UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Date
of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): November 16, 2009
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
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Delaware
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1-15062
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13-4099534
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(State
or Other Jurisdiction of
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(Commission
File Number)
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(IRS
Employer
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Incorporation)
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Identification
No.)
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One Time Warner Center, New York, New York
10019
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
212-484-8000
(Registrant’s
Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Not Applicable
(Former
Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions (see General Instruction A.2 below):
o
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
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o
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
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o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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Item 1.01. Entry
into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On
November 16, 2009, Time Warner Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Time Warner”),
entered into a separation and distribution agreement (the “Separation
Agreement”) with AOL Inc., a Delaware corporation (“AOL”), pursuant to which AOL
will be legally and structurally separated from Time Warner.
Under the
terms of the Separation Agreement, (i) Time Warner and AOL will complete certain
internal restructuring transactions, (ii)
Time
Warner and AOL will effect certain transfers of assets and assume certain
liabilities such that
substantially all of the assets and liabilities of
AOL LLC, which is currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of AOL that holds,
directly or indirectly, all of the AOL business, will be transferred to and
assumed by
AOL (with the exception of
AOL
LLC’s guarantees of indebtedness of Time Warner and other non-AOL affiliates of
Time Warner) and will settle or extinguish certain liabilities and other
obligations between Time Warner and AOL, (iii) the ownership of AOL LLC will be
transferred to, and retained by, Time Warner, (iv) subject to certain
exceptions, all agreements and commitments, including most intercompany accounts
payable or accounts receivable, between AOL and Time Warner will terminate
effective as of the date and time of the Spin-off (as defined below), (v) AOL
will obtain releases of all credit support instruments currently provided by or
through Time Warner prior to the Spin-off and, to the extent it cannot obtain
such releases, Time Warner will provide AOL with ongoing credit support until
the earlier of 24 months following the Spin-off and 30 days after AOL obtains
the right to borrow funds under its permanent post-distribution credit facility,
and in exchange for such ongoing credit support, AOL will pay
Time Warner a credit support fee, and (vi) Time Warner will distribute all the
issued and outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of AOL
(the “AOL Common Stock”) to Time Warner’s stockholders as a pro rata dividend in
a spin-off (the “Spin-off”). Time Warner has the sole and absolute
discretion to determine the terms of, and whether to proceed with, the Spin-off
and may terminate the Separation Agreement at any time prior to the
Spin-off.
Consummation
of the Spin-off is subject to customary closing conditions that must be
satisfied or waived by Time Warner in its sole discretion.
These conditions include, among other things, that (i)
the Registration Statement on Form 10 of AOL relating to the registration of the
AOL Common Stock under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 has been declared
effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), (ii) no stop
order of the SEC suspending the effectiveness of the Form 10 is in effect prior
to the Spin-off and (iii) the AOL Common Stock has been authorized for listing
on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”). The condition relating
to the authorization of the AOL common stock for listing on the NYSE has been
satisfied, and on November 16, 2009, AOL sent a letter to the SEC requesting
that the Form 10 be declared effective.
In
addition to, and concurrently with, the Separation Agreement, Time Warner and
AOL have entered into a second tax matters agreement (the “Tax Matters
Agreement”), and Time Warner, AOL and AOL LLC have entered into an employee
matters agreement (the “Employee Matters Agreement”).
Pursuant
to the Tax Matters Agreement, (i) Time Warner will indemnify AOL for any
liability resulting from AOL’s joint and several liability with Time Warner to
the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) for the consolidated U.S. Federal
income taxes of Time Warner’s consolidated U.S. federal income tax group
relating to the taxable periods in which AOL was part of the group and any
similar liability for U.S. Federal, state or local income taxes that are
determined on a consolidated, combined, unitary or similar basis for each
taxable period in which AOL is included in such consolidated, combined, unitary
or similar group with Time Warner, (ii) AOL will remain responsible for any
foreign income taxes and any income taxes that are not determined on a
consolidated, combined, unitary or similar basis with Time Warner, and (iii) AOL
will indemnify Time Warner for tax liabilities that are attributable to the
failure of certain representations made by AOL or its affiliates to be true when
made or deemed made or to certain other actions or omissions by AOL or its
affiliates in the event that the Spin-off, together with certain related
transactions, results in the recognition, for U.S. Federal income tax purposes,
of gain or loss to Time Warner or its stockholders, except to the extent of cash
received in lieu of fractional shares. Though valid as between the
parties, the Tax Matters Agreement is not binding on the IRS.
Pursuant
to the Employee Matters Agreement, subject to certain exceptions, (i) the assets
and liabilities arising out of employee compensation and benefit programs in
which AOL’s employees participated prior to the Spin-off will be transferred
from AOL LLC or Time Warner, as the case may be, to AOL, (ii) vested and certain
unvested account balances under Time Warner’s tax-qualified savings plan that
relate to AOL’s current and former employees will be transferred directly to the
tax-qualified savings plan that AOL will establish, (iii) stock options and
restricted stock units (“RSUs”) granted or awarded to AOL’s employees under Time
Warner’s equity incentive plans will be treated as if the employees were
terminated without cause under the relevant award agreements, (iv) all
performance stock units awarded to AOL’s employees under Time Warner’s equity
incentive plans will be treated under provisions governing a “divisional change
in control” under the relevant award agreements, and (v) AOL’s liability to Time
Warner relating to equity awards held by AOL’s current and former employees will
be settled prior to the Spin-off. Following the Spin-off, AOL will
have no further financial obligations with respect to such awards, other than
(i) with respect to reporting and withholding of taxes on the equity awards
(certain of which taxes will be reimbursed by Time Warner), (ii) to pay dividend
equivalents on Time Warner RSUs (which will be reimbursed by Time Warner), and
(iii) to reimburse Time Warner for certain ongoing administrative
expenses. All obligations pursuant to Time Warner’s nonqualified
deferred compensation plans and other agreements providing for the payment of
deferred compensation by AOL LLC or Time Warner will remain with AOL LLC or Time
Warner, as applicable, following the Spin-off.
The
Employee Matters Agreement will also govern the transfer of employees between
Time Warner and AOL in connection with the Spin-off and sets forth obligations
for certain reimbursements and indemnities between Time Warner and AOL relating
to such transfer. In addition, upon the Spin-off, all Time Warner
stock options and RSUs held by AOL’s Chief Executive Officer will be converted,
with appropriate adjustments, into stock options and RSUs of AOL on
substantially the same terms and conditions (including vesting) as were
applicable to his Time Warner stock options and RSUs immediately prior to the
Spin-off. Specifically, the Employee Matters Agreement provides that
AOL
’
s Chief
Executive Officer’s stock options and RSUs will be adjusted in a manner such
that the “fair value” and the “intrinsic value” of such awards (each within the
meaning of the accounting guidance for equity-based compensation) will be the
same immediately before and immediately after the Spin-off.
In
addition, in connection with the Separation Agreement, Time Warner has entered
into additional ancillary agreements, including a transition services agreement
pursuant to which Time Warner will provide AOL with certain services for a
limited time to help with an orderly transition following the Spin-off, an
intellectual property cross-license agreement pursuant to which Time Warner and
AOL will license, subject to certain terms and conditions, all United States or
foreign patent applications or patents owned in whole or in part, as of the date
of the Spin-off, by it or any of its subsidiaries to the other party on a
non-exclusive basis, an IT applications and database agreement pursuant to which
each of Time Warner and AOL will provide to the other software applications that
have been developed internally, a master services agreement for ATDN and hosting
services pursuant to which AOL will continue to provide AOL network and hosting
services to Time Warner and its subsidiaries after the Spin-off in a manner
consistent with the nature, scope and price of services currently provided to
Time Warner and its subsidiaries.
The
foregoing descriptions of the Separation Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement
and the Employee Matters Agreement are qualified in their entirety by reference
to the full text of the Separation Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement and the
Employee Matters Agreement, which are filed as Exhibit 99.1, Exhibit 99.2 and
Exhibit 99.3, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are hereby
incorporated by reference. All stockholders of Time Warner are urged
to read the Separation Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement and the Employee
Matters Agreement carefully and in their entirety. The descriptions
of the Separation Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement and the Employee Matters
Agreement have been included to provide you with information regarding their
terms. They are not intended to provide any other factual information
about Time Warner.
Item
8.01. Other Events.
On
November 16, 2009, Time Warner and AOL announced the timing and details
regarding the Spin-off. The Time Warner
board of directors
has declared a pro rata dividend of AOL Common
Stock to be made at 11:59 p.m. New York City time on December 9, 2009 to
Time Warner’s stockholders of record as of 5:00 p.m. New York City time on
November 27, 2009 (the “Record Date”). Each Time Warner stockholder
will receive a dividend of one share of AOL Common Stock for every eleven shares
of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Time Warner that they hold on the
Record Date.
A copy of
the press release is included as Exhibit 99.4.
Caution
Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This
Current Report on Form 8-K includes certain forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the
plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of Time Warner, including the
benefits of the Spin-off and other related transactions involving Time Warner
and AOL and their subsidiaries, and other statements that are not historical
facts. These statements are based on the current expectations and
beliefs of Time Warner’s management, and are subject to uncertainty and changes
in circumstances. Time Warner cautions readers that any
forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and that
actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the
statements herein, due to the conditions to the consummation of the Spin-off and
other related transactions, changes in economic, business, competitive,
technological, strategic or other regulatory factors, as well as factors
affecting the operation of the businesses of Time Warner and
AOL. More detailed information about certain of these and other
factors may be found in filings by Time Warner with the SEC, including its most
recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended June 30, 2009, in each case in the sections entitled “Caution
Concerning Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors.” Various
factors could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements including, without limitation, the risk that the
anticipated benefits from the Spin-off may not be fully realized or may take
longer to realize than expected. Time Warner is under no obligation
to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter the
forward-looking statements contained in this document, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise.
Item 9.01. Financial
Statements and Exhibits.
(d)
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Exhibits
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Exhibit
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Description
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99.1
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Separation
and Distribution Agreement, dated as of November 16, 2009, by and between
Time Warner Inc. and AOL Inc.
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99.2
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Second
Tax Matters Agreement, dated as of November 16, 2009, by and between Time
Warner Inc. and AOL Inc.
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99.3
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Employee
Matters Agreement, dated as of November 16, 2009, by and among Time Warner
Inc., AOL LLC and AOL Inc.
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99.4
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Press
release issued November 16, 2009, by Time Warner Inc. and AOL
Inc.
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Pursuant to the requirements of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.
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TIME WARNER INC.
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By:
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/s/ Pascal Desroches
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Name:
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Pascal Desroches
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Title:
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Senior Vice President and Controller
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Date: November 17, 2009
Exhibit
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Description
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99.1
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Separation
and Distribution Agreement, dated as of November 16, 2009, by and between
Time Warner Inc. and AOL Inc.
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99.2
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Second
Tax Matters Agreement, dated as of November 16, 2009, by and between Time
Warner Inc. and AOL Inc.
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99.3
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Employee
Matters Agreement, dated as of November 16, 2009, by and among Time Warner
Inc., AOL LLC and AOL Inc.
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99.4
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Press
release issued November 16, 2009, by Time Warner Inc. and AOL
Inc.
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7
Exhibit
99.1
SEPARATION
AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
By and
Between
TIME
WARNER INC.
and
AOL
INC.
Dated as
of November 16, 2009
Schedule
I
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-
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Internal
Transactions
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Schedule
II
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-
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TWX Retained
Assets
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Schedule
III
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-
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TWX Retained
Liabilities
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Schedule
IV
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Payables
Transactions
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SEPARATION
AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT dated as of November 16, 2009, by and between TIME
WARNER INC., a Delaware corporation (“
TWX
”), and AOL INC.,
a Delaware corporation (“
AOL
”). Capitalized
terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings
assigned to them in Article I hereof.
R E C I T
A L S
WHEREAS
the board of directors of TWX has determined that it is in the best interests of
TWX and its shareholders to distribute its entire interest in its wholly owned
subsidiary, AOL, by way of a stock dividend to be made to holders of common
stock of TWX;
WHEREAS
in furtherance of the foregoing, it is appropriate and desirable to effect the
Separation and the Distribution, each as more fully described in this
Agreement;
WHEREAS
TWX and AOL have prepared, and AOL has filed with the Commission, the Form 10,
which includes the Information Statement and sets forth appropriate disclosure
concerning AOL and the Distribution;
WHEREAS
on July 8, 2009, TWX purchased membership interests representing 5% of AOL
Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company that was classified as a
corporation for U.S. Federal income tax purposes (“
AOL Holdings
”), from
Google Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “
Google
Buyout
”);
WHEREAS,
immediately after the Google Buyout, TWX and TW AOL Holdings Inc., a Virginia
corporation (“
TWA
”), owned
membership interests representing 7.5% and 92.5% of AOL Holdings,
respectively;
WHEREAS
on November 2, 2009, Original AOL Inc., a direct wholly owned Subsidiary of AOL
LLC, completed the Existing AOL Inc. Name Change;
WHEREAS
on November 2, 2009, the AOL Conversion was effected and, as a result, AOL
became the successor to AOL Holdings;
WHEREAS
on November 5, 2009, the TWA Conversion was effected and, as a result, TW AOL
Holdings LLC, a Virginia limited liability company (“
TWA LLC
”), became the
successor to TWA;
WHEREAS
TWX and AOL intend that each of the Transactions qualifies for its Intended Tax
Treatment; and
WHEREAS
it is appropriate and desirable to set forth the principal corporate
transactions required to effect the Separation and the Distribution and certain
other agreements that will govern certain matters relating to the Separation,
the Distribution and the relationship of TWX, AOL and their respective
Subsidiaries following the Distribution.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants
contained in this Agreement, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby
agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
Definitions
For the
purpose of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
“
Action
” means any
claim, demand, action, suit, countersuit, arbitration, inquiry, proceeding or
investigation by or before any Governmental Authority or any Federal, state,
local, foreign or international arbitration or mediation tribunal.
“
Affiliate
” of any
Person means a Person that controls, is controlled by or is under common control
with such Person. As used herein, “control” of any entity means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management or policies of such entity, whether through
ownership of voting securities or other interests, by contract or otherwise;
provided
,
however
, that, except
as specified in the following sentence, (i) AOL and its Subsidiaries shall not
be considered Affiliates of TWX or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) TWX and its
Subsidiaries shall not be considered Affiliates of AOL or any of its
Subsidiaries. For the avoidance of doubt, AOL LLC shall be considered
an Affiliate of AOL and its Subsidiaries, and not TWX, at all times prior to the
Distribution, but shall be considered an Affiliate of TWX and its Subsidiaries,
and not AOL, at all times following the Distribution.
“
Agent
” means the
distribution agent to be appointed by TWX to distribute to the shareholders of
TWX, pursuant to the Distribution, the shares of AOL Common Stock held by
TWX.
“
Agreement
” means this
Separation and Distribution Agreement, including the Schedules
hereto.
“
Ancillary Agreements
”
means the Transition Services Agreement, TMA, EMA, IPA, Assignment and
Assumption Agreement and any other instruments, assignments, documents and
agreements executed in connection with the implementation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
“
AOL
” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble.
“
AOL Actions and
Investigations
” means the “Actions and Investigations” referred to in the
Release and Agreement between TWX and various insurance companies, dated as of
January 31, 2006.
“
AOL Assets
” means all
of the Assets held by AOL LLC directly (including, for the avoidance of doubt,
all capital stock of any Person held by AOL LLC), but excluding the TWX Retained
Assets and any Assets held by a member of the AOL Group that are determined by
the Parties, in good faith, to be primarily related to or used primarily in
connection with the business or operations of a member of the TWX
Group.
“
AOL Business
” means
the businesses and operations of the AOL Group, including the businesses and
operations of AOL LLC prior to the Distribution.
“
AOL Common Stock
”
means the common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of AOL.
“
AOL Conversion
” has
the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
AOL Group
” means AOL
and each of its controlled Affiliates.
“
AOL Holdings
” has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“
AOL Indemnitees
” has
the meaning set forth in Section 6.03.
“
AOL Liabilities
”
means the Liabilities of the AOL Group, including the AOL LLC Liabilities and
the Liabilities assumed by or assigned to AOL under this Agreement, but
excluding the TWX Retained Liabilities.
“
AOL LLC Liabilities
”
means the Liabilities of AOL LLC, whether at law or in equity (including any
right of contribution), whether arising under any contract or agreement, by
operation of law or otherwise, existing or arising from any acts or events
occurring or failing to occur or alleged to have occurred or to have failed to
occur or any conditions existing or alleged to have existed on or prior to the
Distribution Date, including as a result of or in connection with this
Agreement, the Assignment and Assumption Agreement or any of the transactions or
other actions to implement the Separation or Distribution, but excluding the TWX
Retained Liabilities.
“
AOL LLC Name Change
”
has the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
AOL Online Shares
”
has the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
AOL Online Transfer
”
has the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
Asset Distribution
”
has the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
Assets
” means all
assets, properties and rights (including goodwill), other than any relating to
Taxes, wherever located (including in the possession of vendors or other
third-parties or elsewhere), whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or
intangible, or accrued or contingent, 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 any Person, including the following:
(a) all
accounting and other books, records and files, whether in paper, microfilm,
microfiche, computer tape or disc, magnetic tape or any other form;
(b) all
apparatus, computers and other electronic data processing equipment, fixtures,
machinery, furniture, office and other equipment, including hardware systems,
circuits and other computer and telecommunication assets and equipment,
automobiles, trucks, aircraft, rolling stock, vessels, motor vehicles and other
transportation equipment, special and general tools, test devices, prototypes
and models and other tangible personal property;
(c) all
inventories of materials, parts, raw materials, supplies, work-in-process and
finished goods and products;
(d) all
interests in real property of whatever nature, including easements, whether as
owner, mortgagee or holder of a Security Interest in real property, lessor,
sublessor, lessee, sublessee or otherwise;
(e) all
interests in any capital stock or other equity interests of any Subsidiary or
any other Person; all bonds, notes, debentures or other securities issued by any
Subsidiary or any other Person; all loans, advances or other extensions of
credit or capital contributions to any Subsidiary or any other Person; all other
investments in securities of any Person; and all rights as a partner, joint
venturer or participant;
(f) all
license agreements, leases of personal property, open purchase orders for raw
materials, supplies, parts or services, unfilled orders for the manufacture and
sale of products and other contracts, agreements or commitments and all rights
arising thereunder;
(g) all
deposits, letters of credit, performance bonds and other surety
bonds;
(h) all
written technical information, data, specifications, research and development
information, engineering drawings, operating and maintenance manuals and
materials and analyses prepared by consultants and other
third-parties;
(i) all
United States, state, multinational and foreign intellectual property, including
patents, copyrights, trade names, trademarks, service marks, slogans, logos,
trade dresses and other source indicators and the goodwill of the business
symbolized thereby; all registrations, applications, recordings, disclosures,
renewals, continuations, continuations-in-part, divisions, reissues,
reexaminations, foreign counterparts, and other legal protections and rights
related to any of the foregoing; mask works, trade secrets, inventions and other
proprietary information, including know-how, processes, formulae, techniques,
technical data, designs, drawings, specifications, customer and supplier lists,
pricing and cost information and business and marketing plans and proposals,
discoveries, inventions, licenses from third-parties granting the right to use
any of the foregoing and all tangible embodiments of the foregoing in whatever
form or medium;
(j) all
computer applications, programs, software and other code (in object and source
code form), including operating software, network software, firmware,
middleware, design software, design tools, systems documentation, instructions,
ASP, HTML, DHTML, SHTML and XML files, cgi and other scripts, APIs, web widgets,
algorithms, models, methodologies, files, documentation related to any of the
foregoing and all tangible embodiments of the foregoing in whatever form or
medium;
(k) all
Internet URLs and domain names;
(l) all
websites, databases, content, text, graphics, images, audio, video, data and
other copyrightable works or other works of authorship including all
translations, adaptations, derivations and combinations thereof;
(m) all
cost information, sales and pricing data, customer prospect lists, supplier
records, customer and supplier lists, subscriber, customer and vendor data,
correspondence and lists, product literature and other advertising and
promotional materials, artwork, design, development and manufacturing files,
vendor and customer drawings, formulations and specifications, server and
traffic logs, quality records and reports and other books, records, studies,
surveys, reports, plans, business records and documents;
(n) all
prepaid expenses, trade accounts and other accounts and notes receivable
(whether current or non-current);
(o) all
claims or rights against any Person arising from the ownership of any
other Asset, all rights in connection with any bids or offers, all
claims, causes in action, lawsuits, judgments or similar rights, all rights
under express or implied warranties, all rights of recovery and all rights of
setoff of any kind and demands of any nature, in each case whether accrued or
contingent, whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether arising by way of
counterclaim or otherwise;
(p) all
rights under insurance policies and all rights in the nature of insurance,
indemnification or contribution;
(q) all
licenses (including radio and similar licenses), permits, approvals and
authorizations that have been issued by any Governmental Authority and all
pending applications therefor;
(r) cash
or cash equivalents, bank accounts, lock boxes and other deposit
arrangements;
(s) interest
rate, currency, commodity or other swap, collar, cap or other hedging or similar
agreements or arrangements; and
(t) all
goodwill as a going concern and other intangible properties.
“
Assignment and Assumption
Agreement
” means the Assignment and Assumption Agreement between TWX, AOL
and AOL LLC to be dated as of the date of the Asset Distribution.
“
Cash
” means cash,
cash equivalents, bank deposits and marketable securities, whether denominated
in United States dollars or otherwise.
“
Code
” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“
Commission
” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
“
Consents
” means any
consents, waivers or approvals from, or notification requirements to, any Person
other than a member of either Group.
“
Covered Employees
”
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04.
“
Credit Support
Agreement
” means the Credit Support Agreement to be entered into between
TWX and AOL prior to the Distribution Date.
“
Credit Support
Instruments
” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).
“
D&O Policies
” has
the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(e).
“
Deferred Compensation
Payable
” has the meaning ascribed thereto in the EMA.
“
Distribution
” means
the distribution, on a
pro
rata
basis, by TWX to the
Record Holders of all the outstanding shares of AOL Common Stock owned by TWX on
the Distribution Date.
“
Distribution Date
”
means the date, determined by TWX in accordance with Section 5.03, on which the
Distribution occurs.
“
DLLC Act
” has the
meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
EMA
” means the
Employee Matters Agreement dated as of the date of this Agreement by and among
TWX, AOL and AOL LLC.
“
Escrow Account
” means
the account established by the Escrow Agreement between TWX and Deutsche Bank
Trust Company Americas, dated as of December 21, 2005.
“
Exchange Act
” means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
“
Existing AOL Inc. Name
Change
” has the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
First AOL LLC
Distribution
” has the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
Form 10
” means the
registration statement on Form 10 filed by AOL with the Commission to effect the
registration of AOL Common Stock pursuant to the Exchange Act in connection with
the Distribution, as such registration statement may be amended or supplemented
from time to time.
“
Google Buyout
” has
the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“
Governmental
Approvals
” means any notices, reports or other filings to be given to or
made with, or any Consents, registrations, approvals, permits or authorizations
to be obtained from, any Governmental Authority.
“
Governmental
Authority
” means any Federal, state, local, foreign or international
court, government, department, commission, board, bureau, agency, official or
other legislative, judicial, regulatory, administrative or governmental
authority.
“
Group
” means either
the TWX Group or the AOL Group, as the context requires.
“
Indemnifying Party
”
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.05(a).
“
Indemnitee
” has the
meaning set forth in Section 6.05(a).
“
Indemnity Payment
”
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.05(a).
“
Information
” means
information, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, in written, oral,
electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, stored in any medium,
including studies, reports, records, books, contracts, instruments, surveys,
discoveries, ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, designs, specifications,
drawings, blueprints, diagrams, models, prototypes, samples, flow charts, data,
computer data, disks, diskettes, tapes, computer programs or other software,
marketing plans, customer names, 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.
“
Information
Statement
” means the Information Statement to be sent to each holder of
TWX Common Stock in connection with the Distribution, as such Information
Statement may be amended from time to time.
“
Insurance Proceeds
”
means those moneys:
(a) received
by an insured (or its successor-in-interest) from an insurance
carrier;
(b) paid
by an insurance carrier on behalf of the insured (or its successor-in-interest);
or
(c) received
(including by way of set-off) from any third-party in the nature of insurance,
contribution or indemnification in respect of any Liability;
in any
such case net of any applicable premium adjustments (including reserves and
retrospectively rated premium adjustments) and net of any costs or expenses
incurred in the collection thereof.
“
Intended Tax
Treatment
” has the meaning ascribed thereto in the TMA.
“
Intercompany
Accounts
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(a).
“
Internal
Distribution
” has the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
Internal
Transactions
” means the TWA Conversion, the Existing AOL Inc. Name
Change, the AOL Conversion, the Asset Distribution, the AOL Online Transfer, the
First AOL LLC Distribution, the Second AOL LLC Distribution, the AOL LLC Name
Change, the Internal Distribution, the Payables Transactions and the
Recapitalization, each as described on Schedule I.
“
IPA
” means the
Intellectual Property Cross-License Agreement dated as of the date of this
Agreement by and between TWX and AOL.
“
Law
” means any
statute, law, regulation, ordinance, rule, judgment, rule of common law, order,
decree, government approval, concession, grant, franchise, license, agreement,
directive, guideline, policy, requirement or other governmental restriction or
any similar form of decision of, or determination by, or any interpretation or
administration of any of the foregoing by, any Governmental Authority, whether
now or hereinafter in effect and, in each case, as amended.
“
Liabilities
” means
any and all claims, debts, demands, actions, causes of action, suits, damages,
obligations, accruals, accounts payable, reckonings, bonds, indemnities and
similar obligations, agreements, promises, 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, whenever
arising, and including those arising under any law, rule, regulation, Action,
threatened or contemplated Action, order or consent decree of any Governmental
Authority or any award of any arbitrator or mediator of any kind, and those
arising under any contract, commitment or undertaking, including those arising
under this Agreement, 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 any Person. For the avoidance of doubt, Liabilities (i)
shall include attorneys’ fees, the costs and expenses of all assessments,
judgments, settlements and compromises, and any and all other costs and expenses
whatsoever reasonably incurred in connection with anything contemplated by the
preceding sentence and (ii) shall not include liabilities or requirements
related to Taxes.
“
NYSE
” means the New
York Stock Exchange.
“
Party
” means either
party hereto, and “
Parties
” shall mean
both parties hereto.
“
Payables
Transactions
” means the intercompany payables transactions set forth on
Schedule IV to be settled prior to or as of the close of business on the
business day immediately prior to the Distribution Date.
“
Person
” means an
individual, a general or limited partnership, a corporation, a trust, a joint
venture, an unincorporated organization, a limited liability company, any other
entity and any Governmental Authority.
“
Pre-Separation Claims-Based
Insurance Claim
” means any claim made against the AOL Group or TWX Group
and reported to the applicable insurer(s) on or prior to the Distribution Date
in respect of a Liability occurring on or prior to the Distribution Date under a
“claims-made-based” insurance policy of any member of the TWX Group in effect on
or prior to the Distribution Date.
“
Pre-Separation Insurance
Claim
” means a Pre-Separation Claims-Based Insurance Claim or any Action
(whether made prior to, on or following the Distribution Date) in respect of a
Liability occurring on or prior to the Distribution Date under an
“occurrence-based” insurance policy of any member of the TWX Group in effect on
or prior to the Distribution Date.
“
Recapitalization
” has
the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
Record Date
” means
the close of business on the date to be determined by the TWX board of directors
as the record date for determining the shares of TWX Common Stock in respect of
which shares of AOL Common Stock will be distributed pursuant to the
Distribution.
“
Record Holders
” has
the meaning set forth in Section 5.01(b).
“
Second AOL LLC
Distribution
” has the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
Security Interest
”
means any mortgage, security interest, pledge, lien, charge, claim, option,
right to acquire, voting or other restriction, right-of-way, covenant,
condition, easement, encroachment, restriction on transfer or other encumbrance
of any nature whatsoever.
“
Separation
” means (a)
the Internal Transactions, (b) any actions to be taken pursuant to Article II
and (c) any other transfers of Assets and assumptions of Liabilities, in each
case, between a member of one Group and a member of the other Group, provided
for in this Agreement or the Assignment and Assumption Agreement.
“
Subsidiary
” of any
Person means any corporation or other organization whether incorporated or
unincorporated of which at least a majority of the securities or interests
having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect at least a majority
of the board of directors or others performing similar functions with respect to
such corporation or other organization, is directly or indirectly owned or
controlled by such Person or by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such
Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries;
provided
,
however
that (i) no
Person that is not directly or indirectly wholly owned by any other Person shall
be a Subsidiary of such other Person unless such other Person controls, or has
the right, power or ability to control, that Person and (ii) AOL and its
Subsidiaries (including AOL LLC) shall not be considered Subsidiaries of TWX
prior to the Distribution.
“
Taxes
” has the
meaning set forth in the TMA.
“
Third-Party Claim
”
means any assertion by a Person (including any Governmental Authority) who is
not a member of the TWX Group or the AOL Group of any claim, or the commencement
by any such Person of any Action, against any member of the TWX Group or the AOL
Group.
“
Third-Party Proceeds
”
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.05(a).
“
TMA
” means the Second
Tax Matters Agreement dated as of the date of this Agreement by and between TWX
and AOL.
“
Transition Services
Agreement
” means the Transition Services Agreement dated as of the date
of this Agreement between TWX and AOL.
“
Transactions
” means
the Internal Transactions and the Distribution.
“
TWA
” has the meaning
set forth in the recitals.
“
TWA Conversion
” has
the meaning set forth on Schedule I.
“
TWA LLC
” has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“
TW Coverage Amount
”
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04.
“
TWX
” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble.
“
TWX Business
” means
(a) the businesses and operations of the TWX Group and (b) except as otherwise
expressly provided herein, any terminated, divested or discontinued businesses
or operations of the TWX Group (other than the businesses and operations to be
divested by the TWX Group pursuant to this Agreement);
provided
,
however
, that the TWX
Business shall not include the businesses and operations, or any discontinued
businesses and operations, of AOL LLC prior to the Distribution.
“
TWX Credit Support
Instruments
” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).
“
TWX Common Stock
”
means the common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of TWX.
“
TWX Disclosure
Sections
” means all information set forth in or omitted from the Form 10
or Information Statement to the extent relating to (a) the TWX Group, (b) the
TWX Liabilities, (c) the TWX Retained Assets or (d) the substantive disclosure
set forth in the Form 10 relating to (i) TWX’s repurchase of Google’s interest
in AOL, including the section entitled “AOL-Google Alliance” within the “Recent
Developments” section, (ii) TWX’s board of directors’ consideration
of the Separation and the Transactions, including the section entitled “Reasons
for the Spin-Off” and (iii) the description relating to the solicitation of
consents from the holders of certain outstanding public debt of TWX or its
subsidiaries guaranteed by AOL LLC.
“
TWX Equity Award
Payable
” has the meaning ascribed thereto in the EMA.
“
TWX Group
” means TWX
and each of its controlled Affiliates.
“
TWX Indemnitees
” has
the meaning set forth in Section 6.02.
“
TWX Liabilities
”
means the Liabilities of the TWX Group, including the TWX Retained Liabilities
and the Liabilities assumed by or assigned to the TWX Group pursuant to this
Agreement, but excluding the AOL LLC Liabilities.
“
TWX Retained Assets
”
means the Assets to be retained by TWX, as listed in Schedule II.
“
TWX Retained
Liabilities
” means the Liabilities to be retained by TWX, as listed in
Schedule III.
ARTICLE
II
The
Separation
(b) In
the event that it is discovered after the Distribution that there was an
omission of the transfer or conveyance by one Party (or any other member of its
Group) to, and the acceptance or assumption by, the other Party (or any other
member of its Group) of any Asset or Liability that, had the Parties given
specific consideration to such Asset or Liability prior to the Distribution,
would have otherwise been so transferred or conveyed pursuant to this Agreement
or the Assignment and Assumption Agreement, the Parties shall use reasonable
best efforts to promptly effect such transfer or conveyance of such Asset or
Liability. Any transfer or conveyance made pursuant to this Section
2.01(b) shall be treated by the Parties for all purposes as if it had occurred
immediately prior to the Distribution.
(c) In
the event that it is discovered after the Distribution that there was a transfer
or conveyance by one Party (or any other member of its Group) to, and the
acceptance or assumption by, the other Party (or any other member of its Group)
of any Asset or Liability that was intended to be retained by the transferring
or conveying Party pursuant to this Agreement or the Assignment and Assumption
Agreement, the Parties shall use reasonable best efforts to promptly transfer or
convey such Asset or Liability back to the transferring or conveying
Party. Any transfer or conveyance made pursuant to this Section
2.01(c) shall be treated by the Parties for all purposes as if such Asset or
Liability had never been originally transferred or conveyed.
(d) To
the extent that any transfer or conveyance of any Asset or acceptance or
assumption of any Liability required by this Agreement or the Assignment and
Assumption Agreement to be so transferred, conveyed, accepted or assumed shall
not have been completed prior to the Distribution, the Parties shall use
reasonable best efforts to effect such transfer, conveyance, acceptance or
assumption as promptly following the Distribution as shall be
practicable. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require the
transfer or conveyance of any Assets or the acceptance or assumption of any
Liabilities which by their terms or operation of law cannot be so transferred,
conveyed, accepted or assumed;
provided
,
however
, that the
Parties shall use reasonable best efforts to obtain any necessary Consents for
the transfer, conveyance, acceptance or assumption (as applicable) of all Assets
and Liabilities required by this Agreement or the Assignment and Assumption
Agreement to be so transferred, conveyed, accepted or assumed. In the
event that any such transfer, conveyance, acceptance or assumption (as
applicable) has not been completed effective as of and after the Distribution,
the Party retaining such Asset or Liability shall thereafter hold such Asset for
the use and benefit of the Party entitled thereto (at the expense of the Party
entitled thereto) and retain such Liability for the account, and at the expense,
of the Party by whom such Liability should have been assumed or accepted
pursuant to this Agreement or the Assignment and Assumption Agreement, and take
such other action as may be reasonably requested by the Party to which such
Asset should have been transferred or conveyed, or by whom such Liability should
have been assumed or accepted, as the case may be, in order to place such Party,
insofar as reasonably possible, in the same position as would have existed had
such Asset or Liability been transferred, conveyed, accepted or assumed (as
applicable) as contemplated by this Agreement or the Assignment and Assumption
Agreement. As and when any such Asset or Liability becomes
transferable, the Parties shall use reasonable best efforts to promptly effect
such transfer, conveyance, acceptance or assumption (as
applicable). Any transfer, conveyance, acceptance or assumption made
pursuant to this Section 2.01(d) shall be treated by the Parties for all
purposes as if it had occurred immediately prior to the
Distribution.
(e) After
the First AOL LLC Distribution and until the Distribution, TWX shall cause AOL
LLC not to engage in any business or conduct any activities unrelated to the
Separation or the Distribution, and during such period TWX shall not, and shall
cause TWA LLC not to, take any affirmative action to change or remove any
officers or directors of AOL LLC, in each case unless AOL consents (such consent
not to be unreasonably withheld).
SECTION 2.02.
Certain Matters Governed Exclusively by Ancillary
Agreements
.
Each of TWX and AOL agrees on behalf of itself
and its Subsidiaries that, except as explicitly provided in this Agreement or
any Ancillary Agreement, (i) the TMA shall exclusively govern all matters
relating to Taxes between such parties, (ii) the EMA shall exclusively govern
the allocation of Assets and Liabilities related to employee and employee
benefits-related matters (except for those matters involving the Payables
Transactions which are governed by Schedule IV hereto), including the existing
equity plans with respect to employees and former employees of members of both
the TWX Group and the AOL Group, (iii) the Transition Services Agreement shall
exclusively govern all matters relating to the provision of certain services
identified therein to be provided by each Party to the other on a transitional
basis following the Distribution, and (iv) the IPA shall exclusively govern all
matters relating to the mutual licensing of certain intellectual property
identified therein between members of the TWX Group and the AOL
Group.
SECTION 2.03.
Termination of
Agreements
.
(a) Except
as set forth in Section 2.03(b) or as otherwise provided by the steps
constituting the Internal Transactions, in furtherance of the releases and other
provisions of Section 6.01, effective as of the Distribution, AOL and each other
member of the AOL Group, on the one hand, and TWX and each other member of the
TWX Group, on the other hand, hereby terminate any and all agreements,
arrangements, commitments and understandings, oral or written, including all
intercompany accounts payable or accounts receivable (“
Intercompany
Accounts
”), between such parties and in effect or accrued as of the
Distribution. No such terminated Intercompany Account, agreement,
arrangement, commitment or understanding (including any provision thereof that
purports to survive termination) shall be of any further force or effect after
the Distribution Date. Each Party shall, at the reasonable request of
the other Party, take, or cause to be taken, such other actions as may be
necessary to effect the foregoing.
(b) The
provisions of Section 2.03(a) shall not apply to any of the following
agreements, arrangements, commitments, understandings or Intercompany Accounts
(or to any of the provisions thereof): (i) this Agreement and the
Ancillary Agreements (and each other agreement, arrangement, commitment,
understanding or Intercompany Account expressly contemplated by this Agreement
or any Ancillary Agreement to be entered into by either Party or any other
member of its Group), (ii) any existing written agreements, arrangements,
commitments or understandings to provide services between a member of the AOL
Group, on the one hand, and a member of the TWX Group, on the other hand, that
have been entered into in the ordinary course of business on an arm’s-length
basis, including outstanding operational intercompany trade receivables or
payables incurred on such basis but excluding Qualified Intercompany
Accounts and (iii) any other agreements, arrangements, commitments,
understandings or Intercompany Accounts that this Agreement or any Ancillary
Agreement expressly contemplates will survive the Distribution
Date.
SECTION 2.04.
Disclaimer of Representations and
Warranties
.
Each of TWX (on behalf of itself and each
other member of the TWX Group) and AOL (on behalf of itself and each other
member of the AOL Group) understands and agrees that, except as expressly set
forth herein, no Party to this Agreement or any other agreement or document
contemplated by this Agreement is representing or warranting in any way as to
any Assets, businesses or Liabilities transferred or assumed as contemplated
hereby or thereby, as to any consents or approvals required in connection
therewith, as to the value or freedom from any Security Interests of, or any
other matter concerning, any Assets of such Party, or as to the absence of any
defenses or right of setoff or freedom from counterclaim with respect to any
claim or other Asset, including any accounts receivable, of any such Party, or
as to the legal sufficiency of any assignment, document or instrument delivered
hereunder to convey title to any Asset or thing of value upon the execution,
delivery and filing hereof or thereof. Except as may expressly be set
forth herein, any such Assets are being transferred on an “as is,” “where is”
basis and the respective transferees shall bear the economic and legal risks
that (a) any conveyance shall prove to be insufficient to vest in the transferee
good and marketable title, free and clear of any Security Interest, and (b) any
necessary Governmental Approvals or other Consents are not obtained or that any
requirements of laws or judgments are not complied with.
ARTICLE
III
Credit
Facilities
SECTION 3.01.
Replacement of Credit
Support
.
(a) AOL shall use reasonable best
efforts to arrange, at its sole cost and expense and effective as early as
possible prior to the Distribution Date, the replacement of all guarantees,
covenants, indemnities, surety bonds, letters of credit or similar assurances or
credit support (“
Credit Support
Instruments
”) provided by or through TWX or any other member of the TWX
Group for the benefit of AOL or any other member of the AOL Group (“
TWX Credit Support
Instruments
”) with alternate arrangements that do not require any credit
support from TWX or any other member of the TWX Group, and shall use reasonable
best efforts to obtain from the beneficiaries of such Credit Support Instruments
written releases (which in the case of a letter of credit or bank guarantee
would be effective upon surrender of the original TWX Credit Support Instrument
to the originating bank and such bank’s confirmation to TWX of cancelation
thereof) indicating that TWX or such other member of the TWX Group will,
effective upon the consummation of the Distribution, have no liability with
respect to such Credit Support Instruments, in each case reasonably satisfactory
to TWX;
provided
,
however
, that in the
event that AOL shall not have obtained all such releases on or prior to the
Distribution Date, the terms of the Credit Support Agreement shall govern all
such unreleased TWX Credit Support Instruments.
(b) TWX
shall use reasonable best efforts to arrange, at its sole cost and expense and
effective on or prior to the Distribution Date, the replacement of all Credit
Support Instruments provided by AOL or any other member of the AOL Group for the
benefit of TWX or any other member of the TWX Group with alternate arrangements
that do not require any credit support from AOL or any other member of the AOL
Group, and shall use reasonable best efforts to obtain from the beneficiaries of
such Credit Support Instruments written releases indicating that AOL or such
other member of the AOL Group will, effective upon the consummation of the
Distribution, have no liability with respect to such Credit Support Instruments,
in each case reasonably satisfactory to AOL;
provided
,
however
, that in the
event that TWX shall not have obtained all such releases on or prior to the
Distribution Date, TWX shall provide AOL with letters of credit or guarantees,
in each case issued by a bank reasonably acceptable to AOL, against losses
arising from all such Credit Support Instruments, or if AOL agrees in writing,
cash collateralize the full amount of any outstanding Credit Support Instrument
with respect to which such release has not been obtained.
(c) TWX
and AOL shall provide each other with written notice of all Credit Support
Instruments a reasonable period prior to the Distribution.
ARTICLE
IV
Actions Pending the
Distribution
SECTION 4.01.
Actions Prior to the
Distribution
.
(a) Subject to the conditions
specified in Section 4.02 and subject to Section 5.03, TWX and AOL shall use
reasonable best efforts to consummate the Distribution. Such actions
shall include those specified in this Section 4.01.
(b) Prior
to the Distribution, TWX shall mail the Information Statement to the holders of
TWX Common Stock as of the Record Date.
(c) AOL
shall prepare, file with the Commission and use its reasonable best efforts to
cause to become effective any registration statements or amendments thereto
required to effect the establishment of, or amendments to, any employee benefit
and other plans necessary or appropriate in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements.
(d) TWX
and AOL shall take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate under the
securities or blue sky laws of the states or other political subdivisions of the
United States or of other foreign jurisdictions in connection with the
Distribution.
(e) AOL
shall prepare and file, and shall use reasonable best efforts to have approved
prior to the Distribution, an application for the listing of the AOL Common
Stock to be distributed in the Distribution on the NYSE, subject to official
notice of distribution.
(f) Prior
to the Distribution, the existing directors of AOL shall duly elect the
individuals listed as members of the AOL board of directors in the Information
Statement, and such individuals shall be the members of the AOL board of
directors effective as of immediately after the Distribution;
provided
,
however
, that to the
extent required by any Law or requirement of the NYSE or any other national
securities exchange, as applicable, one independent director shall be appointed
by the existing board of directors of AOL and begin his or her term prior to the
Distribution and shall serve on AOL’s audit and finance committee.
(g) Prior
to the Distribution, TWX shall deliver or cause to be delivered to AOL
resignations, effective as of immediately after the Distribution, of each
individual who will be an employee of any member of the TWX Group after the
Distribution and who is an officer or director of any member of the AOL Group
immediately prior to the Distribution.
(h) Immediately
prior to the Distribution, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
and By-laws of AOL, each in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the
Form 10, shall be in effect.
(i) Prior
to the Distribution, AOL shall make capital and other expenditures and operate
its cash management, accounts payable and receivables collection systems in the
ordinary course consistent with prior practice;
provided
,
however
, that AOL may
take such actions as AOL deems appropriate to cause any excess Cash held by any
non-U.S. Subsidiary of AOL to be transferred to AOL or any Subsidiary of
AOL.
(j) TWX
and AOL shall, subject to Section 5.03, take all reasonable steps necessary and
appropriate to cause the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 to be satisfied
and to effect the Distribution on the Distribution Date.
SECTION 4.02.
Conditions Precedent to Consummation of the
Distribution
.
Subject to Section 5.03, as soon as
practicable after the date of this Agreement, the Parties shall use reasonable
best efforts to satisfy the following conditions prior to the consummation of
the Distribution. The obligations of the Parties to consummate the
Distribution shall be conditioned on the satisfaction, or waiver by TWX, of the
following conditions:
(a) The
board of directors of TWX shall have authorized and approved the Separation and
Distribution and not withdrawn such authorization and approval, and shall have
declared the dividend of AOL Common Stock to TWX shareholders.
(b) Each
Ancillary Agreement shall have been executed by each party thereto.
(c) The
Form 10 shall have been declared effective by the Commission, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Form 10 shall be in effect, and no
proceedings for such purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the
Commission.
(d) The
AOL Common Stock shall have been accepted for listing on the NYSE or another
national securities exchange approved by TWX, subject to official notice of
issuance.
(e) TWX
shall have received the written opinion of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP,
which shall remain in full force and effect, that each of the Transactions will
qualify for its Intended Tax Treatment.
(f) The
Internal Transactions shall have been completed.
(g) No
order, injunction or decree issued by any Governmental Authority of competent
jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation
of the Distribution shall be in effect, and no other event outside the control
of TWX shall have occurred or failed to occur that prevents the consummation of
the Distribution.
(h) No
other events or developments shall have occurred prior to the Distribution that,
in the judgment of the board of directors of TWX, would result in the
Distribution having a material adverse effect on TWX or the shareholders of
TWX.
(i) The
actions set forth in Sections 4.01(b), (f), (g) and (h) shall have been
completed.
(j) AOL
shall have delivered to TWX a certificate signed by the Chief Financial Officer
of AOL, dated as of the Distribution Date, certifying that AOL has complied with
Section 4.01(i).
The
foregoing conditions are for the sole benefit of TWX and shall not give rise to
or create any duty on the part of TWX or the TWX board of directors to waive or
not waive such conditions or in any way limit the right of TWX to terminate this
Agreement as set forth in Article X or alter the consequences of any such
termination from those specified in such Article. Any determination
made by the TWX board of directors prior to the Distribution concerning the
satisfaction or waiver of any or all of the conditions set forth in this Section
4.02 shall be conclusive.
ARTICLE
V
The
Distribution
SECTION 5.01.
The
Distribution
.
(a) AOL shall cooperate with TWX
to accomplish the Distribution and shall, at the direction of TWX, use its
reasonable best efforts to promptly take any and all actions necessary or
desirable to effect the Distribution. TWX shall select any investment
bank or manager in connection with the Distribution, as well as any financial
printer, distribution agent and financial, legal, accounting and other advisors
for TWX. TWX or AOL, as the case may be, will provide, or cause the
applicable member of its Group to provide, to the Agent all share certificates
and any information required in order to complete the Distribution.
(b) Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, (i) on or prior to the
Distribution Date, for the benefit of and distribution to the holders of TWX
Common Stock (other than shares of restricted stock issued pursuant to TWX
equity plans) as of the Record Date (“
Record Holders
”), TWX
will deliver to the Agent all of the issued and outstanding shares of AOL Common
Stock then owned by TWX or any other member of the TWX Group and book-entry
authorizations for such shares and (ii) on the Distribution Date, TWX shall
instruct the Agent to distribute, by means of a
pro
rata
dividend, to
each Record Holder (or such Record Holder’s bank or brokerage firm on such
Record Holder’s behalf) electronically, by direct registration in book-entry
form, the number of shares of AOL Common Stock to which such Record Holder is
entitled based on a distribution ratio to be determined by TWX in its sole
discretion. The Distribution shall be effective at 11:59 p.m. New
York City time on the Distribution Date. On or as soon as practicable
after the Distribution Date, the Agent will mail an account statement indicating
the number of shares of AOL Common Stock that have been registered in book-entry
form in the name of each Record Holder.
SECTION 5.02.
Fractional Shares
.
The Agent
and TWX shall, as soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, (a) determine
the number of whole shares and fractional shares of AOL Common Stock allocable
to each Record Holder, (b) aggregate all such fractional shares into whole
shares and sell the whole shares obtained thereby in open market transactions 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 beneficial owner, such holder’s or owner’s ratable
share of the net proceeds of such sale, based upon the average gross selling
price per share of AOL Common Stock after making appropriate deductions for any
amount required to be withheld under applicable Tax Law and less any brokers’
charges, commissions or transfer Taxes. The Agent, in its sole discretion, will
determine the timing and method of selling such fractional shares, the selling
price of such fractional shares and the broker-dealer to which such fractional
shares will be sold;
provided
,
however
, that the
designated broker-dealer is not an Affiliate of TWX or AOL. Neither TWX nor AOL
will pay any interest on the proceeds from the sale of fractional
shares.
SECTION 5.03.
Sole Discretion of TWX
.
TWX shall,
in its sole and absolute discretion, determine the Record Date, the Distribution
Date and all terms of the Distribution, including the form, structure and terms
of any transactions and/or offerings to effect the Distribution and the timing
of and conditions to the consummation thereof. In addition and
notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth below, TWX may at any time
and from time to time until the Distribution decide to abandon the Distribution
or modify or change the terms of the Distribution, including by accelerating or
delaying the timing of the consummation of all or part of the
Distribution.
ARTICLE
VI
Mutual Releases;
Indemnification
SECTION 6.01.
Release of Pre-Distribution
Claims
.
(a) Except as provided in Section
6.01(c) or elsewhere in this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements, effective as
of the Distribution, AOL does hereby, for itself and each other member of the
AOL Group, their respective Affiliates, successors and assigns, and all Persons
who at any time on or prior to the Distribution Date have been shareholders,
directors, officers, agents or employees of any member of the AOL Group (in each
case, in their respective capacities as such), remise, release and forever
discharge TWX and the other members of the TWX Group, their respective
Affiliates, successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time on or prior
to the Distribution Date have been shareholders, directors, officers, agents or
employees of any member of the TWX Group (in each case, in their respective
capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors, administrators,
successors and assigns, from any and all AOL Liabilities whatsoever, whether at
law or in equity (including any right of contribution), whether arising under
any contract or agreement, by operation of law or otherwise, existing or arising
from any acts or events occurring or failing to occur or alleged to have
occurred or to have failed to occur or any conditions existing or alleged to
have existed on or before the Distribution Date, including in connection with
the transactions and all other activities to implement the Separation or the
Distribution. This Section 6.01(a) shall not affect TWX’s
indemnification obligations under Article VI of its Bylaws, as in effect on the
date on which the event or circumstances giving rise to such indemnification
obligation occur.
(b) Except
as provided in Section 6.01(c) or elsewhere in this Agreement or the Ancillary
Agreements, effective as of the Distribution, TWX does hereby, for itself and
each other member of the TWX Group, their respective Affiliates, successors and
assigns, and all Persons who at any time on or prior to the Distribution Date
have been shareholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of any member
of the TWX Group (in each case, in their respective capacities as such), remise,
release and forever discharge AOL, the other members of the AOL Group, their
respective Affiliates, successors and assigns, and all Persons who at any time
on or prior to the Distribution Date have been shareholders, directors,
officers, agents or employees of any member of the AOL Group (in each case, in
their respective capacities as such), and their respective heirs, executors,
administrators, successors and assigns, from any and all TWX Liabilities
whatsoever, whether at law or in equity (including any right of contribution),
whether arising under any contract or agreement, by operation of law or
otherwise, existing or arising from any acts or events occurring or failing to
occur or alleged to have occurred or to have failed to occur or any conditions
existing or alleged to have existed on or before the Distribution Date,
including in connection with the transactions and all other activities to
implement the Separation or the Distribution.
(c) Nothing
contained in Section 6.01(a) or (b) shall impair any right of any Person to
enforce this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or any agreements, arrangements,
commitments or understandings that are specified in Section 2.03(b) not to
terminate as of the Distribution, in each case in accordance with its
terms. Nothing contained in Section 6.01(a) or (b) shall release any
Person from:
(i) any
Liability provided in or resulting from any agreement among any members of the
TWX Group or the AOL Group that is specified in Section 2.03(b) as not to
terminate as of the Distribution, or any other Liability specified in such
Section 2.03(b) as not to terminate as of the Distribution;
(ii) any
Liability, contingent or otherwise, assumed, transferred, assigned or allocated
to the Group of which such Person is a member in accordance with, or any other
Liability of any member of any Group under, this Agreement or any Ancillary
Agreement;
(iii) any
Liability provided in or resulting from any other agreement or understanding
that is entered into after the Distribution between one Party (and/or a member
of such Party’s Group), on the one hand, and the other Party (and/or a member of
such Party’s Group), on the other hand;
(iv) any
Liability that the Parties may have with respect to indemnification or
contribution pursuant to this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement for claims
brought against the Parties, the members of their respective Groups or any of
their respective directors, officers, employees or agents,
by third Persons, which
Liability shall be governed by the provisions of this Article VI or, if
applicable, the appropriate provisions of the relevant Ancillary
Agreement;
(v) in
the case of AOL, any AOL LLC Liability; or
(vi) any
Liability the release of which would result in the release of any Person not
otherwise intended to be released pursuant to this Section 6.01.
(d) AOL
shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of the AOL 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 TWX or any
other member of the TWX Group, or any other Person released pursuant to Section
6.01(a), with respect to any AOL Liabilities released pursuant to Section
6.01(a). TWX shall not make, and shall not permit any other member of
the TWX 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 AOL or any other member of the AOL Group, or any other Person released
pursuant to Section 6.01(b), with respect to any TWX Liabilities released
pursuant to Section 6.01(b).
(e) It
is the intent of each of TWX and AOL, by virtue of the provisions of this
Section 6.01, to provide for a full and complete release and discharge of all
Liabilities existing or arising from all acts and events occurring or failing to
occur or alleged to have occurred or to have failed to occur and all conditions
existing or alleged to have existed on or before the Distribution Date, between
or among AOL or any other member of the AOL Group, on the one hand, and TWX or
any other member of the TWX Group, on the other hand (including any contractual
agreements or arrangements existing or alleged to exist between or among any
such members on or before the Distribution Date), except as set forth in Section
6.01(c) or elsewhere in this Agreement. At any time, at the request
of the other Party, each Party shall cause each member of its respective Group
to execute and deliver releases reflecting the provisions hereof.
SECTION 6.02.
Indemnification by
AOL
.
Subject to Section 6.05 and the exception in Section
6.02(d), AOL shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless TWX, each other member of
the TWX Group and each of their respective former and current directors,
officers and employees, and each of the heirs, executors, successors and assigns
of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “
TWX Indemnitees
”),
from and against any and all Liabilities of the TWX Indemnitees relating to,
arising out of or resulting from any of the following items (without
duplication):
(a) the
AOL Business, including the failure of AOL or any other member of the AOL Group
or any other Person to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any
Liability relating to or arising out of or resulting from the AOL Business in
accordance with its terms, whether prior to or after the Distribution (but not
including the TWX Retained Assets and TWX Retained Liabilities);
(b) the
AOL Liabilities;
(c) any
breach by AOL or any other member of the AOL Group of this Agreement;
and
(d) 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, with respect to all
information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, the Form 10 and any
other documents filed with the Commission in connection with the Transactions or
as contemplated by this Agreement, other than with respect to the TWX Disclosure
Sections.
SECTION 6.03.
Indemnification by
TWX
.
Subject to Section 6.05, TWX shall indemnify, defend
and hold harmless AOL, each other member of the AOL Group and each of their
respective former and current directors, officers and employees, and each of the
heirs, executors, successors and assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively,
the “
AOL
Indemnitees
”), from and against any and all Liabilities of the AOL
Indemnitees relating to, arising out of or resulting from any of the following
items (without duplication):
(a) the
TWX Business, including the failure of TWX or any other member of the TWX Group
or any other Person to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any
Liability relating to, arising out of or resulting from the TWX Business in
accordance with its terms, whether prior to or after the
Distribution;
(b) the
TWX Retained Assets;
(c) the
TWX Liabilities;
(d) any
breach by TWX or any other member of the TWX Group of this Agreement;
and
(e) the
waiver by TWX of any conditions in Section 4.02.
SECTION 6.04.
Indemnification of AOL Directors, Officers and
Employees
.
A
OL LLC will
retain
as TWX Retained Liabilities any obligation to indemnify
or advance funds, consistent with Delaware law, to any person who is or was a
director
,
officer or employee of the AOL Group (“
Covered
Employees
”) for liabilities arising out of
the AOL Actions and Investigations. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
AOL LLC and TWX shall not be required to make indemnification payments or
advance funds to the Covered Employees in excess of (i) the amount of funds in
the Escrow Account as of the Distribution, less (ii) any funds distributed from
the Escrow Account after the Distribution Date to individuals who are not
Covered Employees (such difference, the “
TW Coverage
Amount
”). AOL shall indemnify,
defend and hold harmless TWX from any obligation to indemnify or advance funds
to any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the AOL Group for
liabilities arising out of the AOL Actions and Investigations in excess of the
TW Coverage Amount. AOL LLC will retain as TWX Retained Assets
the agreements entered into by AOL LLC with Covered Employees with respect to
the obligation of such Covered Employees to repay amounts advanced on their
behalf if indemnification is not approved by the AOL LLC Board of
Managers.
SECTION 6.05.
Indemnification Obligations Net of Insurance
Proceeds and Third-Party Proceeds
.
(a) The
Parties intend that any Liability subject to indemnification or reimbursement
pursuant to this Agreement will be net of (i) Insurance Proceeds that actually
reduce the amount of, or are paid to the applicable Indemnitee in respect of,
such Liability or (ii) other amounts recovered from any third-party that
actually reduce the amount of, or are paid to the applicable Indemnitee in
respect of, such Liability (“
Third-Party
Proceeds
”). Accordingly, the amount that either Party (an
“
Indemnifying
Party
”) is required to pay to any Person entitled to indemnification or
reimbursement pursuant to this Agreement (an “
Indemnitee
”) will be
reduced by any Insurance Proceeds or Third-Party Proceeds theretofore actually
recovered by or on behalf of the Indemnitee from a third-party in respect of the
related Liability. If an Indemnitee receives a payment required by
this Agreement from an Indemnifying Party in respect of any Liability (an “
Indemnity Payment
”)
and subsequently receives Insurance Proceeds or Third-Party Proceeds in respect
of such Liability, then the Indemnitee will pay to the Indemnifying Party an
amount equal to the excess of the Indemnity Payment received over the amount of
the Indemnity Payment that would have been due if such Insurance Proceeds or
Third-Party Proceeds had been received, realized or recovered before the
Indemnity Payment was made.
(b) An
insurer that would otherwise be obligated to pay any claim shall not be relieved
of the responsibility with respect thereto or have any subrogation rights with
respect thereto by virtue of the indemnification provisions hereof, 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. Each
member of the TWX Group and AOL Group shall use reasonable best efforts to seek
to collect or recover any Insurance Proceeds and any Third-Party Proceeds to
which such Person is entitled in connection with any Liability for which such
Person seeks indemnification pursuant to this Article VI;
provided
,
however
, that such
Person’s inability to collect or recover any such Insurance Proceeds or
Third-Party Proceeds shall not limit the Indemnifying Party’s obligations
hereunder.
(c) The
calculation of any Indemnity Payments required by this Agreement shall be
subject to Section 6.04 of the TMA.
SECTION 6.06.
Procedures for Indemnification of Third-Party
Claims
.
(a) If an Indemnitee shall receive
notice or otherwise learn of a Third-Party Claim with respect to which an
Indemnifying Party may be obligated to provide indemnification to such
Indemnitee pursuant to this Agreement, such Indemnitee shall give such
Indemnifying Party written notice thereof as soon as reasonably practicable, but
no later than 30 days after becoming aware of such Third-Party
Claim. Any such notice shall describe the Third-Party Claim in
reasonable detail. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of any
Indemnitee or other Person to give notice as provided in this Section 6.06(a)
shall not relieve the related Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this
Article VI, except to the extent that such Indemnifying Party is actually
prejudiced by such failure to give notice.
(b) An
Indemnifying Party may elect to defend, at such Indemnifying Party’s own expense
and by such Indemnifying Party’s own counsel, any Third-Party
Claim. Within 30 days after the receipt of notice from an Indemnitee
in accordance with Section 6.06(a) (or sooner, if the nature of such Third-Party
Claim so requires), the Indemnifying Party shall notify the Indemnitee of its
election as to whether the Indemnifying Party will assume responsibility for
defending such Third-Party Claim. After notice from an Indemnifying
Party to an Indemnitee of its election to assume the defense of a Third-Party
Claim, such Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel and to
participate in (but not control) the defense, compromise or settlement thereof,
but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be the expense of such
Indemnitee, except that the Indemnifying Party shall be liable for the fees and
expenses of counsel employed by the Indemnitee (i) for any period during which
the Indemnifying Party has not assumed the defense of such Third-Party Claim
(other than during any period in which the Indemnitee shall have failed to give
notice of the Third-Party Claim in accordance with Section 6.06(a) or (ii) to
the extent that such engagement of counsel is as a result of a conflict of
interest, as reasonably determined by the Indemnitee acting in good
faith.
(c) If
an Indemnifying Party elects not to assume responsibility for defending a
Third-Party Claim, or fails to notify an Indemnitee of its election as provided
in Section 6.06(b), such Indemnitee may defend such Third-Party Claim at the
cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party.
(d) If
an Indemnifying Party elects to assume the defense of a Third-Party Claim in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Indemnitee(s) shall, subject to
the terms of this Agreement, cooperate with the Indemnifying Party with respect
to the defense of such Third-Party Claim.
(e) No
Indemnifying Party shall consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any
settlement of any Third-Party Claim without the consent of the applicable
Indemnitee or Indemnitees;
provided
,
however
, that such
Indemnitee(s) shall be required to consent to such entry of judgment or to such
settlement that the Indemnifying Party may recommend if the judgment or
settlement (i) contains no finding or admission of any violation of Law or any
violation of the rights of any Person, (ii) involves only monetary relief which
the Indemnifying Party has agreed to pay and (iii) includes a full and
unconditional release of the Indemnitee. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in no event shall an Indemnitee be required to consent to any entry
of judgment or settlement if the effect thereof is to permit any injunction,
declaratory judgment, other order or other nonmonetary relief to be entered,
directly or indirectly, against any Indemnitee.
(f) Whether
or not the Indemnifying Party assumes the defense of a Third-Party Claim, no
Indemnitee shall admit any liability with respect to, or settle, compromise or
discharge, such Third-Party Claim without the Indemnifying Party’s prior written
consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
SECTION 6.07.
Additional
Matters
.
(a) Any claim on account of a
Liability that does not result from a Third-Party Claim shall be asserted by
written notice given by the Indemnitee to the related Indemnifying
Party. Such Indemnifying Party shall have a period of 30 days after
the receipt of such notice within which to respond thereto. If such
Indemnifying Party does not respond within such 30-day period, such Indemnifying
Party shall be deemed to have refused to accept responsibility to make
payment. If such Indemnifying Party does not respond within such
30-day period or rejects such claim in whole or in part, such Indemnitee shall
be free to pursue such remedies as may be available to such Party as
contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) In
the event of payment by or on behalf of any Indemnifying Party to any Indemnitee
in connection with any Third-Party Claim, such Indemnifying Party shall be
subrogated to and shall stand in the place of such Indemnitee as to any events
or circumstances in respect of which such Indemnitee may have any right, defense
or claim relating to such Third-Party Claim against any claimant or plaintiff
asserting such Third-Party Claim or against any other Person. Such
Indemnitee shall cooperate with such Indemnifying Party in a reasonable manner,
and at the cost and expense of such Indemnifying Party, in prosecuting any
subrogated right, defense or claim.
(c) In
the event of an Action relating to a Liability that has been allocated to an
Indemnifying Party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any Ancillary
Agreement in which the Indemnifying Party is not a named defendant, if the
Indemnifying Party shall so request, the Parties shall endeavor to substitute
the Indemnifying Party for the named defendant or add the Indemnifying Party as
an additional named defendant, if at all practicable. If such
substitution or addition cannot be achieved for any reason or is not requested,
the named defendant shall allow the Indemnifying Party to manage the Action as
set forth in this Section, the Indemnifying Party shall fully indemnify the
named defendant against all costs of defending the Action (including court
costs, sanctions imposed by a court, attorneys’ fees, experts, fees and all
other external expenses), the costs of any judgment or settlement and the cost
of any interest or penalties relating to any judgment or
settlement.
SECTION 6.08.
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 Indemnitee of
any other rights or the seeking of any and all other remedies against any
Indemnifying Party.
SECTION 6.09.
Survival of Indemnities
.
The
rights and obligations of each of TWX and AOL and their respective Indemnitees
under this Article VI shall survive the sale or other transfer by any Party or
its Affiliates of any Assets or businesses or the assignment by it of any
Liabilities.
SECTION 6.10.
Limitation on
Liability
.
Except as may expressly be set forth in this
Agreement, none of TWX, AOL or any other member of either Group shall in any
event have any Liability to the other or to any other member of the other’s
Group, or to any other TWX Indemnitee or AOL Indemnitee, as applicable, under
this Agreement (i) with respect to any matter to the extent that such Party
seeking indemnification has engaged in any knowing violation of Law or fraud in
connection therewith or (ii) for any indirect, special, punitive or
consequential damages, whether or not caused by or resulting from negligence or
breach of obligations hereunder and whether or not informed of the possibility
of the existence of such damages;
provided
,
however
, that the
provisions of this Section 6.10(ii) shall not limit an Indemnifying Party’s
indemnification obligations hereunder with respect to any Liability any
Indemnitee may have to any third-party not affiliated with any member of the TWX
Group or the AOL Group for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential
damages.
ARTICLE
VII
Access to Information;
Confidentiality
SECTION 7.01.
Agreement for Exchange of Information;
Archives
.
(a) Except in the case of an adversarial
Action or threatened adversarial Action by either TWX or AOL or a Person or
Persons in its Group against the other Party or a Person or Persons in its
Group, and subject to Section 7.01(b), each of TWX and AOL, on behalf of its
respective Group, shall provide, or cause to be provided, to the other Party, at
any time before or after the Distribution, as soon as reasonably practicable
after written request therefor, any Information relating to time periods on or
prior to the Distribution Date in the possession or under the control of such
respective Group, which TWX or AOL, or any member of its respective Group, as
applicable, reasonably needs (i) to comply with reporting, disclosure, filing or
other requirements imposed on TWX or AOL, or any member of its respective Group,
as applicable (including under applicable securities laws), by any national
securities exchange or any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over TWX
or AOL, or any member of its respective Group, as applicable, (ii) for use in
any other judicial, regulatory, administrative or other proceeding or in order
to satisfy audit, accounting, regulatory, litigation or other similar
requirements or (iii) to comply with its obligations under this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement. The receiving Party shall use any Information
received pursuant to this Section 7.01(a) solely to the extent reasonably
necessary to satisfy the applicable obligations or requirements described in
clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the immediately preceding sentence.
(b) In
the event that either TWX or AOL determines that the exchange of any Information
pursuant to Section 7.01(a) could be commercially detrimental, violate any Law
or agreement or waive or jeopardize any attorney-client privilege or attorney
work product protection, such Party shall not be required to provide access to
or furnish such Information to the other Party;
provided
,
however
, that both
TWX and AOL shall take all commercially reasonable measures to permit the
compliance with Section 7.01(a) in a manner that avoids any such harm or
consequence. Both TWX and AOL intend that any provision of access to
or the furnishing of Information pursuant to this Section 7.01 that would
otherwise be within the ambit of any legal privilege shall not operate as waiver
of such privilege.
(c) TWX
and AOL each agree that it will only process personal data (as defined by EU
Directive 95/46/EC of 24 October 1995) provided to it by the other Group in
accordance with all applicable privacy and data protection law obligations and
will implement and maintain at all times appropriate technical and
organizational measures to protect such personal data against unauthorized or
unlawful processing and accidental loss, destruction, damage, alteration and
disclosure. In addition, each Party agrees to provide reasonable
assistance to the other Party in respect of any obligations under privacy and
data protection legislation affecting the disclosure of such personal data to
the other Party and will not knowingly process such personal data in such a way
to cause the other Party to violate any of its obligations under any applicable
privacy and data protection legislation.
SECTION 7.02.
Ownership of Information
.
Any
Information owned by one Group that is provided to the requesting Party
hereunder shall be deemed to remain the property of the providing
Party. Except as specifically set forth herein, nothing herein shall
be construed as granting or conferring rights of license or otherwise in any
such Information.
SECTION 7.03.
Compensation for Providing
Information
.
TWX and AOL shall reimburse each other for
the reasonable costs, if any, in complying with a request for Information
pursuant to this Article VII. Except as may be otherwise specifically
provided elsewhere in this Agreement, such costs shall be computed in accordance
with AOL’s or TWX’s, as applicable, standard methodology and
procedures.
SECTION 7.04.
Record Retention
.
To facilitate
the possible exchange of Information pursuant to this Article VII and other
provisions of this Agreement, each of TWX and AOL shall use its reasonable best
efforts to retain all Information in accordance with its respective record
retention policy as in effect on the date hereof.
(a) Until
the end of the first full fiscal year occurring after the Distribution Date (and
for a reasonable period of time afterwards as required by Law for TWX to prepare
consolidated financial statements or complete a financial statement audit for
any period during which the financial results of the AOL Group were consolidated
with those of TWX), AOL shall use its reasonable best efforts to enable TWX to
meet its timetable for dissemination of its financial statements and to enable
TWX’s auditors to timely complete their annual audit and quarterly reviews of
financial statements. As part of such efforts, to the extent
reasonably necessary for the preparation of financial statements or completing
an audit or review of financial statements or an audit of internal control over
financial reporting, (i) AOL shall authorize and direct its auditors to make
available to TWX’s auditors, within a reasonable time prior to the date of TWX’s
auditors’ opinion or review report, both (x) the personnel who performed or will
perform the annual audits and quarterly reviews of AOL and (y) work papers
related to such annual audits and quarterly reviews, to enable TWX’s auditors to
perform any procedures they consider reasonably necessary to take responsibility
for the work of AOL’s auditors as it relates to TWX’s auditors’ opinion or
report and (ii) until all governmental audits are complete, AOL shall provide
reasonable access during normal business hours for TWX’s internal auditors,
counsel and other designated representatives to (x) the premises of AOL and its
Subsidiaries and all Information (and duplicating rights) within the knowledge,
possession or control of AOL and its Subsidiaries and (y) the officers and
employees of AOL and its Subsidiaries, so that TWX may conduct reasonable audits
relating to the financial statements provided by AOL and its Subsidiaries;
provided
,
however
, that such
access shall not be unreasonably disruptive to the business and affairs of the
AOL Group.
(b) Until
the end of the first full fiscal year occurring after the Distribution Date (and
for a reasonable period of time afterwards or as required by Law), TWX shall use
its reasonable best efforts to enable AOL to meet its timetable for
dissemination of its financial statements and to enable AOL’s auditors to timely
complete their annual audit and quarterly reviews of financial
statements. As part of such efforts, to the extent reasonably
necessary for the preparation of financial statements or completing an audit or
review of financial statements or an audit of internal control over financial
reporting, (i) TWX shall authorize and direct its auditors to make available to
AOL’s auditors, within a reasonable time prior to the date of AOL’s auditors’
opinion or review report, both (x) the personnel who performed or will perform
the annual audits and quarterly reviews of TWX and (y) work papers related to
such annual audits and quarterly reviews, to enable AOL’s auditors to perform
any procedures they consider reasonably necessary to take responsibility for the
work of TWX’s auditors as it relates to AOL’s auditors’ opinion or report and
(ii) until all governmental audits are complete, TWX shall provide reasonable
access during normal business hours for AOL’s internal auditors, counsel and
other designated representatives to (x) the premises of TWX and its Subsidiaries
and all Information (and duplicating rights) within the knowledge, possession or
control of TWX and its Subsidiaries and (y) the officers and employees of TWX
and its Subsidiaries, so that AOL may conduct reasonable audits relating to the
financial statements provided by TWX and its Subsidiaries;
provided
,
however
, that such
access shall not be unreasonably disruptive to the business and affairs of the
TWX Group.
(c) In
order to enable the principal executive officer(s) and principal financial
officer(s) (as such terms are defined in the rules and regulations of the
Commission) of TWX to make any certifications required of them under Section 302
or 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, AOL shall, within a reasonable period
of time following a request from TWX in anticipation of filing such reports,
cause its principal executive officer(s) and principal financial officer(s) to
provide TWX with certifications of such officers in support of the
certifications of TWX’s principal executive officer(s) and principal financial
officer(s) required under Section 302 or 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
with respect to TWX’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with respect to the
fiscal quarter during which the Distribution Date occurs (unless such quarter is
the fourth fiscal quarter), each subsequent fiscal quarter through the third
fiscal quarter of the year in which the Distribution Date occurs and TWX’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with respect to the fiscal year during which
the Distribution Date occurs. Such certifications shall be provided
in substantially the same form and manner as such AOL officers provided prior to
the Distribution (reflecting any changes in certifications necessitated by the
Separation, the Distribution or and any other transactions related thereto) or
as otherwise agreed upon between TWX and AOL.
SECTION 7.06.
Limitations of
Liability
.
Neither TWX nor AOL shall have any Liability to
the other Party in the event that any Information exchanged or provided pursuant
to this Agreement that is an estimate or forecast, or that is based on an
estimate or forecast, is found to be inaccurate in the absence of wilful
misconduct by the providing Person. Neither TWX nor AOL shall have
any Liability to the other Party if any Information is destroyed after
reasonable best efforts by AOL or TWX, as applicable, to comply with the
provisions of Section 7.04.
SECTION 7.07.
Production of Witnesses;
Records; Cooperation
.
(a) After the
Distribution Date and until the third anniversary thereof, except in the case of
an adversarial Action or threatened adversarial Action by either TWX or AOL or a
Person or Persons in its Group against the other Party or a Person or Persons in
its Group, each of TWX and AOL shall take all reasonable steps to make
available, upon written request, the former, current and future directors,
officers, employees, other personnel and agents of the Persons in its respective
Group (whether as witnesses or otherwise) and any books, records or other
documents within its control or that it otherwise has the ability to make
available, to the extent that such Person (giving consideration to business
demands of such directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents) or
books, records or other documents may reasonably be required in connection with
any Action or threatened or contemplated Action (including preparation for such
Action) in which TWX or AOL, as applicable, 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 reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses in connection
therewith.
(b) Without
limiting the foregoing, TWX and AOL shall use their reasonable best efforts to
cooperate and consult to the extent reasonably necessary with respect to any
Actions or threatened or contemplated Actions, other than an adversarial Action
against the other Group.
(c) The
obligation of TWX and AOL to make available former, current and future
directors, officers, employees and other personnel and agents or provide
witnesses and experts pursuant to this Section 7.07 is intended to be
interpreted in a manner so as to facilitate cooperation and shall include the
obligation to make available employees and other officers without regard to
whether such individual or the employer of such individual could assert a
possible business conflict (subject to the exception set forth in the first
sentence of Section 7.07(a)). Without limiting the foregoing, each of
TWX and AOL agrees that neither it nor any Person or Persons in its respective
Group will take any adverse action against any employee of its Group based on
such employee’s provision of assistance or information to each other pursuant to
this Section 7.07.
(d) Upon
the reasonable request of TWX or AOL, in connection with any Action contemplated
by this Article VII, TWX and AOL will enter into a mutually acceptable common
interest agreement so as to maintain to the extent practicable any applicable
attorney-client privilege or work product immunity of any member of either
Group.
SECTION 7.08.
Confidential
Information
.
(a) Each of TWX and AOL, on behalf
of itself and each Person in its respective Group, shall hold, and cause its
respective directors, officers, employees, agents, accountants, counsel and
other advisors and representatives to hold, in strict confidence and not release
or disclose, with at least the same degree of care, but no less than a
reasonable degree of care, that it applies to its own confidential and
proprietary information pursuant to policies in effect as of the Distribution
Date, all Information concerning the other Group or its business that is either
in its possession (including Information in its possession prior to the
Distribution) or furnished by the other Group or its respective directors,
officers, employees, agents, accountants, counsel and other advisors and
representatives at any time pursuant to this Agreement, and shall not use any
such Information other than for such purposes as shall be expressly permitted
hereunder, except, in each case, to the extent that such Information is (i) in
the public domain through no fault of any member of the TWX Group or the AOL
Group, as applicable, or any of its respective directors, officers, employees,
agents, accountants, counsel and other advisors and representatives, (ii) later
lawfully acquired from other sources by any of TWX, AOL or its respective Group,
employees, directors or agents, accountants, counsel and other advisors and
representatives, as applicable, which sources are not themselves bound by a
confidentiality obligation to the knowledge of any of TWX, AOL or Persons in its
respective Group, as applicable, (iii) independently generated without reference
to any proprietary or confidential Information of the TWX Group or the AOL
Group, as applicable, or (iv) required to be disclosed by Law;
provided
,
however
, that the
Person required to disclose such Information gives the applicable Person prompt,
and to the extent reasonably practicable, prior notice of such disclosure and an
opportunity to contest such disclosure and shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to cooperate, at the expense of the requesting Person, in seeking any
reasonable protective arrangements requested by such Person. In the
event that such appropriate protective order or other remedy is not obtained,
the Person that is required to disclose such Information shall furnish, or cause
to be furnished, only that portion of such Information that is legally required
to be disclosed and shall take commercially reasonable steps to ensure that
confidential treatment is accorded such Information. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, each of TWX and AOL may release or disclose, or permit to be
released or disclosed, any such Information concerning the other Group (x) to
their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, accountants, counsel
and other advisors and representatives who need to know such Information (who
shall be advised of the obligations hereunder with respect to such Information),
and (y) to any nationally recognized statistical rating agency as it reasonably
deems necessary, solely for the purpose of obtaining a rating of securities upon
normal terms and conditions;
provided
,
however
, that the
Party whose Information is being disclosed or released to such rating agency is
promptly notified thereof.
(b) Without
limiting the foregoing, when any Information concerning the other Group or its
business is no longer needed for the purposes contemplated by this Agreement or
any Ancillary Agreement, each of TWX and AOL will, promptly after request of the
other Party, either return all Information in a tangible form (including all
copies thereof and all notes, extracts or summaries based thereon) or certify to
the other Party, as applicable, that it has destroyed such Information (and used
commercially reasonable efforts to destroy all such Information electronically
preserved or recorded within any computerized data storage device or component
(including any hard-drive or database)).
SECTION 7.09.
AOL LLC Corporate
Records.
Prior to the Distribution Date, AOL shall
deliver, or cause to be delivered, to TWX original copies of all of AOL LLC’s
corporate records;
provided
,
however
, that AOL may
retain copies of such records and, to the extent it does not keep copies, shall
have the right to request access to such corporate records in accordance with
the provisions of this Article VII.
ARTICLE
VIII
Insurance
SECTION 8.01.
Insurance
.
(a) Until
and including the Distribution Date, TWX shall (i) cause the members of the AOL
Group and their respective employees, officers and directors to continue to be
covered as insured parties under TWX’s policies of insurance in a manner which
is no less favorable than the coverage provided for the TWX Group and (ii)
permit the members of the AOL Group and their respective employees, officers and
directors to submit claims arising from or relating to facts, circumstances,
events or matters that occurred at or prior to the Distribution Date to the
extent permitted under such policies. With respect to policies
currently procured by AOL for the sole benefit of the AOL Group, AOL shall
continue to maintain such insurance coverage through the Distribution Date in a
manner no less favorable than currently provided. Without limiting
any of the rights or obligations of the parties pursuant to Section 8.01(b), TWX
and AOL acknowledge that, as of immediately after the Distribution Date, TWX
intends to take such action as it may deem necessary or desirable to remove the
members of the AOL Group and their respective employees, officers and directors
as insured parties under any policy of insurance issued to any member of the TWX
Group by any insurance carrier effective immediately following the Distribution
Date, and that the AOL Group will not be entitled following the Distribution
Date, absent mutual agreement otherwise, to make any claims for insurance
thereunder to the extent such claims are based upon facts, circumstances, events
or matters occurring after the Distribution Date or to the extent any claims are
made pursuant to any TWX claims-made policies. No member of the TWX
Group shall be deemed to have made any representation or warranty as to the
availability of any coverage under any such insurance
policy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, TWX shall, and shall cause the
other members of the TWX Group to, use reasonable best efforts to take such
actions as are necessary to cause all insurance policies of the TWX Group that
immediately prior to the Distribution provide coverage to or with respect to the
members of the AOL Group and their respective employees, officers and directors
to continue to provide such coverage with respect to acts, omissions and events
occurring prior to the Distribution in accordance with their terms as if the
Distribution had not occurred;
provided
,
however
, that in no
event shall TWX be required to extend or maintain coverage under claims-made
policies with respect to any claims first made against a member of the AOL Group
or first reported to the insurer after the Distribution Date.
(b) After
the Distribution Date, the members of each of the TWX Group and the AOL Group
shall have the right to assert Pre-Separation Insurance Claims and the members
of the AOL Group shall have the right to participate with TWX to resolve
Pre-Separation Insurance Claims under the applicable TWX insurance policies up
to the full extent of the applicable and available limits of Liability of such
policy. TWX or AOL, as the case may be, shall have primary control
over those Pre-Separation Insurance Claims for which the TWX Group or the AOL
Group, respectively, bears the underlying loss, subject to the terms and
conditions of the relevant policy of insurance governing such
control. If a member of the AOL Group is unable to assert a
Pre-Separation Insurance Claim because it is no longer an “insured” under a TWX
insurance policy, then TWX shall assert such claim in its own name and deliver
the Insurance Proceeds to AOL. Any Insurance Proceeds received by the
TWX Group for members of the AOL Group shall be for the benefit of the AOL
Group. Any Insurance Proceeds received for the benefit of both the
TWX Group and the AOL Group shall be distributed
pro
rata
based on the
respective share of the underlying loss.
(c) With
respect to Pre-Separation Insurance Claims, whether or not known or reported on
or prior to the Distribution Date, AOL shall, or shall cause the applicable
member of the AOL Group to, report as soon as practicable such claims arising
from the AOL Business directly to the applicable insurer(s) and to TWX, and AOL
shall, or shall cause the applicable member of AOL Group to, individually, and
not jointly, assume and be responsible for the reimbursement Liability (
i.e.
, deductible or
retention) related to its portion of the Liability and/or any retrospective
premium charges associated with the workers compensation, automobile and general
liability claims so submitted by it to the extent such amounts payable by TWX
after the Distribution Date are greater than they otherwise would have been, if
such amounts had been based on the claim reserves established for such claims
immediately prior to the Distribution, unless otherwise agreed in writing by
TWX. TWX shall, and shall cause each member of the TWX Group to,
cooperate and assist the applicable member of the AOL Group with respect to such
claims and shall arrange for the applicable member of the AOL Group to post any
such collateral in respect of the reimbursement obligations as may reasonably be
requested by the insurers. TWX agrees that Pre-Separation Insurance
Claims of members of the AOL Group shall receive the same priority as
Pre-Separation Insurance Claims of members of the TWX Group and be treated
equitably in all respects, including in connection with deductibles, retentions,
coinsurance and retrospective premium charges.
(d) TWX
shall not be liable to AOL for claims, or portions of claims, not reimbursed by
insurers under any policy for any reason, including coinsurance provisions,
deductibles, quota share deductibles, self-insured retentions, bankruptcy or
insolvency of any insurance carrier(s), policy limitations or restrictions
(including exhaustion of limits), any coverage disputes, any failure to timely
file a claim by any member of the TWX Group or any member of the AOL Group or
any defect in such claim or its processing. In the event that
insurable claims of both TWX and AOL (or the members of their respective Groups)
exist relating to the same occurrence, the Parties shall jointly defend and
waive any conflict of interest necessary to the conduct of the joint defense and
shall not settle or compromise any such claim without the consent of the other
(which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed subject to the
terms and conditions of the applicable insurance policy). Nothing in
this Section 8.01 shall be construed to limit or otherwise alter in any way the
obligations of the Parties, including those created by this Agreement, by
operation of Law or otherwise.
(e) After
the Distribution Date, to the extent that any claims have been duly reported on
or before the Distribution Date under the directors and officers liability
insurance policies or fiduciary liability insurance policies (collectively,
“
D&O
Policies
”) maintained by members of the TWX Group, TWX shall not, and
shall cause the members of the TWX Group not to, take any action that would
limit the coverage of the individuals who acted as directors or officers of AOL
(or members of the AOL Group) on or prior to the Distribution Date under any
D&O Policies maintained by the members of the TWX Group. TWX
shall, and shall cause members of the TWX Group to, reasonably cooperate with
the individuals who acted as directors and officers of AOL (or members of the
AOL Group) on or prior to the Distribution Date in their pursuit of any coverage
claims under such D&O Policies which could inure to the benefit of such
individuals. TWX shall, and shall cause members of the TWX Group to,
allow AOL and its agents and representatives, upon reasonable prior notice and
during regular business hours, to examine and make copies of the relevant
D&O Policies maintained by TWX and members of the TWX Group pursuant to this
Section 8.01(e). TWX shall provide, and shall cause other members of
the TWX Group to provide, such cooperation as is reasonably requested by AOL in
order for AOL to have in effect after the Distribution Date such new D&O
Policies as AOL deems appropriate with respect to claims reported after the
Distribution Date.
(f) The
parties shall use reasonable best efforts to cooperate with respect to the
various insurance matters contemplated by this Section 8.01.
ARTICLE
IX
Further Assurances and
Additional Covenants
SECTION 9.01.
Further
Assurances
.
(a) In addition to the actions
specifically provided for elsewhere in this Agreement, each of the Parties
shall, subject to Section 5.03, use reasonable best efforts, prior to, on and
after the Distribution Date, to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to
do, or cause to be done, all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable
under applicable laws, regulations and agreements to consummate and make
effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Without
limiting the foregoing, prior to, on and after the Distribution Date, each Party
shall cooperate with the other Party, without any further consideration, but at
the expense of the requesting Party, (i) to execute and deliver, or use
reasonable best efforts to execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and
delivered, all instruments, including any instruments of conveyance, assignment
and transfer as such Party may reasonably be requested to execute and deliver by
the other Party, (ii) to make, or cause to be made, all filings with, and to
obtain, or cause to be obtained, all consents, approvals or authorizations of,
any Governmental Authority or any other Person under any permit, license,
agreement, indenture or other instrument, (iii) to obtain, or cause to be
obtained, any Governmental Approvals or other Consents required to effect the
Separation or the Distribution and (iv) to take, or cause to be taken, all such
other actions as such Party may reasonably be requested to take by the other
Party from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Agreement and the
Ancillary Agreements, in order to effectuate the provisions and purposes of this
Agreement and any transfers of Assets or assignments and assumptions of
Liabilities hereunder and the other transactions contemplated
hereby.
(c) On
or prior to the Distribution Date, TWX and AOL, in their respective capacities
as direct and indirect shareholders of their respective Subsidiaries, shall each
ratify any actions that are reasonably necessary or desirable to be taken by AOL
or any other Subsidiary of TWX, as the case may be, to effectuate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Prior
to the Distribution, if either Party identifies any commercial or other service
that is needed to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of its business 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 Parties will cooperate in determining whether there is
a mutually acceptable arm’s-length basis on which the other Party will provide
such service.
(e)
As
soon as reasonably possible following the Distribution Date, the Parties agree
to determine and settle the final amounts of the Payables Transactions to the
extent such amounts have not previously been settled.
ARTICLE
X
Termination
SECTION 10.01.
Termination
.
This Agreement
may be terminated by TWX at any time, in its sole discretion, prior to the
Distribution.
SECTION 10.02.
Effect of Termination
.
In the
event of any termination of this Agreement prior to the Distribution, neither
Party (nor any of its directors or officers) shall have any Liability or further
obligation to the other Party under this Agreement or the Ancillary
Agreements.
ARTICLE
XI
Miscellaneous
SECTION 11.01.
Counterparts; Entire Agreement; Corporate
Power
.
(a) This Agreement may be executed in
one or more counterparts, all of which counterparts shall be considered one and
the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts
have been signed by each Party hereto and delivered to the other
Party.
(b) This
Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements and the exhibits, schedules and appendices
hereto and thereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof and supersede all previous agreements,
negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and
conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements
or understandings between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof
other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein.
(c) TWX
represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the TWX Group, and AOL
represents on behalf of itself and each other member of the AOL Group, as
follows:
(i) each
such Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has
taken all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and
perform each of this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a
party and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;
and
(ii) this
Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party has been (or, in
the case of any Ancillary Agreement, will be on or prior to the Distribution
Date) duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes, or will constitute, a
valid and binding agreement of it enforceable in accordance with the terms
thereof.
SECTION 11.02.
Governing Law;
Jurisdiction
.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the Laws of the State of New York, regardless of
the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of
laws thereof, except to the extent the Laws of Delaware or any other
jurisdiction are mandatorily applicable to any of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement. Each Party irrevocably consents to the exclusive
jurisdiction, forum and venue of the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of
the State of New York, New York County and the United States District Court for
the Southern District of New York over any and all claims, disputes,
controversies or disagreements between the Parties or any of their respective
subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns under or related to this
Agreement or any document executed pursuant to this Agreement or any of the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
SECTION 11.03.
Assignability
.
Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations under this
Agreement shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by operation of law or
otherwise by either Party without the prior written consent of the other Party.
Any purported assignment without such consent shall be void. Subject
to the preceding sentences, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the
benefit of, and be enforceable by, the Parties and their respective successors
and assigns. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, either Party may
assign this Agreement without consent in connection with (a) a merger
transaction in which such Party is not the surviving entity and the surviving
entity acquires or assumes all or substantially all of such Party’s Assets, or
(b) upon the sale of all or substantially all of such Party’s Assets;
provided
,
however
, that the
assignee expressly assumes in writing all of the obligations of the assigning
Party under this Agreement, and the assigning Party provides written notice and
evidence of such assignment and assumption to the non-assigning
Party. No assignment permitted by this Section 11.03 shall release
the assigning Party from liability for the full performance of its obligations
under this Agreement.
SECTION 11.04.
Third-Party
Beneficiaries
.
Except for the indemnification rights under
this Agreement of any TWX Indemnitee or AOL Indemnitee in their respective
capacities as such, (a) the provisions of this Agreement are solely for the
benefit of the parties hereto and are not intended to confer upon any Person
except the parties hereto any rights or remedies hereunder and (b) there are no
third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement and this Agreement shall not provide
any third person with any remedy, claim, liability, reimbursement, cause of
action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this
Agreement.
SECTION 11.05.
Notices
.
All notices or other
communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to
be duly given when (a) delivered in person, (b) sent by telecopier (except that,
if not sent during normal business hours for the recipient, then at the opening
of business on the next business day for the recipient) to the fax numbers set
forth below or (c) deposited in the United States mail or private express mail,
postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to
TWX, to:
Time
Warner Inc.
One Time
Warner Center
New York,
NY 10019
Attn: General
Counsel
Facsimile: (212)
484-7167
with a
copy to:
Cravath,
Swaine & Moore LLP
Worldwide
Plaza
825
Eighth Avenue
New York,
NY 10019
Attn: Eric
Schiele
Facsimile: (212)
474-3700
If to AOL
to:
AOL
Inc.
770
Broadway
New York,
NY 10003
Attn: General
Counsel
Facsimile: (703)
265-7404
Either
Party may, by notice to the other Party, change the address to which such
notices are to be given.
SECTION 11.06.
Severability
.
If any
provision of this 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 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 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 is not affected in any manner materially adverse to either
Party. Upon any such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in
good faith in an effort to agree upon a suitable and equitable provision to
effect the original intent of the Parties.
SECTION 11.07.
Force Majeure
.
Neither Party
shall be deemed in default of this Agreement to the extent that any delay or
failure in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement results from
any cause beyond its reasonable control and without its fault or negligence,
such as acts of God, acts of civil or military authority, embargoes, epidemics,
war, riots, insurrections, fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods, unusually
severe weather conditions, labor problems or unavailability of parts, or, in the
case of computer systems, any failure in electrical or air conditioning
equipment. In the event of any such excused delay, the time for
performance shall be extended for a period equal to the time lost by reason of
the delay.
SECTION 11.08.
Publicity
.
Each of TWX and
AOL shall consult with the other prior to issuing, and shall, subject to the
requirements of Section 7.08, provide the other Party the opportunity to review
and comment upon, any press releases or other public statements in connection
with the Distribution or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby and
prior to making any filings with any Governmental Authority or national
securities exchange with respect thereto (including the Parties’ respective
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with respect to the fiscal quarter during
which the Distribution Date occurs, or if such quarter is the fourth fiscal
quarter, the Parties’ respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K filed with respect
to the fiscal year during which the Distribution Date occurs (each such
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K, a “
First Post-Distribution
Report
”)). Each Party’s obligations pursuant to this Section 11.08 shall
terminate on the date on which such Party’s First Post-Distribution Report is
filed with the Commission.
SECTION 11.09.
Expenses
.
Except as expressly
set forth in this Agreement or in any Ancillary Agreement, all third-party fees,
costs and expenses paid or incurred in connection with the Separation and the
Distribution will be paid by the Party incurring such fees or expenses, whether
or not the Distribution is consummated, or as otherwise agreed by the
Parties. For the avoidance of doubt, TWX shall bear the costs and
expenses directly related to the mailing of the Information Statement to TWX
shareholders and the fees and expenses of the Agent in connection with the
Distribution.
SECTION 11.10.
Headings
.
The article, section
and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes
only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
SECTION 11.11.
Survival of Covenants
.
Except
as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the covenants in this Agreement and
the liabilities for the breach of any obligations in this Agreement shall
survive each of the Separation and the Distribution and shall remain in full
force and effect.
SECTION 11.12.
Waivers of Default
.
Waiver by
any Party hereto of any default by the other Party hereto of any provision of
this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any
subsequent or other default.
SECTION 11.13.
Specific Performance
.
Subject
to Section 5.03 and notwithstanding the procedures set forth in Article IX, in
the event of any actual or threatened default in, or breach of, any of the
terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement, the affected Party shall
have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief
of its rights under this Agreement, in addition to any and all other rights and
remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be
cumulative. The other Party shall not oppose the granting of such
relief. The Parties to this Agreement agree that the remedies at law
for any breach or threatened breach hereof, including monetary damages, are
inadequate compensation for any loss and that any defense in any action for
specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate is
waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with
such remedy are waived.
SECTION 11.14.
Amendments
.
No provisions of
this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or modified by any
Party hereto, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification is in
writing and signed by the authorized representative of each Party.
SECTION 11.15.
Interpretation
.
Words in the
singular shall be held to include the plural and vice versa and words of one
gender shall be held to include the other gender as the context
requires. The terms “hereof,” “herein” “and “herewith” and words of
similar import, unless otherwise stated, shall be construed to refer to this
Agreement as a whole (including all of the schedules, exhibits and appendices
hereto) and not to any particular provision of this
Agreement. Article, Section, Exhibit, Schedule and Appendix
references are to the articles, sections, exhibits, schedules and appendices of
or to this Agreement unless otherwise specified. Any reference herein
to this Agreement, unless otherwise stated, shall be construed to refer to this
Agreement as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, as
permitted by Section 11.14. The word “including” and words of similar
import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,”
unless the context otherwise requires or unless otherwise
specified. The word “or” shall not be exclusive.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Separation and Distribution
Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives.
|
TIME
WARNER INC.,
|
|
by
|
|
|
/s/
John K. Martin, Jr.
|
|
|
Name:
John K. Martin, Jr.
|
|
|
Title:
Executive Vice President and
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
AOL
INC.,
|
|
by
|
|
|
/s/
Ira H. Parker
|
|
|
|
|
|
Title:
Executive Vice President, Corporate
Secretary
and General Counsel
|
Internal
Transactions
The
Internal Transactions will take place in the following steps, all of which have
occurred or will occur prior to the Distribution in the following order, unless
otherwise determined by the Parties:
Step
1:
Existing
AOL Inc. Name Change.
On November 2, 2009, AOL Inc., a direct
wholly owned Subsidiary of AOL LLC, filed with the Delaware Secretary of State,
pursuant to Section 242 of the Delaware General Corporate Law, the documentation
necessary to change its name to “Original AOL Inc.” (the “
Existing AOL Inc. Name
Change
”).
Step
2:
Conversion of AOL Holdings
to a Corporation.
On November 2, 2009, AOL Holdings filed with
the Delaware Secretary of State, pursuant to Section 18-216 of the Delaware
Limited Liability Company Act (the “
DLLC Act
”), the
documentation necessary to convert to a Delaware corporation and to change its
name to AOL Inc. (the “
AOL
Conversion
”).
Step
3:
Conversion of TWA to a
Limited Liability Company.
On November 5, 2009, TWA filed with the
Virginia Secretary of State, pursuant to Section 13.1-722.9 of the Virginia
Code, the documentation necessary to become a Virginia limited liability company
named TW AOL Holdings LLC (the “
TWA
Conversion
”).
Step
4:
Distribution of AOL LLC
Assets and Assumption of Liabilities.
AOL LLC will transfer
the AOL Assets to AOL (the “
Asset Distribution
”),
and AOL shall assume the AOL LLC Liabilities, pursuant to the Assignment and
Assumption Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, TWX may
determine not to have AOL LLC transfer its shares in AOL Online India Private
Limited (the “
AOL
Online Shares
”) in the Asset Distribution.
Step
4A:
Transfer of AOL Online
Shares.
If the AOL Online Shares are not distributed to AOL
prior or pursuant to the Asset Distribution, following the Asset Distribution,
AOL LLC will transfer the AOL Online Shares to AOL Mauritius Services Ltd. (the
“
AOL Online
Transfer
”)
.
Step
5:
AOL LLC
Name Change.
AOL LLC will file with the Delaware Secretary of
State, pursuant to Sections 18-103 and 18-202 of the DLLC Act, the documentation
necessary to change its name to “Historic AOL LLC” (the “
AOL LLC Name
Change
”).
Step
6:
First
AOL LLC Distribution.
AOL will transfer all of the membership
interests in AOL LLC to TWX and TWA LLC, on a
pro
rata
basis in respect
of the AOL Common Stock held by TWX and TWA LLC, respectively (the “
First AOL LLC
Distribution
”).
Step
7:
Second
AOL LLC Distribution.
TWA LLC will transfer all of its
membership interests in AOL LLC to TWX in respect of the membership interests of
TWA LLC held by TWX (the “
Second AOL LLC
Distribution
”).
Step
8:
Internal
Distribution.
TWA LLC will transfer all of the AOL Common
Stock that it owns to TWX in respect of the membership interests of TWA LLC held
by TWX (the “
Internal
Distribution
”).
Step
9:
Payables
Transactions.
TWX and AOL shall settle the Payables
Transactions.
Step
10:
AOL
Share Recapitalization.
Whether before, after or
simultaneously with Step 9 above, TWX will cause the recapitalization of AOL so
that the number of outstanding shares of AOL Common Stock will be equal to the
number of shares that will be distributed in the Distribution (the “
Recapitalization
”).
Schedule
II
TWX Retained
Assets
1.
|
Funding
Agreement between TWX and AOL LLC relating to the guarantees by AOL LLC of
the existing public and bank debt of TWX and its
Affiliates.
|
2.
|
Those
domain names listed on
Schedule II-A
attached hereto.
|
3.
|
The
following United States patents and patent
applications:
|
Patent/Application
No.
|
|
Title
|
|
|
|
6,351,776
6,985,927
7,171,472
7,337,207
7,496,578
|
|
Shared
Internet Storage Resource, User Interface System,
And
Method (5 patents)
|
6,496,855
|
|
Web
Site Registration Proxy System
|
7,237,024
|
|
Cross-Site
Timed Out Authentication Management
|
7,415,500
|
|
Facilitating
Negotiations Between Users Of A Computer Network Through Messaging
Communications Enabling User Interaction
|
7,415,718
|
|
Receiving
and Processing Vertical Blanking Interval Data
|
7,571,234
|
|
Authentication
Of Electronic Data
|
11/019,124
|
|
System
And Method For Using A Streaming Protocol
|
4.
|
AOL LLC’s undivided percentage interest in the
following aircrafts:
|
FAA
Registration No.
|
|
Manufacturer
Serial No.
|
|
Manufacturer/Model
|
|
Installed
Engines
|
N73RP
|
|
529
|
|
Gulfstream
Aerospace G-V
|
|
2x
BMW Rolls Royce BR 700 Series Engines
|
N74RP
|
|
5058
|
|
Gulfstream
Aerospace G550
|
|
2x
Rolls Royce BR 700 Series Engines
|
N75RP
|
|
528
|
|
Gulfstream
Aerospace G-V
|
|
2x
BMW Rolls Royce BR 700 Series
Engines
|
5.
|
AOL
LLC’s 2.882% undivided interest in one 2001 Raytheon Hawker 800XP aircraft
bearing manufacturer’s serial number 258543, together with two Garrett TFE
731-5BR engines bearing manufacturer’s serial numbers P107629 and P107631
(collectively, the “
Aircraft
”),
which is managed and operated within the fractional ownership program of
Flight Options, LLC and subject to common agreements governing a
consolidated undivided 37.5% interest in the Aircraft held by TWX, Time
Inc., Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Time Warner Cable Inc. and AOL
LLC.
|
6.
|
AOL
LLC’s interests in those securities that were distributed by AOL LLC to
its then sole member, TW AOL Holdings Inc., on April 4, 2006 (the “
Minority
Investments
”), and any and all rights and benefits of AOL LLC under
any and all agreements relating thereto (the “
Investment
Agreements
”). For the avoidance of doubt, Minority
Investments shall not include AOL LLC’s interests in Brightcove, Inc., 360
Intellectual Equity, LLC, Kayak Software Corporation, Lat34, LLC (f/k/a
Fusion Entertainment, LLC), Advanced Commerce Strategies, Inc. (ACSI), Orb
Networks, Inc., Cranberry Properties, LLC, Jonas-MGX JV and
Advertising.com Kabushiki-Kiasha.
|
7.
|
AOL
LLC’s rights and benefits under:
|
(a)
Sublease: Historic TW Inc.
and AOL LLC
(i)
Sublease Agreement, dated as of October 8, 2004, between Historic TW Inc. and
America Online, Inc. for floors 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11 at the building
known
by the street numbers 75
Rockefeller Plaza and 15 West 51st Street, NY, NY 10019;
(ii)
First Amendment of Sublease, dated as of January 25, 2005, between Historic TW
Inc. and America Online, Inc. for a portion of the sub-concourse
level
and a portion of the concourse
level at the building known by the streetnumbers 75 Rockefeller Plaza and 15
West 51st Street, NY, NY 10019;
(iii)
Second Amendment of Sublease, dated as of April 26, 2005, between Historic TW
Inc. (as successor to Time Warner Companies, Inc.) and America
Online, Inc. for a portion of the
8th floor (the screening room) and a portion of the 9th floor (the control room)
at the building known by the street numbers 75
Rockefeller Plaza and 15 West
51st Street, NY, NY 10019; and
(iv)
Third Amendment of Sublease, dated as of January 20, 2006, between Historic TW
Inc. (as successor to Time Warner Companies, Inc.) and America
Online,
Inc. floors 24 and 25 at the building known by the street numbers 75 Rockefeller
Plaza and 15 West 51st Street, NY, NY 10019,
(collectively,
the “
75 Rock
Sublease
”)
(b)
Sub-Sublease: AOL LLC and
NBC Universal, Inc.
(i)
Agreement of Sub-Sublease, dated January 30, 2008, between AOL LLC and NBC
Universal, Inc. for floors 5 and 6 at the building known by the
street
numbers 75 Rockefeller Plaza and
15 West 51st Street, NY, NY 10019;
(ii)
First Amendment to Sub-Sublease, dated September 2008, between AOL LLC and NBC
Universal, Inc. for floors 3, 4, portion of 8, portion of 9, 10, 11,
24
and 25 and a portion of the
concourse level at the building known by the street numbers 75 Rockefeller Plaza
and 15 West 51st Street, NY, NY 10019;
(iii)
That certain letter agreement by and between AOL LLC, NBC Universal, Inc. and
Historic TW Inc. dated August 11, 2009 related to the modified uses to
which the 8
th
floor
studio may be used by NBC Universal, Inc.; and
(iv) That
certain letter agreement by and between NBC Universal, Inc. and Historic TW Inc.
dated August 11, 2009 related to the air intake filter maintenance
that Historic TW Inc. agrees to
perform at the building,
together
with the related furniture, fixtures, equipment and improvements (collectively,
the “
75 Rock
Sub-
Sublease
”).
8.
|
As described in Section 6.04,
agreements entered into by AOL LLC with Covered Employees with respect to
the obligation of such Covered Employees to repay amounts advanced on
their behalf under certain circumstances
.
|
Schedule
II-A
Domain
Names
4aoltimewarner.com
|
4aoltw.com
|
amercanonlinetimewarner.com
|
amercanonline-timewarner.org
|
americanonline-timewarner.com
|
americanonline-timewarner.org
|
americaonlineroadrunner.com
|
americaonline-roadrunner.com
|
america-online-roadrunner.com
|
americaonlineroadrunner.net
|
americaonline-roadrunner.net
|
america-online-roadrunner.net
|
americaonlineroadrunner.org
|
americaonline-roadrunner.org
|
america-online-roadrunner.org
|
americaonlinerr.com
|
america-onlinerr.com
|
americaonline-rr.com
|
america-online-rr.com
|
americaonlinerr.net
|
america-onlinerr.net
|
americaonline-rr.net
|
america-online-rr.net
|
americaonlinerr.org
|
america-onlinerr.org
|
americaonline-rr.org
|
america-online-rr.org
|
americaonlinetime.com
|
americaonline-time.com
|
america-online-time.com
|
americaonlinetime.net
|
america-online-time.net
|
americaonlinetime.org
|
america-online-time.org
|
americaonlinetimewarner.com
|
americaonline-timewarner.com
|
america-online-timewarner.com
|
america-online-time-warner.com
|
america-on-line-time-warner.com
|
americaonlinetimewarner.com.br
|
americaonlinetimewarner.de
|
americaonlinetimewarner.net
|
americaonline-timewarner.net
|
americaonline-time-warner.net
|
america-online-time-warner.net
|
americaonlinetimewarner.org
|
americaonline-timewarner.org
|
america-online-time-warner.org
|
americaonlinewarner.com
|
americaonlinewarner.net
|
americaonlinewarner.org
|
americaonlinewarnerbros.com
|
americaonline-warnerbros.com
|
america-online-warner-bros.com
|
americaonlinewarnerbros.net
|
americaonline-warnerbros.net
|
america-online-warner-bros.net
|
americaonlinewarnerbros.org
|
americaonline-warnerbros.org
|
america-online-warner-bros.org
|
americaonlinewarnerbrothers.com
|
americaonline-warnerbrothers.com
|
america-online-warnerbrothers.com
|
america-online-warner-brothers.com
|
americaonlinewarnerbrothers.net
|
americaonline-warnerbrothers.net
|
america-online-warner-brothers.net
|
americaonlinewarnerbrothers.org
|
americaonline-warnerbrothers.org
|
america-online-warner-brothers.org
|
aolandtime.com
|
aolandtimewarner.com
|
aol-and-timewarner.com
|
aolandtw.net
|
aolbuyingtimewarner.com
|
aolcareertimewarner.com
|
aolcnn.com
|
aol-cnn.com
|
aolcnn.net
|
aol-cnn.net
|
aolcnn.org
|
aol-cnn.org
|
aolcnnfn.com
|
aolcnnsi.com
|
aolcoastalliving.com
|
aolfucktimewarner.com
|
aolistimewarner.com
|
aollooneytunes.com
|
aolmergetimewarner.com
|
aolntimewarner.com
|
aolpc-ew1.com
|
aolpc-ew2.com
|
aolpc-si1.com
|
aolpc-si2.com
|
aolpc-si3.com
|
aolpluslooneytunes.com
|
aolroadrunner.com
|
aol-roadrunner.com
|
aolroadrunner.net
|
aol-roadrunner.net
|
aolroadrunner.org
|
aol-roadrunner.org
|
aol-roadrunner-2-u.com
|
aol-roadrunner-4-u.com
|
aolrr.com
|
aol-rr.com
|
aolrr.net
|
aol-rr.net
|
aolrr.org
|
aol-rr.org
|
aolrrfinder.com
|
aolrrpics.com
|
aolsi.com
|
aolsi1.com
|
aol-southernliving.net
|
aoltime.com
|
aoltime2000.com
|
aoltimeb2b.com
|
aoltimedsl.com
|
aoltimeinc.com
|
aoltimeinc.net
|
aoltimeinc.org
|
aoltimekids.com
|
aoltimekids.net
|
aoltimekids.org
|
aoltimemedia.com
|
aoltimemerge2000.net
|
aoltimenet.com
|
aoltimenews.com
|
aoltimerwarner.com
|
aoltimeswarner.com
|
aol-timeswarner.com
|
aoltimeswarner.net
|
aol-timeswarner.net
|
aol-timeswarner.org
|
aoltimetv.com
|
aoltimeusa.com
|
aoltimew.com
|
aoltimewaner.com
|
aoltimewaner.net
|
aoltimewaner.org
|
aoltimewarneer.com
|
aoltimewarner.com
|
aol-timewarner.com
|
aoltime-warner.com
|
aol-time-warner.com
|
aol-time--warner.com
|
aol-timewarner.de
|
aoltimewarner.ne.jp
|
aoltimewarner.net
|
aol-timewarner.net
|
aoltime-warner.net
|
aol-time-warner.net
|
aoltimewarner.org
|
aol-timewarner.org
|
aoltime-warner.org
|
aol-time-warner.org
|
aoltimewarner200.com
|
aol-timewarner2000.com
|
aoltimewarner2000.net
|
aol-timewarner2000.net
|
aoltimewarner2000.org
|
aoltimewarner21.com
|
aoltimewarnerasia.com
|
aoltimewarnerbenefits.com
|
aoltimewarnerbooks.com
|
aol-timewarnerbroadband.com
|
aoltimewarnerbroadcast.com
|
aoltimewarnerbroadcasting.com
|
aol-timewarnercable.com
|
aol-time-warner-cable.com
|
aol-timewarnercable.net
|
aoltimewarnercareer.com
|
aoltimewarnercareers.com
|
aoltimewarnercareers.net
|
aoltimewarnercareers.org
|
aoltimewarnercartoons.com
|
aoltimewarnercenter.com
|
aol-timewarnercenter.com
|
aol-time-warnercenter.com
|
aol-time-warner-center.com
|
aoltimewarnercenter.net
|
aol-timewarnercenter.net
|
aol-time-warnercenter.net
|
aol-time-warner-center.net
|
aoltimewarnercenter.org
|
aol-timewarnercenter.org
|
aol-time-warnercenter.org
|
aol-time-warner-center.org
|
aoltimewarnercentre.com
|
aoltimewarnercentre.net
|
aoltimewarnercentre.org
|
aoltimewarnercnn.com
|
aoltimewarnerdvd.com
|
aoltimewarnerdvd.net
|
aoltimewarnerdvd.org
|
aol-timewarner-emi.com
|
aoltimewarneremployment.com
|
aoltimewarnereurope.com
|
aoltimewarnerfoundation.com
|
aoltimewarnerfoundation.net
|
aoltimewarnerfoundation.org
|
aoltimewarnerglobal.com
|
aoltimewarnergroup.com
|
aoltimewarnerhealthplan.com
|
aoltimewarnerhealthplans.com
|
aol-timewarnerinc.com
|
aol-timewarner-inc.com
|
aol-time-warner-inc.de
|
aol-timewarnerinc.net
|
aol-time-warner-inc.net
|
aol-time-warner-independent-news.com
|
aoltimewarnerinternet.com
|
aoltimewarnerjobs.com
|
aoltimewarnerjobs.net
|
aoltimewarnerjobs.org
|
aoltimewarnerlondonwc2.com
|
aoltimewarnermagazine.com
|
aoltimewarnermall.com
|
aoltimewarnermedia.com
|
aol-timewarnermedia.com
|
aoltimewarnermerge2000.com
|
aoltimewarnermerger.com
|
aol-timewarnermerger.com
|
aol-timewarner-merger.com
|
aoltimewarnermillennium.com
|
aoltimewarnermovie.com
|
aoltimewarnermovie.net
|
aoltimewarnermovie.org
|
aoltimewarnermoviefone.com
|
aoltimewarnermoviefone.net
|
aoltimewarnermoviefone.org
|
aoltimewarnermovies.com
|
aoltimewarnermovies.net
|
aoltimewarnermovies.org
|
aoltimewarnermusic.com
|
aoltimewarnermusic.net
|
aoltimewarnermusic.org
|
aoltimewarnernet.com
|
aoltimewarnernetwork.com
|
aoltimewarnernews.com
|
aol-timewarneronline.com
|
aol-timewarner-online.com
|
aoltimewarnerradio.com
|
aoltimewarnerroadrunne.com
|
aoltimewarnershop.com
|
aoltimewarnersucks.com
|
aol-timewarner-sucks.com
|
aol-timewarnertv.com
|
aoltimewarnerweb.com
|
aoltimewarnerwebtv.com
|
aoltimewarnerworldwide.com
|
aoltimewarneryahoo.com
|
aoltimewerner.com
|
aol-time-werner.com
|
aoltimwarner.com
|
aoltw.com
|
aol-t-w.com
|
aoltw.com.br
|
aoltw.de
|
aol-tw.net
|
aoltw.org
|
aol-tw.org
|
aoltw2000.com
|
aoltwaa.com
|
aoltwaa.net
|
aoltwaa.org
|
aoltwaadvantage.com
|
aoltwaadvantage.net
|
aoltwaadvantage.org
|
aoltwarner.com
|
aol-twarner.com
|
aol-twarner.net
|
aoltwarner.org
|
aoltwb.com
|
aoltwbusiness.com
|
aoltwc.com
|
aol-twc.com
|
aoltwc.net
|
aol-twc.net
|
aoltwc.org
|
aol-twc.org
|
aoltwcable.com
|
aoltwcenter.com
|
aoltwcenter.net
|
aoltwcenter.org
|
aoltwcentre.com
|
aoltwcentre.net
|
aoltwcentre.org
|
aoltwchina.com
|
aoltwcnn.com
|
aoltwcnyc.com
|
aoltwco.com
|
aoltwco.net
|
aol-twcorp.com
|
aoltwcorp.net
|
aoltwcorp.org
|
aoltwcorporate.com
|
aoltwcorporate.net
|
aoltwcorporate.org
|
aoltwdatabase.com
|
aoltwdotcom.com
|
aoltweb.com
|
aoltwemi.com
|
aoltwemi.net
|
aoltwemi.org
|
aoltwempire.com
|
aoltweurope.com
|
aoltwf.com
|
aoltwf.net
|
aoltwf.org
|
aoltwfilmfestival.org
|
aoltwfoundation.com
|
aoltwfoundation.net
|
aoltwfoundation.org
|
aoltwfree.com
|
aoltwhq.com
|
aoltwhq.net
|
aoltwhq.org
|
aoltwi.com
|
aol-twi.com
|
aoltwi.net
|
aoltwi.org
|
aoltwinc.com
|
aoltwinc.net
|
aoltwinc.org
|
aoltwindex.com
|
aoltwise.com
|
aoltwjapan.com
|
aoltwjapan.net
|
aoltwjobs.com
|
aoltw-jobs.com
|
aoltwjobs.net
|
aoltw-jobs.net
|
aoltwjobs.org
|
aoltw-jobs.org
|
aoltwkorea.com
|
aoltwmagazine.com
|
aoltwmall.com
|
aoltwmedia.com
|
aoltwmerger.net
|
aoltwmiles.com
|
aoltwmiles.net
|
aoltwmiles.org
|
aoltwmillennium.com
|
aoltwmillennium.net
|
aoltwmillennium.org
|
aoltwmovie.com
|
aoltwmovie.net
|
aoltwmovie.org
|
aoltwmovies.com
|
aoltwmovies.net
|
aoltwnet.com
|
aoltwnet.net
|
aoltwnetwork.com
|
aoltwnetworks.com
|
aol-twonline.com
|
aoltworld.com
|
aoltwrrvideo.com
|
aoltwservices.com
|
aoltwstock.com
|
aoltwtv.com
|
aol-twtv.com
|
aoltwtv.net
|
aoltwtx.com
|
aoltwtx.net
|
aoltwtx.org
|
aoltwventures.com
|
aoltwwise.com
|
aoltwworld.com
|
aoltwx.com
|
aol-twx.com
|
aoltwx.net
|
aoltwx.org
|
aoltwxemi.com
|
aoltwyahoo.com
|
aoltwyahoo.net
|
aoltwyahoo.org
|
aolwarner.com
|
aolwarner.de
|
aolwarner.net
|
aol-warner.net
|
aolwarner.org
|
aolwarnerbros.com
|
aol-warnerbros.com
|
aol-warner-bros.com
|
aolwarnerbros.net
|
aol-warnerbros.net
|
aol-warner-bros.net
|
aolwarnerbros.org
|
aol-warnerbros.org
|
aol-warner-bros.org
|
aolwarnerbrother.com
|
aolwarnerbrothers.com
|
aol-warnerbrothers.com
|
aol-warner-brothers.com
|
aolwarnerbrothers.net
|
aol-warnerbrothers.net
|
aol-warner-brothers.net
|
aolwarnerbrothers.org
|
aol-warnerbrothers.org
|
aol-warner-brothers.org
|
aol-warner-emi.com
|
aolwarnerfoundation.com
|
aolwarnerglobal.net
|
aolwarnerloans.com
|
aol-warner-time.com
|
aolwarnertv.com
|
aolwb.com
|
aolwb.net
|
aol-wb.net
|
aolwb.org
|
boycottaoltimewarner.com
|
cnnaol.com
|
cnn-aol.com
|
cnnaol.net
|
cnn-aol.net
|
cnnaol.org
|
cnn-aol.org
|
cnnbenelux.com
|
cnnetdns.net
|
cnnnederland.com
|
eamericaonlinetimewarner.com
|
eaoltimewarner.com
|
e-aoltimewarner.com
|
eca0ltw.com
|
ec-a0ltw.com
|
eca0ltw.net
|
ec-a0ltw.net
|
eca0ltw.org
|
ec-a0ltw.org
|
ecaoltw.com
|
ec-aoltw.com
|
ecaoltw.net
|
ecaoltw.org
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Schedule
III
TWX Retained
Liabilities
1.
|
Guarantees
by AOL LLC of the existing public and bank debt of TWX and its
Affiliates.
|
2.
|
AOL
LLC’s obligations under the Investment
Agreements.
|
3.
|
AOL
LLC’s obligations under the 75 Rock Sublease and the 75 Rock
Sub-Sublease.
|
4.
|
To
the extent required by Section 6.04, certain obligations to indemnify or
advance funds to certain directors, officers and employees of AOL
LLC.
|
Schedule
IV
Payables
Transactions
The
Payables Transactions will take place in the following steps in such order as
specified below, unless otherwise determined by the Parties:
|
1.
|
Each
of TWX and AOL shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to, take
all necessary actions to remove each of AOL’s Qualified Foreign
Subsidiaries from all Qualified Cash Pooling Arrangements to which it is a
party, and clear any related overdrafts in connection therewith, in each
case prior to the close of business on the business day immediately prior
to the Distribution Date.
|
|
2.
|
Each
of TWX and AOL shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to,
settle all Qualified Intercompany Loans by payment in full in Cash of all
principal, interest, guarantee fees or other amounts outstanding in
respect of such Qualified Intercompany Loans, and where applicable
terminate the loan agreements governing such Qualified Intercompany Loans,
in each case prior to the close of business on the business day
immediately prior to the Distribution
Date.
|
|
3.
|
AOL
shall (A) cause each of its Qualified Subsidiaries to (i) transfer to AOL
all Cash of such Qualified Subsidiary and (ii) assign, dividend or
otherwise transfer to AOL all of such Qualified Subsidiary’s right, title
and interest in and to any Qualified Intercompany Accounts that are
receivables owed by TWX or any Affiliate of TWX and (B) agree to discharge
(whether by assumption, capital contribution or otherwise) all of its
Qualified Subsidiaries’ Qualified Intercompany Accounts that are payables
owed to TWX or any Affiliate of TWX, in each case as of the close of
business on the business day immediately prior to the Distribution
Date.
|
|
4.
|
AOL
shall loan to TWX pursuant to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of
April 13, 2006, between AOL LLC, as lender, and TWA, as borrower (or each
of their permitted successors and assigns), or TWX shall loan to AOL
pursuant to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of April 13, 2006,
between TWA, as lender, and AOL LLC, as borrower (or each of their
permitted successors and assigns), as applicable, an amount of Cash such
that the amount of Cash that will be left at the AOL Group as of the close
of business on the business day immediately prior to the Distribution Date
shall equal $100 million.
|
|
5.
|
AOL
shall cause all Qualified Intercompany Accounts of AOL or any of its
Qualified Subsidiaries owed by or to TWX or any Affiliate of TWX
outstanding as of the close of business on the business day immediately
prior to the Distribution Date to be settled (whether by dividend to, or
capital contribution or assumption by, TWX or any Affiliate of TWX or
otherwise).
|
For
purposes of this Schedule IV:
“
Qualified Cash Pooling
Arrangement
” shall mean all non-U.S. cash pooling arrangements to which
TWX or its Affiliates is a party;
“
Qualified Foreign
Subsidiaries
” shall mean all non-U.S. Subsidiaries of AOL;
“
Qualified Intercompany
Account
s” shall mean all intercompany accounts receivable and accounts
payable (including (i) all accrued and unpaid expenses, (ii) the TWX Equity
Award Payable and (iii) the Deferred Compensation Payable) other than any
outstanding operational intercompany trade receivables or payables incurred in
the ordinary course of business on an arm’s-length basis;
“
Qualified Intercompany
Loans
” shall mean all non-U.S. intercompany loans between certain TWX
Affiliates and AOL or AOL’s Qualified Foreign Subsidiaries; and
“
Qualified
Subsidiaries
” shall mean all Subsidiaries of AOL other than: (i) any
non-U.S. subsidiary of AOL and (ii) AOL LLC.
2
Exhibit
99.2
SECOND TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT (this
“
Agreement
”),
dated as of November 16, 2009, by and between TIME WARNER INC., a Delaware
corporation (“
TWX
”), and AOL INC.,
a Delaware corporation (“
AOL
”, and together
with TWX, the “
Companies
”).
W I T N E
S S E T H:
WHEREAS AOL is a wholly-owned
Subsidiary of TWX;
WHEREAS the Companies are parties to
the Tax Matters Agreement dated as of April 13, 2006 (the “
Old AOL
TMA
”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Separation
Agreement, the Companies have agreed to effect the Transactions;
WHEREAS the Companies intend, with
respect to: (i) the Existing AOL Inc. Name Change, that it qualifies
for non-recognition of gain and loss under Sections 354 and 368(a)(1)(F) of
the Code; (ii) the AOL Conversion, that it qualifies for non-recognition of gain
and loss under Sections 354 and 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code; (iii) the
TWA Conversion, that it qualifies for non-recognition of gain and loss under
Sections 332 and 337 of the Code; (iv) the Asset Distribution, that it is
disregarded for U.S. Federal income tax purposes; (v) the AOL Online Transfer
(if it occurs), that it qualifies for non-recognition of gain and loss under
Section 351 of the Code and that Section 367(a) of the Code does not
apply to it; (vi) the AOL LLC Name Change, that it is disregarded for U.S.
Federal income tax purposes; (vii) the First AOL LLC Distribution, that it will
result in the recognition of gain (or loss) under Sections 311 and 1001 of the
Code and will be taken into account consistent with the principles of
Section 1.1502-13 of the Regulations with respect to assets owned by AOL
LLC at the time of the First AOL LLC Distribution (including the TWX Retained
Assets); (viii) the Second AOL LLC Distribution, that it is disregarded for
U.S. Federal income tax purposes; (ix) the Internal Distribution, that it
is disregarded for U.S. Federal income tax purposes; (x) the
Recapitalization, that it qualifies for non-recognition of gain and loss under
Sections 368(a)(1)(E) and/or 1036 of the Code; and (xi) the
Distribution, that it qualifies for non-recognition of gain and loss under
Section 355 of the Code; in the case of each of clauses (i), (ii), (iii),
(v), (x) and (xi), other than income or gain arising from any imputed income or
other adjustment to TWX, AOL or their Subsidiaries if and to the extent that the
Separation Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements are determined to have terms
that are not at arm’s length (the “
Intended Tax
Treatment
”);
WHEREAS the Companies desire to
terminate the Old AOL TMA and memorialize certain new agreements and
understandings relating to the Transactions.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained
herein, the Companies hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
Definitions
SECTION
1.01.
Definition of
Terms.
The following terms shall have the following meanings
(such meanings to apply equally to both the singular and the plural forms of the
terms defined). All Section and Article references are to
this Agreement unless otherwise stated. Terms used but not defined in
this Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Separation
Agreement.
“
Agreement
” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble.
“
AOL
” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble.
“
AOL Indemnified
Taxes
” shall mean any Ordinary Taxes of AOL or its Affiliates other than,
without duplication, (i) Consolidated Income Taxes for any Pre-Distribution Tax
Period and (ii) Contribution Agreement Taxes.
“
AOL Prepared Tax
Return
” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(b).
“
AOL Tax Package
” has
the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(c).
“
AOL Tax
Representations
” shall mean any representations made by AOL or its
Affiliates in Representation Letters that serve as a basis for the Tax
Opinion.
“
Business Day
” shall
mean any day on which the New York Stock Exchange, or its successor, is open for
trading.
“
Code
” shall mean the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“
Companies
” has the
meaning set forth in the preamble.
“
Consolidated Group
”
shall mean (i) an affiliated group of corporations (within the meaning of
Section 1504(a) of the Code), including any predecessors and successors to
such corporations, that files consolidated U.S. Federal income tax returns and
(ii) a group of corporations, including any predecessors and successors to such
corporations, that files state or local income tax returns on a combined,
consolidated, unitary or similar basis.
“
Contribution
Agreement
” shall mean the Contribution Agreement dated March 24, 2006,
among TWX, Google Inc. and America Online, Inc.
“
Contribution Agreement
Taxes
” shall mean Taxes arising solely as a result of the transactions
described in Article I, Section 2.01, Section 2.02(a),
Section 2.02(b), Section 2.02(c), Section 7.01, Section 7.02
or Section 7.04 of the Contribution Agreement.
“
Consolidated Income
Taxes
” shall mean any Income Taxes of a TWX Consolidated Group that are
(i) imposed by the United States of America or any state or local jurisdiction
in the United States of America and (ii) determined on a consolidated, combined,
unitary or similar basis.
“
Determination
” shall
mean (i) any final determination of liability in respect of a Tax that,
under applicable Law, is not subject to further appeal, review or modification
through proceedings or otherwise (including the expiration of a statute of
limitations or period for the filing of claims for refunds, amended tax returns
or appeals from adverse determinations), including a “determination” as defined
in Section 1313(a) of the Code or execution of an IRS Form 870AD or
(ii) the payment of Tax by TWX or AOL or any of their respective
Subsidiaries, whichever is responsible for payment of such Tax under applicable
Law, with respect to any item disallowed or adjusted by a Taxing Authority;
provided
,
however
, that such
responsible Company determines that no action should be taken to recoup such
payment and the other Company agrees.
“
Income Taxes
” shall
mean any income and franchise Taxes, and any similar Taxes primarily based upon,
measured by, or calculated with respect to gross income, net income, gross
receipts, net receipts, capital or profits (including any capital gains Taxes
and minimum Taxes), but excluding any sales, use, withholding or payroll Taxes,
other similar Taxes and Transaction Taxes.
“
Indemnifying Party
”
shall mean a Company that has any obligation to indemnify an Indemnitee pursuant
to the Separation Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.
“
Indemnitee
” shall
mean a Company entitled to indemnification pursuant to the Separation Agreement
or any Ancillary Agreement.
“
Indemnity Payment
”
shall mean a payment from an Indemnifying Party to an Indemnitee pursuant to the
Separation Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.
“
Intended Tax
Treatment
” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“
IRS
” shall mean the
U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
“
Old AOL TMA
” has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“
Ordinary Taxes
” shall
mean Taxes other than Transaction Taxes.
“
Pre-Distribution Tax
Period
” shall mean any taxable period (or portion thereof) that ends on
or before the Distribution Date.
“
Records
” has the
meaning set forth in Section 6.01.
“
Regulations
” shall
mean the Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code.
“
Representation
Letters
” shall mean letters setting forth reasonable and customary
representations (that are true and correct) regarding certain facts in existence
at the applicable time.
“
Separation Agreement
”
shall mean the Separation Agreement dated as of November 16, 2009, by and
between TWX and AOL.
“
Tax Attribute
” has
the meaning set forth in Section 2.05.
“
Taxes
” shall mean all
forms of taxation or duties imposed, or required to be collected or withheld,
including charges, together with any related interest, penalties or other
additional amounts.
“
Taxing Authority
”
shall mean any Governmental Authority imposing Taxes.
“
Tax Opinion
” shall
mean the written opinion of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP issued to TWX to the
effect that the Transactions will qualify for the Intended Tax Treatment, which
opinion is in form and substance satisfactory to TWX in its sole discretion;
provided
,
however
, that such
opinion may rely on the Tax Representations.
“
Tax Representations
”
shall mean the TWX Tax Representations and the AOL Tax
Representations.
“
Transaction Tax
Contest
” shall mean an audit, review, examination or any other
administrative or judicial proceeding, in each case by any Taxing Authority,
with the purpose or effect of determining or redetermining Transaction
Taxes.
“
Transaction Taxes
”
shall mean all (i) Taxes resulting from the failure of the Transactions to
qualify for the Intended Tax Treatment, (ii) Taxes and any other liability
of any third party for which TWX, AOL or any of their respective
Subsidiaries or Affiliates is or becomes liable for any reason, which Taxes or
liabilities result from the failure of the Transactions to qualify for the
Intended Tax Treatment and (iii) reasonable, out-of-pocket legal,
accounting and other advisory and court fees incurred in connection with
liability for Taxes described in clause (i) or (ii).
“
TWA Conversion Stockholder
Consent
” shall mean the consent of an authorized TWX representative to
effect the TWA Conversion.
“
25% Ownership Change
”
shall mean one or more persons acquiring, directly or indirectly, an interest in
the relevant Company representing (i) 25% of “the total combined voting
power of all classes of stock entitled to vote” (within the meaning of
Section 355(d)(4) of the Code) or (ii) 25% of “the total value of
shares of all classes of stock” (within the meaning of Section 355(d)(4) of
the Code).
“
TWX
” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble.
“
TWX Consolidated
Group
” shall mean any Consolidated Group of which (i) TWX or any of its
Affiliates is a member and (ii) AOL or any of its Affiliates is also a
member.
“
TWX Consolidated
Return
” shall mean (i) any consolidated U.S. Federal income tax return of
a TWX Consolidated Group and (ii) any combined, consolidated, unitary or
similar state or local income tax return of a TWX Consolidated
Group.
“
TWX Prepared Tax
Return
” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).
“
TWX Tax
Representations
” shall mean any representations made by TWX or its
Affiliates in Representation Letters that serve as a basis for the Tax
Opinion.
ARTICLE
II
Termination
of Old AOL TMA; Allocation of Tax Liabilities and Benefits
SECTION
2.01.
Effectiveness; Termination
of Old AOL TMA.
This Agreement shall become effective at the
time the Distribution occurs. At that time, the Old AOL TMA shall be
terminated and shall have no further force or effect.
SECTION
2.02.
Indemnification.
(a) TWX
shall be liable for, and shall indemnify and hold AOL and its Subsidiaries
harmless from, without duplication, any (i) Consolidated Income Taxes for
any Pre-Distribution Tax Period, (ii) Contribution Agreement Taxes and
(iii) Transaction Taxes other than Transaction Taxes for which AOL is
liable under Section 2.02(b)(ii).
(b) AOL
shall be liable for, and shall indemnify and hold TWX and its Subsidiaries
harmless from, any (i) AOL Indemnified Taxes and (ii) Transaction
Taxes attributable to (A) the failure of any representation made by AOL or
its Affiliates in the AOL Tax Representations to be true when made or deemed
made or (B) except as otherwise expressly required by the Separation
Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, any other action or omission by AOL or its
Affiliates.
SECTION
2.03.
Refunds, Credits and
Offsets.
(a) If AOL or its Affiliates receives (i)
any refund, credit or offset of any Taxes for which TWX is responsible under
Section 2.02(a) or (ii) any refund of Taxes other than state and local indirect
Taxes that at the time of the Distribution is anticipated to be received within
60 Business Days after the Distribution Date, AOL shall pay to TWX the
entire amount of the refund or the economic benefit of the credit or offset
(including interest) within 10 Business Days of receipt or accrual;
provided
,
however
, that TWX,
upon the request of AOL, shall repay the amount paid to TWX in the event AOL is
required to repay such refund, credit or offset.
(b) If
TWX or its Affiliates receives any refund, credit or offset of any Taxes for
which AOL is responsible under Section 2.02(b), other than any refund described
in clause (ii) of Section 2.03(a), TWX shall pay to AOL the entire amount
of the refund or the economic benefit of the credit or offset (including
interest) within 10 Business Days of receipt or accrual;
provided
,
however
, that AOL,
upon the request of TWX, shall repay the amount paid to AOL in the event TWX is
required to repay such refund, credit or offset.
SECTION
2.04.
Straddle
Periods.
In the case of any taxable period that includes (but
does not end on) the Distribution Date, Income Taxes for the Pre-Distribution
Tax Period shall be computed as if such taxable period ended as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date.
SECTION
2.05.
Carrybacks.
If
a tax return of AOL or its Affiliates for any taxable period ending after the
Distribution Date reflects any net operating losses, net capital losses, excess
tax credits or other tax attributes (a “
Tax Attribute
”) that
is carried back to a TWX Consolidated Return, whether or not AOL or its
Affiliates waives the right to carry back any such Tax Attribute to a TWX
Consolidated Return, no payment with respect to such carryback shall be due to
AOL or its Affiliates from TWX. In the event that AOL or its
Affiliates receives any refund, credit or offset of any Taxes in connection with
a carryback of a Tax Attribute of any Company to a TWX Consolidated Return, AOL
shall promptly pay the full amount of such refund or the economic benefit of the
credit or offset (including interest) to TWX.
ARTICLE
III
Procedural
Matters for Ordinary Taxes
SECTION
3.01.
Tax
Returns.
(a) TWX shall have exclusive and sole
responsibility for the preparation and filing of (i) any TWX Consolidated
Returns (including requests for extensions thereof) and (ii) any other tax
returns of TWX or its Affiliates, other than tax returns of AOL LLC that relate
to AOL Indemnified Taxes for a Pre-Distribution Tax Period (a “
TWX Prepared Tax
Return
”).
(b) AOL shall have exclusive
and sole responsibility for the preparation and filing of the tax returns of AOL
and its Affiliates to the extent such responsibility has not been allocated to
TWX under Section 3.01(a) (an “
AOL Prepared Tax
Return
”).
(c) AOL shall provide to TWX
(in the format determined by TWX) all information requested by TWX as reasonably
necessary to prepare any TWX Consolidated Returns (the “
AOL Tax
Package
”). The AOL Tax Package shall be provided to TWX on a
timely basis consistent with the current practices of the TWX Consolidated
Groups in preparing tax returns. AOL shall also provide to TWX
information reasonably required to determine estimated tax payments, current
taxable income, current and deferred tax liabilities, tax reserve items and any
additional current or prior information required by TWX to comply with its
obligations under this Agreement.
SECTION
3.02.
Audits, Refund Claims,
Litigation.
(a) If any AOL Prepared Tax Return
becomes the subject of litigation in any court or examination by any Taxing
Authority, the conduct and settlement of the litigation or examination shall be
exclusively controlled by AOL;
provided
,
however
, that TWX and
AOL shall share joint control with respect to the conduct and settlement of any
litigation or examination that reasonably could be expected to cause a payment
obligation to, or a refund claim for, TWX.
(b) If any TWX Prepared Tax
Return becomes the subject of litigation in any court or examination by any
Taxing Authority, the conduct and settlement of the litigation or examination
shall be exclusively controlled by TWX;
provided
,
however
, that TWX and
AOL shall share joint control with respect to the conduct and settlement of any
litigation or examination that reasonably could be expected to cause a payment
obligation to, or a refund claim for, AOL.
(c) Notwithstanding
Sections 3.02(a) and (b), no settlement relating to any matter that would
cause a payment obligation for an Indemnifying Party under this Agreement shall
be accepted or entered into by the Indemnitee without the consent of the
Indemnifying Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed).
(d) AOL shall assist and
cooperate with TWX during the course of any examination or litigation described
in Section 3.02(b). Within 10 Business Days of the commencement
of any such proceeding, TWX shall give AOL notice of, and consult with AOL with
respect to, any issues relating to AOL Indemnified Taxes;
provided
,
however
, that AOL
shall not be relieved of any obligation to make payments under this Agreement if
TWX fails to timely deliver the notice described in this Section 3.02(d)
except, and only to the extent that, AOL is actually prejudiced
thereby.
(e) TWX shall assist and
cooperate with AOL during the course of any examination or litigation described
in Section 3.02(a). Within 10 Business Days of the commencement
of any such proceeding, AOL shall give TWX notice of, and consult with TWX with
respect to, any issues relating to Consolidated Income Taxes for any
Pre-Distribution Period;
provided
,
however
, that TWX
shall not be relieved of any obligation to make payments under this Agreement if
AOL fails to timely deliver the notice described in this Section 3.02(e)
except, and only to the extent that, TWX is actually prejudiced
thereby.
(f) This Section 3.02
shall not apply to Transaction Taxes or to Article V, which shall govern
procedural matters relating to Transaction Taxes.
SECTION 3.03.
Expenses.
(a) AOL
shall bear the cost of its own expenses and shall reimburse TWX for all
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, legal,
consulting and accounting fees) in the course of proceedings described in
Section 3.02 to the extent such expenses are reasonably attributable to AOL
Indemnified Taxes.
(b) TWX shall bear the cost
of its own expenses and shall reimburse AOL for all reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses (including, without limitation, legal, consulting and accounting fees)
in the course of proceedings described in Section 3.02 to the extent such
expenses are reasonably attributable to Taxes for which TWX is responsible
pursuant to this Agreement.
SECTION
3.04.
Rulings.
AOL shall
assist and cooperate with TWX and take all actions reasonably requested by
TWX in connection with any ruling requests submitted by TWX to the
IRS.
SECTION
3.05.
Short
Period Election.
TWX and AOL shall jointly make a timely
election under Section 1.1502-76(b)(2)(ii)(D) of the Regulations or any
comparable provision or state or local law to allocate items ratably between the
final Pre-Distribution Tax Period (TWX Consolidated Return) and the AOL short
taxable period beginning after the Distribution Date (AOL separate tax
return).
SECTION
3.06.
Tax
Treatment of Payments Paid Pursuant to the EMA
. Any Federal,
state and local income tax deduction arising as a result of amounts paid
pursuant to the EMA shall be claimed (if and when permitted by applicable law)
by the Company (or its applicable Affiliate) that pays such amount in the first
instance;
provided
,
however
, that with
respect to amounts (i) for which reimbursement is paid pursuant to Article XV of
the EMA, such deduction shall be claimed (if and when permitted by applicable
law) by the Company that pays such reimbursement, (ii) settled pursuant to
Article VIII of the EMA, such deduction shall be claimed by TWX or (iii) settled
pursuant to Article XII of the EMA, such deduction shall be claimed by TWX;
provided
,
however
, that if a
deduction claimed by TWX pursuant to this Section 3.06(iii) is disallowed
by a Taxing Authority for any reason, AOL shall amend its applicable tax return
to claim such deduction and shall pay to TWX an amount equal to the tax benefit
actually realized by AOL resulting from such deduction.
ARTICLE
IV
Tax
Matters Relating to the Separation
SECTION
4.01.
Mutual
Representations
.
Except
as otherwise expressly required or permitted by the Separation Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement, neither Company has any plan or intention to take any
action inconsistent with the qualification of the Transactions for the Intended
Tax Treatment.
SECTION
4.02.
Mutual
Covenants.
(a) The Companies agree to take, and to
cause their respective Affiliates to take, any reasonable actions necessary or
advisable in order for the Transactions to qualify for the Intended Tax
Treatment. Except as otherwise expressly required or permitted by the
Separation Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, neither Company shall take or
fail to take, or permit their respective Affiliates to take or fail to take, any
action, if such action or omission would be inconsistent with its respective Tax
Representations.
(b) Subject
to Section 4.02(c), during the period beginning on the date of the
Distribution and ending on and including the last day of the 30-month period
following the date of the Distribution, each Company shall notify the other
Company within 10 Business Days after entering into a binding contract (or other
agreement or understanding that has been publicly disclosed by such Company)
with respect to a transaction that, if completed (whether or not it would
constitute a “plan (or series of related transactions)” within the meaning of
Section 355(e) of the Code with the Distribution) alone or together with
other transactions (excluding, for these purposes, the transactions described in
clauses (i) through (iv) of Section 4.02(c)), would result in a 25%
Ownership Change of such Company and shall provide the other Company with
complete details (and additional information as such other Company shall
reasonably request) regarding such transaction and other transactions, if any;
provided
,
however
, that in no
case shall either Company be obligated to provide to the other Company any
material non-public information.
(c) For
purposes of Section 4.02(b), a “binding contract (or other agreement or
understanding that has been publicly disclosed by such Company)” shall not
include (i) the adoption by a Company of a shareholder rights plan that
meets the requirements of IRS Revenue Ruling 90-11, 1990-1 C.B. 10,
(ii) transfers on an established market of the stock of a Company described
in Safe Harbor VII of Section 1.355-7(d)(7) of the Regulations,
(iii) issuances of stock of a Company pursuant to an employee stock
purchase agreement or equity compensation plan in accordance with Safe Harbor
VIII of Section 1.355-7(d)(8) of the Regulations or (iv) issuances of
stock of a Company described in Safe Harbor IX of Section 1.355-7(d)(9) of
the Regulations.
SECTION
4.03.
Tax
Opinion.
The Companies shall use their reasonable best efforts
to cause the Tax Opinion to be issued, including by executing any Representation
Letters reasonably requested by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.
SECTION
4.04.
Reporting.
(a) AOL and
TWX each (i) shall timely file the appropriate information and
statements (including as required by Section 1.355-5 of the Regulations) to
report the Transactions as qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment and
(ii) absent a change of Law or a Determination of a Transaction Tax
Contest, shall not take any position on any tax return that is inconsistent with
the Transactions qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment.
(b) With respect to the AOL
Online Transfer, AOL and TWX each shall comply with the relevant rules regarding
gain recognition agreements contained in Section 1.367(a)-8 of the
Regulations, including by entering into a new gain recognition agreement upon
the Distribution in accordance with Section 1.367(a)-8(j)(5) of the
Regulations.
ARTICLE
V
Procedural
Matters for Transaction Taxes
SECTION
5.01.
Notice.
(a) Within
30 Business Days after a Company becomes aware of the existence of a Transaction
Tax Contest, such Company shall promptly notify the other Company of the
Transaction Tax Contest, and thereafter shall promptly forward or make available
to the other Company copies of notices and communications with a Taxing
Authority relating to such Transaction Tax Contest.
(b) A failure by the
Indemnitee to timely provide the notice described in Section 5.01(a) shall
not affect the Indemnifying Party’s indemnification obligations under this
Agreement except, and only to the extent that, the Indemnifying Party shall have
been actually prejudiced as a result of such failure.
SECTION
5.02.
Control of Transaction Tax
Contests.
(a) Both Companies shall have the right
to control jointly the defense, compromise or settlement of any such Transaction
Tax Contest.
(b) No
Indemnitee shall settle or compromise or consent to entry of any judgment with
respect to any Transaction Tax Contest without the prior written consent of the
Indemnifying Party (which consent may be withheld in the Indemnifying Party’s
sole discretion).
(c) Notwithstanding
Sections 5.02(a) and (b), a Company shall be entitled to control
exclusively the defense, compromise or settlement of any Transaction Tax Contest
if such Company notifies the other Company that (notwithstanding the rights and
obligations of the Companies in Article IV or Article V) it agrees to
pay (and indemnify such other Company against) any liability for all Transaction
Taxes resulting from such Transaction Tax Contest;
provided
,
however
, that no
settlement, compromise or consent to entry of any judgment that fails to give
the Company indemnified under this Section 5.02(c) full release of
liability or that would impose any material obligations on that Company shall be
made without the prior written consent of that Company.
SECTION
5.03.
Indemnification
Payments.
An Indemnitee shall be entitled to make a claim for
payment with respect to Transaction Taxes pursuant to this Agreement when the
Indemnitee determines that it is entitled to such payment and the amount of such
payment. The Indemnitee shall provide to the Indemnifying Party
notice of such claim within 60 Business Days of the date on which it first so
becomes entitled to claim such payment, and such notice shall include a
description of such claim and a detailed calculation of the amount of the
indemnification payment that is claimed;
provided
,
however
, that no
delay on the part of the Indemnitee in notifying the Indemnifying Party shall
relieve the Indemnifying Party from any obligation hereunder except, and only to
the extent that, the Indemnifying Party shall have been actually prejudiced
thereby as a result of such failure. The Indemnifying Party shall
make the claimed payment to the Indemnitee within 30 Business Days after
receiving such notice, unless the Indemnifying Party reasonably disputes its
liability for, or the amount of, such payment.
SECTION
5.04.
Cooperation.
TWX
and AOL shall cooperate, and shall cause their Affiliates to cooperate, with all
reasonable requests from the other Company in connection with Transaction Tax
Contests.
Procedural
Matters for Ordinary Taxes and Transaction Taxes
SECTION
6.01.
Document Retention, Access
to Records and Use of Personnel.
Until the expiration of
the relevant statute of limitations (including extensions), each of TWX and
AOL shall (i) retain records, documents, accounting data, computer
data and other information (the “
Records
”) necessary
for the preparation, filing,
review, audit or defense of
all tax returns relevant to an obligation, right or liability of either Company
under this Agreement; and (ii) give each other reasonable access to such
Records and to its personnel (ensuring their cooperation) and premises to the
extent relevant to an obligation, right or liability of either Company under
this Agreement. Prior to disposing of any such Records, each of
TWX and AOL shall notify the other Company in writing of such
intention and afford the other Company the opportunity to take possession or
make copies of such Records at its discretion.
SECTION
6.03.
Access to
Information.
TWX and AOL agree to provide to the
other Company any information reasonably required to complete tax returns or to
compute the amount of any payment contemplated by this Agreement.
SECTION
6.04.
Indemnity
Payments.
(a) Any Indemnity Payment (other than a
payment that represents interest accruing after the date of the Distribution)
shall be treated by AOL and TWX for all Tax purposes as a distribution from
AOL to TWX immediately prior to the Distribution (if made by
AOL to TWX) and as a contribution from TWX to AOL immediately
prior to the Distribution (if made by TWX to AOL).
(b) The
amount of any Indemnity Payment described in Section 6.04(a) shall be
(i) reduced to take into account any Tax benefit actually realized by the
Indemnitee resulting from the incurrence of the Liability in respect of which
the Indemnity Payment was made and (ii) increased to take into account any
Tax cost actually realized by the Indemnitee resulting from the receipt of the
Indemnity Payment (including Tax cost arising from such Indemnity Payment having
resulted in income or gain to either Company (for example, under
Section 1.1502-19 of the Regulations) and Tax cost imposed on additional
amounts payable pursuant to this Section 6.04(b)(ii)).
ARTICLE
VII
Miscellaneous
Provisions
SECTION
7.01.
Confidentiality.
The
Confidential Information provision of the Separation Agreement shall apply with
respect to this Agreement.
SECTION
7.02.
Successors.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Companies, their
Affiliates, their legal representatives and any successor to either of the
Companies, by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise, to the same extent as
if the successor had been an original party to the Agreement, and in such event,
all references herein to a Company shall refer instead to the successor of such
Company. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended
to confer upon any Person other than the Companies or their respective
successors or assigns or, to the extent provided by this Agreement, their
Affiliates, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this
Agreement.
SECTION
7.03.
Failure to Pursue
Remedies.
The failure of a Company to seek redress for breach
of, or to insist upon the strict performance of, any provision of this Agreement
shall not prevent a subsequent act, which would have originally constituted a
breach, from having the effect of an original breach.
SECTION
7.04.
Cumulative
Remedies.
The rights and remedies provided by this Agreement
are cumulative and the use of any one right or remedy by a Company shall not
preclude or waive its right to use any or all other remedies. Said
rights and remedies are given in addition to any other rights the Companies may
have by Law or otherwise.
SECTION
7.05.
Entire
Agreement.
This Agreement contains the entire agreement
between the Companies with respect to the subject matter hereof, supersedes all
previous agreements, negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings,
commitments and conversations with respect to such subject matter and there are
no agreements or understandings between the Companies with respect to the
subject matter hereof other than those set forth or referred to
herein.
SECTION
7.06.
Absence of
Presumption.
The Companies have participated jointly in the
negotiation and drafting of this Agreement and, in the event an ambiguity or
question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed
as if drafted jointly by the Companies and no presumption or burden of proof
shall arise favoring or disfavoring either Company by virtue of the authorship
of any of the provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the purposes of Articles IV and V are to ensure the Intended Tax
Treatment and, accordingly, the Companies agree that the language thereof shall
be interpreted in a manner that serves this purpose to the greatest extent
possible.
SECTION
7.07.
Governing Law; Waiver of
Jury Trial.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the Laws of the State of New York, regardless of the laws
that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws
thereof, except to the extent the Laws of Delaware or any other jurisdiction are
mandatorily applicable. Each of the Companies irrevocably agrees that
any legal action or proceeding arising out of this Agreement or any transaction
contemplated hereby shall be brought only in the State or United States Federal
courts located in the State of New York. Each Company irrevocably
consents to the service of process outside the territorial jurisdiction of such
courts in any such action or proceeding by the mailing of such documents by
registered United States mail, postage prepaid, to the respective address set
forth in Section 7.13. EACH COMPANY HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY
JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER
OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, ANY AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO IN CONNECTION
WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR
THEREBY.
SECTION
7.08.
Headings.
The
article, section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for
reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.
SECTION
7.09.
Counterparts.
This
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 Company and delivered to the other
Company.
SECTION
7.10.
Interpretation.
Any
reference in this Agreement to the Separation Agreement, the Ancillary
Agreements or the Contribution Agreement shall in each case include references
to any exhibits, schedules and amendments thereto. If, and to the
extent, the provisions of this Agreement conflict with the Separation Agreement,
or any Ancillary Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall
control.
SECTION
7.11.
Assignability.
Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations under this
Agreement shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by operation of law or
otherwise by either Company without the prior written consent of the other
Company. Any purported assignment without such consent shall be
void. Subject to the preceding sentences, this Agreement will be
binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by the Companies and
their respective successors and assigns. Notwithstanding the
preceding sentence, either Company may assign this Agreement without consent in
connection with (a) a merger transaction in which such Company is not the
surviving entity and the surviving entity acquires or assumes all or
substantially all of such Company’s Assets or (b) upon the sale of all or
substantially all of such Company’s Assets;
provided
,
however
, that the
assignee expressly assumes in writing all of the obligations of the assigning
Company under this Agreement, and the assigning Company provides written notice
and evidence of such assignment and assumption to the non-assigning
Company. No assignment permitted by this Section 7.11 shall release
the assigning Company from liability for the full performance of its obligations
under this Agreement.
SECTION
7.12.
Third
Party Beneficiaries.
The provisions of this Agreement are
solely for the benefit of the Companies and are not intended to confer upon any
Person except the Companies any rights or remedies hereunder. There
are no third party beneficiaries of this Agreement and this Agreement shall not
provide any third person with any remedy, claim, liability, reimbursement, cause
of action or other right in excess of those existing without reference to this
Agreement.
SECTION
7.13.
Notices.
Any
payments, notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications under this
Agreement shall be provided in accordance with the Notices provision of the
Separation Agreement. In addition, copies of all documents mentioned
in the preceding sentence shall also be sent to the address set forth below (or
at such other address as one Company may specify by notice to the other
Company):
|
If
to TWX:
Time
Warner Inc.
One
Time Warner Center
New
York, NY 10019
Attention:
Annaliese Kambour,
Esq.
Senior Vice President—Tax
Fax: (212)
484-8507
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and
with copies to:
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Cravath,
Swaine & Moore LLP
Worldwide
Plaza
825
Eighth Avenue
New
York, NY 10019
Attention:
Stephen L. Gordon,
Esq.
Lauren
Angelilli, Esq.
Fax: (212)
474-3700
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If
to AOL:
AOL
Inc.
770
Broadway
New
York, NY 10003
Attention:
Scott
Cockrell
Vice President—Tax
Fax: (917)
606-4743
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SECTION
7.14.
Severability.
If
any provision of this 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 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 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, as the case may be, is not affected in any manner
materially adverse to either Company. Upon any such determination,
the Companies shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon a
suitable and equitable provision to effect the original intent of the
Companies.
SECTION
7.15.
Force
Majeure.
Neither Company shall be deemed in default of this
Agreement to the extent that any delay or failure in the performance of its
obligations under this Agreement results from any cause beyond its reasonable
control and without its fault or negligence, such as acts of God, acts of civil
or military authority, embargoes, epidemics, war, riots, insurrections, fires,
explosions, earthquakes, floods, unusually severe weather conditions, labor
problems or unavailability or parts, or, in the case of computer systems, any
failure in electrical or air conditioning equipment. In the event of
any such excused delay, the time for performance shall be extended for a period
equal to the time lost by reason of the delay.
SECTION
7.16.
Termination.
The
Agreement shall remain in force and be binding so long as the applicable period
of assessments (including extensions) remains unexpired for any Taxes
contemplated by the Agreement.
SECTION
7.17.
Successor
Provisions.
Any reference herein to any provisions of the Code
or Regulations shall be deemed to include any amendments or successor provisions
thereto as appropriate.
SECTION
7.18.
Compliance by
Affiliates.
TWX and AOL shall cause their Affiliates to comply
with the terms of this Agreement.
SECTION
7.19.
Survival.
Except
as expressly set forth in this Agreement, any covenants, representations or
warranties contained in this Agreement and any liabilities for the breach of any
obligation contained in this Agreement shall survive each of the Separation and
Distribution and shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION
7.20.
Amendments.
No
provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or
modified by either Company, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or
modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of the
Company against whom it is sought to enforce such waiver, amendment, supplement
or modification.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Companies have
caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as
of the date first written above.
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TIME WARNER
INC.,
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By:
|
/s/ John K. Martin, Jr.
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Name:
John K. Martin, Jr.
|
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Title:
Executive Vice President and
Chief
Financial Officer
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AOL INC.,
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By:
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/s/ Ira H. Parker
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Name:
Ira H. Parker
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Title:
Executive Vice President, Corporate
Secretary
and General Counsel
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Exhibit 99.3
EMPLOYEE
MATTERS AGREEMENT
By and
Among
TIME
WARNER INC.,
AOL
LLC,
and
AOL
INC.
Dated as
of November 16, 2009
Page
Schedule 2.05 - Benefit
Agreements
Schedule 5.01 - AOL LLC
Welfare Plans
Schedule 7.02 - 401(k)
Investment Options Transferring In Kind
Schedule 8.01 - Deferred
Compensation
Schedule 12.05 - TWX Equity
Compensation Award Reports
Schedule 13.01 - Benefit Plan
Administration
THIS EMPLOYEE MATTERS AGREEMENT (this
“
Agreement
”),
dated as of November 16, 2009, by and among TIME WARNER INC., a Delaware
corporation (“
TWX
”), AOL LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (“
AOL LLC
”), and AOL
INC., a Delaware corporation (“
AOL
”).
R E C I T
A L S
WHEREAS, TWX and AOL are entering into
the Separation and Distribution Agreement (the “
Separation
Agreement
”) concurrently herewith, pursuant to which TWX intends to
distribute to its shareholders its entire interest in AOL by way of a stock
dividend to be made to holders of TWX Common Stock (as defined below);
and
WHEREAS, TWX, AOL LLC and AOL wish to
set forth their agreements as to certain matters regarding employment,
compensation and employee benefits.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the
mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, the
Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
“
Action
” shall mean
any claim, demand, action, suit, countersuit, arbitration, inquiry, proceeding
or investigation by or before any Governmental Authority or any federal, state,
local, foreign or international arbitration or mediation tribunal.
“
Affiliate
” of any
Person shall mean a Person that controls, is controlled by or is under common
control with such Person. As used herein, “control” of any entity
shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or
cause the direction of the management or policies of such entity, whether
through ownership of voting securities or other interests, by contract or
otherwise;
provided
,
however
, that, except
as specified in the following sentence, for the purposes of the Separation
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, (i) AOL and its Subsidiaries shall
not be considered Affiliates of TWX or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) TWX
and its Subsidiaries shall not be considered Affiliates of AOL or any of its
Subsidiaries. For the avoidance of doubt, AOL LLC shall be considered
an Affiliate of AOL and its Subsidiaries, and not TWX, at all times prior to the
Distribution, but shall be considered an Affiliate of TWX and its Subsidiaries,
and not AOL, at all times following the Distribution.
“
Ancillary Agreements
”
shall mean the Transition Services Agreements, TMA, this Employee Matters
Agreement, IPA, Assignment and Assumption Agreement, Employee Benefits
Assignment and Assumption Agreement and any other instruments, assignments,
documents and agreements executed in connection with the implementation of the
transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement.
“
AOL
” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble.
“
AOL Asset Distribution
Date
” shall mean the date on which the Asset Distribution
occurs.
“
AOL Assets
” shall
mean all of the Assets held by AOL LLC directly (including, for the avoidance of
doubt, all capital stock of any Person held by AOL LLC), but excluding the TWX
Retained Assets and any Assets held by a member of the AOL Group that are
determined by the Parties, in good faith, to be primarily related to or used
primarily in connection with the business or operations of a member of the TWX
Group.
“
AOL Benefit
Agreement
” shall mean any Benefit Agreement to which any member of the
AOL Group is a party and to which any member of the TWX Group is not a
party.
“
AOL Benefit Plan
”
shall mean any AOL New Benefit Plan, AOL LLC Benefit Plan or Transferred Entity
Benefit Plan. For the avoidance of doubt, no member of the AOL Group
shall be deemed to sponsor or maintain any Benefit Plan if its relationship to
such Benefit Plan is solely to administer or provide to TWX any reimbursement in
respect of such Benefit Plan
“
AOL Cafeteria Plan
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
9.01
.
“
AOL Common Stock
”
shall mean the common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of AOL.
“
AOL Conversion
” shall
mean the filing by AOL Holdings with the Delaware Secretary of State, pursuant
to Section 18-216 of the DLLC Act, the documentation necessary to convert
to a Delaware corporation and to change its name to AOL Inc.
“
AOL Employee
” shall
mean each individual who, as of the time that is relevant to the context in
which such term is used, is either (i) an AOL LLC Employee, (ii) a
Former AOL LLC Employee, (iii) a Transferred Entity Employee or (iv) a
TWX Transferred Employee.
“
AOL Employee Transfer
Time
” shall mean the time that the employment of the AOL LLC Employees is
transferred to a member of the AOL Group, which time shall not be later than
11:59 p.m. on the business day immediately preceding the AOL Asset Distribution
Date.
“
AOL 401(k) Plan
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
7.01
.
“
AOL Group
” shall mean
AOL and each of its controlled Affiliates.
“
AOL Holdings
” shall
mean AOL Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company that was classified
as a corporation for U.S. Federal income tax purposes.
“
AOL Indemnitees
”
shall mean AOL, each other member of the AOL Group and each of their respective
former and current directors, officers and employees, and each of the heirs,
executors, successors and assigns of any of the foregoing.
“
AOL LLC Benefit
Agreement
” shall mean each Benefit Agreement to which AOL LLC is a
party.
“
AOL LLC Benefit Plan
”
shall mean each Benefit Plan sponsored or maintained by AOL LLC.
“
AOL LLC Employee
”
shall mean an employee of AOL LLC, who, as of immediately prior to the AOL
Employee Transfer Time, is actively employed by AOL LLC or is on a leave of
absence, whether paid or unpaid, from which such employee is permitted to return
(in accordance with AOL LLC’s personnel policies).
“
AOL LLC Employee
Liabilities
” shall mean all potential or actual employment and employee
benefits-related AOL LLC Liabilities.
“
AOL LLC Liabilities
”
shall mean the Liabilities of AOL LLC, whether at law or in equity (including
any right of contribution), whether arising under any contract or agreement, by
operation of law or otherwise, existing or arising from any acts or events
occurring or failing to occur or alleged to have occurred or to have failed to
occur or any conditions existing or alleged to have existed on or prior to the
Distribution Date, including as a result of or in connection with the Separation
Agreement, the Assignment and Assumption Agreement or any of the transactions or
other actions to implement the Separation or Distribution, but excluding the TWX
Retained Liabilities.
“
AOL LLC Name Change
”
shall mean the filing by AOL LLC with the Delaware Secretary of State, pursuant
to Sections 18-103 and 18-202 of the DLLC Act, the documentation necessary
to change its name to “Historic AOL LLC”.
“
AOL LLC Welfare Plan
”
shall mean each Welfare Plan sponsored or maintained by AOL LLC.
“
AOL New Benefit Plan
”
shall mean any Benefit Plan sponsored or maintained by any member of the AOL
Group as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time (including, without limitation, any
AOL LLC Benefit Plan assumed by AOL pursuant to
Section 2.01
), other
than a Transferred Entity Benefit Plan.
“
AOL Online Shares
”
shall mean the shares held by AOL LLC in AOL Online India Private
Limited.
“
AOL Online Transfer
”
shall mean the transfer by AOL LLC, following the Asset Distribution, of the AOL
Online Shares to AOL Mauritius Services Ltd. that will occur if the AOL Online
Shares are not distributed to AOL prior or pursuant to the Asset
Distribution.
“
AOL TRA Plan
” shall
have the meaning set forth in
Section
10.01
.
“
AOL Transferred
Entity
” shall mean each member of the AOL Group that is transferred from
AOL LLC to AOL in connection with the Asset Distribution.
“
AOL Welfare Plan
”
shall mean each Welfare Plan that, immediately upon the AOL Employee Transfer
Time, is sponsored or maintained by a member of the AOL Group.
“
AOL Workers Compensation
Plan
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
5.04
.
“
Armstrong
” shall have
the meaning set forth in
Section 12.02
.
“
Armstrong Employment
Agreement
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
12.02
.
“
Asset Distribution
”
shall mean AOL LLC’s transfer of the AOL Assets to AOL pursuant to the
Assignment and Assumption Agreement.
“
Assets
” shall mean
all assets, properties and rights (including goodwill), other than any relating
to Taxes, wherever located (including in the possession of vendors or other
third parties or elsewhere), whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or
intangible, or accrued or contingent, 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 any Person, including the following:
|
(a)
|
all accounting and
other books, records and files, whether in paper, microfilm, microfiche,
computer tape or disc, magnetic tape or any other
form;
|
|
(b)
|
all apparatus,
computers and other electronic data processing equipment, fixtures,
machinery, furniture, office and other equipment, including hardware
systems, circuits and other computer and telecommunication assets and
equipment, automobiles, trucks, aircraft, rolling stock, vessels, motor
vehicles and other transportation equipment, special and general tools,
test devices, prototypes and models and other tangible personal
property;
|
|
(c)
|
all inventories of
materials, parts, raw materials, supplies, work-in-process and finished
goods and products;
|
|
(d)
|
all interests in
real property of whatever nature, including easements, whether as owner,
mortgagee or holder of a Security Interest in real property, lessor,
sublessor, lessee, sublessee or
otherwise;
|
|
(e)
|
all interests in any
capital stock or other equity interests of any Subsidiary or any other
Person; all bonds, notes, debentures or other securities issued by any
Subsidiary or any other Person; all loans, advances or other extensions of
credit or capital contributions to any Subsidiary or any other Person; all
other investments in securities of any Person; and all rights as a
partner, joint venturer or participant;
|
|
(f)
|
all license
agreements, leases of personal property, open purchase orders for raw
materials, supplies, parts or services, unfilled orders for the
manufacture and sale of products and other contracts, agreements or
commitments and all rights arising
thereunder;
|
|
(g)
|
all deposits,
letters of credit, performance bonds and other surety
bonds;
|
|
(h)
|
all written
technical information, data, specifications, research and development
information, engineering drawings, operating and maintenance manuals and
materials and analyses prepared by consultants and other third
parties;
|
|
(i)
|
all United States,
state, multinational and foreign intellectual property, including patents,
copyrights, trade names, trademarks, service marks, slogans, logos, trade
dresses and other source indicators and the goodwill of the business
symbolized thereby; all registrations, applications, recordings,
disclosures, renewals, continuations, continuations-in-part, divisions,
reissues, reexaminations, foreign counterparts, and other legal
protections and rights related to any of the foregoing; mask works, trade
secrets, inventions and other proprietary information, including know-how,
processes, formulae, techniques, technical data, designs, drawings,
specifications, customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost information
and business and marketing plans and proposals, discoveries, inventions,
licenses from third-parties granting the right to use any of the foregoing
and all tangible embodiments of the foregoing in whatever form or
medium;
|
|
(j)
|
all computer
applications, programs, software and other code (in object and source code
form), including operating software, network software, firmware,
middleware, design software, design tools, systems documentation,
instructions, ASP, HTML, DHTML, SHTML and XML files, cgi and other
scripts, APIs, web widgets, algorithms, models, methodologies, files,
documentation related to any of the foregoing and all tangible embodiments
of the foregoing in whatever form or
medium;
|
|
(k)
|
all Internet URLs
and domain names;
|
|
(l)
|
all websites,
databases, content, text, graphics, images, audio, video, data and other
copyrightable works or other works of authorship including all
translations, adaptations, derivations and combinations
thereof;
|
|
(m)
|
all cost
information, sales and pricing data, customer prospect lists, supplier
records, customer and supplier lists, subscriber, customer and vendor
data, correspondence and lists, product literature and other advertising
and promotional materials, artwork, design, development and manufacturing
files, vendor and customer drawings, formulations and specifications,
server and traffic logs, quality records and reports and other books,
records, studies, surveys, reports, plans, business records and
documents;
|
|
(n)
|
all prepaid
expenses, trade accounts and other accounts and notes receivable (whether
current or non-current);
|
|
(o)
|
all claims or rights
against any Person arising from the ownership of any other Asset, all
rights in connection with any bids or offers, all claims, causes in
action, lawsuits, judgments or similar rights, all rights under express or
implied warranties, all rights of recovery and all rights of setoff of any
kind and demands of any nature, in each case whether accrued or
contingent, whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether arising by
way of counterclaim or otherwise;
|
|
(p)
|
all rights under
insurance policies and all rights in the nature of insurance,
indemnification or contribution;
|
|
(q)
|
all licenses
(including radio and similar licenses), permits, approvals and
authorizations that have been issued by any Governmental Authority and all
pending applications therefor;
|
|
(r)
|
cash or cash
equivalents, bank accounts, lock boxes and other deposit
arrangements;
|
|
(s)
|
interest rate,
currency, commodity or other swap, collar, cap or other hedging or similar
agreements or arrangements; and
|
|
(t)
|
all goodwill as a
going concern and other intangible
properties.
|
“
Assignment and Assumption
Agreement
” shall mean the Assignment and Assumption Agreement between
TWX, AOL and AOL LLC to be dated as of the date of the Asset
Distribution.
“
Benefit Agreement
”
shall mean any Benefit Plan that is an employment, consulting, deferred
compensation, executive compensation, change in control, split dollar life
insurance, special retiree medical, sale bonus, incentive bonus, severance or
other compensatory agreement between any employee or former employee of any
member of the TWX Group or any member of the AOL Group, on the one hand, and any
member of the TWX Group or any member of the AOL Group, on the other
hand.
“
Benefit Plan
” shall
mean, with respect to an entity, each plan, program, policy, agreement,
arrangement or understanding that is an employment, consulting, deferred
compensation, executive compensation, incentive bonus or other bonus, employee
pension, profit sharing, savings, retirement, supplemental retirement, stock
option, stock purchase, stock appreciation right, restricted stock, restricted
stock unit, deferred stock unit, other equity-based compensation, severance pay,
salary continuation, life, death benefit, health, hospitalization, sick leave,
vacation pay, disability or accident insurance or other employee benefit plan,
program, agreement or arrangement, including any “employee benefit plan” (as
defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) sponsored or maintained by such entity or
to which such entity is a party.
“
COBRA
” shall mean the
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended.
“
Code
” shall mean the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“
Converted AOL Option
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
12.02
.
“
Converted AOL RSU
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
12.02
.
“
Deferred Compensation
Payable
” shall mean an amount equal to the aggregate fair market value,
determined as of the most recently available time prior to the business day
immediately preceding the Distribution Date (or as of such earlier date as is
necessary to reflect the provisions in Schedule IV of the Separation Agreement),
of the obligations pursuant to the deferred compensation account for
any Former AOL LLC Employee listed on
Schedule 8.01(B)
or
Schedule
8.01(C)
. For the avoidance of doubt, the Deferred Compensation
Payable shall be considered a Qualified Intercompany Account pursuant to
Schedule IV of the Separation Agreement.
“
Distribution
” shall
mean the distribution, on a
pro
rata
basis, by TWX to
the Record Holders of all the outstanding shares of AOL Common Stock owned by
TWX on the Distribution Date.
“
Distribution Date
”
shall mean the date, determined by TWX in accordance with
Section
5.03
of the Separation Agreement, on which the Distribution
occurs.
“
DLLC Act
” shall mean
the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act.
“
ERISA
” shall mean the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“
Employee Benefits Assignment
and Assumption Agreement
” shall mean the Employee Benefits Assignment and
Assumption Agreement between TWX, AOL and AOL LLC to be dated as of the date of
AOL Employee Transfer Time.
“
Exchange Act
” shall
mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“
Existing AOL Inc. Name
Change
” shall mean the filing with the Delaware Secretary of State of the
documentation necessary to change its name to “Original AOL Inc.” by AOL Inc., a
direct wholly-owned Subsidiary of AOL LLC.
“
FAS 123R
” shall mean
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123R or the comparable relevant
sections of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification.
“
FASB
” shall mean the
Financial Accounting Standards Board.
“
Fair Market Value
” of
a share of TWX Common Stock shall mean, with respect to any given date,
(i) if there should be a public market for such stock on such date, the
closing sale price of such stock on the NYSE Composite Tape, or, if such stock
is not listed or admitted on any national securities exchange, the average of
the per share closing bid price and per share closing asked price on such date
for such stock as quoted on the NASDAQ (or such market in which such prices are
regularly quoted), or, if no sale of shares of such stock shall have been
reported on the NYSE Composite Tape or quoted on the NASDAQ on such date, then
the immediately preceding date on which sales of shares of such stock have been
so reported or quoted shall be used, and (ii) if there should not be a
public market for such stock on such date, the Fair Market Value shall be the
value established by TWX in good faith.
“
First AOL LLC
Distribution
” shall mean the transfer by AOL of all of the membership
interests in AOL LLC to TWX and TWA LLC, on a
pro
rata
basis in respect
of the AOL Common Stock held by TWX and TWA LLC, respectively.
“
Former AOL LLC
Employee
” shall mean each employee of AOL LLC who, as of immediately
prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time, is no longer employed by a member of
the TWX Group or the AOL Group. For the avoidance of doubt, the term
“Former AOL LLC Employee” shall not include any employee who, as of immediately
prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time, is on a leave of absence from which
such employee is permitted to return (in accordance with AOL LLC’s personnel
policies).
“
Governmental
Authority
” shall mean any Federal, state, local, foreign or international
court, government, department, commission, board, bureau, agency, official or
other legislative, judicial, regulatory, administrative or governmental
authority.
“
Group
” shall mean
either the TWX Group or the AOL Group, as the context requires.
“
HIPAA
” shall mean the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
“
Indemnifying Party
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
17.01
.
“
Indemnitee
” shall
have the meaning set forth in
Section
17.01
.
“
Indemnity Payment
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
17.01
.
“
Information
” shall
mean information, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, in written, oral,
electronic or other tangible or intangible forms, stored in any medium,
including studies, reports, records, books, contracts, instruments, surveys,
discoveries, ideas, concepts, know-how, techniques, designs, specifications,
drawings, blueprints, diagrams, models, prototypes, samples, flow charts, data,
computer data, disks, diskettes, tapes, computer programs or other software,
marketing plans, customer names, 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 Proceeds
”
shall mean those moneys:
(a) received
by an insured (or its successor-in-interest) from an insurance
carrier;
(b) paid
by an insurance carrier on behalf of the insured (or its successor-in-interest);
or
(c) received
(including by way of set-off) from any third party in the nature of insurance,
contribution or indemnification in respect of any Liability;
in any such case net of any applicable
premium adjustments (including reserves and retrospectively rated premium
adjustments) and net of any costs or expenses incurred in the collection
thereof.
“
Internal
Distribution
” shall mean the transfer by TWA LLC of all of the AOL Common
Stock that it owns to TWX in respect of the membership interests of TWA LLC held
by TWX.
“
Internal
Transactions
” shall mean the TWA Conversion, the Existing AOL Inc. Name
Change, the AOL Conversion, the Asset Distribution, the AOL Online Transfer, the
First AOL LLC Distribution, the Second AOL LLC Distribution, the AOL LLC Name
Change, the Internal Distribution, the Payables Transactions and the
Recapitalization.
“
IPA
” means the
Intellectual Property Cross-License Agreement dated as of the date of this
Agreement by and between TWX and AOL.
“
Law
” shall mean any
statute, law, regulation, ordinance, rule, judgment, rule of common law, order,
decree, government approval, concession, grant, franchise, license, agreement,
directive, guideline, policy, requirement or other governmental restriction or
any similar form of decision of, or determination by, or any interpretation or
administration of any of the foregoing by, any Governmental Authority, whether
now or hereinafter in effect and, in each case, as amended.
“
Liabilities
” shall
mean any and all claims, debts, demands, actions, causes of action, suits,
damages, obligations, accruals, accounts payable, reckonings, bonds, indemnities
and similar obligations, agreements, promises, 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, whenever
arising, and including those arising under any law, rule, regulation, Action,
threatened or contemplated Action, order or consent decree of any Governmental
Authority or any award of any arbitrator or mediator of any kind, and those
arising under any contract, commitment or undertaking, including those arising
under this Agreement, 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 any Person. For the avoidance of doubt, Liabilities (i)
shall include attorneys’ fees, the costs and expenses of all assessments,
judgments, settlements and compromises, and any and all other costs and expenses
whatsoever reasonably incurred in connection with anything contemplated by the
preceding sentence and (ii) shall not include liabilities or requirements
related to Taxes.
“
NASDAQ
” shall mean
the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation
System.
“
NYSE
” shall mean the
New York Stock Exchange.
“
Party
” shall mean any
party hereto.
“
Payables
Transactions
” shall mean the intercompany payables transactions set forth
on Schedule IV of the Separation Agreement to be settled prior to or as of
the close of business on the business day immediately prior to the Distribution
Date.
“
Person
” shall mean an
individual, a general or limited partnership, a corporation, a trust, a joint
venture, an unincorporated organization, a limited liability company, any other
entity and any Governmental Authority.
“
Post-Separation AOL
Employee
” shall mean each AOL Employee who is employed by a member of the
AOL Group immediately following the Distribution Date.
“
Recapitalization
”
shall mean the recapitalization of AOL so that the number of outstanding shares
of AOL Common Stock will be equal to the number of shares that will be
distributed in the Distribution.
“
Recently Terminated Former
AOL LLC Employee
” shall mean a Former AOL LLC Employee whose employment
was terminated within the five years immediately prior to the AOL Employee
Transfer Time.
“
Record Date
” shall
mean the close of business on the date to be determined by the TWX board of
directors as the record date for determining the shares of TWX Common Stock in
respect of which shares of AOL Common Stock will be distributed pursuant to the
Distribution.
“
Record Holders
” shall
mean the holders of TWX Common Stock as of the Record Date.
“
Second AOL LLC
Distribution
” shall mean the transfer by TWA LLC of all of its membership
interests in AOL LLC to TWX in respect of the membership interests of TWA LLC
held by TWX.
“
Security Interest
”
shall mean any mortgage, security interest, pledge, lien, charge, claim, option,
right to acquire, voting or other restriction, right-of-way, covenant,
condition, easement, encroachment, restriction on transfer or other encumbrance
of any nature whatsoever.
“
Separation
” shall
mean (a) the Internal Transactions, (b) any actions to be taken pursuant to
Article II of the Separation Agreement and (c) any other transfers of Assets and
assumptions of Liabilities, in each case, between a member of one Group and a
member of the other Group, provided for in the Separation Agreement or the
Assignment and Assumption Agreement.
“
Subsidiary
” of any
Person shall mean any corporation or other organization whether incorporated or
unincorporated of which at least a majority of the securities or interests
having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect at least a majority
of the board of directors or others performing similar functions with respect to
such corporation or other organization is directly or indirectly owned or
controlled by such Person or by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such
Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries;
provided
,
however
that (i) no
Person that is not directly or indirectly wholly owned by any other Person shall
be a Subsidiary of such other Person unless such other Person controls, or has
the right, power or ability to control, that Person and (ii) AOL and its
Subsidiaries (including AOL LLC) shall not be considered Subsidiaries of TWX
prior to the Distribution.
“
Taxes
” shall mean all
forms of taxation or duties imposed, or required to be collected or withheld,
including (but not limited to) all forms of income taxes, social insurance
charges, payroll tax payments or other tax-related amounts, together with any
related interest, penalties or other additional amounts.
“
Third-Party Claim
”
shall mean any assertion by a Person (including any Governmental Authority) who
is not a member of the TWX Group or the AOL Group of any claim, or the
commencement by any such Person of any Action, against any member of the TWX
Group or the AOL Group.
“
Third-Party Proceeds
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
17.01
.
“
TMA
” shall mean the
Second Tax Matters Agreement dated as of the date of the Separation Agreement by
and between TWX and AOL.
“
Transferred Entity Benefit
Plan
” shall mean any Benefit Plan sponsored or maintained by any AOL
Transferred Entity.
“
Transferred Entity
Employees
” shall mean each individual who, as of immediately prior to the
AOL Asset Distribution Date, is a current or former employee of any AOL
Transferred Entity, other than any former employee of an AOL Transferred Entity
who, immediately prior to the AOL Asset Distribution Date, is employed by a
member of the TWX Group.
“
Transition Services
Agreement
” shall mean the Transition Services Agreement dated as of the
date of the Separation Agreement between TWX and AOL.
“
Transactions
” shall
mean the Internal Transactions and the Distribution.
“
TWA
” shall mean TW
AOL Holdings Inc., a Virginia corporation.
“
TWA Conversion
” shall
mean the filing by TWA with the Virginia Secretary of State, pursuant to Section
13.1-722.9 of the Virginia Code, the documentation necessary to become a
Virginia limited liability company named TW AOL Holdings LLC.
“
TWA LLC
” shall mean
TW AOL Holdings LLC, a Virginia limited liability company.
“
TWX
” shall have the
meaning set forth in the preamble.
“
TWX Benefit
Agreement
” shall mean any Benefit Agreement to which any member of the
TWX Group is a party and to which any member of the AOL Group is not a
party.
“
TWX Benefit Plan
”
shall mean any Benefit Plan sponsored or maintained by any member of the TWX
Group. For the avoidance of doubt, no member of the TWX Group shall
be deemed to sponsor or maintain any Benefit Plan if its relationship to such
Benefit Plan is solely to administer or provide to AOL any reimbursement in
respect of such Benefit Plan.
“
TWX Benefit Plan
Costs
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
16.02
.
“
TWX Benefit Plan Costs
Reimbursement Amount
” shall mean, with respect to any calendar quarter
ending at or after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, the amount, if any, by which
the TWX Benefit Costs incurred by the members of the TWX Group during such
calendar quarter exceed the TWX Benefit Plan Rebates received by the members of
the TWX Group during such calendar quarter (in each case, as set forth in
Section 13.02
), which
amount shall be paid pursuant to
Section 15.01
.
“
TWX Benefit Plan Rebate
Reimbursement Amount
” shall mean, with respect to any calendar quarter
ending at or after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, the amount, if any, by which
the TWX Benefit Plan Rebates received by the members of the TWX Group during
such calendar quarter exceed the TWX Benefit Plan Costs incurred by the members
of the TWX Group during such calendar quarter, which amount shall be paid
pursuant to
Section
15.02
.
“
TWX Benefit Plan
Rebates
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
13.02
.
“
TWX Cafeteria Plan
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
9.01
.
“
TWX Common Stock
”
shall mean the common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of TWX.
“
TWX Dividend
Equivalents
” shall mean cash dividend equivalents based on cash dividends
declared and paid by TWX on the TWX Common Stock that are paid with respect to
TWX RSUs held by AOL Employees.
“
TWX Dividend Equivalent
Reimbursement Amount
” shall mean an amount equal to the TWX Dividend
Equivalent payments made by a member of the AOL Group to AOL Employees pursuant
to
Section
12.01
. For the avoidance of doubt, such amount shall not
include the employer-paid portion of any Social Security, Medicare or
unemployment Taxes due with respect to such amount.
“
TWX Equity Compensation
Award
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
12.01
.
“
TWX Equity Award
Payable
” shall mean the sum of (i) an aggregate amount equal to the
excess of (A) the Fair Market Value, as of the most recently available time
prior to the business day immediately prior to the Distribution Date, of a share
of TWX Common Stock over (B) the per share exercise price of each TWX Option
that is outstanding as of the business day immediately prior to the Distribution
Date (or as of such earlier date as is necessary to reflect the provisions in
Schedule IV of the Separation Agreement), and that is not expected to be
forfeited promptly following the Distribution, (ii) an aggregate amount equal to
the Fair Market Value, as of the most recently available time prior to the
business day immediately prior to the Distribution Date, of all shares of TWX
Common Stock subject to TWX RSUs that are outstanding as of the business day
immediately prior to the Distribution Date and that are not expected to be
forfeited promptly following the Distribution and (iii) an aggregate amount
equal to the Fair Market Value, as of the most recently available time prior to
the business day immediately prior to the Distribution Date (or as of such
earlier date as is necessary to reflect the provisions in Schedule IV of the
Separation Agreement), of all shares of TWX Common Stock subject to TWX PSUs
that are outstanding as of the business day immediately prior to the
Distribution Date and that are not expected to be forfeited promptly following
the Distribution. For the avoidance of doubt, the TWX Equity Award
Payable shall be considered a Qualified Intercompany Account pursuant to
Schedule IV of the Separation Agreement.
“
TWX
Excess Benefit Pension Plan
” shall mean the Time Warner Excess Benefit
Pension Plan, as amended and restated as of May 1,
2008.
“
TWX
401(k) Plan
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
7.01
.
“
TWX
Group
” shall mean TWX and each of its controlled
Affiliates.
“
TWX
Indemnitees
” shall mean TWX, each other member of the TWX Group and each
of their respective former and current directors, officers and employees, and
each of the heirs, executors, successors and assigns.
“
TWX
Nonqualified Plans
” shall mean the Time Warner Inc. Deferred Compensation
Plan, as amended January 1, 2004, the Time Warner Inc. Deferred
Compensation Plan, as amended and restated as of January 1, 2005, and the
Time Warner Excess Profit Sharing Plan, effective as of January 1,
1997.
“
TWX
Option
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
12.01
.
“
TWX
Option Tax Withholding Reimbursement Amount
” shall mean the Fair Market
Value of the shares of TWX Common Stock (if any) withheld by a member of the TWX
Group (determined as of the date that such shares are withheld) pursuant to
Section
12.04
in connection with the exercise of a TWX Option by an AOL
Employee. For the avoidance of doubt, such amount shall not include
the employer-paid portion of any Medicare, Social Security or any unemployment
Taxes due with respect to such amount.
“
TWX
Pension Plan
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
6.01
.
“
TWX
PSU
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
12.01
.
“
TWX
Retained Assets
” shall mean the Assets to be retained by TWX in the
Funding Agreement between TWX and AOL LLC relating to the TWX Retained
Liabilities.
“
TWX
Retained Employee
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
2.03
.
“
TWX
Retained Employee Bonuses
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
3.02
.
“
TWX
Retained Employee Bonuses Reimbursement Amount
” shall mean an amount
equal to the TWX Retained Employee Bonuses paid pursuant to
Section
3.02
.
“
TWX
Retained Employee 401(k) Contributions
” shall have the meaning set forth
in
Section
7.03
.
“
TWX
Retained Employee 401(k) Contributions Reimbursement Amount
” shall mean
an amount equal to the TWX Retained Employee 401(k) Contributions paid pursuant
to
Section
7.03
(which amount shall not include the value of any forfeitures held by the TWX
401(k) Plan that are allocated to a TWX Retained Employee’s account with any
such allocations determined in a manner that is consistent with the way that TWX
allocates forfeitures of account balances to other employees of members of the
TWX Group).
“
TWX
Retained Employee Transfer Time
” shall mean the time at which a TWX
Retained Employee commences employment with a member of the TWX Group, but in no
event later than the AOL Employee Transfer Time.
“
TWX
Retained Liabilities
” shall mean the guarantees by AOL LLC of the
existing public and bank debt of TWX and its Affiliates and the Liabilities
described in
Section
8.03
of the Separation Agreement.
“
TWX
RSU
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
12.01
.
“
TWX
Services
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
13.01
.
“
TWX
Services Reimbursement Amounts
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
13.01
.
“
TWX
TRA Plan
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 10.01
.
“
TWX
Transferred Employee
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
2.02
.
“
TWX
Transferred Employee Bonuses
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
3.01
.
“
TWX
Transferred Employee Bonuses Reimbursement Amount
” shall mean an amount
equal to the TWX Transferred Employee Bonuses paid pursuant to
Section
3.01
.
“
TWX
Transferred Employee Transfer Time
” shall mean the time at which a TWX
Transferred Employee commences employment with a member of the AOL Group, but in
no event later than the AOL Employee Transfer Time.
“
TWX
Welfare Plan
” shall mean each Welfare Plan which, immediately upon the
AOL Employee Transfer Time, is sponsored or maintained by a member of the TWX
Group.
“
TWX
Workers Compensation Plan
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
5.04
.
“
Vendor
Contract
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
19.01
.
“
Welfare
Plan
” shall mean each Benefit Plan that provides life insurance, health
care, dental care, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, disability,
severance, vacation or other group welfare or fringe
benefits.
“
Workers
Compensation Event
” shall mean the event, injury, illness or condition
giving rise to a workers compensation claim.
General
Principles; Employee Transfers
SECTION 2.01.
Transfer of AOL LLC
Employees and Assumption of AOL LLC Employee Liabilities;
Indemnity
. The employment of each AOL LLC Employee with
AOL LLC shall be transferred, and each AOL LLC Employee shall become employed by
AOL, effective as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time. Furthermore,
except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, effective as of the
AOL Employee Transfer Time, AOL LLC shall, in accordance with the Employee
Benefits Assignment and Assumption Agreement, transfer, assign, convey and
deliver, to AOL all of AOL LLC’s right, title and interest in the AOL Assets
relating to employees or employee-benefits matters. Except as
otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, at the AOL Employee Transfer
Time, (i) AOL shall, in accordance with the Employee Benefits Assignment
and Assumption Agreement, assume and pay, perform, fulfill and discharge all AOL
LLC Employee Liabilities and (ii) AOL shall, in accordance with the
Employee Benefits Assignment and Assumption Agreement, assume and be responsible
for administering each AOL LLC Benefit Plan and each AOL LLC Benefit Agreement
in accordance with its terms. For the avoidance of doubt from and
after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, AOL LLC shall not retain any AOL LLC
Employee Liabilities, and in connection therewith, AOL shall indemnify
, defend and hold harmless
AOL LLC and each other
member of the TWX Group from and against any and all AOL LLC Employee
Liabilities
.
SECTION 2.02.
Transfer of TWX Transferred
Employees
. Prior to December 1, 2009, or such other
date as the Parties may mutually agree upon, but in no event later than the last
business day prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time, TWX and AOL shall mutually
agree upon a list of employees, if any, of any member of the TWX Group who shall
be offered employment by a member of the AOL Group. Prior to the AOL
Employee Transfer Time, a member of the AOL Group shall make an offer of
employment to each employee on such list, effective as of the TWX Transferred
Employee Transfer Time. Each employee who is offered employment by a
member of the AOL Group pursuant to this
Section
2.02
and who expressly accepts such offer and commences employment is referred to
herein as a “
TWX
Transferred Employee
”. The employment of each TWX Transferred
Employee with the relevant member of the TWX Group shall be terminated, and each
TWX Transferred Employee shall become employed by a member of the AOL Group,
effective as of the TWX Transferred Employee Transfer Time. For a
period of not less than one year following the AOL Employee Transfer Time, AOL
shall maintain or cause to be maintained for the benefit of each TWX Transferred
Employee base salary or hourly compensation, as applicable, and annual cash
incentive opportunities and long-term incentive opportunities that are
substantially comparable in the aggregate to the base salary or hourly
compensation, annual cash incentive opportunities and long-term incentive
opportunities, as applicable, provided to other similarly situated employees of
the members of the AOL Group;
provided
,
however
, that nothing
herein shall be construed as requiring any member of the AOL Group to continue
the employment of any specific person for any particular period of time after
the AOL Employee Transfer Time. No member of the AOL Group shall be
responsible for any severance payments or benefits in respect of the termination
of employment of any employee by any member of the TWX Group pursuant to this
Section
2.02
;
provided
,
however
, that the
applicable member of the AOL Group shall be responsible for severance payments
or benefits (if any) in respect of the termination of employment of any TWX
Transferred Employee by a member of the AOL Group following the TWX Transferred
Employee Transfer Time.
SECTION 2.03.
Transfer of TWX Retained
Employees
. Prior to December 1, 2009, or such other
date as the Parties may mutually agree upon, but in no event later than the last
business day prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time, TWX and AOL shall mutually
agree upon a list of employees, if any, of any member of the AOL Group who shall
be offered employment by a member of the TWX Group. Prior to the AOL
Employee Transfer Time, a member of the TWX Group shall make an offer of
employment to each employee on such list, effective as of the TWX Retained
Employee Transfer Time. Each employee who is offered employment by a
member of the TWX Group pursuant to this
Section
2.03
and who expressly accepts such offer and commences employment is referred to
herein as a “
TWX
Retained Employee
”. The employment of each TWX Retained
Employee with the relevant member of the AOL Group shall be terminated, and each
TWX Retained Employee shall become employed by a member of the TWX Group,
effective as of the TWX Retained Employee Transfer Time. For a period
of not less than one year following the relevant AOL Employee Transfer Time, TWX
shall maintain or cause to be maintained for the benefit of each TWX Retained
Employee base salary or hourly compensation, as applicable, and annual cash
incentive opportunities and long-term incentive opportunities that are
substantially comparable in the aggregate to the base salary or hourly
compensation, annual cash incentive opportunities and long-term incentive
opportunities, as applicable, provided to other similarly situated employees of
a member of the TWX Group;
provided
,
however
, that nothing
herein shall be construed as requiring any member of the TWX Group to continue
the employment of any specific person for any particular period of time after
the AOL Employee Transfer Time. No member of the TWX Group shall be
responsible for any severance payments or benefits in respect of the termination
of employment of any employee by any member of the AOL Group pursuant to this
Section
2.03
;
provided
,
however
, that the
applicable member of the TWX Group shall be responsible for severance payments
or benefits (if any) in respect of the termination of employment of any TWX
Retained Employee by a member of the TWX Group following the TWX Retained
Employee Transfer Time.
SECTION 2.04.
Continuation of Employment
of Transferred Entity Employees
. From and after the AOL
Asset Distribution Date, AOL will (a) cause the relevant AOL Transferred
Entity to continue the employment of each Transferred Entity Employee who is
actively employed on such date;
provided
,
however
, that nothing
herein shall be construed as requiring any member of the AOL Group to continue
the employment of any specific person for any particular period of time after
the AOL Asset Distribution Date, and (b) retain liability and
responsibility for all actual or potential employment and employee
benefits-related Liabilities relating to each Transferred Entity Employee to the
same extent as if the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the
Separation Agreement had not occurred.
SECTION 2.05.
Benefit Plans and Benefit
Agreements
. Except as otherwise specifically provided in
this Agreement, as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time, each AOL Employee (and
each such employee’s dependents and beneficiaries) shall cease active
participation in all TWX Benefit Plans and, as of such time, AOL shall or shall
cause another member of the AOL Group to have in effect such AOL New Benefit
Plans as are necessary to comply with its obligations pursuant to this
Agreement, including, without limitation, pursuant to
Sections
5.01
,
7.01
,
9.01
and
10.01
. As
of immediately following the AOL Employee Transfer Time, except as otherwise
specifically provided in this Agreement, (i) TWX shall, or shall cause one
or more members of the TWX Group to, retain, pay, perform, fulfill and discharge
all Liabilities arising out of or relating to all TWX Benefit Plans and TWX
Benefit Agreements and (ii) AOL shall, or shall cause one or more members
of the AOL Group to, retain, pay, perform, fulfill and discharge all Liabilities
arising out of or relating to all AOL Benefit Plans and AOL Benefit
Agreements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and unless otherwise
provided in this Agreement, (A) in the case of any Benefit Agreement in
effect at the AOL Employee Transfer Time that is listed on
Schedule 2.05(A)
pursuant to which both a member of the AOL Group and a member of the TWX Group
are parties, each such party shall continue to honor its respective obligations
under such Benefit Agreement, (B) in the case of any AOL Benefit Agreement
in effect as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time that is listed on
Schedule 2.05(B)
,
pursuant to which AOL and TWX intend or expect that specific compensation or
benefit items will be provided by any member of the TWX Group (as described in
Schedule
2.05(B)
), such member of the TWX Group shall honor its obligations with
respect to such specific compensation or benefit items and (C) in the case
of any TWX Benefit Agreement in effect as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time that
is listed on
Schedule 2.05(C)
,
pursuant to which AOL and TWX intend or expect that specific compensation or
benefit items will be provided by any member of the AOL Group (as described in
Schedule
2.05(C)
), such member of the AOL Group shall honor its obligations with
respect to such specific compensation or benefit items. From and
after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, except in the case of any arrangement that
is set forth on
Schedule 2.05(A)
,
Schedule
2.05(B)
or
Schedule 2.05(C)
or
as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, in the case of any Benefit
Agreement pursuant to which both a member of the AOL Group and a member of the
TWX Group are parties, (1) AOL shall, or shall cause one or more members of the
AOL Group to, assume all obligations of the members of the TWX Group under such
Benefit Agreement that relate to an AOL Employee (other than a TWX Transferred
Employee), (2) TWX shall, or shall cause one or more members of the TWX Group
to, assume all obligations of the members of the AOL Group under such Benefit
Agreement that relate to any current or former employee of the TWX Group who is
not an AOL Employee (other than a TWX Retained Employee) and (3) in the case of
any TWX Transferred Employee or any TWX Retained Employee, (x) AOL shall, or
shall cause one or more members of the AOL Group to, assume all obligations of
the members of the TWX Group under such Benefit Agreement that relate to such
employee’s service with any member of the AOL Group, and (y) TWX shall, or shall
cause one or more members of the TWX Group to, assume all obligations of the
members of the AOL Group under such Benefit Agreement that relate to such
employee’s service with any member of the TWX Group. For the
avoidance of doubt, from and after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, in no event
will AOL be required to issue, grant or award any compensation relating to AOL
Common Stock to any employee who is a member of the TWX Group, and in no event
will TWX be required to issue, grant or award any compensation relating to TWX
Common Stock to any employee who is a member of the AOL
Group. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, nothing contained herein shall be construed as requiring, and the
members of the TWX Group shall take no action that would have the effect of
requiring, any member of the AOL Group to continue any AOL Benefit Plan or any
other specific plans, programs, policies, arrangements, agreements or
understandings from or after the AOL Employee Transfer Time.
SECTION 2.06.
Allocation of Employment
Liabilities for TWX Transferred Employees and TWX Retained
Employees
. Except as otherwise specifically provided in
this Agreement, effective as of the relevant TWX Transferred Employee Transfer
Time, (a) the members of the TWX Group shall retain liability and
responsibility for all actual or potential employment and employee
benefits-related Liabilities incurred prior to the TWX Transferred Employee
Transfer Time that relate to the TWX Transferred Employees (or any dependent or
beneficiary of any TWX Transferred Employee) and (b) the members of the AOL
Group shall assume liability and responsibility for all actual or potential
employment and employee benefits-related Liabilities incurred at or after the
TWX Transferred Employee Transfer Time that relate to the TWX Transferred
Employees (or any dependent or beneficiary of any TWX Transferred
Employee). Except as otherwise specifically provided in this
Agreement, effective as of the relevant TWX Retained Employee Transfer Time,
(i) the members of the AOL Group shall retain liability and responsibility
for all actual or potential employment and employee benefits-related Liabilities
incurred prior to the TWX Retained Employee Transfer Time that relate to the TWX
Retained Employees (or any dependent or beneficiary of any TWX Retained
Employee) and (ii) the members of the TWX Group shall assume liability and
responsibility for all actual or potential employment and employee
benefits-related Liabilities incurred at or after the TWX Retained Employee
Transfer Time that relate to the TWX Retained Employees (or any dependent or
beneficiary of any TWX Retained Employee).
Annual
Bonuses for Year of Distribution
SECTION 3.01.
TWX Transferred Employee
Bonuses
. Following the end of the calendar year that
includes the Distribution Date, TWX shall inform AOL in writing of the bonus (if
any) payable to each TWX Transferred Employee under the applicable annual
incentive plan or arrangement of a member of the TWX Group with respect to the
portion of such calendar year ending at the TWX Transferred Employee Transfer
Time (collectively, the “
TWX Transferred Employee
Bonuses
”). AOL shall, or shall cause its Affiliates to, pay
each TWX Transferred Employee such bonus (if any) promptly following the end of
such calendar year and within the time period set forth in the applicable annual
incentive plan or arrangement. The obligations of the members of the
TWX Group to reimburse the members of the AOL Group with respect to the TWX
Transferred Employee Bonuses are set forth in
Section
15.02
.
SECTION 3.02.
TWX Retained Employee
Bonuses
. Following the end of the calendar year that
includes the Distribution Date, AOL shall inform TWX in writing of the bonus (if
any) payable to each TWX Retained Employee under the applicable annual incentive
plan or arrangement of a member of the AOL Group with respect to the portion of
such calendar year ending at the TWX Retained Employee Transfer Time
(collectively, the “
TWX Retained Employee
Bonuses
”). TWX shall, or shall cause its Affiliates to, pay
each TWX Retained Employee such bonus (if any) promptly following the end of
such calendar year and within the time period set forth in the applicable annual
incentive plan or arrangement. The obligations of the members of the
AOL Group to reimburse the members of the TWX Group with respect to the TWX
Retained Employee Bonuses are set forth in
Section
15.01
.
Service
Credit
SECTION 4.01.
TWX Benefit
Plans
. From and after the AOL Employee Transfer Time,
service of Post-Separation AOL Employees with any member of the AOL Group or any
other employer other than any member of the TWX Group shall not be taken into
account for any purpose under the TWX Benefit Plans, except for purposes of
determining the timing of the payment of compensation or the provision of
benefits under any TWX Benefit Plan, to the extent that the timing of such
payment or provision is triggered under such TWX Benefit Plan by a
Post-Separation AOL Employee’s separation from service from the AOL
Group.
SECTION 4.02.
AOL Benefit
Plans
. Unless prohibited by applicable Law, as of the AOL
Employee Transfer Time, AOL shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to, credit
service accrued by each Post-Separation AOL Employee with, or otherwise
recognized for benefit plan purposes by, any member of the TWX Group prior to
the AOL Employee Transfer Time for purposes of (i) eligibility and vesting
under each AOL Benefit Plan under which service is relevant in determining
eligibility or vesting, (ii) determining the amount of severance payments
and benefits (if any) payable under each AOL Benefit Plan that provides
severance payments or benefits and (iii) determining the number of vacation
days to which each such employee will be entitled following the AOL Employee
Transfer Time, in the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), (A) to the
same extent recognized by the relevant members of the TWX Group or the
corresponding TWX Benefit Plan immediately prior to the AOL Employee Transfer
Time, and (B) except to the extent such credit would result in a
duplication of benefits for the same period of service.
Certain
Welfare Benefit Plan Matters
SECTION 5.01.
AOL Welfare
Plans
. Effective as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time, AOL
shall, or shall cause its Affiliates to, have in effect the AOL Welfare Plans to
provide welfare benefits to the Post-Separation AOL Employees and Former AOL LLC
Employees participating in any TWX Welfare Plans immediately prior to the AOL
Employee Transfer Time.
Schedule
5.01
contains a list of AOL LLC Welfare Plans that are in effect as of the date
hereof.
SECTION 5.02.
Comparability of Welfare
Benefits
. Without limiting the generality of
Section
2.05
,
the Post-Separation AOL Employees and Former AOL LLC Employees (and their
respective dependents and beneficiaries) shall cease all active participation in
all TWX Welfare Plans effective as of AOL Employee Transfer Time. To
the extent permitted by applicable Law, AOL shall, and shall cause the other
members of the AOL Group to, (i) for a period of not less than one year
following the AOL Employee Transfer Time, provide benefits to all TWX
Transferred Employees that are substantially comparable in the aggregate to
those provided to other similarly situated employees of the members of the AOL
Group under the AOL Welfare Plans, (ii) waive, or with respect to AOL
Welfare Plans insured through third-party insurance carriers, use commercially
reasonable efforts to cause such insurance carriers to waive, all limitations as
to preexisting conditions, exclusions and waiting periods and actively-at-work
requirements with respect to eligibility, participation and coverage
requirements applicable to the Post-Separation AOL Employees, Former AOL LLC
Employees and their dependents under the AOL Welfare Plans, to the extent
satisfied or waived under the applicable corresponding TWX Welfare Plan as of
the AOL Employee Transfer Time, and (iii) provide or, with respect to AOL
Welfare Plans insured through third-party insurance carriers, use commercially
reasonable efforts to cause such insurance carriers to provide, each
Post-Separation AOL Employee, each Former AOL LLC Employee and their eligible
dependents with credit under the AOL Welfare Plans for any co-payments,
co-insurance and deductibles paid under corresponding TWX Welfare Plans at or
prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time, in the plan year in which the relevant
time occurs for purposes of satisfying any applicable deductible or
out-of-pocket requirements under any AOL Welfare Plans in which the relevant
Post-Separation AOL Employee or Former AOL LLC Employee participates following
the AOL Employee Transfer Time.
SECTION 5.03.
Allocation of Welfare
Benefit Claims
. Except as otherwise required under
applicable Law and except for benefits for which a member of the AOL Group will
reimburse a member of the TWX Group as provided in
Section 15.01
or
as otherwise set forth in
Section 13.03
, AOL or
a member of the AOL Group shall be responsible for all benefit claims incurred
under the TWX Welfare Plans and the AOL Welfare Plans by AOL Employees, Former
AOL LLC Employees and their covered dependents and beneficiaries, whether
incurred prior to, at or after the AOL Employee Transfer
Time. Notwithstanding the foregoing and except as otherwise required
under applicable Law or as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement,
TWX shall be responsible in accordance with the applicable TWX Welfare Plans in
effect prior to the relevant TWX Transferred Employee Transfer Time for all
benefit claims incurred under such plans prior to the relevant TWX Transferred
Employee Transfer Time by TWX Transferred Employees and their covered dependents
and beneficiaries. Except in the event of any claim by a TWX
Transferred Employee for workers compensation benefits and as otherwise provided
under applicable Law, for purposes of this
Section
5.03
,
a benefit claim shall be deemed to be incurred as
follows: (i) health, dental, vision, employee assistance program
and prescription drug benefits (including in respect of any hospital
confinement), upon provision of such services, materials or supplies, and
(ii) life, disability, accidental death and dismemberment and business
travel accident insurance benefits, upon the death, illness or accident giving
rise to such benefits.
SECTION 5.04.
Workers Compensation Claims
of TWX Transferred Employees and TWX Retained
Employees
. Workers compensation claims of any TWX
Transferred Employee shall be covered under the workers compensation plans of a
member of the TWX Group (each, a “
TWX Workers Compensation
Plan
”) if the Workers Compensation Event occurred prior to the TWX
Transferred Employee Transfer Time, and shall be covered under the workers
compensation plans of a member of the AOL Group (each, an “
AOL Workers Compensation
Plan
”) if the Workers Compensation Event occurs at or after the TWX
Transferred Employee Transfer Time. Workers compensation claims of
any TWX Retained Employee shall be covered under the AOL Workers Compensation
Plans if the Workers Compensation Event occurred prior to TWX Retained Employee
Transfer Time, and shall be covered under the TWX Workers Compensation Plans if
the Workers Compensation Event occurs at or after the TWX Retained Employee
Transfer Time. If the Workers Compensation Event occurs over a period
both preceding and following the TWX Transferred Employee Transfer Time or the
TWX Retained Employee Transfer Time, as applicable, the claim shall be covered
jointly under TWX Workers Compensation Plan and AOL Workers Compensation Plan,
and shall be equitably apportioned between them based upon the relative periods
of time that the Workers Compensation Event transpired preceding and following
the TWX Transferred Employee Transfer Time or the TWX Retained Employee Transfer
Time, as applicable.
SECTION 5.05.
COBRA and
HIPAA
. Effective as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time, AOL
shall assume all Liabilities of the TWX Welfare Plans and the members of the TWX
Group to Post-Separation AOL Employees, Former AOL LLC Employees and their
eligible dependents, in respect of COBRA and any applicable similar state
Laws. Without limiting the generality of
Section 13.03
,
AOL shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the members of the TWX Group from
and against any and all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting
from COBRA provided by AOL, or the failure of AOL to meet its COBRA obligations,
to Post-Separation AOL Employees, Former AOL LLC Employees and their eligible
dependents. Notwithstanding
Section 13.03
or any
other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, in the event of any violation
of HIPAA, whether occurring prior to, at or after the AOL Employee Transfer
Time, the members of the TWX Group shall be solely liable for any such
violations resulting from any action by a member of the TWX Group or any
employee of a member of the TWX Group, and the members of the AOL Group shall be
solely liable for any such violations resulting from any action by a member of
the AOL Group or any employee of a member of the AOL Group.
Defined
Benefit Pension Plans
SECTION 6.01.
TWX Pension
Plans
. Effective as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time,
each Post-Separation AOL Employee who is a participant, as of the AOL Employee
Transfer Time, in one or more TWX Benefit Plans that are defined benefit pension
plans, whether or not tax-qualified (each such plan, a “
TWX Pension Plan
”),
including the TWX Excess Benefit Pension Plan, shall cease active participation
in such TWX Pension Plans and, without limiting the generality of
Section
2.05
or the first sentence of
Section
4.01
,
service with any member of the AOL Group or any other employer other than any
member of the TWX Group from and after the AOL Employee Transfer Time shall not
be taken into account for any purpose under such TWX Pension Plans, except for
purposes of determining the timing of the payment of compensation or the
provision of benefits under any TWX Pension Plan, to the extent that such
payment or provision is triggered under such TWX Pension Plan by a
Post-Separation AOL Employee’s separation from service from the AOL
Group. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, following the AOL Employee Transfer Time, TWX or its applicable
Subsidiaries shall retain, or shall cause the applicable TWX Pension Plans to
retain, sponsorship of each TWX Pension Plan and all Assets and Liabilities
arising out of or relating to each TWX Pension Plan, and shall make payments to
Post-Separation AOL Employees and former employees of any member of the AOL
Group with vested rights thereunder and their applicable beneficiaries, in
accordance with the terms of the applicable TWX Pension Plans, as in effect from
time to time. The obligations of the members of the AOL Group to
provide information to the members of the TWX Group in connection with the
payment of benefits to the AOL Employees pursuant to the TWX Pension Plans are
set forth in
Section
14.01
.
SECTION 6.02.
Vesting of
Benefits
. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
Section
4.01
of this Agreement, TWX shall take all steps necessary, including amending any
TWX Pension Plan, so that, as of the Distribution Date, each Post-Separation AOL
Employee shall be fully vested in his or her benefits under each TWX Pension
Plan in which such Post-Separation AOL Employee participated while an employee
of a member of the TWX Group.
U.S.
Tax-Qualified Savings/401(k) Plan
SECTION 7.01.
AOL 401(k)
Plan
. Effective as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time, AOL
shall, or shall cause its Affiliates to, have in effect a defined contribution
plan that includes a qualified cash or deferred arrangement within the meaning
of Section 401(k) of the Code (the “
AOL 401(k) Plan
”)
providing benefits as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time to the AOL LLC Employees
participating in any tax-qualified defined contribution plan sponsored by any
member of the TWX Group (collectively, the “
TWX 401(k) Plan
”)
immediately prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time.
SECTION 7.02.
Trust-to-Trust
Transfers
. At the AOL Employee Transfer Time, or at such
later time as may be mutually agreed upon by TWX and AOL, a member of the TWX
Group shall cause to be transferred from the TWX 401(k) Plan to the AOL 401(k)
Plan the Assets and Liabilities relating to (a) the account balances of the
AOL LLC Employees (whether vested or unvested as of the AOL Employee Transfer
Time), (b) the account balances or portions thereof of the Former AOL LLC
Employees who are not Recently Terminated Former AOL LLC Employees that are
vested as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time and (c) the account balances or
portions thereof of the Recently Terminated Former AOL LLC Employees that are
vested or unvested as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time, in each case, in
accordance with the applicable requirements of all applicable Laws, including
the Code. From and after the time that the transfer is complete, as
described in the immediately preceding sentence, a member of the AOL Group shall
administer the accounts of AOL LLC Employees, TWX Transferred Employees and
Former AOL LLC Employees in the AOL 401(k) Plan in accordance with all
applicable Laws, including the Code.
Except as otherwise provided for in this
Section 7.02
, s
uch transfer of Assets shall consist of cash,
cash equivalents or participant loan receivables equal to all the accrued
benefit Liabilities relating to all account balances referred to in the first
sentence of this
Section
7.02
,
including such Liabilities for the beneficiaries of the AOL LLC Employees and
the Former AOL LLC Employees and including such accrued benefit Liabilities
arising under any applicable qualified domestic relations
order. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the AOL
401(k) Plan provides for an investment option listed on
Schedule 7.02
hereto,
transfers relating to TWX 401(k) balances invested in such investment option
will be made in kind. A member of the AOL Group shall direct the
trustee of the AOL 401(k) Plan to accept such transfers of Assets and
Liabilities from the TWX 401(k) Plan. No later than 30 days prior to
the date of the transfer of Assets and Liabilities pursuant to this
Section
7.02
,
TWX shall, to the extent necessary and with the cooperation of AOL as necessary,
file Internal Revenue Service Form 5310-A regarding such transfer of Assets
and Liabilities from the TWX 401(k) Plan to the AOL 401(k) Plan, as described in
this
Section
7.02
. At
the AOL Employee Transfer Time, or such later date upon which the transfers of
Assets and Liabilities contemplated by this
Section
7.02
are completed, a member of the AOL Group shall direct the trustee of the AOL
401(k) Plan to, and the trustee shall, fully and immediately vest the
transferred account balances of all AOL LLC Employees and TWX Transferred
Employees (but not the account balances of any Recently Terminated Former AOL
LLC Employee) in the AOL 401(k) Plan. Following the foregoing
transfer, AOL and/or the AOL 401(k) Plan shall assume all Liabilities of the TWX
Group under the TWX 401(k) Plan with respect to all participants in the TWX
401(k) Plan whose balances were transferred to the AOL 401(k) Plan and their
beneficiaries pursuant to such transfer, and the TWX Group and the TWX 401(k)
Plan shall have no Liabilities to provide such participants with benefits under
the TWX 401(k) Plan following such transfer. TWX and AOL shall use
reasonable efforts to minimize the duration of any “blackout period” imposed in
connection with each transfer of account balances from the TWX 401(k) Plan to
the AOL 401(k) Plan. For purposes of clarity, subject to
Section 13.03
,
from and after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, the TWX 401(k) Plan shall retain
liability and responsibility for the unvested account balances or portions
thereof of each Former AOL LLC Employee who is not a Recently Terminated Former
AOL LLC Employee.
SECTION 7.03.
Employer 401(k) Plan
Contributions
. Following the end of the calendar year in
which the Distribution Date occurs, AOL and TWX shall cooperate in good faith to
contribute (in accordance with ERISA, the Code and the relevant terms of the TWX
401(k) Plan and the AOL 401(k) Plan), to the account of any AOL LLC Employee
whose account balance was transferred from the TWX 401(k) Plan to the AOL 401(k)
Plan in accordance with
Section 7.02
the
prorated amount of any additional employer contributions that such AOL LLC
Employee would otherwise be eligible to receive under the TWX 401(k) Plan based
on his or her deferral of eligible compensation (as defined in the TWX 401(k)
Plan) received from a member of the AOL Group or a member of the TWX Group prior
to the AOL Employee Transfer Time and during the calendar year in which the AOL
Employee Transfer Time occurs. TWX shall treat the AOL LLC Employees
consistently with the employees of the members of the TWX Group for purposes of
allocating forfeitures of account balances, or any portion thereof, under the
TWX 401(k) Plan to the AOL LLC Employees.
Following the end of the calendar year in which the
Distribution Date occurs, if a TWX Retained Employee would otherwise be eligible
for any additional employer contributions (in accordance with the TWX 401(k)
Plan) for the calendar year in which the applicable TWX Retained Employee
Transfer Time occurs, a member of the TWX Group will contribute (or allocate a
portion of the forfeitures held by the TWX 401(k) Plan) to each such TWX
Retained Employee’s account under the TWX 401(k) Plan the prorated amount of any
such additional employer contributions to which the TWX Retained Employee is
entitled based on his or her
deferral of eligible
compensation
(as
defined in the TWX 401(k) Plan) received from a member of the AOL Group up to
but not including the applicable TWX Retained Employee Transfer Time
(collectively, the “
TWX Retained Employee 401(k)
Contributions
”), provided that such TWX
Retained Employee is employed by the TWX Group on the last day of the calendar
year in which the applicable TWX Retained Employee Transfer Time
occurred. The obligations of the members of the AOL Group to
reimburse such member of the TWX Group with respect to the TWX Retained Employee
401(k) Contributions
in excess of forfeiture allocations
are set forth in
Section 15.01
.
SECTION 7.04.
Limitation of
Liability
. For the avoidance of doubt, TWX shall have no
responsibility for any failure of AOL to properly administer the AOL 401(k) Plan
in accordance with its terms and applicable Law, including without limitation
any failure to properly administer the accounts of Post-Separation AOL Employees
and their beneficiaries in such AOL 401(k) Plan, and, without limiting the
generality of
Section 13.03
,
AOL shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the TWX 401(k) Plan and the
members of the TWX Group from and against any and all Liabilities relating to,
arising out of or resulting from any such failure.
Deferred
Compensation
SECTION 8.01.
Employee Deferred
Compensation
. AOL and TWX hereby acknowledge that each AOL
LLC Employee and Former AOL LLC Employee whose name is set forth on
Schedule 8.01(A)
,
8.01(B)
or
8.01(C)
(i) has an outstanding deferred compensation account balance under a TWX
Nonqualified Plan or (ii) is an individual to whom AOL LLC has nonqualified
deferred compensation Liabilities, in each case, as of the date of this
Agreement, and no other AOL LLC Employee or Former AOL LLC Employee has an
outstanding deferred compensation account balance under a TWX Nonqualified Plan
or is an individual to whom AOL LLC has nonqualified deferred compensation
Liabilities.
SECTION 8.02.
Retention of TWX Deferred
Compensation Obligations
. Notwithstanding
Section
2.05
or any provision of this Agreement or the Separation Agreement to the contrary,
from and after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, TWX shall retain, or cause any
member of the TWX Group to retain, all Assets and all Liabilities arising out of
or relating to the TWX Nonqualified Plans, and all trusts relating to such TWX
Benefit Plans, including any grantor or “rabbi trust”, and shall make payments
to all Post-Separation AOL Employees or Former AOL LLC Employees listed on
Schedule 8.01(A)
or
8.01(B)
and
their respective beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of the applicable
plan. The members of the AOL Group shall not be required to reimburse
the members of the TWX Group with respect to the deferred compensation accounts
for any Post-Separation AOL Employee or Former AOL LLC Employee listed on
Schedule
8.01(A)
. The Deferred Compensation Payable shall be treated as
a Qualified Intercompany Account, as set forth on Schedule IV of the Separation
Agreement. From and after the completion of the Payables
Transactions, the members of the AOL Group shall have no obligations to
reimburse the members of the TWX Group with respect to any deferred compensation
accounts that relate to any AOL LLC Employee or Former AOL LLC Employee listed
on
Schedule
8.01(A)
or
Schedule
8.01(B)
. The obligations of the members of the AOL Group to
provide information to the members of the TWX Group in connection with the
payment of benefits to AOL Employees pursuant to the TWX Nonqualified Plans are
set forth in
Section
14.01
.
SECTION 8.03.
Retention of AOL LLC
Deferred Compensation Obligations
. Notwithstanding
Section 2.01
or
any other provision of this Agreement or the Separation Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, AOL LLC shall retain
all Assets and all Liabilities arising out of or relating to the deferred
compensation account or accounts maintained by AOL LLC on behalf of any Former
AOL LLC Employee listed on
Schedule 8.01(C)
,
and shall make payments to such individuals pursuant to the terms of the
applicable agreement. The Deferred Compensation Payable shall be
treated as a Qualified Intercompany Account, as set forth on Schedule IV of the
Separation Agreement. From and after the completion of the Payables
Transactions, the members of the AOL Group shall have no obligations to
reimburse the members of the TWX Group with respect to any such deferred
compensation accounts.
SECTION 8.04.
No Distributions on
Separation
. TWX and AOL acknowledge that neither the
Separation nor any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
the Separation Agreement will trigger a payment or distribution of compensation
under any TWX Nonqualified Plan or other deferred compensation account for any
Post-Separation AOL Employee and, consequently, that the payment or distribution
of any compensation to which any Post-Separation AOL Employee is entitled under
any TWX Nonqualified Plan will occur upon such Post-Separation AOL Employee’s
separation from service from the AOL Group or at such other time as provided in
such TWX Nonqualified Plan or such AOL Employee’s deferral
election. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if TWX and AOL reasonably
determine that the Separation or any other transaction contemplated by this
Agreement or the Separation Agreement will trigger a payment or distribution of
compensation under any TWX Nonqualified Plan or other deferred compensation
account for any Post-Separation AOL Employee, TWX and AOL shall cooperate in
good faith so that neither the Separation nor any of the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or the Separation Agreement will trigger any such
payment or distribution;
provided
,
however
, that neither
TWX nor AOL shall be required to take any action to the extent that such action
would cause any TWX Nonqualified Plan or other deferred compensation account or
payment thereunder to fail to comply with Section 409A of the
Code.
SECTION 8.05.
Section
409A
. TWX and AOL shall cooperate in good faith so that
the Separation will not result in adverse tax consequences under
Section 409A of the Code to any current or former employee of any member of
the TWX Group or any member of the AOL Group, or their respective beneficiaries,
in respect of his or her benefits under any TWX Benefit Plan or AOL Benefit
Plan.
SECTION 8.06.
Tax Withholding and
Reporting
. Notwithstanding
Section 19.03
, TWX
shall be responsible for the withholding and reporting of Taxes required to be
withheld or reported in connection with payments made pursuant to
Sections 8.02 and
8.03
, and no member of the AOL Group shall have any responsibility or
liability with respect thereto.
SECTION 8.07.
Limited
Indemnification
. From and after the AOL Employee Transfer
Time, (i) the members of the TWX Group shall be solely liable for all
deferred compensation payments to the AOL LLC Employees and the Former AOL LLC
Employees pursuant to the TWX Nonqualified Plans and (ii) AOL LLC shall be
solely liable for all payments to any Former AOL LLC Employee with respect to
the deferred compensation account or accounts for any Former AOL LLC Employee
listed on
Schedule 8.01(C)
and, notwithstanding
Section 13.03
or
any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the members of the AOL
Group shall not be obligated to indemnify the members of the TWX Group for
Liabilities relating thereto, except to the extent that any such Liabilities
relate to actions by a member of the AOL Group, whether occurring before, at or
after the AOL Employee Transfer Time (including, without limitation, any failure
by a member of the AOL Group to provide the members of the TWX Group with true
and accurate information that is necessary for the proper administration of the
TWX Nonqualified Plans and the deferred compensation account or accounts for any
Former AOL LLC Employee listed on
Schedule 8.01(C)
).
Flexible
Spending Arrangements
SECTION 9.01.
Flexible Spending
Arrangements
. Effective as of the AOL Employee Transfer
Time, AOL shall, or shall cause its Affiliates to, have in effect flexible
spending arrangements under a cafeteria plan qualifying under Section 125
of the Code (“
AOL
Cafeteria Plan
”). Promptly following the AOL Employee Transfer
Time, with respect to each individual who, as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time,
is an AOL LLC Employee, a Former AOL LLC Employee or a Transferred Entity
Employee, and who has a flexible spending arrangement under the cafeteria plan
sponsored by TWX or any of its Affiliates (the “
TWX Cafeteria Plan
”),
TWX shall transfer to AOL all relevant records relating to flexible spending
arrangements of such AOL LLC Employees, Former AOL LLC Employees and Transferred
Entity Employees under the TWX Cafeteria Plan and any other information
necessary for the administration of the AOL Cafeteria Plan with respect to such
flexible spending arrangements. AOL shall, or shall cause its
Affiliates to, cause the AOL Cafeteria Plan to accept, effective as of the AOL
Employee Transfer Time, a spin-off of the flexible spending arrangements of
individuals who, as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time, are AOL LLC Employees,
Former AOL LLC Employees and Transferred Entity Employees and who have a
flexible spending arrangement under the TWX Cafeteria Plan, from the TWX
Cafeteria Plan, and to honor and continue, through the end of the plan year in
which the AOL Employee Transfer Time occurs, the elections made by each such
employee with respect to a flexible spending arrangement under the TWX Cafeteria
Plan for such plan year. Notwithstanding the second sentence of
Section
5.03
above, from and after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, the AOL Group shall assume
and be solely responsible for all flexible spending arrangement claims by all
individuals whose flexible spending arrangements transferred pursuant to this
Section 9.01
under the TWX Cafeteria Plan that were incurred in the year in which the AOL
Employee Transfer Time occurs, whether incurred prior to, at or after the AOL
Employee Transfer Time, that have not been paid in full as of the AOL Employee
Transfer Time.
Transportation
Reimbursement Accounts
SECTION 10.01.
Transportation Reimbursement
Accounts
. Effective as of the AOL Employee Transfer Time,
AOL shall, or shall cause its Affiliates to, have in effect a transportation
reimbursement account plan (the “
AOL TRA
Plan
”). Promptly following the AOL Employee Transfer Time, TWX
shall transfer to AOL all relevant records relating to accounts of AOL Employees
under the transportation reimbursement account plan sponsored by TWX or any of
its Affiliates (the “
TWX TRA Plan
”) and
any other information necessary for the administration of the AOL TRA Plan with
respect to such accounts. AOL shall, or shall cause its Affiliates
to, cause the AOL TRA Plan to accept, effective as of the AOL Employee Transfer
Time, a spin-off of the accounts of individuals who, as of the AOL Employee
Transfer Time, are AOL Employees and who have an account under the TWX TRA Plan,
from the TWX TRA Plan, and to honor and continue, through the end of the plan
year in which the AOL Employee Transfer Time occurs, the elections made by each
such employee with respect to an account under the TWX TRA Plan for such plan
year. Notwithstanding the second sentence of
Section
5.03
above, from and after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, the AOL Group shall assume
and be solely responsible for all claims by all individuals whose accounts
transferred pursuant to this
Section 10.01
under
the TWX TRA Plan that were incurred
in the year in
which the AOL Employee Transfer Time occurs, whether incurred prior to, at or
after the AOL Employee Transfer Time, that have not been paid in full as of the
AOL Employee Transfer Time.
Vacation
SECTION 11.01.
Vacation
. Promptly
following the relevant TWX Transferred Employee Transfer Time, TWX shall make a
cash payment to each TWX Transferred Employee for any vacation or annual leave
days accrued or earned for the year in which the TWX Transferred Employee
Transfer Time occurs, but not yet used by such TWX Transferred Employee as of
the TWX Transferred Employee Transfer Time. AOL shall not assume any
Liability for such vacation or annual leave days.
TWX
Equity Compensation Awards
SECTION 12.01.
General Treatment of
Outstanding TWX Equity Compensation
Awards
. Notwithstanding
Section
2.05
or any other provision of this Agreement or the Separation Agreement to the
contrary, on and following the Distribution Date, each outstanding option to
purchase TWX Common Stock (“
TWX Option
”) and each
performance stock unit (“
TWX PSU
”) and
restricted stock unit (“
TWX RSU
”) payable in
shares of TWX Common Stock or the value of which is determined by reference to
the value of shares of TWX Common Stock, in each case that was granted under or
pursuant to any equity compensation plan of TWX (each such TWX Option, TWX PSU
or TWX RSU, a “
TWX
Equity Compensation Award
”), that, on the Distribution Date, is held by
any AOL Employee, shall be treated as provided in the equity compensation plan
under which such TWX Equity Compensation Award was granted, the award agreement
governing such TWX Equity Compensation Award and any employment agreement to
which such AOL Employee is a party, as in effect on the Distribution Date;
provided
,
however
, that, except
as set forth in
Section 12.02
below, any such TWX Equity Compensation Award that is not forfeited by its
holder as a result of the Distribution shall be adjusted to reflect the
Distribution in the same manner, if any, as similar TWX Equity Compensation
Awards held by employees of the TWX Group immediately prior to the Distribution
(other than TWX Transferred Employees) are adjusted, as determined in the sole
discretion of TWX;
provided further
,
however
, that
TWX may amend any such TWX Equity Compensation Award in any manner that TWX
determines is necessary in order to avoid additional Taxes and penalties under
Section 409A of the Code. TWX hereby acknowledges that each
Post-Separation AOL Employee who, as of the Distribution Date, meets the
eligibility requirements for retirement treatment in the event of a voluntary
termination of employment with respect to any TWX Equity Compensation Award held
by such Post-Separation AOL Employee as of the Distribution Date, as determined
under the applicable equity compensation plan or award agreement, will, in
connection with the Distribution, receive the benefit of any provisions of such
equity compensation plan or award agreement that provide for accelerated vesting
of such TWX Equity Compensation Award or an extended time period to exercise any
such TWX Equity Compensation Award that is a vested TWX Option in connection
with a termination of employment due to retirement. As soon as
practicable following the payment by TWX of a cash dividend with respect to TWX
Common Stock that is paid on or after the Distribution, AOL shall pay each AOL
Employee with an outstanding TWX RSU any TWX Dividend Equivalents payable
pursuant to such award (less any Taxes that are withheld), and TWX shall not be
obligated to pay such AOL Employee such TWX Dividend Equivalent.
SECTION 12.02.
Treatment of Outstanding TWX
Equity Compensation Awards Held by Timothy M.
Armstrong
. Notwithstanding any provision of
Section 12.01
to
the contrary, subject to any required action by the AOL board of directors (or a
duly authorized committee thereof) in accordance with the Employment Agreement,
dated March 12, 2009, by and among Timothy M. Armstrong (“
Armstrong
”), AOL LLC
and TWX (the “
Armstrong Employment
Agreement
”), effective immediately upon the Distribution, each
outstanding TWX Option, whether vested or unvested, that is held, immediately
prior to the Distribution, by Armstrong shall be converted into an option (each,
a “
Converted AOL
Option
”) to acquire shares of AOL Common Stock, on substantially the same
terms and conditions as were applicable under such TWX Option (other than with
respect to exercise price and the number and type of shares covered thereby),
the number of shares at the exercise price per share that will allow such option
to have a “fair value” and an “intrinsic value” (in each case, within the
meaning of FAS 123R and determined in accordance therewith), as of immediately
following the Distribution, that shall be identical to the fair value and
intrinsic value of such TWX Option immediately prior to the Distribution. The
adjustments provided in this
Section 12.02
with respect to any TWX Options, whether or not they are “incentive stock
options”, as defined in Section 422 of the Code, are intended to be
effected in a manner that is consistent with Section 424(a) and
Section 409A of the Code. Furthermore, subject to any required action by
the AOL board of directors (or a duly authorized committee thereof) in
accordance with the Armstrong Employment Agreement, effective immediately upon
the Distribution, each outstanding TWX RSU, whether vested or unvested, that is
held, immediately prior to the Distribution, by Armstrong shall be converted
into a restricted stock unit with respect to shares of AOL Common Stock (such
restricted stock units, the “
Converted AOL RSUs
”),
on substantially the same terms and conditions as were applicable under such TWX
RSU (other than with respect to the number and type of shares covered thereby),
with respect to the number of shares that will allow such restricted stock unit
to have a “fair value” and an “intrinsic value” (in each case, within the
meaning of FAS 123R and determined in accordance therewith), as of immediately
following the Distribution, that shall be identical to the fair value and
intrinsic value of such TWX RSU immediately prior to the Distribution. Effective
immediately upon the Distribution, AOL shall assume all Liabilities related to
the TWX Options and TWX RSUs (as Converted AOL Options and Converted AOL RSUs)
and, from and after the Distribution, no member of the TWX Group shall have any
Liabilities with respect thereto. The AOL board of directors (or a duly
authorized committee thereof) shall take all reasonable steps as may be required
to cause the transactions contemplated by this
Section 12.02
to
be exempt from Section 16 of the Exchange Act under Rule 16b-3
promulgated thereunder.
SECTION 12.03.
Payable
. The
TWX Equity Award Payable shall be treated as a Qualified Intercompany Account,
as set forth in Schedule IV of the Separation Agreement.
SECTION 12.04.
Tax Withholding and
Reporting
. Except as otherwise set forth in this
Section 12.04
,
(i) in the case of any TWX RSUs that are subject to Tax withholding upon
vesting, upon the vesting of any such TWX RSUs held by AOL Employees that are
not forfeited upon the Distribution Date, TWX shall reduce the number of TWX
RSUs held by each AOL Employee by a number of TWX RSUs having a Fair Market
Value equal to the employee-paid portion of any Taxes (including any Social
Security and Medicare Taxes) required to be withheld upon vesting of such TWX
RSUs and (ii) upon exercise or settlement, as applicable, of any TWX Equity
Compensation Award, a member of the TWX Group shall withhold from the number of
shares of TWX Common Stock otherwise issuable to the relevant AOL Employee a
number of shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the employee-paid portion
of any Taxes required to be withheld upon vesting of such TWX Equity
Compensation Awards. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any of the
procedures described in clause (i) or (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence
are prohibited by applicable Law, TWX and AOL shall cooperate in good faith to
determine alternative procedures with respect to such awards in order to fulfill
all required withholding and reporting obligations in compliance with applicable
Law. The Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that, without limiting
the generality of
Section 19.03
and
notwithstanding any provision of this
Section 12.04
, the
members of the AOL Group shall be solely responsible for all obligations
relating to reporting of Taxes to the appropriate taxing authority and remitting
the amounts of any such Taxes required to be withheld (including any Social
Security, Medicare or unemployment Taxes) to the appropriate taxing authority in
connection with the exercise, vesting or settlement of any TWX Equity
Compensation Awards and the payment of any TWX Dividend Equivalents, and no
member of the TWX Group shall have any responsibility or liability with respect
thereto, other than (A) the obligations of the members of TWX Group to notify
the members of the AOL Group about amounts withheld by members of the TWX Group
in connection with the exercise, vesting or settlement of any TWX Equity
Compensation Awards and the amounts paid by TWX in respect of any cash dividend
on TWX Common Stock that would entitle any AOL Employee to a TWX Dividend
Equivalent (in each case, as set forth in
Section 14.01
), and
(B) the obligations of the members of the TWX Group to make payments to the
members of the AOL Group in respect of the TWX Dividend Equivalent Reimbursement
Amounts and the TWX Option Tax Withholding Reimbursement Amounts (as set forth
in
Section
15.02
). The obligations of the members of the AOL Group and
the TWX Group to provide information to the other Party in order to allow the
administration of the TWX Equity Compensation Awards pursuant to this Article
XII are set forth in
Section
14.01
.
SECTION 12.05.
Reports
. For
so long as any TWX Equity Compensation Award is outstanding and held by an AOL
Employee, TWX shall provide AOL with the reports listed on
Schedule 12.05
hereto
at the times specified therein.
SECTION 12.06.
Tax
Deductions
.
The rights of the members of the TWX Group and
the members of the AOL Group to take deductions for TWX Equity Compensation
Awards shall be determined in accordance with
Section 3.06
of the
TMA.
Administrative
Costs and Benefit Plan Reimbursements
SECTION 13.01.
AOL Reimbursement of TWX for
Post-Separation Administrative Services
. From and after
the AOL Employee Transfer Time, TWX shall continue to provide to the members of
the AOL Group services relating to (a) the administration of the TWX Equity
Compensation Awards outstanding at the AOL Employee Transfer Time, (b) the
administration of compensation and benefits provided to AOL Employees pursuant
to those TWX Benefit Plans set forth on
Schedule 13.01
prior
to the AOL Employee Transfer Time that require ongoing administration following
the AOL Employee Transfer Time (including, without limitation, any
administration relating to the TWX Nonqualified Plans and other deferred
compensation accounts and any administration relating to withholding or
reporting of Taxes) and (c) maintenance and administration of such data
relating to AOL Employees as is necessary to provide the administrative services
described in the preceding clauses (a) and (b) (such services, the “
TWX
Services
”). Without limiting the generality of
Section
19.02
,
TWX Services shall not include any services relating to an individual’s
employment with any member of the AOL Group following the Distribution
Date. As payment for the TWX Services, AOL shall make payments to
TWX, or shall cause one of its Affiliates to make payments to TWX, in amounts
that TWX and AOL reasonably determine to be the costs incurred by TWX in
connection with such services (the “
TWX Services Reimbursement
Amounts
”);
provided
,
however
, that to the
extent that the costs of any TWX Service are billed directly to a member of the
AOL Group by the relevant third-party vendor, the members of the AOL Group shall
not be required to reimburse the members of the TWX Group for such TWX
Service. The TWX Services Reimbursement Amounts shall also include
amounts that relate to services for which a member of the AOL Group has
previously reimbursed a member of TWX Group (including, without limitation,
services provided to the AOL Group prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time and
any TWX Services) but with respect to which a member of the TWX Group incurs
additional costs following the time of the initial reimbursement, which
additional costs may include, but are not limited to, additional Taxes payable
by a member of the TWX Group with respect to such services and additional
payments required to be made to third-party vendors for previously rendered
services. The obligations of AOL to reimburse TWX with respect to the
TWX Services are set forth in
Section
15.01
.
SECTION 13.02.
Pre-Separation Benefit Plan
Matters
. Following the AOL Employee Transfer Time, the
members of the AOL Group shall remain responsible for reimbursing the members of
the TWX Group for costs relating to compensation and benefits provided to the
AOL Employees as a result of participation in the TWX Benefit Plans prior to the
AOL Employee Transfer Time that are not charged directly to the members of the
AOL Group (such costs, the “
TWX Benefit Plan
Costs
”);
provided
,
however
, that, except
as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, in no event shall any
member of the AOL Group be required to reimburse any member of the TWX Group for
the cost of any compensation or benefits provided to a TWX Transferred Employee
that relates to a period prior to the applicable TWX Transferred Employee
Transfer Time. Furthermore, following the AOL Employee Transfer Time,
the members of the TWX Group shall reimburse the members of the AOL Group for
any rebates or reimbursements received by a member of the TWX Group from any
third party (whether from a vendor, a taxing authority or any other third party)
that relates to amounts paid by a member of the AOL Group prior to the AOL
Employee Transfer Time in connection with participation by AOL Employees in any
TWX Benefit Plan (such refunds and rebates, the “
TWX Benefit Plan
Rebates
”). Any amount that a member of the TWX Group owes to a
member of the AOL Group in respect of the TWX Benefit Plan Rebates shall reduce
the amount payable by the members of the AOL Group to the members of the TWX
Group in respect of the TWX Benefit Plan Costs for the relevant calendar
quarter. The timing of the obligations of AOL and TWX with respect to
the TWX Benefit Plan Costs and the TWX Benefit Plan Rebates is set forth in
Section
15.01
.
SECTION 13.03.
TWX
Benefit Plan Indemnification
.
With respect to each TWX
Benefit Plan, AOL shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the members of the
TWX Group from and against any and all Liabilities relating to, arising out of
or resulting from participation in any such plan by any AOL Employee, regardless
of whether such participation relates to a period that was prior to, at or after
the AOL Employee Transfer Time;
provided
,
however
, that the
foregoing obligations shall not apply to any participation by a TWX Transferred
Employee in any TWX Benefit Plan prior to the applicable TWX Transferred
Employee Transfer Time;
provided
,
further
, that the
foregoing obligations shall not apply in the event of any Liabilities arising
out of willful or intentional misconduct by any member of the TWX Group or any
employee of any member of the TWX Group. With respect to each TWX
Benefit Plan, TWX shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the members of the
AOL Group from and against any and all Liabilities arising out of willful or
intentional misconduct by any member of the TWX Group or any employee of any
member of the TWX Group;
provided
,
however
, that in no
event shall any member of the TWX Group be responsible for the cost of any
compensation or benefits that the relevant member of the AOL Group would have
incurred in the absence of any willful or intentional misconduct by the relevant
member of the TWX Group or the relevant employee of any member of the TWX
Group.
Cooperation;
Production of Witnesses; Works Councils
SECTION 14.01.
Cooperation
. Following
the date of this Agreement, TWX and AOL shall, and shall cause their respective
Subsidiaries to, use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with respect
to any employee compensation or benefits matters that TWX or AOL, as applicable,
reasonably determines require the cooperation of both TWX and AOL in order to
accomplish the objectives of this Agreement. Without limiting the
generality of the preceding sentence, (i) with respect to each AOL Employee
who is a participant in a TWX Pension Plan or a TWX Nonqualified Plan, AOL shall
notify TWX of the occurrence of such individual’s “separation from service”
(within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, where applicable) with the AOL
Group not later than 10 calendar days following the end of the month in which
any such separation occurs and, at such time, will provide TWX with (a) such
individual’s current home address and (b) an indication of whether such AOL
Employee is a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the
Code) of AOL at the time of such AOL Employee's separation from service,
(ii) prior to the trust-to-trust transfer described in
Section
7.02
,
AOL shall promptly notify TWX of the occurrence of a separation from service of
any AOL Employee who is a participant in the TWX 401(k) Plan, (iii) TWX
shall promptly notify AOL upon the occurrence of an exercise, vesting or
settlement of a TWX Equity Compensation Award held by any AOL Employee (and the
amounts withheld by a member of the TWX Group in connection with such exercise,
vesting or settlement) or the payment by TWX of any cash dividend on TWX Common
Stock that would entitle any AOL Employee to a TWX Dividend Equivalent,
(iv) TWX and AOL shall cooperate in connection with any audits of any TWX
Benefit Plan or AOL Benefit Plan with respect to which the other Party may have
information, (v) TWX and AOL shall cooperate in coordinating each of their
respective payroll systems in connection with the transfers of AOL Employees to
the AOL Group and the Distribution, (vi) TWX shall transfer records to AOL
as necessary for the proper administration of AOL Benefit Plans, to the extent
such records are in TWX’s possession, (vii) TWX and AOL shall cooperate in
good faith in connection with the notification and consultation with works
councils, labor unions and other employee representatives of members of the AOL
Group and the TWX Group and (viii) for so long as any AOL Employee holds an
outstanding TWX Equity Compensation Award, AOL shall promptly notify TWX upon
the occurrence of any changes to such AOL Employee’s name, address or payroll
profile (e.g., changes to the employee’s Form W-4). The obligations
of the AOL Group and the TWX Group to cooperate pursuant to this
Section
14.01
shall remain in effect for so long as any obligations of any member of the TWX
Group remain outstanding to any AOL Employee described in clause (i) or
(iii) of the immediately preceding sentence, and until all audits of all Benefit
Plans with respect to which the other Party may have information have been
completed or the applicable statute of limitations with respect to such audits
has expired.
SECTION 14.02
.
Production of Witnesses;
Records; Further Cooperation
. (a) For the time
period described in
Section 14.01
, except
in the case of an adversarial Action or threatened adversarial Action by either
TWX or AOL or a Person or Persons in its Group against the other Party or a
Person or Persons in its Group, each of TWX and AOL shall take all reasonable
steps to make available, upon written request, the former, current and future
directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents of the Persons in its
respective Group (whether as witnesses or otherwise) and any books, records or
other documents within its control or that it otherwise has the ability to make
available, to the extent that such Person (giving consideration to business
demands of such directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents) or
books, records or other documents may reasonably be required in connection with
any Action or threatened or contemplated Action (including preparation for such
Action) in which TWX or AOL, as applicable, 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 reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses in connection
therewith.
(b) Without limiting the
foregoing, TWX and AOL shall use their reasonable best efforts to cooperate and
consult to the extent reasonably necessary with respect to any Actions or
threatened or contemplated Actions, other than an adversarial Action against the
other Group.
(c) The obligation of TWX
and AOL to make available former, current and future directors, officers,
employees and other personnel and agents or provide witnesses and experts
pursuant to this
Section 14.02
is
intended to be interpreted in a manner so as to facilitate cooperation and shall
include the obligation to make available employees and other officers without
regard to whether such individual or the employer of such individual could
assert a possible business conflict (subject to the exception set forth in the
first sentence of
Section
14.02(a)
). Without limiting the foregoing, each of TWX and AOL
agrees that neither it nor any Person or Persons in its respective Group will
take any adverse action against any employee of its Group based on such
employee’s provision of assistance or information to each other pursuant to this
Section
14.02
.
(d) Upon the reasonable
request of TWX or AOL, in connection with any Action contemplated by
Section 14.01
, TWX
and AOL will enter into a mutually acceptable common interest agreement so as to
maintain, to the extent practicable, any applicable attorney-client privilege or
work product immunity of any member of either Group.
SECTION 14.03.
Works Councils; Employee
Notices
. Prior to the AOL Asset Distribution Date,
(a) AOL shall, and shall cause the other members of the AOL Group, to
satisfy all legally required obligations of the AOL Group (if any), and
(b) TWX shall, and shall cause the other members of the TWX Group, to
satisfy all legally required obligations of the TWX Group (if any), in each
case, relating to (i) notification and consultation with works councils,
labor unions and other employee representatives, (ii) completion of all
regulatory filings relating to AOL Employees, (iii) notification of
individual AOL Employees, (iv) obtaining any required consents from any AOL
Employees and (v) taking such other actions with respect to the AOL
Employees as may be required by applicable Law, in each case, as may be
necessary in order to complete the Transactions. AOL shall indemnify,
defend and hold harmless AOL LLC and each member of the TWX Group from and
against any and all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or resulting from
the failure of any member of the AOL Group to satisfy its obligations pursuant
to this
Section 14.03
,
and TWX shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless AOL and each member of the AOL
Group from and against any and all Liabilities relating to, arising out of or
resulting from the failure of any member of the TWX Group to satisfy its
obligations pursuant to this
Section
14.03
.
Reimbursements
SECTION 15.01.
Reimbursements by the AOL
Group
. Promptly following the end of each calendar quarter
that ends following the AOL Employee Transfer Time, TWX shall provide AOL with
one or more invoices that set forth the aggregate (a) TWX Retained Employee
Bonuses Reimbursement Amounts, (b) TWX Retained Employee 401(k) Contributions
Reimbursement Amounts, (c) TWX Services Reimbursement Amounts and (d) TWX
Benefit Plan Costs Reimbursement Amounts incurred by a member of the TWX Group
during such calendar quarter. Within 30 days following AOL’s receipt
of each such invoice, AOL shall pay TWX an amount in cash equal to the aggregate
amounts set forth on such invoice.
S
ECTION 15.02.
Reimbursements by the TWX
Group
. Promptly following the end of each calendar quarter
that ends following the AOL Employee Transfer Time in which the TWX Transferred
Employee Bonuses are paid to TWX Transferred Employees or TWX Dividend
Equivalents are paid to AOL Employees, AOL shall provide TWX with one or more
invoices that set forth the aggregate TWX Transferred Employee Bonuses
Reimbursement Amounts and TWX Dividend Equivalent Reimbursement Amounts incurred
by a member of the AOL Group during such calendar quarter. Within
30 days following TWX’s receipt of each such invoice, a member of the TWX
Group shall pay a member of the AOL Group an amount in cash equal to the sum of
the aggregate amounts set forth on such invoice plus the TWX Benefit Plan Rebate
Reimbursement Amount (if any) for such calendar quarter. Furthermore,
not later than the last business day of the month following each month in which
an amount is withheld by a member of the TWX Group pursuant to
Section 12.04
in
connection with the exercise of a TWX Option by an AOL Employee, a member of the
TWX Group shall pay a member of the AOL Group an amount in cash equal to the
aggregate TWX Option Tax Withholding Reimbursement Amount (if any) withheld by
members of the TWX Group during such month.
SECTION 15.03.
Invoices
. All
invoices provided pursuant to this Article XV shall be denominated in United
States dollars.
Termination
SECTION 16.01.
Termination
. This
Agreement may be terminated by TWX at any time, in its sole discretion, prior to
the Distribution Date;
provided
,
however
, that this
Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the termination of the Separation
Agreement in accordance with its terms.
SECTION 16.02.
Effect of
Termination
. In the event of any termination of this
Agreement prior to the Distribution Date, none of the Parties (or any of its
directors or officers) shall have any Liability or further obligation to any
other Party under this Agreement.
Indemnification
Procedures
SECTION 17.01.
Indemnification Obligations
Net of Insurance Proceeds and Third-Party
Proceeds
. (a) The Parties intend that any
Liability subject to indemnification or reimbursement pursuant to this Agreement
will be net of (i) Insurance Proceeds that actually reduce the amount of,
or are paid to the applicable Indemnitee in respect of, such Liability or
(ii) other amounts recovered from any third party that actually reduce the
amount of, or are paid to the applicable Indemnitee in respect of, such
Liability (“
Third-Party
Proceeds
”). Accordingly, the amount that either Party (an
“
Indemnifying
Party
”) is required to pay to any Person entitled to indemnification or
reimbursement pursuant to this Agreement (an “
Indemnitee
”) will be
reduced by any Insurance Proceeds or Third-Party Proceeds theretofore actually
recovered by or on behalf of the Indemnitee from a third party in respect of the
related Liability. If an Indemnitee receives a payment required by
this Agreement from an Indemnifying Party in respect of any Liability (an “
Indemnity Payment
”)
and subsequently receives Insurance Proceeds or Third-Party Proceeds in respect
of such Liability, then the Indemnitee will pay to the Indemnifying Party an
amount equal to the excess of the Indemnity Payment received over the amount of
the Indemnity Payment that would have been due if such Insurance Proceeds or
Third-Party Proceeds had been received, realized or recovered before the
Indemnity Payment was made.
(b) An insurer that would
otherwise be obligated to pay any claim shall not be relieved of the
responsibility with respect thereto or have any subrogation rights with respect
thereto by virtue of the indemnification provisions hereof, 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. Each
member of the TWX Group and AOL Group shall use reasonable best efforts to seek
to collect or recover any Insurance Proceeds and any Third-Party Proceeds to
which such Person is entitled in connection with any Liability for which such
Person seeks indemnification pursuant to this Article XVII;
provided
,
however
, that such
Person’s inability to collect or recover any such Insurance Proceeds or
Third-Party Proceeds shall not limit the Indemnifying Party’s obligations
hereunder.
(c) The calculation of any
Indemnity Payments required by this Agreement shall be subject to
Section 6.04
of
the TMA.
SECTION 17.02.
Procedures for
Indemnification of Third-Party Claims
. (a) If
an Indemnitee shall receive notice or otherwise learn of a Third-Party Claim
with respect to which an Indemnifying Party may be obligated to provide
indemnification to such Indemnitee pursuant to this Agreement, such Indemnitee
shall give such Indemnifying Party written notice thereof as soon as reasonably
practicable, but no later than 30 days after becoming aware of such Third-Party
Claim. Any such notice shall describe the Third-Party Claim in
reasonable detail. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of any
Indemnitee or other Person to give notice as provided in this
Section 17.02(a)
shall not relieve the related Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this
Article XVII, except to the extent that such Indemnifying Party is actually
prejudiced by such failure to give notice.
(b) An
Indemnifying Party may elect to defend, at such Indemnifying Party’s own expense
and by such Indemnifying Party’s own counsel, any Third-Party
Claim. Within 30 days after the receipt of notice from an Indemnitee
in accordance with
Section 17.02(a)
(or sooner, if the nature of such Third-Party Claim so requires), the
Indemnifying Party shall notify the Indemnitee of its election as to whether the
Indemnifying Party will assume responsibility for defending such Third-Party
Claim. After notice from an Indemnifying Party to an Indemnitee of
its election to assume the defense of a Third-Party Claim, such Indemnitee shall
have the right to employ separate counsel and to participate in (but not
control) the defense, compromise or settlement thereof, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be the expense of such Indemnitee, except that
the Indemnifying Party shall be liable for the fees and expenses of counsel
employed by the Indemnitee (i) for any period during which the Indemnifying
Party has not assumed the defense of such Third-Party Claim (other than during
any period in which the Indemnitee shall have failed to give notice of the
Third-Party Claim in accordance with
Section 17.02(a)
)
or (ii) to the extent that such engagement of counsel is as a result of a
conflict of interest, as reasonably determined by the Indemnitee acting in good
faith.
(c) If an Indemnifying Party
elects not to assume responsibility for defending a Third-Party Claim, or fails
to notify an Indemnitee of its election as provided in this
Section
17.02
,
such Indemnitee may defend such Third-Party Claim at the cost and expense of the
Indemnifying Party.
(d) If an Indemnifying Party
elects to assume the defense of a Third-Party Claim in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, the Indemnitee(s) shall, subject to the terms of this
Agreement, cooperate with the Indemnifying Party with respect to the defense of
such Third-Party Claim.
(e) No Indemnifying Party
shall consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement of any
Third-Party Claim without the consent of the applicable Indemnitee or
Indemnitees;
provided
,
however
, that such
Indemnitee(s) shall be required to consent to such entry of judgment or to such
settlement that the Indemnifying Party may recommend if the judgment or
settlement (i) contains no finding or admission of any violation of Law or
any violation of the rights of any Person, (ii) involves only monetary
relief which the Indemnifying Party has agreed to pay and (iii) includes a
full and unconditional release of the Indemnitee. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in no event shall an Indemnitee be required to consent to any entry
of judgment or settlement if the effect thereof is to permit any injunction,
declaratory judgment, other order or other nonmonetary relief to be entered,
directly or indirectly, against any Indemnitee.
(f) Whether or not the
Indemnifying Party assumes the defense of a Third-Party Claim, no Indemnitee
shall admit any liability with respect to, or settle, compromise or discharge,
such Third-Party Claim without the Indemnifying Party’s prior written consent
(such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
SECTION 17.03.
Additional
Matters
. (a) Any claim on account of a
Liability that does not result from a Third-Party Claim shall be asserted by
written notice given by the Indemnitee to the related Indemnifying
Party. Such Indemnifying Party shall have a period of 30 days
after the receipt of such notice within which to respond thereto. If
such Indemnifying Party does not respond within such 30-day period, such
Indemnifying Party shall be deemed to have refused to accept responsibility to
make payment. If such Indemnifying Party does not respond within such
30-day period or rejects such claim in whole or in part, such Indemnitee shall
be free to pursue such remedies as may be available to such Party as
contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) In the event of payment
by or on behalf of any Indemnifying Party to any Indemnitee in connection with
any Third-Party Claim, such Indemnifying Party shall be subrogated to and shall
stand in the place of such Indemnitee as to any events or circumstances in
respect of which such Indemnitee may have any right, defense or claim relating
to such Third-Party Claim against any claimant or plaintiff asserting such
Third-Party Claim or against any other Person. Such Indemnitee shall
cooperate with such Indemnifying Party in a reasonable manner, and at the cost
and expense of such Indemnifying Party, in prosecuting any subrogated right,
defense or claim.
(c) In the event of an
Action relating to a Liability that has been allocated to an Indemnifying Party
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement in which the Indemnifying Party is not a
named defendant, if the Indemnifying Party shall so request, the Parties shall
endeavor to substitute the Indemnifying Party for the named defendant or add the
Indemnifying Party as an additional named defendant, if at all
practicable. If such substitution or addition cannot be achieved for
any reason or is not requested, the named defendant shall allow the Indemnifying
Party to manage the Action as set forth in this Section, the Indemnifying Party
shall fully indemnify the named defendant against all costs of defending the
Action (including court costs, sanctions imposed by a court, attorneys’ fees,
experts, fees and all other external expenses), the costs of any judgment or
settlement and the cost of any interest or penalties relating to any judgment or
settlement.
SECTION 17.04.
Remedies
Cumulative
. The remedies provided in this
Article XVII shall be cumulative and, subject to the provisions of
Article XVIII, shall not preclude assertion by any Indemnitee of any other
rights or the seeking of any and all other remedies against any Indemnifying
Party.
SECTION 17.05.
Survival of
Indemnities
. The rights and obligations of each of TWX and
AOL and their respective Indemnitees under this Article XVII shall survive
the sale or other transfer by any Party or its Affiliates of any Assets or
businesses or the assignment by it of any Liabilities.
SECTION 17.06.
Limitation on
Liability
. Except as may expressly be set forth in this
Agreement, none of TWX, AOL or any other member of either Group shall in any
event have any Liability to the other or to any other member of the other’s
Group, or to any other TWX Indemnitee or AOL Indemnitee, as applicable, under
this Agreement (i) with respect to any matter to the extent that such Party
seeking indemnification has engaged in any knowing violation of Law or fraud in
connection therewith or (ii) for any indirect, special, punitive or
consequential damages, whether or not caused by or resulting from negligence or
breach of obligations hereunder and whether or not informed of the possibility
of the existence of such damages;
provided
,
however
, that the
provisions of this
Section
17.06
shall not limit an Indemnifying Party’s indemnification obligations hereunder
with respect to any Liability any Indemnitee may have to any third-party not
affiliated with any member of the TWX Group or the AOL Group for any indirect,
special, punitive or consequential damages.
Further
Assurances and Additional Covenants
SECTION 18.01.
Further
Assurances
. (a) In addition to the actions
specifically provided for elsewhere in this Agreement, each of the Parties
shall, subject to the discretion of TWX with respect to the Distribution, as set
forth
Section 5.03
of
the Separation Agreement, use reasonable best efforts, prior to, on and after
the Distribution Date, to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or
cause to be done, all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable under
applicable laws, regulations and agreements to consummate and make effective the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Without limiting the
foregoing, prior to, on and after the Distribution Date, each Party shall
cooperate with the other Party, without any further consideration, but at the
expense of the requesting Party, (i) to execute and deliver, or use
reasonable best efforts to execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and
delivered, all instruments, including any instruments of conveyance, assignment
and transfer as such Party may reasonably be requested to execute and deliver by
the other Party, (ii) to make, or cause to be made, all filings with, and
to obtain, or cause to be obtained, all consents, approvals or authorizations
of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person under any permit, license,
agreement, indenture or other instrument and (iii) to take, or cause to be
taken, all such other actions as such Party may reasonably be requested to take
by the other Party from time to time, consistent with the terms of this
Agreement, in order to effectuate the provisions and purposes of this Agreement
and any transfers of Assets or assignments and assumptions of Liabilities
hereunder and the other transactions contemplated hereby.
(c) On or prior to the
Distribution Date, TWX and AOL, in their respective capacities as direct and
indirect shareholders of their respective Subsidiaries, shall each ratify any
actions that are reasonably necessary or desirable to be taken by AOL or any
other Subsidiary of TWX, as the case may be, to effectuate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Prior to the
Distribution, if either Party identifies any commercial or other service that is
needed to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of its business in connection
with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and that is not
otherwise governed by the provisions of this Agreement, the Parties will
cooperate in determining whether there is a mutually acceptable arm’s-length
basis on which the other Party will provide such service.
Miscellaneous
SECTION 19.01.
Vendor
Contracts
. Prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time, TWX
and AOL shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) negotiate with the
current third-party providers to separate and assign the applicable rights and
obligations under each group insurance policy, health maintenance organization,
administrative services contract, third-party administrator agreement, letter of
understanding or arrangement that pertains to one or more TWX Welfare Plans and
one or more AOL Welfare Plans (each, a “
Vendor Contract
”) to
the extent that such rights or obligations pertain to AOL Employees and
(ii) to the extent permitted by the applicable third-party provider, obtain
and maintain pricing discounts or other preferential terms under the Vendor
Contracts. At AOL’s reasonable request, AOL and TWX shall use
commercially reasonable efforts so that the AOL Group may participate in the
terms and conditions of such Vendor Contracts until a date that is not later
than December 31, 2010. Prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time,
TWX and AOL shall use commercially reasonable efforts to negotiate with
applicable consultants, plan auditors, investment advisors, legal advisors and
other third-party providers of services to TWX in connection with the Benefit
Plans to maintain pricing discounts or other preferential terms in effect as of
immediately prior to the AOL Employee Transfer Time. At the AOL Employee
Transfer Time, AOL shall assume each Vendor Contract to which AOL LLC is a party
and shall be solely responsible for all obligations of AOL LLC thereunder, in
each case, to the extent that there are any rights or obligations of any party
thereunder that relate to any period following the AOL Employee Transfer
Time.
SECTION 19.02.
Administration
. AOL
hereby acknowledges that TWX has provided administration services for certain
AOL Benefit Plans and AOL agrees to assume responsibility for the administration
and administration costs of such plans and each other AOL Benefit
Plan. The parties shall cooperate in good faith to complete such
transfer of responsibility on commercially reasonable terms and conditions
effective no later than the AOL Employee Transfer Time.
SECTION 19.03.
Employment Tax Reporting
Responsibility
. AOL LLC and AOL hereby agree to follow the
alternate procedure for United States employment tax withholding as provided in
Section 5 of Rev. Proc. 2004-53, I.R.B. 2004-35. Accordingly,
AOL LLC shall have no United States employment tax reporting responsibilities,
and AOL shall have full United States employment tax reporting responsibilities,
for AOL LLC Employees from and after the AOL Employee Transfer
Time.
SECTION 19.04.
Data
Privacy
. The Parties agree that any applicable data
privacy Laws and any other obligations of the AOL Group and the TWX Group to
maintain the confidentiality of any employee information in accordance with
applicable Law shall govern the disclosure of employee information among the
Parties under this Agreement. AOL and TWX shall ensure that they each
have in place appropriate technical and organizational security measures to
protect the personal data of the AOL Employees and the TWX Retained
Employees.
SECTION 19.05.
No Third-Party
Beneficiaries
. Except for the indemnification rights under
this Agreement of any TWX Indemnitee or AOL Indemnitee in their respective
capacities as such, this Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Parties, and
no current or former director, officer, employee or independent contractor of
any member of the TWX Group or any member of the AOL Group or any other
individual associated therewith (including any beneficiary or dependent thereof)
shall be regarded for any purpose as a third-party beneficiary of this
Agreement, and no provision of this Agreement shall create such rights in any
such persons in respect of any benefits that may be provided, directly or
indirectly, under any TWX Benefit Plan or any AOL Benefit
Plan. Furthermore, no provision of this Agreement shall constitute a
limitation on the rights to amend, modify or terminate any TWX Benefit Plan or
any AOL Benefit Plan, and nothing herein shall be construed as an amendment to
any such Benefit Plan. No provision of this Agreement shall require
any member of the TWX Group or any member of the AOL Group to continue the
employment of any employee of any member of the TWX Group or any member of the
AOL Group for any specific period of time following the Distribution
Date.
SECTION
19.06.
Confidentiality
. (a) Without
limiting the scope of
Section 19.04
, each
of TWX and AOL, on behalf of itself and each Person in its respective Group,
shall hold, and cause its respective directors, officers, employees, agents,
accountants, counsel and other advisors and representatives to hold, in strict
confidence and not release or disclose, with at least the same degree of care,
but no less than a reasonable degree of care, that it applies to its own
confidential and proprietary information pursuant to policies in effect as of
the Distribution Date, all Information concerning the other Group or its
business that is either in its possession (including Information in its
possession prior to the Distribution) or furnished by the other Group or its
respective directors, officers, employees, agents, accountants, counsel and
other advisors and representatives at any time pursuant to this Agreement, and
shall not use any such Information other than for such purposes as shall be
expressly permitted hereunder, except, in each case, to the extent that such
Information is (i) in the public domain through no fault of any member of
the TWX Group or the AOL Group, as applicable, or any of its respective
directors, officers, employees, agents, accountants, counsel and other advisors
and representatives, (ii) later lawfully acquired from other sources by any
of TWX, AOL or its respective Group, employees, directors or agents,
accountants, counsel and other advisors and representatives, as applicable,
which sources are not themselves bound by a confidentiality obligation to the
knowledge of any of TWX, AOL or Persons in its respective Group, as applicable,
(iii) independently generated without reference to any proprietary or
confidential Information of the TWX Group or the AOL Group, as applicable, or
(iv) required to be disclosed by Law;
provided
,
however
, that the
Person required to disclose such Information gives the applicable Person prompt,
and to the extent reasonably practicable, prior notice of such disclosure and an
opportunity to contest such disclosure and shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to cooperate, at the expense of the requesting Person, in seeking any
reasonable protective arrangements requested by such Person. In the
event that such appropriate protective order or other remedy is not obtained,
the Person that is required to disclose such Information shall furnish, or cause
to be furnished, only that portion of such Information that is legally required
to be disclosed and shall take commercially reasonable steps to ensure that
confidential treatment is accorded such Information. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, each of TWX and AOL may release or disclose, or permit to be
released or disclosed, any such Information concerning the other Group
(x) to their respective directors, officers, employees, agents,
accountants, counsel and other advisors and representatives who need to know
such Information (who shall be advised of the obligations hereunder with respect
to such Information), and (y) to any nationally recognized statistical
rating agency as it reasonably deems necessary, solely for the purpose of
obtaining a rating of securities upon normal terms and conditions;
provided
,
however
, that the
Party whose Information is being disclosed or released to such rating agency is
promptly notified thereof.
(b) Without limiting the
foregoing, when any Information concerning the other Group or its business is no
longer needed for the purposes contemplated by this Agreement, each of TWX and
AOL will, promptly after request of the other Party, either return all
Information in a tangible form (including all copies thereof and all notes,
extracts or summaries based thereon) or certify to the other Party, as
applicable, that it has destroyed such Information (and used commercially
reasonable efforts to destroy all such Information electronically preserved or
recorded within any computerized data storage device or component (including any
hard-drive or database)).
SECTION 19.07.
Counterparts; Entire
Agreement; Corporate Power
.
(a) This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which counterparts
shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when
one or more counterparts have been signed by each Party hereto and delivered to
the other Party.
(b) This Agreement and the
schedules hereto contain the entire agreement between the Parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof and supersede all previous agreements,
negotiations, discussions, writings, understandings, commitments and
conversations with respect to such subject matter, and there are no agreements
or understandings between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof
other than those set forth or referred to herein.
(c) TWX represents on behalf
of itself and each other member of the TWX Group, and AOL represents on behalf
of itself and each other member of the AOL Group, as follows: (i) each such
Person has the requisite corporate or other power and authority and has taken
all corporate or other action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform
this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (ii)
on or prior to the Distribution Date, this Agreement will have been duly
executed and delivered by it and constitutes, or will constitute, a valid and
binding agreement of it enforceable in accordance with the terms
thereof.
SECTION 19.08.
Governing Law;
Jurisdiction
. This Agreement shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the Laws of the State of New York, regardless of
the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of
laws thereof, except to the extent the Laws of Delaware or any other
jurisdiction are mandatorily applicable to any of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement. Each Party irrevocably consents to the exclusive
jurisdiction, forum and venue of the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of
the State of New York, New York County and the United States District Court for
the Southern District of New York over any and all claims, disputes,
controversies or disagreements between the Parties or any of their respective
subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns under or related to this
Agreement or any document executed pursuant to this Agreement or any of the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
SECTION 19.09.
Assignability
. Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations under this
Agreement shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by operation of law or
otherwise by either Party without the prior written consent of the other Party.
Any purported assignment without such consent shall be void. Subject
to the preceding sentences, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the
benefit of, and be enforceable by, the Parties and their respective successors
and assigns. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, either Party may
assign this Agreement without consent in connection with (a) a merger
transaction in which such Party is not the surviving entity and the surviving
entity acquires or assumes all or substantially all of such Party’s Assets, or
(b) upon the sale of all or substantially all of such Party’s Assets;
provided
,
however
, that the
assignee expressly assumes in writing all of the obligations of the assigning
Party under this Agreement, and the assigning Party provides written notice and
evidence of such assignment and assumption to the non-assigning
Party. No assignment permitted by this
Section
19.09
shall release the assigning Party from liability for the full performance of its
obligations under this Agreement.
SECTION 19.10.
Notices
. All
notices or other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to be duly given when (a) delivered in person,
(b) sent by telecopier (except that, if not sent during normal business
hours for the recipient, then at the opening of business on the next business
day for the recipient) to the fax numbers set forth below or (c) deposited
in the United States mail or private express mail, postage prepaid, addressed as
follows:
If to
TWX, to:
Time
Warner Inc.
One Time
Warner Center
New York,
NY 10019
Attn: General
Counsel
Facsimile: (212)
484-7167
with a
copy to:
Cravath,
Swaine & Moore LLP
Worldwide
Plaza
825
Eighth Avenue
New York,
NY 10019
Attn: Eric
Schiele
Facsimile: (212)
474-3700
If to AOL
LLC to:
AOL
LLC
c/o Time
Warner Inc.
One Time
Warner Center
New York,
NY 10019
Attn: General
Counsel
If to AOL
to:
AOL
Inc.
770
Broadway
New York,
NY 10003
Attn: General
Counsel
Facsimile: (703)
265-7404
Any Party may, by notice to the other
Parties, change the address to which such notices are to be given.
SECTION 19.11.
Severability
. If
any provision of this 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 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 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 is not affected in any manner materially adverse to either
Party. Upon any such determination, the Parties shall negotiate in
good faith in an effort to agree upon a suitable and equitable provision to
effect the original intent of the Parties.
SECTION 19.12.
Force
Majeure
. Neither Party shall be deemed in default of this
Agreement to the extent that any delay or failure in the performance of its
obligations under this Agreement results from any cause beyond its reasonable
control and without its fault or negligence, such as acts of God, acts of civil
or military authority, embargoes, epidemics, war, riots, insurrections, fires,
explosions, earthquakes, floods, unusually severe weather conditions, labor
problems or unavailability of parts, or, in the case of computer systems, any
failure in electrical or air conditioning equipment. In the event of
any such excused delay, the time for performance shall be extended for a period
equal to the time lost by reason of the delay.
SECTION 19.13.
Headings
. The
article, section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for
reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.
SECTION 19.14.
Survival of
Covenants
. Except as expressly set forth in this
Agreement, the covenants in this Agreement and the liabilities for the breach of
any obligations in this Agreement shall survive each of the Separation and the
Distribution and shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 19.15.
Waivers of
Default
. Waiver by any Party hereto of any default by the
other Party hereto of any provision of this Agreement shall not be deemed a
waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default.
SECTION 19.16.
Specific
Performance
. Subject to
Section 5.03
of
the Separation Agreement and notwithstanding the procedures set forth in
Article XVIII, in the event of any actual or threatened default in, or
breach of, any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement, the
affected Party shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or
other equitable relief of its rights under this Agreement, in addition to any
and all other rights and remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and
remedies shall be cumulative. The other Party shall not oppose the
granting of such relief. The Parties to this Agreement agree that the
remedies at law for any breach or threatened breach hereof, including monetary
damages, are inadequate compensation for any loss and that any defense in any
action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate is
waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with
such remedy are waived.
SECTION 19.17.
Amendments
. No
provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed waived, amended, supplemented or
modified by any Party hereto, unless such waiver, amendment, supplement or
modification is in writing and signed by the authorized representative of each
Party.
SECTION 19.18.
Interpretation
. Words
in the singular shall be held to include the plural and vice versa and words of
one gender shall be held to include the other gender as the context
requires. The terms “hereof,” “herein” “and “herewith” and words of
similar import, unless otherwise stated, shall be construed to refer to this
Agreement as a whole (including all of the schedules hereto) and not to any
particular provision of this Agreement. Article, Section and Schedule
references are to the articles, sections and schedules of or to this Agreement
unless otherwise specified. Any reference herein to this Agreement,
unless otherwise stated, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement as
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, as permitted by
Section 19.17
. The
word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall
mean “including, without limitation,” unless the context otherwise requires or
unless otherwise specified. The word “or” shall not be
exclusive.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have
caused this Employee Matters Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized
representatives.
|
TIME
WARNER INC.,
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BY:
|
/s/ John K. Martin, Jr.
|
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NAME:
John K. Martin, Jr.
|
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TITLE: Executive
Vice President and
Chief
Financial Officer
|
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AOL
LLC,
|
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BY:
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/s/ Ira H. Parker
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NAME:
Ira H. Parker
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TITLE: Executive
Vice President, Corporate
Secretary and General Counsel
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AOL
INC.,
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BY:
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/s/ Ira H. Parker
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NAME:
Ira H. Parker
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TITLE: Executive
Vice President, Corporate
Secretary
and General Counsel
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Exhibit
99.4
For
Immediate Release:
TIME
WARNER DECLARES SPIN-OFF DIVIDEND OF AOL SHARES
Record
and Distribution Dates and Final Distribution Ratio Announced
NEW
YORK, November 16
,
2009
– Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX) and AOL Inc. today announced the timing and
details regarding the spin-off of AOL from Time Warner.
The Time
Warner board of directors has approved the final distribution ratio and declared
a pro rata dividend of the shares of AOL common stock owned by Time Warner that
will result in the complete legal and structural separation of the two
companies.
On the
distribution date of December 9, 2009, Time Warner stockholders of record as of
5 p.m. on November 27, 2009, the record date for the distribution, will receive
one share of AOL common stock for every eleven shares of Time Warner common
stock they hold.
Fractional
shares of AOL common stock will not be distributed to Time Warner stockholders.
Instead, the fractional shares of AOL common stock will be aggregated and sold
in the open market, with the net proceeds distributed pro rata in the form of
cash payments to Time Warner stockholders who would otherwise be entitled to
receive a fractional share of AOL common stock.
No action
or payment is required by Time Warner stockholders to receive the shares of AOL
common stock. Stockholders who hold Time Warner common stock on the record date
will receive a book-entry account statement reflecting their ownership of AOL
common stock or their brokerage account will be credited with the AOL
shares. An Information Statement containing details regarding the
distribution of the AOL common stock and AOL’s business and management following
the AOL spin-off will be mailed to Time Warner stockholders prior to the
distribution date.
The AOL
spin-off has been structured to qualify as a tax-free dividend to Time Warner
stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Cash received in
lieu of fractional shares, however, will be taxable. Time Warner
stockholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors with respect to the
U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of the AOL
spin-off.
Shares of Time Warner common stock will continue to
trade “regular way” on the New York Stock Exchange
(“NYSE”)
under the symbol “TWX” through the distribution date of
December 9, 2009, and thereafter. Any holders of shares of Time Warner common
stock who sell Time Warner shares regular way on or before December 9, 2009,
will also be selling their right to receive shares of AOL common stock.
Investors are encouraged to consult with their financial advisers regarding the
specific implications of buying or selling Time Warner common stock on
or
before the distribution date.
AOL
common stock will begin trading on a “when-issued” basis on the NYSE under the
symbol “AOL WI” beginning on November 24, 2009. On December 10, 2009,
when-issued trading of AOL common stock will end and “regular-way” trading under
the symbol “AOL” will begin. The CUSIP number for the AOL common
stock will be 00184X 105 when regular- way trading begins.
Time
Warner and AOL have entered into a Separation and Distribution Agreement and
several other agreements related to the AOL spin-off. The completion of the AOL
spin-off is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of a number of conditions,
including the Registration Statement on Form 10 for the AOL common stock being
declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the AOL
common stock being authorized for listing on the NYSE and certain other
conditions described in the Information Statement included in the Form 10 and in
the agreements filed as exhibits to the Form 10. The condition relating to
the authorization of the AOL common stock for listing on the NYSE has
been satisfied, and today AOL sent a letter to the SEC requesting that the Form
10 be declared effective.
Time
Warner and AOL expect all other conditions to the AOL spin-off to be satisfied
on or before the distribution date.
Additional
Information
Please see
http://www.timewarner.com/investors
and
http://ir.aol.com
for additional information, including Frequently Asked
Questions, regarding the spin-off of AOL described in this
release.
About
Time Warner Inc.
Time
Warner Inc., a global leader in media and entertainment with businesses in
television networks, filmed entertainment, publishing and interactive services,
uses its industry-leading operating scale and brands to create, package and
deliver high-quality content worldwide through
multiple distribution
platforms.
About
AOL Inc.
AOL Inc.
is a leading global Web services company with an extensive suite of brands and
offerings and a substantial worldwide audience. AOL’s business spans online
content, products and services that the company offers to consumers, publishers
and advertisers. AOL is focused on attracting and engaging consumers and
providing valuable online advertising services on both AOL’s owned and operated
properties and third-party websites. In addition, AOL operates one of the
largest Internet subscription access services in the United States, which serves
as a valuable distribution channel for AOL’s consumer offerings. AOL is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.
Caution
Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This
document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs, and are subject to uncertainty and
changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those
expressed or implied by the statements herein due to changes in economic,
business, competitive, technological, strategic and/or regulatory factors and
other factors affecting the operation of the businesses of Time Warner Inc. and
AOL Inc. More detailed information about these factors may be found
in filings by Time Warner with the SEC, including its most recent Annual Report
on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as AOL’s Registration
Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC. Time Warner and AOL are under no
obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter
their forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events, or otherwise.
Information
on Time Warner’s Cash Dividend Press Release
Time
Warner Inc. issued a separate press release today regarding the company’s
regular quarterly cash dividend.
Contacts:
TWX Corporate
Communications
|
TWX Investor Relations
|
Edward
Adler (212) 484-6630
|
Doug
Shapiro (212) 484-8926
|
Keith
Cocozza (212) 484-7482
|
Michael
Kopelman (212) 484-8920
|
AOL Corporate
Communications
Tricia
Primrose (703) 265-2896
Alysia
Lew (212) 652-6376
# #
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