“Material Adverse Effect” means with respect to any Person, any effect, circumstance, occurrence or change that (a) is material and adverse to the financial position, results of operations, or business of such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (b) which does or would materially impair the ability of such Person to perform its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise materially impairs the ability of such Person to timely consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that for the purposes of clause (a) above, Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to include the impact of: (i) changes, after the date hereof, in banking and similar Laws of general applicability or interpretations of banking and similar Laws of general applicability by Governmental Authorities (including the COVID Measures); (ii) changes, after the date hereof, in GAAP or regulatory accounting requirements applicable to banks or bank holding companies generally; (iii) any modifications or changes to Company valuation policies and practices in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or restructuring charges taken in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, in each case in accordance with GAAP and with Buyer’s prior written consent or at the direction of Buyer; (iv) changes after the date of this Agreement in general economic or capital market conditions affecting financial institutions or their market prices generally, including, but not limited to, changes in levels of interest rates generally; (v) the effects of the expenses incurred by Company or Buyer in negotiating, documenting, effecting, and consummating the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (vi) any action or omission required by this Agreement or taken, after the date of this Agreement, by Company with the prior written consent of Buyer, and vice versa, or as otherwise expressly permitted or contemplated by this Agreement or at the written direction of Buyer; (vii) the public announcement of this Agreement (including the impact of such announcement on relationships with customers or employees (including the loss of personnel subsequent to the date of this Agreement); (viii) changes, after the date hereof, in national or international political or social conditions, including the engagement by the United States in hostilities, whether or not pursuant to the declaration of a national emergency or war, or the occurrence of any military or terrorist attack upon or within the United States; and (ix) natural disasters, pandemics (including the outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics relating to SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19, and the governmental and other responses thereto) or other force majeure events; except, with respect to subclauses (i), (ii), (iv), (viii) or (ix), to the extent that the effects of such change are disproportionately adverse to the business, properties, assets, 

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liabilities, results of operations or financial condition of such party and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as compared to other companies in the industry in which such party and its Subsidiaries operate). (Pages 97-98)

Question: FLS (MAE) applies to
Subquestion: business and operation of Target
Answer: ability to consummate transaction