“Material Adverse Effect” means any effect, change, event, fact, circumstance, development or occurrence that (a) has or could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations, assets or financial condition of the Company or (b) would prevent or materially impede, interfere with, hinder or delay the consummation by the Company of the Transactions or the performance by the Company in all material respects of its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that none of the following shall be deemed either alone or in combination to constitute a Material Adverse Effect, and none of the following shall be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur pursuant to clause (a): any effect, change, event, development or occurrence to the extent resulting from or arising in connection with (A) (1) general conditions (or changes therein) in the industry in which the Company operates, (2) business, economic or political conditions (or changes therein) in the United States or elsewhere in the world or (3) general conditions (or changes therein) in the credit, financial, banking, currency or capital markets, in the United States or elsewhere in the world, including changes in interest or exchange rates, (B) (1) changes in Law or in GAAP or other accounting standards after the date hereof, (2) acts of war (whether or not declared), sabotage, armed hostilities, civil disobedience, civil unrest or terrorism (including cyberterrorism), or any escalation or worsening of any such acts of war (whether or not declared), sabotage, armed hostilities, civil disobedience, civil unrest or terrorism, or (3) volcanoes, tsunamis, pandemics (including COVID-19 and its impact on the supply chain of the Company Products), epidemics, disease outbreaks, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, floods or other natural disasters, (C) (1) any decline in the market price, or change in trading volume, of the capital stock of the Company or (2) any failure to meet any internal or public projections,   70


forecasts, guidance, estimates, milestones or budgets or internal or published financial or operating predictions of revenue, earnings, cash flow or cash position (it being understood that the exceptions in clauses (C) (1) and (2) shall not prevent or otherwise affect a determination that the underlying cause of any such change, decline or failure referred to therein is, or could reasonably be expected to be, a Material Adverse Effect), (D) the negotiation, execution, announcement or performance of this Agreement or the announcement, pendency or performance of any of the Transactions, including the impact thereof on the relationships with customers, suppliers, distributors, partners, other third parties with whom the Company has a relationship and which resulted directly and solely from the announcement of this Agreement or the pendency of this Agreement, any stockholder (direct or derivative) Action in respect of this Agreement or any of the Transactions(it being understood that this clause (D) shall not apply with respect to a representation or warranty contained in this Agreement to the extent that the purpose of such representation or warranty is to address the consequences resulting from the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the Transactions or the performance of obligations under this Agreement), or (E) (1) any action taken by the Company at Parent’s written request or that is expressly required by this Agreement or (2) the failure by the Company to take any action if that action is prohibited by this Agreement (and for which Parent has declined to consent); provided further, however, that any effect, change, event, fact, circumstance, development or occurrence referred to in clause (A) or clauses (B)(1) or (3) may be taken into account in determining whether there has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, a Material Adverse Effect to the extent such effect, fact, circumstance, change, event, development or occurrence has a disproportionate adverse effect on the business, results of operations, assets or financial condition of the Company as compared to other similarly situated companies in the industry in which the Company operates (in which case the incremental disproportionate impact or impacts may be taken into account in determining whether there has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, a Material Adverse Effect).  (Pages 74-75)

Question: FLS (MAE) Standard-Answer
Subquestion: <NONE>
Answer: "Could" (reasonably) be expected to