Exhibit 2.1
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of July 20, 2021 (the “Agreement”), is entered into by and among Image Sensing Systems, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (“ISNS” and, after the “Effective Time” (as defined in Section 11 below), the “Surviving Company”); Autoscope Technologies Corporation, a Minnesota corporation and the direct wholly-owned subsidiary of ISNS (“Autoscope”); and Spruce Tree MergerCo, Inc., a Minnesota corporation and indirect subsidiary of ISNS and direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Autoscope (the “Merger Sub”) (ISNS, Autoscope, and the Merger Sub will sometimes be referred to in this Agreement each as a “Party” and together, the “Parties”).
WHEREAS, the total authorized capital stock of ISNS consists of 25,000,000 shares, consisting of 20,000,000 shares of common stock, par value of $0.01 per share (“ISNS Common Shares”), of which 5,367,186 ISNS Common Shares were issued and outstanding as of July 20, 2021, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ISNS Preferred Stock” and, together with the ISNS Common Shares, the “ISNS Shares”);
WHEREAS, 50,000 shares of ISNS Preferred Stock have been designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “ISNS Series A Preferred Stock”) and have been reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the rights (the “ISNS Rights”) distributed to holders of record of ISNS Common Shares as of June 17, 2013 pursuant to a Rights Agreement dated as of June 6, 2013 (the “Initial Agreement”) between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”);
WHEREAS, ISNS and the Rights Agent entered into the First Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of August 23, 2016 (the “First Amendment”), the Second Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of March 12, 2018 (the “Second Amendment”), and the Third Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of June 4, 2020 (the “Third Amendment”), all of which amended the Initial Agreement (the Initial Agreement, as amended by the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, and the Third Amendment, is referred to in this Agreement as the “Original Rights Agreement”);
WHEREAS, as of July 20, 2021, there were no shares of ISNS Preferred Stock outstanding;
WHEREAS, Autoscope is and, at all times since its organization, has been, a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of ISNS;
WHEREAS, as of July 20, 2021, Autoscope has total authorized capital stock of 25,000,000 shares, consisting of 20,000,000 shares of common stock, par value of $0.01 per share (“Autoscope Common Shares”), of which 1,000 shares are currently issued and outstanding, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Autoscope Preferred Stock” and, together with the Autoscope Common Shares, the “Autoscope Shares”), of which no shares are currently issued and outstanding;
WHEREAS, 50,000 shares of Autoscope Preferred Stock have been designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Autoscope Series A Preferred Stock”) having the
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same designations, rights, powers, preferences, qualifications, limitations, and restrictions as the ISNS Series A Preferred Stock;
WHEREAS, as of the Effective Time, the designations, right, preferences, qualifications, limitations, and restrictions of the Autoscope Shares, including the Autoscope Series A Preferred Stock, will be the same as those of the ISNS Shares, including the ISNS Series A Preferred Stock;
WHEREAS, the Restated Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of Autoscope immediately after the Effective Time will contain provisions identical to the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of ISNS immediately before the Effective Time (other than as allowed by Section 302A.626, subdivision 7 of the Minnesota Business Corporation Act, Chapter 302A of the Minnesota Statutes (the “MBCA”));
WHEREAS, the Merger Sub has authorized capital stock consisting of 1,000 shares of common stock, par value of $0.01 per share (“Merger Sub Common Shares”), of which 1,000 shares are currently issued and outstanding;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of each of ISNS, Autoscope, and the Merger Sub have determined that it is desirable and in the best interests of ISNS, Autoscope, and the Merger Sub, respectively, that ISNS and the Merger Sub should merge, with ISNS being the surviving corporation (the “Merger”), and Autoscope will be a “holding company” of ISNS, as such term is defined in Section 302A.626, subd. 1(b) of the MBCA, with each ISNS Common Share being converted in the Merger into an Autoscope Common Share in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of ISNS, Autoscope, and the Merger Sub have approved the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; ISNS, as the sole shareholder of Autoscope, has approved the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and Autoscope, as the sole shareholder of The Merger Sub, has approved the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Merger will be implemented pursuant to Section 302A.626 of the MBCA and, therefore, will not require the approval of the shareholders of ISNS;
WHEREAS, the Parties intend, for United States federal income tax purposes, that the Merger qualify as a “reorganization” described in Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended; and
WHEREAS, simultaneously with the Effective Time, Autoscope, ISNS, and the Rights Agent will enter into an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) pursuant to which, effective as of the Effective Time, among other things, (i) ISNS will assign to Autoscope, and Autoscope will assume and agree to perform, all obligations of the Surviving Company pursuant to the Rights Agreement; (ii) the Rights Agreement will be amended such that all references to the “Company,” “Common Shares of the Company,” “Preferred Shares,” and similar terms are deemed to refer to Autoscope, Autoscope Common Shares, and Autoscope Series A Preferred Stock, respectively; and (iii) each ISNS Right distributed or distributable under the Original Rights Agreement will become a right to purchase Autoscope Series A
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Preferred Stock, subject to the same terms and conditions as the ISNS Rights as of immediately before the Effective Time.
Terms of Agreement
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Parties hereby prescribe the terms and conditions of the Merger and the mode of carrying the same into effect as follows:
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ARTICLE 9. VOTE OF SHAREHOLDERS REQUIRED
Any action or transaction by or involving the corporation, other than the election or removal of directors of the corporation, that requires for its adoption under the Minnesota Business Corporation Act or these Articles of Incorporation, the approval of the shareholders of the corporation shall, pursuant to Section 302A.626, subd. 3(8)(i) of the Minnesota Business Corporation Act, require, in addition to the approval of the shareholders of the corporation, the approval of the shareholders of Autoscope Technologies Corporation, a Minnesota corporation (or any successor by merger), so long as such corporation or its successor is the ultimate parent, directly or indirectly, of the corporation, by the same vote that is required by the Minnesota Business Corporation Act and/or by these Articles of Incorporation. For the purposes of this Article 9, the term “parent” shall mean a corporation that owns, directly or indirectly, any outstanding capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors of the corporation.
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[Signature page to Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among
Images Sensing Systems, Inc., Autoscope Technologies Corporation, and
Spruce Tree MergerCo, Inc.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement and Plan of Merger as of the date indicated in the introductory paragraph.
| Spruce Tree MergerCo, Inc., | Image Sensing Systems, Inc., | |
| a Minnesota corporation | a Minnesota corporation | |
| By: /s/ Frank G. Hallowell | By: /s/ Frank G. Hallowell | |
| Frank G. Hallowell | Frank G. Hallowell | |
| Its: Chief Executive Officer | Its: Chief Financial Officer | |
| Autoscope Technologies Corporation, | ||
| a Minnesota corporation | ||
| By: /s/ Frank G. Hallowell | ||
| Frank G. Hallowell | ||
| Its: Chief Financial Officer |
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