LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 10.2
This LOCK-UP AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of September 23, 2024 by and among (i) Delta Corp Holdings Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales (together with its successors and assigns, “Delta”), (ii) Delta Corp Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (“Pubco”), (iii) Kaival Brands Innovations Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“KAVL”), and (iv) the undersigned holder of KAVL securities (“Holder”). Any capitalized term used but not defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Transaction Agreement (as defined below).
WHEREAS, on or about the date hereof, Delta, KAVL, Pubco, KAVL Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pubco (“Merger Sub”), and each of the holders of outstanding Delta Shares named on Annex I thereto (the “Sellers”) entered into that certain Merger and Share Exchange Agreement (as it may be amended, supplemented and/or modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Transaction Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other matters, upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby (the “Closing”), (a) Merger Sub shall merge with and into KAVL, with KAVL continuing as the surviving entity (the “Merger”), as a result of which, (i) KAVL shall become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pubco and (ii) each issued and outstanding security of KAVL immediately prior to the Effective Time shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be cancelled, in exchange for the right of the holder thereof (other than a holder of a KAVL Stock Option or KAVL RSU, which securities will be terminated as of the Closing) to receive a substantially equivalent security of Pubco, and (b) Pubco shall acquire all of the issued and outstanding Delta Shares from the Sellers in exchange for Pubco Ordinary Shares (the “Share Exchange” and, collectively with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement and the Ancillary Documents, the “Transactions”), all upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Transaction Agreement and in accordance with applicable law;
WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, Holder is a holder of KAVL Common Stock, KAVL Preferred Stock, KAVL RSUs, KAVL Stock Options and/or KAVL Warrants in such amounts and classes or series as set forth underneath Holder’s name on the signature page hereto; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, and in view of the valuable consideration to be received by Holder thereunder, the parties desire to enter into this Agreement, pursuant to which all of the Pubco Ordinary Shares and Pubco Warrants to be received by Holder in the Merger, including any Pubco Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of any such Pubco Warrants (all such securities, together with any securities paid as dividends or distributions with respect to such securities or into which such securities are exchanged or converted, the “Restricted Securities”), shall become subject to limitations on disposition as set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises set forth above, which are incorporated in this Agreement as if fully set forth below, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Lock-Up Provisions.
(a) Holder hereby agrees not to, during the period (the “Lock-Up Period”) commencing from the Closing and ending on the earliest of (x) the six (6) month anniversary of the date of the Closing, (y) the date on which the closing price of Pubco Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq (or any other principal stock exchange or quotation service on which the Pubco Ordinary Shares are then traded) is at least one-hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Per KAVL Share Price for twenty (20) out of thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days commencing after the Closing, and (z) the date after the Closing on which Pubco consummates a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction with an unaffiliated third party that results in all of Pubco’s shareholders having the right to exchange their equity holdings in Pubco for cash, securities or other property: (i) lend, offer, pledge, hypothecate, encumber, donate, assign, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Securities, (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Restricted Securities, or (iii) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, whether any such transaction described in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of Restricted Securities or other securities, in cash or otherwise (any of the foregoing described in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Prohibited Transfer”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, from and after the three (3) month anniversary of the date of Closing until the end of the Lock-Up Period, Holder shall be permitted to sell or transfer Restricted Securities each Trading Day in an aggregate amount no greater than ten percent (10%) of the trading volume of the Pubco Ordinary Shares as reported on Bloomberg, LP for the prior Trading Day (as such trading volume is equitably adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations after the Closing), and any such sales or transfers shall not be a Prohibited Transfer hereunder.
(b) The foregoing Section 1(a) shall not apply to: (i) the transfer of any or all of the Restricted Securities owned by Xxxxxx (A) by gift, will, or intestate succession upon the death of Xxxxxx, (B) to any Permitted Transferee (as defined below) or (C) pursuant to a court order or settlement agreement related to the distribution of assets in connection with the dissolution of marriage or civil union or pursuant to a domestic relations order; provided, however, that in the case of any of clauses (A), (B) or (C), it shall be a condition to such transfer that the transferee executes and delivers to Pubco, Delta and the Company an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and holding the Restricted Securities subject to the provisions of this Agreement applicable to Holder, and there shall be no further transfer of such Restricted Securities except in accordance with this Agreement; (ii) transactions relating to shares of Pubco Ordinary Shares or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Closing; (iii) the establishment after the Closing of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), for the transfer of Pubco Ordinary Shares, provided, that (A) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Pubco Ordinary Shares during the Lock-Up Period and (B) no public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or Pubco regarding the establishment of such plan; or (iv) the exercise of any Substituted Option, including any exercise effected by the delivery of Pubco Ordinary Shares held by the undersigned to Pubco. As used in this Agreement, the term “Permitted Transferee” shall mean: (A) the members of Holder’s immediate family (for purposes of this Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean, with respect to any natural person, any of the following: such person’s spouse, the siblings of such person and his or her spouse, and the direct descendants and ascendants (including adopted and step children and parents) of such person and his or her spouses and siblings); (B) any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of Holder or the immediate family of Holder; (C) if Holder is a trust, the trustor or beneficiary of such trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust; (D) if Holder is an entity, as a distribution to limited partners, shareholders, members of, or owners of similar equity interests in Holder upon the liquidation and dissolution of Holder; and (E) any affiliate of Holder. Xxxxxx further agrees to execute such agreements as may be reasonably requested by Pubco, Delta and KAVL that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto.
-2-
(c) If any Prohibited Transfer is made or attempted contrary to the provisions of this Agreement, such purported Prohibited Transfer shall be null and void ab initio, and Pubco shall refuse to recognize any such purported transferee of the Restricted Securities as one of its equity holders for any purpose. In order to enforce this Section 1, Pubco may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the Restricted Securities of Holder (and Permitted Transferees and assigns thereof) until the end of the Lock-Up Period.
(d) During the Lock-Up Period, each certificate or book entry evidencing any Restricted Securities shall be stamped or otherwise imprinted with a legend in substantially the following form, in addition to any other applicable legends:
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER SET FORTH IN A LOCK-UP AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 23, 2024, BY AND AMONG THE ISSUER OF SUCH SECURITIES (THE “ISSUER”), THE ISSUER’S SECURITY HOLDER NAMED THEREIN AND CERTAIN OTHER PARTIES NAMED THEREIN, AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED, SUPPLEMENTED AND/OR MODIFIED FROM TIME TO TIME IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS TERMS. A COPY OF SUCH LOCK-UP AGREEMENT WILL BE FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE BY THE ISSUER TO THE HOLDER HEREOF UPON WRITTEN REQUEST.”
(e) For the avoidance of any doubt, Holder shall retain all of its rights as a security holder of Pubco with respect to the Restricted Securities during the Lock-Up Period, including the right to vote any Restricted Securities and the right to exercise any Pubco Warrants (provided that the Pubco Ordinary Shares issued upon such exercise will be Restricted Securities hereunder).
2. Miscellaneous.
(a) Effectiveness; Termination of Transaction Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon Holder upon Holder’s execution and delivery of this Agreement, but this Agreement shall only become effective upon the Closing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the event that the Transaction Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms prior to the Closing, this Agreement and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall automatically terminate and become null and void and be of no further force or effect.
(b) Binding Effect; Assignment. This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. This Agreement and all obligations of Holder are personal to Holder and may not be transferred or delegated by Holder at any time. Each of Pubco, KAVL and Delta may freely assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement, in whole or in part, to any successor entity (whether by merger, consolidation, equity sale, asset sale or otherwise) or Affiliate without obtaining the consent or approval of Holder or any other party.
(c) Third Parties. Nothing contained in this Agreement or in any instrument or document executed by any party in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall create any rights in, or be deemed to have been executed for the benefit of, any person or entity that is not a party hereto or thereto or a successor or permitted assign of such a party.
-3-
(d) Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement and any dispute or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be governed by, construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of law principles thereof. All Actions arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be heard and determined exclusively in any state or federal court located in New York, New York (or in any appellate courts thereof) (the “Specified Courts”). Each party hereto hereby (i) submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of any Specified Court for the purpose of any Action arising out of or relating to this Agreement brought by any party hereto and (ii) irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert by way of motion, defense or otherwise, in any such Action, any claim that it is not subject personally to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts, that its property is exempt or immune from attachment or execution, that the Action is brought in an inconvenient forum, that the venue of the Action is improper, or that this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may not be enforced in or by any Specified Court. Each party agrees that a final judgment in any Action shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by Xxx. Each party irrevocably consents to the service of the summons and complaint and any other process in any other Action relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, on behalf of itself, or its property, by personal delivery of copies of such process to such party at the applicable address set forth in Section 2(g). Nothing in this Section 2(d) shall affect the right of any party to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by applicable law.
(e) WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY ACTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH PARTY HERETO (i) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY ACTION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THAT FOREGOING WAIVER AND (ii) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 2(e). ANY PARTY HERETO MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR COPY OF THIS SECTION 2(e) WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF SUCH PARTY TO THE WAIVER OR ITS RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
(f) Interpretation. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement. In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires: (i) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (ii) “including” (and with correlative meaning “include”) means including without limiting the generality of any description preceding or succeeding such term and shall be deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation”; (iii) the words “herein,” “hereto,” and “hereby” and other words of similar import shall be deemed in each case to refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section or other subdivision of this Agreement; and (iv) the term “or” means “and/or”. The parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. Consequently, in the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.
(g) Notices. All notices, consents, waivers and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered (i) in person, (ii) by email, with affirmative confirmation of receipt, (iii) one (1) Business Day after being sent, if sent by reputable, nationally recognized overnight courier service or (iv) three (3) Business Days after being mailed, if sent by registered or certified mail, pre-paid and return receipt requested, in each case to the applicable party at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):
-4-
|
If to KAVL at or prior to the Closing, to:
Kaival Brands Innovations Group, Inc. |
with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx Carmel LLP |
|
If to Pubco, Delta or, following the Closing, KAVL, to:
Boundary Hall, Cricket Square |
with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to:
Ellenoff Xxxxxxxx & Schole LLP |
| If to Holder, to: the address set forth below Xxxxxx’s name on the signature page to this Agreement. | |
(h) Amendments and Waivers. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any respect, except by a written agreement executed by Pubco, KAVL, Delta and Holder (or their respective permitted successors or assigns). No waiver will be effective unless it is expressly set forth in a written instrument executed by the waiving party and any such waiver will have no effect except in the specific instance in which it is given. No failure or delay by a party in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. No waivers of or exceptions to any term, condition, or provision of this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be or construed as a further or continuing waiver of any such term, condition, or provision.
(i) No Authorization on Behalf of Pubco, Delta or KAVL. In the event that Holder or Xxxxxx’s Affiliate serves as a director, officer, employee or other authorized agent of Pubco, Delta or KAVL, from and after the Closing, Holder and/or Holder’s Affiliate (for the avoidance of doubt, excluding Pubco, Delta or KAVL itself to the extent such entity is an Affiliate of Holder) shall have no authority, express or implied, to act or make any determination on behalf of Pubco, Delta or KAVL in connection with this Agreement or any dispute or Action with respect hereto.
(j) Severability. In case any provision in this Agreement shall be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in a jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified or deleted, as to the jurisdiction involved, only to the extent necessary to render the same valid, legal and enforceable, and the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby nor shall the validity, legality or enforceability of such provision be affected thereby in any other jurisdiction. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties will substitute for any invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision a suitable and equitable provision that carries out, so far as may be valid, legal and enforceable, the intent and purpose of such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision.
-5-
(k) Specific Performance. Holder acknowledges that its obligations under this Agreement are unique, recognizes and affirms that in the event of a breach of this Agreement by Holder, money damages will be inadequate and KAVL, Delta and Pubco will have no adequate remedy at law, and agrees that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed by Holder in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. Accordingly, each of KAVL, Delta and Pubco shall be entitled to an injunction or restraining order to prevent breaches of this Agreement by Holder and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof, without the requirement to post any bond or other security or to prove that money damages would be inadequate, this being in addition to any other right or remedy to which such party may be entitled under this Agreement, at law or in equity.
(l) Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the full and entire understanding and agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and any other written or oral agreement relating to the subject matter hereof existing between the parties is expressly canceled; provided, that, for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing shall not affect the rights and obligations of the parties under the Transaction Agreement or any Ancillary Document. Xxxxxx acknowledges that Xxxxxx has received and reviewed a copy of the Transaction Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement shall limit any of the rights or remedies of Delta, Pubco or KAVL or any of the obligations of Holder under any other agreement between Holder and Delta or any certificate or instrument executed by Holder in favor of Delta, Pubco or KAVL, and nothing in any other agreement, certificate or instrument shall limit any of the rights or remedies of Delta, Pubco or KAVL, or any of the obligations of Holder under this Agreement.
(m) Further Assurances. From time to time, at another party’s request and without further consideration (but at the requesting party’s reasonable cost and expense), each party shall execute and deliver such additional documents and take all such further action as may be reasonably necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(n) Counterparts; Electronic Delivery. This Agreement may also be executed and delivered by facsimile signature or by email in portable document format in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
{Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Pages Follow.}
-6-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Lock-Up Agreement as of the date first written above.
| Delta: | ||
| Delta Corp Holdings Limited | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| Pubco: | ||
| Delta Corp Holdings Limited | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
| Title: | Director | |
| KAVL: | ||
| KAIVAL BRANDS INNOVATIONS GROUP, INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
{Additional Signature on the Following Page}
{Signature Page to KAVL Holder Lock-Up Agreement}
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Lock-Up Agreement as of the date first written above.
Holder:
Name of Holder: [________________________________]
By: ____________________________________________
Name:
Title:
Number and Type of KAVL Securities:
KAVL Common Stock: ____________________________________________________
KAVL Preferred Stock: ____________________________________________________
KAVL RSUs: ____________________________________________________________
KAVL Stock Options: _____________________________________________________
KAVL Company Warrants: _________________________________________________
KAVL Pre-Funded Warrants: ________________________________________________
Address for Notice:
Address: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Email: ______________________________________________________
Telephone No.: _______________________________________________
{Signature Page to KAVL Holder Lock-Up Agreement}
