THE OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 12:00 MIDNIGHT NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON AUGUST 12, 2022, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED. |
THE OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 12:00 MIDNIGHT NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON AUGUST 12, 2022, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED. |
Alliance Advisors, LLC 200 Broadacres Drive Bloomfield, New Jersey 07003 Shareholders, Banks and Brokers Call Toll-Free: (877) 587-2031 rbcn@allianceadvisors.com |
1. | For Shares that are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee: |
• | contact the broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee and request that the broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee tender the Shares to the Purchaser before the expiration of the Offer. |
2. | For Shares that are registered in the stockholder’s name and held in book-entry form: |
• | complete and sign the Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof) in accordance with the instructions in the Letter of Transmittal or prepare an Agent’s Message. See Section 3 - “Procedures for Tendering Shares Book-Entry Transfer;” |
• | if using the Letter of Transmittal, have the stockholder’s signature on the Letter of Transmittal guaranteed if required by Instruction 1 of the Letter of Transmittal; |
• | deliver an Agent’s Message or the Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof), properly completed and duly executed, and any other required documents to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the Depositary for the Offer, at its address on the back of this Offer to Purchase before the expiration of the Offer; and |
• | transfer the Shares through book-entry transfer into the account of the Depositary before the expiration of the Offer. |
3. | For Shares that are registered in the stockholder’s name and held as physical certificates: |
• | complete and sign the Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof) in accordance with the instructions in the Letter of Transmittal; |
• | have the stockholder’s signature on the Letter of Transmittal guaranteed if required by Instruction 1 to the Letter of Transmittal; and |
• | deliver the Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof), properly completed and duly executed, the certificates for such Shares and any other required documents to the Depositary at its address on the back of this Offer before the expiration of the Offer. |
Securities Sought: | | | Up to 1,108,000 outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.001 (the “Company Common Stock”), of Rubicon Technology, Inc. (“Rubicon”), together with the associated preferred stock purchase rights issued in connection with and subject to the Rights Agreement. |
| | | ||
Price Offered Per Share: | | | $20.00 net to you in cash, without interest and less any applicable withholding tax (such price, or any different price per Share, as may be paid in the Offer). |
| | | ||
Scheduled Expiration of Offer: | | | August 12, 2022, at 12:00 Midnight, New York City time, unless extended. |
| | | ||
Purchaser: | | | Janel Corporation (“Purchaser”). |
| | | ||
Purchase Agreement: | | | The Offer is being made pursuant to a Stock Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of July 1, 2022, by and between Purchaser and Rubicon. |
| | | ||
Rubicon Board Recommendation: | | | The Rubicon Board has, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement, unanimously (i) determined that the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, including the Offer, are fair to and in the best interests of Rubicon and its stockholders, (ii) approved and declared the Purchase Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Offer and the Distribution, advisable and (iii) recommended to Rubicon’s stockholders that they accept the Offer and tender their Shares in the Offer. |
• | determined that the Offer and the Purchase Agreement (including the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement) are fair to, and in the best interests of, Rubicon and its stockholders; |
• | approved the Purchase Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, including the Offer and the Distribution; and |
• | recommended that Rubicon’s stockholders accept the Offer and tender their Shares pursuant to the Offer. |
• | the form of payment in the Offer consists solely of cash; |
• | the Offer is not conditioned upon any financing arrangements; |
• | we will have sufficient financial resources available to purchase all the Shares subject to the Offer; and |
• | we are a public reporting company under Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that files reports electronically on EDGAR. |
• | the consummation of the Offer will not result in, or would not be reasonably be likely to result in, a reduction or impairment of the net operating losses of Rubicon under the provisions of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Code”); |
• | Rubicon has no indebtedness for borrowed money, other than a mortgage on owned real property (excluding liabilities reflected on Rubicon’s balance sheet as of March 31, 2022); |
• | Rubicon has cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities in the amount necessary to pay a cash distribution to all stockholders of Rubicon in the aggregate amount of $11.00 per share, prior to accounting for certain costs and expenses related to consummation the Offer; |
• | there is no law, regulation, injunction, judgment or order by a governmental entity or court in effect that would make the Offer illegal or otherwise prohibit the consummation of the Offer; |
• | the representations and warranties of Rubicon in the Purchase Agreement are true and correct except as would not have a material adverse effect on Rubicon, or in some cases in all material respects, as of the date of the Purchase Agreement and the Expiration Date; |
• | Rubicon has performed in all material respects any obligation and complied in all material respects with any agreement or covenant of Rubicon to be performed or complied with by it under the Purchase Agreement prior to the Expiration Date; |
• | the Rubicon Board has approved the Distribution to Rubicon’s shareholders (including Janel) in the amount of $11.00 per share of Rubicon’s common stock in the form of a distribution payment to be effective immediately following the closing of the Offer; |
• | no change, event, effect, occurrence or development, individually or in the aggregate, has occurred since the dates of the Purchase Agreement that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on Rubicon and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (subject to certain exceptions as set forth in the Purchase Agreement and described in this Offer to Purchase); and |
• | the Purchase Agreement has not been terminated in accordance with its terms. |
• | complete and sign the Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof) in accordance with the instructions in the Letter of Transmittal or prepare an Agent’s Message (as defined in Section 3 - “Procedures for Tendering Shares- Book-Entry Transfer”); |
• | if using the Letter of Transmittal, have your signature on the Letter of Transmittal guaranteed if required by Instruction 1 of the Letter of Transmittal; |
• | deliver an Agent’s Message or the Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof), properly completed and duly executed, and any other required documents to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the Depositary for the Offer, at its address on the back of this Offer to Purchase before the expiration of the Offer; and |
• | transfer the Shares through book-entry transfer into the account of the Depositary before the expiration of the Offer. If your Shares are registered in your name and held as physical certificates: |
• | complete and sign the Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof) in accordance with the instructions in the Letter of Transmittal; |
• | have your signature on the Letter of Transmittal guaranteed if required by Instruction 1 to the Letter of Transmittal; and |
• | deliver the Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof), properly completed and duly executed, the certificates for such Shares and any other required documents to the Depositary at its address on the back of this Offer to Purchase before the expiration of the Offer. |
• | there being validly tendered and not withdrawn in accordance with the terms of the Offer, at least 856,329 Shares, which represent at least approximately 35.0% of the total number of then issued and |
• | to Rubicon’s knowledge, the purchase of the Shares pursuant to the Offer will not result, or would not be reasonably likely to result, in a reduction or impairment of the net operating losses of Rubicon (the “NOL Condition”) under the provisions of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Code”); |
• | there being no change, event, effect, occurrence or development, individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on Rubicon and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (subject to certain exceptions as set forth in the Purchase Agreement and described in this Offer to Purchase) (the “MAE Condition”); |
• | Rubicon has no indebtedness for borrowed money other than a mortgage on owned real property (excluding liabilities reflected on Rubicon’s balance sheet as of March 31, 2022); |
• | Rubicon has cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities in the amount necessary to pay a cash distribution to all stockholders of Rubicon in the aggregate amount of $11.00 per share, prior to accounting for certain cost and expenses related to consummation the Offer (as set forth in the Purchase Agreement); |
• | Jefferson Gramm and Susan M. Westphal shall have resigned as directors of Rubicon and such vacancies filled by individuals designated by us; |
• | there is no law, regulation, injunction, judgment or order by a governmental entity or court in effect that would make the Offer illegal or otherwise prohibit the consummation of the Offer; |
• | the representations and warranties of Rubicon in the Purchase Agreement are true and correct except as would not have a material adverse effect on Rubicon, or in some cases in all material respects, as of the date of the Purchase Agreement and the closing of the Offer; |
• | Rubicon has performed in all material respects any obligation and complied in all material respects with any agreement or covenant of Rubicon to be performed or complied with by it under the Purchase Agreement prior to the closing of the Offer; |
• | the Rubicon Board has approved the Distribution to Rubicon’s shareholders (including Janel) in the amount of $11.00 per share of Rubicon’s common stock in the form of a distribution payment to be effective immediately following the closing of the Offer; and |
• | the Purchase Agreement has not been validly terminated in accordance with its terms. |
Terms of the Offer |
• | reduce the number of Shares subject to the Offer; |
• | reduce the Offer Price; |
• | waive or modify the Minimum Condition; |
• | add to the conditions to the Offer or modify or change any condition to the Offer in a manner adverse in any material respect to any stockholders of Rubicon; |
• | except as otherwise provided in the Purchase Agreement and as described in this Offer to Purchase, terminate, extend or otherwise change the Expiration Date; |
• | change the form of consideration payable in the Offer; or |
• | otherwise amend any of the terms of the Offer in a manner adverse in any material respect to any stockholders of Rubicon. |
• | terminate the Offer, not accept for payment or pay for any Shares and return all tendered Shares to tendering stockholders; |
• | waive any of the unsatisfied conditions of the Offer (other than the Minimum Condition) and, subject to complying with the rules, regulations interpretations or positions of the SEC applicable to the Offer, accept for payment and pay for all Shares validly tendered and not properly withdrawn before the Expiration Date; |
• | extend the Offer and, subject to the right of stockholders to withdraw Shares until the Expiration Date, retain the Shares that have been tendered during the period or periods for which the Offer is open or extended; or |
• | amend or make modifications to the Offer (subject to the applicable consent of Rubicon as described above). |
Acceptance for Payment; Proration; Payment |
• | the certificates for the Shares, together with a Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed facsimile thereof), properly completed and duly executed, with any required signature guarantees; or |
• | in the case of a transfer effected pursuant to the book-entry transfer procedures described in Section 3 - “Procedures for Tendering Shares,” a Book-Entry Confirmation (as defined below) and either a Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed facsimile thereof), properly completed and duly executed, with any required signature guarantees, or an Agent’s Message, each as described in Section 3 - “Procedures for Tendering Shares”; and |
• | any other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal. |
Procedures for Tendering Shares |
• | for Shares held as physical certificates, the certificates for tendered Shares, a Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed facsimile thereof), properly completed and duly executed, with any required signature guarantees and any other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal, must be received by the Depositary at its address set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase before the Expiration Date; |
• | for Shares held in book-entry form, either a Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed facsimile thereof), properly completed and duly executed, with any required signature guarantees, or an Agent’s Message (as defined below) and any other required documents, must be received by the Depositary at its address set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase and such Shares must be delivered according to the book-entry transfer procedures described below under “Book-Entry Transfer” and a Book-Entry Confirmation must be received by the Depositary, in each case before the Expiration Date; or |
• | the tendering stockholder must comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures described below under “Guaranteed Delivery” before the Expiration Date. |
• | if the Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) (which term, for purposes of this Section 3 includes any participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility’s systems whose name appears on a security position listing as the owner of the Shares) of Shares tendered therewith and such registered holder has not completed either the box entitled “Special Delivery Instructions” or the box entitled “Special Payment Instructions” on the Letter of Transmittal; or |
• | if Shares are tendered for the account of a financial institution (including most commercial banks, savings and loan associations and brokerage houses) that is a participant in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Signature Program or other “eligible guarantor institution,” as such term is defined in Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act (each, an “Eligible Institution” and, collectively, “Eligible Institutions”). |
• | the tender is made by or through an Eligible Institution; |
• | a properly completed and duly executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, substantially in the form provided by us, is received by the Depositary, as provided below, before the Expiration Date; and |
• | the Share certificates (or a Book-Entry Confirmation), in proper form for transfer, together with a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed facsimile thereof), together with any required signature guarantees (or, in the case of a book-entry transfer, an Agent’s Message in lieu of a Letter of Transmittal) and any other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal are received by the Depositary within two trading days after the date of execution of the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. A “trading day” is any day on which quotations are available for shares listed on NASDAQ. |
• | Share certificates (or a timely Book-Entry Confirmation); |
• | a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof), with any required signature guarantees (or, in the case of a book-entry transfer, an Agent’s Message in lieu of a Letter of Transmittal); and |
• | any other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal. |
Withdrawal Rights |
Certain Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences |
• | expatriates and certain former citizens or long-term residents of the U.S.; |
• | partnerships and other pass-through entities, or persons that hold Shares through such entities; |
• | regulated investment companies and real estate investment trusts; |
• | “controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax; |
• | persons that have a “functional currency” other than the U.S. dollar; |
• | financial institutions, insurance companies, brokers and dealers or traders in securities, commodities or currencies; |
• | tax-exempt organizations and tax-qualified retirement plans; |
• | persons subject to the alternative minimum tax; |
• | persons holding Shares as part of a hedge, straddle or other risk reduction strategy or as part of a hedging or conversion transaction or other integrated investment; |
• | Foreign pension funds and their affiliates; and |
• | holders of Shares who acquired their Shares through stock option or stock purchase plan programs, restricted stock units or in other compensatory arrangements. |
• | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the U.S.; |
• | a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or pursuant to the laws of the U.S., any state of the U.S. 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 (i) the administration over which a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision and all of the substantial decisions of which one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control; or (ii) that has validly elected to be treated as a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
• | the gain, if any, on such Shares is effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base in the United States); |
• | the non-U.S. stockholder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the Offer and certain other conditions are met; or |
• | the non-U.S. stockholder owned, directly or under certain constructive ownership rules of the Code, more than 5% of the Shares at any time during the five-year period preceding the Offer, and Rubicon is or has been a “United States real property holding corporation” (“USRPHC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time during the shorter of the five-year period preceding the Offer and the period that the non-U.S. stockholder held Shares. |
Price Range of Shares; Dividends |
| | | High | | | Low | |
Year Ended December 31, 2020 | | | | | ||
Quarter Ended March 31, 2020 | | | 9.16 | | | 7.15 |
Quarter Ended June 30, 2020 | | | 9.00 | | | 7.25 |
Quarter Ended September 30, 2020 | | | 8.85 | | | 7.75 |
Quarter Ended December 31, 2020 | | | 10.00 | | | 8.39 |
Year Ended December 31, 2021 | | | | | ||
Quarter Ended March 31, 2021 | | | 11.84 | | | 9.18 |
Quarter Ended June 30, 2021 | | | 11.92 | | | 9.42 |
Quarter Ended September 30, 2021 | | | 11.00 | | | 8.60 |
Quarter Ended December 31, 2021 | | | 10.75 | | | 8.65 |
Year Ending December 31, 2022 | | | | | ||
Quarter Ended March 31, 2022 | | | 9.39 | | | 8.61 |
Quarter Ended June 30, 2022 | | | 9.68 | | | 8.58 |
Quarter Ended September 30, 2022 (through July 12, 2022) | | | 15.90 | | | 9.10 |
Possible Effects of the Offer on the Market for the Shares; Stock Listing; Registration under the Exchange Act; Margin Regulations |
• | the number of publicly held Shares falls below 500,000; |
• | the total number of holders Shares falls below 300; |
• | the market value of publicly held Shares over a 30 consecutive business day period is less than $1 million; |
• | there are fewer than two active and registered market makers in the Shares over a 10 consecutive business day period; |
• | the bid price for a Share over a 30 consecutive business day period is less than $1; or |
• | (i) Rubicon has stockholders’ equity of less than $2.5 million, (ii) the market value of Rubicon’s listed securities is less than $35 million over a 10 consecutive business day period, and (iii) Rubicon’s net income from continuing operations is less than $500,000 for the most recently completed year and two of the last three most recently completed years. |
Certain Information Concerning Rubicon |
Certain Information Concerning Purchaser and Certain Related Parties |
Source and Amount of Funds |
• | execution and delivery of definitive financing documentation for the Bridge Facility; |
• | subject to the limited conditionality provisions set forth in the Commitment Letter, execution and delivery of customary opinions; corporate documents and officers’ certifications; organizational documents; customary evidence of authorization to enter into the Bridge Loan; and good standing certificates in jurisdictions of formation/organization of Janel and its affiliates; |
• | the material accuracy of certain specified representations to the extent required by the limited conditionality provisions set forth in the Commitment Letter (or if qualified by materiality or material adverse effect, the accuracy thereof); |
• | the Rubicon Board has approved a return of capital to Rubicon’s shareholders (including Janel) in the form of a distribution payment in the amount of $11.00 per share (the “Capital Return”) to be effective immediately following the closing of the Offer; |
• | there not having occurred a Company Material Adverse Effect; |
• | delivery of the certain financial statements and information, as detailed in the Commitment Letter; |
• | the payment, or arrangement for such payment substantially contemporaneously with the initial funding of the Bridge Loan, of all fees and expenses required under the Commitment Letter; and |
• | the conditions to the Offer having been satisfied. |
Background of the Offer; Contacts with Rubicon |
Transaction Documents |
• | ·determined that the Offer, the Distribution and the Purchase Agreement (including the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement) are fair to, and in the best interests of, Rubicon and its stockholders; |
• | approved the Purchase Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, including the Offer and the Distribution; and |
• | recommended that Rubicon’s stockholders accept the Offer and tender their Shares pursuant to the Offer. |
• | corporate matters related to Rubicon and its subsidiaries, such as organization, standing, power and authority; |
• | its capitalization; |
• | the validity of the Purchase Agreement, including approval by Rubicon Board; |
• | required consents, approvals and no violations of laws, governance documents or agreements; |
• | financial statements and public SEC filings; |
• | internal controls and compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
• | the maintenance of Rubicon’s books and records in accordance with GAAP; |
• | the absence of a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement and described below) since January 1, 2022 and the absence of certain events since March 31, 2022; |
• | the absence of certain undisclosed liabilities; |
• | the absence of litigation; |
• | employee benefit plans, ERISA matters and certain related matters; |
• | taxes; |
• | material contracts; |
• | properties; |
• | intellectual property; |
• | labor matters; |
• | environmental matters; |
• | compliance with laws; |
• | the information contained in this Offer to Purchase, the Schedule 14D-9 and any proxy statement relating to a special meeting concerning the Transactions; |
• | the opinion of its financial advisor; |
• | the amendment to the Rights Agreement; |
• | insurance; and |
• | brokers’ fees and expenses. |
• | general political, economic or market conditions or general changes or developments in the industry in which Rubicon and its subsidiaries operate to the extent that such conditions, changes or developments do not have a disproportionate impact on Rubicon and its subsidiaries, relative to the industry generally in which they operate; |
• | acts of terrorism or war (whether or not declared) or natural disasters; |
• | the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement or the announcement or performance thereof, including any negative impact on or disruption in relationships with customers, suppliers, distributors, employees or similar relationships; |
• | changes in applicable laws or any applicable accounting regulations or principles or the interpretations thereof; |
• | the taking of any action required by the Purchase Agreement or expressly approved or permitted in writing by us, or the failure to take any action prohibited by the Purchase Agreement; |
• | any failure by Rubicon to meet public or internal revenue, earnings or other projections, in and of itself; provided, however, that any event, condition, change, occurrence or development of a state of circumstances that may have caused or contributed to such failure to meet published revenue, earnings or other projections shall not be excluded; |
• | changes in the price or trading volume of Rubicon’s stock; provided, however, that any event, condition, change, occurrence or development of a state of circumstances that may have caused or contributed to such change in market price or trading volume shall not be excluded; and |
• | any condition, development or circumstance disclosed in Rubicon’s SEC Reports. |
• | corporate matters, such as organization, standing, power and authority; |
• | the validity of the Purchase Agreement; |
• | consents, approvals and no violations of laws, governance documents or agreements; |
• | the absence of litigation; |
• | the information contained in this Offer to Purchase, the Schedule 14D-9 and any proxy statement relating to a special meeting concerning the Merger; |
• | brokers’ fees and expenses; and |
• | sufficiency of funds. |
• | conduct its business only in the ordinary and usual course of business and consistent with past practice; |
• | maintain and preserve intact their respective business organizations; and |
• | maintain and preserve intact their respective significant beneficial business relationships with suppliers, contractors, distributors, customers, licensors, licensees and others having material business relationships with them. |
• | other than the sale of certain high-value metals, (i) acquire, sell, lease, transfer or dispose of any assets, rights or securities that are material to the Rubicon and its subsidiaries, considered as a single enterprise, or (ii) terminate, cancel, materially modify or enter into any material commitment, transaction, line of business or other agreement; |
• | acquire by merging or consolidating with or by purchasing a substantial equity interest in or a substantial portion of the assets of, or by any other manner, any business, corporation, partnership, association or other business organization or division thereof; |
• | amend or propose to amend its certificate of incorporation or bylaws or, in the case of Rubicon’s subsidiaries, their respective constituent documents; |
• | other than as contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution payable in cash, capital stock, property or otherwise with respect to any shares of its capital stock; |
• | purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, or offer to purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, any shares of its capital stock, other equity securities, other ownership interests or any options, warrants or rights to acquire any such stock, securities or interests, other than in connection with (i) the relinquishment of shares by former or current employees and directors of Rubicon in payment of withholding tax upon the vesting of restricted stock units or (ii) the cashless or net exercise of stock options; |
• | split, combine or reclassify any outstanding shares of its capital stock; |
• | except for any Company Common Stock issuable upon exercise of any stock options outstanding on the date hereof (or granted after the date hereof as permitted by the Purchase Agreement) or pursuant to the Rights Agreement, and the vesting of restricted stock awards granted prior to the execution of the Purchase Agreement, issue, sell, dispose of or authorize, propose or agree to the issuance, sale or disposition by Rubicon or any of its subsidiaries of, any shares of, or any options, warrants or rights of any kind to acquire any shares of, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of, its capital stock of any class, or any other securities in respect of, in lieu of, or in substitution for any class of its capital stock outstanding on the date of the Purchase Agreement; |
• | other than as contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such indebtedness of another person, except indebtedness incurred or guaranteed in the ordinary course of business; |
• | make any loans or advances, except to or for the benefit of employees of Rubicon or its subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business; |
• | except to the extent required in a written contract or agreement in existence as of the date of this Agreement or as set forth in information made available to us: (i) grant or increase any severance or termination pay to any current or former director, executive officer or employee of Rubicon or any of its subsidiaries; (ii) execute any employment, deferred compensation or other similar agreement (or any amendment to any such existing agreement) with any such director, executive officer or employee of Rubicon of any of its subsidiaries; (iii) increase the benefits payable under any existing severance or |
• | except as required by applicable law or by GAAP, make any changes in accounting methods or practices; |
• | other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, make any changes in its reporting for taxes except as required by applicable law; change or rescind any tax election; make any change to its method of reporting income, deductions, or other tax items for tax purposes; settle or compromise any tax liability; or enter into any transaction outside the ordinary course of business if such transaction would give rise to a material tax liability; |
• | settle, compromise or otherwise resolve any litigation or other legal proceedings outside the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or as would result in any liability in excess of the amount reserved therefor or reflected on Rubicon’s balance sheets as contained in the Company SEC Reports and as would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect; |
• | other than in the ordinary course of business, pay or discharge any claims, Liens or liabilities; |
• | make or commit to make any material capital expenditures; |
• | enter into any agreement, arrangement or commitment that materially limits or otherwise materially restricts Rubicon or its subsidiaries, or that would reasonably be expected to, after the consummation of the Offer, materially limit or restrict Rubicon or its subsidiaries or any of their respective affiliates or any successor thereto, from engaging or competing in any line of business in which it is currently engaged or in any geographic area material to the business or operations of Rubicon or any of its Subsidiaries; |
• | take or permit, or cause to take or permit, any action or event that reasonably could be expected to have an impact on Rubicon’s net operating losses (“NOLs”) which would cause a Company Material Adverse Effect; or |
• | take or agree to take any of the above actions. |
• | solicit, initiate, or knowingly take any action to facilitate or encourage the submission of, any Takeover Proposal (as defined below); |
• | approve or recommend any Takeover Proposal, enter into any agreement, agreement-in-principle or letter of intent with respect to or accept any Takeover Proposal (or resolve to or publicly propose to do any of the foregoing); |
• | participate or engage in any discussions or negotiations regarding, or furnish or afford access to any person any information with respect to, or knowingly take any action to facilitate or encourage any inquiries or the making of any proposal that constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to lead to, any Takeover Proposal; |
• | amend or grant any waiver or release under any standstill or similar agreement with respect to any class of equity securities of Rubicon or its subsidiaries; or |
• | fail to make, withdraw, amend, modify or materially qualify, in a manner adverse to us, Rubicon’s recommendations in favor of the Offer, the Purchase Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement. |
• | by mutual written agreement of Rubicon and us; |
• | by either Rubicon or us, if (i) we have not accepted for payment and paid for the Shares pursuant to the Offer in accordance with the terms of the offer on or prior to September 15, 2022; or (ii) the Offer is terminated or withdrawn pursuant to its terms and the terms of the Purchase Agreement without Shares being purchased thereunder; provided, however, that the right to terminate the Purchase Agreement on these bases shall not be available to any party whose failure to fulfill any obligation under the Purchase Agreement has been the cause of, or resulted in, either such events; |
• | by either Rubicon or us, if any judgment, ruling, order, writ, injunction or decree (“Judgment”) issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority, or any state or federal statute, law, ordinance, rule, judgment, decree or regulation (“Law”) or other legal restraint or prohibition making the Offer illegal or otherwise preventing the consummation thereof shall be in effect and shall have become final and nonappealable; provided that the party seeking to terminate the Purchase Agreement pursuant on this basis shall have used any efforts required under the Purchase Agreement to resist, lift or resolve such Judgment, Law or other legal restraint or prohibition; |
• | by us prior to the acceptance of Shares for payment in the Offer, if Rubicon shall have breached or failed to perform in any material respect any of its representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in the Purchase Agreement, which breach or failure to perform (i) would give rise to the failure of a condition to the Offer and (ii) is incapable of being cured or has not been cured by Rubicon prior to the earlier of (a) within 30 calendar days after written notice has been given by us to Rubicon of such breach or failure to perform or (b) the closing of the Offer; |
• | by Rubicon, if prior to the acceptance of Shares for payment in the Offer, (i) Rubicon is in compliance with its obligations related to Takeover Proposals, (ii) the Rubicon Board has received a Superior Proposal, and (iii) the Rubicon Board concurrently approves, and Rubicon immediately after termination of the Purchase Agreement enters into, a definitive agreement providing for the implementation of such Superior Proposal; or |
• | by Rubicon, if we have breached or failed to perform in any material respect any of our representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in the Purchase Agreement, which breach or failure to perform (i) has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Purchaser Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) is incapable of being cured or has not been cured by us prior to the earlier of (a) within 30 calendar days after written notice has been given by Rubicon to us of such breach or failure to perform and (b) the closing of the Offer. |
Purpose of the Offer; Plans for Rubicon |
• | By delisting Rubicon’s Company Common Stock and suspending its registration under the Exchange Act, we believe (i) Rubicon’s direct, out-of-pocket costs resulting from its reporting and other obligations under the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, NASDAQ and related public reporting company requirements can be reduced significantly generating cash flow for reinvestment in and repositioning of Rubicon’s business and (ii) that Rubicon’s management team, which currently spends a significant amount of time on activities related to compliance with the Exchange Act and Sarbanes-Oxley Act, will have more time to devote to repositioning and rejuvenating Rubicon’s business. |
• | Rubicon has an approximately $189 million net operating loss carry-forward that may be used to offset taxes otherwise payable on future taxable income and generate cash flow which can be used to for further reinvestment in and repositioning of Rubicon’s business. Because our investment is limited to 45.0% of the issued and outstanding Company Common Stock, our investment should not impair or reduce Rubicon’s use of those net operating loss carry-forwards under Section 382 of the Code. |
Dividends and Distributions |
Conditions of the Offer |
• | the Minimum Condition has not been satisfied; |
• | consummation of the Offer would result, or be reasonably likely to result in, a reduction or impairment of Rubicon’s net operating losses of Rubicon under the provisions of Section 382 of the Code or any other provisions of the Code or the Treasury Regulations dealing with the utilization of net operating losses; |
• | Rubicon has any indebtedness for borrowed money, other than a mortgage on owned real property (excluding liabilities reflected on Rubicon’s balance sheet as of March 31, 2022); |
• | Rubicon does not have cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities in the amount of at least $26,600,000 prior to accounting for certain cost and expenses related to consummation the Offer; |
• | Jefferson Gramm and Susan M. Westphal shall have not resigned as directors of Rubicon and such vacancies filled by individuals designated by us; |
• | there is a Law, regulation, injunction, Judgment or order by a governmental entity or court in effect that would make the Offer illegal or otherwise prohibit the consummation of the Offer; |
• | all material consents, approvals, orders or authorizations of, or registrations, declarations or filings with any governmental authority or other third party that are necessary to be obtained or made in connection with the consummation of the Offer, have not been obtained or made; |
• | the representations and warranties of Rubicon in the Purchase Agreement are not true and correct except as would not have a material adverse effect on Rubicon, or in some cases in all material respects, as of the date of the Purchase Agreement and the Expiration Date; |
• | Rubicon has not performed in all material respects any obligation nor complied in all material respects with any agreement or covenant of Rubicon to be performed or complied with by it under the Purchase Agreement prior to the Expiration Date; |
• | a change, event, effect, occurrence or development, individually or in the aggregate, has occurred since the date of the Purchase Agreement that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Event; or |
• | the Purchase Agreement has been terminated in accordance with its terms. |
Certain Legal Matters; Regulatory Approvals |
Fees and Expenses |
Miscellaneous |
Name | | | Present Principal Occupation or Employment; Material Positions Held During the Past Five Years | | | Business Address |
Dominique Schulte, Chief Executive Officer, Chair of the Board | | | Has served as a director since November 2015 and as Board Chair since May 8, 2018. Since October 1, 2018, Ms. Schulte has served as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Schulte practiced law at Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett LLP in New York, from 1999 through 2009, where she specialized in corporate and securities law and oversaw a number of successful securities transactions. Ms. Schulte is the managing member of Oaxaca Group, LLC (“Oaxaca”), which is the Company’s largest individual shareholder. | | | c/o Janel Corporation 80 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 |
| | | | | |||
Brendan J. Killackey, Director, Chief Information Officer | | | Elected to our board of directors in September 2014 and served as Chief Executive Officer from February 2015 through September 2018. Since October 1, 2018, Mr. Killackey has served as our Chief Information Officer. Mr. Killackey previously owned Progressive Technology Partners, LLC, a technology consultancy firm, which he founded in 2001. | | | c/o Janel Corporation 80 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 |
| | | | | |||
Gerard van Kesteren, Director | | | Elected to our board of directors in November 2015. From 1999 until 2014, Mr. van Kesteren served as the Chief Financial Officer of Kuehne + Nagel Group, an international freight forwarder and leading global provider of innovative and fully integrated supply chain solutions. Mr. van Kesteren has served as a director of Gategroup Holding AG since April 2015. Mr. van Kesteren serves as the chair of the Audit Committee. | | | c/o Janel Corporation 80 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 |
| | | | | |||
John J. Gonzalez, II, Director | | | Elected to our board of directors in June 2016. Prior to that, he was a Senior Managing Director of Janel Group, following the August 2014 purchase by the Company of Alpha International and President Container Lines (“Alpha/PCL”), which he co-founded in 1979. Mr. Gonzalez has been involved in the transportation business since 1969. Mr. Gonzalez serves as chair of the Compensation Committee. | | | c/o Janel Corporation 80 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 |
| | | | | |||
Gregory J. Melsen, Director | | | Elected to our board of directors in January 2018. Prior to that, he was Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Human Resources for Healthsense, Inc., a leading provider of passive remote monitors for seniors from 2014 to 2015; and was Vice President-Finance, Treasurer and Chief | | | c/o Janel Corporation 80 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 |
Name | | | Present Principal Occupation or Employment; Material Positions Held During the Past Five Years | | | Business Address |
| | | Financial Officer of Techne Corporation (now Bio-Techne Corporation), a holding company for biotechnology and clinic diagnostic brands. He also served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of Techne Corporation from December 2012 through March 2013. Mr. Melsen has over 40 years of business experience, primarily in the accounting and finance areas. He has served as Chief Financial Officer at a number of companies and has 19 years of public accounting experience, including nine years as partner at Deloitte. Mr. Melsen serves as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee. | | | ||
| | | | | |||
Karen Miller Ryan, Director | | | Elected to our board of directors in October 2021. Since 2019, she has been a freelance consultant Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Global Marketing and Vice President of the Antibody Business Unit of Bio-Techne, a public global life science business from 2014 until 2019. From 1996 until 2014, Ms. Miller Ryan was the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Novus Biologicals, a private research reagent company, which she successfully grew until its sale to Bio-Techne. | | | c/o Janel Corporation 80 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 |
| | | | | |||
Vincent A. Verde, Principal Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary | | | Principal Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary of the Company and has served in such capacities since May 2018. From February 2018 to May 2018, Mr. Verde served as Controller of the Company. From January 2018 to February 2018, Mr. Verde served as a consultant for the Company. Prior to joining the Company, from December 2016 to February 2017, Mr. Verde served as a consultant for Xylem Inc., a publicly traded manufacturer and servicer of engineered solutions. Mr. Verde served from November 2014 to November 2016 as Subsidiary Controller for Teledyne Bolt, Inc., a developer, manufacturer and distributor of marine seismic data acquisition equipment and underwater remotely operated robotic vehicles and subsidiary of Teledyne Technologies Inc. (“Teledyne”). From January 2012 to November 2014, Mr. Verde served as Vice President and Corporate Controller for Bolt Technology Corporation, a then-publicly traded manufacturer and distributor of geophysical equipment and industrial clutches, which was acquired by Teledyne in November 2014. Mr. Verde has 17 years of public accounting experience, including eight years as Audit manager at Deloitte. | | | c/o Janel Corporation 80 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 |
By Mail: | | | | | By Overnight Courier: | |
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC Operations Center Attn: Reorganization Department P.O. Box 2042 New York, New York 10272-2042 | | | | | American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC Operations Center Attn: Reorganization Department 6201 15th Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11219 |
Alliance Advisors, LLC 200 Broadacres Drive Bloomfield, New Jersey 07003 Shareholders, Banks and Brokers Call Toll-Free: (877) 587-2031 rbcn@allianceadvisors.com |