“Company Material Adverse Effect” means any fact, circumstance, change, event, occurrence or effect that (x) has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the financial condition, business or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole or (y) materially impairs or prevents, or could reasonably be expected to materially impair or prevent, the Company from consummating the Merger; provided, that for purposes of clause (x), none of the following, and no effect arising out of, relating to or resulting from the following, shall constitute or be taken into account in determining whether there has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, a “Company Material Adverse Effect”: (i) any facts, circumstances, changes, events, occurrences or effects generally affecting (A) the industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate or (B) the economy, credit, debt, securities or financial or capital markets in the United States or elsewhere in the world, including changes in interest or exchange rates or deterioration in the credit markets generally; or (ii) any facts, circumstances, changes, events, occurrences or effects to the extent arising out of, resulting from or attributable to (A) changes or prospective changes in Law, in GAAP or in accounting standards, or any changes or prospective changes in the interpretation or enforcement of any of the foregoing, (B) entry into and consummation and performance of this Agreement (including any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Company at the request of or with the written consent of Parent or Merger Sub) and the transactions contemplated hereby and the public announcement thereof, including the impact thereof on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, distributors, partners, employees, regulators or other third parties (it being understood and agreed that this clause (B) shall not apply with respect to any representation or warranty that is intended to address the consequences of the entry into, public announcement, pendency, consummation or performance of, this Agreement), (C) acts of war (whether or not declared) or any outbreak of hostilities, sabotage, terrorism or cyber-attack, or any escalation or worsening of any such acts of war (whether or not declared), outbreak of hostilities, sabotage, terrorism or cyber-attack, (D) weather, pandemics (including COVID-19), earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, natural disasters, climatic conditions or other force majeure events, whether or not weather-related, (E) any Law or directive issued by a Governmental Entity providing for business closures, changes to business operations, “sheltering-in-place” or other restrictions that relate to, or arise out of, an epidemic, pandemic or disease outbreak (including COVID-19) or any change in such Law, directive or interpretation thereof following the date of this Agreement or the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ compliance therewith, (F) regulatory, legislative and political conditions or developments, (G) any change resulting or arising from the identity of, or any facts or circumstances relating to, Parent, Merger Sub or their respective Affiliates, (H) any decline in the market price, or change in trading volume, of the Common Stock (or the volatility thereof), or (I) any failure to meet any internal or public projections, forecasts or estimates of revenue, earnings, cash flow or cash position, or other metrics; 

provided, that (x) facts, circumstances, changes, events, occurrences or effects set forth in clauses (i), (ii)(A), (ii)(C), (ii)(D), (ii)(E) and (ii)(F) above may be taken into account in determining whether there has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, a Company Material Adverse Effect to the extent such facts, circumstances, changes, events, occurrences or effects have a disproportionate adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in relation to others in the industries of the Company and its Subsidiaries and (y) that the underlying cause of any decline, change or failure referred to in clause (ii)(H) or (ii)(I) may be taken into account in determining whether there has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, a Company Material Adverse Effect unless such underlying cause is otherwise excluded hereby.  (Pages 80-81)

Question: MAE Definition
Category: Material Adverse Effect
Answer: "Could" (reasonably) be expected to