Executed Version
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of March 23, 2000 (this
"Agreement"), by and between IFS International Holdings, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, with principal executive offices located at Rensselaer Technology
Park, 000 Xxxxxx Xx., Xxxx, XX 00000 (the "Company"), and The Shaar Fund Ltd.
(the "Initial Investor").
WHEREAS, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the
Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of March 23, 2000, by and between the
Initial Investor and the Company (the "Securities Purchase Agreement"), the
Company has agreed to issue and sell to the Initial Investor (i) 200,000 shares
of Series B 5% Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the
"Preferred Shares") which, upon the terms of and subject to the conditions of
the Company's Certificate of Designation of Series B 5% Convertible Preferred
Stock (the "Certificate of Designation"), are convertible into shares of the
Company's common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Stock") and (ii)
Common Stock Purchase Warrants (the "Warrants") to purchase shares of Common
Stock; and
WHEREAS, to induce the Initial Investor to execute and deliver
the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide with
respect to the Common Stock issued or issuable in lieu of cash dividend payments
on the Preferred Shares, upon conversion of the Preferred Shares and exercise of
the Warrants certain registration rights under the Securities Act;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual covenants contained herein, the parties hereto, intending to be legally
bound, hereby agree as follows: 1. Definitions (a) As used in this Agreement,
the following terms shall have the meanings:
(i) "Affiliate," of any specified Person means any other Person who directly,
or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, is in control of, is
controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person. For
purposes of this definition, control of a Person means the power, directly
or indirectly, to direct or cause the direction of the management and
policies of such Person whether by contract, securities, ownership or
otherwise; and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have the respective
meanings correlative to the foregoing.
(ii) "Closing Date" means the date and time of the issuance and sale of the
Preferred Shares and the Warrants.
(iii) "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(iv) "Current Market Price" on any date of determination means the closing bid
price of a share of the Common Stock on such day as reported on the Nasdaq
SmallCap Market ("Nasdaq"); provided, if such security is not listed or
admitted to trading on the Nasdaq, as reported on the principal national
security exchange or quotation system on which such security is quoted or
listed or admitted to trading, or, if not quoted or listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange or quotation system, the
closing bid price of such security on the over-the-counter market on the
day in question as reported by Bloomberg LP, or a similar generally
accepted reporting service, as the case may be.
(v) "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, or any similar
successor statute.
(vi) "Investor" means each of the Initial Investor and any transferee or
assignee of Registrable Securities which agrees to become bound by all of
the terms and provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8
hereof.
(vii)"Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability
company, joint stock company, association, trust, unincorporated
organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.
(viii) "Prospectus" means the prospectus (including, without limitation, any
preliminary prospectus and any final prospectus filed pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Securities Act, including any prospectus that discloses
information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an
effective registration statement in reliance on Rule 430A under the
Securities Act) included in the Registration Statement, as amended or
supplemented by any prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the
offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement and by all other amendments and supplements to such
prospectus, including all material incorporated by reference in such
prospectus and all documents filed after the date of such prospectus by the
Company under the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference therein.
(ix) "Public Offering" means an offer registered with the Commission and the
appropriate state securities commissions by the Company of its Common Stock
and made pursuant to the Securities Act.
(x) "Registrable Securities" means the Common Stock issued or issuable (i) in
lieu of cash dividend payments on the Preferred Shares, (ii) upon
conversion or redemption of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon exercise of
the Warrants; provided, however, a share of Common Stock shall cease to be
a Registrable Security for purposes of this Agreement when it no longer is
a Restricted Security.
(xi) "Registration Statement" means a registration statement of the Company
filed on an appropriate form under the Securities Act providing for the
registration of, and the sale on a continuous or delayed basis by the
holders of, all of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 415 under
the Securities Act, including the Prospectus contained therein and forming
a part thereof, any amendments to such registration statement and
supplements to such Prospectus, and all exhibits to and other material
incorporated by reference in such registration statement and Prospectus.
(xii)"Restricted Security" means any share of Common Stock issued or issuable in
lieu of cash dividend payments on the Preferred Shares, upon conversion or
redemption of the Preferred Shares or exercise of the Warrants except any
such share that (i) has been registered pursuant to an effective
registration statement under the Securities Act and sold in a manner
contemplated by the prospectus included in such registration statement,
(ii) has been transferred in compliance with the resale provisions of Rule
144 under the Securities Act (or any successor provision thereto) or is
transferable pursuant to paragraph (k) of Rule 144 under the Securities Act
(or any successor provision thereto), or (iii) otherwise has been
transferred and a new share of Common Stock not subject to transfer
restrictions under the Securities Act has been delivered by or on behalf of
the Company.
(xiii) "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, or any similar
successor statute.
(b) All capitalized terms used and not defined herein have the respective
meaning assigned to them in the Securities Purchase Agreement.
2. Registration
(a) Filing and Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Company shall
prepare and file with the Commission not later than 90 days after the Closing
Date, a Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of the Registrable
Securities and shall use its best efforts to cause the Commission to declare
such Registration Statement effective under the Securities Act as promptly as
practicable but in no event later than 180 days after the Closing Date, assuming
for purposes hereof a Conversion Price under the Certificate of Designation of
$2.50 per share. The Company shall promptly (and, in any event, no more than 24
hours after it receives comments from the Commission), notify the Buyer when and
if it receives any comments from the Commission on the Registration Statement
and promptly forward a copy of such comments, if they are in writing, to the
Buyer. At such time after the filing of the Registration Statement pursuant to
this Section 2(a) as the Commission indicates, either orally or in writing, that
it has no further comments with respect to such Registration Statement or that
it is willing to entertain appropriate requests for acceleration of
effectiveness of such Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly, and in
no event later than two business days after receipt of such indication from the
Commission, request that the effectiveness of such Registration Statement be
accelerated within 48 hours of the Commission's receipt of such request. The
Company shall not include any other securities in the Registration Statement
relating to the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities. The Company shall
notify the Initial Investor by written notice that such Registration Statement
has been declared effective by the Commission within 24 hours of such
declaration by the Commission.
(b) Registration Default. If the Registration Statement covering the Registrable
Securities required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 2(a), is not
(i) filed with the Commission within 90 days after the Closing Date or (ii)
declared effective by the Commission within 180 days after the Closing Date
(either of which, without duplication, an "Initial Date"), then the Company
shall make the payments to the Initial Investor as provided in the next sentence
as liquidated damages and not as a penalty. The amount to be paid by the Company
to the Initial Investor shall be determined as of each Computation Date (as
defined below), and such amount shall be equal to 2% (the "Liquidated Damage
Rate") of the Purchase Price (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement)
from the Initial Date to the first Computation Date and for each Computation
Date thereafter, calculated on a pro rata basis to the date on which the
Registration Statement is filed with (in the event of an Initial Date pursuant
to clause (i) above) or declared effective by (in the event of an Initial Date
pursuant to clause (ii) above) the Commission (the "Periodic Amount") provided,
however, that in no event shall the liquidated damages be less than $25,000;
provided, further, however, that if the Registration Statement is not declared
effective by the Commission within 210 days after the Initial Date set forth in
clause (ii) above, then the Liquidated Damage Rate shall increase to 4%;
provided, further, however, that the Liquidated Damage Rate shall increase by 1%
for each 30 day period after the 210th day after the Initial Date set forth in
clause (ii) above that the Registration Statement is not declared effective by
the Commission. The full Periodic Amount shall be paid by the Company to the
Initial Investor by wire transfer of immediately available funds within three
days after each Computation Date. In no event shall the Company be liable for
damages hereunder if any delay relates solely to an action or a failure to act
on the part of the Investor and the Company is diligently pursuing the timely
filing and effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
As used in this Section 2(b), "Computation Date" means the
date which is 30 days after the Initial Date and, if the Registration Statement
required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) has not theretofore
been declared effective by the Commission, each date which is 30 days after the
previous Computation Date until such Registration Statement is so declared
effective.
(c) Eligibility for Use of Form S-3. The Company agrees that at such time as it
meets all the requirements for the use of Securities Act Registration Statement
on Form S-3 it shall file all reports and information required to be filed by it
with the Commission in a timely manner and take all such other action so as to
maintain such eligibility for the use of such form.
(d) Additional Registration Statement. In the event the Current Market Price
declines to $3.00 per share or less and each time thereafter that the Current
Market Price declines by 20% (each such date, a "Decline Date"), the Company
shall, to the extent required by the Securities Act (because the additional
shares were not covered by the Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section
2(a)), as reasonably determined by the Initial Investor, file an additional
Registration Statement with the Commission for such additional number of
Registrable Securities as would be issuable upon conversion of the Preferred
Shares and exercise of the Warrants (the "Additional Registrable Securities") in
addition to those previously registered, assuming (x) with respect to the first
Additional Registration Statement, a Conversion Price of $1.50 per share and (y)
with respect to each succeeding Additional Registration Statement, a Conversion
Price of 20% less than the Conversion Price assumed with respect to the
immediately preceding Additional Registration Statement. The Company shall, to
the extent required by the Securities Act, as reasonably determined by the
Initial Investor, prepare and file with the Commission not later than the 30th
day thereafter, a Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of such
Additional Registrable Securities and shall use its best efforts to cause the
Commission to declare such Registration Statement effective under the Securities
Act as promptly as practicable but not later than 60 days thereafter. The
Company shall not include any other securities in the Registration Statement
relating to the offer and sale of such Additional Registrable Securities.
If the Additional Registration Statement is not (i) filed with
the Commission within 30 days after the Decline Date or (ii) declared effective
by the Commission within 90 days after the Decline Date (either of which,
without duplication, an "Additional Registration Date"), then the Company shall
make the payments to the Initial Investor at the Liquidated Damage Rate from the
Additional Registration Date to the first Additional Computation Date and for
each Additional Computation Date thereafter, calculated on a pro rata basis to
the date on which the Additional Registration Statement is filed with (in the
event of an Additional Registration Date pursuant to clause (i) above) or
declared effective by (in the event of an Additional Registration Date pursuant
to clause (ii) above) the Commission (the "Additional Periodic Amount")
provided, however, that in no event shall the liquidated damages be less than
$25,000; provided, further, however, that if the Additional Registration
Statement is not declared effective by the Commission within 120 days after the
Additional Registration Date set forth in clause (ii) above, then the Liquidated
Damage Rate shall increase to 4%; provided, further, however, that the
Liquidated Damage Rate shall increase by 1% for each 30 day period after the
120th day after the Additional Registration Date set forth in clause (ii) above
that the Additional Registration Statement is not declared effective by the
Commission. The full Additional Periodic Amount shall be paid by the Company to
the Initial Investor by wire transfer of immediately available funds within
three days after each Additional Computation Date.
As used in this Section 2(d), "Additional Computation Date"
means the date which is 30 days after the Additional Registration Date and, if
the Additional Registration Statement required to be filed by the Company
pursuant to this Section 2(d) has not theretofore been declared effective by the
Commission, each date which is 30 days after the previous Additional Computation
Date until such Additional Registration Statement is so declared effective.
3. Obligations of the Company
In connection with the registration of the Registrable
Securities, the Company shall: (a) Promptly (i) prepare and file with the
Commission such amendments (including post-effective amendments) to the
Registration Statement and supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary to
keep the Registration Statement continuously effective and in compliance with
the provisions of the Securities Act applicable thereto so as to permit the
Prospectus forming part thereof to be current and useable by Investors for
resales of the Registrable Securities for a period of five years from the date
on which the Registration Statement is first declared effective by the
Commission (the "Effective Time") or such shorter period that will terminate
when all the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement have
been sold pursuant thereto in accordance with the plan of distribution provided
in the Prospectus, transferred pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or
otherwise transferred in a manner that results in the delivery of new securities
not subject to transfer restrictions under the Securities Act (the "Registration
Period") and (ii) take all lawful action such that each of (A) the Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading
and (B) the Prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement, and any
amendment or supplement thereto, does not at any time during the Registration
Period include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
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. (b) During the Registration Period, comply with the provisions of
the Securities Act with respect to the Registrable Securities of the Company
covered by the Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable
Securities have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of
disposition by the Investors as set forth in the Prospectus forming part of the
Registration Statement; (c) (i) Prior to the filing with the Commission of any
Registration Statement (including any amendments thereto) and the distribution
or delivery of any Prospectus (including any supplements thereto), provide (A)
draft copies thereof to the Investors and reflect in such documents all such
comments as the Investors (and their counsel) reasonably may propose and (B) to
the Investors a copy of the accountant's consent letter to be included in the
filing and (ii) furnish to each Investor whose Registrable Securities are
included in the Registration Statement and its legal counsel identified to the
Company, (A) promptly after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed
with the Commission, or received by the Company, one copy of the Registration
Statement, each Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement thereto, and (B)
such number of copies of the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements
thereto and such other documents, as such Investor may reasonably request in
order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such
Investor and, in each case specified in this clause (c), the Investors will
promptly provide any comments to the Company; (d) (i) Register or qualify the
Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such
securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions as the Investors who hold a
majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities being offered reasonably
request, (ii) prepare and file in such jurisdictions such amendments (including
post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registrations and
qualifications as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof at all
times during the Registration Period, (iii) take all such other lawful actions
as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and qualifications in effect
at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv) take all such other lawful
actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the Registrable Securities
for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (A) qualify to do
business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify
but for this Section 3(d), (B) subject itself to general taxation in any such
jurisdiction or (C) file a general consent to service of process in any such
jurisdiction; (e) As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event,
notify each Investor of the occurrence of any event, as a result of which the
Prospectus included in the Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes
an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a 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
promptly prepare an amendment to the Registration Statement and supplement to
the Prospectus to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver a
number of copies of such supplement and amendment to each Investor as such
Investor may reasonably request; (f) As promptly as practicable after becoming
aware of such event, notify each Investor who holds Registrable Securities being
sold (or, in the event of an underwritten offering, the managing underwriters)
of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or other suspension of the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement at the earliest possible time and
take all lawful action to effect the withdrawal, recession or removal of such
stop order or other suspension; (g) Cause all the Registrable Securities covered
by the Registration Statement to be listed on the principal national securities
exchange, and included in an inter-dealer quotation system of a registered
national securities association, on or in which securities of the same class or
series issued by the Company are then listed or included; (h) Maintain a
transfer agent and registrar, which may be a single entity, for the Registrable
Securities not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement; (i)
Cooperate with the Investors who hold Registrable Securities being offered to
facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates for the
Registrable Securities to be offered pursuant to the registration statement and
enable such certificates for the Registrable Securities to be in such
denominations or amounts, as the case may be, as the Investors reasonably may
request and registered in such names as the Investor may request; and, within
three business days after a registration statement which includes Registrable
Securities is declared effective by the Commission, deliver and cause legal
counsel selected by the Company to deliver to the transfer agent for the
Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investors whose Registrable
Securities are included in such registration statement) an appropriate
instruction and, to the extent necessary, an opinion of such counsel; (j) Take
all such other lawful actions reasonably necessary to expedite and facilitate
the disposition by the Investors of their Registrable Securities in accordance
with the intended methods therefor provided in the Prospectus which are
customary under the circumstances; (k) Make generally available to its security
holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than three (3) months
after (i) the effective date (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Securities
Act) of the Registration Statement, and (ii) the effective date of each
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, as the case may be, an
earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries complying with Section
11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158); (l) In the event
of an underwritten offering, promptly include or incorporate in a Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement such
information as the managers reasonably agree should be included therein and to
which the Company does not reasonably object and make all required filings of
such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable
after it is notified of the matters to be included or incorporated in such
Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; (m) (i) Make reasonably
available for inspection by Investors, any underwriter participating in any
disposition pursuant to the Registration Statement, and any attorney, accountant
or other agent retained by such Investors or any such underwriter all relevant
financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the
Company and its subsidiaries, and (ii) cause the Company's officers, directors
and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by such Investors
or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the
Registration Statement, in each case, as is customary for similar due diligence
examinations; provided, however, that all records, information and documents
that are designated in writing by the Company, in good faith, as confidential,
proprietary or containing any material nonpublic information shall be kept
confidential by such Investors and any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or
agent (pursuant to an appropriate confidentiality agreement in the case of any
such holder or agent), unless such disclosure is made pursuant to judicial
process in a court proceeding (after first giving the Company an opportunity
promptly to seek a protective order or otherwise limit the scope of the
information sought to be disclosed) or is required by law, or such records,
information or documents become available to the public generally or through a
third party not in violation of an accompanying obligation of confidentiality;
and provided, further, that, if the foregoing inspection and information
gathering would otherwise disrupt the Company's conduct of its business, such
inspection and information gathering shall, to the maximum extent possible, be
coordinated on behalf of the Investors and the other parties entitled thereto by
one firm of counsel designed by and on behalf of the majority in interest of
Investors and other parties; (n) In connection with any underwritten offering,
make such representations and warranties to the Investors participating in such
underwritten offering and to the managers, in form, substance and scope as are
customarily made by the Company to underwriters in secondary underwritten
offerings; (o) In connection with any underwritten offering, obtain opinions of
counsel to the Company (which counsel and opinions (in form, scope and
substance) shall be reasonably satisfactory to the managers) addressed to the
underwriters, covering such matters as are customarily covered in opinions
requested in secondary underwritten offerings (it being agreed that the matters
to be covered by such opinions shall include, without limitation, as of the date
of the opinion and as of the Effective Time of the Registration Statement or
most recent post-effective amendment thereto, as the case may be, the absence
from the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, including any documents
incorporated by reference therein, of an untrue statement of a material fact or
the omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, subject to customary
limitations); (p) In connection with any underwritten offering, obtain "cold
comfort" letters and updates thereof from the independent public accountants of
the Company (and, if necessary, from the independent public accountants of any
subsidiary of the Company or of any business acquired by the Company, in each
case for which financial statements and financial data are, or are required to
be, included in the Registration Statement), addressed to each underwriter
participating in such underwritten offering (if such underwriter has provided
such letter, representations or documentation, if any, required for such cold
comfort letter to be so addressed), in customary form and covering matters of
the type customarily covered in "cold comfort" letters in connection with
secondary underwritten offerings; (q) In connection with any underwritten
offering, deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably required
by the managers, if any; and (r) In the event that any broker-dealer registered
under the Exchange Act shall be an "Affiliate" (as defined in Rule 2729(b)(1) of
the rules and regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. (the "NASD Rules") (or any successor provision thereto)) of the Company or
has a "conflict of interest" (as defined in Rule 2720(b)(7) of the NASD Rules
(or any successor provision thereto)) and such broker-dealer shall underwrite,
participate as a member of an underwriting syndicate or selling group or assist
in the distribution of any Registrable Securities covered by the Registration
Statement, whether as a holder of such Registrable Securities or as an
underwriter, a placement or sales agent or a broker or dealer in respect
thereof, or otherwise, the Company shall assist such broker-dealer in complying
with the requirements of the NASD Rules, including, without limitation, by (A)
engaging a "qualified independent underwriter" (as defined in Rule 2720(b)(15)
of the NASD Rules (or any successor provision thereto)) to participate in the
preparation of the Registration Statement relating to such Registrable
Securities, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in respect thereof and
to recommend the public offering price of such Registrable Securities, (B)
indemnifying such qualified independent underwriter to the extent of the
indemnification of underwriters provided in Section 6 hereof, and (C) providing
such information to such broker-dealer as may be required in order for such
broker-dealer to comply with the requirements of the NASD Rules. 4. Obligations
of the Investors
In connection with the registration of the Registrable
Securities, the Investors shall have the following obligations: (a) It shall be
a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the
registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registrable
Securities of a particular Investor that such Investor shall furnish to the
Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it
and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it
as shall be reasonably required to effect the registration of such Registrable
Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration
as the Company may reasonably request. As least seven days prior to the first
anticipated filing date of the Registration Statement, the Company shall notify
each Investor of the information the Company requires from each such Investor
(the "Requested Information") if such Investor elects to have any of its
Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement. If at least two
business days prior to the anticipated filing date the Company has not received
the Requested Information from an Investor (a "Non-Responsive Investor"), then
the Company may file the Registration Statement without including Registrable
Securities of such Non-Responsive Investor and have no further obligations to
the Non-Responsive Investor; (b) Each Investor by its acceptance of the
Registrable Securities agrees to cooperate with the Company in connection with
the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement hereunder, unless such
Investor has notified the Company in writing of its election to exclude all of
its Registrable Securities from the Registration Statement; and (c) Each
Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the
occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(e) or 3(f), it shall
immediately discontinue its disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to
the Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities until such
Investor's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus
contemplated by Section 3(e) and, if so directed by the Company, such Investor
shall deliver to the Company (at the expense of the Company) or destroy (and
deliver to the Company a certificate of destruction) all copies in such
Investor's possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities
current at the time of receipt of such notice. 5. Expenses of Registration
All expenses, other than underwriting discounts and
commissions, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or
qualifications pursuant to Section 3, but including, without limitation, all
registration, listing, and qualifications fees, printing and engraving fees,
accounting fees, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, and
the reasonable fees of one firm of counsel to the holders of a majority in
interest of the Registrable Securities shall be borne by the Company in an
amount not to exceed $20,000.
6. Indemnification and Contribution
(a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Investor and each
underwriter, if any, which facilitates the disposition of Registrable
Securities, and each of their respective officers and directors and each person
who controls such Investor or underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each such person being
sometimes hereinafter referred to as an "Indemnified Person") from and against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such
Indemnified Person may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or an
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading, or
arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in any Prospectus or an omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company hereby agrees to
reimburse such Indemnified Person for all reasonable legal and other expenses
incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim as and when such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be liable to any such Indemnified Person in any such case to
the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is
based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement made in, or an
omission or alleged omission from, such Registration Statement or Prospectus in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such Indemnified Person expressly for use therein or (ii) in the case
of the occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(e), the use by
the Indemnified Person of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company
has provided to such Indemnified Person an updated Prospectus correcting the
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
giving rise to such loss, claim, damage or liability.
(b) Indemnification by the Investors and Underwriters. Each Investor agrees, as
a consequence of the inclusion of any of its Registrable Securities in a
Registration Statement, and each underwriter, if any, which facilitates the
disposition of Registrable Securities shall agree, as a consequence of
facilitating such disposition of Registrable Securities, severally and not
jointly, to (i) indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors
(including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration
Statement as a director nominee of the Company), its officers who sign any
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the
Company or such other persons may become subject, under the Securities Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in such Registration Statement or
Prospectus or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein (in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, in the case of the Prospectus), not misleading, in each case to the
extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such holder or
underwriter expressly for use therein; provided, however, that no Investor or
underwriter shall be liable under this Section 6(b) for any amount in excess of
the net proceeds paid to such Investor or underwriter in respect of shares sold
by it, and (ii) reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses incurred
by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or
claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Notice of Claims, etc. Promptly after receipt by a party seeking
indemnification pursuant to this Section 6 (an "Indemnified Party") of written
notice of any investigation, claim, proceeding or other action in respect of
which indemnification is being sought (each, a "Claim"), the Indemnified Party
promptly shall notify the party against whom indemnification pursuant to this
Section 6 is being sought (the "Indemnifying Party") of the commencement
thereof; but the omission to so notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve
it from any liability that it otherwise may have to the Indemnified Party,
except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced and
forfeits substantive rights and defenses by reason of such failure. In
connection with any Claim as to which both the Indemnifying Party and the
Indemnified Party are parties, the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to
assume the defense thereof. Notwithstanding the assumption of the defense of any
Claim by the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to
employ separate legal counsel and to participate in the defense of such Claim,
and the Indemnifying Party shall bear the reasonable fees, out-of-pocket costs
and expenses of such separate legal counsel to the Indemnified Party if (and
only if): (x) the Indemnifying Party shall have agreed to pay such fees, costs
and expenses, (y) the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party shall
reasonably have concluded that representation of the Indemnified Party by the
Indemnifying Party by the same legal counsel would not be appropriate due to
actual or, as reasonably determined by legal counsel to the Indemnified Party,
potentially differing interests between such parties in the conduct of the
defense of such Claim, or if there may be legal defenses available to the
Indemnified Party that are in addition to or disparate from those available to
the Indemnifying Party, or (z) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed to
employ legal counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party within a
reasonable period of time after notice of the commencement of such Claim. If the
Indemnified Party employs separate legal counsel in circumstances other than as
described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) above, the fees, costs and expenses of such
legal counsel shall be borne exclusively by the Indemnified Party. Except as
provided above, the Indemnifying Party shall not, in connection with any Claim
in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one
firm of counsel for the Indemnified Party (together with appropriate local
counsel). The Indemnified Party shall not, without the prior written consent of
the Indemnifying Party (which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld),
settle or compromise any Claim or consent to the entry of any judgment that does
not include an unconditional release of the Indemnifying Party from all
liabilities with respect to such Claim or judgment.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnified Person under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
Indemnified Party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party in connection
with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and
Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by
such Indemnifying Party or by such Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by
pro rata allocation (even if the Investors or any underwriters were treated as
one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 6(d).
The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above
shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably
incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The obligations of the Investors and any underwriters in this
Section 6(d) to contribute shall be several in proportion to the percentage of
Registrable Securities registered or underwritten, as the case may be, by them
and not joint. (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6, in no
event shall any (i) Investor be required to undertake liability to any person
under this Section 6 for any amounts in excess of the dollar amount of the
proceeds to be received by such Investor from the sale of such Investor's
Registrable Securities (after deducting any fees, discounts and commissions
applicable thereto) pursuant to any Registration Statement under which such
Registrable Securities are to be registered under the Securities Act and (ii)
underwriter be required to undertake liability to any Person hereunder for any
amounts in excess of the aggregate discount, commission or other compensation
payable to such underwriter with respect to the Registrable Securities
underwritten by it and distributed pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(f) The obligations of the Company under this Section 6 shall be in addition to
any liability which the Company may otherwise have to any Indemnified Person and
the obligations of any Indemnified Person under this Section 6 shall be in
addition to any liability which such Indemnified Person may otherwise have to
the Company. The remedies provided in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall
not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to an
indemnified party at law or in equity.
7. Rule 144
With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits
of Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other similar rule or regulation of
the Commission that may at any time permit the Investors to sell securities of
the Company to the public without registration ("Rule 144"), the Company agrees
to use its best efforts to:
(a) comply with the provisions of paragraph (c) (1) of Rule 144; and
(b) file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports and other documents
required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) under the
Exchange Act; and, if at any time it is not required to file such reports but in
the past had been required to or did file such reports, it will, upon the
request of any Investor, make available other information as required by, and so
long as necessary to permit sales of, its Registrable Securities pursuant to
Rule 144.
8. Assignment
The rights to have the Company register Registrable Securities
pursuant to this Agreement shall be automatically assigned by the Investors to
any permitted transferee of all or any portion of such Registrable Securities
(or all or any portion of any Preferred Shares or Warrant of the Company which
is convertible into such securities) only if: (a) the Investor agrees in writing
with the transferee or assignee to assign such rights, and a copy of such
agreement is furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such
assignment, (b) the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or
assignment, furnished with written notice of (i) the name and address of such
transferee or assignee and (ii) the securities with respect to which such
registration rights are being transferred or assigned, (c) immediately following
such transfer or assignment, the securities so transferred or assigned to the
transferee or assignee constitute Restricted Securities, and (d) at or before
the time the Company received the written notice contemplated by clause (b) of
this sentence the transferee or assignee agrees in writing with the Company to
be bound by all of the provisions contained herein. 9. Amendment and Waiver
Any provision of this Agreement may be amended and the observance thereof
may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either
retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company
and Investors who hold a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities. Any
amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 9 shall be binding
upon each Investor and the Company.
10. Changes in Common Stock
If, and as often as, there are any changes in the Common Stock
by way of stock split, stock dividend, reverse split, combination or
reclassification, or through merger, consolidation, reorganization or
recapitalization, or by any other means, appropriate adjustment shall be made in
the provisions hereof, as may be required, so that the rights and privileges
granted hereby shall continue with respect to the Common Stock as so changed.
11. Miscellaneous
(a) A person or entity shall be deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities
whenever such person or entity owns of record such Registrable Securities. If
the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or elections from two or
more persons or entities with respect to the same Registrable Securities, the
Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or election received
from the registered owner of such Registrable Securities.
(b) If, after the date hereof and prior to the Commission declaring the
Registration Statement to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a) effective under the
Securities Act, the Company grants to any Person any registration rights with
respect to any Company securities which are more favorable to such other Person
than those provided in this Agreement, then the Company forthwith shall grant
(by means of an amendment to this Agreement or otherwise) identical registration
rights to all Investors hereunder.
(c) Except as may be otherwise provided herein, any notice or other
communication or delivery required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing
and shall be delivered personally or sent by certified mail, postage prepaid, or
by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, and shall be deemed given
when so delivered personally or by overnight courier service, or, if mailed,
three days after the date of deposit in the United States mails, as follows:
(i) if to the Company, to:
IFS International Holdings, Inc.
Rensselaer Technology Park
000 Xxxxxx Xx.
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
(000) 000-0000
[ ] (Fax)
------------------------
with a copy to:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxx
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. XxXxxxxxxx, Esq.
(000) 000-0000
(000) 000-0000 (Fax)
(ii) if to the Initial Investor, to:
The Shaar Fund Ltd.,
c/x Xxxxxxxx Capital Management
0 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
(000) 000-0000
(000) 000-0000 (Fax)
with a copy to:
Cadwalader, Xxxxxxxxxx & Xxxx
000 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Block, Esq.
(000) 000-0000
(000) 000-0000 (Fax)
(iii) if to any other Investor, at such address as
such Investor shall have provided in writing to the Company.
The Company, the Initial Investor or any Investor may change the foregoing
address by notice given pursuant to this Section 11(c). (d) Failure of any party
to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a
party in exercising such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
(e) This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York. Each of the parties consents to the jurisdiction
of the federal courts whose districts encompass any part of the City of New York
or the state courts of the State of New York sitting in the City of New York in
connection with any dispute arising under this Agreement and hereby waives, to
the maximum extent permitted by law, any objection including any objection based
on forum non conveniens, to the bringing of any such proceeding in such
jurisdictions.
(f) The remedies provided in this Agreement are cumulative and not exclusive of
any remedies provided by law. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of
this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto shall use their best efforts to find and employ an alternative means to
achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such
term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared
to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that
may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(g) The Company shall not enter into any agreement with respect to its
securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of
Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the
provisions hereof. The Company is not currently a party to any agreement
granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any
person which conflicts with the Company's obligations hereunder or gives any
other party the right to include any securities in any Registration Statement
filed pursuant hereto, except for such rights and conflicts as have been
irrevocably waived. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, without
the written consent of the holders of a majority in interest of the Registrable
Securities, the Company shall not grant to any person the right to request it to
register any of its securities under the Securities Act unless the rights so
granted are subject in all respect to the prior rights of the holders of
Registrable Securities set forth herein, and are not otherwise in conflict or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement. The restrictions on the
Company's rights to grant registration rights under this paragraph shall
terminate on the date the Registration Statement to be filed pursuant to Section
2(a) is declared effective by the Commission.
(h) This Agreement, the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Escrow Instructions,
dated as of a date even herewith (the "Escrow Instructions"), between the
Company, the Initial Investor and Cadwalader, Xxxxxxxxxx & Xxxx, the Preferred
Shares and the Warrants constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto
with respect to the subject matter hereof. There are no restrictions, promises,
warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein.
This Agreement, the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Escrow Instructions, the
Certificate of Designation and the Warrants supersede all prior agreements and
undertakings among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(i) Subject to the requirements of Section 8 hereof, this Agreement shall inure
to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the
parties hereto. (j) All pronouns and any variations thereof refer to the
masculine, feminine or neuter, singular or plural, as the context may require.
(k) The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and
shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning thereof. (l) The Company
acknowledges that any failure by the Company to perform its obligations under
Section 3, or any delay in such performance could result in direct damages to
the Investors and the Company agrees that, in addition to any other liability
the Company may have by reason of any such failure or delay, the Company shall
be liable for all direct damages caused by such failure or delay.
(m) This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same
agreement. A facsimile transmission of this signed Agreement shall be legal and
binding on all parties hereto.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS.]
In Witness Whereof, the parties have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
IFS International Holdings, Inc.
By:
Name:
Title:
The Shaar Fund Ltd.
By:
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: Managing Director
