“Company Material Adverse Effect” means an event, change, occurrence, effect or development that has (x) a material adverse effect on the business, operations or financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (y) would prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the Mergers), but, solely in the case of clause (x), shall not include events, changes, occurrences, effects or developments relating to or resulting   -102-


from (a) changes in general economic or political conditions or the securities, equity, credit or financial markets in general, or changes in or affecting domestic or foreign interest or exchange rates, (b) any decline in the market price or trading volume of the Company Common Stock or the Company Preferred Stock or any change in the credit rating of the Company or any of its securities (provided, that the facts and circumstances underlying any such decline or change may be taken into account in determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred to the extent not otherwise excluded by the definition thereof), (c) changes or developments in the industries in which the Company or its Subsidiaries operate, (d) changes in Law or the interpretation or enforcement thereof after the date of this Agreement, (e) the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or the public announcement or pendency or consummation of the Mergers or other transactions contemplated hereby, including the impact thereof on the relationships, contractual or otherwise, of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with employees, partnerships, customers or suppliers or Governmental Entities, (f) the identity of Parent or any of its Affiliates as the acquiror of the Company, (g) compliance with the terms of, or the taking or omission of any action required by, this Agreement or consented to (after disclosure to Parent of all material and relevant facts and information) or requested by Parent in writing, (h) any act of civil unrest, civil disobedience, war, terrorism, cyberterrorism, military activity, sabotage or cybercrime, including an outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or any other Governmental Entity or the declaration by the United States or any other Governmental Entity of a national emergency or war, or any worsening or escalation of any such conditions threatened or existing on the date of this Agreement, (i) any hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake, natural disasters, acts of God or other comparable events, (j) any pandemic, epidemic or disease outbreak (including COVID-19) or other comparable events, (k) changes in generally accepted accounting principles or the interpretation or enforcement thereof after the date of this Agreement, (1) any litigation relating to or resulting from this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or (m) any failure to meet internal or published projections, forecasts, guidance or revenue or earning predictions (provided, that the facts and circumstances underlying any such failure may be taken into account in determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred to the extent not otherwise excluded by the definition thereof); except, with respect to clauses (a), (c), (h), (i), (j) and (k), if the impact thereof is materially and disproportionately adverse to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to the impact thereof on the operations in the railroad industry of other participants in such industry, the incremental material disproportionate impact may be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Company Material Adverse Effect. (Pages 107-108)

Question: MAE Definition
Category: Material Adverse Effect
Answer: "Would"