of the Borrower’s bankruptcy or insolvency or by reason of the invalidity or unenforceability of all or any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations.  The obligations of the Guarantors under this Article IV shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of any Person in respect of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Obligations, whether as a result of any proceedings pursuant to any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, and each Guarantor agrees that it will indemnify the Administrative Agent and each holder of Guaranteed Obligations on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including all reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent or such holder of Guaranteed Obligations in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

D.                                    Certain Waivers.

 

Each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that (a) the guaranty given hereby may be enforced without the necessity of resorting to or otherwise exhausting remedies in respect of any other security or collateral interests, and without the necessity at any time of having to take recourse against the Borrower hereunder or against any collateral securing the Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise, (b) it will not assert any right to require the action first be taken against the Borrower or any other Person (including any co-guarantor) or pursuit of any other remedy or enforcement of any other right and (c) nothing contained herein shall prevent or limit action being taken against the Borrower hereunder, under the other Credit Documents or the other documents and agreements relating to the Guaranteed Obligations or from foreclosing on any security or collateral interests relating hereto or thereto, or from exercising any other rights or remedies available in respect thereof, if neither the Borrower nor the Guarantors shall timely perform their obligations, and the exercise of any such rights and completion of any such foreclosure proceedings shall not constitute a discharge of the Guarantors’ obligations hereunder unless as a result thereof, the Guaranteed Obligations shall have been indefeasibly paid in full and the commitments relating thereto shall have expired or been terminated, it being the purpose and intent that the Guarantors’ obligations hereunder be absolute, irrevocable, independent and unconditional under all circumstances.

 

E.                                      Remedies.

 

The Guarantors agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the holders of the Guaranteed Obligations, on the other hand, the Guaranteed Obligations may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as provided in Section 9.02 (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances provided in Section 9.02) for purposes of Section 4.01, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or preventing the Guaranteed Obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against any other Person and that, in the event of such declaration (or the Guaranteed Obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), the Guaranteed Obligations (whether or not due and payable by any other Person) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for purposes of Section 4.01.  The Guarantors acknowledge and agree that the Guaranteed Obligations

 

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are secured in accordance with the terms of the Collateral Documents and that the holders of the Guaranteed Obligations may exercise their remedies thereunder in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

F.                                      Rights of Contribution.

 

The Guarantors hereby agree as among themselves that, in connection with payments made hereunder, each Guarantor shall have a right of contribution from each other Guarantor in accordance with applicable Law.  Such contribution rights shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the Guaranteed Obligations until such time as the Guaranteed Obligations have been irrevocably paid in full and the commitments relating thereto shall have expired or been terminated, and none of the Guarantors shall exercise any such contribution rights until the Guaranteed Obligations have been irrevocably paid in full and the commitments relating thereto shall have expired or been terminated.

 

G.                                     Guaranty of Payment; Continuing Guaranty.

 

The guarantee in this Article IV is a guaranty of payment and not of collection, and is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to all Guaranteed Obligations whenever arising.

 

H.                                    Joint and Several Liability of the Borrower.

 

The Borrower shall be jointly and severally liable for all Obligations of any Foreign Subsidiary that becomes an additional borrower hereunder in accordance with Section 1.08.

 

V.

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

A.                                   Conditions to Closing Date.

 

The effectiveness of this Credit Agreement is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

1.        Executed Credit Agreement.  The Administrative Agent’s receipt of counterparts of this Credit Agreement dated as of the Closing Date, duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and by each Lender party thereto, and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and each of the Lenders.

 

2.        [Reserved.]

 

3.        Officer Certificates.  The following shall be true as of the Closing Date, and the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate or certificates of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying each of the following:

 

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(i)          Consents.  No consents, licenses or approvals are required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by any Credit Party of the Credit Documents to which it is a party, other than as are in full force and effect and, to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, are attached thereto;
 
(ii)         Material Adverse Effect.  There has been no event or circumstance since December 31, 2007 (other than an event or condition set forth in Schedule 5.01(c)(ii) hereto (each such event or condition, so listed on such Schedule, a “Scheduled Matter”), except for any development or change in any such Scheduled Matter after June 19, 2008 that would, in and of itself, have or could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect), that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;
 
(iii)        Material Litigation.  There shall be no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending in any court or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
 
(iv)        Representations and Warranties; No Default.  The conditions set forth in Sections 5.01(d) and (e) have been satisfied as of the Closing Date.
 

4.      The representations and warranties set forth in Sections 6.06, 6.12, 6.13, 6.14 and 6.15 shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date.

 

5.      No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from the occurrence of the Closing Date.

 

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section 10.04, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Credit Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

B.                                     Conditions to the Funding Date.

 

The obligation of each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

1.      Execution of Credit Documents and Joinders.  The Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of (i) a Joinder Agreement to the Credit Agreement duly executed by a Responsible Officer of each Guarantor, (ii) the Security Agreement, duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and each Guarantor, (iii) the Pledge Agreement, duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and each Guarantor and (iv) Notes, to the extent requested by a Lender by written notice delivered to the Borrower at least five (5) Business Days prior to the Funding Date, duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

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2.      Spin-Off.  The Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied that the Spin-Off will be consummated substantially simultaneously with, or within five (5) Business Days after, the initial Borrowing hereunder.  The Administrative Agent shall be satisfied that all governmental, shareholder and third party consents and approvals necessary in connection with the Spin-Off shall have been obtained and all applicable waiting periods shall have expired without any continuing action being taken by any authority that would restrain, prevent or impose any material adverse conditions on the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or the Transactions, and no Law or regulation shall be applicable which in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent would have such effect, in each case to the extent the foregoing could either reasonably be expected to prevent the consummation of the Spin-Off as contemplated by the Separation Agreement or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

3.      Personal Property Collateral.  The Collateral Agent’s receipt of the following:

 

(i)          Lien Priority.  Evidence, including UCC, tax and judgment lien searches from the jurisdiction of formation and jurisdiction of the chief executive office of each Credit Party and intellectual property searches, that none of the Collateral is subject to any Liens (in each case other than Permitted Liens);
 
(ii)         UCC Financing Statements.  Such UCC financing statements as are necessary or appropriate, in the Collateral Agent’s discretion, to perfect the security interests in the Collateral;
 
(iii)        Intellectual Property.  Such patent, trademark and copyright security agreements as are necessary or appropriate, in the Collateral Agent’s discretion, to perfect the security interests in the Credit Parties’ material IP Rights;
 
(iv)        Capital Stock.  Original certificates evidencing the Capital Stock pledged pursuant to the Collateral Documents and required to be delivered thereunder (to the extent such Capital Stock is certificated), together with undated stock transfer powers executed in blank (provided that with respect to the stock of any Subsidiary of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, provide a reasonable amount of time after the initial funding for the Borrower to deliver such original certificates); and
 
(v)         Promissory Notes.  Original promissory notes to the extent required by the Security Agreement, if any, evidencing intercompany loans or advances owing to any Credit Party by any Subsidiary of the Borrower, together with undated allonges executed in blank (provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, provide a reasonable amount of time after the initial funding for the Borrower to deliver such original promissory notes).
 

4.      Evidence of Insurance.  The Collateral Agent’s receipt of copies of binders with respect to all property and liability insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Credit Documents.

 

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5.      Opinions of Counsel.  The Administrative Agent’s receipt of a customary duly executed opinion of Wachtell, Lipton Rosen & Katz and of appropriate local counsel to the Credit Parties, dated as of the Funding Date, in each case, reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

6.      Organization Documents, Etc.  The Administrative Agent’s receipt of a duly executed certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Credit Party, attaching each of the following documents and certifying that each is true, correct and complete and in full force and effect as of the Funding Date:

 

(i)          Charter Documents.  Copies of its articles or certificate of organization or formation, certified to be true, correct and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the jurisdiction of its organization or formation;
 
(ii)         Bylaws.  Copies of its bylaws, operating agreement or partnership agreement;
 
(iii)        Resolutions.  Copies of its resolutions approving and adopting the Credit Documents to which it is party, the transactions contemplated therein, and authorizing the execution and delivery thereof;
 
(iv)        Incumbency.  Incumbency certificates identifying the Responsible Officers of such Credit Party that are authorized to execute Credit Documents and to act on such Credit Party’s behalf in connection with the Credit Documents; and
 
(v)         Good Standing Certificates.  Certificates of good standing or the equivalent from its jurisdiction of organization or formation, in each case certified as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority.
 

7.      Officer Certificates.  The following shall be true as of the Funding Date, and the Administrative Agent shall have received a customary certificate or certificates of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, dated as of the Funding Date certifying each of the following:

 

(i)          Material Adverse Effect.  There has been no event or circumstance since December 31, 2007 (other than a Scheduled Matter, except for any development or change in any such Scheduled Matter after June 19, 2008 that would, in and of itself, have or could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect), that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and
 
(ii)         Material Litigation.  There shall be no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending in any court or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
 

8.      Pro Forma Financial Statements.  The Lenders shall have received the balance sheet as of March 31, 2008 and, if the Funding Date is on or after August 31, 2008,

 

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June 30, 2008, and statements of income and cash flows for the period ended March 31, 2008 and, if the Funding Date is on or after August 31, 2008, June 30, 2008, in each case as to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries giving effect to the Transactions on a pro forma basis.

 

9.      Financial Statements.  Copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 6.05.

 

10.    Separation Agreement.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a final, execution version of the Separation Agreement, which shall not have any changes since the draft of July 25, 2008 provided to the Lead Arrangers that are materially adverse to the Lenders, and there shall have been no changes to the structure or terms of the Spin-Off and related transactions pursuant to Section 12.01 of the Separation Agreement that are materially adverse to the Lenders, in each case, unless reasonably satisfactory to the Lead Arrangers.

 

11.    Solvency.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a customary certificate, dated as of the Funding Date, certified by the chief financial officer of the Borrower, stating that the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis after giving effect to the Transactions, are Solvent.

 

12.    Fees and Expenses.  All fees and expenses (including, unless waived by the Administrative Agent, all reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other counsel (including any local counsel)) invoiced to the Borrower at least two Business Days prior to the Funding Date and required to be paid on or before the Funding Date shall have been paid.

 

13.    Senior Notes.  The Borrower shall have consummated the issuance of the Senior Notes.

 

14.    Indebtedness.  After giving effect to the Funding Date, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have no Indebtedness other than with respect to the Term Loans, the Existing Letters of Credit, the Senior Notes, Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 8.03(b) and other Indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business since the Closing Date and otherwise permitted hereunder and other Indebtedness as may be reasonably acceptable to the Lead Arrangers.

 

15.    Schedule.  The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent Schedule 7.08.

 

16.    Funding Date.  The Funding Date shall have occurred on or prior to September 30, 2008.

 

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C.                                     Conditions to All Credit Extensions.

 

The obligation of each Lender and the L/C Issuer to honor any Request for Credit Extension is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

1.      The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Credit Party contained in Article VI shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date (provided that representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality shall be true and correct in all respects).

 

2.      No Default or Event of Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.

 

3.      The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

 

Each Request for Credit Extension submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrower that the conditions specified in Sections 5.03(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

 

VI.

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

The Credit Parties represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that (it being understood and agreed that on the Closing Date only, the representations and warranties set forth in this Article VI shall only be made to the extent set forth in Section 5.01(d)):

 

A.                                   Existence, Qualification and Power.

 

Each Credit Party (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Credit Documents to which it is a party and (ii) except to the extent it would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, own its assets and carry on its business, and (c) except to the extent it would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, is duly qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license.

 

B.                                     Authorization; No Contravention.

 

The execution, delivery and performance by each Credit Party of each Credit Document to which it is party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other

 

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organizational action and do not (a) contravene the terms of such Credit Party’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) under, (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Credit Party is party or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Credit Party or its Property is subject; or (c) violate any Law applicable to such Credit Party and the relevant Credit Documents, except, in the case of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 6.02 only, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

C.                                     Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.

 

No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Credit Party of this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document (other than (a) as have already been obtained and are in full force and effect, (b) filings to perfect security interests granted pursuant to the Credit Documents and (c) approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, or other actions, notices or filings the failure to procure which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect).

 

D.                                    Binding Effect.

 

Each Credit Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Credit Party that is party hereto or thereto.  Each Credit Document constitutes legal, valid and binding obligations of such Credit Party, enforceable against such Credit Party in accordance with its terms, except to the extent the enforceability thereof may be limited by applicable Debtor Relief Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by equitable principles of law (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law) and implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing.

 

E.                                      Financial Statements.

 

The audited combined balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006 and the unaudited combined balance sheets as of March 31, 2008 and March 31, 2007 and, if the Funding Date is on or after August 31, 2008, June 30, 2008 and June 30, 2007, and the related combined statements of income or operations, or shareholders’ equity (or invested equity) and cash flows for the years ending December 31, 2007, December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 and the fiscal quarters ending March 31, 2008 and (solely with respect to the statements of income or operations and cash flows) March 31, 2007 and, if the Funding Date is on or after August 31, 2008, for the fiscal quarters ended June 30, 2008 and (solely with respect to the statements of income or operations and cash flows) June 30, 2007, including the notes thereto, (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and its results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein.

 

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The unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at March 31, 2008, and, if the Funding Date is on or after August 31, 2008, June 30, 2008, and the related unaudited pro forma condensed combined statements of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the three or, if the Funding Date is on or after August 31, 2008, six, months then ended and for the year ended December 31, 2007, certified by the chief financial officer or treasurer of the Borrower, copies of which have been furnished to each Lender, fairly present the combined pro forma financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at such date and the combined pro forma results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the periods ended on such dates, in each case giving effect to the Transactions, all in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Laws, as amended and the Borrower believes that the assumptions underlying such unaudited pro forma combined financial statements are reasonable.

 

F.                                      No Material Adverse Effect.

 

Since December 31, 2007, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (other than any Scheduled Matter, except for any development or change in any such Scheduled Matter after June 19, 2008 that would, in and of itself, have or could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect).

 

G.                                     Litigation.

 

There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against any member of the Consolidated Group or against any of their properties or revenues that either individually or in the aggregate would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

H.                                    No Default.

 

No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document.

 

I.                                         Ownership of Property; Liens.

 

Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good and valid title in fee simple to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its real property, and good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in or right to use, all its other material property, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and the property of the Consolidated Group is subject to no Liens, other than Permitted Liens.

 

J.                                        Taxes.

 

Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate to have a Material Adverse Effect:  (a) the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries (i) has timely filed (or has had filed on its behalf) all Tax returns required to be filed and (ii) has paid prior to

 

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delinquency all Taxes levied or imposed upon it or its properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable (including in its capacity as a withholding agent), except for Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided, in accordance with GAAP, if such contest suspends enforcement or collection of the claim in question; (b) neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is aware of any proposed or pending tax assessments, deficiencies or audits; and (c) neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has “participated” in a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4.

 

K.                                    ERISA Compliance.

 

1.        Each Pension Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an application for such a letter is currently pending before the IRS with respect thereto and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, nothing has occurred that would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification except in such instances in which the failure to comply therewith either individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Pension Plan subject to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code has been made with respect to any Pension Plan except in such instances in which the failure to comply therewith either individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

2.        There are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that would be reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

3.        (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred that, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and (iii) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that would reasonably be expected to be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA which in the case of clause (i) through (iii) above, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

L.                                      Subsidiaries.

 

After giving effect to any modifications or updates pursuant to the last sentence of this Section 6.12, set forth on Schedule 6.12 is a list of all Subsidiaries of the Borrower immediately after giving effect to the consummation of the Spin-Off, together with the jurisdiction of organization, classes of Capital Stock and ownership and ownership percentages of each such Subsidiary as of such date.  After giving effect to any modifications or updates pursuant to the last sentence of this Section 6.12, Schedule 6.12 identifies the Subsidiaries that shall be parties to

 

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the Pledge Agreement and Security Agreement after giving effect to the consummation of the Spin-Off.  The outstanding Capital Stock has been validly issued, is owned free of Liens (other than Permitted Liens), and with respect to any outstanding shares of Capital Stock of a corporation, such shares have been validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.  The outstanding shares of Capital Stock are not subject to any buy-sell, voting trust or other shareholder agreement except as identified on Schedule 6.12.  The Borrower may, on or prior to the Funding Date, provide information from time to time to modify and update the information set forth on Schedule 6.12 in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

M.                                 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

 

1.        The Credit Parties are not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of their important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying “margin stock” (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.

 

2.        None of the Credit Parties or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

N.                                    Disclosure.

 

No written report, financial statement, certificate or other information (taken as a whole) furnished by or on behalf of any Credit Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Credit Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Credit Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case as of the date such information is provided and as of the Closing Date and the Funding Date; provided that, with respect to projected financial information and estimates, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

 

O.                                    Compliance with Laws.

 

Each member of the Consolidated Group is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions, settlements or other agreements with any Governmental Authority and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

P.                                      Solvency.

 

As of the Funding Date, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are, and after giving effect to the Transactions will be, Solvent.

 

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Q.                                    Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.

 

Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, as of the Funding Date, each member of the Consolidated Group owns, or possesses the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their respective businesses, without conflict with the rights of any other Person.  As of the Funding Date, no claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or, to the knowledge of the Credit Parties, threatened, that, either individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

R.                                     Security Agreement.

 

             The security interest granted pursuant to the Security Agreement (i) will constitute a valid and perfected security interest in the Collateral (as to which perfection may be obtained by the filings or other actions described in clause (A), (B) or (C) of this Section 6.18) in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the holders of the Obligations, as collateral security for the Obligations, upon (A) the filing of all financing statements naming each Grantor as “debtor” and the Collateral Agent as “secured party” and describing the Collateral in the applicable filing offices, (B) delivery of all Instruments, Chattel Paper and negotiable Documents to the Collateral Agent and (C) completion of the filing, registration and recording of a fully executed agreement in the form of the Security Agreement (or a supplement thereto) and containing a description of all Collateral constituting intellectual property in the United States Patent and Trademark Office within the three month period (commencing as of the date hereof) or, in the case of Collateral constituting intellectual property acquired after the date hereof, thereafter pursuant to 35 USC § 261 and 15 USC § 1060 and the regulations thereunder with respect to United States Patents and United States registered Trademarks and in the United States Copyright Office within the one month period (commencing as of the date hereof) or, in the case of Collateral constituting intellectual property acquired after the date hereof, thereafter with respect to United States registered Copyrights pursuant to 17 USC § 205 and the regulations thereunder and otherwise as may be required pursuant to the laws of any other necessary jurisdiction to the extent that a security interest may be perfected by such filings, registrations and recordings, and (ii) are prior to all other Liens on the Collateral other than Liens permitted by Section 8.01.  Unless otherwise specified in this Credit Agreement, solely with respect to this Section 6.18 capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Credit Agreement shall have the meanings provided in the Security Agreement.

 

S.                                      Pledge Agreement.

 

The Pledge Agreement is effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the holders of the Obligations, a legal, valid and enforceable security interest in the Collateral identified therein, except to the extent the enforceability thereof may be limited by applicable Debtor Relief Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by equitable principles of law (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law) and the Pledge Agreement shall create a fully perfected first priority Lien on, and security interest in, all right, title and interest of the pledgors thereunder in such Collateral, in each case prior and superior in right to any other Lien other than Permitted Liens (i) with respect to any such Collateral that is a

 

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“security” (as such term is defined in the UCC) and is evidenced by a certificate, when such Collateral is delivered to the Collateral Agent with duly executed stock powers with respect thereto, (ii) with respect to any such Collateral that is a “security” (as such term is defined in the UCC) but is not evidenced by a certificate, when UCC financing statements in appropriate form are filed in the appropriate filing offices in the jurisdiction of organization of the pledgor or when “control” (as such term is defined in the UCC) is established by the Collateral Agent over such interests in accordance with the provision of Section 8-106 of the UCC, or any successor provision, and (iii) with respect to any such Collateral that is not a “security” (as such term is defined in the UCC) (to the extent perfection of a Lien in such Collateral can be obtained by filing UCC financing statements), when UCC financing statements in appropriate form are filed in the appropriate filing offices in the jurisdiction of organization of the pledgor.

 

VII.

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until the Loan Obligations shall have been paid in full or otherwise satisfied, and the Commitments hereunder shall have expired or been terminated, the Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to:

 

A.                                   Financial Statements.

 

Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

1.      as soon as available, but in any event within ten (10) days of the date the Borrower is required to file its Form 10-K with the SEC and in any event not later than ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, invested equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by (1) a report and opinion of a Registered Public Accounting Firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and applicable Securities Laws and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit or other material qualification or exception and (2) if required by Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley, an attestation report of such Registered Public Accounting Firm as to the Borrower’s internal controls pursuant to Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley; and

 

2.      as soon as available, but in any event within ten (10) days of the date the Borrower is required to file its Form 10-Q with the SEC and in any event not later than forty-five (45) days (or, solely in the case of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ending June 30, 2008, 61 days) after the end of each of the first three (3) fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and the Consolidated Group as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, invested equity and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and

 

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for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations, invested equity and cash flows of the Consolidated Group in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes; provided that, with respect to the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2008, such financial statements may be presented on a basis consistent with the historical financial statements referred to in the first paragraph of Section 6.05.

 

As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 7.02(c), the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under subsection (a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in subsections (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.

 

B.                                     Certificates; Other Information.

 

Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

1.      within five (5) Business Days following the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 7.01(a), a certificate of its independent certified public accountants certifying such financial statements and stating that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge was obtained of any Default or Event of Default with respect to financial covenants or, if any such Default or Event of Default shall exist, stating the nature and status of such event (which may be limited to the extent consistent with industry practice or the policy of the accounting firm);

 

2.      within five (5) Business Days following each delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 7.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (i) commencing with the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2008, setting forth computations in reasonable detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent demonstrating compliance with the financial covenants contained herein, (ii) certifying that no Default or Event of Default exists as of the date thereof (or the nature and extent thereof and proposed actions with respect thereto), (iii) setting forth a list of each Subject Disposition and Involuntary Disposition effected during the fiscal quarter or fiscal year, as the case may be, covered by such financial statements, to the extent the Net Cash Proceeds received in such Subject Disposition (or series of related Subject Dispositions) or Involuntary Disposition (or series of related Involuntary Dispositions) exceed $5.0 million or the Net Cash Proceeds received in all Subject Dispositions or Involuntary Dispositions effected during such fiscal year exceeds $10.0 million (or the elapsed portion of such fiscal year in the case of a Compliance Certificate relating to a fiscal quarter), and whether the Borrower and its Subsidiaries intend to reinvest the Net Cash Proceeds thereof or to use such Net Cash Proceeds to prepay the Loans and (iv) a calculation of the Cumulative Credit (in reasonable detail) as of the last day of the period covered by such financial statements;

 

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3.                                       copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements that the Borrower may file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;

 

4.                                       promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary of a Credit Party, or compliance with the terms of the Credit Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent) may from time to time reasonably request;

 

5.                                       promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material financial statement or report furnished to any holder of material Indebtedness of any Credit Party or of any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 7.01 or any other clause of this Section 7.02;

 

6.                                       as soon as available, but in any event no more than sixty (60) days following the beginning of each fiscal year of the Borrower, annual expense budgets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, for such fiscal year of the Borrower; and

 

7.                                       Within 15 Business Days after the date of any Major Disposition, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof and whether and to what extent the Net Cash Proceeds received therefrom is intended to be used to reinvest or make prepayments pursuant to Section 2.06(b)(ii).

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01 or 7.02 may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the internet at the website address listed on Schedule 11.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent) including, to the extent the Lenders and the Administrative Agent have access thereto and such documents are available thereon, the EDGAR database and sec.gov; provided that the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents.  Except for such Compliance Certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

The Credit Parties hereby acknowledge that the Administrative Agent and/or the Lead Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Credit Parties hereunder (collectively, the “Credit Party Materials”) by posting the Credit Party Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and that certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that

 

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do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Credit Parties or their securities) (each, a “Public Lender”).  The Credit Parties hereby agree that so long as any Credit Party is the issuer of any outstanding debt or equity securities that are registered or issued pursuant to a private offering or is actively contemplating issuing any such securities (1) all Credit Party Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” (which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof), or otherwise indicated to the Administrative Agent as being “PUBLIC”; (2) by marking or otherwise indicating the Credit Party Materials “PUBLIC,” the Credit Parties shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Lead Arrangers and the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Credit Party Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Credit Parties or their securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Credit Party Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.07); (3) all Credit Party Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated as “Public Investor”; and (4) the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Credit Party Materials that are not marked or otherwise indicated “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not marked as “Public Investor.”

 

C.                                     Notification.

 

Promptly, and in any event within two Business Days after any Responsible Officer of the Borrower or any of its material Subsidiaries obtains knowledge thereof, notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender of:

 

1.                                       the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default; and

 

2.                                       the filing or commencement of any litigation, investigation or proceeding affecting any Credit Party which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

D.                                    Preservation of Existence.

 

Except as otherwise permitted hereunder, do all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect (x) its existence and (y) its rights, franchises and authority, except (i) to the extent, in the case of clauses (x) (with respect to any Subsidiary only and not the Borrower) and (y), that the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) with respect to any Subsidiary only and not the Borrower, to the extent otherwise permitted by Section 8.04 hereof, and (iii) for the liquidation or dissolution of Subsidiaries if the assets of such Subsidiaries, to the extent such assets exceed estimated liabilities, are acquired by the Borrower or a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower in such liquidation or dissolution; provided that Subsidiaries that are Guarantors may not be liquidated into Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors.

 

E.                                      Payment of Taxes and Other Obligations.

 

1.                                       Pay and discharge (i) all Taxes imposed upon it, or upon its income or profits, or upon any of its properties, before they become delinquent, (ii) all lawful claims (including claims for labor, material and supplies) that, if unpaid, might give rise to a Lien upon any of its properties,

 

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and (iii) except as prohibited hereunder, all of its other Indebtedness as it becomes due, except in each case to the extent that the failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that no such Person shall be required to pay any amount that is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves, determined in accordance with GAAP, have been established, if such contest suspends enforcement or collection of the claim in question.

 

2.                                       Timely and correctly file all Tax returns required to be filed by it, except for failures to file that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

F.                                      Compliance with Law.

 

Comply with the requirements of all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority, a breach of which would result in a Material Adverse Effect, except where contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued.

 

G.                                     Maintenance of Property.

 

Maintain and preserve its material properties and equipment in good repair, working order and condition, normal wear and tear and casualty and condemnation excepted, and make all repairs, renewals, replacements, extensions, additions, betterments and improvements thereto as may be necessary or proper, to the extent and in the manner customary for similar businesses.

 

H.                                    Insurance.

 

Maintain at all times in force and effect insurance in such amounts, covering such risks and liabilities and with such deductibles or self-insurance retentions as determined by the Borrower in its reasonable business judgment.  The Collateral Agent shall be named as loss payee, additional insured and/or mortgagee, as its interests may appear, with respect to any such insurance providing coverage in respect of any collateral under the Collateral Documents, and the Borrower shall request that each provider of any such insurance to agree, by endorsement upon the policy or policies issued by it or by independent instruments furnished to the Collateral Agent, that it will give the Collateral Agent thirty (30) days’ prior written notice before any such policy or policies shall be altered in any material respect or canceled, and that no act or default of any member of the Consolidated Group or any other Person shall affect the rights of the Collateral Agent or the Lenders under such policy or policies.  The insurance coverage for the Consolidated Group as of the Funding Date is described as to type and amount on Schedule 7.08 (which schedule, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Funding Date).

 

I.                                         Books and Records.

 

Maintain (a) proper books of record and account, in which true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, and (b) such books

 

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of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over the Borrower or such Subsidiary.

 

J.                                        Inspection Rights.

 

Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent or any Lender (in the case of such Lender, coordinated through the Administrative Agent) to (i) to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower and (ii) visit and inspect any of its properties and examine its corporate, financial and operating records, once per fiscal year of the Borrower at such reasonable times during normal business hours, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided, however, that when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any of its representatives or independent contractors or any Lender (in the case of such Lender, coordinated through the Administrative Agent) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours.

 

K.                                    Use of Proceeds.

 

Use the proceeds of the Term A Loans and Term B Loans to fund the IAC Dividend and pay costs and expenses related to the Transactions (including entry into this Credit Agreement) and use the proceeds of the Revolving Loans for working capital and general corporate purposes (but in no event may any Revolving Loans in excess of $25.0 million fund any portion of the IAC Dividend, the Spin-Off, any transaction contemplated by Section 8.12 or any of the other Transactions or any costs or expenses relating thereto) (but, for the avoidance of doubt, proceeds of Revolving Loans may be used in respect of obligations relating to such transactions after the Spin-Off Date, including, for example, indemnification obligations or obligations relating to transition services), in each case not in contravention of any Law or of any Credit Document.

 

L.                                      Joinder of Subsidiaries as Guarantors.

 

Promptly notify the Administrative Agent of the formation, acquisition (or other receipt of interests) or existence of any Domestic Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor (other than a non-Wholly Owned Subsidiary invested in pursuant to Section 8.02(k) (unless such Subsidiary shall guarantee or provide Support Obligations in respect of any material Indebtedness (other than the Obligations) of the Borrower or another Subsidiary), or an Immaterial Subsidiary), which notice shall include information as to the jurisdiction of organization, the number and class of Capital Stock outstanding and ownership thereof (including options, warrants, rights of conversion or purchase relating thereto), and with respect to any such Subsidiary, within thirty (30) days (or up to ten (10) days later if the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, shall agree thereto in writing) of the formation, acquisition or other receipt of interests thereof, cause the joinder of such Subsidiary as a Guarantor pursuant to Joinder Agreements (or such other documentation in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) accompanied by Organization Documents, take all actions necessary to create and perfect a security interest in its assets to the extent required by the Security Agreement or Pledge Agreement and, if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, deliver favorable opinions of counsel

 

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to such Subsidiary, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.  For the avoidance of doubt, if an Immaterial Subsidiary shall become a Material Subsidiary, such Subsidiary shall thereupon comply with the foregoing.

 

M.                                 Pledge of Capital Stock.

 

From and after the Spin-Off Date, pledge or cause to be pledged to the Collateral Agent to secure the Obligations, other than in the case of Excluded Property: (a) one hundred percent (100%) of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of each Domestic Subsidiary to the extent owned by a Credit Party within thirty (30) days (or up to ten (10) days later if the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, shall agree thereto in writing) of its formation, acquisition or other receipt of such interests and (b) Capital Stock representing sixty-five percent (65%) (or if less, the full amount owned by such Subsidiary) of each class of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of each First-Tier Foreign Subsidiary to the extent owned by a Credit Party within thirty (30) days (or up to twenty (20) days later if the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, shall agree thereto in writing) of its formation, acquisition or other receipt of such interests, in each case pursuant to the Pledge Agreement or pledge joinder agreements, together with, if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, opinions of counsel and any filings and deliveries reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent in connection therewith to perfect the security interests therein, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to deliver to the Collateral Agent opinions of foreign counsel or foreign-law pledge agreements with respect to the pledge of Capital Stock of any Foreign Subsidiary unless the Administrative Agent shall have reasonably requested such foreign counsel opinions or foreign-law pledge agreements (it being understood and agreed that the Administrative Agent shall not be entitled to request such foreign counsel opinions or foreign-law pledge agreements or the delivery of stock certificates with respect to any Subsidiary that, together with its Subsidiaries, generated less than $5.0 million of Consolidated EBITDA for the four quarter period ending on the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter at the end of which financial statements were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) (or, prior to such first required delivery date for such financial statements, ending on the last day of the most recent period referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.05)).  It is further understood and agreed that even if such foreign counsel opinions, foreign law security agreements or stock certificates with respect to any Subsidiary shall not be required to be delivered to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the foregoing, the Capital Stock thereof shall nevertheless constitute Collateral, except to the extent constituting Excluded Property.

 

N.                                    Pledge of Other Property.

 

With respect to each Credit Party, pledge and grant a security interest in all of its personal property, tangible and intangible, owned and leased (except (a) Excluded Property, (b) as otherwise set forth in Section 7.13 with respect to Capital Stock and (c) as otherwise set forth in the Collateral Documents) to secure the Obligations, within thirty (30) days (or up to ten (10) days later, if the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, shall agree thereto in writing) of the acquisition or creation thereof pursuant to such pledge and security agreements, joinder agreements or other documents as may be required, together with opinions of counsel and any filings and deliveries reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent in connection therewith to perfect

 

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the security interests therein, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

O.                                    Further Assurances Regarding Collateral.

 

1.                                       Promptly upon request by the Administrative Agent, or any Lender through the Administrative Agent, (a) correct any material defect or error relating to the granting or perfection of security interests that may be discovered in any Credit Document or in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation thereof, and (b) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent, or the Required Lenders through the Administrative Agent, may reasonably require from time to time in order to (i) carry out more effectively the purposes of the Credit Documents, (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, subject any Credit Party’s or any Credit Party’s Subsidiaries’ properties, assets, rights or interests to the Liens now or hereafter intended to be covered by any of the Collateral Documents, (iii) perfect and maintain the validity, effectiveness and priority of any of the Collateral Documents and any of the Liens intended to be created thereunder and (iv) assure, convey, grant, assign, transfer, preserve, protect and confirm more effectively unto the holders of the Obligations the rights granted to the holders of the Obligations under any Credit Document or under any other instrument executed in connection with any Credit Document to which any Credit Party or any Credit Party’s Subsidiaries is or is to be a party, and cause each of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries to do so.

 

2.                                       In the event the Borrower or any other Credit Party acquires (i) a fee interest in any real property after the Closing Date (excluding Excluded Property) and such real property (together with any improvements thereon), when taken together with all contiguous parcels of real property interests (or other parcels of real property interests proximately located and used in connection therewith) then held by any Borrower or any other Credit Party, has a fair market value of at least $2.5 million, the Borrower shall promptly (x) notify the Administrative Agent of such acquisition and (y) deliver, or cause to be delivered, within sixty (60) days (or up to fifteen (15) days later if the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, consents thereto in writing) to the Collateral Agent a fully executed Mortgage (subject to all Permitted Liens) over such real property in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, together with such title insurance policies, surveys, appraisals (if required by law), “Life-of-Loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determinations (together with notices about special flood hazard area status and flood disaster assistance duly executed by the Borrower and each Loan Party relating thereto), evidence of insurance (including, without limitation, flood insurance), legal opinions and other documents and certificates, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, as shall be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

3.                                       Notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided herein or in any Credit Document, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries shall not be required to take any action required to perfect or maintain the perfection of any of the Liens of the Agents or Lenders with respect to cash, deposit accounts or securities accounts except to the extent such perfection is achieved by filing of financing statements, although cash, deposit accounts and securities accounts shall nevertheless constitute Collateral.

 

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P.                                      Post-Closing Matters.

 

1.                                       The Borrower shall, no later than 3 Business Days after the Funding Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, shall agree to), provide to the Collateral Agent copies of insurance certificates or policies with respect to all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Credit Documents together with endorsements identifying the Collateral Agent as additional insured or loss payee, with respect to all insurance policies to be maintained with respect to the properties of the Borrower and its subsidiaries forming any part of the Collateral.

 

2.                                       The Borrower shall, no later than 90 days after the Funding Date (or up to thirty (30) days later if the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, shall agree thereto in writing), deliver to the Collateral Agent local law pledge agreements and opinions of counsel (each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent) with respect to First-Tier Foreign Subsidiaries which (on a consolidated basis with each of their Subsidiaries and when combined with each First-Tier Foreign Subsidiary (on a consolidated basis with each of its Subsidiaries) that is organized under the laws of Canada), account for at least 70.0% of the total revenues of all Foreign Subsidiaries of the Borrower and at least 70.0% of the total assets of all Foreign Subsidiaries of the Borrower (in each case for the most recent fiscal quarter and as of the most recent date which the Borrower then has such financial information available).

 

VIII.

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until the Loan Obligations shall have been paid in full or otherwise satisfied, and the Commitments hereunder shall have expired or been terminated, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to:

 

A.                                   Liens.

 

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

 

1.                                       Liens created pursuant to the Credit Documents;

 

2.                                       Liens under the Collateral Documents given to secure obligations under Swap Contracts between any Credit Party and any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time it entered into such Swap Contract, provided that such Swap Contracts are otherwise permitted under Section 8.03;

 

3.                                       Liens existing on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 8.01, or, to the extent not so listed, Liens, which, when taken together with all other Liens existing on the Closing Date and not so listed, secure Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $5.0 million, in each case together with any extensions, replacements, modifications or renewals of the foregoing; provided that the collateral interests are not broadened or increased or secure any Property not secured by such Liens on the Closing Date

 

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(but shall be permitted to apply to after-acquired property affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien and the proceeds and products of the foregoing);

 

4.                                       Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet due or to the extent non-payment thereof is permitted under Section 7.05;

 

5.                                       statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and suppliers and other Liens imposed by law or pursuant to customary reservations or retentions of title arising in the ordinary course of business, provided that such Liens secure only amounts not yet due and payable or, if due and payable, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce the same, are not overdue by more than 30 days, or are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP have been established (and as to which the property subject to any such Lien is not yet subject to a foreclosure, sale or loss proceeding on account thereof (other than a proceeding where foreclosure, sale or loss has been stayed));

 

6.                                       Liens incurred or deposits made by any member of the Consolidated Group in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money);

 

7.                                       Liens in connection with attachments or judgments (including judgment or appeal bonds) that do not result in an Event of Default under Section 9.01(i);

 

8.                                       easements, rights-of-way, covenants, conditions, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), declarations, rights of reverter (other than with respect to Property subject to a Mortgage), minor defects or irregularities in title and other similar charges or encumbrances, whether or not of record, that do not, in the aggregate, interfere in any material respect with the ordinary course of business of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, or in respect of any real property which is subject to a Mortgage, any title defects, liens, charges or encumbrances (other than such prohibited monetary Liens) which the title company is prepared to endorse or insure by exclusion or affirmative endorsement reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and which is included in any title policy;

 

9.                                       Liens on property of any Person securing purchase money and Sale and Leaseback Transaction Indebtedness (including capital leases and Synthetic Leases) of such Person, in each case to the extent incurred under Section 8.03(c) (or any refinancing of such Indebtedness incurred under Section 8.03(l)); provided, that any such Lien attaches only to the Property financed or leased and such Lien attaches prior to, at the time of or within one hundred eighty (180) days after the later of the date of acquisition of such property or the date such Property is placed in service (or, in the case of Liens securing a refinancing of such Indebtedness pursuant to Section 8.03(l), any such Lien attaches only to the Property that was so financed with the proceeds of the Indebtedness so refinanced);

 

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10.                                 licenses, sublicenses, leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of any member of the Consolidated Group;

 

11.                                 any interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under, and Liens arising from UCC financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases and subleases permitted by this Credit Agreement;

 

12.                                 Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods and Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements that constitute Investments permitted by Section 8.02 hereof;

 

13.                                 normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash or other Liens originating solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to bankers liens, rights of setoff or similar rights  in favor of banks or other depository institutions not securing Indebtedness;

 

14.                                 Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection;

 

15.                                 Liens on Property securing obligations incurred under Section 8.03(h) (or any refinancing of such Indebtedness incurred under Section 8.03(l)); provided that the Liens are not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation or anticipation of, the acquisition and do not attach or extend to any Property other than the Property so acquired (or, in the case of Liens securing a refinancing of such Indebtedness pursuant to Section 8.03(l), the Property acquired with the proceeds of the Indebtedness so refinanced);

 

16.                                 other Liens, provided that such Liens do not secure obligations in excess of $40.0 million;

 

17.                                 Liens in respect of any Indebtedness permitted under Section 8.03(g) to the extent such Liens extend only to Property of the Foreign Subsidiary or Foreign Subsidiaries incurring such Indebtedness (other than a Foreign Subsidiary that is a borrower under this Credit Agreement);

 

18.                                 pledges and deposits and other Liens securing liability for reimbursement or indemnification obligations of (including obligations in respect of bank guarantees for the benefit of) insurance carriers providing property, casualty or liability insurance to the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

 

19.                                 Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement in respect of any Investment permitted hereunder;

 

20.                                 Liens securing obligations incurred pursuant to Section 8.03(n);

 

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21.                                 Liens on Capital Stock in joint ventures securing obligations of such joint venture, to the extent required by the terms of the organizational documents or material contracts of such joint venture;

 

22.                                 Liens on goods or inventory the purchase, shipment or storage price of which is financed by a bank guarantee or bankers’ acceptance issued or created for the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business so long as such Liens are extinguished when such goods or inventory are delivered to the Borrower or a Subsidiary; provided, that such Lien secures only the obligations of the Borrower or such Subsidiaries in respect of such bankers’ acceptance or bank guarantee to the extent permitted under Section 8.03;

 

23.                                 Liens securing insurance premiums financing arrangements, provided, that such Liens are limited to the applicable unearned insurance premiums; and

 

24.                                 Liens in favor of the Borrower or any Guarantor; provided that if any such Lien shall cover any Collateral, the holder of such Lien shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a subordination agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

B.                                     Investments.

 

Make or permit to exist any Investments, except:

 

1.                                       cash and Cash Equivalents of or to be owned by the Borrower or a Subsidiary;

 

2.                                       Investments existing on, or contractually committed as of, the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 8.02 and any extensions, renewals or reinvestments thereof, so long as the aggregate amount of any Investment pursuant to this clause (b) is not increased at any time above the amount of such Investment existing on the Closing Date, unless such increase is permitted by any clause of this Section 8.02 (other than by this clause (b)), in which case the capacity of such other clause shall be reduced by such increase;

 

3.                                       to the extent not prohibited by applicable Law, advances to officers, directors and employees and consultants of the Borrower and Subsidiaries made for travel, entertainment, relocation and other ordinary business purposes in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5.0 million at any time outstanding or, to the extent not used as part of or to increase the Cumulative Credit, in connection with such person’s purchase of equity of the Borrower;

 

4.                                       Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss and any prepayments and other credits to suppliers, clients, developers or purchasers or sellers of goods or services made in the ordinary course of business;

 

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5.                                       except to the extent constituting an Acquisition, Investments by the Borrower and Domestic Subsidiaries in Domestic Credit Parties;

 

6.                                       Investments by the Borrower and Domestic Subsidiaries in Foreign Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount at any time not to exceed the greater of $75.0 million and 3.0% of Consolidated Total Assets at such time;

 

7.                                       Investments by Foreign Subsidiaries in any member of the Consolidated Group (including other Foreign Subsidiaries);

 

8.                                       Support Obligations incurred pursuant to Section 8.03;

 

9.                                       Investments comprised of Permitted Acquisitions;

 

10.                                 advances in the ordinary course of business to secure developer contracts of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

 

11.                                 Investments at any time outstanding in an aggregate amount not to exceed $75.0 million plus, so long as (x) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or exist after giving effect thereto and (y) after giving effect on a Pro Forma Basis to the Investment to be made, as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter at the end of which financial statements were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) (or, prior to such first required delivery date for such financial statements, as of the last day of the most recent period referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.05), the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 8.10, the amount of the Cumulative Credit at such time (and if the Investment is greater than $15.0 million, then the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer as to the satisfaction of the requirements in this clause (y)); provided that if any Investment is made pursuant to this Section 8.02(k) in any Person that is not a Domestic Credit Party and such Person thereafter becomes a Domestic Credit Party, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 8.02(e);

 

12.                                 Investments representing non-cash consideration received in connection with any Subject Disposition permitted pursuant to Section 8.05;

 

13.                                 Investments contemplated by Section 8.12;

 

14.                                 Swap Contracts allowed by Section 8.03(d);

 

15.                                 Investments resulting from pledges and deposits under Section 8.01(f), (l) or (r);

 

16.                                 Investments received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and disputes with or judgments against, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of business or Investments acquired by the Borrower as a result of a foreclosure by the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investments or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default;

 

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17.                                 loans or advances or other similar transactions with customers, distributors, clients, developers, suppliers or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case, in the ordinary course of business, regardless of frequency;

 

18.                                 to the extent not used as part of or increasing the Cumulative Credit, any Investment procured solely in exchange for the issuance of Qualified Capital Stock;

 

19.                                 Investments to the extent consisting of the redemption, purchase, repurchase or retirement of any common Capital Stock permitted under Section 8.06;

 

20.                                 advances in the form of a prepayment of expenses, so long as such expenses are being paid in accordance with customary trade terms of the Borrower or such Subsidiary;

 

21.                                 guarantees by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of operating leases or of other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

22.                                 Investments consisting of the non-exclusive licensing of intellectual property pursuant to joint marketing arrangements with other Persons otherwise permitted hereunder; and

 

23.                                 Investments by the Borrower or any Guarantor in any Foreign Subsidiary consisting solely of (x) the contribution or other Disposition of Capital Stock or Indebtedness of any other Foreign Subsidiary held directly by the Borrower or such Guarantor in exchange for Indebtedness, Capital Stock (or additional share premium or paid in capital in respect of Capital Stock) or a combination thereof of the Foreign Subsidiary to which such contribution is made or (y) an exchange of Capital Stock of such Foreign Subsidiary for Indebtedness of such Foreign Subsidiary.

 

C.                                     Indebtedness.

 

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

1.                                       Indebtedness existing or arising under this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents;

 

2.                                       Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date set forth on Schedule 8.03 or, to the extent not listed on Schedule 8.03, the aggregate principal amount of which, when taken with all other Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date and not so listed, does not exceed $5.0 million;

 

3.                                       capital lease obligations and purchase money Indebtedness (including obligations in respect of capital leases) to finance the purchase or acquisition of fixed assets, at any time outstanding (when aggregated with the aggregate amount of refinancing Indebtedness outstanding at such time pursuant to Section 8.03(l) in respect of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this Section 8.03(c)) not to exceed the greater of $50.0 million and

 

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2.0% of Consolidated Total Assets; provided that such Indebtedness when incurred shall not exceed the purchase price of the asset(s) financed;

 

4.                                       obligations under Swap Contracts entered into to manage existing or anticipated risks and not for speculative purposes;

 

5.                                       unsecured intercompany Indebtedness among members of the Consolidated Group to the extent permitted by Section 8.02(e), (f), (g) or (w);

 

6.                                       unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower to the extent (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the incurrence thereof at such time; (ii) after giving pro forma effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter at the end of which financial statements were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) (or, prior to such first required delivery date for such financial statements, as of the last day of the most recent period referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.05), the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 8.10 (and if the Indebtedness incurred is greater than $15.0 million, then the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer as to the satisfaction of the requirements in this clause (ii)); (iii) such Indebtedness matures no earlier than the Term B Loans and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity that is no shorter than the Term B Loans; (iv) such Indebtedness does not have prepayment or redemption events that are less favorable to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries than those relating to the Term B Loans; and (v) such Indebtedness has other terms that are, taken as a whole, not materially less favorable to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries than the terms of the Credit Agreement; provided that such Indebtedness may benefit from unsecured guarantees from the Guarantors on the same basis as the Borrower has issued such Indebtedness;

 

7.                                       Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries and guarantees thereof by other Foreign Subsidiaries, without duplication, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $25.0 million and 1.0% of Consolidated Total Assets at such time (but not to exceed, in any event, $40.0 million);

 

8.                                       Indebtedness acquired or assumed pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding (when aggregated with the aggregate amount of refinancing Indebtedness outstanding at such time pursuant to Section 8.03(l) in respect of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this Section 8.03(h)) not to exceed $25.0 million; provided that (a) such Indebtedness was not incurred in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, such Permitted Acquisition and (b) after giving pro forma effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter at the end of which financial statements were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) (or, prior to such first required delivery date for such financial statements, as of the last day of the most recent period referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.05), the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 8.10;

 

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9.                                       Indebtedness arising under any performance or surety bond, completion bond or similar obligation entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;

 

10.                                 Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (and guarantees thereof, without duplication) not contemplated in the foregoing clauses of this Section 8.03 in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed $40.0 million;

 

11.                                 Indebtedness incurred under the Senior Notes and guarantees by the Guarantors thereof;

 

12.                                 any refinancing of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 8.03(b), (c), (f), (h) or (k) so long as (i) if the Indebtedness being refinanced is Subordinated Debt, then such refinancing Indebtedness shall be at least as subordinated in right of payment and otherwise to the Obligations as the Indebtedness being refinanced, (ii) the principal amount of the refinancing Indebtedness is not greater than the principal amount of the Indebtedness being refinanced, together with any premium paid, and accrued interest and reasonable fees in connection therewith thereon and reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith, (iii) the final maturity and Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the refinancing Indebtedness is not earlier or shorter, as the case may be, than the Indebtedness being refinanced, (iv) no Subsidiary (other than a Credit Party) that is not an obligor with respect the Indebtedness to be refinanced shall be an obligor with respect to the refinancing Indebtedness and (v) the material terms (other than as to interest rate, which shall be on then market terms) of the refinancing Indebtedness taken as a whole are at least as favorable to the Consolidated Group and the Lenders as under the Indebtedness being refinanced;

 

13.                                 overdrafts paid within 5 Business Days;

 

14.                                 Indebtedness in respect of trade letters of credit, warehouse receipts or similar instruments issued to support performance obligations (other than obligations in respect of Indebtedness) in the ordinary course of business; provided that the aggregate stated amount of any such trade letters of credit, warehouse receipts or similar instruments shall not exceed, as of the date of issuance, amendment or extension thereof, $15.0 million minus the aggregate L/C Obligations outstanding on such date;

 

15.                                 Indebtedness supported by a Letter of Credit, in a principal amount not in excess of the stated amount of such Letter of Credit;

 

16.                                 Indebtedness consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take or pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

 

17.                                 Indebtedness representing deferred compensation to employees of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

18.                                 Indebtedness consisting of promissory notes issued by the Borrower to current or former officers, directors and employees, their respective estates, spouses or

 

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former spouses issued in exchange for the purchase or redemption by the Borrower of Qualified Capital Stock permitted by Section 8.06(f); provided that (a) the Borrower shall be able to make a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 8.06(f) in an amount equal to the principal amount of each such note at the time such note is issued, and an amount equal to the principal amount of each such note shall reduce the amount of Restricted Payments able to be made under Section 8.06(f) and (b) the Borrower shall be able to make a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 8.06(f) in the amount of any other payment on each such note at the time such payment is made, and each such payment shall reduce the Restricted Payments available to be able to be made under Section 8.06(f);

 

19.                                 Indebtedness consisting of obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary under deferred compensation, indemnification, adjustment of purchase or acquisition price or other similar arrangements incurred by such Person in connection with the Transactions and Permitted Acquisitions or any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder;

 

20.                                 all premium (if any), interest (including post petition interest), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in paragraphs (a) through (s) above; and

 

21.                                 Support Obligations by any member of the Consolidated Group in respect of Indebtedness incurred under subsections (a) through (t) of this Section 8.03, solely to the extent such member of the Consolidated Group would have itself been able to originally incur such Indebtedness.

 

D.                                    Mergers and Dissolutions.

 

1.                                       Enter into a transaction of merger or consolidation, except that:

 

(i)                                     a Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower may be a party to a transaction of merger or consolidation with the Borrower or another Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided that if the Borrower is a party to such transaction, the Borrower shall be the surviving Person; provided, further that if the Borrower is not a party to such transaction but a Guarantor is, such Guarantor shall be the surviving Person or the surviving Person shall become a Guarantor immediately upon the consummation of such transaction;
 
(ii)                                  a Foreign Subsidiary may be party to a transaction of merger or consolidation with the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided that (A) if the Borrower is a party thereto, it shall be the surviving entity, (B) if a Guarantor is a party thereto, it shall be the surviving Person or the surviving Person shall become a Guarantor immediately following the consummation of such transaction, and (C) if a Foreign Subsidiary is a party thereto and a Domestic Subsidiary is not a party thereto, the surviving entity shall be a Foreign Subsidiary and the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be in compliance with the requirements of Section 7.13;
 
(iii)                               a Subsidiary may enter into a transaction of merger or consolidation in connection with a Subject Disposition effected pursuant to Section 8.05, so long as no more assets are Disposed of as a result of or in connection with any transaction undertaken
 
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pursuant to this clause (iii) than would otherwise have been allowed pursuant to Section 8.05;
 
(iv)                              mergers and consolidations contemplated by Section 8.12 shall be permitted; and
 
(v)                                 the Borrower or any Subsidiary may merge with any other Person in connection with an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 8.02 so long as the continuing or surviving Person shall be a Subsidiary, which shall be a Guarantor if the merging Subsidiary was a Guarantor and which together with each of its Subsidiaries shall have complied with the requirements of Section 7.12; provided that following any such merger or consolidation involving the Borrower, the Borrower is the surviving Person.
 

2.                                       Except in connection with a transaction permitted by Section 8.04(a)(i), the Borrower will not dissolve, liquidate or wind up its affairs.

 

E.                                      Dispositions.

 

Make any Subject Disposition or Specified Intercompany Transfer, unless (i) in the case of a Subject Disposition only, at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the consideration received from each such Subject Disposition is cash or Cash Equivalents, (ii) such Subject Disposition or Specified Intercompany Transfer is made at fair market value and (iii) the aggregate amount of Property so Disposed (valued at fair market value thereof) in all Subject Dispositions and Specified Intercompany Transfers in any fiscal year of the Borrower does not exceed $50.0 million; provided that any amount not used in any such fiscal year may be carried forward and used in the two immediately succeeding fiscal years of the Borrower (but no other fiscal years).

 

F.                                      Restricted Payments.

 

Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except that:

 

1.                                       each Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any Wholly Owned Subsidiary, or in the case of a Subsidiary that is not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary, to each equity holder of such Subsidiary on a pro rata basis (or on more favorable terms from the perspective of the Borrower and its Wholly Owned Subsidiaries), based on their relative ownership interests or, solely to the extent required by law and involving de minimis amounts, on a non-pro rata basis to such equity holders;

 

2.                                       Restricted Payments contemplated by Section 8.12 shall be permitted.

 

3.                                       any refinancing permitted pursuant to Section 8.03(l) shall be permitted;

 

4.                                       [Reserved];

 

5.                                       the Borrower may declare and make payments in respect of the IAC Dividend on or about the Funding Date;

 

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6.                                       the Borrower may make Restricted Payments at any time in an aggregate amount not to exceed $50.0 million plus if (i) as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter at the end of which financial statements were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) (or, prior to such first required delivery date for such financial statements, as of the last day of the most recent period referred to in the first sentence of Section 6.05), (x) the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 8.10 and (y) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio would not be in excess of 3.00:1.00 (and if the Restricted Payment is greater than $15.0 million, then the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer as to the satisfaction of the requirements in this clause (i)) and (ii) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or exist after giving effect thereto, the amount of the Cumulative Credit at such time;

 

7.                                       the Borrower may make payments or prepayments of principal on, or redemptions, repurchases or acquisitions for value of, its Indebtedness (other than Subordinated Indebtedness) that is not secured by a Lien (x) in an aggregate principal amount for all such payments, prepayments, redemptions, repurchases and acquisitions not to exceed $100.0 million or (y) at any time following the date that no Term A Loans, Term B Loans or Incremental Term Loans are outstanding;

 

8.                                       to the extent not used as part of or increasing the Cumulative Credit, the Borrower may purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire shares of its common Capital Stock with the proceeds received from the substantially concurrent issue of new shares of its common Capital Stock;

 

9.                                       the members of the Consolidated Group may prepay or repay intercompany Indebtedness otherwise permitted hereunder owed to other members of the Consolidated Group; and

 

10.                                 repurchases of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the “cashless exercise” of stock options or warrants or upon the vesting of restricted stock units if such Capital Stock represents the exercise price of such options or warrants or represents withholding taxes due upon such exercise or vesting.

 

G.                                     Change in Nature of Business.

 

Engage in any material line of business other than a Permitted Business.

 

H.                                    Change in Accounting Practices or Fiscal Year.

 

Change its (a) accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP, or (b) fiscal year of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, in each case without prior written notice to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.

 

I.                                         Transactions with Affiliates.

 

Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Borrower (other than between or among (x) Borrower and/or one or more Guarantors or (y) one or more Subsidiaries of the Borrower that are not Guarantors), whether or not in the ordinary course of business,

 

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other than (i) on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable in all material respects to the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Borrower or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, (ii) Restricted Payments permitted by Section 8.06 (other than Section 8.06(c)), (iii) Investments permitted by Section 8.02 (c), (f), (g) or (w) or, to the extent that such transaction is with a Person that becomes an Affiliate of the Borrower or a Subsidiary solely as a result of such transaction, any transaction pursuant to Section 8.02(i) or (k) and (iv) transactions contemplated by Section 8.12 shall be permitted.

 

J.                                        Financial Covenants.

 

1.                                       Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio.  Permit the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter ending on or after September 30, 2008 to be greater than 3.5 to 1.0.

 

2.                                       Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio.  Permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter ending on or after September 30, 2008 to be less than 3.0 to 1.0.

 

K.                                    Limitation on Subsidiary Distributions.

 

Directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary to (a) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its capital stock or any other interest or participation in its profits owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Borrower or a Subsidiary, (b) make loans or advances to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or (c) transfer any of its properties to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) applicable Law; (ii) this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents; (iii) the Senior Notes; (iv) customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of a Subsidiary; (v) customary provisions restricting assignment of any agreement entered into by a Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business; (vi) any holder of a Lien permitted by Section 8.01 restricting the transfer of the property subject thereto; (vii) customary restrictions and conditions contained in any agreement relating to the sale of any property permitted under Section 8.05 pending the consummation of such sale; (viii) without affecting the Credit Parties’ obligations under Sections 7.12, 7.13 or 7.14, customary provisions in partnership agreements, limited liability company organizational governance documents, asset sale and stock sale agreements and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business that restrict the transfer of ownership interests in such partnership, limited liability company or similar person; (ix) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by suppliers or landlords under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; (x) any instrument governing Indebtedness assumed in connection with any Permitted Acquisition pursuant to Section 8.03(h), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person or the properties or assets of the Person so acquired; (xi) in the case of any Subsidiary that is not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary in respect of any matters referred to in clauses (b) and (c) above, restrictions in such person’s Organization Documents or pursuant to any joint venture agreement or stockholders agreements solely to the extent of the Capital Stock of or property held in the subject joint venture or other entity;

 

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(xii) contractual encumbrances or restrictions in effect on the Closing Date under Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 8.03, (xiii) any restrictions imposed by any agreement relating to Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 8.03(f) to the extent such restrictions are not more restrictive, taken as a whole, than the restrictions contained in the Senior Notes as in effect on the Closing Date; (xiii) customary net worth provisions contained in real property leases entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, so long as the Borrower has determined in good faith that such net worth provisions would not reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to meet their ongoing obligations; (xiv) any agreement in effect at the time any Person becomes a Subsidiary, so long as such agreement was not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary, (xv) restrictions in agreements representing Indebtedness permitted under Section 8.03 of a Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Guarantor; (xvi) restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; and (xvii) any encumbrances or restrictions imposed by any refinancings that are otherwise permitted by the Credit Documents of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to above; provided that such refinancings are no more materially restrictive with respect to such encumbrances and restrictions than those prior to such amendment or refinancing.

 

L.                                      Spin-Off.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided herein or any Credit Document, nothing in this Credit Agreement shall prohibit the Spin-Off and any transaction undertaken in connection therewith (including the conversion of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to a limited liability company in the country of its organization, Restricted Payments or intercompany transfers of cash, Subsidiaries or other assets among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and to IAC or any of its Subsidiaries, purchases of assets from IAC or any of its Subsidiaries, and payments of intercompany payables among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or to IAC or any of its Subsidiaries (including “true-up” payments to IAC or any of its Subsidiaries subsequent to completion of the Spin-Off), whether in the ordinary course of business or in preparation for the Spin-Off or otherwise in connection therewith), in each case to the extent contemplated by the Separation Agreement.  For the avoidance of doubt, but not in derogation of the requirements of the previous sentence, any Restricted Payments made or transactions with any Affiliate of the Borrower entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice between the Closing Date and the Spin-Off Date shall not be prohibited by the terms of this Credit Agreement.

 

M.                                 Transfers/Investments with Respect to Certain Subsidiaries.

 

Make or permit any Disposition of Property to, or any Investment in, any Guarantor (other than de minimis Property or Investments) in respect of which no opinion referred to in Section 5.02(e) has been delivered to the Administrative Agent, unless and until an opinion with respect to such Guarantor has been so delivered (it being understood that the only Guarantors in respect of which no such opinion may be delivered on the Funding Date shall be Guarantors that meet the requirements of the definition of Immaterial Subsidiary without giving effect to the proviso to such definition).

 

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IX.

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

A.                                   Events of Default.

 

Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

 

1.                                       Non-Payment.  The Borrower or any other Credit Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan or any amount of principal of any L/C Obligation, or (ii) within three (3) Business Days after the same becomes due or required to be paid herein, any interest on any Loan or any regularly accruing fee due hereunder or any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Credit Document; or

 

2.                                       Specific Covenants.  The Borrower or any other Credit Party fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 7.03(a), 7.11 or Article VIII or, with respect to the existence of the Borrower only, Section 7.04; or

 

3.                                       Other Defaults.  The Borrower or any other Credit Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsections (a) or (b) above) contained in any Credit Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) calendar days after written notice to the defaulting party or the Borrower by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders; or

 

4.                                       Representations and Warranties.  Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Credit Party herein, in any other Credit Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be false in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

 

5.                                       Cross-Default.  (i) Any member of the Consolidated Group (A) fails (beyond the period of grace (if any) provided in the instrument or agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness was created) to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, interest, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Support Obligations (other than Indebtedness hereunder or Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having a principal amount (with principal amount for the purposes of this clause (e) including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement), when taken together with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness and Support Obligations as to which any such failure has occurred, exceeding $20.0 million or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any Indebtedness or Support Obligations or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which failure or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Support Obligations (or a trustee or agent on behalf

 

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of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Support Obligations to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded, which has an unpaid principal amount, when taken together with the unpaid principal amounts of all other Indebtedness and Support Obligations as to which any such failure or event has occurred, exceeding $20.0 million; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an “early termination date” (or term of similar import) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is the “defaulting party” (or term of similar import) or (B) any “termination event” (or term of similar import) under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is an “affected party” (or term of similar import) and, when taken together with all other Swap Contracts as to which events of default or events referred to in the immediately preceding clauses (A) or (B) are applicable, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries exceeds $20.0 million; or

 

6.                                       Insolvency Proceedings, Etc.  The Borrower, any Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

 

7.                                       Change of Control.  There shall have occurred a Change of Control of the Borrower; or

 

8.                                       Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment.  The Borrower, any Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within thirty (30) days after its issue or levy; or

 

9.                                       Judgments.  There is entered against any member of the Consolidated Group one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments and orders) exceeding $20.0 million (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage or otherwise discharged), and there is a period of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgments, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

 

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10.                                 ERISA.  (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of a Credit Party under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of $20.0 million, or (ii) a Credit Party fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of $20.0 million; or

 

11.                                 Invalidity of Credit Documents.  Any Credit Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Credit Party contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Credit Document; or any Credit Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Credit Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Credit Document; or

 

12.                                 Collateral Documents.  Any Collateral Document after delivery thereof pursuant to Section 5.02, 7.13 or 7.14 shall for any reason cease to create a valid and perfected first priority Lien to the extent required by the Collateral Documents (subject to Liens permitted by Section 8.01) on Collateral that is (i) purported to be covered thereby and (ii) comprises Property which, when taken together with all Property as to which such a Lien has so ceased to be effective, has a fair market value in excess of $7.5 million (other than by reason of (x) the express release thereof pursuant to Section 10.10, (y) the failure of the Collateral Agent to retain possession of Collateral physically delivered to it or (z) the failure of the Collateral Agent to timely file Uniform Commercial Code continuation statements).

 

B.                                     Remedies upon Event of Default.

 

If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

 

1.                                       declare the Commitments of the Lenders and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such Commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

 

2.                                       declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Credit Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

 

3.                                       require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and

 

4.                                       exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it or to the Lenders under the Credit Documents or applicable Law;

 

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provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 9.01(f) or (h), the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

C.                                     Application of Funds.

 

After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 9.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 9.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

 

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including all reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other counsel and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, in each case in its capacity as such;

 

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest, Facility Fees, Commitment Fees and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders (including all reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other counsel and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Commitment Fees and Facility Fees, Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations, ratably among the Lenders, the Swingline Lender and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

Fourth, to (a) payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings, (b) payment of breakage, termination or other amounts owing in respect of any Swap Contract between any Credit Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, to the extent such Swap Contract is permitted hereunder, (c) payments of amounts due under any Treasury Management Agreement between any Credit Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender and (d) the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash Collateralize that portion of the L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit, ratably among such parties in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth payable to them; and

 

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

 

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Subject to Section 2.03(c), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur.  If any amount remains on deposit as cash collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.

 

X.

 

AGENTS

 

A.                                   Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.

 

1.             Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints JPMCB to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent hereunder and under the other Credit Documents and authorizes each of the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and neither the Borrower nor any other Credit Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.

 

2.             Each Lender hereby irrevocably appoints, designates and authorizes the Collateral Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Credit Agreement and each Collateral Document and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to it by the terms of this Credit Agreement or any Collateral Document, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  In this connection, the Collateral Agent, and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Collateral Agent pursuant to Section 10.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Collateral Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article X and Article XI (including Section 11.04(c), as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Credit Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained elsewhere herein or in any Collateral Document, neither the Administrative Agent nor the Collateral Agent shall have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein or therein, nor shall the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender or participant, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Credit Agreement or any Collateral Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, the use of the term “agent” herein and in the Collateral Documents with reference to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law.  Instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties.  The Collateral Agent shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Collateral and the Collateral Documents, and the Collateral Agent shall have all of the benefits and

 

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immunities (i) provided to the Administrative Agent under the Credit Documents with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the Collateral Agent in connection with any Collateral or the Collateral Documents as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in such Credit Documents included the Collateral Agent with respect to such acts or omissions, and (ii) as additionally provided herein or in the Collateral Documents with respect to the Collateral Agent.

 

3.             The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (i) provided to the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent in this Article X with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” or “Collateral Agent” as used in this Article X included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (ii) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

 

B.                                     Rights as a Lender.

 

Each Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as such Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not an Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

 

C.                                     Exculpatory Provisions.

 

The Agents shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Credit Documents.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Agents:

 

1.             shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

2.             shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Credit Documents that the Agents are required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Credit Documents), provided that no Agent shall be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose such Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Credit Document or applicable law; and

 

3.             shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Credit Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to

 

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or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent or any of its or their Affiliates in any capacity.

 

Neither the Administrative Agent nor the Collateral Agent shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as such Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 9.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to such Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.

 

No Agent shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Credit Agreement, any other Credit Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article V or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to such Agent.

 

D.                                    Reliance by Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.

 

The Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent shall each be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person.  Each of the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless such Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit.  Each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by them in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

E.                                      Delegation of Duties.

 

The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may perform any and all of their duties and exercise their rights and powers hereunder or under any other Credit Document

 

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by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be.  The Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of their duties and exercise their rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be.

 

F.                                      Resignation of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent.

 

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of the Borrower (provided, no consent shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Agent may on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, with the consent of the Borrower (provided, no consent shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), appoint a successor Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Credit Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Credit Documents, such retiring Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, is appointed) and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, as provided for above in this Section.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, and the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Credit Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section).  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Credit Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Agent was acting as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be.

 

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Any resignation by JPMCB as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer and Swingline Lender.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, hereunder, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer and Swingline Lender, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swingline Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Credit Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

G.                                     Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Other Lenders.

 

Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Credit Agreement.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Credit Agreement, any other Credit Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

H.                                    No Other Duties.

 

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the “Syndication Agent,” “Co-Documentation Agents,” “Co-Lead Arrangers” and “Co-Book Managers” listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Credit Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.

 

I.                                         Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

 

In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to any Credit Party, the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

 

1.             to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations (other than obligations under Swap Contracts or Treasury Management Agreements to which the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent is not a party) that are owing and

 

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unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, the Collateral Agent and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, the Collateral Agent and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, the Collateral Agent and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

2.             to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, and, in the event that such Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due to such Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04.

 

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

 

J.                                        Collateral and Guaranty Matters.

 

The Lenders and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, at its option and in its discretion:

 

1.             to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Collateral Documents if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder, or if the conditions set forth in clause (b)(i) below are satisfied;

 

2.             to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Collateral Agent under any Credit Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than (A) contingent indemnification obligations not then due and payable and (B) obligations and liabilities under Swap Contracts and Treasury Management Agreements not then due and payable) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (or if any Letters of Credit shall remain outstanding, upon (x) the cash collateralization of the Outstanding Amount of Letters of Credit on terms satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer or (y) the receipt by the L/C Issuer of a backstop letter of credit on terms satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer), (ii) that is sold or to be sold as part of or in connection with any sale permitted hereunder or under any other Credit Document (other than any such sale to another

 

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Credit Party), or (iii) subject to Section 11.01, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders; and

 

3.             to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Collateral Agent under any Credit Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 8.01(i).

 

Upon request by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the authority of the Collateral Agent to release or subordinate its interest in particular property and of the Administrative Agent to release any Guarantor from its obligations hereunder pursuant to this Section 10.10 in connection with a transaction permitted hereunder.

 

K.                                    Withholding Tax.

 

To the extent required by any applicable law, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender any applicable Tax.  If the IRS or any other authority of the United States or other jurisdiction asserts a claim that the Administrative Agent did not properly withhold tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender for any reason (including, without limitation, because the appropriate form was not delivered or not properly executed, or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstance that rendered the exemption from, or reduction of withholding tax ineffective), such Lender shall indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Agent for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by the Administrative Agent as tax or otherwise, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties thereto, together with all expenses incurred, including legal expenses and any other out-of-pocket expenses, whether or not such tax was correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  For the avoidance of doubt, this Section shall not limit or expand any Tax indemnification obligation of any Credit Party under this Credit Agreement.

 

L.                                      Treasury Management Agreements and Swap Contracts.

 

Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein or in any Collateral Document, no Treasury Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the guarantees hereunder or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any Collateral Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Credit Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Credit Documents.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article X to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Treasury Management Agreements and Swap Contracts unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Treasury Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.

 

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XI.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

A.                                   Amendments, Etc.

 

No amendment or waiver of, or any consent to deviation from, any provision of this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document shall be effective unless in writing and signed by the Borrower or the applicable Credit Party, as the case may be, and the Required Lenders and the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), and each such amendment, waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which it is given; provided, however, that:

 

1.             without the consent of each Lender, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

(i)      amend or waive any condition precedent to the initial Credit Extension set forth in Section 5.02 or (solely with respect to the initial Credit Extension) any condition precedent set forth in Section 5.03,

 

(ii)     change any provision of this Credit Agreement regarding pro rata sharing or pro rata funding with respect to (A) the making of advances (including participations), (B) the manner of application of payments or prepayments of principal, interest, or fees, (C) the manner of application of reimbursement obligations from drawings under Letters of Credit, or (D) the manner of reduction of commitments and committed amounts,

 

(iii)    change any provision of this Section 11.01(a) or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder,

 

(iv)    release all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than as provided herein as of the Closing Date or as appropriate in connection with transactions permitted hereunder as of the Closing Date), or

 

(v)     release all or substantially all of the value of the guarantees provided by the Guarantors (other than as provided herein as of the Closing Date or as appropriate in connection with transactions permitted hereunder as of the Closing Date) or, if any Foreign Subsidiary shall have been added as an additional borrower under the Approved Currency Revolving Facility pursuant to Section 1.08, release the Borrower from its guarantee of the obligations in respect of any borrowings by such Foreign Subsidiary;

 

2.             without the consent of each Lender adversely affected thereby, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

126



 

(i)      extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 9.02), it being understood that the amendment or waiver of an Event of Default or a mandatory reduction or a mandatory prepayment in Commitments shall not be considered an increase in Commitments,

 

(ii)     waive non-payment or postpone any date fixed by this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to any Lender hereunder or under any other Credit Document or change the scheduled final maturity of any Loan,

 

(iii)    reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Credit Document; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (A) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate or (B) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder, or

 

(iv)    except as otherwise expressly permitted in the Credit Documents as in effect on the Closing Date, expressly subordinate any of the Obligations in right of payment to any other obligations or subordinate all or substantially all of the Liens securing the Obligations to Liens securing any other Indebtedness;

 

3.             unless signed by the Required Term A Lenders, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

(i)      amend or waive the manner of application of any mandatory prepayment to the Term A Loans under Section 2.06(c), or

 

(ii)     amend or waive the provisions of this Section 11.01(c) or the definition of “Required Term A Lenders”;

 

4.             unless signed by the Required Term B Lenders, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

(A)    amend or waive the manner of application of any mandatory prepayment to the Term B Loans under Section 2.06(c), or

 

(B)    amend or waive the provisions of this Section 11.01(c) or the definition of “Required Term B Lenders”;

 

5.             any such amendment, waiver or consent to any provision that relates to the Term A Loan Commitments and/or Term A Loans, the Term B Loan Commitments and/or Term B Loans or the Revolving Commitments and/or Revolving Loans but does not apply (or applies differently) to the other Commitments and/or Loans, shall also require

 

127



 

the consent of the Required Term A Lenders, Required Term B Lenders or Required Revolving Lenders, respectively;

 

6.             any such amendment, waiver or consent to any provision that relates to the Dollar Revolving Commitments or Dollar Revolving Loans, on the one hand, but not the Approved Currency Revolving Commitments or Approved Currency Revolving Loans, on the other hand, or relates to the Approved Currency Revolving Commitments or Approved Currency Revolving Loans, on the one hand, but not the Dollar Revolving Commitments or Dollar Revolving Loans, on the other hand, or applies differently to the Dollar Revolving Commitments or Dollar Revolving Loans, on the one hand, and to the Approved Currency Revolving Commitments or Approved Currency Revolving Loans, on the other hand, shall also require the consent of the Required Dollar Revolving Lenders or the Required Approved Currency Revolving Lenders, respectively;

 

7.             unless also signed by the Required Revolving Lenders, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall amend or waive (i) the provisions of this Section 11.01(g), (ii) the definition of “Required Revolving Lenders” or (iii) any condition precedent to any Credit Extension (other than the initial Credit Extension) set forth in Section 5.03;

 

8.             unless also signed by the Required Dollar Revolving Lenders, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall amend or waive the provisions of this Section 11.01(h) or the definition of “Required Dollar Revolving Lenders”;

 

9.             unless also signed by the Required Approved Currency Revolving Lenders, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall amend or waive the provisions of this Section 11.01(i) or the definition of “Required Approved Currency Revolving Lenders”;

 

10.           unless also consented to in writing by the L/C Issuer, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Credit Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it;

 

11.           unless also consented to in writing by the Swingline Lender, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Swingline Lender under this Credit Agreement;

 

12.           unless also consented to in writing by the Administrative Agent, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document; and

 

13.           unless also consented to in writing by the Collateral Agent, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Collateral Agent under this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document;

 

provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that the Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender, (ii) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any

 

128



 

bankruptcy or insolvency reorganization plan that affects the Loans, (iii) each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein, (iv) the Required Lenders may consent to allow a Credit Party to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, (v) Section 11.06(h) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Loans are being funded by a SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification, and (vi) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 11.01, (a) if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall have jointly identified an obvious error (including, but not limited to, an incorrect cross-reference) or any error or omission of a technical nature, in each case, in any provision of any Credit Document, then the Administrative Agent and/or the Collateral Agent (acting in their sole discretion) and the Borrower or any other relevant Credit Party shall be permitted to amend such provision or cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Credit Document, and (b) the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and/or the Collateral Agent shall have the right to amend any Credit Document without notice to or consent of any other person to the extent described in the last paragraph of each of Sections 2.01(f) and (g) and in Section 1.08 or for the purpose of ensuring the enforceability of any local law pledge agreement entered into with respect to the Capital Stock of any Foreign Subsidiary.

 

B.                                     Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.

 

1.             Notices Generally.  Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier or, with confirmation of receipt, electronic mail as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

 

(i)      if to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.02; and
 
(ii)     if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.
 

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient).  Notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

 

129



EX-10.21 26 a2187104zex-10_21.htm EXHIBIT 10.21

Exhibit 10.21

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

 

TICKETMASTER

10.75% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2016

 

INDENTURE

Dated as of July 28, 2008

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
as
Trustee

 



 

CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE

 

TIA

 

Indenture

Section

 

Section

 

 

 

303

 

1.03

310(a)(1)

 

7.10

(a)(2)

 

7.10

(a)(3)

 

N.A.

(a)(4)

 

N.A.

(b)

 

7.10

(c)

 

N.A.

311(a)

 

7.11

(b)

 

7.11

(c)

 

N.A.

312(a)

 

2.05

(b)

 

11.03

(c)

 

11.03

313(a)

 

7.06

(b)(1)

 

7.06

(b)(2)

 

7.06; 7.07

(c)

 

7.06; 11.02

(d)

 

7.06

314(a)

 

4.03(a); 11.05

(4)

 

4.04; 11.05

(b)

 

N.A.

(c)(1)

 

11.04

(c)(2)

 

11.04

(c)(3)

 

N.A.

(d)

 

N.A.

(e)

 

11.04; 11.05

(f)

 

N.A.

315(a)

 

7.01(b); 7.02

(b)

 

7.05; 11.02

(c)

 

7.01(a)

(d)

 

7.01(c)

(e)

 

6.11

316(a) (last sentence)

 

2.09

(a)(1)(A)

 

6.05

(a)(1)(B)

 

6.04

(a)(2)

 

N.A.

(b)

 

6.07

(c)

 

2.13

317(a)(1)

 

6.08

(a)(2)

 

6.09

(b)

 

2.04

318(a)

 

11.01

(c)

 

11.01

 


N.A. means Not Applicable.

Note:       This Cross-Reference Table shall not, for any purposes, be deemed to be part hereof.

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

 

 

ARTICLE 1

 

 

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

 

 

SECTION 1.01.

Definitions.

1

SECTION 1.02.

Other Definitions.

22

SECTION 1.03.

Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.

23

SECTION 1.04.

Rules of Construction.

24

SECTION 1.05.

Acts of Holders; Record Dates.

24

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2

 

 

THE NOTES

 

 

 

SECTION 2.01.

Form and Dating.

25

SECTION 2.02.

Form of Execution and Authentication.

27

SECTION 2.03.

Registrar and Paying Agent.

28

SECTION 2.04.

Paying Agent To Hold Money in Trust.

29

SECTION 2.05.

Lists of Holders of the Notes.

29

SECTION 2.06.

Transfer and Exchange.

29

SECTION 2.07.

Replacement Notes.

40

SECTION 2.08.

Outstanding Notes.

40

SECTION 2.09.

Treasury Notes.

41

SECTION 2.10.

Temporary Notes.

41

SECTION 2.11.

Cancellation.

41

SECTION 2.12.

Defaulted Interest.

41

SECTION 2.13.

Record Date.

42

SECTION 2.14.

CUSIP Number.

42

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3

 

REDEMPTION

 

 

 

SECTION 3.01.

Notices to Trustee.

42

SECTION 3.02.

Selection of Notes To Be Redeemed.

42

SECTION 3.03.

Notice of Redemption.

43

SECTION 3.04.

Effect of Notice of Redemption.

44

SECTION 3.05.

Deposit of Redemption Price.

44

SECTION 3.06.

Notes Redeemed in Part.

44

SECTION 3.07.

Optional Redemption.

44

SECTION 3.08.

Excess Proceeds Offer.

45

SECTION 3.09.

Special Mandatory Redemption.

47

SECTION 3.10.

Notice to Special Mandatory Redemption.

47

 

i



 

 

 

Page

 

ARTICLE 4

 

COVENANTS

 

 

 

SECTION 4.01.

Payment of Notes.

48

SECTION 4.02.

Maintenance of Office or Agency.

48

SECTION 4.03.

Reports.

48

SECTION 4.04.

Compliance Certificate.

49

SECTION 4.05.

Taxes.

49

SECTION 4.06.

Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.

49

SECTION 4.07.

Limitation on Restricted Payments.

50

SECTION 4.08.

Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries.

53

SECTION 4.09.

Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness.

54

SECTION 4.10.

Limitation on Asset Sales.

58

SECTION 4.11.

Limitation on Transactions with Affiliates.

59

SECTION 4.12.

Limitation on Liens.

61

SECTION 4.13.

Additional Subsidiary Guarantees.

61

SECTION 4.14.

Organizational Existence.

61

SECTION 4.15.

Change of Control.

62

SECTION 4.16.

[Intentionally Omitted].

63

SECTION 4.17.

[Intentionally Omitted].

63

SECTION 4.18.

Payments for Consent.

63

SECTION 4.19.

Suspension of Covenants.

63

SECTION 4.20.

Escrow of Proceeds; Release.

64

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5

 

SUCCESSORS

 

 

 

SECTION 5.01.

Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets.

65

SECTION 5.02.

Successor Corporation Substituted.

66

 

 

 

ARTICLE 6

 

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

 

 

 

SECTION 6.01.

Events of Default.

66

SECTION 6.02.

Acceleration.

68

SECTION 6.03.

Other Remedies.

68

SECTION 6.04.

Waiver of Past Defaults.

68

SECTION 6.05.

Control by Majority.

69

SECTION 6.06.

Limitation on Suits.

69

SECTION 6.07.

Rights of Holders of Notes To Receive Payment.

69

SECTION 6.08.

Collection Suit by Trustee.

69

SECTION 6.09.

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

70

SECTION 6.10.

Priorities.

70

 

ii



 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

SECTION 6.11.

Undertaking for Costs.

71

 

 

 

ARTICLE 7

 

TRUSTEE

 

 

 

SECTION 7.01.

Duties of Trustee.

71

SECTION 7.02.

Rights of Trustee.

72

SECTION 7.03.

Individual Rights of Trustee.

73

SECTION 7.04.

Trustee’s Disclaimer.

73

SECTION 7.05.

Notice of Defaults.

73

SECTION 7.06.

Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes.

74

SECTION 7.07.

Compensation and Indemnity.

74

SECTION 7.08.

Replacement of Trustee.

75

SECTION 7.09.

Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.

76

SECTION 7.10.

Eligibility; Disqualification.

76

SECTION 7.11.

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Issuer.

76

 

 

 

ARTICLE 8

 

DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE

 

 

 

SECTION 8.01.

Termination of the Issuer’s Obligations.

76

SECTION 8.02.

Option To Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

77

SECTION 8.03.

Legal Defeasance and Covenant Discharge.

77

SECTION 8.04.

Covenant Defeasance.

78

SECTION 8.05.

Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance.

78

SECTION 8.06.

Deposited Money and Government Securities To Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions.

79

SECTION 8.07.

Repayment to Issuer.

80

SECTION 8.08.

Reinstatement.

80

 

 

 

ARTICLE 9

 

AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER

 

 

 

SECTION 9.01.

Without Consent of Holders of Notes.

80

SECTION 9.02.

With Consent of Holders of Notes.

81

SECTION 9.03.

Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.

83

SECTION 9.04.

Revocation and Effect of Consents.

83

SECTION 9.05.

Notation on or Exchange of Notes.

83

SECTION 9.06.

Trustee To Sign Amendments, Etc.

83

 

iii



 

 

Page

 

ARTICLE 10

 

GUARANTEES

 

 

 

SECTION 10.01.

Guarantee.

84

SECTION 10.02.

Execution and Delivery of Guarantees.

85

SECTION 10.03.

Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets of Guarantors.

85

SECTION 10.04.

Successor Corporation Substituted.

86

SECTION 10.05.

Releases from Guarantees.

87

 

 

 

ARTICLE 11

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

SECTION 11.01.

Trust Indenture Act Controls.

87

SECTION 11.02.

Notices.

87

SECTION 11.03.

Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes.

88

SECTION 11.04.

Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.

88

SECTION 11.05.

Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.

89

SECTION 11.06.

Rules by Trustee and Agents.

89

SECTION 11.07.

No Personal Liability of Directors, Owners, Employees, Incorporators and Stockholders.

89

SECTION 11.08.

Governing Law.

90

SECTION 11.09.

No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.

90

SECTION 11.10.

Successors.

90

SECTION 11.11.

Severability.

90

SECTION 11.12.

Counterpart Originals.

90

SECTION 11.13.

Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

90

SECTION 11.14.

Force Majeure.

90

SECTION 11.15.

Waiver of Jury Trial.

91

 

EXHIBITS

 

EXHIBIT A

FORM OF NOTE

 

EXHIBIT B

FORM OF GUARANTEE

 

EXHIBIT C

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER

 

EXHIBIT D

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE

 

 

iv



 

INDENTURE dated as of July 28, 2008 by and among Ticketmaster (the “Issuer”), a Delaware corporation, the Guarantors (as hereinafter defined) and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

The Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Issuer’s 10.75% Senior Notes due 2016.

 

RECITALS

 

The Issuer and the Guarantors have duly authorized the execution and delivery hereof to provide for the issuance of the Notes and the Guarantees.

 

All things necessary (i) to make the Notes, when executed by the Issuer and authenticated and delivered hereunder and duly issued by the Issuer and delivered hereunder, the valid and binding obligations of the Issuer, (ii) to make the Guarantees when executed by the Guarantors and delivered hereunder the valid and binding obligations of the Guarantors, and (iii) to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Issuer and the Guarantors, all in accordance with their respective terms, have been done.

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed as follows for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes.

 

ARTICLE 1

 

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

SECTION 1.01.                                         Definitions.

 

144A Global Note” means a global note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A.

 

Acquired Debt” means, with respect to any specified Person, Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person merges with or into or becomes a Subsidiary of such specified Person, or Indebtedness incurred by such Person in connection with the acquisition of assets.

 

Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of

 



 

the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise.

 

Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or co-registrar.

 

Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary that apply to such transfer or exchange.

 

Asset Acquisition” means (1) an Investment by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in any other Person pursuant to which such Person shall become a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, or shall be merged with or into the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, or (2) the acquisition by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer of the assets of any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer) which constitute all or substantially all of the assets of such Person or comprises any division or line of business of such Person.

 

Asset Sale” means any sale, issuance, conveyance, transfer, lease, assignment or other disposition by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Person other than the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (including by means of a merger or consolidation or through the issuance or sale of Equity Interests of Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Preferred Equity Interests of Restricted Subsidiaries issued in compliance with Section 4.09) (collectively, for purposes of this definition, a “transfer”), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of any assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than sales of inventory and other transfers in the ordinary course of business). For purposes of this definition, the term “Asset Sale” shall not include:

 

(a)                                  transfers of cash or Cash Equivalents;

 

(b)                                 transfers of assets of the Issuer (including Equity Interests) that are governed by, and made in accordance with, the first paragraph of Section 5.01;

 

(c)                                  Permitted Investments and Restricted Payments permitted under Section 4.07;

 

(d)                                 the creation of or realization on any Lien permitted under this Indenture;

 

(e)                                  transfers of damaged, worn-out or obsolete equipment or assets that, in the Issuer’s reasonable judgment, are no longer used or useful in the business of the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(f)                                    sales or grants of licenses or sublicenses to use the patents, trade secrets, know-how and other intellectual property, and licenses, leases or subleases of other assets, of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent not materially interfering with the business of Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

2


 

(g)           any transfer or series of related transfers that, but for this clause, would be Asset Sales, if the aggregate fair market value of the assets transferred in such transaction or series of related transactions does not exceed $5.0 million; and

 

(h)           the Spin-Off and transfers of assets to Affiliates of the Issuer prior to the Spin-Off pursuant to the Transactions that are consistent with the pro forma financial information in, or otherwise described in, or contemplated by, the Offering Memorandum.

 

Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

 

Board of Directors” means:

 

(1)           with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or, except in the context of the definition of “Change of Control”, a duly authorized committee thereof;

 

(2)           with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the general partner of the partnership; and

 

(3)           with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.

 

Broker-Dealer” means any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.

 

Business Day” means any day other than a Legal Holiday.

 

Capital Lease Obligations” means, as to any Person, the obligations of such Person under a lease that are required to be classified and accounted for as capital lease obligations under GAAP and, for purposes of this definition, the amount of such obligations at the time any determination thereof is to be made shall be the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at such time be so required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP.

 

Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents, however designated, of corporate stock or partnership or membership interests, whether common or preferred.

 

Cash Equivalents” means:

 

(a)                                  United States dollars;

 

(b)                                 Government Securities having maturities of not more than twelve (12) months from the date of acquisition;

 

(c)                                  certificates of deposit, time deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million;

 

3



 

(d)                                 repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (b) and (c) entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (c) above;

 

(e)                                  commercial paper issued by any issuer bearing at least a “2” rating for any short-term rating provided by Moody’s or S&P and maturing within two hundred seventy (270) days of the date of acquisition;

 

(f)                                    variable or fixed rate notes issued by any issuer rated at least AA by S&P (or the equivalent thereof) or at least Aa2 by Moody’s (or the equivalent thereof) and maturing within one (1) year of the date of acquisition;

 

(g)                                 money market funds or programs (x) offered by any commercial or investment bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million at least 95% of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (a) through (f) of this definition, (y) offered by any other nationally recognized financial institution (i) at least 95% of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (a) through (f), (ii) are rated AAA and (iii) the fund is at least $4 billion or (z) registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that are administered by reputable financial institutions having capital and surplus of at least $500.0 million and the portfolios of which are limited to investments of the character described in the foregoing subclauses hereof; and

 

(h)                                 in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, high quality short-term investments which are customarily used for cash management purposes in any country in which such Foreign Subsidiary operates.

 

Change of Control” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events:

 

(a)                                  the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the Commission thereunder as in effect on the Issue Date) other than one or more Permitted Holders of Equity Interests representing more than 50% (on a fully diluted basis) of the total voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Issuer then entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of the Issuer generally;

 

(b)                                 during any period of twelve (12) consecutive months, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Issuer ceases to be composed of individuals who were either (i) nominated by the Board of Directors of the Issuer with the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of said Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election or (ii) appointed by directors so nominated or elected or appointed by Permitted Holders; or

 

(c)                                  there shall be consummated any share exchange, consolidation or merger of the Issuer pursuant to which the Issuer’s Equity Interests entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of the Issuer generally would be converted into cash, securities or other property, or the Issuer sells, assigns, conveys, transfers, leases or otherwise disposes

 

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of all or substantially all of its assets, in each case other than pursuant to a share exchange, consolidation or merger of the Issuer in which Permitted Holders or the holders of the Issuer’s Equity Interests entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of the Issuer generally immediately prior to the share exchange, consolidation or merger have, directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the total voting power in the aggregate of all classes of Equity Interests of the continuing or surviving entity entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person generally immediately after the share exchange, consolidation or merger.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control if (1) the Issuer becomes a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary (the “Sub Entity”) of a holding company and (2) holders of securities that represented 100% of the voting power of the Equity Interests of the Issuer immediately prior to such transaction (or other securities into which such securities are converted as part of such merger or consolidation transaction) own directly or indirectly at least a majority of the voting power of the Equity Interests of such holding company (and no Person or group other than a Permitted Holder owns, directly or indirectly, a majority of the voting power of the Equity Interests of such holding company); provided that, upon the consummation of any such transaction, “Change of Control” shall thereafter include any Change of Control of any direct or indirect parent of the Sub Entity.

 

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Consolidated Cash Flow” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period (i) plus, to the extent deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income:

 

(a)                                  provision for taxes based on income or profits;

 

(b)                                 Consolidated Interest Expense;

 

(c)                                  Consolidated Non-Cash Charges of such Person for such period;

 

(ii) minus, to the extent not excluded from the calculation of Consolidated Net Income, non-cash gain or income of such Person for such period (except to the extent representing an accrual for future cash receipts).

 

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Person, the ratio of Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person during the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters (the “Measurement Period”) ending prior to the date of the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for which financial statements are available (the “Transaction Date”) to Consolidated Fixed Charges of such Person for the Measurement Period. In addition to and without limitation of the foregoing, for purposes of this definition, “Consolidated Cash Flow” and “Consolidated Fixed Charges” shall be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis for the period of such calculation to:

 

(A)          the incurrence or repayment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (and the application of the proceeds thereof) giving rise to the need to make such calculation and any incurrence or repayment of other Indebtedness

 

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(and the application of the proceeds thereof), other than the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness in the ordinary course of business to finance seasonal fluctuations in working capital needs pursuant to working capital facilities, occurring during the Measurement Period or at any time subsequent to the last day of the Measurement Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date, as if such incurrence or repayment, as the case may be (and the application of the proceeds thereof), occurred on the first day of the Measurement Period; and

 

(B)           any Asset Sales or other dispositions or Asset Acquisitions (including, without limitation, any Asset Acquisition giving rise to the need to make such calculation as a result of such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries (including any Person who becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of the Asset Acquisition) incurring, assuming or otherwise being liable for Acquired Debt and also including any Consolidated Cash Flow (including any Pro Forma Costs Savings) attributable to the assets which are the subject of the Asset Acquisition or Asset Sale or other disposition during the Measurement Period) occurring during the Measurement Period or at any time subsequent to the last day of the Measurement Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date, as if such Asset Sale or other disposition or Asset Acquisition (including the incurrence, assumption or liability for any such Acquired Debt) occurred on the first day of the Measurement Period.

 

Furthermore, in calculating “Consolidated Fixed Charges” for purposes of determining the denominator (but not the numerator) of this “Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio”:

 

(1)           interest on outstanding Indebtedness determined on a fluctuating basis as of the Transaction Date and which will continue to be so determined thereafter shall be deemed to have accrued at a fixed rate per annum equal to the rate of interest on such Indebtedness in effect on the Transaction Date; and

 

(2)           notwithstanding clause (1) above, interest on Indebtedness determined on a fluctuating basis, to the extent such interest is covered by agreements relating to Hedging Obligations, shall be deemed to accrue at the rate per annum resulting after giving effect to the operation of such agreements.

 

Consolidated Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:

 

(1)           Consolidated Interest Expense for such period; plus

 

(2)           the product of (x) the amount of all dividend payments on any series of Disqualified Stock of such Person or Preferred Equity Interest of such Person’s Restricted Subsidiaries (other than dividends paid in Qualified Capital Stock and other than dividends paid by a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person to such Person or to a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person) paid, accrued or scheduled to be paid or accrued during such period times (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current effective consolidated federal, state and local income tax rate of such Person, expressed as a decimal.

 

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Consolidated Interest Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, consolidated interest expense of such Person for such period, whether paid or accrued, including amortization of original issue discount and deferred financing costs, noncash interest payments and the interest component of Capital Lease Obligations, on a consolidated basis determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that with respect to the calculation of the consolidated interest expense of the Issuer, the interest expense of Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall be excluded.

 

Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that:

 

(a)           the Net Income of any Person that is not a Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting shall be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions paid in cash to the referent Person, in the case of a gain, or to the extent of any contributions or other payments by the referent Person, in the case of a loss;

 

(b)           the Net Income of any Person that is a Subsidiary that is not a Restricted Subsidiary shall be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions paid in cash to the referent Person;

 

(c)           solely for purposes of Section 4.07, the Net Income of any Subsidiary of such Person that is not a Guarantor shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or bylaws or any other agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or government regulation to which it is subject;

 

(d)           the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles shall be excluded;

 

(e)           any after-tax effect of income (loss) (x) from the early extinguishment of Indebtedness or Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments, (y) sales or dispositions of assets (other than in the ordinary course of business), or (z) that is extraordinary or non-recurring shall be excluded;

 

(f)            any non-cash compensation expense recorded from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights shall be excluded;

 

(g)           any non-cash impairment charge or asset write-off, in each case, pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP shall be excluded;

 

(h)           any fees, expenses and other charges in connection with the Transactions or any acquisition, investment, asset disposition, issuance or repayment of debt, issuance of Equity Interests, refinancing transaction or amendment or other modification of any debt instrument shall be excluded; and

 

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(i)            gains and losses resulting solely from fluctuations in foreign currencies shall be excluded.

 

Consolidated Non-Cash Charges” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate depreciation, amortization, impairment, compensation, rent, other non-cash expenses and write-offs and write- downs of assets of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP, but excluding any such charge which consists of or requires an accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges for any future period.

 

Consolidated Secured Indebtedness Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (1) the Total Secured Debt as of such date of determination to (2) Consolidated Cash Flow of the Issuer for the period of the most recent four consecutive fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available, with such pro forma and other adjustments to each of Total Secured Debt and Consolidated Cash Flow as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma and other adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.

 

Consolidated Total Assets” shall mean, as of any date of determination for any Person, the total assets of such Person and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, as shown on the most recent balance sheet of such Person immediately preceding such date of determination.

 

Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee” shall be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 11.02 or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Issuers or Holders pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 11.02.

 

Credit Agreement” means the credit agreement dated as of the Issue Date (or, if applicable, on or about the date of Release) by and among the Issuer, as borrower, the lenders party thereto from time to time, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and Merrill Lynch Capital Corporation, as syndication agent, together with the related documents thereto (including, without limitation, any guarantee agreements and security documents) as such agreement or facility may be amended (including any amendment and restatement thereof), supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement exchanging, extending the maturity of, refinancing, renewing, replacing, substituting or otherwise restructuring, whether in the bank or debt capital markets (or combination thereof) (including increasing the amount of available borrowings thereunder or adding Subsidiaries as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder) all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or facility or any successor or replacement agreement or facility.

 

Credit Facilities” means one or more credit agreements or debt facilities to which the Issuer and/or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries is party from time to time (including without limitation the Credit Agreement), in each case with banks, investment banks, insurance companies, mutual funds or other lenders or institutional investors providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, debt securities, bankers acceptances, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit, in each case as such agreements or facilities may be amended (including any amendment and restatement thereof), supplemented or otherwise

 

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modified from time to time, including any agreement exchanging, extending the maturity of, refinancing, renewing, replacing, substituting or otherwise restructuring, whether in the bank or debt capital markets (or combination thereof) (including increasing the amount of available borrowings thereunder or adding Subsidiaries as additional borrowers or guarantors thereunder) all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or facility or any successor or replacement agreement or facility.

 

Default” means any event that is, or with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.

 

Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.06 hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.

 

Depositary” means The Depository Trust Company and any and all successors thereto appointed as depositary hereunder and having become such pursuant to an applicable provision hereof.

 

Disqualified Stock” means any Capital Stock which, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the Holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date on which the Notes mature; provided, however, that any such Capital Stock may require the issuer of such Capital Stock to make an offer to purchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of certain events if the terms of such Capital Stock provide that such an offer may not be satisfied and the purchase of such Capital Stock may not be consummated until the 91st day after the purchase of the Notes as required by Section 4.15.

 

Domestic Cash Amount” means the amount of unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents reflected in the bank statements of the Issuer and its Domestic Subsidiaries immediately after giving effect to the Transactions, it being understood that cash required to be remitted to customers representing the face amount of tickets sold shall be deemed to be restricted.

 

Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries” shall mean all Restricted Subsidiaries that are Domestic Subsidiaries.

 

Domestic Subsidiary” shall mean any Subsidiary other than a Foreign Subsidiary.

 

Eligible Institution” means a commercial banking institution that has combined capital and surplus of not less than $500.0 million or its equivalent in foreign currency, whose debt is rated by at least two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations in one of each such organization’s four highest generic rating categories at the time as of which any investment or rollover therein is made.

 

Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).

 

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Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Exchange Notes” means the Notes issued in the Exchange Offer pursuant to Section 2.06(f) hereof or pursuant to a registered exchange offer for Notes with a Private Placement Legend issued after the Issue Date.

 

Exchange Offer” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Exchange Offer Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Existing Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness (other than the Notes and the Guarantees) of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries in existence on the Issue Date after giving effect to the use of proceeds from this offering contemplated by the Offering Memorandum until such amounts are repaid.

 

Foreign Cash Amount” means the amount of unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents reflected in the bank statements of the Issuer’s Foreign Subsidiaries immediately after giving effect to the Transactions and, to the extent such amount is repatriated, net of all applicable taxes in connection with such repatriation, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $125.0 million, it being understood that cash required to be remitted to customers representing the face amount of tickets sold shall be deemed to be restricted.

 

Foreign Currency Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person pursuant to any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer against fluctuations in currency values.

 

Foreign Subsidiary” shall mean (i) any Subsidiary that is not incorporated, formed or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (ii) any Subsidiary of a Subsidiary described in the foregoing clause (i).

 

GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession of the United States, which are applicable as of the date of determination; provided that, except as otherwise specifically provided, all calculations made for purposes of determining compliance with the terms of the provisions of this Indenture shall utilize GAAP as in effect on the Issue Date.

 

Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.01(b) hereof, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.

 

Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto issued in accordance with Section 2.01 or 2.06 hereof.

 

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Government Securities” means direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed or insured by, the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof for the payment of which guarantee or obligations the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged.

 

guarantee” means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner (including, without limitation, letters of credit and reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part of any Indebtedness.

 

Guarantee” means a guarantee by a Guarantor of the Notes.

 

“Guarantor” means any direct or indirect Domestic Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that guarantees the Notes and its successors and assigns.

 

Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person pursuant to any arrangement with any other Person, whereby, directly or indirectly, such Person is entitled to receive from time to time periodic payments calculated by applying either floating or a fixed rate of interest on a stated notional amount in exchange for periodic payments made by such other Person calculated by applying a fixed or a floating rate of interest on the same notional amount and shall include, without limitation, interest rate swaps, caps, floors, collars and similar agreements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest rates.

 

Holder” means, with respect to any Note, the Person in whose name such Note is registered with the Registrar.

 

IAC” means IAC/InterActiveCorp, a Delaware corporation.

 

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, any indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent, in respect of borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof, but excluding, in any case, any undrawn letters of credit) or representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property (including pursuant to capital leases) or representing any Hedging Obligations or Foreign Currency Obligations, except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable, if and to the extent any of the foregoing (other than Hedging Obligations or Foreign Currency Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP, and also includes, to the extent not otherwise included, the amount of all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock or, with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person, the liquidation preference with respect to, any Preferred Equity Interests (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends) as well as the guarantee of items that would be included within this definition.

 

“Indenture” means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

 

Independent Financial Advisor” means a Person or entity which, in the judgment of the Board of Directors of the Issuer, is independent and otherwise qualified to perform the task for which it is to be engaged.

 

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Indirect Participant” means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.

 

Initial Notes” means the $300,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 10.75% Senior Notes due 2016 of the Issuer issued under this Indenture on the Issue Date.

 

“Initial Purchasers” means, with respect to the Initial Notes, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated; Banc of America Securities LLC; Barclays Capital Inc.; Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated; Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC; Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.; Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. and Daiwa Securities America Inc.

 

Investment Grade” designates a rating of BBB- or higher by S&P or Baa3 or higher by Moody’s or the equivalent of such ratings by S&P or Moody’s. In the event that the Issuer shall select any other Rating Agency, the equivalent of such ratings by such Rating Agency shall be used.

 

Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of loans (including guarantees), advances or capital contributions, purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities and all other items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP (excluding accounts receivable, deposits and prepaid expenses in the ordinary course of business, endorsements for collection or deposits arising in the ordinary course of business, guarantees and intercompany notes permitted by Section 4.09, and commission, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business). For purposes of Section 4.07, the sale of Equity Interests of a Person that is a Restricted Subsidiary following which such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary shall be deemed to be an Investment by the Issuer in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Equity Interests of such Person held by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately following such sale.

 

Issue Date” means July 28, 2008.

 

Legal Holiday” means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York or at a place of payment are authorized by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed.

 

Letter of Transmittal” means the letter of transmittal to be prepared by the Issuer and sent to all Holders of the Notes for use by such Holders in connection with the Exchange Offer.

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement and any lease in the nature thereof).

 

“Make Whole Amount” means, with respect to any Note at any redemption date, as determined by the Issuer, the greater of (i) 1.0% of the principal amount of such Note and (ii) the excess, if any, of (A) an amount equal to the present value of (1) the redemption price of such Note at August 1, 2012 plus (2) the remaining scheduled interest payments on the Notes to be

 

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redeemed (subject to the right of Holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date) to August 1, 2012 (other than interest accrued to the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points over (B) the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed.

 

Marketable Securities” means:  (a) Government Securities; (b) any certificate of deposit maturing not more than 365 days after the date of acquisition issued by, or time deposit of, an Eligible Institution; (c) commercial paper maturing not more than 365 days after the date of acquisition issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate of the Issuer) with a rating by at least two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations in one of each such organization’s four highest generic rating categories at the time as of which any investment therein is made, issued or offered by an Eligible Institution; (d) any bankers’ acceptances or money market deposit accounts issued or offered by an Eligible Institution; and (e) any fund investing exclusively in investments of the types described in clauses (a) through (d) above.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

Net Income” means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Net Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, in respect of any Asset Sale, net of the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale (including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and sales commissions) and any relocation expenses incurred as a result thereof, taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (estimated reasonably and in good faith by the Issuer and after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements), amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the asset or assets that are the subject of such Asset Sale, any reserve for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets and any reserve in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities associated with the asset disposed of in such Asset Sale and retained by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries after such Asset Sale, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters, or against any indemnification obligations associated with such Asset Sale. Net Proceeds shall exclude any non-cash proceeds received from any Asset Sale, but shall include such proceeds when and as converted by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to cash.

 

Non-U.S. Person” means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.

 

Notes” means the Initial Notes, the Exchange Notes and any other notes issued after the Issue Date in accordance with the fourth paragraph of Section 2.02 hereof treated as a single class of securities.

 

Obligations” means any principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness.

 

Offering Memorandum” means the offering memorandum, dated July 16, 2008, relating to and used in connection with the initial offering of the Initial Notes.

 

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Officer” means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, Controller, Secretary or any Vice President of such Person, or any other officer designated by the Board of Directors.

 

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Issuer by two Officers of such Person or of such Person’s partner or managing member, one of whom must be the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, treasurer or principal accounting officer of such Person or of such Person’s partner or managing member, that meets the requirements of Section 11.05.

 

Opinion of Counsel” means an opinion, satisfactory to the Trustee, from legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer, that meets the requirements of Section 11.05.

 

Participant” means, with respect to the Depositary, a Person who has an account with the Depositary.

 

Permitted Business” means the businesses of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries conducted (or proposed to be conducted) on the Issue Date and any business reasonably related, ancillary or complimentary thereto and any reasonable extension or evolution of any of the foregoing.

 

Permitted Holder” means each of (a) prior to the Spin-Off, IAC and its Subsidiaries, (b) any Person who acquires beneficial ownership of Equity Interests of the Issuer in a transaction constituting a Change of Control as to which a Change of Control Offer is consummated and (c) any Affiliate of the foregoing formed by such Person for purposes of holding its equity investment in the Issuer (but excluding any other portfolio Issuer of any such Person).

 

Permitted Investments” means:

 

(a)                                  Investments in the Issuer or in a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(b)                                 Investments in Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities;

 

(c)                                  any guarantee of obligations of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary permitted by Section 4.09;

 

(d)                                 Investments by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries in a Person if, as a result of such Investment:  (i) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(e)                                  Investments received in settlement of debts created in the ordinary course of business and owing to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in satisfaction of judgments or as payment on a claim made in connection with any bankruptcy, liquidation, receivership or other insolvency proceeding;

 

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(f)                                    Investments in existence on the Issue Date;

 

(g)                                 Investments in any Person to the extent such Investment represents the non-cash portion of the consideration received for an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.10 or for an asset disposition that does not constitute an Asset Sale;

 

(h)                                 loans or advances or other similar transactions with customers, distributors, clients, developers, suppliers or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case, in the ordinary course of business, regardless of frequency;

 

(i)                                     other Investments in an amount not to exceed $75.0 million outstanding at any time for all such Investments made after the Issue Date, plus, so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing, each of (x) the Domestic Cash Amount and (y) the Foreign Cash Amount;

 

(j)                                     any Investment solely in exchange for the issuance of the Issuer’s Qualified Capital Stock;

 

(k)                                  any investment in connection with Hedging Obligations and Foreign Currency Obligations otherwise permitted under this Indenture; and

 

(l)                                     any contribution of any Investment in a joint venture or partnership that is not a Restricted Subsidiary to a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary in exchange for an Investment in the Person to whom such contribution is made.

 

Permitted Liens” means:

 

(a)                                  Liens securing the Notes and Liens securing any Guarantee;

 

(b)                                 Liens securing (x) Indebtedness under any Credit Facility (and related Hedging Obligations and cash management obligations to the extent such Liens arise under the definitive documentation governing such Indebtedness and the incurrence of such obligations is not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture) permitted by Section 4.09(b)(2) and (y) other Indebtedness permitted under Section 4.09; provided that in the case of any such Indebtedness described in this subclause (y), such Indebtedness, when aggregated with the amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Guarantors which is secured by a Lien, does not cause the Consolidated Secured Indebtedness Leverage Ratio to exceed 2.25 to 1.0 as of the last day of the most recent quarter for which internal financial statements are available on the date such Indebtedness is incurred;

 

(c)                                  Liens securing (i) Hedging Obligations and Foreign Currency Obligations permitted to be incurred under Section 4.09 and (ii) cash management obligations not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture;

 

(d)                                 Liens securing Purchase Money Indebtedness permitted under Section 4.09(b)(6); provided that such Liens do not extend to any assets of the Issuer or its

 

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Restricted Subsidiaries other than the assets so acquired, constructed, installed or improved, products and proceeds thereof and insurance proceeds with respect thereto;

 

(e)                                  Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that such Liens were not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such merger or consolidation and do not apply to any assets other than the assets of the Person acquired in such merger or consolidation;

 

(f)                                    Liens on property of an Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time that it is designated as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary”; provided that such Liens were not incurred in connection with, or contemplation of, such designation;

 

(g)                                 Liens on property existing at the time of acquisition thereof by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer; provided that such Liens were not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition and do not extend to any assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries other than the property so acquired, constructed, installed or improved, products and proceeds thereof and insurance proceeds with respect thereto;

 

(h)                                 Liens to secure the performance of statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds or performance bonds, or landlords’, carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, suppliers’, materialmen’s or other like Liens, in any case incurred in the ordinary course of business and with respect to amounts not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith by appropriate process of law, if a reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as is required by GAAP is made therefor;

 

(i)                                     Liens existing on the Issue Date;

 

(j)                                     Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as shall be required in conformity with GAAP is made therefor;

 

(k)                                  Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 4.09(b)(10) provided that such Liens shall not extend to assets other than the assets that secure such Indebtedness being refinanced;

 

(l)                                     Liens (other than Liens created or imposed under ERISA) incurred or deposits made by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money);

 

(m)                               easements, rights-of-way, covenants, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), minor defects or irregularities in title and other similar charges or encumbrances

 

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not, in any material respect, impairing the use of the encumbered property for its intended purposes;

 

(n)                                 licenses, sublicenses, leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(o)                                 Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods and Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements that constitute Cash Equivalents;

 

(p)                                 normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions;

 

(q)                                 Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection;

 

(r)                                    Liens not provided for in clauses (a) through (q) above so long as the Notes are secured by the assets subject to such Liens on an equal and ratable basis or on a basis prior to such Liens; provided that to the extent that such Lien secured Indebtedness that is subordinated to the Notes, such Lien shall be subordinated to and be later in priority than the Notes on the same basis;

 

(s)                                  Liens securing Indebtedness of any Foreign Subsidiary incurred in accordance with Section 4.09(b)(15);

 

(t)                                    Liens in favor of the Issuer or any Guarantor;

 

(u)                                 Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect to commercial letters of credit which solely encumber goods and/or documents of title and other property relating to such letters of credit and products and proceeds thereof;

 

(v)                                 extensions, renewals or refundings of any Liens referred to in clause (e), (g) or (i) above; provided that any such extension, renewal or refunding does not extend to any assets or secure any Indebtedness not securing or secured by the Liens being extended, renewed or refinanced; and

 

(w)                               other Liens securing Indebtedness that is permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be outstanding having an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed $50.0 million.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust or unincorporated organization (including any subdivision or ongoing business of any such entity or substantially all of the assets of any such entity, subdivision or business).

 

Preferred Equity Interest” in any Person, means an Equity Interest of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends or distributions,

 

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or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over Equity Interests of any other class in such Person.

 

Private Placement Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.01 hereof to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture except where otherwise permitted by the provisions hereof.

 

Pro Forma Cost Savings” means, with respect to any period, the reduction in net costs and expenses and related adjustments that (i) were directly attributable to an acquisition, merger, consolidation or disposition that occurred during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to the four-quarter reference period and on or prior to the date of determination and calculated on a basis that is consistent with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act as in effect and applied as of the Issue Date, (ii) were actually implemented by the business that was the subject of any such acquisition, merger, consolidation or disposition within 12 months after the date of the acquisition, merger, consolidation or disposition and prior to the date of determination that are supportable and quantifiable by the underlying accounting records of such business or (iii) relate to the business that is the subject of any such acquisition, merger, consolidation or disposition and that are probable in the reasonable judgment of the Issuer based upon specifically identifiable actions to be taken within 12 months of the date of the acquisition, merger, consolidation or disposition (regardless of whether such cost savings or operating improvements could then be reflected in pro forma financial statements in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act or any other regulation or policy related thereto) and, in the case of each of (i), (ii) and (iii), are described, as provided below, in an Officers’ Certificate, as if all such reductions in costs had been effected as of the beginning of such period. Pro Forma Cost Savings described above shall be accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee from the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Issuer that outlines the actions taken or to be taken, the net cost savings or operating improvements achieved or expected to be achieved from such actions and that, in the case of clause (iii) above, such savings have been determined by the Issuer to be probable.

 

Purchase Money Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations) incurred (within 365 days of such purchase) to finance or refinance the purchase (including in the case of Capital Lease obligations the lease), construction, installation or improvement of any assets used or useful in a Permitted Business (whether through the direct purchase of assets or through the purchase of Capital Stock of any Person owning such assets); provided that the amount of Indebtedness thereunder does not exceed 100% of the purchase cost of such assets and costs incurred in such construction, installation or improvement.

 

QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.

 

Qualified Capital Stock” means any Capital Stock of the Issuer that is not Disqualified Stock.

 

Rating Agencies” means:

 

(a)                                  S&P;

 

(b)                                 Moody’s; or

 

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(c)                                  if S&P or Moody’s or both shall not make a rating of the Notes publicly available, a nationally recognized securities rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Issuer, which shall be substituted for S&P or Moody’s or both, as the case may be.

 

Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement for the Initial Notes, dated as of July 28, 2008, by and among the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers, as such agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

Regulation S” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Regulation S Global Note” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of the Depositary and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in an initial denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes initially sold in reliance on Rule 903 of Regulation S.

 

Responsible Officer,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee) or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

 

Restricted Definitive Note” means a Definitive Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.

 

Restricted Global Note” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.

 

Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.

 

Restricted Period” means the relevant 40-day distribution compliance period as defined in Regulation S.

 

Restricted Subsidiary” or “Restricted Subsidiaries” means any Subsidiary, other than (a) Unrestricted Subsidiaries and (b) Subsidiaries that pursuant to the Transactions are expected to be transferred before (and no longer be Subsidiaries of the Issuer upon) the occurrence of the Spin-Off.

 

Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Rule 144A” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Rule 903” means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Rule 904” means Rule 904 promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

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S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and its subsidiaries, or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Secured Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness secured by a Lien on any assets of the Issuer or any Domestic Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Shelf Registration Statement” means the Shelf Registration Statement as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such regulation is in effect on the Issue Date.

 

Specified Affiliate Payments” means (i) amounts paid by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries to IAC or any other Person with which the Issuer is (or, prior to the Spin-Off, was) included in a consolidated, combined or unitary tax return equal to the amount of federal, state and local income taxes payable in respect of the Issuer’s income and the income of its Subsidiaries and any payments made in accordance with any tax allocation or tax sharing agreement to the extent not inconsistent with the terms described in the Offering Memorandum between the Issuer and IAC entered into in connection with the Transactions and (ii) amounts paid by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries to IAC (or any of its Affiliates) pursuant to any agreement between the Issuer (or any of its Subsidiaries) and IAC (or any of its Affiliates) entered into in connection with the Spin-Off.

 

Spin-Off” means the distribution of shares of the Issuer to the shareholders of IAC as contemplated by the Offering Memorandum.

 

Subordinated Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Guarantees, as the case may be.

 

Subsidiary” or “Subsidiaries” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof.

 

TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in effect on the date hereof.

 

Total Secured Debt” means, as of any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Secured Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Guarantors (other than Hedging Obligations and cash management obligations to the extent permitted by this Indenture) outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis.

 

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Transactions” means the Spin-Off, the issuance of the Notes on the Issue Date, the initial borrowings under the Credit Agreement, the deposit of the Escrowed Property with the Escrow Agent, the distribution of the proceeds from the Notes issued under the Issue Date and the initial borrowings under the Credit Agreement to IAC and the other transactions undertaken in connection with the foregoing as to the extent not inconsistent with the Offering Memorandum or the pro forma financial statements contained in the Offering Memorandum.

 

Treasury Rate” means, at the time of computation, the yield to maturity of United States Treasury Securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15(519) which has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the redemption date or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to August 1, 2012; provided, however, that if the period from the redemption date to August 1, 2012 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury Security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury Securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to August 1, 2012 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury Securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used.

 

Trustee” means The Bank of New York Mellon until a successor replaces The Bank of New York Mellon in accordance with the applicable provisions hereof and thereafter means the successor serving hereunder.

 

Unrestricted Definitive Note” means one or more Definitive Notes that do not bear and are not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

Unrestricted Global Note” means a permanent Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary, representing Notes that do not bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” or “Unrestricted Subsidiaries” means:  (A) any Subsidiary designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in a resolution of the Issuer’s Board of Directors in accordance with the instructions set forth below; and (B) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

The Issuer’s Board of Directors may designate any Subsidiary (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary so long as:

 

(a)                                  no portion of the Indebtedness or any other obligation (contingent or otherwise) of which, immediately after such designation:  (i) is guaranteed by the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer (other than another Unrestricted Subsidiary); (ii) is recourse to or obligates the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer (other than another Unrestricted Subsidiary) in any way; or (iii) subjects any property or asset of the Issuer or

 

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any other Subsidiary of the Issuer (other than another Unrestricted Subsidiary), or Equity Interests issued by such Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to satisfaction thereof;

 

(b)                                 neither the Issuer nor any other Subsidiary (other than another Unrestricted Subsidiary) has any contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding with such Subsidiary, written or oral, other than on terms no less favorable to the Issuer or such other Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from persons who are not the Issuer’s Affiliates; and

 

(c)                                  neither the Issuer nor any other Subsidiary (other than another Unrestricted Subsidiary) has any obligation:  (i) to subscribe for additional shares of Capital Stock of such Subsidiary or other equity interests therein; or (ii) to maintain or preserve such Subsidiary’s financial condition or to cause such Subsidiary to achieve certain levels of operating results.

 

If at any time after the Issue Date the Issuer designates an additional Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the Issuer will be deemed to have made a Restricted Investment in an amount equal to the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s Board of Directors evidenced by a resolution of the Issuer’s Board of Directors and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee no later than ten Business Days following a request from the Trustee) of such Subsidiary.  An Unrestricted Subsidiary may be designated as a Restricted Subsidiary if, at the time of such designation after giving pro forma effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing.

 

U.S. Person” means a U.S. Person as defined in Rule 902(k) under the Securities Act.

 

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing (a) the total of the product obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.

 

SECTION 1.02.                                         Other Definitions.

 

Term

 

Defined
in Section

“Affiliate Transaction”

 

4.11

“Change of Control Offer”

 

4.15

“Change of Control Payment”

 

4.15

“Change of Control Payment Date”

 

4.15

“Covenant Defeasance”

 

8.04

“Covenant Suspension Event”

 

4.19

“Deadline”

 

4.20(d)

“DTC”

 

2.01(b)

 

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“Escrow Agent”

 

4.20(a)

“Escrow Agreement”

 

4.20(a)

“Escrowed Property”

 

4.20(a)

“Event of Default”

 

6.01

“Excess Proceeds”

 

4.10

“Excess Proceeds Offer”

 

3.08(a)

“Global Note Legend

 

2.01(b)

“incur”

 

4.09

“Issuer”

 

Preamble

“Legal Defeasance”

 

8.03

“Measurement Period”

 

“Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio”

“Offer Amount”

 

3.08(b)

“Offer Period”

 

3.08(b)

“Paying Agent”

 

2.03

“Payment Default”

 

6.01(e)

“Private Placement Legend”

 

2.01(c)

“Purchase Date”

 

3.08(b)

“Refinancing Indebtedness”

 

4.09(b)(ii)

“Registrar”

 

2.03

“Regulation S Temporary Global Note Legend”

 

2.01(d)

“Release”

 

4.20(b)

“Restricted Payments”

 

4.07

“Reversion Date”

 

4.19(c)

“Rule 144”

 

2.01(c)

“Special Mandatory Redemption”

 

3.09

“Special Mandatory Redemption Amount”

 

4.20(a)

“Special Mandatory Redemption Date”

 

3.09

“Special Mandatory Redemption Price”

 

3.09

“Sub Entity”

 

“Change of Control”

“Suspended Covenants”

 

4.19(a)

“Suspension Period”

 

4.19(b)

“Transaction Date”

 

“Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio”

 

SECTION 1.03.                                         Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.

 

Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part hereof.

 

The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

 

indenture securities” means the Notes;

 

indenture security holder” means a Holder of a Note;

 

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indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture;

 

indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee; and

 

obligor” on the Notes means each of the Issuer and any successor obligor upon the Notes.

 

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by reference to another statute or defined by the Commission rule under the TIA have the meanings so assigned to them.

 

SECTION 1.04.                                         Rules of Construction.

 

Unless the context otherwise requires,

 

(1)                                       a term has the meaning assigned to it;

 

(2)                                       an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

 

(3)                                       “or” is not exclusive and “including” means “including without limitation”;

 

(4)                                       words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular;

 

(5)                                       provisions apply to successive events and transactions; and

 

(6)                                       references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time.

 

SECTION 1.05.                                         Acts of Holders; Record Dates.

 

(a)                                  Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders shall be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in Person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Issuer.  Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose hereof and conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Issuer, if made in the manner provided in this Section 1.05.

 

(b)                                 The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to such Person the execution

 

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thereof.  Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than such Person’s individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of such Person’s authority.  The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

 

(c)                                  The Issuer may, in the circumstances permitted by the TIA, fix any date as the record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, or to vote on any action, authorized or permitted to be given or take by Holders.  If not set by the Issuer prior to the first solicitation of a Holder made by any Person in respect of any such action, or, in the case of any such vote, prior to such vote, the record date for any such action or vote shall be the 30th day (or, if later, the date of the most recent list of Holders required to be provided pursuant to Section 2.05 hereof) prior to such first solicitation or vote, as the case may be.  With regard to any record date, only the Holders on such date (or their duly designated proxies) shall be entitled to give or take, or vote on, the relevant action.

 

ARTICLE 2

 

THE NOTES

 

SECTION 2.01.                                         Form and Dating.

 

(a)                                  The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, the terms of which are incorporated in and made a part hereof.  The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements approved as to form by the Issuer, and required by law, stock exchange rule, agreements to which the Issuer is subject or usage.  Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication.  The Notes shall be issuable only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

(b)                                 The Notes shall initially be issued in the form of one or more Global Notes and The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), its nominees, and their respective successors, shall act as the Depositary with respect thereto.  Each Global Note shall (i) be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Note or the nominee of such Depositary, (ii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions, and (iii) shall bear a legend (the “Global Note Legend”) in substantially the following form:

 

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE

 

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HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  THIS NOTE IS NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

 

(c)                                  Except as permitted by Section 2.06(g) hereof, any Note not registered under the Securities Act shall bear the following legend (the “Private Placement Legend”) on the face thereof:

 

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE ‘‘SECURITIES ACT’’), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER: (1) REPRESENTS THAT IT, AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING, IS A ‘‘QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER’’ (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THAT IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT, AND (2) AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN PRIOR TO THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE (AS DEFINED IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH), EXCEPT: (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, OR (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (C) TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (D) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE WILL BE THE DATE (1) THAT IS AT LEAST ONE YEAR AFTER THE LAST ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND (2) ON WHICH THE COMPANY INSTRUCTS THE TRUSTEE THAT THIS LEGEND SHALL BE DEEMED REMOVED FROM THIS SECURITY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURES

 

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DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE RELATING TO THIS SECURITY. PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (2)(D) ABOVE, THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

 

The Trustee must refuse to register any transfer of a Note bearing the Private Placement Legend that would violate the restrictions described in such legend.

 

The Private Placement Legend shall be deemed removeD from the face of any Note without further action of the Issuer, the Trustee or the Holder of such Note at such time as the Issuer shall have delivered an Officers’ Certificate to the Trustee certifying that the Private Placement Legend can be removed because such Note may be resold to the public in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any successor provision thereof (“Rule 144”) without regard to volume, manner of sale or any other restrictions contained in Rule 144 (other than the holding period requirement in paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of Rule 144 so long as such holding period requirement is satisfied at such time of determination) by Holders that are not Affiliates of the Issuer.

 

(d)                                 Any temporary Note that is a Global Note issued pursuant to Regulation S shall bear a legend (the “Regulation S Temporary Global Note Legend”) in substantially the following form:

 

THE RIGHTS ATTACHING TO THIS REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE, AND THE CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING ITS EXCHANGE FOR DEFINITIVE NOTES, ARE AS SPECIFIED IN THE INDENTURE.  THE HOLDER OF THIS NOTE BY ACCEPTANCE HEREOF ALSO AGREES, REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IF IT IS A PURCHASER IN A SALE THAT OCCURS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S OF THE SECURITIES ACT, IT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT, UNTIL EXPIRATION OF THE “40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD” WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 903 OF REGULATION S, ANY OFFER OR SALE OF THIS NOTE SHALL NOT BE MADE BY IT TO A U.S. PERSON TO OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF A U.S. PERSON WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 902(k) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT

 

SECTION 2.02.                                         Form of Execution and Authentication.

 

An Officer shall sign the Notes for the Issuer by manual or facsimile signature.

 

If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Note is authenticated, the Note shall nevertheless be valid.

 

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A Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee.  The signature of the Trustee shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.

 

The Trustee shall authenticate (i) Initial Notes for original issue on the Issue Date in an aggregate principal amount of $300.0 million, (ii) pursuant to the Exchange Offer, Exchange Notes from time to time for issue only in exchange for a like principal amount of Initial Notes and (iii) subject to compliance with Section 4.09 hereof, one or more series of Notes for original issue after the Issue Date (such Notes to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A) in an unlimited amount (and if issued with a Private Placement Legend, the same principal amount of Exchange Notes in exchange therefor upon consummation of a registered exchange offer), in each case upon written order of the Issuer in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, which Officers’ Certificate shall, in the case of any issuance pursuant to clause (iii) above, certify that such issuance is in compliance with Section 4.09 hereof.  In addition, each such Officers’ Certificate shall specify the amount of Notes to be authenticated, the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated, whether the securities are to be Initial Notes, Exchange Notes or Notes issued under clause (iii) of the preceding sentence and the aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding on the date of authentication, and shall further specify the amount of such Notes to be issued as Global Notes or Definitive Notes.  Such Notes shall initially be in the form of one or more Global Notes, which (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of, the Notes to be issued, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee and (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary’s instruction.  All Notes issued under this Indenture shall vote and consent together on all matters as one class and no series of Notes will have the right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter.

 

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate Notes.  Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so.  Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent.  An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer.

 

SECTION 2.03.                                         Registrar and Paying Agent.

 

The Issuer shall maintain (i) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (including any co-registrar, the “Registrar”) and (ii) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“Paying Agent”).  The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange.  The Issuer may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents.  The term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent.  The Issuer may change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without prior notice to any Holder of a Note.  The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing and the Trustee shall notify the Holders of the Notes of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture.  The Issuer may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar.  The Issuer shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Agent not a party to this Indenture, which shall incorporate the provisions of the TIA.  The agreement shall implement the provisions hereof that relate to such Agent.  The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any such Agent.  If the Issuer fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent,

 

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or fails to give the foregoing notice, the Trustee shall act as such, and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation in accordance with Section 7.07 hereof.

 

The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar, Paying Agent and agent for service of notices and demands in connection with the Notes.

 

SECTION 2.04.                                         Paying Agent To Hold Money in Trust.

 

The Issuer shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes, and shall notify the Trustee in writing of any Default by the Issuer in making any such payment.  While any such Default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee.  The Issuer at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by such Paying Agent to the Trustee.  Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Issuer) shall have no further liability for the money delivered to the Trustee.  If the Issuer acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes all money held by it as Paying Agent.

 

SECTION 2.05.                                         Lists of Holders of the Notes.

 

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders of the Notes and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a).  If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee at least seven Business Days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Holders of the Notes, including the aggregate principal amount of the Notes held by each thereof, and the Issuer shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a).

 

SECTION 2.06.                                         Transfer and Exchange.

 

(a)                                  Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes.  A Global Note may not be transferred as a whole except by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.  Global Notes will be exchanged by the Issuer for Definitive Notes, subject to any applicable laws, if (i) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that (A) the Depositary is unwilling or unable to continue to act as Depositary for the Global Notes or (B) the Depositary is no longer a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, the Issuer fails to appoint a successor Depositary within 90 days after the date of such notice from the Depositary, (ii) the Issuer in its sole discretion determines that the Global Notes (in whole but not in part) should be exchanged for Definitive Notes and delivers a written notice to such effect to the Trustee or (iii) upon request of the Trustee or Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes if there shall have occurred and be continuing a Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes; provided that in no event shall any temporary Note that is a Global Note issued pursuant to Regulation S be exchanged by the Company for Definitive Notes prior to

 

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(A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificate identified by the Issuer and its counsel to be required pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act.  In any such case, the Issuer will notify the Trustee in writing that, upon surrender by the Participants and Indirect Participants of their interests in such Global Note, Certificated Notes will be issued to each Person that such Participants, Indirect Participants and DTC jointly identify as being the beneficial owner of the related Notes.  Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.07 and 2.10 hereof.  Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.06 or Section 2.07 or 2.10 hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note.  A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 2.06.  However, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in paragraph (b), (c) or (f) below.

 

(b)                                 Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes.  The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Applicable Procedures.  Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes shall be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth in this Indenture to the extent required by the Securities Act.  Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with the applicable subparagraphs below.

 

(i)                                     Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note.  Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend; provided, however, that prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, no transfer of beneficial interests in a Regulation S Global Note may be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser) unless permitted by applicable law and made in compliance with subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) below.  Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note.  No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this subparagraph (i) unless specifically stated above.

 

(ii)                                  All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes.  In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to subparagraph (i) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either (A) (1) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase or, (B) (1) if Definitive Notes are at such time permitted to be issued pursuant to this Indenture, a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in

 

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whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (1) above.  Upon consummation of an Exchange Offer by the Issuer in accordance with paragraph (f) below, the requirements of this subparagraph (ii) shall be deemed to have been satisfied upon receipt by the Registrar of the instructions contained in the Letter of Transmittal delivered by the holder of such beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes.  Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to paragraph (h) below.

 

(iii)                               Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note.  A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of subparagraph (ii) above and the Registrar receives the following:

 

(A)                              if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof; and

 

(B)                                if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof.

 

(iv)                              Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note.  A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of subparagraph (ii) above, and

 

(A)                              such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuer;

 

(B)                                such transfer is effected pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

 

(C)                                such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to an Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or

 

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(D)                               the Registrar receives the following:

 

(y)                                 if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit D hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(a) thereof, or

 

(z)                                   if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;

 

and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

 

If any such transfer is effected pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above.

 

Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.

 

(c)                                  Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.

 

(i)                                Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes.  If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
 
(A)                              if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit D hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(a) thereof;
 
(B)                                if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

 

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(C)                                if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
 
(D)                               if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;
 
(E)                                 if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
 
(F)                                 if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,
 

the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to paragraph (h) below, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the certificate a Restricted Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount.  Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant.  The Trustee shall deliver such Restricted Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered.  Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this subparagraph (i) shall bear the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.

 

(ii)                             Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes.  A holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only if
 
(A)                              such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to an Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of such beneficial interest, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuer;
 
(B)                                such transfer is effected pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

 

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(C)                                such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
 
(D)                               the Registrar receives the following:
 

(y)                                 if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note that does not bear the Private Placement Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit D hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b) thereof; or

 

(z)                                   if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note that does not bear the Private Placement Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof,

 

and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

 

If any such transfer is effected pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above.

 

(iii)                               Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes.  If any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in subparagraph (b)(ii) above, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to paragraph (h) below, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the certificate a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount.  Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this subparagraph (c)(iii) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant.  The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered.  Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this subparagraph (c)(iii) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

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(d)                                 Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests.

 

(i)                                Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes.  If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
 
(A)                              if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit D hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(b) thereof;
 
(B)                                if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof; or
 
(C)                                if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof,
 

the Trustee shall cancel the Restricted Definitive Note, increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of, in the case of clause (A) above, the appropriate Restricted Global Note, in the case of clause (B) above, the 144A Global Note, and in the case of clause (C) above, the Regulation S Global Note.

 

(ii)                             Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes.  A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if
 
(A)                              such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuer;
 
(B)                                such transfer is effected pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
 
(C)                                such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to an Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or

 

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(D)                               the Registrar receives the following:
 

(y)                                 if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit D hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(c) thereof; or

 

(z)                                   if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;

 

and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

 

Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this subparagraph (d)(ii), the Trustee shall cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.

 

(iii)                               Transfer and Exchange of Unrestricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes.  A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Unrestricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time.  Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee shall cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.
 

If any such exchange or transfer from an Unrestricted Definitive Note or a Restricted Definitive Note, as the case may be, to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to subparagraphs (ii)(B), (ii)(D) or (iii) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes, as the case may be, so transferred.

 

(e)                                  Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes.  Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this paragraph (e), the Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes.  Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or its attorney, duly authorized in writing.  In addition, the requesting Holder shall provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this paragraph (e).

 

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(i)                                     Transfer of Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes.  Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:

 

(A)                              if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

 

(B)                                if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and

 

(C)                                if the transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including, if the Registrar so requests, a certification or Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act.

 

(ii)                                  Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes.  Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if

 

(A)                              such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to an Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuer;

 

(B)                                any such transfer is effected pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

 

(C)                                any such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to an Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or

 

(D)                               the Registrar receives the following:

 

(y)                                 if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit D hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(d) thereof; or

 

(z)                                   if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in

 

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the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;

 

and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

 

(iii)                               Transfer of Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes.  A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note.  Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.

 

(f)                                    Exchange Offer.  Upon the occurrence of an Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate (i) one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that make the certifications in the applicable Letters of Transmittal required by Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement, and accepted for exchange in an Exchange Offer and (ii) Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Definitive Notes accepted for exchange in an Exchange Offer.  Concurrently with the issuance of such Notes, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Restricted Global Notes to be reduced accordingly, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Persons designated by the Holders of Restricted Definitive Notes so accepted Unrestricted Definitive Notes in the appropriate principal amounts.

 

(g)                                 Legends.  The following legends shall appear on the faces of all Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued under this Indenture unless specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions hereof.

 

(i)                                     Private Placement Legend.

 

(A)                              Except as permitted by subparagraph (B) below, each Global Note (other than an Unrestricted Global Note) and each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

(B)                                Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraphs (b)(iv), (c)(ii), (c)(iii), (d)(ii), (d)(iii), (e)(ii), (e)(iii) or (f) of this Section 2.06 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

(ii)                                  Global Note Legend.  Each Global Note shall bear the Global Note Legend.

 

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(iii)                               Regulation S Temporary Global Note Legend.  Each temporary Note that is a Global Note issued pursuant to Regulation S shall bear the Regulation S Temporary Global Note Legend.

 

(h)                                 Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes.  At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note shall be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof.  At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.

 

(i)                                     General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.

 

(i)                                     To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon the Issuer’s order or at the Registrar’s request.

 

(ii)                                  No service charge shall be made to a holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.02, 2.10, 3.06, 3.08 and 9.05 hereof).

 

(iii)                               The Registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.

 

(iv)                              All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits hereof, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

(v)                                 The Issuer shall not be required (A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business on a Business Day 15 days before the day of any selection of Notes for redemption under Section 3.02 hereof and ending at the close of business on the day of selection or (B) to register

 

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the transfer of or to exchange any Note so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.

 

(vi)                              Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Issuer may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Issuer shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

(vii)                           The Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.02 hereof.

 

(viii)                        All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 2.06 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile.

 

SECTION 2.07.                                         Replacement Notes.

 

If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee, or the Issuer and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee, upon the written order of the Issuer signed by two Officers of the Issuer, shall authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee’s requirements for replacements of Notes are met.  If required by the Trustee or the Issuer, the Holder must supply an indemnity bond sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee and the Issuer to protect the Issuer, the Trustee, any Agent or any authenticating agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced.  The Issuer and the Trustee may charge for their expenses in replacing a Note.

 

Every replacement Note is a joint and several obligation of the Issuer.

 

SECTION 2.08.                                         Outstanding Notes.

 

The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section 2.08 as not outstanding.

 

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser.

 

If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01 hereof, it shall cease to be outstanding and interest on it shall cease to accrue.

 

Subject to Section 2.09 hereof, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer, a Subsidiary of the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer holds the Note.

 

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SECTION 2.09.                                         Treasury Notes.

 

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Issuer, any Subsidiary of the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer shall be considered as though not outstanding, except that for purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes which a Responsible Officer knows to be so owned shall be so considered.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Notes that are to be acquired by the Issuer, any Subsidiary of the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer pursuant to an exchange offer, tender offer or other agreement shall not be deemed to be owned by the Issuer, a Subsidiary of the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer until legal title to such Notes passes to the Issuer, such Subsidiary or such Affiliate, as the case may be.

 

SECTION 2.10.                                         Temporary Notes.

 

Until Definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Issuer may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Notes.  Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of definitive Notes but may have variations that the Issuer and the Trustee consider appropriate for temporary Notes.  Without unreasonable delay, the Issuer shall prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of the written order of the Issuer signed by two Officers of the Issuer, shall authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes.  Until such exchange, temporary Notes shall be entitled to the same rights, benefits and privileges as Definitive Notes.

 

SECTION 2.11.                                         Cancellation.

 

The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation.  The Registrar and Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment.  The Trustee shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall dispose of all canceled Notes in its customary manner (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act), unless the Issuer directs canceled Notes to be returned to it.  The Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has redeemed or paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.  All canceled Notes held by the Trustee shall be disposed of and certification of their disposal delivered to the Issuer upon its request therefor, unless by a written order, signed by two Officers of the Issuer, the Issuer shall direct that canceled Notes be returned to it.

 

SECTION 2.12.                                         Defaulted Interest.

 

If the Issuer defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes, it shall pay the defaulted interest in any lawful manner plus, to the extent lawful, interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the Persons who are Holders of the Notes on a subsequent special record date, which date shall be at the earliest practicable date but in all events at least five Business Days prior to the payment date, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes.  The Issuer shall, with the consent of the Trustee, fix or cause to be fixed each such special record date and payment date.  At least 15 days before the special record date, the Issuer (or the Trustee, in the name of and at the expense of the Issuer) shall mail to Holders of the Notes a notice that states the special record date, the related payment date and the amount of such interest to be paid.

 

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SECTION 2.13.                                         Record Date.

 

The record date for purposes of determining the identity of Holders of the Notes entitled to vote or consent to any action by vote or consent authorized or permitted under this Indenture shall be determined as provided for in TIA § 316(c).

 

SECTION 2.14.                                         CUSIP Number.

 

The Issuer in issuing the Notes may use a “CUSIP” number and, if it does so, the Trustee shall use the CUSIP number in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number printed in the notice or on the Notes and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes.  The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP number.

 

ARTICLE 3

 

REDEMPTION

 

SECTION 3.01.                                         Notices to Trustee.

 

If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of Section 3.07 hereof, it shall furnish to the Trustee, at least 35 days (unless a shorter period is acceptable to the Trustee) but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer setting forth (i) the redemption date, (ii) the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed and (iii) the redemption price.  If the Issuer is required to make the redemption pursuant to Section 3.08 hereof, it shall furnish the Trustee, at least five but not more than ten Business Days before the applicable purchase date, an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer setting forth (i) the purchase date, (ii) the principal amount of Notes offered to be purchased and (iii) the purchase price.

 

SECTION 3.02.                                         Selection of Notes To Be Redeemed.

 

(a)                                  If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time in accordance with Section 3.07 hereof, the selection of Notes for redemption shall be made by the Trustee in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed, or if the Notes are not so listed on a pro rata basis, or, in the case of a redemption other than as provided in Section 3.07(b) hereof, by lot or in accordance with the Trustee’s customary practices, subject to the applicable rules of the Depositary; provided that no Notes with a principal amount of $2,000 or less shall be redeemed in part.  In the event of partial redemption by lot, the particular Notes to be redeemed shall be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date by the Trustee from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption.

 

(b)                                 The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption, the principal amount

 

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thereof to be redeemed.  Notes and portions of them selected shall be in amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000; except that if all of the Notes of a Holder are to be redeemed, the entire outstanding amount of Notes held by such Holder, even if not a multiple of $1,000, shall be redeemed.  Except as provided in the preceding sentence, provisions hereof that apply to Notes called for redemption also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption.

 

SECTION 3.03.                                         Notice of Redemption.

 

Subject to the provisions of Sections 3.08 and 3.10 hereof, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Issuer shall mail or cause to be mailed, by first class mail, a notice of redemption to each Holder (with a copy to the Trustee) whose Notes are to be redeemed to such Holder’s registered address.

 

The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and shall state

 

(i)                                     the redemption date;

 

(ii)                                  the redemption price;

 

(iii)                               if any Note is being redeemed in part only, the portion of the principal amount of such Note to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note;

 

(iv)                              the name and address of the Paying Agent;

 

(v)                                 that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

 

(vi)                              that, unless the Issuer defaults in making such redemption payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;

 

(vii)                           the paragraph of the Notes and/or section hereof pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and

 

(viii)                        that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.

 

At the Issuer’s written request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at the Issuer’s expense; provided that the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee, at least 10 days (unless a shorter period is acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the date the Company wishes to have the notice given, an Officers’ Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the preceding paragraph.

 

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SECTION 3.04.                                         Effect of Notice of Redemption.

 

Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section 3.03 hereof, Notes called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date at the redemption price.

 

SECTION 3.05.                                         Deposit of Redemption Price.

 

On or prior to any redemption date, the Issuer shall deposit with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest on all Notes to be redeemed on that date.  The Trustee or the Paying Agent shall promptly return to the Issuer any money deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Issuer in excess of the amounts necessary to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, all Notes to be redeemed.

 

On and after the redemption date, if the Issuer does not default in the payment of the redemption price, interest shall cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption.  If a Note is redeemed on or after an interest record date but on or prior to the related interest payment date, then any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such record date.  If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender for redemption because of the failure of the Issuer to comply with the preceding paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any interest not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes.

 

SECTION 3.06.                                         Notes Redeemed in Part.

 

Upon surrender and cancellation of a Note that is redeemed in part, the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder of the Notes at the expense of the Issuer a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered.

 

SECTION 3.07.                                         Optional Redemption.

 

(a)                                  Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) below, the Notes will not be redeemable at the Issuer’s option prior to August 1, 2012.  Thereafter, the Notes will be subject to redemption at the option of the Issuer, in whole or in part, upon not less than 30 days’ or more than 60 days’ notice, at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the applicable redemption date (subject to the rights of Holders of record of the Notes on the relevant record date to receive payments of interest on the related interest payment date), if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning on  August 1 of the years indicated below:

 

Year

 

Percentage

 

2012

 

105.375

%

2013

 

102.688

%

2014 and thereafter

 

100.000

%

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time and from time to time prior to August 1, 2011, the Issuer may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes outstanding at a redemption price equal to 110.75% of the principal amount thereof

 

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on the repurchase date, together with accrued and unpaid interest to such redemption date (subject to the rights of Holders of record of the Notes on the relevant record date to receive payments of interest on the related interest payment date), with the net cash proceeds of one or more public or private sales of Qualified Capital Stock, other than proceeds from a sale to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries or any employee benefit plan in which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries participates; provided that (i) at least 65% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes originally issued remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption and (ii) such redemption occurs no later than the 120th day following such sale of Qualified Capital Stock.

 

(c)                                  In addition, at any time and from time to time prior to August 1, 2012, the Issuer may redeem all or any portion of the Notes outstanding at a redemption price equal to (i) 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, together with accrued and unpaid interest to such redemption date (subject to the rights of Holders of record of the Notes on the relevant record date to receive payments of interest on the related interest payment date), plus (ii) the Make Whole Amount.

 

SECTION 3.08.                                         Excess Proceeds Offer.

 

(a)                                  When the cumulative amount of Excess Proceeds that have not been applied in accordance with Section 4.10 exceeds $25.0 million, the Issuer shall make an offer to all Holders of the Notes (an “Excess Proceeds Offer”) to purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes that may be purchased out of such Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued and unpaid interest to the date fixed for the closing of such offer in accordance with the procedures set forth herein.  To the extent the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary is required under the terms of Indebtedness of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary (other than Subordinated Indebtedness), the Issuer shall make a pro rata offer to the holders of all such Indebtedness (including the Notes) with such proceeds.  If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness surrendered by holders thereof exceeds the amount of such Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata basis.  To the extent that the principal amount of Notes tendered pursuant to an Excess Proceeds Offer is less than the amount of such Excess Proceeds and other pari passu Indebtedness, the Issuer may use any remaining Excess Proceeds for general corporate purposes in compliance with the provisions of this Indenture.  Upon completion of an Excess Proceeds Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.

 

(b)                                 The Excess Proceeds Offer shall remain open for a period of 20 Business Days following its commencement and no longer, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “Offer Period”).  No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the “Purchase Date”), the Issuer shall purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes and pari passu Indebtedness that may be purchased with such Excess Proceeds (which maximum principal amount of Notes and pari passu Indebtedness shall be the “Offer Amount”) or, if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered in response to the Excess Proceeds Offer.

 

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(c)                                  The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e 1 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rules) and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to an Excess Proceeds Offer.  To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Section 3.08, the Issuer’s compliance with such laws and regulations shall not in and of itself be deemed to have caused a breach of their obligations under this Section 3.08.

 

(d)                                 If the Purchase Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Excess Proceeds Offer.

 

(e)                                  Upon the commencement of any Excess Proceeds Offer, the Issuer shall send, by first class mail, a notice to each of the Holders of the Notes, with a copy to the Trustee.  The notice shall contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Excess Proceeds Offer.  The notice, which shall govern the terms of the Excess Proceeds Offer, shall state:

 

(i)                                     that the Excess Proceeds Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 3.08 and the length of time the Excess Proceeds Offer shall remain open;

 

(ii)                                  the Offer Amount, the purchase price and the Purchase Date;

 

(iii)                               that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment shall continue to accrue interest;

 

(iv)                              that, unless the Issuer defaults in making such payment, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Excess Proceeds Offer shall cease to accrue interest after the Purchase Date;

 

(v)                                 that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to any Excess Proceeds Offer shall be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, to the Issuer, a Depositary, if appointed by the Issuer, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three Business Days before the Purchase Date;

 

(vi)                              that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Issuer, Depositary or Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than the expiration of the Offer Period, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is unconditionally withdrawing his election to have the Note purchased;

 

(vii)                           that, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by Holders and other pari passu Indebtedness tendered by the holders thereof exceeds the Offer Amount, the Issuer shall select the Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata basis (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the

 

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Issuer so that only Notes in denominations of $2,000, or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, shall be purchased); and

 

(viii)                        that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part shall be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered.

 

(f)                                   On or before the Purchase Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Offer Amount of Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Excess Proceeds Offer, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes or portion thereof tendered, and deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Issuer in accordance with the terms of this Section 3.08.  The Issuer, Depositary or Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly (but in any case not later than five days after the Purchase Date) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount equal to the purchase price of the Note tendered by such Holder and accepted by the Issuer for purchase, and the Issuer shall promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note, to such Holder equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered.  Any Note not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Issuer to the Holder thereof.  The Issuer shall publicly announce the results of the Excess Proceeds Offer on the Purchase Date.

 

(g)                                Other than as specifically provided in this Section 3.08, any purchase pursuant to this Section 3.08 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 hereof.

 

SECTION 3.09.                                         Special Mandatory Redemption.

 

If the Issuer does not deliver a notice to the Escrow Agent on or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 30, 2008 that the Spin-Off will be consummated within five Business Days and that no Default or Event of Default hereunder has occurred and is continuing, and then consummate the Spin-Off within the five Business Day period, or if IAC elects to abandon the Spin-Off prior thereto, then the Issuer will, on a day not more than 10 Business Days following the Deadline or the date of the Release, as applicable (such date, the “Special Mandatory Redemption Date”), redeem all of the Notes (the “Special Mandatory Redemption”) at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest from the Issue Date (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Price”).

 

SECTION 3.10.                                         Notice to Special Mandatory Redemption.

 

Notice of the Special Mandatory Redemption shall be prepared and mailed by the Issuer promptly to each Holder of Initial Notes at its registered address, the Trustee and the Escrow Agent.

 

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ARTICLE 4

 

COVENANTS

 

SECTION 4.01.                                         Payment of Notes.

 

(a)                                 The Issuer shall pay or cause to be paid the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes.  Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if the Paying Agent, if other than the Issuer, holds as of 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date money deposited by or on behalf of the Issuer in immediately available funds and designated for and sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due.  If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.

 

(b)                                The Issuer shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal at the rate equal to the then applicable interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful; they shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest (without regard to any applicable grace period) at the same rate to the extent lawful.

 

SECTION 4.02.                                         Maintenance of Office or Agency.

 

(a)                                 The Issuer shall maintain an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee, Registrar or co-registrar) where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Issuer in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served.  The Issuer shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency.  If at any time the Issuer shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

 

(b)                                The Issuer may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Issuer of its obligation to maintain an office or agency for such purposes.  The Issuer shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

 

(c)                                  The Issuer hereby designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as one such office or agency of the Issuer in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof.

 

SECTION 4.03.                                         Reports.

 

(a)                                 Whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, so long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuer shall furnish to the Holders of Notes all quarterly and annual financial information, and on dates, that would be required to be contained in a filing with

 

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the Commission on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Issuer was required to file such forms, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and, with respect to the annual information only, a report thereon by the independent registered public accounting firm of the Issuer; provided, however, that (i) to the extent such reports are filed with the Commission and publicly available, no additional copies need be provided to Holders of the Notes and (ii) with respect to June 30, 2008 (and periods then ended), or for any prior dates or periods, the Issuer may satisfy such obligations by furnishing carve out financial data in form and detail corresponding to the March 31, 2008 financial data included in the Offering Memorandum so long as such information is filed or provided on or before August 31, 2008.

 

(b)                                The Issuer will file the information described in Section 4.03(a) with the Commission to the extent that the Commission is accepting such filings.  In addition, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding during any period when the Issuer is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, or otherwise permitted to furnish the Commission with certain information pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) of the Exchange Act, the Issuer will furnish to the Holders of the Notes and to prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.

 

(c)                                 The Issuer shall provide the Trustee with a sufficient number of copies of all reports and other documents and information that the Trustee may be required to deliver to the Holders of the Notes under this Section 4.03.

 

SECTION 4.04.                                         Compliance Certificate.

 

The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer stating that a review of the activities of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Issuer and Guarantors have kept, observed, performed and fulfilled their obligations under this Indenture and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his or her knowledge each such entity has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof, including, without limitation, a default in the performance or breach of Section 4.07, Section 4.09, Section 4.10 or Section 4.15 hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he or she may have knowledge and what action each is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto).

 

SECTION 4.05.                                         Taxes.

 

The Issuer shall pay, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay, prior to delinquency, all material taxes, assessments, and governmental levies except as contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings or where the failure to effect such payment is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes.

 

SECTION 4.06.                                         Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.

 

The Issuer covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any

 

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stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance hereof; and the Issuer (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it shall not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.

 

SECTION 4.07.                                         Limitation on Restricted Payments.

 

(a)                                 Neither the Issuer nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may, directly or indirectly:

 

(i)                                    pay any dividend or make any distribution on account of any Equity Interests of the Issuer other than dividends or distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer;

 

(ii)                                 purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value any of the Issuer’s Equity Interests or any Subordinated Indebtedness, other than (i) Subordinated Indebtedness within one year of the stated maturity date thereof and (ii) any such Equity Interests or Subordinated Indebtedness owned by the Issuer or by any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(iii)                              pay any dividend or make any distribution on account of any Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary, other than:

 

(A)                              to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(B)                                to all holders of any class or series of Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary on a pro rata basis; or

 

(iv)                             make any Restricted Investment

 

(all such prohibited payments and other actions set forth in clauses (i) through (iv) being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”), unless, at the time of such Restricted Payment:

 

(1)                                 no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof;

 

(2)                                 after giving effect to the incurrence of any Indebtedness the net proceeds of which are used to finance such Restricted Payment, the Issuer is able to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness in compliance with Section 4.09(a); and

 

(3)                                 such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate of all other Restricted Payments made after the Issue Date, is less than the sum of:

 

(A)                              50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Issuer for the period (taken as one accounting period) from July 1, 2008 to the end of the Issuer’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial

 

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statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, if such Consolidated Net Income shall be a deficit, minus 100% of such aggregate deficit); plus

 

(B)                                an amount equal to the sum of (x) 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds and the fair market value of any property or assets received by the Issuer from the issue or sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer (other than Equity Interests sold to any of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries), following the Issue Date and (y) the aggregate amount by which Indebtedness (other than any Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or a Subsidiary) incurred by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary subsequent to the Issue Date is reduced on the Issuer’s balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange into Qualified Capital Stock (less the amount of any cash, or the fair market value of assets, distributed by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary upon such conversion or exchange); plus

 

(C)                                if any Unrestricted Subsidiary is designated by the Issuer as a Restricted Subsidiary, an amount equal to the fair market value of the net Investment by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in such Subsidiary at the time of such designation; provided, however, that the foregoing amount shall not exceed the amount of Restricted Investments made by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in any such Unrestricted Subsidiary following the Issue Date which reduced the amount available for Restricted Payments pursuant to this clause (3) less amounts received by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary from such Unrestricted Subsidiary that increased the amount available for Restricted Payments pursuant to clause (D) below; plus

 

(D)                               100% of any cash dividends and other cash distributions received by the Issuer and the Issuer’s Restricted Subsidiaries from an Unrestricted Subsidiary since the Issue Date to the extent not included in Consolidated Cash Flow; provided, however, that the foregoing amount shall not exceed the amount of Restricted Investments made by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in any such Unrestricted Subsidiary following the Issue Date which reduced the amount available for Restricted Payments pursuant to this clause (3); plus

 

(E)                                 to the extent not included in clauses (A) through (D) above, an amount equal to the net reduction in Restricted Investments of the Issuer and the Issuer’s Restricted Subsidiaries following the Issue Date resulting from payments in cash of interest on Indebtedness, dividends, or repayment of loans or advances, or other transfers of property, in each case, to the Issuer or to a Restricted Subsidiary or from the net cash proceeds from the sale, conveyance, liquidation or other disposition of any such Restricted Investment.

 

(b)                                The foregoing provisions will not prohibit the following (provided that with respect to clause (6) below, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing):

 

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(1)                                 the payment of any dividend or distribution within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof, if at the date of declaration such payment would have complied with the provisions hereof;

 

(2)                                 the redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of (x) any Equity Interests of the Issuer in exchange for, or out of the net proceeds of the substantially concurrent issue or sale of, Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer (other than Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) issued or sold to any Subsidiary) or (y) Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (a) in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent issuance and sale of, Qualified Capital Stock, (b) in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent incurrence of, Refinancing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under clause (10) of Section 4.09 or other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under Section 4.09 or (c) with the Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale or upon a Change of Control, in each case, to the extent required by the agreement governing such Subordinated Indebtedness but only if the Issuer shall have previously applied such Net Proceeds to make an Excess Proceeds Offer or made a Change of Control Offer, as the case may be, in accordance with Sections 3.08 and 4.15 and purchased all Notes validly tendered pursuant to the relevant offer prior to redeeming or repurchasing such Subordinated Indebtedness;

 

(3)                                 the declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or shares of Preferred Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary issued in accordance with Section 4.09;

 

(4)                                  repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants or upon the vesting of restricted stock units if such Equity Interests represent the exercise price of such options or warrants or represent withholding taxes due upon such exercise or vesting;

 

(5)                                 Restricted Payments from the net proceeds of the Notes and the initial borrowings under the Credit Agreement as described in the Offering Memorandum;

 

(6)                                 other Restricted Payments in an amount not to exceed $100.0 million;

 

(7)                                 Specified Affiliate Payments; and

 

(8)                                 the Transactions.

 

(c)                                 Restricted Payments made pursuant to Section 4.07(a) and clause (1) of Section 4.07(b) shall be included as Restricted Payments in any computation made pursuant to clause (3) of the second paragraph of Section 4.07(a). Restricted Payments made pursuant to clauses (2) through (8) of Section 4.07(b) shall not be included as Restricted Payments in any computation made pursuant to clause (3) of Section 4.07(a).

 

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If the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary makes a Restricted Investment and the Person in which such Investment was made subsequently becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, to the extent such Investment resulted in a reduction in the amounts calculated under clause (3) of Section 4.07(a) or under any other provision of this Section 4.07, (which was not subsequently reversed), then such amount shall be increased by the amount of such reduction.

 

SECTION 4.08.                                         Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

(a)                                  pay dividends or make any other distribution to the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries on its Capital Stock or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries;

 

(b)                                 make loans or advances to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries; or

 

(c)                                  transfer any of the Issuer’s properties or assets to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries,

 

except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:

 

(i)                                     Existing Indebtedness and existing agreements as in effect on the Issue Date;

 

(ii)                                  applicable law or regulation;

 

(iii)                               any instrument governing Acquired Debt as in effect at the time of acquisition (except to the extent such Indebtedness was incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired;

 

(iv)                              by reason of customary nonassignment provisions in leases entered into in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices;

 

(v)                                 Refinancing Indebtedness; provided that the restrictions contained in the agreements governing such Refinancing Indebtedness are no more restrictive than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced;

 

(vi)                              this Indenture and the Notes or by the Issuer’s other Indebtedness ranking pari passu with the Notes; provided that except as set forth in clause (vii) below such restrictions are no more restrictive taken as a whole than those imposed by this Indenture and the Notes;

 

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(vii)                           any Credit Facility; provided that such restriction is no more restrictive taken as a whole than that imposed by the Credit Agreement (and the collateral documents relating thereto) as in effect on the Issue Date (or on the date of Release, as applicable);

 

(viii)                        Permitted Liens;

 

(ix)                                any agreement for the sale of any Subsidiary or its assets that restricts distributions by that Subsidiary (or sale of such Subsidiary’s Equity Interests) pending its sale; provided that during the entire period in which such encumbrance or restriction is effective, such sale (together with any other sales pending) would be permitted under the terms of this Indenture;

 

(x)                                   secured Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred by this Indenture that limits the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets securing such Indebtedness;

 

(xi)                                customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements which are applicable to the Equity Interests of such joint venturer;

 

(xii)                             Purchase Money Indebtedness that imposes restrictions of the type described in clause (c) above on the property so acquired;

 

(xiii)                          any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (i) through (xii) above; provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are, in the Issuer’s good faith judgment, not materially more restrictive as a whole with respect to such encumbrances and restrictions than those prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing;

 

(xiv)                         Indebtedness of any Foreign Subsidiary which imposes restrictions solely on such Foreign Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries; or

 

(xv)                            any restriction on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or lessors or required by insurance, surety or bonding companies, in each case under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business.

 

SECTION 4.09.                                         Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness.

 

(a)                                 The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable with respect to (collectively, “incur”) any Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any Preferred Equity Interests; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Issuer and any Guarantor may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) and any Guarantor may issue Preferred Equity Interests, if, after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness or the issuance of such Preferred Equity Interests

 

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and the application of the net proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis, the Issuer’s Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would have been at least 2.0 to 1.0.

 

(b)                                The foregoing limitation will not apply to any of the following incurrences of Indebtedness:

 

(1)                                 Indebtedness represented by the Notes (and any Exchange Notes issued in exchange therefor) and the Guarantees in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $300.0 million;

 

(2)                                 Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary under any Credit Facility in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the excess of (x) $675.0 million over (y) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness under the Credit Facilities permanently repaid pursuant to clause (1) of the second paragraph of Section 4.10;

 

(3)                                 (x) Indebtedness among the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that any such Indebtedness owed by the Issuer or a Guarantor to any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor shall be subordinated to the prior payment in full of the Notes or the Guarantees, as applicable, and (y) Preferred Equity Interests of a Restricted Subsidiary held by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if such Preferred Equity Interests are issued by a Guarantor, such Preferred Equity Interests are held by the Issuer or a Guarantor;

 

(4)                                 Acquired Debt of a Person incurred prior to the date upon which such Person was acquired by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (and not created in contemplation of such acquisition); provided that (x) the aggregate principal amount of Acquired Debt pursuant to this clause (4)(x) (when aggregated with the amount of Refinancing Indebtedness outstanding under clause (10) below in respect of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (4)(x)) shall not exceed $50.0 million outstanding at any time or (y) after giving effect to the incurrence of such Acquired Debt on a pro forma basis, the Issuer’s Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would have been at least 2.0 to 1.0;

 

(5)                                 Existing Indebtedness;

 

(6)                                 Indebtedness consisting of Purchase Money Indebtedness in an aggregate amount (when aggregated with the amount of Refinancing Indebtedness outstanding under clause (10) below in respect of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (6)) not to exceed $50.0 million outstanding at any time;

 

(7)                                 Hedging Obligations of the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries covering Indebtedness of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Hedging Obligations are entered into for purposes of managing interest rate exposure of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries and not for speculative purposes;

 

(8)                                 Foreign Currency Obligations of the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries entered into to manage exposure of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries to fluctuations in currency values and not for speculative purposes;

 

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(9)           Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of performance bonds, bankers’ acceptances or letters of credit of the Issuer or the Restricted Subsidiary or surety or appeal bonds provided by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred in the ordinary course of business and on ordinary business terms in connection with a Permitted Business;

 

(10)         the incurrence by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness issued in exchange for, or the proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, substitute or refund in whole or in part, Indebtedness referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section 4.09 or in clause (1), (4), (5) or (6)  or this clause (10) of this Section 4.09(b) (“Refinancing Indebtedness”); provided, however, that:

 

(A)          the principal amount of such Refinancing Indebtedness shall not exceed the principal amount and accrued interest of the Indebtedness so exchanged, extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, substituted or refunded and any premiums payable and reasonable fees, expenses, commissions and costs in connection therewith;

 

(B)           the Refinancing Indebtedness shall have a final maturity equal to or later than, and a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than, the final maturity and Weighted Average Life to Maturity, respectively, of the Indebtedness being exchanged, extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, substituted or refunded;

 

(C)           the Refinancing Indebtedness shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Notes and the Guarantees, if at all, on terms at least as favorable to the Holders of Notes as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being exchanged, extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, substituted or refunded; and

 

(D)          if the Indebtedness to be exchanged refinanced, renewed, replaced, substituted or refunded was the obligation of the Issuer or Guarantor, such Indebtedness shall not be incurred by any of the Restricted Subsidiaries other than a Guarantor or any Restricted Subsidiary that was an obligor under the Indebtedness so refinanced;

 

(11)         additional Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50.0 million at any one time outstanding;

 

(12)         the guarantee by the Issuer or any Guarantor of Indebtedness of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary that was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this Section 4.09 and the guarantee by any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor of any Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor;

 

(13)         the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, and the payment of dividends on Disqualified Capital Stock in the form of additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Capital Stock;

 

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(14)         the incurrence by the Issuer or its Subsidiaries of guarantees in respect of obligations of joint ventures; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (14) shall not exceed $50.0 million outstanding at any time;

 

(15)         Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed 5% of Consolidated Total Assets that are attributable to Restricted Subsidiaries that are Foreign Subsidiaries;

 

(16)         overdrafts paid within 5 Business Days;

 

(17)         customary purchase price adjustments and indemnifications in connection with acquisition or disposition of stock or assets; and

 

(18)         guarantees to suppliers, licensors or franchisees (other than guarantees of Indebtedness) in the ordinary course of business.

 

(c)           For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.09, (1) the outstanding principal amount of any item of Indebtedness shall be counted only once, and any obligation arising under any guarantee, Lien, letter of credit or similar instrument supporting such Indebtedness incurred in compliance with this Section 4.09 shall be disregarded, and (2) if an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the categories described in clauses (b)(1) through (18) above or is permitted to be incurred pursuant to Section 4.09(a) and also meets the criteria of one or more of the categories described in clauses (1) through (18) of Section 4.09(b), the Issuer shall, in its sole discretion, classify such item of Indebtedness in any manner that complies with this Section 4.09 and may from time to time reclassify such item of Indebtedness in any manner in which such item could be incurred at the time of such reclassification; provided that Indebtedness outstanding under the Credit Agreement on the Issue Date or on the date of the Release, as applicable (and any Indebtedness secured by a Lien that refinances such Indebtedness) shall be deemed to be outstanding under paragraph (b)(2) above and may not be reclassified.

 

(d)           Accrual of interest, the accretion of original issue discount and the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness of the same class shall not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.09.  Any increase in the amount of Indebtedness solely by reason of currency fluctuations shall not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.09.  A change in GAAP that results in an obligation existing at the time of such change, not previously classified as Indebtedness, becoming Indebtedness will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.09.

 

(e)           The amount of indebtedness outstanding as of any date shall be (1) the accreted value thereof, in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount, (2) the principal amount thereof, in the case of any other Indebtedness, (3) in the case of the guarantee by the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any other Person, the maximum liability to which the specified Person may be subject upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation and (4) in the case of Indebtedness of others guaranteed by means of a Lien on any asset of

 

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the specified Person, the lesser of (A) the fair market value of such asset on the date on which Indebtedness is required to be determined pursuant to this Indenture and (B) the amount of the Indebtedness so secured.

 

(f)            For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated by the Issuer based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term Indebtedness, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit Indebtedness; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-dominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-dominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 4.09, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Issuer may incur pursuant to this Section 4.09 shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies. The principal amount of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such Refinancing Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.

 

SECTION 4.10.                                         Limitation on Asset Sales.

 

The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, consummate any Asset Sale unless:

 

(1)           the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value (determined as of the time of contractually agreeing to such Asset Sale) of the assets included in such Asset Sale (such fair market value to be determined by (i) an executive officer of the Issuer or such Subsidiary if the value is less than $25.0 million or (ii) in all other cases by a resolution of the Issuer’s Board of Directors (or of a committee appointed thereby for such purposes)); and

 

(2)           at least 75% of the total consideration in such Asset Sale consists of cash or Cash Equivalents or Marketable Securities.

 

For purposes of clause (2), the following shall be deemed to be cash:

 

(a)           the amount (without duplication) of any Indebtedness (other than Subordinated Indebtedness) of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary that is expressly assumed by the transferee in such Asset Sale and with respect to which the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is unconditionally released by the holder of such Indebtedness,

 

(b)           the amount of any obligations or securities received from such transferee that are within 180 days converted by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary to cash (to the extent of the cash actually so received), and

 

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(c)           the fair market value of any assets (other than securities) received by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to be used by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in a Permitted Business.

 

If the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary engages in an Asset Sale, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary shall apply all or any of the Net Proceeds therefrom to:

 

(1)           repay Indebtedness under any Credit Facility, and in the case of any such repayment under any revolving credit facility, effect a permanent reduction in the availability under such revolving credit facility; or

 

(2)           (A) invest all or any part of the Net Proceeds thereof in capital expenditures or the purchase of assets to be used by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in a Permitted Business, (B) acquire Equity Interests in a Person that is a Restricted Subsidiary or in a Person engaged primarily in a Permitted Business that shall become a Restricted Subsidiary immediately upon the consummation of such acquisition or (C) a combination of (A) and (B).

 

Any Net Proceeds from any Asset Sale that are not applied or invested (or committed pursuant to a written agreement to be applied) as provided in the preceding paragraph within 365 days after the receipt thereof and, in the case of any amount committed to a reinvestment, which are not actually so applied within 180 days following such 365 day period shall constitute “Excess Proceeds” and shall be applied to an offer to purchase Notes and other senior Indebtedness of the Issuer if and when required under Section 3.08.  Pending the final application of any such Net Proceeds, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary may temporarily reduce revolving indebtedness under a Credit Facility, if any, or otherwise invest such Net Proceeds in Cash Equivalents.

 

SECTION 4.11.                                                                 Limitation on Transactions with Affiliates.

 

The Issuer shall not and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of the Issuer’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into any contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate (including any Unrestricted Subsidiary) (each of the foregoing, an “Affiliate Transaction”), unless:

 

(a)           such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are not materially less favorable, taken as a whole, to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person; provided that such transaction shall be deemed to be at least as favorable as the terms that could have been obtained in a comparable transaction with an unrelated Person if such transaction is approved by the members of (x) the Board of Directors or (y) any duly constituted committee thereof, in each case including a majority of the disinterested members thereof who meet the independence requirements of the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ; and

 

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(b)           if such Affiliate Transaction involves aggregate payments in excess of $25.0 million, such Affiliate Transaction has either (i) been approved by a resolution of the members of (x) the Board of Directors of the Issuer or (y) any duly constituted committee thereof, in each case including a majority of the disinterested members thereof who meet the independence requirements of the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ or (ii) if there are no disinterested directors on the Board of Directors of the Issuer, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary has obtained the favorable opinion of an Independent Financial Advisor as to the fairness of such Affiliate Transaction to the Issuer or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from a financial point of view;

 

provided, however, that the following shall, in each case, not be deemed Affiliate Transactions:

 

(i)              the payment of compensation (including benefits and incentive arrangements) to directors and management of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries;

 

(ii)             indemnification or similar arrangements for officers, directors, employees or agents of the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to charter, bylaw, statutory or contractual provisions;

 

(iii)            transactions between or among the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(iv)            Restricted Payments permitted by Section 4.07 and Permitted Investments (other than transactions with a Person that is an Affiliate other than as a result of such Investment);

 

(v)             any transactions between the Issuer or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries and any Affiliate of the Issuer the Equity Interests of which Affiliate are owned solely by the Issuer or one of the Restricted Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and by persons who are not Affiliates of the Issuer or Restricted Subsidiaries, on the other hand;

 

(vi)            any agreements or arrangements in effect on the Issue Date and described in the Offering Memorandum and any modifications, extensions or renewals thereof that are no less favorable to the Issuer or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary in any material respect than such agreement as in effect on the Issue Date;

 

(vii)           so long as it complies with clause (a) above, customary transactions with suppliers or purchasers or sellers of goods or services in the ordinary course of business;

 

(viii)          the Transactions;

 

(ix)            transactions with persons who are Affiliates of the Issuer solely as a result of the Issuer’s or a Restricted Subsidiary’s Investment in such Person; and

 

(x)             Specified Affiliate Payments.

 

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SECTION 4.12.                                         Limitation on Liens.

 

The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create, incur or assume any Lien on any asset now owned or hereafter acquired, or on any income or profits therefrom or assign or convey any right to receive income therefrom, except Permitted Liens.

 

SECTION 4.13.                                         Additional Subsidiary Guarantees.

 

If (a) any of the Issuer’s Domestic Subsidiaries that is not a Guarantor guarantees or becomes otherwise obligated under a Credit Facility or Indebtedness incurred in reliance on Section 4.09(a), or (b) the Issuer or any of the Issuer’s Restricted Subsidiaries transfers or causes to be transferred, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, any property to any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary but not a Guarantor, or if the Issuer or any of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries shall organize, acquire or otherwise invest in another Domestic Restricted Subsidiary and, in either case, the Subsidiary organized or acquired or to which such transfer or investment was made has total assets in excess of $10.0 million, then in each case such guarantor, obligor, transferee or acquired or other Domestic Restricted Subsidiary shall (i) execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee all of the Issuer’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture on the terms set forth in this Indenture and (ii) deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel that such supplemental indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Restricted Subsidiary and constitutes a legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligation of such Restricted Subsidiary.  Thereafter, such Restricted Subsidiary shall be a Guarantor for all purposes of this Indenture; provided, however, that to the extent that a Restricted Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor solely pursuant to clause (b) above is subject to any instrument governing Acquired Debt, as in effect at the time of acquisition thereof and not created in contemplation thereof, that prohibits such Restricted Subsidiary from issuing a Guarantee, such Restricted Subsidiary shall not be required to execute such a supplemental indenture until it is permitted to issue such Guarantee pursuant to the terms of such Acquired Debt.

 

SECTION 4.14.                                         Organizational Existence.

 

Subject to Article 5 hereof and the proviso to this Section 4.14, the Issuer shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect (i) its existence as a corporation and, subject to Section 4.10 hereof, the corporate, limited liability company, partnership or other existence of any Restricted Subsidiary, in accordance with the respective organizational documents (as the same may be amended from time to time) of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) subject to Section 4.10 hereof, the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Issuer shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise, or the corporate, partnership or other existence of any Restricted Subsidiary if the Board of Directors of the Issuer shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes.

 

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SECTION 4.15.                                         Change of Control.

 

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Issuer shall make an offer (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder of Notes to repurchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date of repurchase (subject to the rights of holders of record of the Notes on the relevant record date to receive payments of interest on the related interest payment date) (in either case, the “Change of Control Payment”).  Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Issuer shall mail a notice to each Holder with a copy to the Trustee stating:

 

(1)             that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 4.15;

 

(2)             the purchase price and the purchase date, which shall be no earlier than 30 days and not later than 60 days after the date such notice is mailed (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);

 

3)                      that any Notes not tendered will continue to accrue interest in accordance with the terms hereof;

 

4)                      that, unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer shall  cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

(5)             that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the paying agent receives, not later than the close of business on the second business day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of Notes delivered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is unconditionally withdrawing its election to have such Notes purchased;

 

(6)             that holders whose Notes are being purchased only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion must be equal to $2,000 in principal amount or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof; and

 

(7)             any other information material to such Holder’s decision to tender Notes.

 

The Issuer will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes required in the event of a Change of Control. The Issuer will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture applicable to Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer.  The Issuer’s obligations in respect of a Change of Control Offer can be modified with the consent of holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding at any time prior to the occurrence of a Change of Control.  Notwithstanding

 

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anything to the contrary herein, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditional upon such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making of the Change of Control Offer.

 

SECTION 4.16.                                         [Intentionally Omitted].

 

SECTION 4.17.                                         [Intentionally Omitted].

 

SECTION 4.18.                                         Payments for Consent.

 

The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration to or for the benefit of any Holder of a Note for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions hereof or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid or agreed to be paid to all Holders of the Notes that are either QIBs or that are located outside of the United States and, in each case, that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in the solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or agreement.

 

SECTION 4.19.                                                                 Suspension of Covenants.

 

(a)   During any period of time after the Issue Date that (i) the Notes are rated Investment Grade by both Rating Agencies and (ii) no Default has occurred and is continuing under this Indenture (the occurrence of the events described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being collectively referred to as a “Covenant Suspension Event”), the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to the following Sections (the “Suspended Covenants”):

 

(1)     Section 3.08;

 

(2)     Section 4.07;

 

(3)     Section 4.08;

 

(4)     Section 4.09;

 

(5)     Section 4.10;

 

(6)     Section 4.11;

 

(7)     clause (d) of the first paragraph of Section 5.01.

 

(b)   At such time as Sections 3.08, 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.10, 4.11 and clause (d) of the first paragraph of Section 5.01 are suspended (a “Suspension Period”), the Issuer shall no longer be permitted to designate any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

(c)   In the event that the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries are not subject to the Suspended Covenants for any period of time as a result of the foregoing, and on any subsequent date (the “Reversion Date”) one or both of the Rating Agencies withdraw their Investment Grade Rating or downgrade the rating assigned to the Notes below Investment Grade, then the

 

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Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries will thereafter again be subject to the Suspended Covenant with respect to future events.

 

(d)   On each Reversion Date, all Indebtedness incurred during the Suspension Period prior to such Reversion Date will be deemed to be Existing Indebtedness.  For purposes of calculating the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under clause (3) of Section 4.07(a), calculations under such section shall be made as though such section had been in effect during the entire period of time after the Issue Date (including the Suspension Period).  Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period not otherwise permitted pursuant to any of clauses (2) through (8) under Section 4.07(b) will reduce the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under clause (3) of such Section 4.07(a), provided that the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments on the Reversion Date shall not be reduced to below zero solely as a result of such Restricted Payments.  For purposes of Section 3.08, on the Reversion Date, the unutilized amount of Net Proceeds will be reset to zero.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither (a) the continued existence, after the Reversion Date, of facts and circumstances or obligations that were incurred or otherwise came into existence during a Suspension Period nor (b) the performance of any such obligations, shall constitute a breach of any covenant set forth herein or cause a Default or Event of Default thereunder; provided that (1) the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries did not incur or otherwise cause such facts and circumstances or obligations to exist in anticipation of a withdrawal or downgrade by the applicable Rating Agency below an Investment Grade Rating and (2) the Issuer reasonably believed that such incurrence or actions would not result in such withdrawal or downgrade.

 

SECTION 4.20.                                                                 Escrow of Proceeds; Release.

 

(a)   Concurrently with the closing of the offering of the Initial Notes, the Issuer shall enter into an escrow agreement (the “Escrow Agreement”) with the Trustee and The Bank of New York Mellon, as escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent”), pursuant to which the Issuer will deposit with the Escrow Agent for the benefit of the Trustee an amount equal to the net proceeds of the offering of the Initial Notes sold on the Issue Date and an additional amount in cash, cash equivalents (as defined in the Escrow Agreement) or treasury securities (as defined in the Escrow Agreement) (collectively, with any other property from time to time held by the Escrow Agent, the “Escrowed Property”) sufficient as certified by the Issuer in an Officer’s Certificate to redeem the Initial Notes in cash at a redemption price equal to 100% the principal amount of the Initial Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Initial Notes to October 14, 2008 (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Amount”).  All interest earned on the Escrowed Property shall be paid to the Issuer upon the Issuer’s request, subject to the Issuer’s obligation to maintain in the escrow account at all times prior to the Release an amount equal to the Special Mandatory Redemption Amount.

 

(b)   The Escrowed Property shall be released to the Issuer (the “Release”) promptly upon the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in the Escrow Agreement.  Upon the Release, the escrow account under the Escrow Agreement shall be reduced to zero and the Escrowed Property and interest thereon paid out in accordance with the Escrow Agreement.

 

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(c)   From the Issue Date until the Release, the Trustee shall, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, be granted an exclusive first priority Lien on the Escrowed Property.  Upon the Release, the Lien of the Trustee on the Escrowed Property shall be extinguished.

 

(d)   The “Deadline” is September 30, 2008, or such earlier date as the Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of IAC’s announcement that it will not pursue the consummation of the Spin-Off.

 

ARTICLE 5

 

SUCCESSORS

 

SECTION 5.01.                                         Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets.

 

The Issuer shall not consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Issuer is the surviving entity), or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one or more related transactions to, another Person unless:

 

(a)   the Issuer is the surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer ) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made is a corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; provided, however, that if the surviving Person is a limited liability company or limited partnership, such entity shall also form a co-issuer that is a corporation;

 

(b)   the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made assumes all the Issuer’s obligations pursuant to a supplemental indenture in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee under the Notes and this Indenture;

 

(c)   immediately after such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and

 

(d)   the Issuer or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition will have been made (i) will have a Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio immediately after the transaction (but prior to any purchase accounting adjustments or accrual of deferred tax liabilities resulting from the transaction) not less than the Issuer’s Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio immediately preceding the transaction or (ii) would, at the time of such transaction after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 4.09(a).

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate with or merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) the Issuer may complete the Transactions, and (iii) this Article 5 will not apply to a merger of the Issuer with a Restricted Subsidiary solely for the purpose of reorganizing the Issuer in another jurisdiction of the United States so long as the amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiary is not increased thereby.

 

SECTION 5.02.                                         Successor Corporation Substituted.

 

Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer in accordance with Section 5.01 hereof, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Issuer is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such consolidation, merger, sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition, the provisions hereof referring to the Issuer shall refer instead to the successor corporation and not to the Issuer), and may exercise every right and power of, the Issuer under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person has been named as the Issuer herein.  When a successor Person assumes all the obligations of the Issuer under the Notes and the Indenture pursuant to this Article 5, the applicable predecessor shall be released from the obligations so assumed.

 

ARTICLE 6

 

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

 

SECTION 6.01.                                         Events of Default.

 

Each of the following constitutes an “Event of Default”:

 

(a)           default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest or additional interest, if any, on the Notes;

 

(b)           default in payment when due of principal of or premium, if any, on the Notes at maturity, upon repurchase, redemption or otherwise;

 

(c)           failure to comply with the provisions described under Sections 3.08 and 5.01;

 

(d)           failure to comply for 30 days after notice with any obligations under the provisions described under Sections 4.10 and 4.15 (other than a failure to purchase Notes duly tendered to the Issuer for repurchase pursuant to a Change of Control Offer or an Excess Proceeds Offer);

 

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(e)           subject to the last paragraph of Section 6.02, default under any other provision of this Indenture or the Notes, which default remains uncured for 60 days after notice from the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount then outstanding of the Notes;

 

(f)            default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Issuer and any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Issuer and any of the Restricted Subsidiaries), which default is caused by a failure to pay the principal of such Indebtedness at the final stated maturity thereof within the grace period provided in such Indebtedness (a “Payment Default”), and the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default, aggregates $25.0 million or more;

 

(g)           default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Issuer and any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Issuer or any of our Restricted Subsidiaries), which default results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity not rescinded or cured within 30 days after such acceleration, and the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated and remains undischarged after such 30 day period, aggregates $25.0 million or more;

 

(h)           failure by the Issuer and any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to pay final judgments (other than any judgment as to which a reputable insurance company has accepted full liability) aggregating $25.0 million or more, which judgments are not stayed within 60 days after their entry;

 

(i)            any Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary shall be held in a judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in full force and effect, or any Guarantor that qualifies as a Significant Subsidiary, or any person acting on behalf of any Guarantor that qualifies as a Significant Subsidiary, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under its Guarantee;

 

(j)            the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary of the Issuer pursuant to or within the meaning of Bankruptcy Law (i) commences a voluntary case; (ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case; (iii) consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property; or (iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;

 

(k)           a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:  (i) is for relief against the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary of the Issuer in an involuntary case; (ii) appoints a custodian of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary of the Issuer or for all or substantially all of the property of the Issuer or any

 

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Significant Subsidiary of the Issuer; or (iii) orders the liquidation of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary of the Issuer, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days; and

 

(l)            failure by the Issuer (or any parent company of the Issuer) to consummate the Special Mandatory Redemption, if applicable.

 

SECTION 6.02.                                         Acceleration.

 

If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by notice to the Issuer or the Holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount then outstanding of the Notes by written notice to the Issuer and the Trustee, may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Event of Default specified in paragraph (j) or (k) of Section 6.01 hereof with respect to the Issuer, all outstanding Notes shall become and shall be immediately due and payable without further action or notice.  Holders of the Notes may not enforce this Indenture or the Notes except as provided in this Indenture.  The Trustee may withhold from Holders of the Notes notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal or interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in such Holders’ interest.

 

Any failure to perform, or breach under Section 4.03 shall not be a Default or an Event of Default until the 121st day after the Issuer has received the notice referred to in clause (e) of Section 6.01 (at which point, unless cured or waived, such failure to perform or breach shall constitute an Event of Default).  Prior to such 121st day, remedies against the Issuer for any such failure or breach will be limited to additional interest at a rate per year equal to 0.25% of the principal amount of such Notes from the 60th day following such notice to and including the 121st day following such notice.

 

SECTION 6.03.                                         Other Remedies.

 

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes and this Indenture.

 

The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding.  A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder of a Note in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default.  All remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.

 

SECTION 6.04.                                         Waiver of Past Defaults.

 

Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Trustee, may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive an existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under this Indenture, except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, the Notes.  Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose hereof; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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SECTION 6.05.                                         Control by Majority.

 

Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on it.  However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with the law or this Indenture that the Trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders of Notes or that may involve the Trustee in personal liability.

 

SECTION 6.06.                                         Limitation on Suits.

 

A Holder of a Note may pursue a remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes only if

 

(a)           the Holder of a Note gives to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default;

 

(b)           the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

 

(c)           such Holder of a Note or Holders of Notes offer and, if requested, provide to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense;

 

(d)           the Trustee does not comply with the request within 60 days after receipt of the request and the offer and, if requested, the provision of indemnity; and

 

(e)           during such 60-day period the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the request.

 

A Holder of a Note may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder of a Note or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder of a Note.

 

SECTION 6.07.                                         Rights of Holders of Notes To Receive Payment.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the right of any Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Note, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of the Holder of the Note.

 

SECTION 6.08.                                         Collection Suit by Trustee.

 

If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(a) or (b) hereof occurs and is continuing, the Trustee is authorized to recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Issuer for the whole amount of principal of, premium, if any, and interest remaining unpaid on the Notes and interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful, interest and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the

 

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reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

 

SECTION 6.09.                                         Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

 

The Trustee is authorized to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders of the Notes allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer (or any other obligor upon the Notes), the Issuer’s creditors or the Issuer’s property and shall be entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of a Note to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of the Notes, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07 hereof.  To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07 hereof out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties which the Holders of the Notes may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.  Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Note any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder of a Note thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Note in any such proceeding.

 

SECTION 6.10.                                         Priorities.

 

If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article 6, it shall pay out the money in the following order:

 

First:  to the Trustee, its agents and attorneys for amounts due under Section 7.07 hereof, including payment of all compensation, expense and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and the costs and expenses of collection;

 

Second:  to Holders of Notes for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium, if any and interest, respectively; and

 

Third:  to the Issuer or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct in writing.

 

The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders of Notes.

 

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SECTION 6.11.                                         Undertaking for Costs.

 

In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as a Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant.  This Section 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder of a Note pursuant to Section 6.07 hereof, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes pursuant to this Article 6.

 

ARTICLE 7

 

TRUSTEE

 

SECTION 7.01.                                         Duties of Trustee.

 

(a)           If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

 

(b)           Except during the continuance of an Event of Default,

 

(i)            the duties of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions hereof and the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

 

(ii)           in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements hereof.  However, in the case of certificates or opinions specifically required by any provision hereof to be furnished to it, the Trustee shall examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements hereof but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein.

 

(c)           The Trustee may not be relieved from liabilities for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that

 

(i)            this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section 7.01;

 

(ii)           the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

 

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(iii)          the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05 hereof.

 

(d)           Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision hereof that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this Section 7.01.

 

(e)           No provision hereof shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or incur any liability.  The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under this Indenture at the request of any Holders of Notes, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense.

 

(f)            The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuer.  Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

SECTION 7.02.                                         Rights of Trustee.

 

(a)           The Trustee may conclusively rely upon any document (whether in original or facsimile form) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person.  The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

 

(b)           Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both.  The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.  The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

 

(c)           The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care.

 

(d)           The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

 

(e)           Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from an Issuer shall be sufficient if signed by an Officer of such Issuer.

 

(f)            The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

 

(g)           Except with respect to Section 4.01 hereof, the Trustee shall have no duty to inquire as to the performance of the Issuer’s covenants in Article 4.  In addition, the Trustee shall

 

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not be deemed to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default except (i) any Event of Default occurring pursuant to Sections 4.01(a), 6.01(a) and 6.01(b) hereof or (ii) any Default or Event of Default of which the Trustee shall have received written notification or obtained actual knowledge.

 

(h)           The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;

 

(i)            The Trustee may request that the Issuer deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture; and

 

(j)            In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

 

SECTION 7.03.                                         Individual Rights of Trustee.

 

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.  However, in the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the Commission for permission to continue as Trustee (if any of the Notes are registered pursuant to the Securities Act), or resign.  Any Agent may do the same with like rights and duties.  The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11 hereof.

 

SECTION 7.04.                                         Trustee’s Disclaimer.

 

(a)           The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy hereof or the Notes, it shall not be accountable for the Issuer’s use of the proceeds from the Notes or any money paid to the Issuer or upon the Issuer’s direction under any provision hereof, it shall not be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, and it shall not be responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement in the Notes or any other document in connection with the sale of the Notes or pursuant to this Indenture other than its certificate of authentication.

 

(b)           The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document.

 

SECTION 7.05.                                         Notice of Defaults.

 

If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing and if it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to Holders of Notes a notice of the Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs.  Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default

 

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in payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Notes.

 

SECTION 7.06.                                         Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes.

 

Within 60 days after each May 15 beginning with May 15, 2009, the Trustee shall mail to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such reporting date that complies with TIA § 313(a) (but if no event described in TIA § 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the reporting date, no report need be transmitted).  The Trustee also shall comply with TIA § 313(b).  The Trustee shall also transmit by mail all reports as required by TIA § 313(c).

 

A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to the Holders of Notes shall be mailed to the Issuer and filed with the Commission and each stock exchange on which any Notes are listed.  The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing when any Notes are listed on any stock exchange or any delisting thereof.

 

SECTION 7.07.                                         Compensation and Indemnity.

 

The Issuer shall pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for its acceptance hereof and services hereunder.  The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust.  The Issuer shall reimburse the Trustee promptly upon request for all reasonable disbursements, advances and expenses incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services.  Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

 

The Issuer shall indemnify the Trustee against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of its duties under this Indenture, except any such loss, liability or expense as shall be determined to have been caused by the negligence or willful misconduct of the Trustee.  The Trustee shall notify the Issuer promptly of any claim of which a Responsible Officer has received written notice for which it may seek indemnity.  Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Issuer shall not relieve the Issuer of its obligations hereunder.  The Issuer shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense.  The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Issuer shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel.  The Issuer need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

The obligations of the Issuer under this Section 7.07 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge hereof.

 

To secure the Issuer’s payment obligations in this Section 7.07, the Trustee shall have a Lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Notes.  Such Lien shall survive the satisfaction and discharge hereof.

 

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(j) or (k) hereof occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services (including

 

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the fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

SECTION 7.08.                                         Replacement of Trustee.

 

A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section 7.08.

 

The Trustee may resign in writing at any time and be discharged from the trust hereby created by so notifying the Issuer.  The Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Trustee and the Issuer in writing.  The Issuer may remove the Trustee if:

 

(a)           the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof;

 

(b)           the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

 

(c)           a custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

 

(d)           the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

 

If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.  Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Issuer.

 

If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Issuer or the Holders of Notes of at least 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may petition at the expense of the Issuer any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

If the Trustee after written request by any Holder of a Note who has been a Holder of a Note for at least six months fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof, such Holder of a Note may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Issuer.  Thereupon, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture.  The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Holders of the Notes.  The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, provided all sums owing to the Trustee hereunder have been paid and subject to the Lien provided for in Section 7.07 hereof.  Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.08, the Issuer’s obligations under Section 7.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

 

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If a Trustee is removed without cause, all fees and expenses of the Trustee incurred in the administration of the trust or in the performance of the duties hereunder shall be paid to the Trustee.

 

SECTION 7.09.                                              Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.

 

If the Trustee consolidates, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.

 

SECTION 7.10.                                              Eligibility; Disqualification.

 

There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state thereof authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trustee power, shall be subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25 million as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.

 

This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5).  The Trustee is subject to TIA § 310(b).

 

SECTION 7.11.                                              Preferential Collection of Claims Against Issuer.

 

The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b).  A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.

 

ARTICLE 8

 

DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE

 

SECTION 8.01.                                              Termination of the Issuer’s Obligations.

 

(a)        The Issuer may terminate its Obligations as to all outstanding Notes, except those obligations referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section 8.01, when

 

(1)       either:

 

(a)       all the Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes which have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

(b)      all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or, within one year will become due and payable or

 

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subject to redemption as set forth in Section 3.07 and the Issuer has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee funds in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to the date of deposit together with irrevocable instructions from the Issuer directing the Trustee to apply such funds to the payment thereof at maturity or redemption, as the case may be;

 

(2)     the Issuer has paid all other sums payable under this Indenture by the Issuer; and

 

(3)     the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent under this Indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge hereof have been complied with; provided, however, that such counsel may rely, as to matters of fact, on a certificate or certificates of Officers of the Issuer.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Section 8.01, the Issuer’s obligations in Sections 2.03, 2.04, 2.05, 2.06, 7.07, 7.08, 8.07 and 8.08 hereof shall survive until the Notes are no longer outstanding pursuant to Section 2.08 hereof.  After the Notes are no longer outstanding, the Issuer’s obligations in Sections 7.07, 7.08, 8.07 and 8.08 hereof shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

 

SECTION 8.02.                                              Option To Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

 

The Issuer may, at the option of its Board of Directors evidenced by a resolution set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, at any time, with respect to the Notes, elect to have either Section 8.03 or 8.04 hereof applied to all outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article 8.

 

SECTION 8.03.                                              Legal Defeasance and Covenant Discharge.

 

Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.02 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03, the Issuer shall be deemed to have been discharged from their obligations with respect to all outstanding Notes on the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Legal Defeasance”).  For this purpose, such Legal Defeasance means that the Issuer shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 8.06 hereof and the other Sections hereof referred to in clauses (a) and (b) below, and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Notes and this Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following, which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder:  (a) the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes when such payments are due, or on the redemption date, as the case may be; (b) the Issuer’s obligations with respect to such Notes under Sections 2.05, 2.07, 2.08, 2.10, 2.11 and 4.02 hereof; (c) the rights, powers, trust, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, and the Issuer’s obligations in connection therewith; and

 

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(d) this Section 8.03.  Subject to compliance with this Article 8, the Issuer may exercise its option under this Section 8.03 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 8.04 hereof with respect to the Notes.

 

SECTION 8.04.                                              Covenant Defeasance.

 

Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.02 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.04, the Issuer shall be released from its obligations under the covenants contained in Sections 3.08, 4.03, 4.04, 4.05, 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.13, 4.14 (other than existence of the Issuer (subject to Section 5.01), 4.15, 5.01 (except clauses (a) and (b)) and 10.03 hereof with respect to the outstanding Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Notes shall thereafter be deemed not “outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall continue to be deemed “outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder (it being understood that such Notes shall not be deemed outstanding for GAAP).  For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes, the Issuer may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.01(c) hereof, but, except as specified above, the remainder hereof and such Notes shall be unaffected thereby.  In addition, upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.02 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.04, Sections 6.01(c) through 6.01(h) shall not constitute Events of Default.

 

SECTION 8.05.                                              Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance.

 

The following shall be the conditions to the application of either Section 8.03 or Section 8.04 hereof to the outstanding Notes:

 

(i)

 

the Issuer shall irrevocably have deposited with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, cash in U.S. dollars, noncallable U.S. government obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants selected by the Trustee, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the outstanding Notes on the stated maturity or on the applicable optional redemption date, as the case may be;

 

 

 

(ii)

 

in the case of an election under Section 8.03 hereof, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that (A) the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in each case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance, and will be subject to federal income tax in the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

 

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(iii)

 

in the case of an election under Section 8.04, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably acceptable to such Trustee confirming that the holders of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

 

 

 

(iv)

 

no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;

 

 

 

(v)

 

such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is bound;

 

 

 

(vi)

 

the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit made by the Issuer pursuant to its election under Section 8.03 and 8.04 hereof was not made by the Issuer with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Notes over any of its other creditors or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any of its other creditors or others; and

 

 

 

(vii)

 

the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for or relating to the Legal Defeasance under Section 8.03 hereof or the Covenant Defeasance under Section 8.04 hereof (as the case may be) have been complied with as contemplated by this Section 8.05.

 

SECTION 8.06.                                              Deposited Money and Government Securities To Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions.

 

Subject to Section 8.07 hereof, all money and Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 8.06, the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 8.05 hereof in respect of the outstanding Notes shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including an Issuer acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Notes of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium, if any, and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

The Issuer shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 8.05 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Notes.

 

Anything in this Article 8 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time upon the request of the Issuer any money or Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 8.05 hereof which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 8.05(a) hereof), are in excess of

 

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the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

 

SECTION 8.07.                                              Repayment to Issuer.

 

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Issuer, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Issuer on their request or (if then held by the Issuer) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter, as a general creditor, look only to the Issuer for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Issuer as trustees thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Issuer cause to be published once, in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer.

 

SECTION 8.08.                                              Reinstatement.

 

If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any United States Dollars or Government Securities in accordance with Section 8.03 or 8.04 hereof, as the case may be, by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.03 or 8.04 hereof until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.03 or 8.04 hereof, as the case may be; provided, however, that, if the Issuer makes any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

ARTICLE 9

 

AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER

 

SECTION 9.01.                                              Without Consent of Holders of Notes.

 

Notwithstanding Section 9.02 hereof, the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees or any amended or supplemental indenture without the consent of any Holder of a Note:

 

(a)             to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

 

(b)             to provide for uncertificated Notes or Guarantees in addition to or in place of certificated Notes or Guarantees (provided that the uncertificated Notes are issued in

 

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registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code, or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code);

 

(c)             to provide for the assumption of the obligations of the Issuer or any Guarantor to the Holders of the Notes in the case of a merger or consolidation pursuant to Article 5 or Article 10 hereof;

 

(d)             to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of the Notes or that does not adversely affect the rights hereunder of any Holder of the Notes;

 

(e)             to provide for the issuance of additional Notes in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Indenture;

 

(f)              to evidence and provide for the acceptance of an appointment of a successor Trustee;

 

(g)             to add Guarantees with respect to the Notes;

 

(h)             to conform the Indenture or the Notes to the “Description of Notes” section in the Offering Memorandum; or

 

(i)              to comply with requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification hereof under the TIA.

 

Upon the request of the Issuer accompanied by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer and a resolution of the Board of Directors of each Guarantor and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 11.04 hereof, the Trustee shall join with the Issuer and the Guarantors in the execution of any amended or supplemental indenture authorized or permitted by the terms hereof and shall make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into such amended or supplemental indenture which affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

SECTION 9.02.                                              With Consent of Holders of Notes.

 

The Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees or any amended or supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes), and any existing Default and its consequences or compliance with any provision hereof or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver may not (with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder):

 

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(a)           reduce the aggregate principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

(b)           reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any Note or alter the provisions with respect to the redemption of the Notes (other than as provided in clause (h) below);

 

(c)           reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any Note;

 

(d)           waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

(e)           make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Notes;

 

(f)            make any change in the provisions hereof relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of Notes to receive payments of principal of or interest on the Notes;

 

(g)           waive a redemption payment or mandatory redemption with respect to any Note (other than as provided in clause (h) below) ;

 

(h)           amend, change or modify in any material respect the obligation of the Issuer to make and consummate a Change of Control Offer in the event of a Change of Control after such Change of Control has occurred;

 

(i)            release all or substantially all of the Guarantees of the Guarantors other than in accordance with Article 10; or

 

(j)            make any change in the foregoing amendment and waiver provisions.

 

Upon the request of the Issuer accompanied by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer and a resolution of the Board of Directors of each Guarantor, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence satisfactory to the Trustee of the consent of the Holders of Notes as aforesaid, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 11.04 hereof, the Trustee shall join with the Issuer and the Guarantors in the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture unless such amended or supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental indenture.

 

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Notes under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

 

After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Issuer shall mail to the Holders of Notes affected thereby a notice briefly describing the

 

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amendment, supplement or waiver.  Any failure of the Issuer to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such amended or supplemental indenture or waiver.  Subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may waive compliance in a particular instance by the Issuer with any provision of this Indenture or of the Notes.

 

SECTION 9.03.                                              Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.

 

Every amendment or supplement to this Indenture and the Notes shall be set forth in an amended or supplemental indenture that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

 

SECTION 9.04.                                              Revocation and Effect of Consents.

 

Until an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Note is a continuing consent by the Holder of a Note and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Note.  However, any such Holder of a Note or subsequent Holder of a Note may revoke the consent as to its Note if the Trustee receives written notice of revocation before the date the waiver, supplement or amendment becomes effective.  An amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective in accordance with its terms and thereafter binds every Holder of a Note.

 

The Issuer may fix a record date for determining which Holders of the Notes must consent to such amendment, supplement or waiver.  If the Issuer fixes a record date, the record date shall be fixed at (i) the later of 30 days prior to the first solicitation of such consent or the date of the most recent list of Holders of Notes furnished to the Trustee prior to such solicitation pursuant to Section 2.05 hereof or (ii) such other date as the Issuer shall designate.

 

SECTION 9.05.                                              Notation on or Exchange of Notes.

 

The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment, supplement or waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated.  The Issuer in exchange for all Notes may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment, supplement or waiver.

 

Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note shall not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.

 

SECTION 9.06.                                              Trustee To Sign Amendments, Etc.

 

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modification thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall receive, and shall by fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.  The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

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ARTICLE 10

 

GUARANTEES

 

SECTION 10.01.                                   Guarantee.

 

Each of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, hereby unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of a Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes or the Obligations of the Issuer hereunder or thereunder, that

 

(a)           the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be promptly paid in full when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if lawful, and all other Obligations of the Issuer to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and

 

(b)           in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other Obligations, that the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise.  Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed or any performance so guaranteed for whatever reason, each of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, will be obligated to pay the same immediately.

 

Each of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of a Note with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Issuer, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor.

 

Each of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Issuer, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuer, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenants that this Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete performance of the Obligations guaranteed hereby.  If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise, or any custodian, Trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Issuer or any Guarantor, to return to the Issuer or any Guarantor any amount paid by either to the Trustee or such Holder, this Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect.

 

Each of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agrees that it shall not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any Obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all Obligations guaranteed hereby.  Each of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, further agrees that, as between such Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the Obligations guaranteed hereby may be

 

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accelerated as provided in Article 6 for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Obligations guaranteed hereby, and (y) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such Obligations as provided in Article 6, such Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by each Guarantor for the purpose of this Guarantee.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any Guarantee would constitute or result in a violation of any applicable fraudulent conveyance or similar law of any relevant jurisdiction, the liability of the applicable Guarantor under its Guarantee shall be reduced to the maximum amount permissible under such fraudulent conveyance or similar law.

 

The Guarantors hereby agree as among themselves that each Guarantor that makes a payment or distribution under a Guarantee shall be entitled to a pro rata contribution from each other Guarantor hereunder based on the net assets of each other Guarantor.  The preceding sentence shall in no way affect the rights of the Holders of Notes to the benefits hereof, the Notes or the Guarantees.

 

Nothing in this Section 10.01 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.07 hereof.  Nothing contained in this Section 10.01 or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees shall impair, as between any Guarantor and the Holder of any Note, the obligation of such Guarantor, which is unconditional and absolute, to pay to the Holder thereof the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Notes in accordance with their terms and the terms of the Guarantee and this Indenture, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Note from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law or hereunder or thereunder upon the occurrence of an Event of Default.

 

SECTION 10.02.                                   Execution and Delivery of Guarantees.

 

To evidence its Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01 hereof, each Guarantor hereby agrees that a notation of such Guarantee substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto shall be endorsed by an officer of such Guarantor on each Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and that this Indenture shall be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by any of its Officers.  Each of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, hereby agrees that its Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Note a notation of such Guarantee.  If an officer or Officer whose signature is on this Indenture or on the Guarantee of a Guarantor no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note on which the Guarantee of such Guarantor is endorsed, the Guarantee of such Guarantor shall be valid nevertheless.  The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of the Guarantees set forth in this Indenture on behalf of the Guarantors.

 

SECTION 10.03.                                   Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets of Guarantors.

 

Subject to Section 10.05 hereof, a Guarantor may not, and the Issuer will not cause or permit any Guarantor to, consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving entity), or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one or more related transactions to, another Person other

 

85



 

than the Issuer or another Guarantor (in each case other than in accordance with Section 4.10) unless:

 

(a)           such Guarantor is the surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Guarantor) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made is a corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

(b)           the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Guarantor) or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made assumes all the obligations of the Guarantor, pursuant to a supplemental indenture in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, under the Notes and this Indenture; and

 

(c)           immediately after such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists.

 

Nothing contained in this Indenture shall prevent any consolidation or merger of a Guarantor with or into the Issuer or another Guarantor that is a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or shall prevent any sale or conveyance of the property of a Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Issuer or another Guarantor that is a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer.  Except as set forth in Articles 4 and 5 hereof, nothing contained in this Indenture shall prevent any consolidation or merger of a Guarantor with or into the Issuer or another Guarantor that is a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or shall prevent any sale or conveyance of the property of a Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Issuer or another Guarantor that is a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer.

 

SECTION 10.04.                                   Successor Corporation Substituted.

 

Upon any consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance described in paragraphs (a) through (c) of Section 10.03 hereof, and upon the assumption by the successor Person, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of any Guarantee previously signed by the Guarantor and the due and punctual performance of all of the covenants and conditions hereof to be performed by the Guarantor, such successor Person shall succeed to and be substituted for the Guarantor with the same effect as if it had been named herein as a Guarantor.  Such successor Person thereupon may cause to be signed any or all of the Guarantees to be issuable hereunder by such Guarantor and delivered to the Trustee.  All the Guarantees so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Guarantees theretofore and thereafter issued in accordance with the terms hereof as though all of such Guarantees had been issued at the date of the execution of such Guarantee by such Guarantor.  When a successor Person assumes all the obligations of the Issuer under the Notes and the Indenture pursuant to this Article 5, the applicable predecessor shall be released from the obligations so assumed.

 

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SECTION 10.05.                                   Releases from Guarantees.

 

If pursuant to any direct or indirect sale of assets (including, if applicable, all of the Capital Stock of any Guarantor) or other disposition by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, the assets sold include all or substantially all of the assets of any Guarantor or all of the Capital Stock of any such Guarantor, then such Guarantor or the Person acquiring the property (in the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such a Guarantor) shall be released and relieved of its obligations under its Guarantee or Section 10.03 and Section 10.04 hereof, as the case may be; provided that in the event of an Asset Sale, the Net Proceeds from such sale or other disposition are applied in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.10 hereof.  In addition, a Guarantor shall be released and relieved of its obligations under its Guarantee or Section 10.03 and Section 10.04 hereof, as the case may be if (1) such Guarantor is dissolved or liquidated in accordance with the provisions hereof; (2) the Issuer designates any such Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in compliance with the terms hereof; or (3) the Issuer effectively discharges such Guarantor’s obligations or defeases the Notes in compliance with the terms of Article 8 hereof.  Upon delivery by the Issuer to the Trustee of an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such sale or other disposition was made by the Issuer in accordance with the provisions hereof, including without limitation Section 4.10 hereof, if applicable, the Trustee shall execute any documents pursuant to written direction of the Issuer in order to evidence the release of any such Guarantor from its obligations under its Guarantee.  Any such Guarantor not released from its obligations under its Guarantee shall remain liable for the full amount of principal of and interest on the Notes and for the other obligations of such Guarantor under this Indenture as provided in this Article 10.

 

ARTICLE 11

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 11.01.                                   Trust Indenture Act Controls.

 

If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by TIA § 318(c), the imposed duties shall control.

 

SECTION 11.02.                                   Notices.

 

Any notice or communication by the Issuer, any Guarantor or the Trustee to the others is duly given if in writing and delivered by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, next-day air courier or facsimile:

 

If to the Issuer or any Guarantor, to it care of:

 

Ticketmaster
8800 West Sunset Boulevard, 7th Floor
West Hollywood, California 90069
Facsimile No.:  (213) 386 1244
Attention:  General Counsel

 

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If to the Trustee:
The Bank of New York Mellon.
101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W

New York, NY 10286

Facsimile No.: 212-815-5704

Attention:  Corporate Trust Administration

 

The Issuer, any Guarantor or the Trustee, by notice to the other, may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

 

All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders of Notes) shall be deemed to have been duly given:  when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, certified or registered, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, if mailed; one Business Day after being timely delivered to a next-day air courier; and when transmission is confirmed, if sent by facsimile.

 

Any notice or communication to a Holder of a Note shall be mailed by first class mail to its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar.  Any notice or communication shall also be so mailed to any Person described in TIA § 313(c), to the extent required by the TIA.  Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder of a Note or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders of Notes.

 

If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.

 

If the Issuer mails a notice or communication to Holders of Notes, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

 

The Trustee agrees to accept and act upon facsimile and electronic mail transmission of written instructions and/or directions pursuant to this Indenture given by the Issuer, provided, however that:  (i) the Issuer, subsequent to such facsimile or electronic mail transmission of written instructions and/or directions, shall provide the originally executed instructions and/or directions to the Trustee in a timely manner and (ii) such originally executed instructions and/or directions shall be signed by an authorized “Officer” of the Issuer.

 

SECTION 11.03.                                   Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes.

 

Holders of the Notes may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Holders of Notes with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes.  The Issuer, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).

 

SECTION 11.04.                                   Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.

 

Upon any request or application by the Issuer to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture (except in connection with the original issuance of the Notes), the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee:

 

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(a)                                                    an Officers’ Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been satisfied; and

 

(b)                                                   an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent and covenants have been satisfied.

 

SECTION 11.05.                                   Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.

 

Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA § 314(a)(4)) , if applicable; shall include:

 

(a)                                                    a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

 

(b)                                                   a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

 

(c)                                                    a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been satisfied; and

 

(d)                                                   a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has been satisfied.

 

SECTION 11.06.                                   Rules by Trustee and Agents.

 

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders of Notes.  The Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

 

SECTION 11.07.                                   No Personal Liability of Directors, Owners, Employees, Incorporators and Stockholders.

 

No director, owner, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Issuer, the Guarantors or any of their Affiliates, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer, the Guarantors or any of their Affiliates under the Notes, the Guarantees or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation.  Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability.  The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

89



 

SECTION 11.08.                                   Governing Law.

 

THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE GUARANTEES WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.

 

SECTION 11.09.                                   No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.

 

This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Issuer or any of its respective Subsidiaries.  Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

 

SECTION 11.10.                                   Successors.

 

All agreements of the Issuer and the Guarantors in this Indenture and the Notes and the Guarantees shall bind the successors of the Issuer and the Guarantors, respectively.  All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.

 

SECTION 11.11.                                   Severability.

 

In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

SECTION 11.12.                                   Counterpart Originals.

 

The parties may sign any number of copies hereof.  Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.

 

SECTION 11.13.                                   Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

 

The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table and headings of the Articles and Sections hereof have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

SECTION 11.14.                                   Force Majeure.

 

In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

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SECTION 11.15.                                   Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

EACH OF THE ISSUER AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

[Signatures on following page]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

TICKETMASTER, as Issuer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Brian Regan

 

 

Name:

Brian Regan

 

 

Title: 

Executive Vice President

 

 

 

and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

IAC PARTNER MARKETING, INC.,

 

 

MICROFLEX 2001 LLC,

 

 

TICKETMASTER ADVANCE TICKETS, LLC,

 

 

TICKETMASTER CALIFORNIA GIFT CERTIFICATES
L.L.C.,

 

 

TICKETMASTER CHINA VENTURES, L.L.C.,

 

 

TICKETMASTER EDCS LLC,

 

 

TICKETMASTER FLORIDA GIFT CERTIFICATES L.L.C.,

 

 

TICKETMASTER GEORGIA GIFT CERTIFICATES L.L.C.,

 

 

TICKETMASTER INDIANA HOLDINGS CORP.,

 

 

TICKETMASTER L.L.C.,

 

 

TICKETMASTER MULTIMEDIA HOLDINGS LLC,

 

 

TICKETMASTER NEW VENTURES HOLDINGS, INC.,

 

 

TICKETMASTER WEST VIRGINIA GIFT CERTIFICATES L.L.C.,

 

 

TICKETMASTER-INDIANA, L.L.C.,

 

 

TICKETWEB INC.,

 

 

TM VISTA INC.,

 

 

as Guarantors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Brian Regan

 

 

Name:

Brian Regan

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 



 

 

 

ECHOMUSIC, LLC,

 

 

EVENTINVENTORY.COM, INC.,

 

 

NETTICKETS.COM, INC.,

 

 

OPENSEATS, INC.,

 

 

PACIOLAN, INC.,

 

 

PREMIUM INVENTORY, INC.,

 

 

SHOW ME TICKETS, LLC,

 

 

THE V.I.P. TOUR COMPANY,

 

 

TICKETSNOW.COM, INC.,

 

 

TNOW ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC.,

 

 

as Guarantors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Brian Regan

 

Name:

Brian Regan

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 



 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sherma Thomas

 

 

Name: Sherma

 

 

Title: Assistant Treasurer

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 



EX-21.1 27 a2187104zex-21_1.htm EXHIBIT 21.1

Exhibit 21.1

 

Subsidiaries of Ticketmaster(1)

 

Name

 

Jurisdiction of Organization

 

 

 

Echomusic, LLC

 

Delaware

 

 

 

EventInventory.com, Inc.

 

Illinois

 

 

 

FLMG Holdings Corp.

 

Delaware

 

 

 

IAC Partner Marketing, Inc.

 

Delaware

 

 

 

Microflex 2001 LLC

 

Delaware

 

 

 

NetTickets.com, Inc.

 

Delaware

 

 

 

OpenSeats, Inc.

 

Illinois

 

 

 

Paciolan, Inc.

 

Delaware

 

 

 

Premium Inventory, Inc.

 

Illinois

 

 

 

Show Me Tickets, LLC

 

Illinois

 

 

 

The V.I.P. Tour Company 

 

Delaware

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Advance Tickets, L.L.C.

 

Colorado

 

 

 

Ticketmaster California Gift Certificates L.L.C.

 

California

 

 

 

Ticketmaster China Ventures, L.L.C.

 

Delaware

 

 

 

Ticketmaster EDCS LLC

 

Delaware

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Florida Gift Certificates L.L.C.

 

Florida

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Georgia Gift Certificates L.L.C.

 

Georgia

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Indiana Holdings Corp.

 

Indiana

 

 

 

Ticketmaster L.L.C.

 

Virginia

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Multimedia Holdings LLC

 

Delaware

 

 

 

Ticketmaster New Ventures Holdings, Inc.

 

Delaware

 

 

 

Ticketmaster West Virginia Gift Certificates L.L.C.

 

West Virginia

 


(1) As of the effective date of IAC/InterActiveCorp’s pending spin-off of the Registrant described in the Registration Statement.

 



 

Name

 

Jurisdiction of Organization

 

 

 

Ticketmaster-Indiana, L.L.C.

 

Delaware

 

 

 

TicketsNow.com, Inc.

 

Illinois

 

 

 

TicketWeb Inc.

 

Delaware

 

 

 

TM Vista Inc.

 

Virginia

 

 

 

TNOW Entertainment Group, Inc.

 

Illinois

 

 

 

4075650 Canada Inc.

 

Canada Fed.

 

 

 

Biletix Bilet Basim Dagitim ve TIC AS

 

Turkey

 

 

 

Billettsentralen AS

 

Norway

 

 

 

BILLETnet A/S

 

Denmark

 

 

 

Billettservice AS

 

Norway

 

 

 

Echo Europe Limited

 

England and Wales

 

 

 

Emma Entertainment (Beijing) Co. Ltd.

 

China

 

 

 

Emma Entertainment Holdings HK Ltd.

 

Hong Kong

 

 

 

Europa Ticket Holdings C.V.

 

Netherlands

 

 

 

FC 1031 Limited

 

United Kingdom

 

 

 

Getmein! Limited

 

England and Wales

 

 

 

Karienhaus Ticketservice GmbH

 

Germany

 

 

 

Lippupalyelu Oy

 

Finland

 

 

 

Reseau Admission Inc.

 

Canada Fed.

 

 

 

RIGOL GRUPO DE INVERSIONES S.L.

 

Spain

 

 

 

Show Tickets Australia Pty. Ltd.

 

Australia

 

 

 

The Ticket Shop (Unlimited)

 

Ireland

 

 

 

Tick Tack Ticket, S.A.

 

Spain

 

 

 

Ticket Service Nederland, B.V.

 

Netherlands

 

 

 

Ticket Shop Holdings (IOM) (Unlimited)

 

Isle of Man

 



 

Name

 

Jurisdiction of Organization

 

 

 

Ticket Shop One (IOM) Limited

 

Isle of Man

 

 

 

Ticket Shop Two (IOM) Limited

 

Isle of Man

 

 

 

Ticketflask Limited

 

England and Wales

 

 

 

Ticketline (Unlimited)

 

Ireland

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Australasia Pty. Ltd.

 

Australia

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Canada Ltd.

 

Canada Fed.

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Group Holding Company 1 Ltd.

 

England and Wales

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Group Holding Company 2 Ltd.

 

England and Wales

 

 

 

Ticketmaster International Events Ltd.

 

United Kingdom

 

 

 

Ticketmaster New Ventures II AB Holdings

 

Sweden

 

 

 

Ticketmaster New Ventures, Ltd.

 

Cayman Islands

 

 

 

Ticketmaster New Ventures Finance HB

 

Sweden

 

 

 

Ticketmaster NZ Pty. Ltd.

 

New Zealand

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Systems Ltd.

 

United Kingdom

 

 

 

Ticketmaster Ticketing Information Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.

 

China

 

 

 

Ticketmaster UK Limited

 

United Kingdom

 

 

 

Ticketron Australia Pty. Ltd.

 

Australia

 

 

 

Ticketshop (NI) Limited

 

Northern Ireland

 

 

 

Ticketweb UK, Ltd.

 

United Kingdom

 

 

 

Ticnet AB

 

Sweden

 

 

 

TM Deutschland GmbH

 

Germany

 

 

 

TM Number One Limited

 

United Kingdom

 

 

 

Worldwide Ticket Systems, Inc.

 

Washington

 



EX-23.1 28 a2187104zex-23_1.htm EXHIBIT 23.1
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Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

        We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" and to the use of our reports dated May 5, 2008 in the Registration Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-00000) and related Prospectus of Ticketmaster dated August 1, 2008.

    /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

New York, New York
July 31, 2008




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Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
EX-99.1 29 a2187104zex-99_1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

CONSENT TO BEING NAMED AS A PROSPECTIVE DIRECTOR

 

As required by Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, I hereby consent to the reference to my name as a prospective director of Ticketmaster (the “Registrant”) in the section entitled “Management of Ticketmaster” in the prospectus forming a part of a registration statement on Form S-1 to be filed by the Registrant with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as amended from time to time.

 

 

 

/s/Terry Barnes

 



EX-99.2 30 a2187104zex-99_2.htm EXHIBIT 99.2

Exhibit 99.2

 

Consent to Being Named a Prospective Director*

 

By signing this Directors’ Questionnaire, I hereby consent to being named as a nominee for director in any related materials filed by Ticketmaster or IAC with the SEC and to serving as a director, if elected.

 

 

 

/s/Mark Carleton

 


* Excerpted from Director Questionnaire

 



EX-99.3 31 a2187104zex-99_3.htm EXHIBIT 99.3

Exhibit 99.3

 

Consent to Being Named a Prospective Director*

 

By signing this Directors’ Questionnaire, I hereby consent to being named as a nominee for director in any related materials filed by Ticketmaster or IAC with the SEC and to serving as a director, if elected.

 

 

 

/s/Brian Deevy

 


* Excerpted from Director Questionnaire

 



EX-99.4 32 a2187104zex-99_4.htm EXHIBIT 99.4

Exhibit 99.4

 

CONSENT TO BEING NAMED AS A PROSPECTIVE DIRECTOR

 

As required by Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, I hereby consent to the reference to my name as a prospective director of Ticketmaster (the “Registrant”) in the section entitled “Management of Ticketmaster” in the prospectus forming a part of a registration statement on Form S-1 to be filed by the Registrant with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as amended from time to time.

 

 

 

/s/Barry Diller

 



EX-99.5 33 a2187104zex-99_5.htm EXHIBIT 99.5

Exhibit 99.5

 

Consent to Being Named a Prospective Director*

 

By signing this Directors’ Questionnaire, I hereby consent to being named as a nominee for director in any related materials filed by Ticketmaster or IAC with the SEC and to serving as a director, if elected.

 

 

 

/s/Jonathan L. Dolgen

 


* Excerpted from Director Questionnaire

 



EX-99.6 34 a2187104zex-99_6.htm EXHIBIT 99.6

Exhibit 99.6

 

Consent to Being Named a Prospective Director*

 

By signing this Directors’ Questionnaire, I hereby consent to being named as a nominee for director in any related materials filed by Ticketmaster or IAC with the SEC and to serving as a director, if elected.

 

 

 

/s/Julius Genachowski

 


* Excerpted from Director Questionnaire

 



EX-99.7 35 a2187104zex-99_7.htm EXHIBIT 99.7

Exhibit 99.7

 

Consent to Being Named a Prospective Director*

 

By signing this Directors’ Questionnaire, I hereby consent to being named as a nominee for director in any related materials filed by Ticketmaster or IAC with the SEC and to serving as a director, if elected.

 

 

 

/s/Diane Irvine

 


* Excerpted from Director Questionnaire

 



EX-99.8 36 a2187104zex-99_8.htm EXHIBIT 99.8

Exhibit 99.8

 

CONSENT TO BEING NAMED AS A PROSPECTIVE DIRECTOR

 

As required by Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, I hereby consent to the reference to my name as a prospective director of Ticketmaster (the “Registrant”) in the section entitled “Management of Ticketmaster” in the prospectus forming a part of a registration statement on Form S-1 to be filed by the Registrant with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as amended from time to time.

 

 

 

/s/Victor Kaufman

 



EX-99.9 37 a2187104zex-99_9.htm EXHIBIT 99.9

Exhibit 99.9

 

Consent to Being Named a Prospective Director*

 

By signing this Directors’ Questionnaire, I hereby consent to being named as a nominee for director in any related materials filed by Ticketmaster or IAC with the SEC and to serving as a director, if elected.

 

 

 

/s/Michael Leitner

 


* Excerpted from Director Questionnaire

 



EX-99.10 38 a2187104zex-99_10.htm EXHIBIT 99.10

Exhibit 99.10

 

Consent to Being Named a Prospective Director*

 

By signing this Directors’ Questionnaire, I hereby consent to being named as a nominee for director in any related materials filed by Ticketmaster or IAC with the SEC and to serving as a director, if elected.

 

 

 

/s/Jonathan F. Miller

 


* Excerpted from Director Questionnaire

 



EX-99.11 39 a2187104zex-99_11.htm EXHIBIT 99.11

Exhibit 99.11

 

CONSENT TO BEING NAMED AS A PROSPECTIVE DIRECTOR

 

As required by Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, I hereby consent to the reference to my name as a prospective director of Ticketmaster (the “Registrant”) in the section entitled “Management of Ticketmaster” in the prospectus forming a part of a registration statement on Form S-1 to be filed by the Registrant with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as amended from time to time.

 

 

 

/s/Sean Moriarty

 



EX-99.12 40 a2187104zex-99_12.htm EXHIBIT 99.12

Exhibit 99.12

 

 

July 1, 2008

 

Dear IAC/InterActiveCorp Stockholder:

 

I am pleased to inform you that on July 1, 2008, the Board of Directors of IAC/InterActiveCorp approved the spin-offs of HSN, Inc., Interval Leisure Group, Inc., Ticketmaster and Tree.com, Inc. (each, a “Spinco” and collectively, the “Spincos”) via the distribution of all of the outstanding shares of common stock of each Spinco to IAC’s stockholders. As a result of the spin-offs, IAC will be separated into five separate, publicly traded companies.

 

At the time of the spin-offs, the Spincos will collectively hold all of the assets and liabilities associated with IAC’s Retailing, Interval, Ticketmaster, Lending and Real Estate segments. We believe that the separation of these businesses will over time enhance their operating performance, provide each of them with a liquid equity currency linked directly to its businesses, open up strategic alternatives that may otherwise not have been readily available to them and facilitate investor understanding and better target investor demand. We expect the spin-offs of each of the Spincos to occur simultaneously, unless otherwise determined by IAC’s Board of Directors. Immediately after each spin-off, IAC stockholders will own 100% of the common stock of the company being distributed.

 

The spin-offs of each of the Spincos will occur on July 1, 2008 by way of a pro rata dividend to IAC stockholders, unless otherwise determined by IAC’s board of directors. Each IAC stockholder will be entitled to receive one-fifth of a share of common stock of HSN, Inc., one-fifth of a share of common stock of Interval Leisure Group, Inc., one-fifth of a share of common stock of Ticketmaster and one-thirtieth of a share of common stock of Tree.com, Inc. for every share of IAC common stock and/or Class B common stock held by such stockholder at the close of business on [  •  ], 2008, the record date for the spin-offs. IAC will not distribute any fractional shares of common stock of the Spincos to its stockholders, as more fully described in the accompanying prospectus. Stockholder approval of the spin-offs is not required, nor are you required to take any action to receive your shares of common stock of the Spincos.

 

The enclosed prospectus, which is being mailed to all IAC stockholders, describes the spin-offs of the common stock of each of the Spincos in detail and contains important information about each of the Spincos. We urge you to read this prospectus carefully.

 

I want to thank you for your continued support of IAC, and each of the Spincos looks forward to your support in the future.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Barry Diller

 

Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

 



EX-99.13 41 a2187104zex-99_13.htm EXHIBIT 99.13

Exhibit 99.13

 

Ticketmaster and Subsidiaries

 

Combined Statements of Operations

 

Year Ended December 31, 2007

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

Quarter Ended
March 31

 

Quarter Ended
June 30

 

Quarter Ended
September 30

 

Quarter Ended
December 31

 

 

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

Revenue

 

$

303,577

 

$

293,416

 

$

292,466

 

$

351,018

 

Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)

 

184,784

 

183,860

 

181,186

 

216,708

 

Gross profit

 

118,793

 

109,556

 

111,280

 

134,310

 

Selling and marketing expense

 

7,073

 

8,158

 

8,560

 

19,696

 

General and administrative expense

 

34,258

 

39,892

 

39,108

 

36,220

 

Amortization of intangibles

 

6,853

 

6,667

 

6,081

 

6,599

 

Depreciation

 

9,121

 

9,471

 

9,495

 

10,371

 

Operating income

 

61,488

 

45,368

 

48,036

 

61,424

 

Other income (expense):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

5,378

 

8,499

 

8,533

 

10,655

 

Interest expense

 

(266

)

(133

)

(242

)

(362

)

Equity in income of uncombined affiliates

 

865

 

960

 

1,196

 

3,280

 

Other income (expense)

 

83

 

(208

)

230

 

1,015

 

Total other income, net

 

6,060

 

9,118

 

9,717

 

14,588

 

Earnings before income taxes and minority interest

 

67,548

 

54,486

 

57,753

 

76,012

 

Income tax provision

 

(24,637

)

(19,873

)

(18,671

)

(25,826

)

Minority interest in losses of combined subsidiaries

 

14

 

191

 

1,459

 

895

 

Net income

 

$

42,925

 

$

34,804

 

$

40,541

 

$

51,081

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-cash compensation expense is included in the following line items in the combined statements of operations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales

 

$

148

 

$

242

 

$

211

 

$

199

 

Selling and marketing expense

 

163

 

265

 

230

 

218

 

General and administrative expense

 

1,568

 

2,556

 

4,082

 

2,690

 

Total non-cash compensation expense

 

$

1,879

 

$

3,063

 

$

4,523

 

$

3,107

 

 

9



 

Ticketmaster and Subsidiaries

 

Combined Statements of Operations (Continued)

 

Year Ended December 31, 2007

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

Quarter Ended
March 31

 

Six Months
Ended
June 30

 

Nine Months
Ended
September 30

 

Year Ended
December 31

 

 

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

(audited)

 

Revenue

 

$

303,577

 

$

596,993

 

$

889,459

 

$

1,240,477

 

Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)

 

184,784

 

368,644

 

549,830

 

766,538

 

Gross profit

 

118,793

 

228,349

 

339,629

 

473,939

 

Selling and marketing expense

 

7,073

 

15,231

 

23,791

 

43,487

 

General and administrative expense

 

34,258

 

74,150

 

113,258

 

149,478

 

Amortization of intangibles

 

6,853

 

13,520

 

19,601

 

26,200

 

Depreciation

 

9,121

 

18,592

 

28,087

 

38,458

 

Operating income

 

61,488

 

106,856

 

154,892

 

216,316

 

Other income (expense):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

5,378

 

13,877

 

22,410

 

33,065

 

Interest expense

 

(266

)

(399

)

(641

)

(1,003

)

Equity in income of uncombined affiliates

 

865

 

1,825

 

3,021

 

6,301

 

Other income (expense)

 

83

 

(125

)

105

 

1,120

 

Total other income, net

 

6,060

 

15,178

 

24,895

 

39,483

 

Earnings before income taxes and minority interest

 

67,548

 

122,034

 

179,787

 

255,799

 

Income tax provision

 

(24,637

)

(44,510

)

(63,181

)

(89,007

)

Minority interest in losses of combined subsidiaries

 

14

 

205

 

1,664

 

2,559

 

Net income

 

$

42,925

 

$

77,729

 

$

118,270

 

$

169,351

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-cash compensation expense is included in the following line items in the combined statements of operations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales

 

$

148

 

$

390

 

$

601

 

$

800

 

Selling and marketing expense

 

163

 

428

 

658

 

876

 

General and administrative expense

 

1,568

 

4,124

 

8,206

 

10,896

 

Total non-cash compensation expense

 

$

1,879

 

$

4,942

 

$

9,465

 

$

12,572

 

 

10



 

Ticketmaster and Subsidiaries

 

Combined Statements of Operations

 

Year Ended December 31, 2006

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

Quarter Ended
March 31

 

Quarter Ended
June 30

 

Quarter Ended
September 30

 

Quarter Ended
December 31

 

 

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

Revenue

 

$

240,722

 

$

287,595

 

$

258,497

 

$

275,858

 

Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)

 

140,932

 

171,998

 

158,384

 

165,838

 

Gross profit

 

99,790

 

115,597

 

100,113

 

110,020

 

Selling and marketing expense

 

4,247

 

5,116

 

5,091

 

5,669

 

General and administrative expense

 

21,737

 

29,450

 

34,136

 

32,994

 

Amortization of intangibles

 

6,898

 

7,036

 

6,571

 

6,604

 

Depreciation

 

8,765

 

8,780

 

8,782

 

8,753

 

Operating income

 

58,143

 

65,215

 

45,533

 

56,000

 

Other income (expense):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

4,230

 

7,621

 

9,236

 

12,895

 

Interest expense

 

(44

)

(75

)

(67

)

(116

)

Equity in income of uncombined affiliates

 

872

 

612

 

835

 

678

 

Other income

 

412

 

70

 

61

 

439

 

Total other income, net

 

5,470

 

8,228

 

10,065

 

13,896

 

Earnings before income taxes and minority interest

 

63,613

 

73,443

 

55,598

 

69,896

 

Income tax provision

 

(23,977

)

(27,682

)

(20,921

)

(13,387

)

Minority interest in losses of combined subsidiaries

 

 

 

29

 

89

 

Net income

 

$

39,636

 

$

45,761

 

$

34,706

 

$

56,598

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-cash compensation expense is included in the following line items in the combined statements of operations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales

 

$

149

 

$

63

 

$

269

 

$

173

 

Selling and marketing expense

 

92

 

70

 

294

 

190

 

General and administrative expense

 

1,206

 

667

 

2,836

 

1,830

 

Total non-cash compensation expense

 

$

1,447

 

$

800

 

$

3,399

 

$

2,193

 

 

11



 

Ticketmaster and Subsidiaries

 

Combined Statements of Operations (Continued)

 

Year Ended December 31, 2006

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

Quarter Ended
March 31

 

Six Months
Ended
June 30

 

Nine Months
Ended
September 30

 

Year Ended
December 31

 

 

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

(unaudited)

 

(audited)

 

Revenue

 

$

240,722

 

$

528,317

 

$

786,814

 

$

1,062,672

 

Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)

 

140,932

 

312,930

 

471,314

 

637,152

 

Gross profit

 

99,790

 

215,387

 

315,500

 

425,520

 

Selling and marketing expense

 

4,247

 

9,363

 

14,454

 

20,123

 

General and administrative expense

 

21,737

 

51,187

 

85,323

 

118,317

 

Amortization of intangibles

 

6,898

 

13,934

 

20,505

 

27,109

 

Depreciation

 

8,765

 

17,545

 

26,327

 

35,080

 

Operating income

 

58,143

 

123,358

 

168,891

 

224,891

 

Other income (expense):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

4,230

 

11,851

 

21,087

 

33,982

 

Interest expense

 

(44

)

(119

)

(186

)

(302

)

Equity in income of uncombined affiliates

 

872

 

1,484

 

2,319

 

2,997

 

Other income

 

412

 

482

 

543

 

982

 

Total other income, net

 

5,470

 

13,698

 

23,763

 

37,659

 

Earnings before income taxes and minority interest

 

63,613

 

137,056

 

192,654

 

262,550

 

Income tax provision

 

(23,977

)

(51,659

)

(72,580

)

(85,967

)

Minority interest in losses of combined subsidiaries

 

 

 

29

 

118

 

Net income

 

$

39,636

 

$

85,397

 

$

120,103

 

$

176,701

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-cash compensation expense is included in the following line items in the combined statements of operations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales

 

$

149

 

$

212

 

$

481

 

$

654

 

Selling and marketing expense

 

92

 

162

 

456

 

646

 

General and administrative expense

 

1,206

 

1,873

 

4,709

 

6,539

 

Total non-cash compensation expense

 

$

1,447

 

$

2,247

 

$

5,646

 

$

7,839

 

 

12



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