Exhibit 10.1
Execution Copy
SETTLEMENT AND VOTING AGREEMENT
THIS SETTLEMENT AND VOTING AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is made and executed as of the 22nd day of May, 2009 (the Effective Date), by, between and among Natures Sunshine Products, Inc., a Utah corporation organized under the Utah Revised Business Corporation Act (URBCA) (the Company); Prescott Group Aggressive Small Cap Master Fund, G.P., an Oklahoma general partnership (the Shareholder); Kristine F. Hughes, Pauline Hughes Francis and Eugene L. Hughes (collectively, the Hughes Parties).
RECITALS
A. As of the date of this Agreement, the Shareholder Beneficially Owns 1,865,383 shares of common stock of the Company, representing approximately twelve percent (12%) of the issued and outstanding common stock of the Company, and previously has been granted proxies described on Exhibit A hereto to vote an aggregate of 6,151,675 shares of common stock of the Company (the Proxies).
B. By letter dated February 27, 2009, the Shareholder made a written demand (the Meeting Demand) pursuant to Section 16-10a-702(1)(b) of the URBCA that the Company hold a special meeting of shareholders, or in lieu thereof an annual meeting of the shareholders, for the purpose of electing the slate of directors proposed by the Shareholder.
C. By letter dated March 10, 2009, the Shareholder or its Affiliates made a written demand (the Inspection Demand) pursuant to Section 16-10a-1602(2) of the URBCA that the Shareholder be allowed to inspect and copy the record of shareholders required to be maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 16-10a-1601(3) of the URBCA. The Company provided to the Shareholder the information requested in the Inspection Demand.
D. The Shareholder filed but has not served an action in the Fourth Judicial District Court for Utah County, Utah, styled Prescott Group Aggressive Small Cap Master Fund, G.P. v. Natures Sunshine Products, Inc., Civil No. 090401518 (the Civil Action), asking the court to order an annual meeting of the Companys shareholders.
E. The Company, the Shareholder and the Hughes Parties have agreed that, among other things, if the Companys Board of Directors (the Board) is reconstituted as set forth herein, the Shareholder will withdraw the Meeting Demand, the Shareholder will terminate, withdraw or dismiss all legal actions taken with respect to the Company or the Board; the Shareholder and the Hughes Parties will release the Shareholder, the Hughes Parties, the Company and the Board from all claims relating to the Meeting Demand, the Inspection Demand and the Civil Action; and the Shareholder and the Hughes Parties will vote its shares for the election of the members of the reconstituted Board in the next annual meeting of the Companys shareholders. The parties desire to memorialize their compromise in this Agreement.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and mutual covenants contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
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13.3 No Assignment of Claims. The parties represent that they have not assigned or otherwise transferred any interests, rights, causes of action, or claims they have, may have, or could have had against one another, including without limitation, those claims arising out of, concerning, or relating to the Civil Action.
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If to the Company, at the following addresses:
Jamon A. Jarvis
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer
NATURES SUNSHINE PRODUCTS, INC.
75 East 1700 South
Provo, Utah 84606
Fax: 801.342.4555
Nolan S. Taylor
DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP
136 South Main Street, Suite 1000
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Fax: 801.933.7373
If to the Shareholder, at the following addresses:
Phil Frohlich
PRESCOTT GROUP AGGRESSIVE SMALL CAP MASTER FUND, G.P.
1924 South Utica Avenue, #1120
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104
Fax: 918.742.7303
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Richard C. Taggart
KRUSE LANDA MAYCOCK & RICKS, LLC
136 East South Temple, Suite 2100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Fax: 801.531.7091
If to the Hughes Parties, at the following addresses:
Pauline Hughes Francis
P.O. Box 1007
Salem, UT 84653
Fax: 801.423.3130
Eugene L. Hughes
P.O. Box 51755
Provo, UT 84605
Kristine F. Hughes
P.O. Box 51755
Provo, UT 84605
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[Signature pages follow.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
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NATURES SUNSHINE PRODUCTS, INC. |
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By: |
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Its: |
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Kristine F. Hughes |
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Eugene L. Hughes |
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Pauline Hughes Francis |
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PRESCOTT GROUP AGGRESSIVE SMALL CAP MASTER FUND, G.P. |
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By: |
PRESCOTT GROUP AGGRESSIVE SMALL CAP, L.P., AND PRESCOTT GROUP AGGRESSIVE SMALL CAP II, L.P. |
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Its: |
General Partners |
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By: |
PRESCOTT GROUP CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.L.C. |
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Their: |
General Partner |
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By: |
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Phil Frohlich |
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Its: |
Manager |
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EXHIBIT A
Proxies Granted to Shareholders
Shareholder Name |
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Number of Shares Subject to Proxy |
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Prism Partners, L.P.; Prism Offshore Fund, Ltd.; Prism Capital Management, Inc.; and Delta Partners, LLC |
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1,785,473 |
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Paradigm Capital Management, Inc. |
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1,573,737 |
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Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value, L.P. |
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359,720 |
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Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value, L.P. I |
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550,782 |
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Wynnefield Small Cap Value Offshore Fund, Ltd. |
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342,500 |
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Channel Partnership II, L.P. |
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30,000 |
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Red Mountain Capital Partners II, L.P. |
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755,050 |
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Red Mountain Capital Partners III, L.P. |
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562,424 |
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Lake Street Fund L.P. |
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191,989 |
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TOTAL |
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6,151,675 |
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EXHIBITS B-1 to B-4
Director Resignations
EXHIBIT C
Board Members
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Name |
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Class |
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Term Expiry |
Appointee |
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Jeffrey D. Watkins |
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Class I |
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2010 |
Appointee |
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Willem Mesdag |
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Class I |
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2010 |
Appointee |
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Michael D. Dean |
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Class II |
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2011 |
Appointee |
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Douglas Faggioli |
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Class II |
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2011 |
Appointee |
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Candace King Weir |
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Class II |
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2011 |
Incumbent |
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Kristine F. Hughes |
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Class III |
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2012 |
Appointee |
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Pauline Hughes Francis |
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Class III |
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2012 |
Appointee |
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Albert Ricker Dowden |
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Class III |
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2012 |
EXHIBIT D
Notice of Dismissal