The term "business combination," when used in reference to any registered corporation and any interested shareholder of the corporation, means any of the following:
(1) A merger, interest exchange or division of the corporation or any subsidiary of the corporation:
(i) with the interested shareholder; or
(ii) with, involving or resulting in any other corporation (whether or not itself an interested shareholder of the registered corporation) which is, or after the merger, interest exchange or division would be, an affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder.
(2) A sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) to or with the interested shareholder or any affiliate or associate of such interested shareholder of assets of the corporation or any subsidiary of the corporation:
(i) having an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of the aggregate market value of all the assets, determined on a consolidated basis, of such corporation;
(ii) having an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of the aggregate market value of all the outstanding shares of such corporation; or
(iii) representing 10% or more of the earning power or net income, determined on a consolidated basis, of such corporation.
(3) The issuance or transfer by the corporation or any subsidiary of the corporation (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of any shares of such corporation or any subsidiary of such corporation which has an aggregate market value equal to 5% or more of the aggregate market value of all the outstanding shares of the corporation to the interested shareholder or any affiliate or associate of such interested shareholder except pursuant to the exercise of option rights to purchase shares, or pursuant to the conversion of securities having conversion rights, offered, or a dividend or distribution paid or made, pro rata to all shareholders of the corporation.
(4) The adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the corporation proposed by, or pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) with, the interested shareholder or any affiliate or associate of such interested shareholder.
(5) A reclassification of securities (including, without limitation, any split of shares, dividend of shares, or other distribution of shares in respect of shares, or any reverse split of shares), or recapitalization of the corporation, or any merger of the corporation with any subsidiary of the corporation, or any other transaction (whether or not with or into or otherwise involving the interested shareholder), proposed by, or pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) with, the interested shareholder or any affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder, which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the outstanding shares of any class or series of voting shares or securities convertible into voting shares of the corporation or any subsidiary of the corporation which is, directly or indirectly, owned by the interested shareholder or any affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments.
(6) The receipt by the interested shareholder or any affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder of the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a shareholder of such corporation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or any tax credits or other tax advantages provided by or through the corporation.
(Dec. 19, 1990, P.L.834, No.198, eff. imd.; Nov. 3, 2022, P.L.1791, No.122, eff. 60 days)
2022 Amendment. Act 122 amended pars. (1) and (5).
Cross References. Section 2554 is referred to in section 2552 of this title.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS
Chapter 25 - Registered Corporations
Section 2501 - Application and effect of chapter
Section 2502 - Registered corporation status
Section 2503 - Acquisition of registered corporation status
Section 2504 - Termination of registered corporation status
Section 2511 - Financial reports to shareholders
Section 2512 - Dissenters rights procedure
Section 2513 - Disparate treatment of certain persons
Section 2521 - Call of special meetings of shareholders
Section 2522 - Adjournment or postponement of meeting of shareholders
Section 2523 - Quorum at shareholder meetings
Section 2524 - Consent of shareholders in lieu of meeting
Section 2525 - Appointment of custodian
Section 2526 - Voting rights of directors
Section 2527 - Authority of board of directors
Section 2528 - Notice of shareholder meetings
Section 2530 - Qualifications of directors
Section 2535 - Proposal of amendment to articles
Section 2536 - Application by director for involuntary dissolution
Section 2537 - Dissenters rights in asset transfers
Section 2538 - Approval of transactions with interested shareholders
Section 2539 - Adoption of plan of merger by board of directors
Section 2541 - Application and effect of subchapter
Section 2543 - Controlling person or group
Section 2544 - Right of shareholders to receive payment for shares
Section 2545 - Notice to shareholders
Section 2546 - Shareholder demand for fair value
Section 2547 - Valuation procedures
Section 2548 - Coordination with control transaction
Section 2551 - Application and effect of subchapter
Section 2553 - Interested shareholder
Section 2554 - Business combination
Section 2555 - Requirements relating to certain business combinations
Section 2556 - Certain minimum conditions
Section 2561 - Application and effect of subchapter
Section 2563 - Acquiring person safe harbor
Section 2564 - Voting rights of shares acquired in a control-share acquisition
Section 2565 - Procedure for establishing voting rights of control shares
Section 2566 - Information statement of acquiring person
Section 2568 - Board determinations
Section 2571 - Application and effect of subchapter
Section 2572 - Policy and purpose
Section 2574 - Controlling person or group safe harbor
Section 2575 - Ownership by corporation of profits resulting from certain transactions
Section 2576 - Enforcement actions
Section 2582 - Severance compensation
Section 2583 - Enforcement and remedies
Section 2585 - Application and effect of subchapter
Section 2587 - Labor contracts preserved in business combination transactions