The wheeler-dealers of Wall Street and private equity lately have hit the brakes. Buy-out deals with Harman International and, as we learned just today, SLM Corporation (Sallie Mae) have screeched to a halt. The cold feet purchasers cite "Material Adverse Effect" provisions that allow them, in some circumstances, to terminate the acquisition agreement.
We love reading recondite language congoing across a page as much as the next lawyer who specializes in understanding the words just enough to interpret them for judges and juries. But we wouldn’t think of depriving you, gentle reader, the pleasure of seeing the raw text. And, so, we offer for your enjoyment the definition of MAE in the SLM agreement:
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on the financial condition, business, or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except to the extent any such effect results from: (a) changes in GAAP or changes in regulatory accounting requirements applicable to any industry in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries operate; (b) changes in Applicable Law (provided that, for purposes of this definition, “changes in Applicable Law” shall not include any changes in Applicable Law relating specifically to the education finance industry that are in the aggregate more adverse to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, than the legislative and budget proposals described under the heading “Recent Developments” in the Company 10-K, in each case in the form proposed publicly as of the date of the Company 10-K) or interpretations thereof by any Governmental Authority; (c) changes in global, national or regional political conditions (including the outbreak of war or acts of terrorism) or in general economic, business, regulatory, political or market conditions or in national or global financial markets; provided that such changes do not disproportionately affect the Company relative to similarly sized financial services companies and provided that this exception shall not include changes excluded from clause (b) of this definition pursuant to the proviso contained therein; (d) any proposed law, rule or regulation, or any proposed amendment to any existing law, rule or regulation, in each case affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and not enacted into law prior to the Closing Date; (e) changes affecting the financial services industry generally; provided that such changes do not disproportionately affect the Company relative to similarly sized financial services companies and provided that this exception shall not include changes excluded from clause (b) of this definition pursuant to the proviso contained therein; (f) public disclosure of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, including the initiation of litigation by any Person with respect to this Agreement; (g) any change in the debt ratings of the Company or any debt securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in and of itself (it being agreed that this exception does not cover the underlying reason for such change, except to the extent such reason is within the scope of any other exception within this definition); (h) any actions taken (or omitted to be taken) at the written request of Parent; or (i) any action taken by the Company, or which the Company causes to be taken by any of its Subsidiaries, in each case which is required pursuant to this Agreement.
Barry Barnett