Virginia Law

Article 11. Merger.

As used in this article:

"Merger" means a business combination pursuant to § 13.1-894.

"Party to a merger" means any domestic or foreign corporation or eligible entity that will merge under a plan of merger.

"Survivor" in a merger means the domestic or foreign corporation or the eligible entity into which one or more other domestic or foreign corporations or eligible entities are merged. A survivor of a merger may preexist the merger or be created by the merger.

2007, c. 925; 2009, c. 216.

A. One or more domestic corporations may merge with one or more domestic or foreign corporations or eligible entities pursuant to a plan of merger, or two or more foreign corporations or domestic or foreign eligible entities may merge, resulting in a survivor that is a domestic corporation created in the merger.

B. A foreign corporation or a foreign eligible entity may be a party to a merger with a domestic corporation, or may be created as the survivor of a merger in which a domestic corporation is a party but only if the merger is permitted by the organic law of the foreign corporation or eligible entity.

C. The plan of merger shall include:

1. As to each party to the merger, its name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity;

2. The survivor's name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity, and, if the survivor is to be created in the merger, a statement to that effect;

3. The terms and conditions of the merger;

4. The manner and basis of converting the membership interests of each merging domestic or foreign corporation and eligible interests of each domestic or foreign eligible entity into membership interests, eligible interests or other securities, obligations, rights to acquire membership interests, eligible interests or other securities, cash or other property, or any combination of the foregoing;

5. The manner and basis of converting any rights to acquire the membership interests of each merging domestic or foreign corporation and eligible interests of each merging domestic or foreign eligible entity into membership interests, eligible interests or other securities, obligations, rights to acquire membership interests, eligible interests or other securities, cash or other property, or any combination of the foregoing;

6. Any amendment to the articles of incorporation of the survivor that is a domestic corporation or if the articles of incorporation are amended and restated, as an attachment to the plan, the survivor's restated articles of incorporation, or if a new domestic corporation is to be created by the merger, as an attachment to the plan, the survivor's articles of incorporation; and

7. Any other provisions required by the laws under which any party to the merger is organized or by which it is governed or required by the articles of incorporation or organic document of any such party.

D. In addition to the requirements of subsection C, a plan of merger may contain any other provision not prohibited by law.

E. Terms of a plan of merger may be made dependent on facts objectively ascertainable outside the plan in accordance with subsection L of § 13.1-804.

F. Unless the plan of merger provides otherwise, a plan of merger may be amended prior to the effective time and date of the certificate of merger, but if the members of a domestic corporation that is a party to the merger are required by any provision of this chapter to vote on the plan, the plan may not be amended subsequent to approval of the plan by such members to change any of the following unless the amendment is subject to the approval of the members:

1. The amount or kind of membership interests, eligible interests or other securities, obligations, rights to acquire membership interests, eligible interests or other securities, cash, or other property to be received under the plan by the members of or holders of eligible interests in any party to the merger;

2. The articles of incorporation of any domestic corporation that will be the survivor of the merger, except for changes permitted by subsection B of § 13.1-885; or

3. Any of the other terms or conditions of the plan if the change would adversely affect such members in any material respect.

Code 1950, § 13.1-240; 1956, c. 428; 1985, c. 522; 2007, c. 925; 2008, c. 509; 2015, c. 611; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 487.

A. In the case of a domestic corporation that is a party to a merger, where the members of any merging corporation have voting rights the plan of merger shall be adopted by the board of directors. Except as provided in subsection F, after adopting a plan of merger, the board of directors shall submit the plan to the members for their approval.

The board of directors shall also transmit to the members a recommendation that the members approve the plan, unless the board of directors makes a determination that because of conflicts of interest or other special circumstances it should not make such a recommendation, in which case the board of directors shall transmit to the members the basis for that determination.

B. The board of directors may condition its submission of the plan of merger to the members on any basis.

C. If the plan of merger is required to be approved by the members, and if the approval is to be given at a meeting, the corporation shall notify each member, whether or not entitled to vote, of the meeting of members at which the plan is to be submitted for approval. The notice shall state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the plan and contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the plan. If the corporation is to be merged into an existing domestic or foreign corporation or eligible entity and its members are to receive membership or other interests in the surviving corporation or eligible entity, the notice shall also include or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the articles of incorporation or organic document of that corporation or eligible entity. If the corporation is to be merged into a domestic or foreign corporation or eligible entity that is to be created pursuant to the merger and its members are to receive membership or other interests in the surviving corporation or eligible entity, the notice shall include or be accompanied by a copy or a summary of the articles of incorporation or organic document of the new domestic or foreign corporation or eligible entity.

D. Unless the articles of incorporation or the board of directors acting pursuant to subsection B, requires a greater vote, the plan of merger to be authorized shall be approved by each voting group entitled to vote on the plan by more than two-thirds of all the votes cast by that voting group at a meeting at which a quorum of the voting group exists. The articles of incorporation may provide for a greater or lesser vote than that provided for in this subsection or a vote by separate voting groups so long as the vote provided for is not less than a majority of all the votes cast on the plan by each voting group entitled to vote on the transaction at a meeting at which a quorum of the voting group exists.

E. Separate voting by voting groups is required:

1. On a plan of merger by each class of members:

a. Whose membership interests are to be converted under the plan of merger into membership interests in a different domestic or foreign corporation, or eligible interests or other securities, obligations, rights to acquire membership interests, eligible interests or other securities, cash, other property, or any combination of the foregoing; or

b. Who would be entitled to vote as a separate group on a provision in the plan that, if contained in a proposed amendment to the articles of incorporation, would require action by separate voting groups under § 13.1-887.

2. On a plan of merger, if the voting group is entitled under the articles of incorporation to vote as a voting group to approve a plan of merger.

F. Unless the articles of incorporation otherwise provide, approval by the corporation's members of a plan of merger is not required if:

1. The corporation will survive the merger;

2. Except for amendments permitted by subsection B of § 13.1-885, its articles of incorporation will not be changed; and

3. Each person who is a member of the corporation immediately before the effective time of the merger will retain the same membership interest with identical designation, preferences, limitations, and rights immediately after the effective time of the merger.

G. Where any merging corporation has no members, or no members having voting rights, a plan of merger shall be adopted at a meeting of the board of directors of such corporation upon receiving the vote of a majority of the directors in office.

H. If as a result of a merger one or more members of a domestic corporation would become subject to owner liability for the debts, obligations, or liabilities of any other person or entity, approval of the plan of merger shall require the execution by each member of a separate written consent to become subject to such owner liability.

Code 1950, § 13.1-242; 1956, c. 428; 1985, c. 522; 2002, c. 607; 2007, c. 925; 2015, c. 611.

A. After a plan of merger has been adopted and approved as required by this Act, articles of merger shall be executed on behalf of each party to the merger. The articles shall set forth:

1. The plan of merger, the names of the parties to the merger, and, for each party that is a foreign corporation or eligible entity, the name of the state or country under whose law it is incorporated or formed;

2. If the articles of incorporation of a domestic corporation that is the survivor of a merger are amended, or if a new domestic corporation is created as a result of a merger, as an attachment to the articles of merger, the amendments to the survivor's articles of incorporation or the articles of incorporation of the new corporation;

3. The date the plan of merger was adopted by each domestic corporation that was a party to the merger;

4. If the plan of merger required approval by the members of a domestic corporation that was a party to the merger, either:

a. A statement that the plan was approved by the unanimous consent of the members; or

b. A statement that the plan was submitted to the members by the board of directors in accordance with this Act, and a statement of:

(1) The designation of and number of votes entitled to be cast by each voting group entitled to vote separately on the plan; and

(2) Either the total number of votes cast for and against the plan by each voting group entitled to vote separately on the plan or the total number of undisputed votes cast for the plan separately by each voting group and a statement that the number cast for the plan by each voting group was sufficient for approval by that voting group.

5. If the plan of merger was adopted by the directors without approval by the members of a domestic corporation that was a party to the merger, a statement that the plan of merger was duly approved by the vote of a majority of the directors in office, including the reason member approval was not required; and

6. As to each foreign corporation or eligible entity that was a party to the merger, a statement that the participation of the foreign corporation or eligible entity was duly authorized as required by the organic law of the corporation or eligible entity.

B. Articles of merger shall be filed with the Commission by the survivor of the merger. If the Commission finds that the articles of merger comply with the requirements of law and that all required fees have been paid, it shall issue a certificate of merger. Articles of merger filed under this section may be combined with any filing required under the organic law of any domestic eligible entity involved in the transaction if the combined filing satisfies the requirements of both this section and the other organic law.

Code 1950, §§ 13.1-243, 13.1-244; 1956, c. 428; 1975, c. 500; 1985, c. 522; 2000, c. 53; 2003, c. 597; 2007, c. 925; 2009, c. 216.

A. When a merger becomes effective:

1. The domestic or foreign corporation or eligible entity that is designated in the plan of merger as the survivor continues or comes into existence as the case may be;

2. The separate existence of every domestic or foreign corporation or eligible entity that is merged into the survivor ceases;

3. Property owned by and, except to the extent that assignment would violate a contractual prohibition on assignment by operation of law, every contract right possessed by each domestic or foreign corporation or eligible entity that merges into the survivor is vested in the survivor without reversion or impairment;

4. All liabilities of each domestic or foreign corporation or eligible entity that is merged into the survivor are vested in the survivor;

5. The name of the survivor may, but need not be, substituted in any pending proceeding for the name of any party to the merger whose separate existence ceased in the merger;

6. The articles of incorporation or organic document of the survivor is amended to the extent provided in the plan of merger;

7. The articles of incorporation or organic document of a survivor that is created by the merger becomes effective; and

8. The membership interests of each domestic or foreign corporation that is a party to the merger and the eligible interests in an eligible entity that is a party to the merger that are to be converted under the plan of merger into membership interests, eligible interests or other securities, obligations, rights to acquire membership interests, eligible interests or other securities, cash, other property, or any combination of the foregoing, are converted, and the former holders of such membership interests or eligible interests are entitled only to the rights provided to them in the plan of merger or to any rights they may have under the organic law of the eligible entity.

B. Upon a merger's becoming effective, a foreign corporation or a foreign eligible entity that is the survivor of the merger is deemed to appoint the clerk of the Commission as its agent for service of process in a proceeding to enforce the rights of members of each domestic corporation that is a party to the merger.

C. No corporation that is required by law to be a domestic corporation may, by merger, cease to be a domestic corporation, but every such corporation, even though a corporation of some other state, the United States, or another country, shall also be a domestic corporation of the Commonwealth.

Code 1950, § 13.1-245; 1956, c. 428; 1975, c. 500; 1985, c. 522; 2007, c. 925.

A. Unless otherwise provided in the plan of merger or in the laws under which a foreign corporation or a domestic or foreign eligible entity that is a party to a merger is organized or by which it is governed, after a plan of merger has been adopted and approved as required by this article, and at any time before the certificate of merger has become effective, the plan may be abandoned by a domestic corporation that is a party to the plan without action by its members in accordance with any procedures set forth in the plan of merger or, if no such procedures are set forth in the plan, in the manner determined by the board of directors, subject to any contractual rights of other parties to the plan of merger.

B. If a merger is abandoned after the articles of merger have been filed with the Commission but before the certificate of merger has become effective, in order for the certificate of merger to be abandoned, all parties to the plan of merger shall sign a statement of abandonment and deliver it to the Commission for filing prior to the effective time and date of the certificate of merger. If the Commission finds that the statement of abandonment complies with the requirements of law, it shall issue a certificate of abandonment, effective as of the time and date the statement of abandonment was received by the Commission, and the merger shall be deemed abandoned and shall not become effective.

C. The statement of abandonment shall contain:

1. The name of each domestic and foreign corporation and eligible entity that is a party to the merger and its jurisdiction of formation and entity type;

2. When the survivor will be a domestic corporation or domestic stock corporation created by the merger, the name of the survivor set forth in the articles of merger;

3. The date on which the articles of merger were filed with the Commission;

4. The date and time on which the Commission's certificate of merger becomes effective; and

5. A statement that the merger is being abandoned in accordance with this section.

2007, c. 925; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 487.

Repealed by Acts 2007, c. 925, cl. 2.