180.1105(1)(dm)
(dm) In the case of a merger, the name, type of entity, and governing law of the surviving entity and, if the surviving entity is created by the merger, a statement to that effect, and, in the case of an interest exchange, the name, type of entity, and governing law of the acquiring entity.
180.1105(1)(e)
(e) In the case of a merger, if the surviving entity preexists the merger, any amendments to its organizational documents that are to be in a public record under its governing law immediately after the merger becomes effective or, if there are no such amendments, a statement to that effect.
180.1105(1)(em)
(em) In the case of a merger, if the surviving entity is to be created in the merger, any of its organizational documents under s.
180.11012 (1) (d) that are to be in a public record under its governing law or, if there are no such amendments, a statement to that effect.
180.1105(1)(er)
(er) In the case of an interest exchange, any amendments to the organizational documents of the acquired or acquiring entity under s.
180.11021 (1) (a) to
(e) that are to be in a public record under their respective governing laws or, if there are no such amendments, a statement to that effect.
180.1105(1)(f)
(f) A statement that the executed plan of merger or interest exchange is on file at the principal place of business of the surviving or acquiring entity.
180.1105(1)(g)
(g) A statement that upon request the surviving or acquiring entity will provide a copy of the plan of merger or interest exchange to any person that, in the case of a merger, is an interest holder of a constituent entity or, in the case of an interest exchange, was an interest holder of the acquired entity immediately prior to the interest exchange.
180.1105(1g)
(1g) In the case of a merger, if the surviving entity is a foreign entity that will be required to obtain authorization to transact business in this state immediately after the merger and it has not previously been authorized to do so, it shall obtain such authorization.
180.1105(1m)
(1m) In addition to the requirements of sub.
(1), articles of merger or interest exchange may contain any other provisions relating to the merger or interest exchange, as determined by the constituent entities in accordance with the plan of merger, in the case of a merger, or the acquiring entity in accordance with the plan of interest exchange, in the case of an interest exchange.
180.1105(2)
(2) A merger or interest exchange takes effect upon the effective date of the articles of merger or interest exchange.
180.1106
180.1106
Effect of merger or interest exchange. 180.1106(1)(1)
When a merger becomes effective, all of the following apply:
180.1106(1)(a)
(a) Each merging entity merges into the surviving entity, and the separate existence of every constituent entity that is a party to the merger, except the surviving entity, ceases.
180.1106(1)(am)1g.1g. Except as provided in this paragraph, no interest holder shall have interest holder liability with respect to any of the constituent entities.
180.1106(1)(am)1m.
1m. If, under the governing law of the constituent entity, one or more of the interest holders thereof had interest holder liability prior to the merger with respect to the entity, such interest holder or holders shall continue to have such liability and any associated contribution or other rights to the extent provided in such governing law with respect to debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the entity that accrued during the period or periods in which such interest holder or holders had such interest holder liability.
180.1106(1)(am)2.
2. If, under the governing law of the surviving entity, one or more of the interest holders thereof will have interest holder liability after the merger with respect to the surviving entity, such interest holder or holders will have such liability and any associated contribution and other rights to the extent provided in such governing law with respect to the debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the surviving entity that accrue after the merger.
180.1106(1)(am)3.
3. This paragraph does not affect liability under any taxation laws.
180.1106(1)(b)
(b) The title to all property owned by each constituent entity is vested in the surviving entity without transfer, reversion, or impairment.
180.1106(1)(c)
(c) The surviving business entity has all debts, obligations, and other liabilities of each constituent entity.
180.1106(1)(d)
(d) A civil, criminal, administrative, or investigatory proceeding pending by or against any constituent entity may be continued as if the merger did not occur, or the surviving entity may be substituted in the proceeding for the constituent entity whose existence ceased.
180.1106(1)(e)1.1. If the surviving entity preexists the merger, its organizational documents are amended to the extent, if any, provided in the plan of merger and, to the extent such amendments are to be reflected in a public record, as provided in the articles of merger.
180.1106(1)(e)2.
2. If the surviving entity is created in the merger, its organizational documents are as provided in the plan of merger and, to the extent such organizational documents are to be reflected in a public record, as provided in the articles of merger.
180.1106(1)(f)
(f) The interests of each constituent entity that are to be converted into interests, securities, or other obligations of the surviving entity, rights to acquire such interests or securities, money, other property, or any combination of the foregoing, are converted as provided in the plan of merger, and the former interest holders of the interests are entitled only to the rights provided to them in the plan of merger or to their rights, if any, under s.
178.1161 or
179.1161, ss.
180.1301 to
180.1331, or s.
181.1180 or
183.1061 or otherwise under the governing law of the constituent entity. All other terms and conditions of the merger also take effect.
180.1106(1)(g)
(g) Except as prohibited by other law or as otherwise provided in the articles and plan of merger, all of the rights, privileges, immunities, powers, and purposes of each constituent entity vest in the surviving entity.
180.1106(1m)
(1m) When an interest exchange becomes effective, all of the following apply:
180.1106(1m)(a)1.1. The interests in the acquired entity which are the subject of the interest exchange are exchanged as provided in the plan of interest exchange, and the former interest holders of those interests are entitled only to the rights provided to them under the plan of interest exchange or to their rights, if any, under s.
178.1161 or
179.1161, ss.
180.1301 to
180.1331, or s.
181.1180 or
183.1061 or otherwise under the governing law of the acquired entity. All other terms and conditions of the interest exchange also take effect.
180.1106(1m)(a)2.
2. The acquiring entity becomes the interest holder of the interests which are the subject of the interest exchange as provided in the plan of interest exchange.
180.1106(1m)(a)3.
3. The provisions of the organizational documents of the acquiring and acquired entity are amended to the extent, if any, provided in the plan of interest exchange and to the extent such amendments are to be reflected in a public record, as provided in the articles of interest exchange.
180.1106(1m)(b)
(b) Except as otherwise provided in the articles and plan of interest exchange, if the acquired entity is a domestic or foreign partnership, limited liability company, or other organization subject to dissolution under its governing law, the interest exchange does not dissolve the acquired entity.
180.1106(1m)(c)1.1. Except as provided in this paragraph, no interest holder shall have interest holder liability with respect to either the acquiring or acquired entity.
180.1106(1m)(c)2.
2. If, under the governing law of either entity, one or more of the interest holders thereof had interest holder liability prior to the interest exchange with respect to the entity, such interest holder or holders shall continue to have such liability and any associated contribution and other rights to the extent provided in such governing law with respect to debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the entity that accrued during the period or periods in which such interest holder or holders had such interest holder liability.
180.1106(1m)(c)3.
3. If, under the governing law of either entity, one or more of the interest holders thereof will have interest holder liability after the interest exchange with respect to the entity, such interest holder or holders shall have such liability and any associated contribution and other rights to the extent provided in such governing law with respect to the debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the entity that accrue on or after the interest exchange.
180.1106(1m)(c)4.
4. This paragraph does not affect liability under any taxation laws.
180.1106(2)
(2) When an interest exchange takes effect, the interests of each acquired constituent entity are exchanged as provided in the plan of interest exchange, and the former holders of the interests are entitled only to the exchange rights provided in the articles of interest exchange or to their rights under ss.
180.1301 to
180.1331.
180.1106(3)(a)(a) When a merger or interest exchange takes effect, the department is an agent of any foreign surviving entity of a merger or any acquiring foreign entity in an interest exchange, for service of process in a proceeding to enforce any obligation or the rights of interest holders, in their capacity as such, of each domestic constituent entity.
180.1106(3)(b)
(b) When a merger or interest exchange takes effect, any foreign surviving entity of a merger or any acquiring foreign constituent entity in an interest exchange shall timely honor the rights and obligations of interest holders under this chapter with respect to each domestic constituent or acquired entity, as applicable.
180.1106 Annotation
Sub. (1) (d) is straightforward in its requirement that a pending claim “may be continued as if the merger did not occur." The plaintiff's judicial dissolution claim, initiated prior to a merger, alleged harm to that shareholder, not to the corporation. The statute precludes a merger from operating to strip such a claimant of the right to pursue a pending action. Notz v. Everett Smith Group, Ltd.,
2009 WI 30,
316 Wis. 2d 640,
764 N.W.2d 904,
06-3156.
180.1130(1)
(1) “Associate" of a person means any of the following:
180.1130(1)(a)
(a) An organization, other than the resident domestic corporation or a subsidiary of the resident domestic corporation, of which the person is an officer, director, manager or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the beneficial owner of 10 percent or more of a class of voting securities.
180.1130(1)(b)
(b) A trust or estate in which the person has a substantial beneficial interest or as to which the person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity.
180.1130(1)(c)
(c) A relative or spouse of the person, or a relative of the spouse, who has the same principal residence as the person who is a director or officer of the resident domestic corporation or of an affiliate of the resident domestic corporation.
180.1130(2)
(2) “Beneficial owner" has the meaning prescribed in rule 13d-3 under the securities exchange act of 1934. A person is not a “beneficial owner" solely because of any of the following:
180.1130(2)(a)
(a) The existence of an agreement by or on behalf of the person and by or on behalf of a record or beneficial owner of securities under which the owner agrees to vote the securities in favor of a proposed merger, interest exchange or sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of assets.
180.1130(2)(b)
(b) The existence of an option from, or other arrangement with, a resident domestic corporation to acquire securities of the resident domestic corporation.
180.1130(3)
(3) “Business combination" means any of the following:
180.1130(3)(a)
(a) Unless the merger or interest exchange is subject to s.
180.1104 or s.
180.11045, does not alter the contract rights of the shares as set forth in the articles of incorporation or does not change or convert in whole or in part the outstanding shares of the resident domestic corporation, a merger or interest exchange of the resident domestic corporation or a subsidiary of the resident domestic corporation with any of the following:
180.1130(3)(a)2.
2. Any other corporation, whether or not itself a significant shareholder, which is, or after the merger or interest exchange would be, an affiliate of a significant shareholder that was a significant shareholder before the transaction.
180.1130(3)(b)
(b) A sale, lease, exchange or other disposition, other than a mortgage or pledge if not made to avoid the requirements of ss.
180.1130 to
180.1134, to a significant shareholder, other than the resident domestic corporation or a subsidiary of the resident domestic corporation, or to an affiliate of the significant shareholder, of all or substantially all of the property and assets, with or without goodwill, of a resident domestic corporation, if not made in the usual and regular course of its business.
180.1130(4)
(4) “Commencement of a tender offer" has the meaning prescribed in rule 14d-2 under the securities exchange act of 1934.
180.1130(5)
(5) “Common shares" means shares other than preferred or preference shares.
180.1130(6)
(6) “Control" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting shares, by contract or otherwise.
180.1130(7)
(7) “Determination date" means the date on which a significant shareholder first becomes a significant shareholder.
180.1130(9)(a)1.
1. If the shares are listed on a national securities exchange registered under the securities exchange act of 1934 or are quoted on any national market system, the highest closing sales price per share reported on the exchange or quoted on the system during the valuation period.
180.1130(9)(a)2.
2. If bids for the shares are quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers automated quotations system, or any successor system operated by the association, the highest closing bid per share quoted on the system during the valuation period.
180.1130(9)(a)3.
3. If the shares are listed on an exchange or are quoted on a system under subd.
1. but no transactions are reported during the valuation period or if the shares are neither listed on an exchange or system under subd.
1. nor quoted on a system under subd.
2., and if at least 3 members of the National Association of Securities Dealers are market makers for the securities, the highest closing bid per share obtained from the association during the valuation period.
180.1130(9)(a)4.
4. If no report or quote is available under subd.
1.,
2. or
3., the fair market value as determined in good faith by the board of directors of the resident domestic corporation.
180.1130(9)(b)
(b) In the case of property other than cash or shares, the fair market value of the property on the date in question as determined in good faith by the board of directors of the corporation.
180.1130(10)
(10) “Organization" means a person other than an individual.
180.1130(10m)
(10m) “Resident domestic corporation" means a resident domestic corporation, as defined in s.
180.1140 (9), if that corporation has a class of voting stock that is registered or traded on a national securities exchange or that is registered under section 12 (g) of the Securities Exchange Act.
180.1130(11)
(11) “Significant shareholder", with respect to a resident domestic corporation, means a person that is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10 percent or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting shares of the resident domestic corporation; or is an affiliate of the resident domestic corporation and within the 2-year period immediately before the date in question was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10 percent or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting shares of the resident domestic corporation. For the purpose of determining whether a person is a significant shareholder, the number of voting shares considered to be outstanding includes shares considered to be owned by the person as the beneficial owner but does not include any other voting shares which may be issuable under an agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise. In this paragraph, “person" includes 2 or more individuals or persons acting as a group for the purpose of acquiring, holding or voting securities of a resident domestic corporation.
180.1130(12)
(12) “Subsidiary" means a corporation of which voting shares having a majority of the votes entitled to be cast are owned, directly or indirectly, by one other corporation.
180.1130(13)
(13) “Take-over offer" means the offer to acquire or the acquisition of any equity security, as defined in s.
552.01 (2), of a resident domestic corporation, pursuant to a tender offer or request or invitation for tenders, if after the acquisition thereof the offeror, as defined in s.
552.01 (3), would be directly or indirectly a beneficial owner of more than 5 percent of any class of the outstanding equity securities of the issuer. “Take-over offer" does not include an offer or acquisition of any equity security of a resident domestic corporation pursuant to:
180.1130(13)(a)
(a) Brokers' transactions effected by or through a broker-dealer in the ordinary course of its business.
180.1130(13)(b)
(b) An exchange offer for securities of another issuer, if the offer is exempted from registration under ch.
551 and does not involve any public offering under the securities act of 1933.
180.1130(13)(c)
(c) An offer made to not more than 10 persons in this state during any period of 12 consecutive months.
180.1130(13)(d)
(d) An offer made to all the shareholders of the resident domestic corporation, if the number of its shareholders does not exceed 100 at the time of the offer.
180.1130(13)(e)
(e) An offer if the acquisition of any equity security pursuant thereto, together with all other acquisitions by the offeror of securities of the same class during the preceding 12 months, would not exceed 2 percent of that class of the outstanding equity securities of the issuer.
180.1130(13)(f)
(f) An offer by the resident domestic corporation to acquire its own equity securities.
180.1130(14)
(14) “Valuation date" means the time when the closing price of the stock is determined on the day before the first public announcement of the proposed business combination.
180.1130(15)
(15) “Valuation period" means the 30-day period preceding the date on which the market value is to be determined.
180.1130(16)
(16) “Voting shares" means capital shares of a corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
180.1131
180.1131
Shareholder vote. In addition to a vote otherwise required by law or the articles of incorporation of the resident domestic corporation, a business combination must be approved by the affirmative vote of at least all of the following, except as provided in s.
180.1132:
180.1131(1)
(1) Eighty percent of the votes entitled to be cast by outstanding voting shares of the corporation, voting together as a single voting group.
180.1131(2)
(2) Two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting shares other than voting shares beneficially owned by a significant shareholder who is a party to the business combination or an affiliate or associate of a significant shareholder who is a party to the business combination, voting together as a single voting group.
180.1131 History
History: 1989 a. 303;
1997 a. 27.
180.1132(1)(1)
Fair price. The vote required by s.
180.1131 does not apply to a business combination if each of the following conditions is met:
180.1132(1)(a)
(a) The aggregate amount of the cash and the market value as of the valuation date of consideration other than cash to be received per share by shareholders of the resident domestic corporation in the business combination is at least equal to the highest of the following:
