Registration Procedures (a) If and whenever the Company is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act as provided in Section 2.1, 2.2 or 2.4, the Company shall as promptly as practicable (in each case, to the extent applicable):
(i) prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement to effect such registration, cause such registration statement to become effective at the earliest possible date permitted under the rules and regulations of the Commission, and thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company may discontinue any registration of its securities that are not Registrable Securities at any time prior to the effective date of the registration statement relating to such securities; provided further that before filing such registration statement or any amendments thereto, the Company will furnish to the counsel selected by the Selling Holders copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents will be subject to the review of and comment by such counsel (it being understood that counsel to the Selling Holders will conduct its review and provide any comments promptly);
(ii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith and any Exchange Act reports incorporated by reference therein as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement until the earlier of such time as all of such securities have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Selling Holder(s) set forth in such registration statement or (i) in the case of a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.1, the expiration of 60 days after such registration statement becomes effective or (ii) in the case of a Piggy-Back Registration pursuant to Section 2.2, the expiration of 60 days after such registration statement becomes effective;
(iii) furnish to each Selling Holder and each underwriter, if any, of the securities being sold by such Selling Holder such number of conformed copies of such registration statement and of each amendment and supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits), such number of copies of the prospectus contained in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus and any summary prospectus) and any other prospectus filed under Rule 424 under the Securities Act, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such number of copies of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and such other documents as such Selling Holder and underwriter, if any, may reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Selling Holder; provided, however, that no reports or documents need to be furnished to the extent they have been filed with the Commission and are publicly available on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system.
(iv) use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement under such other securities laws or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any Selling Holder and any underwriter of the securities being sold by such Selling Holder shall reasonably request, and take any other action which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Selling Holder and underwriter to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities owned by such Selling Holder, except that the Company shall not for any such purpose be required to qualify generally to do business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction wherein it would not but for the requirements of this clause (iv) be obligated to be so qualified, to subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction or to file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction;
(v) use best efforts to cause such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed and, if no such securities are so listed, use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registrable Securities to be listed on the NYSE or the Nasdaq Stock Market;
(vi) use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the Selling Holder(s) thereof to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;
(vii) in connection with an underwritten offering, obtain for each underwriter:
(1) an opinion of counsel for the Company, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings and such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such underwriters, and
(2) a “comfort” letter signed by the independent registered public accountants who have certified the Company’s financial statements included in such registration statement (and, if necessary, any other independent registered public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company or any business acquired by the Company from which financial statements and financial data are, or are required to be, included in the registration statement);
(viii) promptly make available for inspection by any Selling Holder, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to any registration statement, and any attorney, accountant or other agent or representative retained by any Selling Holder or underwriter (collectively, the “Inspectors”), all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company (collectively, the “Records”), as shall be reasonably necessary to enable such Selling Holder or underwriter to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information requested by any such Inspector in connection with such registration statement promptly; provided, however, that, unless the disclosure of such Records is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in the registration statement or the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction, the Company shall not be required to provide any information under this clause (viii) if (i) the Company believes, after consultation with counsel for the Company, that to do so would cause the Company to forfeit an attorney-client privilege that was applicable to such information or (ii) if either (A) the Company has requested and been granted from the Commission confidential treatment of such information contained in any filing with the Commission or documents provided supplementally or otherwise or (B) the Company reasonably determines in good faith that such Records are confidential and so notifies the Inspectors in writing unless prior to furnishing any such information with respect to (i) or (ii) such Selling Holder agrees, and causes each of the Inspectors to agree, to enter into a confidentiality agreement on terms reasonably acceptable to the Company; and provided further that each of the Selling Holders agree that it will, upon learning that disclosure of such Records is sought in a court of competent jurisdiction, give notice to the Company and allow the Company, at its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of the Records deemed confidential;
(ix) promptly notify in writing each Selling Holder and the underwriters, if any, of the following events:
(1) the filing of the registration statement, the prospectus or any prospectus supplement related thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment to the registration statement, and, with respect to the registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective;
(2) any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the registration statement or the prospectus or for additional information;
(3) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement or the initiation of any proceedings by any Person for that purpose;
(4) when any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus includes information that may conflict with the information contained in the registration statement; and
(5) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction or the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose;
(x) notify each Selling Holder, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, upon discovery that, or upon the happening of any event as a result of which, the prospectus included in such registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and, at the request of any Selling Holder, promptly prepare and furnish to such Selling Holder a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(xi) use every reasonable best effort to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement;
(xii) use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make available to the Selling Holders, as promptly as practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least 12 months, but not more than 18 months, beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full quarter after the effective date of such registration statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder (or any successor rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission);
(xiii) cooperate with the Selling Holders and any underwriter to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (which shall not bear any restrictive legends unless required under applicable law), if necessary or appropriate, representing securities sold under any registration statement, and enable such securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the managing underwriter or such Selling Holder may request and keep available and make available to the Company’s transfer agent prior to the effectiveness of such registration statement a supply of such certificates as necessary or appropriate;
(xiv) have appropriate officers of the Company prepare and participate in customary “road shows” as requested by the managing underwriter(s);
(xv) have appropriate officers of the Company, and cause representatives of the Company’s independent registered public accountants to, participate in any due diligence discussions reasonably requested by any Selling Holder or any underwriter;
(xvi) if requested by any underwriter, agree, and cause the Company, any directors or officers of the Company to agree, to be bound by customary “lock-up” agreements restricting the ability to dispose of Company securities;
(xvii) if requested by any Selling Holders or any underwriter, promptly incorporate in the registration statement or any prospectus, pursuant to a supplement or post-effective amendment if necessary, such information as such Selling Holders may reasonably request to have included therein, including, without limitation, information relating to the “Plan of Distribution” of the Registrable Securities;
(xviii) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter that is required to be undertaken in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA;
(xix) otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate as reasonably requested by the Selling Holders and the underwriters in the offering, marketing or selling of the Registrable Securities;
(xx) otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and all reporting requirements under the rules and regulations of the Exchange Act; and
(xxi) use commercially reasonable efforts to take any action requested by the Selling Holders, including any action described in clauses (i) through (xx) above to prepare for and facilitate any “over-night deal” or other proposed sale of Registrable Securities over a limited time frame. The Company may require each Selling Holder and each underwriter, if any, to furnish the Company in writing such information regarding each Selling Holder or underwriter and the distribution of such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request to complete or amend the information required by such registration statement.
(b) Without limiting any of the foregoing, in the event that the offering of Registrable Securities is to be made by or through an underwriter, the Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with a managing underwriter or underwriters containing representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements customarily included (but not inconsistent with the covenants and agreements of the Company contained herein) by an issuer of common stock in underwriting agreements with respect to offerings of common stock for the account of, or on behalf of, such issuers. In connection with any offering of Registrable Securities registered pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall furnish to the underwriter, if any (or, if no underwriter, the Selling Holder), unlegended certificates representing ownership of the Registrable Securities being sold (unless, in the Company’s sole discretion, such Registrable Securities are to be issued in uncertificated form pursuant to the customary arrangements for issuing shares in such form), in such denominations as requested, and instruct any transfer agent and registrar of the Registrable Securities to release any stop transfer order with respect thereto. Each Selling Holder agrees that upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 2.7(a)(x), such Selling Holder shall forthwith discontinue such Selling Holder’s disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the applicable registration statement and prospectus relating thereto until such Selling Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 2.7(a)(ix) and, if so directed by the Company, deliver to the Company, at the Company’s expense, all copies, other than permanent file copies, then in such Selling Holder’s possession of the prospectus current at the time of receipt of such notice relating to such Registrable Securities. In the event the Company shall give such notice, any applicable 60 day period during which such registration statement must remain effective pursuant to this Agreement shall be extended by the number of days during the period from the date of giving of a notice regarding the happening of an event of the kind described in Section 2.7(a)(ix) to the date when all such Selling Holders shall receive such a supplemented or amended prospectus and such prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission.
SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Information Provided (a) All forms, reports and other documents required to be filed by the Company with the SEC since January 1, 2001 (including those that the Company may file after the date hereof until the Closing) are referred to herein as the “Company SEC Reports.” Except as set forth in Section 3.4 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company SEC Reports (i) were or will be filed on a timely basis and (ii) were or will be prepared in compliance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, and the Exchange Act, as the case may be, applicable to such Company SEC Reports. None of the Company SEC Reports when filed, after giving effect to any amendments and supplements thereto filed prior to the date hereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. None of the Company’s Subsidiaries has filed, or is obligated to file, any forms, reports, schedules, statements or other documents with the SEC. As used in this Section 3.4(a), the term “filed” shall be broadly construed to include any manner in which a document or information is furnished, supplied or otherwise made available to the SEC.
(b) Each of the consolidated financial statements (including, in each case, any related notes and schedules) contained or to be contained in the Company SEC Reports (i) complied or will comply as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, (ii) were or will be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes to such financial statements or, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by the SEC on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act or for normal year-end adjustments) and (iii) fairly presented or will fairly present the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods indicated, except that the unaudited interim financial statements were or are subject to normal and recurring year-end adjustments that have not been and are not expected to be material to the Company. The unaudited balance sheet of the Company as of June 30, 2004 is referred to herein as the “Company Balance Sheet.”
(c) The information to be supplied by the Company for inclusion in the registration statement on Form S-4 pursuant to which the Company Series A Preferred Stock issued in the Merger and the Company Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Company Series A Preferred Stock will be registered under the Securities Act (including any amendments or supplements, the “Registration Statement”), shall not at the time the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated in the Registration Statement or necessary in order to make the statements in the Registration Statement not misleading. The information to be supplied by the Company for inclusion in the joint proxy statement/prospectus (the “Proxy Statement”) to be sent to the stockholders of the Company in connection with the meeting of the Company’s stockholders to consider the adoption of this Agreement and the Merger (the “Company Meeting”) and the Partners in connection with the Fund Consent Solicitation (as herein defined) shall not, on the date the Proxy Statement is first mailed to stockholders of the Company and the Partners, at the time of the Company Meeting and at the Effective Time, contain any statement which, at such time and in light of the circumstances under which it shall be made, is false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made in the Proxy Statement not false or misleading; or omit to state any material fact necessary to correct any statement in any earlier communication with respect to the solicitation of proxies for the Company Meeting or the solicitation of consents in connection with the Fund Consent Solicitation which has become false or misleading. If at any time prior to the Effective Time any event relating to the Company, any Affiliate (as defined below) of the Company, or any officers or directors of any of them, should be discovered by the Company which should be set forth in an amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the Proxy Statement, the Company shall promptly inform the Fund. As used in this Agreement, the term
