1
EXHIBIT 1.1
1,400,000 Shares of Common Stock
and
1,400,000 Redeemable Common Stock Purchase Warrants
of
KARTS INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Atlanta, Georgia
May ___, 1997
ARGENT SECURITIES, INC.
0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, X.X.
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Gentlemen:
Karts International Incorporated, a Nevada corporation (the
"Company"), confirms its agreement with Argent Securities, Inc. ("Argent"), and
each of the other underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (collectively, the
"Underwriters," which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as
hereinafter provided in Section 11), for whom Argent is acting as
representative (in such capacity, Argent shall hereinafter be referred to as
the "Representative"), with respect to the sale by the Company, and the
purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of One Million
Four Hundred Thousand (1,400,000) shares (the "Shares") of the Company's common
stock, par value $.001 per share (the "Common Stock"), and One Million Four
Hundred Thousand (1,400,000) Redeemable Common Stock Purchase Warrants (the
"Redeemable Warrants") ("Firm Securities"), each of the Redeemable Warrants
entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Common Stock at an
exercise price of $______ per share pursuant to a warrant agreement (the
"Warrant Agreement") between the Company and the warrant agent, set forth in
Schedule II, and with respect to the grant by the Company to the Underwriters,
acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b)
hereof to purchase all or any part of 210,000 additional Shares and 210,000
Redeemable Warrants (the "Additional Securities") for the purpose of covering
over-allotments, if any. The aforesaid Firm Securities together with all or any
part of the Additional Securities are hereinafter collectively referred to as
the "Securities." The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the
Underwriters for an approximate price of $140 ($0.001 per warrant),
non-callable warrants entitling the Underwriters' to purchase from the Company
an Underwriters'
Page 1
2
Warrant (the "Underwriters' Warrant") for the purchase of an aggregate of
140,000 Shares (the "Underwriters' Shares") and 140,000 Redeemable Common Stock
Purchase Warrants (the "Underwriters' Warrants"). The shares of Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Redeemable Warrants and the Underwriters'
Warrants are hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "Warrant Shares." The
Shares, the Redeemable Warrants, the Common Stock and Underwriters' Shares,
Underwriters' Warrants, and the Warrant Shares are more fully described in the
Registration Statement (as defined in Subsection 1(a) hereof) and the
Prospectus (as defined in Subsection 1(a) hereof) referred to below. Unless the
context otherwise requires, all references to the "Company" shall include all
subsidiaries (as defined in Subsection 2(c) hereof) referred to below and
identified in the Prospectus, as if separately stated herein. All
representations, warranties and opinions of counsel shall cover such
subsidiaries.
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters as of the
date hereof, and as of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, (as
defined in Subsection 2 (c) hereof), if any, as follows:
(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") in accordance with the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the "Act"), a
registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form SB-2
(File No. 333-24145) under the Act (the "Registration Statement"), including a
prospectus subject to completion relating to the Shares and Redeemable Warrants
which registration statement and any amendment or amendments have been prepared
by the Company in material compliance with the requirements of the Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act. The term "Registration
Statement" as used in this Agreement means the registration statement
(including all financial schedules and exhibits), as amended at the time it
becomes effective, or, if the registration statement became effective prior to
the execution of this Agreement, as supplemented or amended prior to the
execution of this Agreement. If it is contemplated, at the time this Agreement
is executed, that a post-effective amendment to the registration statement
will be filed and must be declared effective before the offering of the Shares
may commence, the term "Registration Statement" as used in this Agreement means
the registration statement as amended by said post-effective amendment. If an
abbreviated registration statement is prepared and filed with the Commission in
accordance with Rule 462(b) under the Act (an "Abbreviated Registration
Statement"), the term "Registration Statement" as used in this Agreement
includes the Abbreviated Registration Statement. The term "Prospectus" as used
in this Agreement means the prospectus in the form included in the Registration
Statement, or, if the prospectus included in the Registration Statement omits
information in reliance on Rule 430A under the Act and such information is
included in a prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act, the term "Prospectus" as used in this Agreement means the
prospectus in the form included in the Registration Statement as supplemented
by the addition of the Rule 430A information contained in the prospectus filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b). The term "Preliminary Prospectus"
as used in this Agreement means the prospectus subject to completion in the
form included in the registration
Page 2
3
statement at the time of the initial filing of the registration statement with
the Commission, and as such prospectus shall have been amended from time to
time prior to the date of the Prospectus.
(b) Neither the Commission nor any state regulatory
authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any part
thereof and no proceedings for a stop order have been instituted or are pending
or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened. Each of the Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement and Prospectus at the time of filing
thereof conformed in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and
the Rules and Regulations, and neither the Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus at the time of filing thereof contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein and necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except
that this representation and warranty does not apply to statements made or
statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by or on behalf of
the Underwriters expressly for use in such Preliminary Prospectus, Registration
Statement or Prospectus.
(c) When the Registration Statement becomes effective and
at all times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date and each Option Closing
Date and during such longer period as the Prospectus may be required to be
delivered in connection with sales by the Underwriters or a dealer, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus will contain all material statements
which are required to be stated therein in material compliance with the Act and
the Rules and Regulations, and will in all material respects conform to the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations; neither the Registration
Statement, nor any amendment thereto, at the time the Registration Statement or
such amendment is declared effective under the Act, will contain any 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 not misleading, and
the Prospectus at the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, at the
Closing Date and at any Option Closing Date, will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this
representation and warranty does not apply to statements made or statements
omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with information supplied to the
Company in writing by or on behalf of the Underwriters expressly for use in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto.
(d) The Company has been duly organized and is now, and
at the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date will be, validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada. Other than
the Company's Subsidiaries (as defined in Section (e)), the Company does not
own, directly or indirectly, an interest in any corporation, partnership,
trust, joint venture or other business entity; provided, that the foregoing
shall not be applicable to the investment of the net proceeds from the sale of
the Securities in short-term, low-risk investments as set forth under "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus. The Company is duly qualified and licensed
Page 3
4
and in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its
ownership or leasing of its properties or the character of its operations
require such qualification or licensing, except where the failure to so
register or qualify does not have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or other), business, properties, net worth or results of operations
of the Company and the subsidiaries taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse
Effect"). The Company has all requisite power and authority (corporate and
other), and has obtained any and all necessary material applications,
approvals, orders, licenses, certificates, franchises and permits of and from
all governmental or regulatory officials and bodies (including, without
limitation, those having jurisdiction over environmental or similar matters),
to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus; the Company is and has been doing business in compliance with all
such authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates, franchises and
permits and all material federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and
regulations; and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings
relating to the revocation or modification of any such authorization, approval,
order, license, certificate, franchise, or permit which, singly or in the
aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The disclosures in the
Registration Statement concerning the effects of federal, state, local, and
foreign laws, rules and regulations on the Company's business as currently
conducted and as contemplated are correct in all material respects and do not
omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained
therein not misleading in light of the circumstances in which they were made.
(e) The Company's subsidiaries (collectively, the
"Subsidiaries") include Xxxxxxx'x Thunder Karts, Inc. and USA Industries, Inc.
Each Subsidiary is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing in the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with full corporate power
and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business, and is duly registered and qualified to conduct its business and is
in good standing in each jurisdiction or place where the nature of its
properties or the conduct of its business requires such registration or
qualification, except where the failure so to register or qualify does not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries, have been duly
authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, and are owned
by the Company directly, or indirectly through one of the other Subsidiaries,
free and clear of any lien, adverse claim, security interest, equity or other
encumbrance.
(f) The Company has a duly authorized, issued and
outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus under
"Capitalization" and will have the adjusted capitalization set forth therein on
the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, based upon the
assumptions set forth therein, and the Company is not a party to or bound by
any instrument, agreement or other arrangement providing for the Company to
issue any capital stock, rights, warrants, options or other securities, except
for this Agreement and as otherwise described in the Prospectus. The
Securities, the Additional Securities, Underwriters Shares, the Underwriter's
Warrants, and the Warrant Shares and all other securities issued or issuable by
the Company conform or, when issued and paid for, will conform in all material
respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus. All issued and outstanding securities of the
Company have been duly
Page 4
5
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the
holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not
subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such
securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of
any security of the Company, or similar contractual rights granted by the
Company. The Securities, the Additional Securities, the Underwriters' Shares,
and the Underwriter's Warrants to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder,
and the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Redeemable Warrants and
the Underwriter's Warrants and payment therefor, are not and will not be
subject to any preemptive or other similar rights of any stockholder, have been
duly authorized and, when issued, paid for and delivered in accordance with the
terms hereof and thereof, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable
and will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained
in the Prospectus; the holders thereof will not be subject to any liability
solely as such holders; all corporate action required to be taken for the
authorization, issue and sale of the Securities, the Additional Securities, the
Underwriters' Shares, and the Underwriter's Warrants, and the Warrant Shares
has been duly and validly taken; and the certificates representing the
Securities, the Underwriter's Warrants, and the Warrant Shares will be in due
and proper form. Upon the issuance and delivery pursuant to the terms hereof of
the Securities to be sold by the Company hereunder, the Underwriters will
acquire good and marketable title to such Securities free and clear of any
lien, charge, claim, encumbrance, pledge, security interest, defect or other
restriction or equity of any kind whatsoever.
(g) The financial statements of the Company, together
with the related notes and schedules thereto, included in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus fairly present the
financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the
respective dates and for the respective periods to which they apply; and such
financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the periods involved.
There has been no material adverse change or development involving a
prospective change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs, position, prospects, value, operation, properties,
business, or results of operation of the Company, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, since the dates of the financial statements
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the outstanding
debt, the property, both tangible and intangible, and the business of the
Company, conforms in all material respects to the descriptions thereof
contained in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus.
(h) X. X. Xxxxxxxx + Associates, whose report is filed
with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, is an independent
certified public accountant as required by the Act.
(i) The Company (i) has paid all federal, state, local,
and foreign taxes for which it is liable, including, but not limited to,
withholding taxes and taxes payable under Chapters 21 through 24 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code"), (ii) has furnished all tax and
information returns it is required to furnish pursuant to the Code, and has
established adequate reserves for such taxes which are not due and payable, and
(iii) does not have knowledge of any tax
Page 5
6
deficiency or claims outstanding, proposed or assessed against it (other than
certain state or local tax returns, as to which the failure to file, singly or
in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.)
(j) The Company maintains insurance, which is in full
force and effect, of the types and in the amounts which it reasonably believes
to be necessary for its business, including, but not limited to, personal and
product liability insurance covering all personal and real property owned or
leased by the Company against fire, theft, damage and all risks customarily
insured against.
(k) There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry,
investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding (including, without
limitation, those having jurisdiction over environmental or similar matters),
domestic or foreign, pending (to the knowledge of the Company) or threatened
against (or circumstances known to the Company that may give rise to the same),
or involving the properties or business of the Company which: (i) is required
to be disclosed in the Registration Statement which is not so disclosed (and
such proceedings as are summarized in the Registration Statement are accurately
summarized in all respects); or (ii) singly or in the aggregate would have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(l) The Company has full legal right, power and authority
to enter into this Agreement, the Underwriters' Warrant and the Warrant
Agreement and to consummate the transactions provided for in such agreements;
and this Agreement, the Underwriters' Warrant and the Warrant Agreement have
each been duly and properly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
Each of this Agreement, the Underwriters' Warrant and the Warrant Agreement,
constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company, subject to due
authorization, execution and delivery by the Representative and/or the
Underwriters, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms
(except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws of general application
relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors' rights and the application
of equitable principles in any action, legal or equitable, and except as rights
to indemnity or contribution may be limited by applicable law). Neither the
Company's execution or delivery of this Agreement, the Underwriters' Warrant,
and the Warrant Agreement, its performance hereunder and thereunder, its
consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, nor the
conduct of its business as described in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto, conflicts with or will
conflict with or results or will result in any breach or violation of any of
the terms or provisions of, or constitutes or will constitute a default under,
or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge, claim,
encumbrance, pledge, security interest defect or other restriction or equity of
any kind whatsoever upon any property or assets (tangible or intangible) of the
Company pursuant to the terms of: (i) the Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws
of the Company; (ii) any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, voting trust agreement, stockholders agreement, note, loan or credit
agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party
or by which the Company is bound or to which any of its properties or assets
(tangible or intangible) is or may be subject, other than conflicts that,
singly or in the aggregate, will not have a Material
Page 6
7
Adverse Effect; or (iii) any statute, judgment, decree, order, rule or
regulation applicable to the Company of any arbitrator, court, regulatory body
or administrative agency or other governmental agency or body (including,
without limitation, those having jurisdiction over environmental or similar
matters), domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of
its activities or properties.
(m) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, and
no filing with, any court, regulatory body, government agency or other body,
domestic or foreign, is required for the issuance of the Securities pursuant to
the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the performance of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, except such as have been or
may be obtained under the Act or may be required under state securities or Blue
Sky laws in connection with (i) the Underwriters' purchase and distribution of
the Securities to be sold by the Company hereunder; or (ii) the issuance and
delivery of the Underwriters' Warrant, the Underwriters' Shares, the
Underwriter's Warrants, the Redeemable Warrants or the Warrant Shares.
(n) All executed agreements or copies of executed
agreements filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement to which the Company
is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of its assets,
properties or businesses may be subject have been duly and validly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company, and constitute the legal, valid and
binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against it in accordance with
its respective terms. The descriptions contained in the Registration Statement
of contracts and other documents are accurate in all material respects and
fairly present the information required to be shown with respect thereto by the
Act and the Rules and Regulations and there are no material contracts or other
documents which are required by the Act or the Rules and Regulations to be
described in the Registration Statement or filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement which are not described or filed as required, and the
exhibits which have been filed are complete and correct copies of the documents
of which they purport to be copies.
(o) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, and
except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or therein, the
Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or
obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money in any material amount;
(ii) entered into any transaction other than in the ordinary course of
business; (iii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on
or in respect of its capital stock; or (iv) made any changes in capital stock,
material changes in debt (long or short term) or liabilities other than in the
ordinary course of business, material changes in or affecting the general
affairs, management, financial operations, stockholders equity or results of
operations of the Company.
(p) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, and
except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or therein, no
default exists in the due performance and observance of any material term,
covenant or condition of any license, contract, indenture, mortgage,
installment sales agreement,
Page 7
8
lease, deed of trust, voting trust agreement, stockholders agreement, note,
loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an
obligation for borrowed money, or any other agreement or instrument to which
the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of
the property or assets (tangible or intangible) of the Company is subject or
affected.
(q) To the best knowledge of the Company, the Company has
generally enjoyed a satisfactory employer-employee relationship with its
employees and is in compliance in all material respects with all federal,
state, local, and foreign laws and regulations respecting employment and
employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours.
(r) To the best knowledge of the Company, since its
inception, the Company has not incurred any liability arising under or as a
result of the application of the provisions of the Act.
(s) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, and
except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or therein, the
Company does not presently maintain, sponsor or contribute to, and never has
maintained, sponsored or contributed to, any program or arrangement that is an
"employee pension benefit plan," an "employee welfare benefit plan" or a
"multi-employer plan" as such terms are defined in Sections 3(2), 3(l) and
3(37) respectively of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended ("ERISA") ("ERISA Plans"). The Company does not maintain or contribute,
now or at any time previously, to a defined benefit plan, as defined in Section
3(35) of ERISA.
(t) The Company is not in violation in any material
respect of any domestic or foreign laws, ordinances or governmental rules or
regulations to which it is subject, except to the extent that any such
violation would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(u) No holders of any securities of the Company or of any
options, warrants or other convertible or exchangeable securities of the
Company exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable for securities of the
Company have the right to include any securities issued by the Company in the
Registration Statement or any registration statement to be filed by the Company
within twelve (12) months of the date hereof or to require the Company to file
a registration statement under the Act during such twelve (12) month period,
except such registration rights as have been waived or disclosed in the
Prospectus.
(v) Neither the Company, nor, to the Company's best
knowledge, any of its employees, directors, principal stockholders or
affiliates (within the meaning of the Rules and Regulations) has taken,
directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which has constituted or
which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange
Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security
of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or otherwise.
Page 8
9
(w) Except as described in the Prospectus, to the best of
the Company's knowledge, none of the patents, patent applications, trademarks,
service marks, trade names and copyrights, or licenses and rights to the
foregoing presently owned or held by the Company is in dispute or are in any
conflict with the right of any other person or entity within the Company's
current area of operations nor has the Company received notice of any of the
foregoing. To the best of the Company's knowledge, the Company: (i) owns or
has the right to use, free and clear of all liens, charges, claims,
encumbrances, pledges, security interests, defects or other restrictions or
equities of any kind whatsoever, all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade
names and copyrights, technology and licenses and rights with respect to the
foregoing, used in the conduct of its business as now conducted or proposed to
be conducted without infringing upon or otherwise acting adversely to the right
or claimed right of any person, corporation or other entity under or with
respect to any of the foregoing; and (ii) except as set forth in the
Prospectus, is not obligated or under any liability whatsoever to make any
payments by way of royalties, fees or otherwise to any owner or licensee of, or
other claimant to, any patent, trademark, service xxxx, trade name, copyright,
know-how, technology or other intangible asset, with respect to the use thereof
or in connection with the conduct of its business or otherwise.
(x) Except as described in the Prospectus, to the best of
the Company's knowledge, the Company owns and has the unrestricted right to use
all material trade secrets, trademarks, trade names, know-how (including all
other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information,
systems or procedures), inventions, designs, processes, works of authorship,
computer programs and technical data and information (collectively herein
"Intellectual Property") required for or incident to the development,
manufacture, operation and sale of all products and services sold or proposed
to be sold by the Company, free and clear of and without violating any right,
lien, or claim of others, including without limitation, former employers of its
employees; provided, however, that the possibility exists that other persons or
entities, completely independently of the Company, or employees or agents,
could have developed trade secrets or items of technical information similar or
identical to those of the Company.
(y) The Company has good and marketable title to, or
valid and enforceable leasehold estates in, all items of real and personal
property owned or leased by it free and clear of all liens, charges, claims,
encumbrances, pledges, security interests, defects, or other restrictions or
equities of any kind whatsoever, other than those referred to in the Prospectus
and liens for taxes or assessments not yet due and payable.
(z) The Company has obtained such duly executed legally
binding and enforceable agreements as required by the Representative pursuant
to which the Company's President and certain Directors and affiliates described
in the Prospectus, have agreed not to, directly or indirectly, offer to sell,
sell, grant any option for the sale of, assign, transfer, pledge, hypothecate
or otherwise encumber any of their shares of Common Stock or other securities
of the Company (either pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules and Regulations or
otherwise) or dispose of any beneficial
Page 9
10
interest therein for certain periods of up to __ months subject to earlier
release upon the Company's achievement of certain performance thresholds,
following the effective date of the Registration Statement without the prior
written consent of the Representative. The Company will cause the Transfer
Agent, as defined below, to xxxx an appropriate legend on the face of stock
certificates representing all of such shares of Common Stock and other
securities of the Company.
(aa) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company
has not incurred any liability and there are no arrangements or understandings
for services in the nature of a finder's or origination fee with respect to the
sale of the Securities or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings,
payments or issuances with respect to the Company or any of its officers,
directors, employees or affiliates that may adversely affect the Underwriters'
compensation, as determined by the NASD.
(bb) The Securities have been approved for quotation on
the Nasdaq SmallCap Market of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., subject to
official notice of issuance.
(cc) Neither the Company nor to the Company's best
knowledge any of its respective officers, employees, agents or any other person
acting on behalf of the Company, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed
to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions
to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier,
employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any
governmental agency (domestic or foreign) or instrumentality of any government
(domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic
or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or
hinder the business of the Company (or assist the Company in connection with
any actual or proposed transaction) which: (a) might subject the Company, or
any other such person to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or
governmental litigation or proceeding (domestic or foreign); (b) if not given
in the past, might have had a materially adverse effect on the assets, business
or operations of the Company; or (c) if not continued in the future, might
adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company.
The Company's internal accounting controls are sufficient to cause the Company
to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Xxx 0000, as amended.
(dd) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, and to the
best knowledge of the Company, no officer, director or principal stockholder of
the Company, or any "affiliate" or "associate" (as these terms are defined in
Rule 405 promulgated under the Rules and Regulations) of any such person or
entity or the Company, has or has had, either directly or indirectly, (i) an
interest in any person or entity which (A) furnishes or sells services or
products which are furnished or sold or are proposed to be furnished or sold by
the Company, or (B) purchases from or sells or furnishes to the Company any
goods or services, except with respect to the beneficial ownership of not more
than 1% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any publicly-held entity;
or (ii) a beneficial interest in any contract or agreement to which the Company
is a party or by which it may be bound or affected. Except as set forth in the
Prospectus under "Certain Relationships and Related
Page 10
11
Transactions," there are no existing agreements, arrangements, understandings
or transactions, or proposed agreements, arrangements, understandings or
transactions, between or among the Company, and any officer, director, or
principal stockholder of the Company, or any affiliate or associate of any such
person or entity, which is required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 of
Regulation S-B.
(ee) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company
and delivered to the Underwriters or to the Underwriters' Counsel shall be
deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to
the matters covered thereby.
(ff) The Company has entered into an employment agreement
with V. Xxxx Xxxxxxxx as described in the Prospectus. Unless waived by the
Representative, the Company shall use its reasonable efforts at reasonable cost
to obtain a key-man life insurance policy in the amount of not less than
$1,000,000 on the life of Xx. Xxxxxxxx, which policy shall be owned by the
Company and shall name the Company as the sole beneficiary thereunder.
(gg) No securities of the Company have been sold by the
Company since its date of incorporation, except as disclosed in Part II of the
Registration Statement.
(hh) The minute books of the Company have been made
available to Underwriter's Counsel and contain a complete summary of all
meetings and actions of the Board of Directors and Shareholders of the Company
since the date of its incorporation.
2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities, Additional
Securities and Agreement to Issue Underwriters' Warrant.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter,
and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the
Company at the price per share and the price per warrant set forth below, that
proportion of the number of Common Stock and Redeemable Warrants set forth in
Schedule I opposite the name of such Underwriter that such number of Common
Stock and Redeemable Warrants bears to the total number of shares of Common
Stock and Redeemable Warrants, respectively, subject to such adjustment as the
Underwriters in their discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases
of fractional Securities, plus any additional numbers of Securities which such
Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of
Section 11 hereof.
(b) In addition, on the basis of the representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements, herein contained, but subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to
the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional
210,000 Shares from the Company and 210,000 Redeemable Warrants at the prices
set forth below. The option granted hereby will expire 45 days after the date
of this Agreement, and may be
Page 11
12
exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of
covering over-allotments which may be made in connection with the offering and
distribution of the Additional Securities upon notice by the Representative to
the Company setting forth the number of Additional Securities as to which the
Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment
and delivery for such Additional Securities. Any such time and date of delivery
shall be determined by the Underwriters, but shall not be later than seven full
business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the
Closing Date, as defined in paragraph (c) below, unless otherwise agreed to
between the Representative and the Company. In the event such option is
exercised, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, shall
purchase such number of Option Securities then being purchased which shall have
been allocated to such Underwriter by the Representative, and which such
Underwriter shall have agreed to purchase, subject in each case to such
adjustments as the Underwriters in their discretion shall make to eliminate any
sales or purchases of fractional Securities. Nothing herein contained shall
obligate the Underwriters to make any over-allotments. No Additional Securities
shall be delivered unless the Firm Securities shall be simultaneously delivered
or shall theretofore have been delivered as herein provided.
(c) Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Firm Securities shall be made at the offices of counsel
to the Representative in Atlanta, Georgia, or at such other place as shall be
agreed upon by the Underwriters and the Company. Such delivery and payment
shall be made at 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on ___________, 1997 or at
such other time and date as shall be designated by the Representative but not
less than three (3) nor more than five (5) business days after the effective
date of the Registration Statement (such time and date of payment and delivery
being hereafter called "Closing Date"). In addition, in the event that any or
all of the Additional Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of
the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for such Additional
Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned office or at such other place
and at such time (such time and date of payment and delivery being hereinafter
called "Option Closing Date") as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and
the Company on each Option Closing Date as specified in the notice from the
Representative to the Company. Delivery of the certificates for the Additional
Securities and the Additional Securities, if any, shall be made to the
Underwriters against payment by the Underwriters of the purchase price for the
Securities and the Option Securities, if any, to the order of the Company as
the case may be by certified check in New York Clearing House funds or, at the
election of the Representative, all or a portion of the funds may be paid by
Bank wire transfer of funds or by Representative's commercial check.
Certificates for the Firm Securities and the Additional Securities, if any,
shall be in definitive, fully registered form, shall bear no restrictive
legends and shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the
Underwriters may request in writing at least two (2) business days prior to
Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The
certificates or the Depository Trust Corporation electronic notifications, as
the case may be, for the Securities and the Additional Securities, if any,
shall be made available to the Underwriters at the above-mentioned office or
such other place as the Underwriters may designate for inspection, checking and
packaging no later than 9:30 a.m. on the last business day prior to Closing
Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case may be.
Page 12
13
The purchase price of the Common Stock and Redeemable
Warrants to be paid by each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to
the Company for the Securities purchased under Clauses (a) and (b) above will
be $______ per Share and $______ per Redeemable Warrant (which price is net of
the Underwriters' discount and commissions). The Company shall not be obligated
to sell any Securities hereunder unless all Securities to be sold by the
Company are purchased hereunder. The Company agrees to issue and sell 1,400,000
shares of the Common Stock and the Company agrees to issue and sell 1,400,000
Redeemable Warrants to the Underwriters in accordance herewith.
(d) On the Closing Date, the Company shall issue and sell
to the Underwriters the Underwriters' Warrant at a purchase price of $140.00,
which purchase option shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase an
aggregate of 140,000 Shares and 140,000 Warrants. The Underwriters' Purchase
Option shall be exercisable for a period of four (4) years commencing one (1)
year from the closing date of the Registration Statement at an initial exercise
price equal to one hundred twenty percent (145%) of the initial public offering
price of the Shares and Redeemable Warrants. The Underwriter's Purchase Option
Agreement and form of Purchase Option Certificate shall be substantially in the
form filed as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement. Payment for the
Underwriters' Warrant shall be made on Closing Date. The Company has reserved
and shall continue to reserve a sufficient number of Shares for issuance upon
exercise of the Underwriters' Warrant.
3. Public Offering of the Securities. As soon after the
Registration Statement becomes effective and as the Representative deems
advisable, but in no event more than three (3) business days after such
effective date, the Underwriters shall make a public offering of the securities
(other than to residents of or in any jurisdiction in which qualification of
the Securities is required and has not become effective) at the price and upon
the other terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Underwriters may allow such
concessions and discounts upon sales to other dealers as set forth in the
Prospectus.
4. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees
with each of the Underwriters as follows:
(a) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement and any amendments thereto to become effective as
promptly as practicable and will not at any time, whether before or after the
effective date of the Registration Statement, file any amendment to the
Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or file any document
under the Exchange Act (i) before termination of the offering of the Securities
by the Underwriters, which the Underwriters shall not previously have been
advised and furnished with a copy, or (ii) to which the Underwriters shall have
objected or (iii) which is not in compliance with the Act, the Exchange Act or
the Rules and Regulations.
Page 13
14
(b) As soon as the Company is advised or obtains
knowledge thereof, the Company will advise the Underwriters and confirm by
notice in writing: (i) when the Registration Statement, as amended, becomes
effective, if the provisions of Rule 430A promulgated under the Act will be
relied upon, when the Prospectus has been filed in accordance with said Rule
430A and when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement
becomes effective; (ii) of the issuance by the commission of any stop order or
of the initiation, or the threatening of any proceeding, suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any order preventing or
suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or the institution or proceeding for that
purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any
proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for
offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening,
of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt of any comments from
the Commission; and (v) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to
the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or
for additional information. If the Commission or any state securities
commission or regulatory authority shall enter a stop order or suspend such
qualification at any time, the Company will make every effort to obtain
promptly the lifting of such order.
(c) The Company shall file the Prospectus (in form and
substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) or transmit the Prospectus by a
means reasonably calculated to result in filing with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b)(1) (or, if applicable and if consented to by the Underwriters
pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4)) not later than the Commission's close of business
on the earlier of (i) the second business day following the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and (ii) the fifth business day after the effective
date of the Registration Statement.
(d) The Company will give the Underwriters notice of its
intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement
(including any post-effective amendment) or any amendment or supplement to the
Prospectus (including any revised prospectus which the Company proposes for use
by the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities which
differs from the corresponding prospectus on file at the Commission at the time
the Registration Statement becomes effective, whether or not such revised
prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations), will furnish the Underwriters with copies of any such amendment
or supplement a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use,
as the case may be, and will not file any such prospectus to which the
Underwriters or Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxxx ("Underwriters' Counsel") shall reasonably
object.
(e) The Company shall cooperate in good faith with the
Underwriters, and Underwriters' Counsel, at or prior to the time the
Registration Statement becomes effective, in endeavoring to qualify the
Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such
jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably designate, and shall cooperate
with the Underwriters and Underwriters' Counsel in the making of such
applications, and filing such documents and shall furnish such information as
may be required for such purpose; provided, however, the Company shall not be
required to: (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or file a general
Page 14
15
consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction; or (ii) qualify or
"blue sky" in any state which requires a lock-up of inside securities for a
period greater than five (5) years (or such earlier date if the Representative
has exercised the Underwriters' Warrant). In each jurisdiction where such
qualification shall be effected, the Company will, unless the Underwriters
agree that such action is not at the time necessary or advisable, use all
reasonable efforts to file and make such statements or reports at such times as
are or may reasonably be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue
such qualification.
(f) During the time when the Prospectus is required to be
delivered under the Act, the Company shall use all reasonable efforts to comply
with all requirements imposed upon it by the Act and the Exchange Act, as now
and hereafter amended and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in
force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in
the Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Prospectus, or
any amendments or supplements thereto. If at any time when the Prospectus
relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event
shall have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the
Company or Underwriters' Counsel, the Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits 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, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus
to comply with the Act, the Company will notify the Underwriters promptly and
prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement in
accordance with Section 10 of the Act, each such amendment or supplement to be
reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel, and the Company will furnish
to the Underwriters a reasonable number of copies of such amendment or
supplement.
(g) As soon as practicable, but in any event not later
than 45 days after the end of the 12-month period commencing on the day after
the end of the fiscal quarter of the Company during which the effective date of
the Registration Statement occurs (90 days in the event that the end of such
fiscal quarter is the end of the Company's fiscal year), the Company shall make
generally available to its security holders, in the manner specified in Rule
158(b) of the Rules and Regulations, and to the Underwriters, an earnings
statement which will be in such form and detail required by, and will otherwise
comply with, the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158(a) of the
Rules and Regulations, which statement need not be audited unless required by
the Act, covering a period of at least 12 consecutive months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement.
(h) During a period of five (5) years after the date
hereof and provided that the Company is required to file reports with the
Commission under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, the Company will provide the
Representative's director Designee or Attendee, as defined herein, copies of
the below described documents prior to release where applicable and will
furnish to its stockholders and to the Underwriter as soon as practicable,
annual reports (including financial statements audited by independent public
accountants):
Page 15
16
(i) as soon as they are available, copies of all
reports (financial or other) mailed to stockholders;
(ii) as soon as they are available, copies of all
reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission, the
NASD or any securities exchange;
(iii) every press release and every material news
item or article of interest to the financial community in respect of the
Company and any future subsidiaries or their affairs which was released or
prepared by the Company;
(iv) any additional information of a public nature
concerning the Company and any future subsidiaries or their respective
businesses which the Underwriters may reasonably request;
(v) a copy of any Schedule 13D, 13G, 14D-1, 13E-3
or 13E-4 received or filed by the Company from time to time;
(vi) such other information as may be requested
with reference to the property, business, stockholders and affairs of the
Company and its subsidiaries.
During such five-year period, if the Company has active
subsidiaries, the foregoing financial statements will be on a consolidated
basis to the extent that the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are
consolidated, and will be accompanied by similar financial statements for any
significant subsidiary which is not so consolidated.
(i) For as long as the Company is required to file
reports with the Commission under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, the Company
will maintain a Transfer Agent and a Warrant Agent, which may be the same
entity, and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the
Company, a Registrar (which may be the same entity as the Transfer and Warrant
Agent) for its Common Stock and Redeemable Warrants.
(j) The Company will furnish to the Underwriters or
pursuant to the Underwriters' direction, without charge, at such place as the
Underwriters may designate, copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement and any pre-effective or post-effective amendments
thereto (two of which copies will be signed and will include all financial
statements and exhibits), the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements
thereto, including any prospectus prepared after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, in each case as soon as available and in such
quantities as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(k) Neither the Company, nor its officers or directors,
nor affiliates of any of them (within the meaning of the Rules and Regulations)
will take, directly or indirectly, any action
Page 16
17
designed to, or which might in the future reasonably be expected to cause or
result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the
Company.
(1) The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the
sale of the Securities in substantially the manner, and subject to the
provisions, set forth under "Use of Proceeds" in the Prospectus. Except for the
redemption of the Company's outstanding Convertible Preferred Stock as
disclosed in the Prospectus, no portion of the net proceeds will be used
directly or indirectly to acquire any securities issued by the Company.
(m) The Company shall timely file all such reports, forms
or other documents as may be required (including but not limited to a Form SR
as may be required pursuant to Rule 463 under the Act) from time to time, under
the Act, the Exchange Act, and the Rules and Regulations, and all such reports,
forms and documents filed will comply as to form and substance with the
applicable requirements under the Act, the Exchange Act, and the Rules and
Regulations.
(n) The Company shall furnish to the Underwriters as
early as practicable prior to each of the date hereof, the Closing Date and
each Option Closing Date, if any, but no later than two (2) full business days
prior thereto, a copy of the latest available unaudited interim financial
statements of the Company (which in no event shall be as of a date more than
forty-five (45) days prior to the date of the Registration Statement) which
have been read by the Company's independent public accountants, as stated in
their letters to be furnished pursuant to Section 6(k) hereof.
(o) For a period of five (5) years from the Closing Date
(or such earlier date if the Representative has exercised the Underwriters'
Warrant), the Company shall furnish to the Underwriters at the Company's sole
expense, (i) daily consolidated transfer sheets relating to the Securities upon
the Representative's reasonable request; (ii) a list of holders of Securities
upon the Representative's reasonable request; (iii) a list of, if any, the
securities positions of participants in the Depository Trust Company upon the
Representative's reasonable request.
(p) For a period of five (5) years after the effective
date of the Registration Statement (or such earlier date if the Representative
has exercised the Underwriters' Warrant), the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause two (2) individuals (the "Designees") selected by the
Representative to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Company (the
"Board"), if requested by the Representative. Alternatively, the Representative
shall be entitled to appoint an individual who shall be permitted to attend all
meetings of the Board (the "Advisor") and to receive all notices and other
correspondence and communications sent by the Company to members of the Board.
Upon election to the Board, the Designees shall be entitled to call special
meetings of the Board and to serve on the Audit and Compensation Committees.
The Designees may be removed by the Board only for "justifiable cause" as that
term is defined in the Employment Contract between the Company and V. Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx. The Company shall reimburse the Representative's Designees or Advisor
for his or her out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred and authorized in
advance by the Company in connection with his or her attendance of the Board
meetings and a fee equal to the
Page 17
18
amount paid to the other outside directors of the Company. The Designee or
Advisor shall also be entitled to participate in any Stock Option Plans of the
Company for non-employees. To the extent permitted by law, the Company agrees
to indemnify and hold the Designee (as a director or Advisor) and the
Representative harmless against any and all claims, actions, awards and
judgements arising out of his or her service as a director or Advisor and in
the event the Company maintains a liability insurance policy affording coverage
for the action of its officer and directors, to include such Designee and the
Representative as an insured under such policy.
(q) For a period equal to the lesser of (i) five (5)
years from the date hereof, or (ii) the sale to the public of the Warrant
Shares, the Company will use its best efforts not to take any action or actions
which may prevent or disqualify the Company's use of Forms S-1 or, if
applicable, S-2 and S-3 (or other appropriate form) for the registration under
the Act of the Warrant Shares.
(r) For a period of five (5) years from the date hereof,
the Company shall use its best efforts at its cost and expense to maintain the
listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market or NASDAQ National
Market System if the Company meets all of the requirements and qualifications
promulgated by the NASD.
(s) On or before the effective date of the Registration
Statement, the Company shall retain or make arrangements to retain a financial
public relations firm and a publicist reasonably satisfactory to the
Representative which shall be continuously engaged from such engagement date to
a date 24 months from the effective date of the Registration Statement. Upon
the expiration of such two (2) year period, such engagement shall continue
until the expiration of any lock-up period provided for in the Lock-Up
Agreement(s) with certain officers and directors of the Company subject to the
Company's right to terminate any such firm with the consent of the
Underwriter's director Designees. Further, the Company shall engage for a
period of two years at least three firms (one of which shall be the
Representative and one of which shall be Standard & Poor's Stock Reports
Professional Edition) which are reasonably acceptable to the Representative to
provide industry research and advice to the Company. Upon the expiration of
such two-year period, such engagement shall continue until the expiration of
any lock-up period provided hereunder, subject to the Company's right to
terminate any such firm with the consent of the Underwriters' director
designee.
(t) The Company shall (i) file a Form 8-A with the
Commission providing for the registration under the Exchange Act of the
Securities and (ii) promptly take all necessary and appropriate actions to be
included in Standard and Poor's Corporation Descriptions and/or Xxxxx'x OTC
Manual and to continue such inclusion for a period of not less than five (5)
years, as soon as practicable, but in no event more than five (5) business
days' after the effective date of the Registration Statement.
(u) Following the Effective Date of the Registration
Statement and for a period of five (5) years thereafter (or such earlier date
if the Representative has exercised the Underwriters'
Page 18
19
Warrant), the Company shall, at its sole cost and expense, prepare and file
such blue sky trading applications with such jurisdictions as the
Representative may reasonably request after consultation with the Company, and
on the Representative's request, furnish the Underwriters with a secondary
trading survey prepared by securities counsel to the Company.
(v) The Company shall not amend or alter any term of any
written employment agreement nor Lock-Up Agreement between the Company and any
executive officer, director or affiliate, during the term thereof, in a manner
more favorable to such employee or entity, without the express written consent
of the Representative until such time as the Underwriter's Purchase Option has
been exercised in full.
(w) Until the completion of the distribution of the
Securities, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the
Representative and Underwriters' Counsel, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, issue, directly or indirectly, any press release or
other communication or hold any press conference with respect to the Company or
its activities or the offering contemplated hereby, other than trade releases
issued in the ordinary course of the Company's business consistent with past
practices with respect to the Company's operations.
(x) Commencing one (1) year from the date hereof, upon
the exercise of any Warrant, the exercise of which was solicited by the
Underwriters in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the
NASD prevailing at the time of such solicitation, the Company shall pay to the
soliciting Underwriter a fee of 5% of the aggregate exercise price of such
Warrant (the "Warrant Solicitation Fee") within five (5) business days of such
exercise, so long as the Underwriters provided bona fide services in exchange
for the Warrant Solicitation Fee and the Underwriters have been specifically
designated in writing by the holders of the Warrants as the broker. The Company
further agrees that it will not solicit the exercise of any Warrant other than
through the Underwriters, unless either: (i) the Underwriters cannot legally
solicit the exercise of the Warrants at the time of such solicitation; (ii) the
Representative declines, in writing, to solicit the exercise of the Warrants
within five (5) business days of such a written request by the Company; or
(iii) the Representative consents to the solicitation of the exercise of the
Warrants by the Company or another entity.
(y) The Company will use its best efforts to maintain its
registration under the Exchange Act in effect for a period of five (5) years
from the Closing Date.
(z) For a period of twenty-four (24) months commencing on
the Effective Date (or such earlier date if the Representative has exercised
the Underwriters' Warrant), except with the written consent of the
Underwriters, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, the Company
will not issue or sell, directly or indirectly, any shares of its capital
stock, or sell or grant options, or warrants or rights to purchase any shares
of its capital stock, except pursuant to (i) this Agreement, (ii) the
Underwriters' Warrants, (iii) warrants and options of the Company heretofore
issued and described in the Prospectus, and (iv) the grant of options and the
issuance of shares issued
Page 19
20
upon exercise of options issued or to be issued under a stock option plan to be
adopted in the future by the Company with terms that are reasonable for a
public entity the size of the Company which is described in the Prospectus;
except that, during such period, the Company may issue up to ______ shares
pursuant to certain employee stock options as is described in the Prospectus,
and issue securities in connection with an acquisition, merger or similar
transaction, provided that such securities are not publicly registered or
issued pursuant to Regulation S of the Act, and the acquirer of the securities
is not granted registration rights with respect thereto which are effective
prior to 24 months after the Effective Date and until the Underwriter's
Purchase Option is exercised, the Underwriter grants its consent.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the prior sentence, the
Company may not issue any class or series of Preferred Stock for a period of 24
months from the Effective Date without the unanimous vote or consent of all
members of the Board of Directors of the Company. Prior to the Effective Date,
the Company will not issue any options or warrants without the prior written
consent of the Underwriters.
(aa) The Company will not file any registration statement
relating to the offer or sale of any of the Company's securities, including any
registration statement on Form S-8, during the 12 months following the Closing
Date without the Underwriters' prior written consent.
(bb) Subsequent to the dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus and prior to the Closing
Dates, except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, (i) the Company will not have incurred any liabilities or
obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions
other than in the ordinary course of business; (ii) there shall not have been
any change in the capital stock, funded debt (other than regular repayments of
principal and interest on existing indebtedness) or other securities of the
Company, any adverse change in the condition (financial or other), business,
operations, income, net worth or properties, including any loss or damage to
the properties of the Company (whether or not such loss is insured against),
which could adversely affect the condition (financial or other), business,
operations, income, net worth or properties of the Company; and (iii) the
Company shall not pay or declare any dividend or other distribution on its
Common Stock or its other securities or redeem or repurchase any of its Common
Stock or other securities.
(cc) The Company, for a period of twenty-four (24) months
following the Effective Date (or such earlier date if the Representative has
exercised the Underwriters' Warrant), shall not redeem any of its securities,
and shall not pay any dividends or make any other cash distribution in respect
of its securities in excess of the amount of the Company's current or retained
earnings derived after the Effective Date without obtaining the Underwriters'
prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The
Underwriters shall either approve or disapprove such contemplated redemption of
securities or dividend payment or distribution within five (5) business days
from the date the Underwriters receive written notice of the Company's proposal
with respect thereto; a failure of the Underwriters to respond within the five
(5) business day period shall be deemed approval of the transaction.
Page 20
21
(dd) The Company maintains and will continue to maintain a
system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's
general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary
in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for
assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management's general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable
intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences, and
(v) all quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q shall be reviewed by the Company's
accountant in accordance with SAS 71.
(ee) The Company, for a period of twenty-four (24) months
following the Effective Date (or such earlier date if the Representative has
exercised the Underwriters' Warrant), shall implement the following procedures:
(i) Thirty days prior to fiscal year end, the
President will present to the Board of Directors a business plan to be adopted
by the Board of Directors at fiscal year end. The business plan will include
the following:
a) quarterly projections - including
balance sheet, profit/loss statement and cash flow
statements with underlying assumptions
b) upon board approval, this document
becomes the annual budget
(ii) No later than the 20th day of each month, the
Company will provide the Board with comparative financial statements for the
previous month showing actual balance sheet, profit/loss and cash flow vs.
budget with written explanations for deviation in excess of $50,000 or 10% of
line item presented.
(iii) Monthly Board meetings (which may be by
telephone) by the 25th of each month to include discussion of the Monthly
Report and approval of any changes to the business plan based on change of
circumstances.
(iv) Implementation of a compensation committee,
which will be headed by an outside director and include one of the
Underwriters' Designee Directors, to make recommendations to the Board for
compensation for all outside consultants, officers and outside directors.
(v) Implementation of an audit committee which
will have as its members one of the Underwriters Designee Directors and one
outside Director.
Page 21
22
If the Company fails to comply with or breaches any provisions
of this Section 4 of this Agreement, the Underwriters may cause the Company to
retain one or more consultants, accountants or other professionals to assist
the Company in curing the breach or failure and the Company will reimburse such
third party directly for costs and expenses incurred.
(ff) Financial Advisory Agreement. On the Closing Date,
the Company shall execute a Financial Advisory Agreement with you for services,
which shall include without limitation (i) advising the Company in connection
with possible acquisitions (ii) facilitating shareholder communications and
relations, including the preparation of the Company's annual report and (iii)
advising and assisting the Company with long-term financial planning, corporate
reorganization, expansion and capital structure and other financial matters.
Such agreement shall have a term of two years and provide for compensation of
$2,000 per month which amount shall be prepaid in full on the Closing Date. The
Financial Advisory Agreement shall further provide that during the term of such
agreement, in the event that you (i) introduce, negotiate or arrange on the
Company's behalf a non-public equity financing or (ii) arrange on the Company's
behalf a non-public debt financing or (iii) arrange for the purchase or sale of
assets, or for a merger acquisition or joint venture for the Company, then the
Company will compensate you (based on the Transaction Value, as defined below)
for such services in an amount equal to:
5% on the first $1,000,000 of the Transaction Value;
4% on the amount from $1,000,001 to $2,000,000;
3% on the amount from $2,000,001 to $3,000,000;
2% on the amount from $3,000,001 to $4,000,000;
1% on the amount from $4,000,001 to $5,000,000;
1% on the amount in excess of $5,000,000.
"Transaction Value" shall mean the aggregate value of
all cash, securities and other property (i) paid to the Company, its affiliates
or their shareholders in connection with any transaction referred to above
involving any investment in or acquisition of the Company or any affiliates (or
the assets of either), (ii) paid by the Company or any affiliate in any such
transaction involving an investment in or acquisition of another party or its
equity holdings by the Company or any affiliate, or (iii) paid or contributed
by the Company or any affiliate and by the other party or parties in the event
of any such transaction involving a merger, consolidation, joint venture or
similar joint enterprise or undertaking. The value of any such securities
(whether debt or equity) or other property shall be the fair market value
thereof as determined by mutual agreement of the Company and the Underwriters
or by an independent appraiser jointly selected by the Company and the
Underwriters.
5. Payment of Expenses.
(a) The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the
Closing Date and the Option Closing Date (to the extent not paid at the Closing
Date) all expenses and fees (other than
Page 22
23
fees of Underwriters' Counsel, except as provided in (iv) below) incident to
the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement,
including, without limitation: (i) the fees and expenses of accountants and
counsel for the Company; (ii) all costs and expenses incurred in connection
with the preparation, duplication, printing, filing, delivery and mailing
(including the payment of postage with respect thereto) of the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto and the
printing, mailing and delivery of this Agreement, the Selected Dealer
Agreements, the Agreement Among Underwriters, Underwriters Questionnaires,
Powers of Attorney and related documents, including the cost of all copies
thereof and of the Preliminary Prospectuses and of the Prospectus and any
amendments thereof or supplements thereto supplied to the Underwriters in
quantities as hereinabove stated; (iii) the printing, engraving, issuance and
delivery of the Securities including any transfer or other taxes payable
thereon; (iv) disbursements and fees of Underwriters' Counsel in connection
with the qualification of the Securities under state or foreign securities or
"Blue Sky" laws and determination of the status of such securities under legal
investment laws, including the costs of printing and mailing the "Preliminary
Blue Sky Memorandum," the "Supplemental Blue Sky Memorandum" and "Legal
Investments Survey," if any, which Underwriters' Counsel blue sky fees
(exclusive of filing fees and disbursements) shall be $1,000 for each state in
which application for registration or qualification is made up to an aggregate
of $35,000 for all states combined; (v) fees and expenses of the transfer
agent; (vi) the fees payable to the NASD; (vii) the fees and expenses incurred
in connection with the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market
and any other fees for application and admission to a registered Stock Exchange
for which the Underwriter requires the Company to register its Securities;
(viii) fees and expenses for any tombstone advertisements reasonably requested
by the Representative; (ix) Closing Binders; and (x) Lucite cubes containing a
miniature definite Prospectus. All fees and expenses payable to the
Underwriters shall be payable at the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as
applicable.
(b) If this Agreement is terminated by the Underwriters
in accordance with the provisions of Section 6, Section 10(a) or Section 12,
the Company shall reimburse and indemnify the Underwriters for all of their
out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby.
(c) The Company further agrees that, in addition to the
expenses payable pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 5, it will pay to
the Underwriters a non-accountable expense allowance equal to three percent
(3%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the
Securities, $__________ of which has been paid to date to the Underwriters. The
Company will pay the remainder of the non-accountable expense allowance on the
Closing Date by direct payment to third parties for fees and expenses
including, but not limited to, fees and expenses of Underwriter's Counsel and
the balance by deduction from the proceeds of the offering contemplated herein.
In the event the Underwriters elect to exercise the over-allotment option
described in Section 2(b) hereof, the Company further agrees to pay to the
Underwriters on the Option Closing Date (by deduction from the proceeds of the
offering) a non-accountable expense allowance equal to three percent (3%) of
the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Option
Securities.
Page 23
24
6. Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations
of the Underwriters hereunder shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of
the representations and warranties of the Company herein as of the Closing Date
and each Option Closing Date, if any, as if they had been made on and as of the
Closing Date or each Option Closing Date, as the case may be; the accuracy on
and as of the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, if any, of the statements of
officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; and the
performance by the Company on and as of the Closing Date and each Option
Closing Date, if any, of each of its covenants and obligations hereunder and to
the following further conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement shall have become
effective not later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this
Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by
the Underwriters, and, at Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall
have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted
or shall be pending or contemplated by the Commission and any request on the
part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with
to the reasonable satisfaction of Underwriter and Underwriters' Counsel. If the
Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, the
price of the Securities and any price-related information previously omitted
from the effective Registration Statement pursuant to such Rule 430A shall have
been transmitted to the Commission for filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the
Rules and Regulations within the prescribed time period, and prior to the
Closing Date the Company shall have provided evidence satisfactory to the
Underwriters of such timely filing, or a post-effective amendment providing
such information shall have been promptly filed and declared effective in
accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations.
(b) The Underwriters shall not have advised the Company
that the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, contains an untrue
statement of fact which, in the Underwriters' opinion, is material or omits to
state a fact which, in the Underwriters' opinion, is material and is required
to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, or that the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, contains an
untrue statement of fact which, in the Underwriters' reasonable opinion, is
material, or omits to state a fact which, in the Underwriters' reasonable
opinion, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
(c) On or prior to the Closing Date and each Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, the Underwriters shall have received from
Underwriters' Counsel, such opinion or opinions with respect to the
organization of the Company the validity of the Securities, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and other related matters as the Underwriters
reasonably may request and such counsel shall have received such papers and
information as they request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
Page 24
25
(d) At the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date the
Underwriters shall have received an opinion of Looper, Reed, Xxxx & XxXxxx,
counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date, or Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, addressed to the Underwriter and in form and substance
satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel, to the effect that:
(i) The Company: (A) has been duly organized and
is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
State of Nevada with full corporate power and authority to own and operate its
properties and to carry on its business as set forth in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus; (B) to the best knowledge of such counsel, the
Company is duly registered or qualified as a foreign corporation in all
jurisdictions in which by reason of maintaining an office in such jurisdiction
or by owning or leasing real property in such jurisdiction it is required to be
so registered or qualified except where failure to register or qualify does not
have, singly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and (C) to the
best knowledge of such counsel, the Company has not received any notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such registration
or qualification.
(ii) The Registration Statement, each Preliminary
Prospectus that has been circulated and the Prospectus and any post-effective
amendments or supplements thereto (other than the financial statements,
schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein, as to
which no opinion need be rendered) comply as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of the Act and Regulations and the conditions for use of
a registration statement on Form SB-2 have been satisfied by the Company. Such
counsel shall state that such counsel has participated in conferences with
officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the
independent public accountants for the Company and representatives of the
Underwriters at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus and related matters were discussed and, although such counsel is not
passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy,
completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, on the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to
the attention of such counsel which lead them to believe that either the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto at the time such Registration
Statement or amendment became effective or the Prospectus as of the date
thereof contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or to make the statements therein
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it
being understood that such counsel need express no opinion with respect to the
financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data
included in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or with respect to
statements or omissions made therein in reliance upon information furnished in
writing to the Company on behalf of any Underwriter expressly for use in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus).
(iii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, the
Company has a duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set
forth in the Prospectus as of the date indicated therein, under
"Capitalization." The Shares, Redeemable Warrants, the Purchase Option,
Page 25
26
the Underwriters' Warrants, and the Warrant Shares conform in all material
respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus. All issued and outstanding securities of the
Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable; the holders thereof, to counsel's best knowledge, are not
subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders, and none of such
securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holder of
any security of the Company.
(iv) The issuance of the Shares, Redeemable
Warrants and the Warrant Shares have been duly authorized and when issued and
paid for in accordance with this Agreement and the Warrant Agreement,
respectively, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable securities
of the Company. The holders of the Securities when issued and paid for, will
not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders. To the
best of such counsel's knowledge, the Securities are not and will not be
subject to the preemptive or similar contractual rights of any shareholder of
the Company. All corporate action required to be taken for the authorization,
issuance and sale of the Securities has been duly and validly taken. The
certificates representing the Shares and Redeemable Warrants are in due and
proper form.
(v) Based solely on telephonic, verbal
confirmation provided to such counsel by the staff of the Commission, the
Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments, if any, have become
effective under the Act, and, if applicable, filing of all pricing information
has been timely made in the appropriate form under Rule 430A, and, to the best
of such counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and to the best of such counsel's
knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending
or threatened or contemplated under the Act; and any required filing of the
Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made.
(vi) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, (A)
there are no material contracts or other documents required to be described in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement other than those described in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus and filed as exhibits thereto, and (B) the descriptions in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any supplement or amendment
thereto regarding such material contracts or other documents to which the
Company is a party or by which it is bound, are accurate in all material
respects and fairly represent the information required to be shown by Form SB-2
and the Rules and Regulations.
(vii) This Agreement, the Underwriters Purchase
Option Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, and the Financial Consulting Agreement
have each been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company, and assuming that it is a valid and binding agreement of the
Underwriters, so as the case may be, constitutes a legal, valid and binding
agreement of the Company enforceable as against the Company in accordance with
its respective terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws of
general application relating to or affecting enforcement
Page 26
27
of creditors rights and the application of equitable principles in any action,
legal or equitable, and except as rights to indemnity or contribution may be
limited by applicable law or pursuant to public policy).
(viii) Neither the execution or delivery by the
Company of this Agreement, the Underwriter's Purchase Option Agreement, and the
Warrant Agreement, nor its performance hereunder or thereunder, nor its
consummation of the transactions contemplated herein or therein, nor the
conduct of its business as described in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto, nor the issuance of the
securities conflicts with or will conflict with or results or will result in
any breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitutes or
will constitute a material default under, or result in the creation or
imposition of any material lien, charge, claim, encumbrance, pledge, security
interest, defect or other restriction or equity of any kind whatsoever upon any
property or assets (tangible or intangible) of the Company pursuant to the
terms of (A) the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, or (B) to the best
knowledge of such counsel, and except to the extent it would not have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company, any statute, judgment, decree, order,
rule or regulation applicable to the Company of any arbitrator, court,
regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental agency or body,
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its respective activities or
properties.
(ix) No consent, approval, authorization or order,
and no filing with, any court, regulatory body, government agency or other
body, (other than such as may be required under state securities laws, as to
which no opinion need be rendered) is required in connection with the issuance
by the Company of the Securities pursuant to the Prospectus and the
Registration Statement, the performance of this Agreement, the Underwriters'
Warrant, the Financial Consulting Agreement and the Warrant Agreement by the
Company, and the taking of any action by the Company contemplated hereby or
thereby, which has not been obtained.
(x) To the best of such counsel's knowledge,
except as described in the Prospectus, no person, corporation, trust,
partnership, association or other entity holding securities of the Company has
the contractual right to include and/or register any securities of the Company
in the Registration Statement, require the Company to file any registration
statement or, if filed, to include any security in such registration statement
for twelve months from the date hereof.
(xi) After the public offering, the Securities
will be eligible for listing on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.
In rendering such opinion such counsel may rely, (A) as to
matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United
States, the corporate laws of Nevada and jurisdictions in which they are
admitted, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the extent specified
in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in form and in
substance reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel) of other counsel
reasonably acceptable to Underwriters' Counsel, familiar with the applicable
laws, and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem
Page 27
28
proper, on certificates and written statements of responsible officers of the
Company and certificates or other written statements of officers of departments
of various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the corporate
existence or good standing of the Company; provided, that copies of any such
statements or certificates shall be delivered to Underwriters' Counsel if
requested. The opinion of such counsel for the Company shall state that the
opinion of any such other counsel is in form satisfactory to such counsel and,
in their opinion, the Underwriters and they are justified in relying thereon.
(e) At each Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriters
shall have received the an opinion of counsel to the Company, each dated the
Option Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and in form and substance
satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel confirming as of Option Closing Date the
statements made by such firm, in their opinion, delivered on the Closing Date.
(f) On or prior to each of the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date, Underwriters' Counsel shall have been furnished such
documents, certificates and opinions as they may reasonably require for the
purpose of enabling them to review or pass upon the matters referred to in
subsection (c) of this Section 6, or in order to evidence the accuracy,
completeness or satisfaction of any of the representations, warranties or
conditions herein contained.
(g) Prior to the Closing Date and each Option Closing
Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no material adverse change nor
development involving a prospective change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, prospects or the business activities of the Company, whether or not
in the ordinary course of business, from the latest dates as of which such
condition is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; (ii) there
shall have been no transaction, not in the ordinary course of business, entered
into by the Company, from the latest date as of which the financial condition
of the Company is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus which
is materially adverse to the Company; (iii) the Company shall not be in
material default under any provision of any instrument relating to any
outstanding indebtedness; (iv) no material amount of the assets of the Company
shall have been pledged or mortgaged, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus; (v) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in
equity, shall have been pending or to its knowledge threatened against the
Company, or affecting any of its properties or businesses before or by any
court or federal, state or foreign commission, board or other administrative
agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially
adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or financial condition or
income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus; and (vi) no stop order shall have been issued under the Act and no
proceedings therefor shall have been initiated, threatened or contemplated by
the Commission.
(h) At the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if
any, the Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Company signed
by the principal executive officer and by the
Page 28
29
chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing
Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, to the effect that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the
Company in this Agreement are true and correct, as if made on and as of the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company
has complied with all agreements and covenants and satisfied all conditions
contained in this Agreement on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to such Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose
have been instituted or are pending or, to the best of each of such person's
knowledge, are contemplated or threatened under the Act;
(iii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus
and, if any, each amendment and each supplement thereto, contain all statements
and information required to be included therein, and none of the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto includes any
untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and
neither the Preliminary Prospectus nor any supplement thereto includes any
untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and
except as otherwise contemplated therein: (A) the Company has not incurred up
to and including the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date as the case may
be, other than in the ordinary course of its business, any material liabilities
or obligations, direct or contingent; (B) the Company has not paid or declared
any dividends or other distributions on its capital stock; (C) the Company has
not entered into any transactions not in the ordinary course of business; (D)
there has not been any change in the capital stock or any increase in long-term
debt or any increase in the short-term borrowings (other than any increase in
the short term borrowings in the ordinary course of business) of the Company;
(E) the Company has not sustained any material loss or damage to its property
or assets, whether or not insured; (F) there is no litigation which is pending
or threatened against the Company which is required to be set forth in an
amended or supplemented Prospectus which has not been set forth;
(v) Neither the Company nor any of its officers
or affiliates shall have taken, and the Company, its officers and affiliates
will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or which might
reasonably be expected to, cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation
of the price of the Company's securities to facilitate the sale or resale of
the Shares.
Page 29
30
References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in
this subsection (i) are to such documents as amended and supplemented at the
date of such certificate.
(i) By the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have
received clearance from NASD as to the amount of compensation allowable or
payable to the Underwriters, as described in the Registration Statement.
(j) At the time this Agreement is executed, the
Representative shall have received a letter, dated such date, addressed to the
Representative in form and substance satisfactory in all respects (including
the non-material nature of the changes or decreases, if any, referred to in
clause (iii) below) to the Underwriters, from X. X. Xxxxxxxx + Associates:
(i) confirming that they are independent public
accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable Rules and Regulations;
(ii) stating that it is their opinion that the
condensed financial statements and supporting schedules of the Company included
in the Registration Statement comply as to form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations
thereunder and that the Underwriters may rely upon the opinion of X.X. Xxxxxxxx
+ Associates with respect to the financial statements and supporting schedules
included in the Registration Statement;
(iii) stating that, on the basis of a limited
review which included a reading of the latest available unaudited interim
condensed financial statements of the Company (with an indication of the date
of the latest available unaudited interim condensed financial statements), a
reading of the latest available minutes of the stockholders and board of
directors and the various committees of the boards of directors of the Company,
consultations with officers and other employees of the Company responsible for
financial and accounting matters and other specified procedures and inquiries,
nothing has come to their attention which would lead them to believe that (A)
the unaudited condensed financial statements of the Company included in the
Registration Statement do not comply as to form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations
or are not fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited
condensed financial statements of the Company included in the Registration
Statement, or (B) at a specified date not more than five (5) days prior to the
effective date of the Registration Statement, there has been any change in the
capital stock, or any increase in total borrowings of the Company, or any
decrease in the stockholders' equity or working capital of the Company as
compared with amounts shown in the financial statements included in the
Registration Statement, other than as set forth in or contemplated by the
Registration Statement, or, if there was any change or decrease, setting forth
the amount of such change or decrease, and (C) during the period from
____________ to a specified date not more than five (5) days prior to the
effective date of the Registration Statement, there was any decrease in
revenue, net earnings or increase in net income
Page 30
31
or earnings per common share of the Company, in each case as compared with the
corresponding period of the prior year other than as set forth in or
contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there was any such decrease,
setting forth the amount of such decrease;
(iv) stating that they have compared specific
dollar amounts, numbers of Securities, percentages of revenue and earnings,
statements and other financial information pertaining to the Company set forth
in the Prospectus in each case to the extent that such amounts, numbers,
percentages, statements and information may be derived from the general
accounting records, including work sheets, of the Company and excluding any
questions requiring an interpretation by legal counsel, with the results
obtained from the application of specified readings, inquiries and other
appropriate procedures (which procedures did not constitute an examination in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) set forth in the letter
and found them to be in agreement; and
(v) statements as to such other matters incident
to the transaction contemplated hereby as the Underwriters may reasonably
request.
(k) At the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the
Underwriters shall have received from X. X. Xxxxxxxx + Associates, a letter,
dated as of the Closing Date, or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, to
the effect that they reaffirm that statements made in the letter furnished
pursuant to Subsection (j) of this Section, except that the specified date
referred to shall be a date not more than five days prior to the Closing Date
and, if the Company has elected to rely on Rule 430A of the Rules and
Regulations, to the further effect that they have carried out procedures as
specified in clause (iii) of subsection (j) of this Section with respect to
certain amounts, percentages and financial information as specified by the
Underwriters and deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to
Rule 430A(b) and have found such amounts, percentages and financial information
to be in agreement with the records specified in such clause (iii).
(l) On each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing
Date, if any, there shall have been duly tendered to the Underwriters for the
several Underwriters' accounts the appropriate number of Securities.
(m) No order suspending the sale of the Securities in any
jurisdiction designated by the Underwriters pursuant to subsection (e) of
Section 4 hereof shall have been issued on either the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, if any, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have
been instituted or to its knowledge or that of the Company shall be
contemplated.
If any condition to the Underwriters' obligations hereunder to
be fulfilled prior to or at the Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, is not so fulfilled, the Underwriters may terminate
this Agreement or, if the Underwriters so elect, it may waive any such
conditions which have not been fulfilled or extend the time for their
fulfillment.
Page 31
32
7. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
each of the Underwriters, including specifically each person who may be
substituted for an Underwriter as provided in Section 11 hereof and each
person, if any, who controls any Underwriter ("controlling person") within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, against
any and all losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities, joint or several
(and actions in respect thereof), whatsoever (including but not limited to any
and all expenses whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or
defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever), as such are incurred, to which such Underwriter or such
controlling person may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or any
other federal or state statutory laws or regulations at common law or otherwise
or under the laws of foreign countries arising out of or based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained (i) in any
Preliminary Prospectus (except that the indemnification contained in this
paragraph with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the
benefit of the Underwriter or to the benefit of any person controlling the
Underwriter on account of any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense arising
from the sale of the Securities by the Underwriter to any person if a copy of
the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, shall not have been delivered or
sent to such person within the time required by the Act, and the untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission of a
material fact contained in such Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the
Prospectus, as amended and supplemented, and such correction would have
eliminated the loss, claim, damage, liability or expense), the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus (as from time to time amended and supplemented);
(ii) in any post-effective amendment or amendments or any new registration
statement and prospectus in which is included securities of the Company issued
or issuable upon exercise of the Underwriters' Warrant; or (iii) in any
application or other document or written communication (in this Section 8
collectively called "application") executed by the Company or based upon
written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to
qualify the Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the
Commission, any state securities commission or agency, Nasdaq Stock Market,
Inc. or any other securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading (in the case of the Prospectus, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made), unless such statement
or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company with respect to any Underwriter by or on
behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto, in any post-effective amendment, new registration statement or
prospectus or in any application, as the case may be, or (iv) any failure of
the Company to comply with any provision of this Underwriting Agreement
resulting in a claim or loss to the Underwriters.
The indemnity agreement in this subsection (a) shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may have at common law or
otherwise.
Page 32
33
(b) Each of the Underwriters agrees severally, but not
jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors,
each of its officers who has signed the Registration Statement, and each other
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 20 of
the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing
indemnity from the Company to the Underwriters but only with respect to
statements or omissions, if any, made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto in any post-effective amendment, new registration statement or
prospectus, or in any blue sky application or any other such application made
in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, written information furnished
to the Company with respect to any Underwriter by such Underwriter expressly
for use in such Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or in any
post-effective amendment, new registration statement or prospectus, or in any
such application, provided that such written information or omissions only
pertain to disclosures in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, in any
post-effective amendment, new registration statement or prospectus or in any
such application, provided, further, that the liability of each Underwriter to
the Company shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds of the Offering
received by the Company. The Company acknowledges that the statements with
respect to the public offering of the Securities set forth under the heading
"Underwriting" and the stabilization legend and the last paragraph of the cover
page in the Prospectus have been furnished by the Underwriters expressly for
use therein and any information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter
filed in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Securities under State
Securities laws or filed with the Commission, the NASD or any securities
exchange constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf
of the Underwriters for inclusion in the Prospectus and the Underwriters hereby
confirm that such statements and information are true and correct.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
this Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding,
such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made
against one or more indemnifying parties under this Section 7, notify each
party against whom indemnification is to be sought in writing of the
commencement thereof (but the failure so to notify an indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 7 except
to the extent that it has been prejudiced in any material respect by such
failure or from any liability which it may have otherwise avoided). In case any
such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies an
indemnifying party or parties of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party or parties will be entitled to participate therein, and to the extent it
may elect by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after
receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the
defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party.
Notwithstanding the foregoing the indemnified party or parties shall have the
right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party or
parties unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in
writing by the indemnifying
Page 33
34
parties in connection with the defense of such action at the expense of the
indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying parties shall not have employed
counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party to have charge of the
defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of
the action, or (iii) such indemnifying party or parties shall have reasonably
concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are
different from or additional to those available to one or all of the
indemnifying parties (in which case the indemnifying parties shall not have the
right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party
or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses of one additional
counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying parties. In no event shall the
indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel
(in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all
indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar
or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances. Anything in this Section 7 to the contrary
notwithstanding, an indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement
of any claim or action effected without its written consent; provided however,
that such consent was not unreasonably withheld.
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable
contribution in any case in which (i) an indemnified party makes claim for
indemnification pursuant to this Section 7, but it is judicially determined (by
the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction
and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal)
that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the
fact that the express provisions of this Section 7 provide for indemnification
in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Act may be required on the part of
any indemnified party, then each indemnifying party in lieu of indemnifying
such indemnified party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, expenses or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) (A) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by each of the
contributing parties, on the one hand, and the party to be indemnified on the
other hand from the offering of the Securities or (B) if the allocation
provided by clause (A) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred
to in clause (A) above but also the relative fault of each of the contributing
parties, on the one hand, and the party to be indemnified on the other hand in
connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses,
claims, damages, expenses or liabilities, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. In any case where the Company is the contributing
party and the Underwriters are the indemnified party the relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other,
shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
offering of the Securities (before deducting expenses) bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters hereunder,
in each case as set forth in the table on the Cover Page of the Prospectus.
Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by
the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue
statement or omission. The amount paid or
Page 34
35
payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages,
expenses or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in
this subdivision (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subdivision (d), the Underwriters shall not be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount of the net proceeds of the Offering received by
the Company. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of
this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
meaning of the Act, each officer of the Company who has signed the Registration
Statement, and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company, subject in each case to this subparagraph (d). Any
party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of
commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect to
which a claim for contribution may be made against another party or parties
under this subparagraph (d), notify such party or parties from whom
contribution may be sought, but the omission so to notify such party or parties
shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought
from any obligation it or they may have hereunder or otherwise than under this
subparagraph (d), or to the extent that such party or parties were not
adversely affected by such omission. The contribution agreement set forth above
shall be in addition to any liabilities which any indemnifying party may have
at common law or otherwise.
8. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All
representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or
contained in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto,
shall be deemed to be representations, warranties and agreements at the Closing
Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and such representations,
warranties and agreements of the Company and the indemnity agreements contained
in Section 7 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the
Company, or any controlling person, and shall survive termination of this
Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters.
9. Effective Date.
This Agreement shall become effective: (i) upon the execution and
delivery hereof by the parties hereto; or (ii) if, at any time this Agreement
is executed and delivered, it is necessary for the Registration Statement or a
post-effective amendment thereto to be declared effective before the offering
of the Shares may commence, when notification on Wednesday, May 27 of the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or such post-effective amendment
has been released by the Commission. Until such time as this Agreement shall
have become effective, it may be terminated by the Company, by notifying you,
or by you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, by notifying the
Company.
Page 35
36
10. Termination.
(a) The Underwriters shall have the right to terminate
this Agreement (i) if any calamitous domestic or international event or act or
occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the Underwriters' opinion will in
the immediate future materially disrupt general securities markets in the
United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the American
Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market, or in the over-the-counter market
shall have been suspended or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have
been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been
required on the over-the-counter market by the NASD or by order of the
Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if
the United States shall have become involved in a war or major hostilities; or
(iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal
authority; or (v) if a moratorium in foreign exchange trading has been
declared; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material adverse loss,
whether or not insured, by reason of fire, flood, accident or other calamity
that materially impairs the investment quality of the Securities; or (vii) if
there shall have been such material adverse change in the conditions or
prospects of the Company, involving a change not contemplated by the
Registration Statement.
(b) Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in
this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement
(including, without limitation, pursuant to Sections 9 and 10 hereof), and
whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of
Section 5 shall not be in any way affected by such election or termination or
failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
11. Substitution of the Underwriters. If one or more of the
Underwriters shall fail (otherwise than for a reason sufficient to justify the
termination of this Agreement under the provisions of Section 6, Section 10 or
Section 12 hereof) to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to
purchase on such date under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities), the
Underwriters shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make
arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other
Underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted
Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set
forth; if, however, the Underwriters shall not have completed such arrangements
within such 24-hour period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed
10% of the total number of Firm Securities to be purchased on such date, the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated to purchase the full amount
thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations
hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all nondefaulting
Underwriters; or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of
the total number of Firm Securities, this Agreement shall terminate without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriters.
Page 36
37
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any
defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default by such
Underwriter under this Agreement.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a
termination of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date for a period not exceeding seven days in order to
effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in
any other documents or arrangements.
12. Default by the Company. If the Company shall fail at the
Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as applicable, to sell and deliver the
number of Securities which it is obligated to sell hereunder on such date, then
this Agreement shall terminate (or, if such default shall occur with respect to
any Option Securities to be purchased on an Option Closing Date, the
Underwriters may at the Underwriters option, by notice from the Underwriters to
the Company, terminate the Underwriters' several obligations to purchase
Securities from the Company on such date) without any liability on the part of
any non-defaulting party other than pursuant to Section 5 and Section 7 hereof.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve the Company from
liability, if any, in respect of such default.
13. Notices. All notices and communications hereunder, except as
herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be deemed
to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of
telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the
Representative at Argent Securities, Inc., 0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000,
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000, with a copy to Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxxx, One Buckhead Plaza,
0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, X.X., Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq. Notices to the Company shall be directed to Karts
International Incorporated, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx
00000, Attention: V. Xxxx Xxxxxxxx, with a copy to Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx & XxXxxx,
4100 Thanksgiving Tower, 0000 Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, Attention:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
14. Parties. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of
and shall be binding upon, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling
persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 7 hereof, and their
respective successors, legal representatives and assigns, and their respective
heirs and legal representatives and no other person shall have or be construed
to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or
by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. No purchaser of
Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason
merely of such purchase.
15. Construction. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia
without giving effect to the choice of law or conflict of laws principles.
Page 37
38
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which
taken together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument.
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below
for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement
among us.
Very truly yours,
KARTS INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
By:
------------------------------
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED AS OF THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
ON BEHALF OF THEMSELVES AND THE OTHER SEVERAL UNDERWRITERS
NAMED IN SCHEDULE I HERETO:
Argent Securities, Inc., as
Representative of the Several Underwriters
By:
--------------------------------------
Name: X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Chairman
Page 38
39
SCHEDULE I
Underwriter Number of Securities
----------- --------------------
Argent Securities, Inc. 1,400,000 Shares of Common Stock
1,400,000 Redeemable Common Stock
Purchase Warrants
Page 39
40
SCHEDULE II
Warrant Agent - Securities Transfer Corporation
Page 40
