AMENDED AND RESTATED NOTES PURCHASE AGREEMENT by and among AMERICAN DAIRY, INC. as the Company AMERICAN FLYING CRANE CORPORATION LANGFANG FEIHE DAIRY COMPANY LIMITED GANHAN FEIHE DAIRY COMPANY LIMITED SHANXI FEIHESANTAI BIOTECHNOLOGY SCIENTIFIC AND...
EXECUTION
COPY
AMENDED
AND RESTATED NOTES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
by
and
among
AMERICAN
DAIRY, INC.
as
the
Company
AMERICAN
FLYING CRANE CORPORATION
LANGFANG
FEIHE DAIRY COMPANY LIMITED
GANHAN
FEIHE DAIRY COMPANY LIMITED
SHANXI
FEIHESANTAI BIOTECHNOLOGY SCIENTIFIC AND COMMERCIAL CO., LIMITED
HEILONGJIANG
FEIHE DAIRY CO., LIMITED
XXXXXXX
XXXXX DAIRY CO., LIMITED
BEIJING
FEIHE BIOTECHNOLOGY SCIENTIFIC AND COMMERCIAL CO., LIMITED
as
the
Subsidiaries
LENG
YOU-XXX
XXX
HUA
as
the
Controlling Shareholders
AND
CITADEL
EQUITY FUND LTD.
as
the
Purchaser
Dated:
June 1, 2007
This
Amended and Restated Notes Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”)
is
dated as of June 1, 2007, by and between American Dairy, Inc., a Utah
corporation (the “Company”),
the
other Group Companies listed on the signature pages hereto, the Controlling
Shareholders (as defined below), and Citadel Equity Fund Ltd. (the “Purchaser”).
WHEREAS,
the Company, the Group Companies, the Controlling Shareholders and the Purchaser
entered into the Notes Purchase Agreement, dated May 25, 2007 (the “Prior
Agreement");
WHEREAS,
the parties to the Prior Agreement desire to amend and restate the Prior
Agreement in its entirety pursuant to the terms set forth in this Agreement;
WHEREAS,
the parties to the Prior Agreement have agreed that the Prior Agreement shall
be
of no further force and effect upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and further that the rights granted to the parties hereto under this Agreement
shall supersede the rights granted to such parties under the Prior Agreement;
WHEREAS,
the Company proposes to issue, and the Purchaser proposes to purchase, the
Company’s Guaranteed Senior Secured Convertible Notes due 2012 in an aggregate
principal amount not exceeding US$80,000,000 (the “Note
Purchase Amount”)
on the
terms of this Agreement; and
WHEREAS,
the Company and the Purchaser acknowledge and agree that subject to and upon
the
exercise of the right of first refusal (the “Prior
ROFR”)
held
by certain investors named in the signature pages to the Subscription Agreement,
dated October 2, 2006 (the “Prior
Subscription Agreement”),
between the Company and such investors, the Note Purchase Amount may be reduced
by the aggregate principal amount of the Other Notes (as defined below) to
be
purchased by such investors who exercise the Prior ROFR with respect to the
Notes (as defined below) (the “Other
Investors”),
but
in no event by an amount more than US$20,000,000.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained
herein and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy
of
which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions
For
all
purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless
the
context otherwise requires the following terms shall have the meanings set
forth
below. Defined terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the
meanings given to such terms in the other Sections of this Agreement or the
Indenture (as defined below).
“Accession
Letter”
has
the
meaning given in Section 3(c).
“Act”
means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.
“AFC”
means
American Flying Crane Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company,
a
Delaware corporation.
“Affiliate”
of
any
specified Person means:
1
(a)
|
any
other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by
or under
direct or indirect common control with such specified Person, or
|
(b)
|
any
other Person who is a director or officer
of:
|
(1)
|
such
specified Person,
|
(2)
|
any
Subsidiary of such specified Person,
or
|
(3)
|
any
Person described in clause (a) above.
|
For
the
purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any Person,
means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly
or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract
or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings
correlative to the foregoing.
“Agreement”
has
the
meaning given in the recitals.
“AI”
has
the
meaning given in Section 3(b).
“Applicable
Agreements”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(i).
“Applicable
Law”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(i).
“BaiQuan”
means
XxxXxxx Xxxxx Dairy Co., Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Feihe,
incorporated under the laws of PRC.
“Beijing
Feihe”
means
Beijing Feihe Biotechnology Scientific and Commercial Co., Limited, 95% of
the
registered capital of which is owned by Feihe and 5% of the registered capital
of which is held in trust for the Company, incorporated under the laws of
PRC.
“Business
Day”
has
the
meaning given in the Conditions.
“Capital
Stock”
means,
with respect to any Person, any shares or other equivalents (however designated)
of any class of corporate stock or partnership interests or any other
participations, rights, warrants, options or other interests in the nature
of an
equity interest in such Person, including preferred stock, but excluding any
debt security convertible or exchangeable into such equity
interest.
“Charter
Documents”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(i).
“Clearing
Facilities”
means
Clearstream and Euroclear.
“Clearstream”
means
Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, and any successor thereto.
“Closing”
means,
unless otherwise specified herein, the First Closing or the Second Closing,
as
the context may require.
“Closing
Date”
means,
unless otherwise specified herein, the First Closing Date or the Second Closing
Date, as the context may require.
2
“Collateral
Agents”
means
the Offshore Collateral Agent and the Onshore Collateral Agent.
“Commission”
means
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common
Stock”
means
shares of common stock of the Company, par value US$0.001 per
share.
“Company”
has
the
meaning given in the recitals.
“Conditions”
means
the terms and conditions of the Notes.
“Controlling Shareholder”
means
any of Xx. Xxxx You-Bin and Mr. Xxx Xxx.
“Conversion
Shares”
means
shares of Common Stock issuable under the conversion of the Notes.
“Disclosure
Schedule”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6.
“Environmental
Laws”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(cc).
“Euroclear”
means
Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V. and any successor thereto.
“Exchange
Act”
means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Feihe”
means
Heilongjiang Feihe Dairy Co., Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AFC,
incorporated under the laws of PRC.
“FCPA”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(ee).
“Filing
Agent”
has
the
meaning given in Section 9(j).
“Filing
Statements”
has
the
meaning given in Section 9(j).
“First
Closing”
has the
meaning given in Section 5(a).
“First
Closing Amount”
has the
meaning given in Section 3(a).
“First
Closing Date”
means
the date of the First Closing.
“Fully-Diluted”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(d)(ii).
“GAAP”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(a)(i).
“GanHan”
means
GanHan Feihe Dairy Company Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company,
incorporated under the laws of PRC.
“Governmental
Authority”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(i).
“Group
Companies”
means
the Company, AFC, LangFang, GanHan, Shanxi, Feihe, BaiQuan, Beijing Feihe and
the Company’s other existing and future, direct and indirect, Subsidiaries.
“Guarantees”
has
the
meaning given in Section 4.
3
“Guarantor”
has
the
meaning given in Section 4.
“Indemnified
Party”
has
the
meaning given in Section 10(a).
“Indemnifying
Party”
has
the
meaning given in Section 10(a).
“Indenture”
means
an indenture dated as of the First Closing Date by and among the Company, other
Group Companies and the Trustee, a form of which is attached hereto as
Exhibit
A.
“Intellectual
Property”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(r)(i).
“Investor
Rights Agreement”
means
the investor rights agreement dated the First Closing Date by and among the
Company, the other Group Companies, the Controlling Shareholders and the
Purchaser, a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit
B.
“LangFang”
means
LangFang Feihe Dairy Company Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company,
incorporated under the laws of PRC.
“Lien”
means
a
mortgage, charge, pledge, lien, hypothecation or other security interest
securing any obligation of any person or any other agreement or arrangement
having a similar effect.
“Material
Adverse Change”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(t)(ii).
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means
a
material adverse effect on:
(a) the
business, management, operations, prospects, property, earnings, assets,
regulatory status, liabilities or condition (financial or otherwise) of the
Group Companies taken as a whole;
(b) the
ability of the Group Companies or any Controlling Shareholder to perform its
material obligations under the Transaction Documents; or
(c) the
validity or enforceability of the Transaction Documents or the rights and
remedies of any holder of the Notes under the Notes.
“Money
Laundering Laws”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(jj).
“Most
Recent Balance Sheet”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(t)(iii).
“Non-Competition
Agreements”
means
(i) a non-competition agreement dated as of the First Closing Date between
Xx.
Xxxx You-Bin and the Company and (ii) a non-competition agreement dated as
of
the First Closing Date between Mr. Xxx Xxx and the Company, a form of which
is
attached hereto as Exhibit
C.
“Notes”
has
the
meaning given in Section 3.
“Note
Purchase Amount”
has
the
meaning given in the recitals.
“OFAC”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(ii).
4
“Offshore
Collateral Agent”
means
The
Bank of New York, acting as collateral agent under the Offshore Share Pledge
Agreement.
“Offshore
Collateral Agent”
means
the
collateral agent under the Offshore Share Pledge Agreement.
“Offshore
Share Pledge Agreement”
means
a
share pledge agreement dated as of the First Closing Date among Xx. Xxxx
You-Bin, the Company and the Offshore Collateral Agent, a form of which is
attached hereto as Exhibit
D.
“Onshore
Share Pledge Agreement”
means
a
share pledge agreement to be entered into subject
to the completion of the undertakings and conditions set forth in Section 7(p),
pursuant to which a perfected first-priority Lien on all of the equity interests
of the PRC Subsidiaries will be pledged for the benefit of the holders of the
Notes.
“Other
Conversion Shares” has
the
meaning given in Section 3(b).
“Other
Indenture”
has
the
meaning given in Section 3(b).
“Other
Investors”
has
the
meaning given in the recitals.
“Other
Notes”
has
the
meaning given in Section 3(b).
“Other
Note Purchase Amount”
has the
meaning given in Section 3(b).
“Outside
Financing”
has
the
meaning given in Section 7(l).
“Permits”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(n).
“Person”
means
any individual, corporation, company (including any limited liability company),
association, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization,
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other
entity.
“PFIC”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(hh).
“PRC”
means
the People’s Republic of China, not including Taiwan, Hong Kong and
Macau.
“PRC
Subsidiaries”
means
LangFang, GanHan, Shanxi, Feihe, BaiQuan and Beijing Feihe.
“Prior
ROFR”
has
the
meaning given in the recitals.
“Proceedings”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(m).
“Proposal”
has
the
meaning given in Section 7(bb).
“Purchaser”
has
the
meaning given in the recitals.
5
“Registration
Rights Agreement”
means
a
registration rights agreement dated as of the First Closing Date between the
Company, the Controlling Shareholders and the Purchaser, a form of which is
attached hereto as Exhibit
E.
“Regulation
S”
has the
meaning given in Section 3(a).
“SEC
Reports”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(a)(i).
“Second
Closing”
has the
meaning given in Section 5(b).
“Second
Closing Amount”
has the
meaning given in Section 3(a).
“Second
Closing Date”
means
the date of the Second Closing.
“Securities”
means,
collectively, the Notes, the Conversion Shares and the Guarantees.
“Security
Documents”
means
the Offshore Share Pledge Agreement, the relevant Uniform Commercial Code
financing statements and the Onshore Share Pledge Agreement.
“Shanxi”
means
Shanxi Feihesantai Biotechnology Scientific and Commercial Co., Limited, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, incorporated under the laws of
PRC.
“Subsidiary”
means,
in respect of any Person, any corporation, company (including any limited
liability company), association, partnership, joint venture or other business
entity of which at least a majority of the total voting power of the voting
stock is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly,
by:
(a) such
Person,
6
(b) such
Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or
(c) one
or
more Subsidiaries of such Person.
“Tax”
has
the
meaning given in Section 6(q).
“Trading
Market”
has
the
meaning given in Section 5.
“Transaction
Documents”
means
this Agreement, the Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantees, the Investor Rights
Agreement, the Non-Competition Agreements, the Registration Rights Agreement
and
the Offshore Share Pledge Agreement, or any of them as the context may so
require.
“Trustee”
means
The Bank of New York, acting as trustee under the Indenture.
“US$”
means
the lawful currency of the United States from time to time.
2. Rules
of Construction.
Unless
the context otherwise requires:
(a) a
term
has the meaning assigned to it;
(b) “or”
is
not exclusive;
(c) words
in
the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the
singular;
(d) all
references in this Agreement to “Sections”, “Exhibits” and other subdivisions
are to the designated Sections, Exhibits and subdivisions of this Agreement
as
originally executed;
(e) a
reference to any person is, where relevant, deemed to be a reference to or
to
include, as appropriate, that person’s successors and permitted assignees or
transferees;
(f) a
reference to (or to any specified provision of) any agreement or document
(including any Transaction Document) is to be construed as a reference to that
agreement or document as it may be amended from time to time;
(g) the
words
“herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to
this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Section or other
subdivision.
(h) “including”
means “including without limitation;”
(i) provisions
apply to successive events and transactions; and
(j) references
to a statute or statutory provision are to be construed as a reference to that
statute or statutory provision as it may be amended from time to
time.
3. Issuance
of Notes.
(a) The
Notes.
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will, on the First
Closing Date, (i) issue and sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser will
purchase from the Company, the Company’s 600 Guaranteed Senior Secured
Convertible Notes due 2012 (the “Notes”)
of
US$100,000 principal amount each, representing an aggregate principal amount
of
US$60,000,000 (the “First
Closing Amount”),
convertible into shares of Common Stock at an initial conversion price of
US$24.00 per share, and (ii) cause the Guarantors to issue the Guarantees.
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will, on the Second
Closing Date, (i) issue and sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser will
purchase from the Company, such number of the Notes as will represent an
aggregate principal amount (the “Second
Closing Amount”)
equal
to (x) US$20,000,000 less (y) the Other Note Purchase Amount (as defined below),
convertible into shares of Common Stock at an initial conversion price of
US$24.00 per share.
The
Notes
will be issued pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture. The Notes will
be
offered and sold to the Purchaser pursuant to Regulation S (“Regulation
S”)
under
the Act. Upon original issuance thereof, and until such time as the same is
no
longer required under the applicable requirements of the Act, the Notes and
the
Conversion Shares shall bear the legends relating to the offer and the sale
of
the Notes and the Conversion Shares as required by (i) Regulation S under the
Act or (ii) any other applicable laws or regulations relating to the issuance
of
the Notes.
(b) The
Other Notes.
7
On
the
Second Closing Date, subject to Section 3(c), the Company will issue to the
Other Investors certain notes (the “Other
Notes”)
of
US$100,000 principal amount each, representing an aggregate principal amount
equal to no more than 25% of the Note Purchase Amount, with respect to which
the
Other Investors have exercised their Prior ROFR in the aggregate (the
“Other
Note Purchase Amount”).
The
Other
Notes will be issued pursuant to the provisions of a separate indenture between
the Company and the Trustee (the “Other
Indenture”)
and
will be offered and sold in the United States to certain accredited investors
(“AIs”)
as
defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act in a manner exempt from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act. Upon original issuance thereof,
and until such time as the same is no longer required under the applicable
requirements of the Act, the Other Notes and the Conversion Shares into which
the Other Notes are convertible (the “Other
Conversion Shares”)
shall
bear the legends relating to the offer and the sale of such securities as
required by (i) Regulation D under the Act or (ii) any other applicable laws
or
regulations relating to the issuance of such securities. The Other Notes sold
in
the United States to certain AIs will be constituted by private placement
definitive certificates, substantially in the form to be set out in an exhibit
to the Other Indenture.
The
Other
Notes and the Other Indenture will have terms and conditions that are identical
to those of the Notes and the Indenture, respectively, except for the transfer
restrictions and related provisions required for the Other Notes to be in
compliance with the Act.
(c) |
Accession.
|
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary herein, unless waived by the Purchaser, the Company
shall not issue and sell Other Notes to any Other Investor unless such Other
Investor executes and delivers an accession letter, in the form attached hereto
as Exhibit
F
(the
“Accession
Letter”),
with
a copy to the Purchaser. Upon the execution and delivery of the Accession
Letter, such Other Investor shall be a party to this Agreement and be bound
by
the terms and conditions herein, except as set forth in such Accession Letter.
4. Guarantees
and Pledges.
Pursuant
to the Indenture and to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Laws,
AFC and
all
of the Company’s other existing and future direct and indirect Subsidiaries
(only to the extent such Subsidiary is permitted under Applicable Laws to do
so)
(each, a “Guarantor”)
shall
irrevocably and unconditionally guarantee, on a senior secured basis, to the
Purchaser and to the Trustee the payment and performance of the Company’s
obligations under the Transaction Documents (collectively, the “Guarantees”).
The
Notes
and the Guarantees will be secured by (i) a perfected first-priority Lien on
all
of the equity interests of AFC and 30% of the equity interests of the Company
held by Xx. Xxxx You-Bin pursuant to the Offshore Share Pledge Agreement and
(ii) subject to the completion of the undertakings and conditions set forth
in
Section 7(p), a perfected first-priority Lien on all of the equity interests
of
the PRC Subsidiaries pursuant to the Onshore Share Pledge Agreement
5. Purchase,
Sale and Delivery.
(a) First
Closing.
8
Subject
to the satisfaction or waiver of all the conditions to closing set forth in
Section 9, the issue and sale to the Purchaser of the Notes in an aggregate
principal amount of US$60,000,000 (the “First
Closing Amount”)
shall
occur at the Hong Kong office of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, on or about
9:00 a.m., Chicago time, at a closing (the “First Closing”)
on
June 1, 2007 or on such other time or Business Day thereafter on or prior to
June 15, 2007 as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Purchaser. At the
First Closing, the Company shall deliver to the Purchaser one or more global
certificates representing the Notes, registered in such names and denominations
as the Purchaser may request, against payment by the Purchaser of the First
Closing Amount as the purchase price therefor by immediately available federal
funds bank wire transfer to such bank account or accounts as the Company shall
have beforehand designated to the Purchaser. The Notes in an aggregate principal
amount equal to the First Closing Amount will be represented by one or more
global certificates in book-entry form and will be deposited on the First
Closing Date, by or on behalf of the Company, with the Trustee as common
depositary for Clearstream and Euroclear, or its designated custodian, and
registered in the name of the Trustee. The Common Stock is traded on the NYSE
Archipelago Exchange (the “Trading
Market”).
(b) |
Second
Closing.
|
Subject
to the satisfaction or waiver of all the conditions to closing set forth in
Section 9, the issue and sale to the Purchaser of the Notes in an aggregate
principal amount (the “Second
Closing Amount”)
of (x)
US$20,000,000 less (y) the aggregate principal amount of the Other Notes to
be
issued and sold to the Other Investors on the same date as the date of the
Second Closing (as defined below) shall occur at the Hong Kong office of Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, on or about 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, at a closing
(the “Second Closing”,
and
together with the First Closing, the “Closings”,
or
each such Closing, a “Closing”)
on the
date on which the Company will issue and sell the Other Notes to the Other
Investors. The Second Closing shall occur as soon as reasonably practicable
after the First Closing Date, but in any event without prejudice to the notice
and acceptance periods in respect of the Prior ROFR in Section 8(m) of the
Prior
Subscription Agreement. At the Second Closing, the Company shall deliver to
the
Purchaser one or more global certificates representing the Notes, registered
in
such names and denominations as the Purchaser may request, against payment
by
the Purchaser of the Second Closing Amount as the purchase price therefor by
immediately available federal funds bank wire transfer to such bank account
or
accounts as the Company shall have beforehand designated to the Purchaser.
The
Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Second Closing Amount will
be represented by one or more global certificates in book-entry form (which
may
be identical to the global certificate used for the First Closing, subject
to
the terms and conditions of the Indenture) and will be deposited on the Second
Closing Date, by or on behalf of the Company, with the Trustee as common
depositary for Clearstream and Euroclear, or its designated custodian, and
registered in the name of the Trustee.
6. Representations
and Warranties of the Group Companies and the Controlling
Shareholders.
Except
as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule to be made part of this Agreement upon
delivery thereof to the Purchaser on or prior to the Closing (“Disclosure
Schedule”)
which
exceptions shall be deemed part of the representations and warranties made
hereunder, each of the Group Companies and the Controlling Shareholders, jointly
and severally, represents and warrants to the Purchaser the following as of
the
date of this Agreement, and such representations and warranties shall be deemed
to be made as of the First Closing Date (if different from the date of this
Agreement) and the Second Closing Date, provided
that
each representation or warranty deemed to be made after the date of this
Agreement shall be deemed to be made by reference to the facts and circumstances
existing at the date on which such representation or warranty is deemed to
be
made (except that, for the avoidance of doubt, any representation or warranty
that is expressed to be made by reference to the facts and circumstances
existing as at a specific date shall be made by reference to the facts and
circumstances existing as at such specific date):
9
(a) |
SEC
Reports; Financial Statements.
|
(i)
The
Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents
required to be filed by it under the Act and the Exchange Act (the foregoing
materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by
reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC
Reports”)
on a
timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has
filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension on
a
timely basis, except where the failure to file, or receive a valid extension
of
the timing of filing for, any SEC Reports would not be reasonably expected
to
have a material adverse effect, and to the Company’s best knowledge after due
inquiry, no disciplinary actions or proceedings have been initiated against
the
Company and no such actions are threatened. As of the date of filing, in the
case of SEC Reports filed pursuant to the Exchange Act, including pursuant
to
Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the twenty-four months preceding the date
hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law to file such
reports, forms or other information) (and to the extent any such SEC Report
was
amended, then as of the date of filing of such amendment), and as of the date
of
effectiveness in the case of SEC Reports filed pursuant to the Act (and to
the
extent any such SEC Report was amended, then as of the date of effectiveness
of
such amendment), the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
of
the Commission promulgated thereunder, as applicable, and none of the SEC
Reports, as of the date of filing, in the case of SEC Reports filed pursuant
to
the Exchange Act (and to the extent any such SEC Report was amended, then as
to
the date of filing of such amendment), and as of the date of effectiveness
in
the case of SEC Reports filed pursuant to the Act (and to the extent any such
SEC Report was amended, then as of the date of effectiveness of such amendment),
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports
have been prepared in accordance with the applicable accounting requirements
and
the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect
at
the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance
with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a
consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”),
except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes
thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all
footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and
its
consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of
operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case
of
unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments. All
other financial, statistical, and market and industry-related data included
in
the SEC Reports are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably
believes to be reliable and accurate. For the purposes of this Agreement, the
term “filed” (or any derivations thereof) includes filing, furnishing or
otherwise providing any reports, forms or other information provided to the
Commission.
(ii)
The
Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice
from the Trading Market to the effect that the Company is not in compliance
with
the requirements of the Trading Market, and to the Company’s best knowledge
after due inquiry, no disciplinary actions or proceedings have been initiated
against the Company and no such actions are threatened. The Company is, and
upon
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby expects to be, in
compliance with all of the listing requirements of the Trading Market.
10
(b) |
Ownership
of Shares of Subsidiaries;
Affiliates.
|
(i)
Schedule
6(b)(i) of the Disclosure Schedule contains complete and correct lists of each
Person in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, any Capital Stock
or
similar equity interests, showing, as to each Subsidiary, the correct name
thereof, the jurisdiction of its organization, and the percentage of shares
of
each class of its Capital Stock or similar equity interests outstanding owned
by
the Company and each other Subsidiary.
(ii)
All
of
the outstanding shares of Capital Stock or similar equity interests of each
Subsidiary shown in Schedule 6(b)(i) of the Disclosure Schedule as being owned
by the Company and its Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid
and
non-assessable and are owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free and
clear
of any Lien.
(iii)
Except
as
disclosed in Schedule 6(b)(iii) of the Disclosure Schedule, no Subsidiary is
a
party to, or otherwise subject to any legal or regulatory restriction or any
agreement (other than this Agreement) restricting the ability of such Subsidiary
to pay dividends out of profits or make any other similar distributions of
profits to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that owns outstanding shares
of Capital Stock or similar equity interests of such Subsidiary.
(c) Organization.
Except
as disclosed in Schedule 6(c) of the Disclosure Schedule, each of the Group
Companies (i) has been duly organized, is validly existing and is in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) has all
requisite power and authority to carry on its business and to own, lease and
operate its properties and assets, and (iii) is duly qualified or licensed
to do
business and is in good standing as a domestic or foreign corporation or limited
liability company, as the case may be, authorized to do business in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of such business or the ownership or leasing
of
such properties requires such qualification, except where, for the purposes
of
(ii) or (iii) only, the failure to have all such requisite power and authority
or to be so duly qualified or licensed does not, and would not, individually
or
in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
The
constitutional documents and certificates of each of the PRC Subsidiaries are
valid and have been duly approved or registered (as applicable) by competent
PRC
Governmental Authorities.
(d) Capitalization
and Voting Rights.
(i) Capital
Stock.
All of
the outstanding shares of Capital Stock or similar equity interests of the
Company have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and are
free and clear of any Lien.
(ii) Issued
and Issuable Shares.
Except
as set forth on Schedule 6(d)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedule, as at the date
hereof and immediately prior to the Closing, there is no Capital Stock issued
or
issuable pursuant to any exercise, conversion, exchange, subscription or
otherwise in connection with any warrants, options (including pursuant to the
Company’s stock option plan), convertible securities or any agreement to sell or
issue Capital Stock or securities which may be exercised, converted or exchanged
for Capital Stock, other than the shares of the Company’s common stock to be
issued upon the conversion of the Notes (collectively, “Fully-Diluted”).
Prior
to the Closing Date, the Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion of the
Notes
will have been duly reserved for issuance, which will constitute such percentage
of the Company’s Capital Stock on a Fully Diluted basis immediately following
the Closing, assuming no exercise of the Prior ROFR, as disclosed in Schedule
6(d) of the Disclosure Schedule. When duly issued upon conversion of the Notes
in accordance with the terms of the Notes, the Conversion Shares will have
been
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of the
Conversion Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar right. Except
as set forth on Schedule 6(d)(ii), all of the issued and outstanding shares
of
each of the Group Company’s Capital Stock as of the Closing are duly authorized,
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, were issued in accordance with
the registration or qualification provisions of the Act, if applicable, and
any
relevant “blue sky” laws of the United States, if applicable, or pursuant to
valid exemptions therefrom and were issued in compliance with other applicable
laws (including, without limitation, applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations)
and are not subject to any rescission right or put right on the part of the
holder thereof nor does any holder thereof have the right to require the Company
to repurchase such Capital Stock.
11
(iii) Voting
and Other Agreements.
Except
as set forth on Schedule 6(d)(iii) of the Disclosure Schedule, as at the date
hereof and immediately prior to the Closing, there are no outstanding (A)
options, warrants or other rights to purchase from any Group Company, (B)
agreements, contracts, arrangements or other obligations of any Group Company
to
issue, or (C) other rights to convert any obligation into or exchange any
securities for, in the case of each of clauses (A) through (C), shares of
Capital Stock of, or other ownership or equity interests in, any Group Company.
Except as set forth on Schedule 6(d)(iii) of the Disclosure Schedule, the
Company is not a party or subject to any agreement or understanding and there
is
no agreement or understanding with any Person that affects or relates to (x)
the
voting or giving of written consents with respect to any security of the Company
(including, without limitation, any voting agreements, voting trust agreements,
shareholder agreements or similar agreements) or the voting by a director of
the
Company, (y) the sale, transfer or other disposition with respect to any
security of the Company or (z) any restrictions with respect to the issuance
or
sale of the Notes or the consummation of the transactions contemplated under
the
Transaction Documents, or any provisions that would adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Notes or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation
any
right of first refusal or right to be consulted or to make a comparable offer
with respect to the Notes, held by any security holder, creditor or anyone
who
holds similar rights in the Company (other than the holders of the
Notes).
(e) No
Registration Rights.
Except
as set forth on Schedule 6(e) of the Disclosure Schedule, no holder of
securities of any of the Group Companies is or will be entitled to have any
registration rights with respect to such securities.
(f) Authorization.
(i)
Each of the Group Companies has all requisite corporate power and authority
to
execute, deliver and perform its obligations under each of the Transaction
Documents to which it is a party and to consummate the transactions contemplated
thereby, (ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by
the Group Companies and the Controlling Shareholders. and (iii) each of the
Transaction Document has been duly authorized and when executed and delivered
by
the Group Companies and the Controlling Shareholders (to the extent they are
parties thereto) shall constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of
each
of the Group Companies and the Controlling Shareholders (to the extent they
are
parties thereto) enforceable against the Group Companies and the Controlling
Shareholders (to the extent they are parties thereto) in accordance with its
terms, except as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally.
(g) Valid
Issuance of Notes and the Guarantees.
The
Notes, when issued, sold and delivered in accordance with the terms thereof
and
for the consideration set forth herein, will be free of restrictions on
transfer, other than restrictions on transfer under applicable state and federal
securities laws. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchaser’s representations in
Section 8 below, the Notes will be issued in compliance with applicable state
and federal securities laws. The Notes have been duly authorized by the Company
and, when executed and delivered by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee,
and delivered to the Purchaser, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
the Notes will have been duly executed, issued and delivered by the Company
and
will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws
of
general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally. The
Guarantees have been duly authorized, and, when the Notes have been duly
executed, authenticated and issued in accordance with the provisions of the
Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Purchaser with the Guarantees
endorsed thereon by the Guarantors, will constitute the legal, valid and binding
obligations of each Guarantor entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture.
12
(h) Valid
Issuance of Conversion Shares.
The
conversion rights attached to the Notes, when the Notes are issued on the
applicable Closing Date, will provide for the right to convert the Notes into
(i) up to 2,500,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company (subject to
subdivision or consolidation thereof) as of the first Closing Date (as
calculated immediately following the First Closing and assuming the conversion
of all the Notes for an aggregate principal amount equal to the First Closing
Amount) and (ii) up to such number of Common Stock of the Company (subject
to
subdivision or consolidation thereof) as of the Second Closing Date as will
permit conversion of all the Notes for an aggregate principal amount equal
to
the sum of the First Closing Amount and the Second Closing Amount. The
Conversion Shares have been duly and validly authorized for issuance by the
Company, and when issued pursuant to the terms of the Notes and the Indenture,
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, not subject to any
preemptive or similar rights, free from all taxes, Liens, charges and security
interests with respect to the issuance thereof and free of restrictions on
transfer other than as expressly contemplated by the Transaction
Documents.
(i) Compliance
with Instruments.
None of
the Group Companies is in violation of its respective articles of incorporation,
certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents (the
“Charter
Documents”).
None
of the Group Companies is, nor does any condition exist (with the passage of
time or otherwise) that could reasonably be expected to cause any of the Group
Companies to be, (i) in violation of any statute, rule, regulation, law or
ordinance, or any judgment, decree or order applicable to any of the Group
Companies or any of their properties (collectively, “Applicable
Law”)
of any
federal, state, national, provincial, local or other governmental authority,
governmental or regulatory agency or body, court, arbitrator or self-regulatory
organization of applicable jurisdictions (each, a “Governmental
Authority”),
or
(ii) except as disclosed in Schedule 6(i) of the Disclosure Schedule, in breach
of or in default in any material respect under any bond, debenture, note or
other evidence of indebtedness, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or
any
other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any
of
them or their respective property is bound (collectively, “Applicable
Agreements”).
(j) No
Conflicts.
Neither
the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or any other
Transaction Document nor the consummation of any of the transactions
contemplated herein or therein will conflict with, violate, constitute a breach
of or a default (with the passage of time or otherwise) under, require the
consent of any Person or a Governmental Authority (other than consents already
obtained) or result in the imposition of a Lien (other than a Lien arising
under
the Security Documents and the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents) on any assets of any of the Group Companies under or pursuant to
(i)
the Charter Documents, (ii) any Applicable Agreement, or (iii) any Applicable
Law. Except as disclosed in Schedule 6(j) of the Disclosure Schedule,
immediately following consummation of the transactions contemplated in the
Transaction Documents, no default will exist under the Indenture.
13
(k) Security
Interests.
When
executed and delivered, the Offshore Share Pledge Agreement will create valid
and enforceable first-priority security interests in favor of the Offshore
Collateral Agent in all the Pledged Collateral (as defined therein), which
security interests will secure the repayment of the Notes and the other
obligations purported to be secured thereby and when the share certificates
representing such Pledged Collateral, together with the Powers (as defined
therein) are delivered to the Offshore Collateral Agent, such security interests
will be perfected. Except
as
disclosed in Schedule 6(k) of the Disclosure Schedule, when
executed and delivered and subject to the approval by and filing with the
relevant Governmental Authority, the Onshore Share Pledge Agreement will create
valid and enforceable first-priority security interests in favor of the
collateral agent appointed thereunder in all the equity interest in the PRC
Subsidiaries which security interests will secure the repayment of the Notes
and
the other obligations purported to be secured thereby.
(l) Governmental
Filings.
Except
as set forth in Schedule 6(l) of the Disclosure Schedule, no filing with,
consent, approval, authorization or order of, any Governmental Authority is
required to be made by any of the Group Companies for the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except (i) as have
been
made or obtained prior to the date of this Agreement or obtained after the
Closing in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, (ii) as
may
be necessary to perfect security interest granted pursuant to the Security
Documents (and for the avoidance of doubt, the security interest granted under
the Offshore Share Pledge Agreement shall be perfected as described in Section
6(k) above) and (iii) as may be required under the Act or state securities
or
“blue sky” laws.
(m) Proceedings.
There
is no action, claim, suit, demand, hearing, notice of violation or deficiency,
or proceeding, domestic or foreign (collectively, “Proceedings”),
pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, threatened,
that seeks to restrain, enjoin, prevent the consummation of, or otherwise
challenges any of the Transaction Documents or any of the transactions
contemplated therein.
(n) Permits.
Except
as set forth in Schedule 6(n) of the Disclosure Schedule, each of the Group
Companies possesses all material licenses, permits, certificates, consents,
orders, approvals and other authorizations from, and has made all declarations
and filings with, all Governmental Authorities, presently required or necessary
to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate their respective properties
and to carry on their respective businesses as now conducted (“Permits”).
All
of the Permits are valid and in full force and effect. Each of the Group
Companies has fulfilled and performed all of its respective obligations with
respect to such Permits and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice
or lapse of time could allow, revocation or termination thereof or result in
any
other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permit. None
of the Group Companies has received actual notice of any Proceeding relating
to
revocation or modification of any such Permit.
(o) Title
to Property.
Except
as set forth in Schedule 6(o) of the Disclosure Schedule, each of the Group
Companies has good and marketable title to all real property and personal
property owned by it that is material to their respective businesses, in each
case free and clear of any Liens as of the Closing Date, except such Liens
as
permitted under the Transaction Documents. For real property not owned by any
of
the Group Companies and currently used or planned to be used for the business
operations of the Group Companies, each of such Group Companies has good and
marketable title to all leasehold estates in real and personal property being
leased by it that is material to their respective businesses and, in each case
free and clear of all Liens as of the Closing Date.
(p) Insurance.
Schedule 6(p) of the Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and correct list
of
insurance policies insuring the Group Companies and their respective businesses,
assets, employees, officers and directors. All such insurance policies insuring
the Group Companies and their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers
and directors are in full force and effect. Each of the Group Companies is
in
compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material
respects, and there are no claims by any of the Group Companies under any such
policy or instrument as to which, to the Company’s best knowledge after due
inquiry, any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a
reservation of rights clause. None of the Group Companies has been refused
any
insurance coverage sought or applied for, and none of the Group Companies has
any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance
coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from
similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.
14
(q) Taxes.
All Tax
returns required to be filed by each of the Group Companies have been filed
(taking into account all extensions of due dates), and all such returns are
true, complete and correct in all material respects. All Taxes that are due
from
each of the Group Companies have been paid other than those (i) currently
payable without penalty or interest or (ii) being diligently contested in good
faith and by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been
established in accordance with GAAP. To the best knowledge of the Company after
due inquiry, there are no proposed Tax assessments against any of the Group
Companies. The accruals and reserves on the books and records of each of Group
Companies in respect of any Tax liability for any Taxable period not finally
determined are adequate to meet any assessments of Tax for any such period.
For
purposes of this Agreement, the term “Tax”
and
“Taxes”
shall
mean all federal, state, national, provincial, local and foreign taxes, and
other assessments of a similar nature (whether imposed directly or through
withholding), including any interest, additions to tax, or penalties applicable
thereto.
(r) Intellectual
Property.
(i) Each
of
the Group Companies owns, or is validly licensed under, or has the right to
use,
all
patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including
trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or
confidential information, systems, software or procedures), trademarks, service
marks, trade names or master works, whether or not
registered, filed, or issued under the authority of any governmental
authority,
(collectively, “Intellectual
Property”)
necessary
for the conduct of its business and, except as set forth in Schedule 6(r) of
the
Disclosure Schedule, all Intellectual Properties owned by the Group Companies
necessary for the conduct of their businesses are valid and in full force and
effect. As of the Closing Date, such Intellectual Property is or will be free
and clear of all Liens, except where the failure to own, possess, or have the
right to use such Intellectual Property does not, and would not, individually
or
in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s best
knowledge after due inquiry, no Proceedings have been asserted by any Person
challenging the use of any such Intellectual Property by any of the Group
Companies or questioning the validity or effectiveness of the Intellectual
Property or any license or agreement related thereto, and, to the Company’s best
knowledge after due inquiry, there are no facts which would form a valid basis
for any such Proceeding. To the Company’s best knowledge after due inquiry, the
use of such Intellectual Property any of the Group Companies will not infringe
on the Intellectual Property rights of any other Person.
(ii) To
the
extent permitted by applicable law, each of the Group Companies has taken
reasonable steps and measures to establish and preserve ownership of or right
to
use all Intellectual Property material to the operation of its business,
including any Intellectual Property that was jointly developed with any
third-parties, or any Intellectual Property for which improper or unauthorized
disclosure would impair its value or validity, and has made all appropriate
filings, registrations and payments of fees in connection with the foregoing.
To
the Company’s best knowledge after due inquiry, there is no infringement or
misappropriation by any other Person of any Intellectual Property of any of
the
Group Companies. No Proceedings in which any of the Group Companies alleges
that
any Person is infringing upon, or otherwise violating, any Intellectual Property
of any of the Group Companies are pending, and none has been served, instituted
or asserted by any of the Group Companies.
15
(iii) To
the
best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, no former or current employee,
no former or current consultant, and no third-party joint developer of any
of
the Group Companies has any rights in any Intellectual Property made, developed,
conceived, created or written by the aforesaid employee or consultant during
the
period of his or her retention by the Group Companies which can be asserted
against any Group Company.
(iv) No
Intellectual Property owned by any Group Company is the subject of any Lien,
license or other contract granting rights or security interest therein to any
other Person, except for Liens, licenses or other contracts granting rights
or
security interest that do not materially interfere with the use made and
proposed to be made of such Intellectual Property by any Group Company. Each
of
the Group Companies has not (A) transferred or assigned, (B) granted an
exclusive license to or (C) provided or licensed, any Intellectual Property
owned by the Group Companies and necessary for the conduct of their business
to
any Person.
(s) Internal
Controls.
Each of
the Group Companies maintains 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 to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii)
access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is
compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action
is taken with respect to any material differences.
(t) Financial
Statements; No Undisclosed Liabilities.
(i) The
audited consolidated financial statements and related notes of the Company
contained in the Form 10-K for the three years ended December 31, 2006
present
fairly in all material respects the financial position, results of operations
and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as of the respective dates
and for the respective periods to which they apply and have been prepared in
accordance with GAAP and comply as to form with the applicable requirements
of
Regulation S-X of the Act.
(ii) Subsequent
to the date of the Company’s audited financial statements filed for the year
ended December 31, 2006, except as disclosed therein or in any subsequent SEC
Report, (A) none of the Group Companies has incurred any liabilities, direct
or
contingent, that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to such Group
Company, or has entered into any material transactions not in the ordinary
course of business, (B) there has not been any material decrease in the Capital
Stock or any material increase in long-term indebtedness or any material
increase in short-term indebtedness of the Group Companies, or any payment
of or
declaration to pay any dividends or any other distribution with respect to
the
Group Companies, and (C) there has not been any material adverse change in
the
properties, business, prospects, operations, regulatory status, earnings,
assets, liabilities or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Group Companies
taken as a whole; excluding any changes caused by (x) the condition of the
industry of the Company that do not disproportionately affect the Company,
(y)
the failure of the Company to meet its financial projections or (z) the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby (each of clauses (A), (B) and (C), a “Material
Adverse Change”).
To
the best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, there is no event that
is
reasonably likely to occur in the foreseeable future, which if it were to occur,
could, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Change.
16
(iii) Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph (ii), the Company has no
liabilities or obligations (whether actual, accrued, absolute, fixed,
contingent, liquidated, unliquidated or otherwise, and whether due or to become
due), except for (i) liabilities or obligations shown on the balance sheet
as of
December 31, 2006 (the “Most
Recent Balance Sheet”),
(ii)
liabilities under any agreements, contracts, commitments, licenses or leases
which have arisen prior to the date of the Most Recent Balance Sheet and which
are not required to be reflected in a balance sheet, or the notes thereto,
prepared in accordance with GAAP (none of which relates to a breach of contract,
breach of warranty, tort, infringement, environmental, health or safety matter,
violation of Applicable Laws or proceeding brought by Governmental Authorities),
(iii) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business since December
31,
2006 (none of which relates to a breach of contract, breach of warranty, tort,
infringement, environmental, health or safety matter, violation of Law or
proceeding brought by Governmental Authorities) and/or (iv) other liabilities
that are, individually and in the aggregate, immaterial.
(u) Debt.
All
Debt represented by the Notes and the Guarantees is being incurred for proper
purposes and in good faith. Based on the financial condition of the Company
as
of the Closing Date after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the
proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value
of the Group Companies’ assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be
paid on or in respect of the Group Companies’ existing Debts and other
liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they mature; (ii) the present
fair saleable value of the assets of the Group Companies is greater than the
amount that will be required to pay the probable liabilities of the Group
Companies on their respective Debt as they become absolute and mature; (iii)
the
Group Companies are able to realize upon their assets and pay their Debt and
other liabilities (including contingent obligations) as they mature; (iv) the
Group Companies’ assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on
their respective businesses as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted
including their respective capital needs taking into account the particular
capital requirements of the business conducted by the Group Companies, and
projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof; and (v) the
current cash flow of each of the Group Companies, together with the proceeds
the
Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking
into
account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts
on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid.
None of the Group Companies intends to incur Debt beyond its ability to pay
such
Debt as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to
be
payable on or in respect of its Debt). The Company has no knowledge of any
facts
or circumstances which lead it to believe that it or any other Group Companies
will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or
reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date.
Except as set forth in Schedule 6(u) of the Disclosure Schedule, none of the
Group Companies is, or has reason to believe it is likely to be, in default
with
respect to any Debt and no waiver of default is currently in effect. Except
as
set forth in Schedule 6(u) of the Disclosure Schedule, none of the Group
Companies has agreed or consented to cause or permit in the future (upon the
happening of a contingency or otherwise) any of its property, whether now owned
or hereafter acquired, to be subject to a Lien. Except as set forth in Schedule
6(u) of the Disclosure Schedule, none of the Group Companies is a party to,
or
otherwise subject to any provision contained in, any instrument evidencing
Debt
of any of the Group Companies, any agreement relating thereto or any other
agreement (including, but not limited to, its charter or other organizational
document) which limits the amount of, or otherwise imposes restrictions on
the
incurring of, Debt of the Company.
17
(v) No
Stabilization.
None of
the Group Companies has and, to each of its best knowledge after due inquiry,
no
one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of
the
price of any security of any of the Group Companies to facilitate the sale
or
resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid anyone
any compensation for soliciting purchases of, the Notes, or (iii) paid or agreed
to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any
other securities of the Group Companies.
(w) No
Sale to the U.S.
None of
the Group Companies, their respective Affiliates, or any person acting on its
or
their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made offers or sales of any security,
or solicited offers to buy, sell or offer to sell or otherwise negotiate in
respect of, in the United States or to any United States citizen or resident,
any security which is or would be integrated with the sale of the Securities
in
a manner or under circumstances that would require the registration of the
Securities under the Act.
(x) No
Directed Selling Efforts.
None of
the Group Companies, their respective Affiliates, or any person acting on its
or
their behalf (other than the Purchaser, its Affiliates or persons acting on
its
behalf, as to whom the Company makes no representation) has engaged in any
directed selling efforts (within the meaning of Regulation S) with respect
to
the Securities; and each of the Company, its Subsidiaries, their respective
Affiliates and each person acting on its or their behalf has complied with
the
offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
(y) No
Registration.
Assuming the accuracy of the Purchaser’s representations and warranties set
forth in Section 8, no registration under the Act of the Securities is required
for the offer and sale of the Securities in the manner contemplated herein
or to
qualify the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
(z) Eligibility.
The
Notes satisfy the eligibility requirements of Rule 144A(d)(3) under the
Act.
(aa) Labor
Matters.
None of
the Group Companies is bound by or subject to (and none of its assets or
properties is bound by or subject to) any written or oral, express or implied,
contract, commitment or arrangement with any labor union, and no labor union
has
requested or, to the best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, has sought
to represent any of the employees, representatives or agents of the Group
Companies. There is no strike or other labor dispute involving any of the
Group
Companies pending
or threatened, which could, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect. There is no employment related charge, complaint, grievance,
investigation, unfair labor practice claim or inquiry of any kind, pending
against any of the Group
Companies that
could, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(bb) Brokers
and Finders.
The
Company has not engaged any broker, finder, commission agent or other similar
person in connection with the transactions contemplated under the Transaction
Documents, and the Company is not under any obligation to pay any broker’s fee
or commission in connection with such transactions.
(cc) Environmental
Matters.
Each of
the Group Companies (i) is in compliance with any and all currently applicable
foreign, federal, state, national, provincial, and local laws and regulations
relating to the protection of the environment or hazardous or toxic substances
or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental
Laws”),
(ii) has received and is in compliance with all permits, licenses or other
approvals required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its
business, (iii) has not received actual notice of any actual or potential
liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of
hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, (iv) none
of the Group Companies has knowledge of any facts which would give rise to
any
Proceedings, public or private, against it or any violation of Environmental
Laws arising out of the operations of the Group Companies, except, in each
case,
such as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
and (v) none of the Group Companies has stored any hazardous materials on real
properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them, and has
not
disposed of any hazardous materials, in a manner contrary to any Environmental
Laws except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect
18
(dd) Encumbrances.
As of
the Closing Date, except for any such restrictions provided under the laws
of
the jurisdiction of incorporation of any of the Group Companies, as applicable,
there will be no encumbrances or restrictions on the ability of any of the
Group
Companies (i) to pay dividends or make other distributions on such parties’
Capital Stock or to make loans or advances or pay any indebtedness to, or
investments in, any of the Group Companies, or (ii) to transfer any of its
property or assets to any of the Group Companies, except for such restrictions
set forth in the Transaction Documents.
(ee) Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act.
None of
the Group Companies, nor to the best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry,
any agent or other person acting on behalf of any of the Group Companies, has,
directly or indirectly, (i) has used any funds, or will use any proceeds from
the sale of the Notes, for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or
other
unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) has
made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or
employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from
corporate funds, (iii) has failed to disclose fully any contribution made by
the
Group Companies (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company
is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) has violated in any material
respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended,
and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”).
(ff) Related
Party Transactions.
Other
than as set forth in the SEC Reports, no material relationship, direct or
indirect, exists between or among any of the Group Companies or any Affiliate
of
the Group Companies, on the one hand, and any former or current director,
officer, stockholder, customer or supplier of any of them (including any member
of their immediate family), on the other hand.
(gg) Investment
Company.
None of
the Group Companies is, and as a result of the offer and sale of the Securities
contemplated herein will not be, required to register as an “investment company”
under, and as such term is defined in, the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended in connection with or as a result of the offer and sale of the
Securities.
(hh) PFIC.None
of
the Group Companies is or intends to become a “passive foreign investment
company” within the meaning of Section 1297 of the Code (“PFIC”).
(ii) OFAC.
Neither
the Company nor, to the best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, any
director, officer, agent, employee, Affiliate or Person acting on behalf of
the
Company is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office
of
Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”);
and
the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of
the
Notes, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any
Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person or entity, towards any sales
or operations in Cuba, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Myanmar or any other
country sanctioned by OFAC or for the purpose of financing the activities of
any
person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by
OFAC.
19
(jj) Money
Laundering Laws.
The
operations of each of the Group Companies are and have been conducted at all
times in compliance with the money laundering statutes of applicable
jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar
rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any
applicable governmental agency (collectively, the “Money
Laundering Laws”)
and no
action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency,
authority or body or any arbitrator involving any of the Group Companies with
respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of
the
Company after due inquiry, threatened.
(kk) Other
Representations and Warranties Relating to the
PRC
Subsidiaries.
(iv) All
material consents, approvals, authorizations or licenses requisite under PRC
law
for the due and proper establishment and operation of each of the
PRC
Subsidiaries
has been
duly obtained from the relevant PRC Governmental Authorities and are in full
force and effect.
(v) All
filings and registrations with the PRC Governmental Authorities required in
respect of each of the
PRC
Subsidiaries
and its
operations including, without limitation, the registrations with the Ministry
of
Commerce, the State Administration of Industry and Commerce, the State
Administration for Foreign Exchange, tax bureau and customs authorities have
been duly completed in accordance with the relevant PRC rules and
regulations.
(vi) Each
of
the
PRC
Subsidiaries
has
complied with all relevant PRC laws and regulations regarding the contribution
and payment of its registered share capital, the payment schedule of which
has
been approved by the relevant PRC Government Authorities. There are no
outstanding rights of, or commitments made by the Company or any Subsidiary
to
sell any equity interest in the
PRC
Subsidiaries.
(vii) None
of
the
PRC
Subsidiaries
is in
receipt of any letter or notice from any relevant PRC Governmental Authority
notifying it of revocation of any licenses or qualifications issued to it or
any
subsidy granted to it by any PRC Governmental Authority for non-compliance
with
the terms thereof or with applicable PRC laws, or the need for compliance or
remedial actions in respect of the activities carried out by any of the
PRC
Subsidiaries.
(viii) Each
of
the
PRC
Subsidiaries
has
conducted its business activities within the permitted scope of business or
has
otherwise operated its business in compliance with all relevant legal
requirements and with all requisite licenses and approvals granted by competent
PRC Governmental Authorities. As to licenses, approvals and government grants
and concessions requisite or useful for the conduct of any part of the
business
of any of the PRC
Subsidiaries
which
are subject to periodic renewal, the Company has no knowledge of any grounds
on
which such requisite renewals will not be granted by the relevant PRC
Governmental Authorities.
(ix) With
regard to employment and staff or labor, each of the PRC Subsidiaries has
complied with all applicable PRC laws and regulations in all material respects,
including without limitation, laws and regulations pertaining to welfare funds,
social benefits, medical benefits, insurance, retirement benefits, pensions
or
the like.
(ll) Full
Disclosure.
All
disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchaser regarding
any of the Group Companies, their respective businesses and the transactions
contemplated under the Transaction Documents, including the SEC Reports and
the
Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, with respect to the representations
and
warranties made herein are true and correct with respect to such representations
and warranties and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Purchaser does not
make
any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated
hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 8 hereof.
20
7. Covenants
of the Group Companies and the Controlling Shareholders.
Each
of
the Group Companies and, to the extent permitted under applicable law, the
Controlling Shareholders, jointly and severally, hereby agrees:
(a) To
(i)
advise the Purchaser promptly after obtaining knowledge (and, if requested
by
the Purchaser, confirm such advice in writing) of the issuance by any state
securities commission of any stop order suspending the qualification or
exemption from qualification of the Securities for offer or sale in any
jurisdiction, or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose by any state
securities commission or other regulatory authority, (ii) use its commercially
reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or order suspending
the qualification or exemption from qualification of the Securities under any
state securities or “blue
sky”
laws,
and (iii) if at any time any state securities commission or other regulatory
authority shall issue an order suspending the qualification or exemption from
qualification of the Securities under any such laws, use its commercially
reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the
earliest possible time.
(b) So
long
as any of the Securities are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule
905 under the Act, to, during any period in which the Company is not subject
to
and in compliance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, provide to
each
holder of such restricted securities and to each prospective purchaser (as
designated by such holder) of such restricted securities, upon the request
of
such holder or prospective purchaser, any information required to be provided
by
Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Act.
(c) Whether
or not any of the transactions contemplated under the Transaction Documents
are
consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay (i) all costs, expenses,
fees and taxes incident to and in connection with the preparation, issuance
and
delivery of the Securities, (ii) all fees and expenses of counsels, accountants
and any other advisors, if any, retained by the Company, (iii) all expenses
in
connection with qualifying the Notes for settlement in the Clearing Facilities,
(iv) all fees and expenses of the Company in connection with approval of the
Notes for “book entry” transfer, and (v) all fees and expenses of the Trustee,
the Conversion Agent, the Paying Agent, the Registrar and any other agents
contemplated in the Transaction Documents.
(d) To
do and
perform all things required to be done and performed under the Transaction
Documents prior to and after each Closing Date.
(e) Prior
to
making any public disclosure or filings as may be required by Applicable Laws
with respect to any of the Transaction Documents and the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby, to provide the Purchaser and its counsels
with
the reasonable opportunity to review and comment on such public disclosure
documents and consider in good faith any comments received by the Purchaser
or
its counsels.
(f) The
Company shall use it best efforts to effect, and each of the Controlling
Shareholders shall cause the Company to use its best efforts to effect, a
Qualifying IPO on or prior to December 1, 2008.
21
(g) To
maintain the listing and trading of the Common Stock on the Trading Market
or on
an alternative trading market reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser, until
the
time of a Qualifying IPO.
(h) For
so
long as the Purchaser owns any of the Securities, the Company will furnish
to
the Purchaser copies of all reports and other communications (financial or
otherwise) furnished by the Company to the Trustee or to the holders of its
Securities and, as soon as available, copies of any reports or financial
statements furnished to or filed by the Company with the Commission or any
national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company
may
be listed; provided,
however,
that
any such report or financial statements filed on the Commission’s XXXXX database
need not be separately furnished.
(i) During
the two-year period after the applicable Closing Date (or such shorter period
as
may be provided for in Rule 144(k) under the Act, as the same may be in effect
from time to time), not to, and not to permit any current or future Subsidiaries
of the Company or any other affiliates (as defined in Rule 144(a) under the
Act)
controlled by the Company to, resell any of the Securities (issued as of such
Closing Date) which constitute “restricted securities” under Rule 144 that have
been reacquired by the Company, any current or future Subsidiaries of the
Company or any other affiliates (as defined in Rule 144(a) under the Act)
controlled by the Company, except pursuant to an effective registration
statement under the Act.
(j) To
pay
all stamp, documentary and transfer taxes and other duties, if any, which may
be
imposed by any Governmental Authorities or any political subdivision thereof
or
taxing authority thereof or therein with respect to the issuance of the Notes
or
the sale thereof to the Purchaser.
(k) The
Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts not to become, and cause
its Subsidiaries not to become, a PFIC. If the Company determines that it or any
of its Subsidiaries has become a PFIC, the Company will promptly notify the
Purchaser and provide all information requested by the Purchaser that is
necessary for it to make a qualified electing fund (QEF) election.
(l) Not
register any transfer of the Notes that is not (i) made in accordance with
the
provisions of Regulation S, (ii) made pursuant to registration under the Act,
or
(iii) made pursuant to an available exemption under the Act.
(m) Prior
to
each Closing Date, the Company shall not, without the express prior written
consent of the Purchaser (which consent shall be at the Purchaser’s sole
discretion), pursue or discuss any capital raising transaction or transactions
with any Person other than the Purchaser or its Affiliates (“Outside
Financing”).
(n) Prior
to
each Closing Date, the Company shall not, and shall procure that its
Subsidiaries shall not, do anything or take any step, action or measure (or
omit
to take the same), that has or could be reasonably expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) The
Company and the Xx. Xxxx You-Bin shall use their best efforts to have the
financing statements timely filed under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial
Code
of Utah or the District of Columbia, as applicable, with the Secretary of the
State of the State of Utah or the District of Columbia, as applicable, in
accordance with the Offshore Share Pledge Agreement, which initial filing shall
be completed or caused to be completed within 10 days from the date of the
First
Closing.
22
(p) Each
of
the Company and the Controlling Shareholders shall, as soon as reasonably
practicable and to
the
extent permitted under PRC law,
use
its reasonable
efforts
to (i) procure a collateral agent acceptable to the Purchaser to serve as a
collateral agent under the Onshore Share Pledge Agreement, which agreement
shall
be in a form acceptable to the Purchaser, (ii) obtain approvals from, and
complete filing procedures with, relevant Governmental Authorities in order
to
create a valid and enforceable first-priority security interest over all of
the
equity interests issued by the PRC Subsidiaries, including the approval from
the
regional offices of the Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation Bureau and the
registration with the regional offices of Industrial and Commercial
Administration Bureau or other offices to the extent required under PRC law
or
regulations.
(q) The
Company shall not use the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes, in any
amount, for any purpose other than as set forth in Section 4.23 of the
Indenture.
(r) In
the
event that any of the Group Companies acquires any Person following the First
Closing Date, such Group Company shall obtain, and the Company shall cause
such
Group Company to obtain, as a condition precedent to the consummation of such
acquisition, an opinion of counsel, which includes, among others, opinions
substantially to the effect that (i) the transaction documents governing such
acquisition are enforceable according to their terms and (ii) neither the
execution, delivery or performance of such transaction documents nor the
consummation of any of the transactions contemplated therein will conflict
with,
violate, constitute a breach of or a default (with the passage of time or
otherwise) under, require the consent of any Person or a Governmental Authority
(other than consents already obtained) or result in an imposition of a Lien
(other than a Lien arising under the transactions contemplated in such
transaction documents) on any assets of any of such Group Company under or
pursuant to (x) the Charter Documents, (y) the Applicable Agreements or (z)
any
Applicable Law. In addition, in the event that any acquisition of a Person
by a
Group Company is disclosed in a SEC Report filed by the Company, the Company
shall provide, or cause to provide, a copy of such report to the Purchaser
promptly as reasonably practicable after filing thereof.
(s) The
Company shall authorize and at all times keep reserved for issuance and delivery
upon conversion of the Notes such number of Conversion Shares or other shares
of
the Company as are from time to time issuable upon conversion of any Notes
and
will, from time to time, take all necessary steps to amend its articles of
incorporation to provide a sufficient reserve of Conversion Shares for issuance
upon conversion of the Notes.
(t) In
connection with the conversion of the Notes into Conversion Shares, neither
the
Company nor any Person acting on its behalf will take any action which would
result in the Conversion Shares being delivered by the Company other than to
the
then existing holders of the Notes exclusively where no commission or other
remuneration is paid or given directly or indirectly for soliciting the exchange
in compliance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Act.
(u) Each
of
the Group Companies and the Controlling Shareholders undertakes that (i) they
will comply with the FCPA, including, without limitation, not making use of
the
mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in
furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment
of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of
the
giving of value to any “foreign official” (as the term is defined in the FCPA)
or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign
political office, in contravention of the FCPA, (ii) they will conduct its
business in compliance with the FCPA, and (iii) they will institute and maintain
policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected
to
continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
23
(v) Promptly
as reasonably practicable but in no event later than 90 days following the
First
Closing Date, each of the Group Companies shall obtain reasonably adequate
insurance covering its material properties, operations, personnel and business,
and is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such
losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the
businesses in which it is engaged.
(w) Promptly
as reasonably practicable following the First Closing Date, each of the Group
Companies shall execute appropriate nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements
with their respective employees (excluding employees acting solely as sales
representatives and without any access to Intellectual Property of any of the
Group Companies), consultants and other Persons as necessary to establish and
preserve ownership of or right to use all Intellectual Property material to
the
operation of its business, including any Intellectual Property jointly developed
with any third parties, or any Intellectual Property for which improper or
unauthorized disclosure would impair its value or validity and shall ensure
that
such agreements remain in full force and effect.
(x) Promptly
and to the extent reasonably practicable following the First Closing Date,
each
Group Company, to the extent applicable as set forth below, shall consummate
the
following:
(i) payment
by the Company of the consideration in United States dollars for the purchase
of
40% equity interest in Shanxi Feihe;
(ii) amendment
of the land use right certificates with respect to the use of the land located
at Xiangqing Xxxxxx 000, Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx 3-4-2, Kedo, Nutricia-related
land and Nantong Street, Baiquan to the reasonable satisfaction of the
Purchaser;
(iii) payment
of the consideration for the acquisition by Feihe of land use rights from Kedong
BeiBei Food Plant with respect to the use of the land located at the address
set
forth in Schedule 7(x)(iii) of the Disclosure Schedule and procurement of the
related land use rights certificate to the reasonable satisfaction of the
Purchaser;
(iv) procurement
of the requisite approvals or waiver by the Hebei Provincial Government with
respect to the acquisition by Langfang of the land located at the address set
forth in Schedule 7(x)(iv) of the Disclosure Schedule; and
(v) execution
of employment agreements with the senior officers of each of the Group
Companies, which agreements shall contain standard non-competition,
confidentiality and assignment of inventions provisions as customary in the
businesses in which it is engaged.
(y) Promptly
and to the extent reasonably practicable following the applicable Closing Date,
Xx. Xxxx You-Bin shall deliver to the Offshore Collateral Agent the certificate
representing the Pledged Stock (as defined in the Offshore Share Pledge
Agreement) to be pledged by Xx. Xxxx, accompanied by undated stock powers duly
executed in blank by Xx. Xxxx You-Bin pursuant to the Offshore Share Pledge
Agreement;
(z) The
Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and
file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by
the
Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act. As long as the
Conversion Shares are “restricted securities” as defined in Rule 144(a)(3), if
the Company is not required to file reports pursuant to the Exchange Act, it
will prepare and make publicly available in accordance with Rule 144(c) (and,
if
the Purchaser owns any Conversion Shares, furnish to the Purchaser) such
information as is required to sell such Conversion Shares under Rule 144. The
Company further covenants that it will take such further action as any holder
of
the Conversion Shares may reasonably request, to the extent required from time
to time to enable such person to sell such Conversion Shares without
registration under the Securities Act within the requirements of the exemption
provided by Rule 144.
24
(aa) The
Company shall, by no later than the four (4) business days (in the City of
New
York) following each Closing Date, file a Form 8-K announcing the respective
Closing of the transactions contemplated hereby and the material terms thereof,
which must be reviewed and consented to by the Purchaser prior to the filing,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; and to provide
the
draft of such Form 8-K to the Purchaser reasonably in advance for review. The
Company and the Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any other
press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither
the Company nor the Purchaser shall issue any such press release or otherwise
make any such public statement (i) without the prior consent of the Company,
with respect to any press release of the Purchaser, or (ii) without the prior
consent of the Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the Company,
in
either case of (i) and (ii), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld
or
delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the
disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of
such public statement or communication. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of the
Purchaser, or include the name of the Purchaser in any other filing with the
Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written
consent of the Purchaser, except (x) as required by federal securities law
in
connection with the filing of the Documents (including signature pages thereto)
with the Commission and (y) to the extent such disclosure is required by law
or
Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the
Purchaser with prior notice of such disclosure permitted hereunder.
(bb) From
the
date of this Agreement to the Second Closing Date, each of the Group Companies
and their respective officers and directors and the Controlling Shareholders
will not, and each of the Company and the Controlling Shareholders will cause
its other representatives not to, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, or
initiate any proposal (a “Proposal”)
relating to (A) direct or indirect acquisition or purchase of any equity
securities (any and all shares of Capital Stock of the Group Companies,
securities of the Group Companies convertible into, or exchangeable or
exercisable for, such shares, and options, warrants or other rights to acquire
such shares and any securities that represent the right to receive such equity
securities) or any tender offer or exchange offer or (B) a merger, amalgamation,
share exchange or consolidation or (C) a sale of all or substantially all of
the
assets of the Group Companies, (ii) participate in any discussions or
negotiations regarding or furnish to any Person any information or otherwise
facilitate any inquiries or the making of any proposal that constitutes, or
may
reasonably be expected to lead to, any Proposal (other than a modified Proposal
of the Purchaser, if any, and without prejudice to the Prior ROFR), or (iii)
authorize, engage in, or enter into any agreement or understanding with respect
to, any Proposal. Each of the Group Companies and their respective officers
and
directors and the Controlling Shareholders will, and each of the Group Companies
will cause its other representatives to, terminate any existing activities
or
discussions in relation to any Proposal with any other party other than the
Purchaser and its representatives.
The
Company and the Controlling Shareholders will immediately (within one Business
Day) advise the Purchaser of, and inform the Purchaser of the terms of, and
the
identity of the Person making any Proposal that any of the Group
Companies
or
Controlling Shareholders or any of their representatives or Affiliates may
receive from
the
date of this Agreement to the Second Closing Date.
(cc) Prior
to
the Second Closing Date, if the Group Companies or their respective officers
and
directors or the Controlling Shareholders violate any of the obligations set
forth in Section 7(bb) above, the Company and the Controlling Shareholders,
on a
joint and several basis, shall pay to the Purchaser all fees and expenses
incurred by the Purchaser in connection with the transactions contemplated
by
the Transaction Documents, including, without limitation, any amounts payable
under Section 11(b) hereof and all legal and accounting fees and expenses,
travel and accommodation fees and expenses, and due diligence fees and
expenses.
25
8. Purchaser’s
Representations, Warranties and Agreements.
The
Purchaser represents and warrants to the Company that:
(a) The
Purchaser is not a “U.S. Person” (as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S) and it
understands that no action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction by
the
Company that would permit a public offering of the Notes or the Conversion
Shares in any country or jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required.
The Purchaser is not acquiring the Notes or the Conversion Shares for the
account or benefit of any U.S. persons except in accordance with exemption
from
registration requirements of the Act below or in a transaction not subject
thereto.
(b) The
Purchaser is not acquiring the Notes or the Conversion Shares with a view to
any
distribution thereof that would violate the Act or the securities laws of any
state of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction.
(c) The
Purchaser (A) agrees on its own behalf and on behalf of any investor account
for
which it has purchased the Notes and/or the Conversion Shares that it will
not
offer, sell or otherwise transfer any of the Notes and/or the Conversion Shares
prior to (x) the date which is 1 year after the later of the date of the
commencement of the offering and the date of original issuance (or of any
predecessor of any Security proposed to be transferred by the Purchaser) and
(y)
such later date, if any, as may be required by applicable law, except (a) to
the
Company, (b) pursuant to a registration statement that has been declared
effective under the Act, (c) for so long as any Security is eligible for resale
pursuant to Rule 144A under the Act, to a person it reasonably believes is
a
“qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A that purchases for its
own account or for the account of another qualified institutional buyer to
whom
notice is given that the transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A, (d)
pursuant to offers and sales to Persons who are not “U.S. Persons” (within the
meaning of Regulation S) that occur outside the United States within the meaning
of Regulation S or (e) pursuant to any other available exemption from the
registration requirements of the Act, and (B) agrees that it will give to each
person to whom such Security is transferred a notice substantially to the effect
of this paragraph.
(d) The
Purchaser acknowledges that the Notes and the Conversion Shares are “restricted
securities” as defined in Rule 144 under the Act.
(e) No
form
of “directed selling efforts” (as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S), general
solicitation or general advertising in violation of the Act has been or will
be
used nor will any offers by means of any directed selling efforts in the United
States be made by the Purchaser or any of its representatives in connection
with
the offer and sale of any of the Notes and/or the Conversion
Shares.
(f) The
Notes
and/or the Conversion Shares to be acquired by the Purchaser will be acquired
for investment for the Purchaser’s own account, not as a nominee or agent, and
not with a view to the resale or distribution of any part thereof, and that
the
Purchaser has no present intention of selling, granting any participation in,
or
otherwise distributing the same. The Purchaser does not presently have any
contract, undertaking, agreement or arrangement with any Person to sell,
transfer or grant participations to such Person or to any third Person, with
respect to any of the Notes or the Conversion Shares.
26
9. Conditions
Precedent to the Obligation of the Purchaser to Purchase the
Notes.
The
Purchaser’s obligation to purchase the Notes under this Agreement at a Closing
is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of each of the following conditions
on
or prior to such Closing:
(a) All
the
representations and warranties of each of the Group Companies and the
Controlling Shareholders contained in each Transaction Document shall be true
and correct as of the date hereof and at the Closing Date. Each of the Group
Companies and the Controlling Shareholders shall have performed, satisfied
and
complied with, to the Purchaser’s satisfaction in its sole discretion, all
covenants, agreements and conditions required by the Transaction Documents
to be
performed, satisfied or complied with by them at or prior to the Closing.
(b) No
injunction, restraining order or order of any nature by a Governmental Authority
shall have been issued as of the Closing Date that could prevent or materially
interfere with the consummation of the transactions contemplated under the
Transaction Documents; and no stop order suspending the qualification or
exemption from qualification of any of the Securities in any jurisdiction shall
have been issued and no Proceeding for that purpose shall have been commenced
or, to the best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, be pending or
threatened as of the Closing Date.
(c) No
action
shall have been taken and no Applicable Law shall have been enacted, adopted
or
issued that could, as of the Closing Date, reasonably be expected to prevent
the
consummation of the transactions contemplated under the Transaction Documents.
No Proceeding shall be pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company after
due inquiry, threatened other than Proceedings that if adversely determined
could not, individually or in the aggregate, adversely affect the issuance
or
marketability of the Notes or the Conversion Shares, or could not, individually
or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Group Companies
has taken any step, action or measure (or omitted to take the same), which
has
or could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate,
a
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) The
Company shall have obtained any and all approvals, consents and waivers
necessary for consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents, including, but not limited to, all Permits, authorizations, approvals
or consents of any Governmental Authority.
(e) The
Purchaser shall have received on the Closing Date:
(i) a
certificate dated the Closing Date, signed by the Chief Executive Officer of
the
Company on behalf of the Company to the effect that (a) the representations
and
warranties set forth in Section 6 are true and correct with the same force
and
effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Date, (b) the Company
has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to
be
performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, (c) at the
Closing Date, since the date hereof or since the date of the most recent
financial statements in the SEC Reports, no event or events have occurred,
no
information has become known nor does any condition exist that could,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (d) since
the
date of the most recent financial statements in the SEC Reports, none of the
Group Companies has incurred any liabilities or obligations, direct or
contingent, not in the ordinary course of business, or entered into any other
transactions not in the ordinary course of business, and there has not been
any
change in the Capital Stock or long-term indebtedness of any of the Group
Companies, in each case, which could, individually or in the aggregate, have
a
Material Adverse Effect, and (e) the sale of any of the Notes has not been
enjoined (temporarily or permanently);
27
(ii) certificates
dated the Closing Date, signed by each of the Controlling Shareholders, to
the
effect that (a) the representations and warranties set forth in the Transaction
Documents which are given by the Controlling Shareholders are true and correct
with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing
Date, and (b) each of the Controlling Shareholders has complied with all
agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
under the Transaction Documents at or prior to the Closing Date,
(iii) a
certificate dated the Closing Date, signed by each of the Group Companies other
than the Company, to the effect that (a) the representations and warranties
set
forth in the Transaction Documents which are given by such Group Company are
true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at
and
as of the Closing Date, and (b) such Group Company has complied with all
agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
under the Transaction Documents at or prior to the Closing Date,
(iv) a
certificate dated the Closing Date, signed by the Secretary of the Company,
including specimen signatures of those officers of the Company authorized to
sign the Transaction Documents, to which the Company is a party, on behalf
of
the Company, attaching true, complete and up to date copies of the certificate
of incorporation and by-laws of the Company, attaching the certificate of good
standing of the Company and certifying as to such other maters as the Purchaser
may reasonably require;
(v) certificates
dated the Closing Date, signed by the Secretary or another authorized officer
of
each of the Group Companies other than the Company, including specimen
signatures of those officers of such Group Company authorized to sign the
Transaction Documents, to which such Group Company is a party, on behalf of
such
Group Company, attaching true, complete and up to date copies of the certificate
of incorporation and by-laws (or other comparable constitutional documents,
and
including business licenses, in the case of the PRC Subsidiaries, and also
certificates of approval, in the case of the PRC Subsidiaries that are wholly
foreign owned entities) of such Group Company, attaching the certificate of
good
standing (only in the case of the Company and AFC) of such Group Company and
certifying as to such other maters as the Purchaser may reasonably
require;
(vi) the
opinions of Xxxxxxx Xxxx LLP, U.S. counsel to the Company and the Controlling
Shareholders, dated the Closing Date, in the form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Purchaser; and
(vii) the
opinions of
the
PRC counsel
to the
Company and the Controlling Shareholders, dated the Closing Date, in the form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Purchaser.
(f) Each
of
the Transaction Documents shall have been executed and delivered by all parties
thereto, and the Purchaser shall have received a fully executed original (or
clearly legible facsimile copy) of each Transaction Document.
(g) The
Purchaser shall have received copies of all documents delivered under or in
connection with the transactions contemplated in the Transaction Documents
that
are required to be delivered at or prior to the Closing Date.
(h) The
Purchaser shall have received the Disclosure Schedule in form and substance
satisfactory to the Purchaser in its sole discretion;
28
(i) None
of
the other parties to any of the Transaction Documents shall be in breach or
default under their respective obligations thereunder.
(j) The
Offshore Collateral Agent shall have received on the Closing Date:
(i) the
certificate representing the Pledged Stock (as defined in the Offshore Share
Pledge Agreement) to be pledged by the Company, accompanied by undated stock
powers duly executed in blank by the Company pursuant to the Offshore Share
Pledge Agreement;
(ii) any
appropriately
completed copies, which have been duly authorized for filing by the appropriate
Person, of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements naming the Company
and
Xx. Xxxx You-Bin as debtors and the Offshore Collateral Agent as the secured
party, or other similar instruments or documents to be filed under the Uniform
Commercial Code of all jurisdictions as may be necessary or desirable to perfect
the security interests of the Offshore Collateral Agent pursuant to the
Indenture and the Share Pledge Agreement;
(iii) any
certified
copies of Uniform Commercial Code Requests for Information or Copies (Form
UCC-11), or a similar search report certified by a party acceptable to the
Offshore Collateral Agent, dated a date reasonably near to
the
Closing Date, listing all effective financing statements which name the Company,
AFC or Xx. Xxxx You-Bin (under its present name and any previous names) as
the
debtor, together with copies of such financing statements (none of which shall
cover any collateral described in the Indenture and the Share Pledge
Agreement);
(iv) such
other approvals, opinions, or documents as the Offshore Collateral Agent may
reasonably request in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Offshore
Collateral Agent; and
(v) the
Offshore Collateral Agent and its counsel shall be satisfied that
(i)
the Lien
granted to the Offshore Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties
(as defined in the Offshore Share Pledge Agreement) in the collateral described
above is a first priority Lien; and
(ii)
no Lien
exists on any of the collateral described above other than the Lien created
in
favor of the Offshore Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties,
pursuant to the Indenture and the Offshore Share Pledge Agreement.
(k) All
Uniform Commercial Code financing statements or other similar financing
statements required pursuant to Section
9(i)
(i),
(ii) and
(iii) above (collectively, the “Filing
Statements”)
shall
have been delivered to CT Corporation System or another similar filing service
company acceptable to the Offshore Collateral Agent (the “Filing
Agent”).
The
Filing Agent shall have acknowledged in a writing reasonably satisfactory to
the
Offshore Collateral Agent and its counsel (i) the Filing Agent’s receipt of all
Filing Statements, (ii) that the Filing Statements have either been submitted
for filing in the appropriate filing offices or will be submitted for filing
in
the appropriate offices within ten days following the Closing Date and (iii)
that the Filing Agent will notify the Offshore Collateral Agent and its counsel
of the results of such submissions within 30 days following the Closing
Date.
(l) The
respective board of directors of each of the Group Companies shall have approved
and authorized by all necessary corporate or other action (i) the execution
and
delivery of the Transaction Documents, (ii) all actions to be performed or
satisfied under the Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, the
reserve for issuance of the Conversion Shares issuable upon exercise of the
Notes), (iii) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the
Transaction Documents, (iv) the pricing terms of the Notes, and (v) all other
actions necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated by the
Transaction Documents and the offering of the Notes, and shall have provided
the
Purchaser with a copy of such authorizations.
29
(m) The
Purchaser shall have completed and be satisfied with the results of all
business, legal and financial due diligence, and any items requiring correction
identified by the Purchaser shall have been corrected to the Purchaser’s
satisfaction.
(n) The
Purchaser shall have received all necessary internal approval for the
transactions contemplated hereunder or under the Transaction
Documents.
(o) The
Purchaser shall have approved a fund flow chart setting forth how the proceeds
from the issue of the Notes will be transferred to its direct or indirect PRC
Subsidiaries and how such PRC Subsidiaries will transfer the funds to the
Company for purposes of the performance of the Company’s obligations under the
Transaction Documents.
(p) Except
for the Prior ROFR and as set forth on Schedule 9(o) of the Disclosure Schedule,
the Company shall have received due and proper waivers, or shall have entered
into amendments or agreements effecting such waivers, by the security holder,
creditor or anyone who holds similar rights in the Company (other than the
holders of the Notes), of any restrictions with respect to the issuance or
sale
of the Notes or the consummation of the transactions contemplated under the
Transaction Documents, or any provisions that would adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Notes or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation
any
right of first refusal or right to be consulted or to make a comparable offer
with respect to the Notes, held by any such security holder, creditor or
holder of similar rights.
10. Indemnification.
(a) Each
of
the Group Companies and the Controlling Shareholders (each such Person being
referred to as an “Indemnifying
Party”),
jointly and severally, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser,
each
of its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, partners,
shareholders, counsel, employees and agents (the Purchaser and each such other
person being referred to as an “Indemnified
Party”),
to
the fullest extent lawful, from and against any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities and reasonable expenses (or actions in respect thereof) other than
those arising from the Purchaser’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, as
incurred, related to or arising out of or in connection with:
(i) |
actions
taken or omitted to be taken by any of the Group Companies or the
Controlling Shareholders or their respective Affiliates, officers,
directors, employees or agents (including, without limitation, the
failure
to take any required actions pursuant to Circular No. 75 of the PRC’s
State Administration of Foreign Exchange, by any Controlling Shareholder
or the shareholders, executive officers or directors of any Group
Company); or
|
(ii)
|
any
breach by any of the Group Companies or the Controlling Shareholders
or
their respective Affiliates of any of the representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements set forth in any Transaction
Document,
|
30
and
will
reimburse the Indemnified Parties for all reasonable expenses (including,
without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) as they are incurred in
connection with investigating, preparing, defending or settling any such action
or claim, whether or not in connection with litigation in which any Indemnified
Party is a named party. If any of the Indemnified Parties’ personnel appears as
witnesses, are deposed or are otherwise involved in the defense of any action
against an Indemnified Party, the Indemnifying Parties will reimburse the
Purchaser for all reasonable expenses incurred by the Purchaser by reason of
any
of the Indemnified Parties being involved in any such action.
(b) As
promptly as reasonably practical after receipt by an Indemnified Party under
this Section 10 of notice of the commencement of any action for which such
Indemnified Party is entitled to indemnification under this Section 10, such
Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against
the
Indemnified Party under this Section 10, notify the Indemnifying Party of the
commencement thereof in writing; but the omission to so notify the Indemnifying
Party (i) will not relieve such Indemnifying Party from any liability under
paragraph (a) above unless and only to the extent it is materially prejudiced
as
a result thereof and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the Indemnifying
Party
from any obligations to any Indemnified Party otherwise than the indemnification
obligation provided in paragraph (a) above. In case any such action is brought
against any Indemnified Party, and it notifies the Indemnifying Party of the
commencement thereof, the Indemnifying Party will be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it may determine, jointly with any other
Indemnifying Party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such Indemnified Party (who shall not, except with
the
consent of the Indemnified Party, be counsel to the Indemnifying Party) at
the
expense of the Indemnifying Party; provided,
however,
that if
(i) the use of counsel chosen by the Indemnifying Party to represent the
Indemnified Party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii)
the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include
both the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party
shall have been advised by counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses
available to it and/or other Indemnified Party that are different from or
additional to those available to the Indemnifying Party, (iii) the Indemnifying
Party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the Indemnified Party
to
represent the Indemnified Party within a reasonable time after notice of the
institution of such action or (iv) the Indemnifying Party shall authorize the
Indemnified Party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying
Party, then, in each such case, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right
to direct the defense of such action on behalf of such Indemnified Party or
parties and such Indemnified Party or parties shall have the right to select
separate counsel (including local counsel) to defend such action on behalf
of
such Indemnified Party or parties at the expense of the Indemnifying Party.
After notice from the Indemnifying Party to such Indemnified Party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof and approval by such Indemnified
Party
of counsel appointed to defend such action, the Indemnifying Party will not
be
liable to such Indemnified Party under this Section 10 for any legal or other
expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation, subsequently incurred
by
such Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof, unless the
Indemnified Party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the
proviso to the immediately preceding sentence (it being understood, however,
that in connection with such action the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable
for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to local
counsel) in any one action or separate but substantially similar actions in
the
same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances,
representing the Indemnified Party who are parties to such action or actions).
The Indemnifying Party shall not, without the prior written consent of the
Indemnified Party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the
entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or
claim
in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder
(whether or not the Indemnified Party is an actual or potential party to such
action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes
an
unconditional release of the Indemnified Party from all liability arising out
of
such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission
of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Indemnified
Party.
31
(c) The
indemnity and expense reimbursement obligations set forth herein (i) shall
be in
addition to any liability any of the Group Companies or the Controlling
Shareholders may otherwise have to any Indemnified Party, (ii) shall remain
operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made
by
or on behalf of the Purchaser or any other Indemnified Party and (iii) shall
be
binding on any successor or assign of the Group Companies or their respective
business and assets.
11. Termination.
(a) The
Purchaser may terminate this Agreement at any time prior to the Closing Date
by
written notice to the Company if any of the following has occurred:
(i) since
the
date hereof, any Material Adverse Change or any development involving or
reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect that could, in the
Purchaser’s sole judgment, be expected to (A) make it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Notes on the terms
and in the manner contemplated in this Agreement and the Indenture or (B)
materially impair the investment quality of any of the Securities;
(ii) the
failure of any of the Group Companies or the Controlling Shareholders to satisfy
the conditions contained in Section 9 on or prior to the Closing
Date;
(iii) any
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international
calamity or crisis, including acts of terrorism, or material adverse change
or
disruption in economic conditions in, or in the financial markets of, the United
States, the European Union, the Peoples’ Republic of China or Hong Kong (it
being understood that any such change or disruption shall be relative to such
conditions and markets as in effect on the date hereof), if the effect of such
outbreak, escalation, calamity, crisis, act or material adverse change in the
economic conditions in, or in the financial markets of, the United States,
the
European Union, the Peoples’ Republic of China or Hong Kong could be reasonably
expected to make it, in the Purchaser’s sole judgment, impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the consummation of the transactions on the terms
and in the manner contemplated in this Agreement or the Indenture;
(iv) suspension
of trading in the Common Stock by the Trading Market or the suspension or
limitation of trading generally in securities on the New York Stock Exchange,
the American Stock Exchange, the London Stock Exchange, the Hong Kong Stock
Exchange, the NASDAQ Capital Market or the NASDAQ Global Market or any setting
of limitations on prices for securities on any such exchange or the NASDAQ
Capital Market or the NASDAQ Global Market;
(v) the
enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation after the date hereof
of
any Applicable Law that could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect; or
(vi) the
declaration of a banking moratorium by any federal or New York state
Governmental Authority; or the taking of any action by any Governmental
Authority after the date hereof in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs
that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
financial markets in the United States, European Union, the Peoples’ Republic of
China, Hong Kong or elsewhere.
(b) The
Company may terminate this Agreement at any time prior to the Closing Date
by
written notice to the Purchaser based upon the Purchaser’s intentional breach of
its representations, warranties, covenants and obligations under this
Agreement.
32
12. Survival
of Representations and Indemnities.
The
representations and warranties, covenants, indemnities and contribution and
expense reimbursement provisions and other agreements of any of the Group
Companies and the Controlling Shareholders set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, and will survive, regardless
of
(i) any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on
behalf of the parties hereto, and (ii) acceptance of the Notes, and payment
for
them hereunder.
13. Substitution
of Purchaser.
The
Purchaser shall have the right to substitute any one of its Affiliates as the
purchaser of the Notes, by written notice to the Company, which notice shall
be
signed by both the Purchaser and such Affiliate, shall contain such Affiliate’s
agreement to be bound by this Agreement and shall contain a confirmation by
such
Affiliate of the accuracy with respect to it of the representations and
warranties set forth in Section 8. Upon receipt of such notice, wherever the
word “Purchaser” is used in this Agreement (other than in this Section 13), such
word shall be deemed to refer to such Affiliate in lieu of the original
Purchaser. In the event that such Affiliate is so substituted as a purchaser
hereunder and such Affiliate thereafter transfers to the original Purchaser
all
of the Notes then held by such Affiliate, upon receipt by the Company of notice
of such transfer, wherever the word “Purchaser” is used in this Agreement (other
than in this Section 13), such word shall no longer be deemed to refer to such
Affiliate, but shall refer to the original Purchaser, and the original Purchaser
shall have all the rights of an original holder of the Notes under this
Agreement.
14. Miscellaneous.
(a) Notices
given pursuant to any provision of this Agreement shall be addressed as follows:
(i) if to the Company, to: Star
City
International Building, Xx. 00 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, X-00xx
Xxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, People’x Xxxxxxxx xx Xxxxx 000000,
Fax:
(00)
00
0000 0000,
Attention:
Xx. Xxxx You-Bin, with a copy to Xxxxxxx Xxxx LLP, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Fax: 000-000-0000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq.,
and (ii) if to the Purchaser, to: c/o 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000, XXX, Fax: (0-000) 000 0000, Attention: Xx. Xxxx X. Xxxxxx,
with
a copy to 00/X Xxxxxx Xxxxx, 0
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxx, Fax: (000) 0000 0000, Attention: Xx. Xxxxxx
Xxxx and Xx. Xxx Xxx,
and with
a copy to Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, ICBC Xxxxx 00xx Xxxxx, 0 Xxxxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxx SAR, China, Fax: (000) 0000 0000, Attention: Xx.
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Esq.
(b) Except
with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company covenants and agrees
that
neither it nor any other person acting on its behalf will provide the Purchaser
or its agents or counsel with any information that the Company believes
constitutes material non-public information, unless prior thereto the Purchaser
shall have executed a written agreement regarding the confidentiality and use
of
such information. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchaser shall
be relying on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions
contemplated hereunder.
(c) This
Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of and shall be binding
upon the parties hereto and, to the extent provided in Section 10 hereof, the
controlling persons and their respective agents, employees, officers, directors,
partners, counsel, and shareholders referred to in Section 10, and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, all as
and
to the extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall acquire
or
have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.
(d) THIS
AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS
OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
33
(e) The
parties hereto agree that any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or
based
upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted
in
any State or U.S. federal court in The City of New York and County of New York,
and waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of
venue of any such proceeding, and irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive
jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding.
(f) The
parties hereto each hereby waive any right to trial by jury in any action,
proceeding or counterclaim arising out of or relating to this
Agreement.
(g) No
failure to exercise, and no course of dealing with respect to, and no delay
in
exercising, any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver
thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or remedy
hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of
any
other right, power or remedy.
(h) This
Agreement may be signed in various counterparts which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument. In the event that any signature is delivered by
facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid and binding
obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is
executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature page
were an original thereof.
(i) The
headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall
not
constitute part of this Agreement nor limit or otherwise affect the meaning
of
any provision of this Agreement.
(j) 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, in each case to the extent permitted by applicable law, 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,
to
the extent permitted by applicable law.
(k) This
Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents
to
departures from the provisions hereof may be given; provided
that the
same are in writing and signed by all of the signatories hereto.
15. Further
Assurances.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the
parties hereto hereby agree to, and shall, enter into all such additional
agreements or instruments, or to make such modifications to this Agreement
and
the other agreements, documents and instruments contemplated hereby and by
the
transactions provided for herein, and to take such further actions, as are
necessary or appropriate in connection with, and in order to ensure, the full
and complete compliance by the Company of its obligations to, and the
fulfillment of the rights of, the Other Investors pursuant to the Prior ROFR,
and the Prior Subscription Agreement and the transactions contemplated
thereby.
[Signature
Page(s) to Follow]
34
AMERICAN DAIRY, INC. | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Leng You-Bin | |
Name: Leng You-Bin |
||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
AMERICAN FLYING CRANE CORPORATION | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Leng You-Bin | |
Name: Leng You-Bin |
||
Title:Legal Representative |
LANGFANG FEIHE DAIRY COMPANY LIMITED | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Leng You-Bin | |
Name: Leng You-Bin |
||
Title:Legal Representative |
GANHAN FEIHE DAIRY COMPANY LIMITED | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Leng You-Bin | |
Name: Leng You-Bin |
||
Title:Legal Representative |
SHANXI FEIHESANTAI BIOTECHNOLOGY SCIENTIFIC AND COMMERCIAL CO., LIMITED | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Leng You-Bin | |
Name: Leng You-Bin |
||
Title:Legal Representative |
HEILONGJIANG FEIHE DAIRY CO., LIMITED | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Leng You-Bin | |
Name: Leng You-Bin |
||
Title:Legal Representative |
BAIQUAN FEIHEI DAIRY CO., LIMITED | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Leng You-Bin | |
Name: Leng You-Bin |
||
Title:Legal Representative |
BEIJING FEIHE BIOTECHNOLOGY SCIENTIFIC AND COMMERCIAL CO., LIMITED | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Leng You-Bin | |
Name: Leng You-Bin |
||
Title:Legal Representative |
CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDERS: | ||
|
|
|
/s/ Leng You-Bin | ||
Leng You-Bin |
||
/s/ Xxx Xxx | ||
Xxx Xxx |
||
CITADEL
EQUITY FUND LTD.
|
||
By: Citadel Limited Partnership, its Portfolio Manager | ||
By: Citadel Investment Group, L.L.C., its General Partner | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxx |
||
Title: Authorized Signatory |
Exhibit
F
Form
of the Accession Letter
To:
|
American
Dairy, Inc. (the “Company”), the Group Companies, the Controlling
Shareholders, Citadel Equity Fund Ltd. and any other parties to the
Amended Purchase Agreement
|
Date:
|
[●]
|
THIS
UNDERTAKING is made as of the date above written by the undersigned (the
“Acceding Party”) in relation to that certain Amended and Restated Notes
Purchase Agreement, dated June
1,
2007
(the “Amended
Purchase Agreement”),
by
and among the Company, the Group Companies, the Controlling Shareholders and
Citadel Equity Fund Ltd., as amended from time to time. Capitalized terms used
herein but not otherwise defined in this letter shall have the respective
meanings set forth in the Amended Purchase Agreement.
In
consideration of the undersigned being accepted as a party to the Amended
Purchase Agreement in connection with the issuance and sale of the Other Notes,
the undersigned hereby agrees with the parties to the Amended Purchase Agreement
that it will abide by the terms of, and be a party to, the Amended Purchase
Agreement (a copy of which it acknowledges that it has received).
The
undersigned hereby represents, acknowledges and agrees that:
1. It
is an
AI, purchasing the Other Notes for its own account or for the account of one
or
more AIs and not acquiring the Other Notes or the Other Conversion Shares with
a
view to any distribution thereof that would violate the Act or the securities
laws of any state of the United States or any other applicable
jurisdiction.
2. It
acknowledges, and each beneficial owner of the Other Notes has been advised,
that any sale to it is being made in reliance on an exemption from the
registration requirements of the Act.
3. It
acknowledges that no Other Notes, Guarantees or Other Conversion Shares have
been or will be registered under the Securities Act or any applicable U.S.
state
securities laws, that the Other Notes, the Guarantees and the Other Conversion
Shares are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under
the Securities Act and that no Other Notes, Guarantees or Other Conversion
Shares may be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account
or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S) except as set forth
below.
4. If
in the
future it decides to resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Other Notes or
the
Other Conversion Shares or any beneficial interests therein, it will do so,
only
(a) inside the United States to a person whom the Purchaser reasonably believes
is a qualified institutional buyer (a “QIB”)
as
defined in Rule 144A of the Securities Act pursuant to an exemption from
registration under the Act, (b) outside the United States to a non-U.S. person
in compliance with Regulation S, (c) pursuant to another exemption from
registration under the Act (if available) or (d) pursuant to an effective
registration statement under the Act, in each case, in accordance with all
applicable U.S. state securities laws.
F-1
5. It
will,
and will require each subsequent holder of the Other Notes or the Other
Conversion Shares to, notify any purchaser of an interest in an Other Note
or
Other Conversion Shares of the resale restrictions referred to in paragraphs
(iii) and (iv) above, if then applicable.
6. It
acknowledges that the Other Notes will be in certificated form.
7. The
Other
Conversion Shares will bear a legend setting forth the resale restrictions
referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (iv) above.
8. The
Other
Notes and/or the Other Conversion Shares to be acquired by such Other Investor
will be acquired for investment for its own account, not as a nominee or agent,
and not with a view to the resale or distribution of any part thereof, and
that
it has no present intention of selling, granting any participation in, or
otherwise distributing the same. Such Other Investor does not presently have
any
contract, undertaking, agreement or arrangement with any Person to sell,
transfer or grant participations to such Person or to any third Person, with
respect to any of the Other Notes or the Other Conversion Shares.
9. On
each
day from the date on which it acquires the Other Notes, through and including
the date on which it disposes of its interests in such Other Notes, either
that
(a) it is not an “employee benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA,
subject to Title I of ERISA, a “plan” (defined in Section 4975(e)(1) of the
Code, subject to Section 4975 of the Code (including without limitation, an
individual retirement account), an entity whose underlying assets include the
assets of any such employee benefit plan or plan by reason of Department of
Labor Regulation section 2510.3-10 or otherwise, or a governmental or church
plan which is subject to any federal, state or local law that is substantially
similar to the provisions of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code
or
(b) its purchase, holding and disposition of such Notes will not result in
a
prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code
(or, in the case of a governmental or church plan, any substantially similar
federal, state or local law) unless an exemption is available with respect
to
such transactions and all the conditions of such exemption have been
satisfied.
This
undertaking shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws
of
the State of New York.
[Name
of the Other Investor]
By:
___________________________
Name:
Title:
|
F-2