or negotiations, if any, with regard to alternative transactions. However, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions and under the circumstances specified in the Merger Agreement, prior to the adoption of the Merger Agreement by Ansys’ stockholders, the Ansys board of directors may change its recommendation and may terminate the Merger Agreement in response to an unsolicited, bona fide acquisition proposal that the Ansys board of directors determines in good faith constitutes a Superior Offer, subject to customary match rights. The Ansys board of directors may also change its recommendation in response to a Change in Circumstances.
Termination and Fees
The Merger Agreement may be terminated under certain circumstances, including (1) by either Synopsys or Ansys if the Merger is not completed by the End Date, which may be extended to January 15, 2026 under certain circumstances, (2) by either Synopsys or Ansys if any specified governmental authority has issued a final non-appealable order or injunction prohibiting the Merger, (3) by either Synopsys or Ansys if Ansys’ stockholders fail to adopt the Merger Agreement, (4) by Synopsys if Ansys’ board of directors changes its recommendation to Ansys’ stockholders to vote in favor of the adoption of the Merger Agreement, (5) by Ansys in order to accept a Superior Offer (as defined in the Merger Agreement) or (6) by Synopsys or Ansys if the other party materially breaches its representations, warranties or covenants in the Merger Agreement, subject in certain cases, to the right of the breaching party to cure the breach. Synopsys and Ansys may also terminate the Merger Agreement by mutual written consent.
Upon termination of the Merger Agreement, (A) Synopsys, under specified circumstances, including termination following an injunction arising in connection with certain antitrust or foreign investment laws, will be required to pay Ansys a termination fee of $1,500,000,000; and (B) Ansys, under specified circumstances, including termination of the Merger Agreement by Ansys to accept and enter into a definitive agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal or by Synopsys upon the change by Ansys’ board of directors of the recommendation in favor of the Merger, will be required to pay Synopsys a termination fee of $950,000,000.
Other Terms of the Merger Agreement
The Merger Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants made by each of Synopsys, Merger Sub, and Ansys, including, among others, covenants regarding the conduct of Ansys’ and Synopsys’ businesses during the pendency of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the making of certain public disclosures and other matters as described in the Merger Agreement. The parties have agreed to use reasonable best efforts to take all actions necessary to consummate the Merger, including cooperating to obtain the regulatory approvals necessary to complete the Merger. Ansys is required to hold a meeting of its stockholders to vote on the adoption of the Merger Agreement. The representations and warranties in the Merger Agreement will not survive the Closing.
The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the Merger Agreement has been included to provide Synopsys stockholders and other security holders with information regarding its terms and is not intended to provide any factual information about Synopsys, Ansys, Merger Sub or their respective affiliates. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Merger Agreement have been made solely for the purposes of the Merger Agreement and as of specific dates; were made solely for the benefit of the parties to the Merger Agreement; are not intended as statements of fact to be relied upon by Synopsys stockholders or other security holders, but rather as a way of allocating the risk between the parties in the event the statements therein prove to be inaccurate; have been modified or qualified by certain confidential disclosures that were made between the parties in connection with the negotiation of the Merger Agreement, which disclosures are not reflected in the Merger Agreement itself; may no longer be true as of a given date; and may apply standards of materiality in a way that is different from what may be viewed as material by Synopsys stockholders or other security holders. Synopsys stockholders and other security holders are not third-party beneficiaries under the Merger Agreement and should not rely on the representations, warranties and covenants or any descriptions thereof as characterizations of the actual state of facts or condition of Synopsys, Ansys, Merger Sub or their respective affiliates. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter of the representations and warranties may change after the date of the Merger Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in Synopsys’ public disclosures. Synopsys acknowledges that, notwithstanding the inclusion of the foregoing cautionary statements, it is responsible for considering whether additional specific disclosures of material information regarding material contractual provisions are required to make the statements in this Form 8-K not misleading. The Merger Agreement should not be read alone but should instead be read in conjunction with the other information regarding the Merger Agreement, the Merger, Synopsys, Ansys, Merger Sub, their respective affiliates and their respective businesses, that will be contained in, or incorporated by reference into, the Form S-4 Registration Statement that Synopsys will file, as well as in the Forms 10-K, Forms 10-Q, Forms 8-K and other filings that Synopsys will make with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
Item 7.01. | Regulation FD Disclosure. |
On January 16, 2024, the Company and Ansys jointly issued a press release announcing the proposed transaction.
A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
The information contained in Item 7.01 of this report, including the information in Exhibit 99.1, is furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. Furthermore, the information in Item 7.01 of this report, including the information in Exhibit 99.1 attached to this report, shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the filings of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).