Company. The Company will not be liable for failure to waive any condition of the Offer, or any defect or irregularity in any tender or withdrawal of Shares. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders or withdrawals must be cured within the period of time the Company determines. None of the Company, the Information Agent, the Depositary or any other person will be obligated to give notice of any defects or irregularities in any tender or withdrawal, nor will any of the foregoing incur any liability for failure to give any such notification.
8. Backup Withholding. In order to avoid backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax on payments of cash pursuant to the Offer, a U.S. Holder (as defined below) tendering Shares in the Offer must provide the Depositary or other applicable withholding agent with such U.S. Holder’s correct taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) (i.e., social security number or employer identification number) on a duly completed and properly executed IRS Form W-9, a copy of which can be obtained from the Depositary or from the IRS website (www.irs.gov), and certify under penalties of perjury that (i) the TIN provided is correct, (ii) (a) the U.S. Holder is exempt from backup withholding, (b) the U.S. Holder has not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) that such U.S. Holder is subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends, or (c) the IRS has notified the U.S. Holder that such U.S. Holder is no longer subject to backup withholding, and (iii) the U.S. Holder is a U.S. citizen or other U.S. person (as defined in the instructions to IRS Form W-9). If a U.S. Holder does not provide a correct TIN or fails to provide the certifications described above, the payment of cash to such U.S. Holder pursuant to the Offer would be subject to backup withholding at the applicable statutory rate (currently 24%).
A “U.S. Holder” is any stockholder that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is (i) an individual that is a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien, (ii) a partnership, corporation, company or association created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, (iii) an estate (other than a foreign estate), or (iv) a domestic trust (as defined in Treasury Regulations Section 301.7701-7).
If a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership or other pass-thru entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Shares, the tax treatment of a partner, member or other beneficial owner in such partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner, member or other beneficial owner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner, member or other beneficial owner level. If you are a partner, member or other beneficial owner of a partnership holding Shares, you are urged to consult with your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the amount of the backup withholding can be credited against the U.S. federal income tax liability of the person subject to the backup withholding, provided that the required information is timely filed with the IRS. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of tax, a refund can be obtained upon timely filing an income tax return.
If Shares are held in more than one name or are not in the name of the actual owner, consult the instructions to IRS Form W-9 for guidance on which number to report. If a U.S. Holder has not been issued a TIN and has applied for one or intends to apply for one in the near future, such U.S. Holder should consult the instructions to IRS Form W-9 for guidance on how to complete IRS Form W-9.
Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) must provide the Depositary or other applicable withholding agent with a duly completed and properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or other applicable IRS Form W-8 in order to avoid backup withholding. A copy of the appropriate IRS Form W-8 may be obtained from the Depositary or from the IRS website (www.irs.gov). A “Non-U.S. Holder” is a stockholder that is not a U.S. Holder.
Each Holder is urged to consult its tax advisors for further guidance regarding the completion of IRS Form W-9, IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E or another version of IRS Form W-8 to claim exemption from backup withholding.
9. Requests for Assistance or Additional Copies. If you have questions or need assistance, you should contact the Information Agent at its address and telephone number set forth on Schedule I to the Offer to Purchase. If you require additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, this Letter of Transmittal, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, the IRS Form W-9 or other related materials, you should contact the Information Agent. Copies will be furnished promptly at the Company’s expense.
10. Conditional Tenders. As described in Sections 3 and 6 of the Offer to Purchase, stockholders may condition their tenders on all or a minimum number of their tendered Shares being purchased.