Exhibit 4.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and entered
into as of March 5, 2004, among Innovative Companies, Inc., a Florida
corporation (the "Company"), and the purchasers signatory hereto (each such
purchaser is a "Purchaser" and all such purchasers are, collectively, the
"Purchasers").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated
as of the date hereof among the Company and the Purchasers (the "Purchase
Agreement").
The Company and the Purchasers hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in
the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase
Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
"Effectiveness Date" means, with respect to the initial Registration
Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 180/th/ calendar day
following the Closing Date and, with respect to any additional Registration
Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 3(c), the 90/th/
calendar day following the date on which the Company first knows, or
reasonably should have known, that such additional Registration Statement
is required hereunder; provided, however, in the event the Company is
notified by the Commission that one of the above Registration Statements
will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and
comments, the Effectiveness Date as to such Registration Statement shall be
the fifth Trading Day following the date on which the Company is so
notified if such date precedes the dates required above.
"Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2(a).
"Filing Date" means, with respect to the initial Registration
Statement required hereunder, the 30/th/ calendar day following the Closing
Date and, with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may
be required pursuant to Section 3(c), the 15/th/ day following the date on
which the Company first knows, or reasonably should have known that such
additional Registration Statement is required hereunder.
"Holder" or "Holders" means the holder or holders, as the case may be,
from time to time of Registrable Securities.
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"Indemnified Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c)
hereof.
"Indemnifying Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c)
hereof.
"Losses" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
"Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding
(including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding,
such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
"Prospectus" means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement
(including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information
previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective
registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the
Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement,
with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable
Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments
and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and
all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by
reference in such Prospectus.
"Registrable Securities" means, as of the date in question, (i) all of
the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion in full of the shares
of Preferred Stock, (ii) all shares issuable as dividends on the Preferred
Stock assuming all interest payments are made in shares of Common Stock and
the Preferred Stock is held for at least 3 years, (iii) all Warrant Shares,
(iv) any securities issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or
other distribution recapitalization or similar event with respect to the
foregoing and (v) any additional shares issuable in connection with any
anti-dilution provisions associated with the Preferred Stock.
"Registration Statement" means the registration statements required to
be filed hereunder and any additional registration statements contemplated
by Section 3(c), including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and
supplements to such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre-
and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material
incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such
registration statement.
"Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to
the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any
similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
"Rule 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to
the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any
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similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Underlying Shares" means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon
conversion of the Preferred Stock and the Warrant Shares.
"Warrants" shall mean the Common Stock purchase warrants issued to the
Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
"Warrant Shares" shall mean the shares of Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Warrants.
2. Shelf Registration
(a) On or prior to each Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and
file with the Commission a "Shelf" Registration Statement covering the resale of
130% of the Registrable Securities on such Filing Date for an offering to be
made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415. The Registration Statement
shall be on Form S-3 (unless the Company is not then eligible to register for
resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration
shall be on another appropriate form in accordance herewith) and shall contain
(unless otherwise directed by the Holders) substantially the "Plan of
Distribution" attached hereto as Annex A. Subject to the terms of this
Agreement, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as
possible after the filing thereof, but in any event prior to the applicable
Effectiveness Date, and shall use its best efforts to keep such Registration
Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until all Registrable
Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold or may be sold
without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k) as determined by the counsel
to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed
and acceptable to the Company's transfer agent and the affected Holders (the
"Effectiveness Period"). The Company shall immediately notify the Holders via
facsimile of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement on the same day
that the Company receives notification of the effectiveness from the Commission.
Failure to so notify the Holder within 1 Trading Day of such notification shall
be deemed an Event under Section 2(b).
(b) If: (i) a Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to its
Filing Date (if the Company files a Registration Statement without affording the
Holders the opportunity to review and comment on the same as required by Section
3(a), the Company shall not be deemed to have satisfied clause (i)), or (ii) the
Company fails to file with the Commission a request for acceleration in
accordance with Rule 461 promulgated under the Securities Act, within five
Trading Days of the date that the Company is notified (orally or in writing,
whichever is earlier) by the Commission that a Registration Statement will not
be "reviewed," or not subject to further review, or (iii) prior to its
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Effectiveness Date, the Company fails to file a pre-effective amendment and
otherwise respond in writing to comments made by the Commission in respect of
such Registration Statement within 10 Trading Days after the receipt of comments
by or notice from the Commission that such amendment is required in order for a
Registration Statement to be declared effective, or (iv) a Registration
Statement filed or required to be filed hereunder is not declared effective by
the Commission by its Effectiveness Date, or (v) after the Effectiveness Date, a
Registration Statement ceases for any reason to remain continuously effective as
to all Registrable Securities for which it is required to be effective, or the
Holders are not permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell such
Registrable Securities for 15 consecutive days or an aggregate of 25 days during
any 12-month period (which need not be consecutive days) (any such failure or
breach being referred to as an "Event", and for purposes of clause (i) or (iv)
the date on which such Event occurs, or for purposes of clause (ii) the date on
which such five Trading Day period is exceeded, or for purposes of clause (iii)
the date which such 10 Trading Day period is exceeded, or for purposes of clause
(v) the date on which such 15 or 25 day period, as applicable, is exceeded being
referred to as "Event Date"), then, on each such Event Date and every monthly
anniversary thereof until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay
to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a
penalty, equal to 2.0% per month, pro rata on a daily basis, of (i) the
Subscription Amount paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, and
(ii) if the Warrants are "in the money" and then held by the Holder, the value
of any outstanding Warrants (valued at the difference between the average of the
VWAPs during the applicable month and the Exercise Price multiplied by the
number of shares of Common Stock the Warrants are exercisable into). If the
Company fails to pay any liquidated damages pursuant to this Section in full
within seven days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon
at a rate of 18% per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to
be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such
liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon,
are paid in full. The liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall
apply on a pro-rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an
Event.
3. Registration Procedures
In connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder,
the Company shall:
(a) Not less than three Trading Days prior to the filing of each
Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference), the Company shall, (i) furnish to each
Holder copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other
than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be
subject to the review of such Holders, and (ii) cause its officers and
directors, counsel and independent certified public accountants to respond to
such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective
counsel to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the
Securities Act. The Company shall not file the Registration Statement or any
such Prospectus or any
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amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the
Registrable Securities shall reasonably and in good faith object, provided, the
Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than 3 Trading Days
after the Holders have been so furnished copies of such documents.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments,
including post-effective amendments, to a Registration Statement and the
Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep a
Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable
Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission
such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under
the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related
Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement
(subject to the terms of this Agreement), and as so supplemented or amended to
be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible,
and in any event within 10 Trading Days, to any comments received from the
Commission with respect to a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and
as promptly as reasonably possible provide the Holders true and complete copies
of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to a Registration
Statement; and (iv) comply in all material respects with the provisions of the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all
Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement during the applicable
period in accordance (subject to the terms of this Agreement) with the intended
methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in such Registration
Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) If during the Effectiveness Period, the number of Registrable
Securities at any time exceeds 85% of the number of shares of Common Stock then
registered in a Registration Statement, then the Company shall file as soon as
reasonably practicable but in any case prior to the applicable Filing Date, an
additional Registration Statement covering the resale by the Holders of not less
than 130% of the number of such Registrable Securities.
(d) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which
notice shall, pursuant to clauses (ii) through (vi) hereof, shall be accompanied
by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite
changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of
(i)(A) below, not less than five Trading Days prior to such filing) and (if
requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one
Trading Day following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed
to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be
a "review" of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments
in writing on such Registration Statement (the Company shall provide true and
complete copies thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the
Holders); and (C) with respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the
Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority for amendments
or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional
information; (iii) of the issuance by
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the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration
Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of
any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption
from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such
purpose; (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the
financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for
inclusion therein or any statement made in a Registration Statement or
Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to a
Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of a
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
(vi) the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development with
respect to the Company that the Company believes may be material and that, in
the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best interest of the
Company to allow continued availability or the Registration Statement or
Prospectus; provided that any and all of such information shall remain
confidential to each Holder until such information otherwise becomes public,
unless disclosure by a Holder is required by law; provided, further,
notwithstanding each Holder's agreement to keep such information confidential,
the Holders make no acknowledgement that any such information is material,
non-public information.
(e) Promptly deliver to each Holder, without charge, as many copies of
the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each
amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably request. Subject
to the terms of this Agreement, the Company hereby consents to the use of such
Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling
Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities
covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.
(f) Use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the
resale of such Registrable Securities as required under applicable securities or
Blue Sky laws of each State within the United States as any Holder requests in
writing, to keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption
therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period; provided, that the Company
shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction
where it is not then so qualified or subject the Company to any material tax in
any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(g) Cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation
and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered
to a transferee pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall
be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive
legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations
and registered in such names as any such Holders may request.
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(h) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by this Section 3,
as promptly as reasonably possible under the circumstances taking into account
the Company's good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company
and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event, prepare a
supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to a Registration
Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required
document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither a Registration Statement nor
such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with clauses
(ii) through (v) of Section 3(d) above to suspend the use of the use of any
Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then
the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its best
efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as
is practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this
Section 3(h) to suspend the availability of a Registration Statement and
Prospectus, subject to the payment of liquidated damages pursuant to Section
2(b), for a period not to exceed 60 days (which need not be consecutive days) in
any 12 month period.
(i) Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission.
(j) Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued,
obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of a
Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or
exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(k) The Company may require, at any time prior to the third Trading
Day prior to the Filing Date, each Holder to furnish to the Company a statement
as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder
and, if requested by the Commission, the controlling person thereof, within
three Trading days of the Company's request. During any periods that the Company
is unable to meet its obligations hereunder with respect to the registration of
the Registrable Securities solely because any Holder fails to furnish such
information within three Trading Days of the Company's request, any liquidated
damages that are accruing at such time shall be tolled as to such Holder only
and any Event that may otherwise occur solely because of such delay shall be
suspended as to such Holder only, until such information is delivered to the
Company.
4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance
of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the
Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the
Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing
sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees
(including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings
required to be made with the Principal Market on
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which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (B) in compliance with
applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company
in writing (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the
Registrable Securities and determination of the eligibility of the Registrable
Securities for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as requested by
the Holders), (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of
printing certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses
requested by the Holders), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses,
(iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, and (v) fees and
expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition,
the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its
officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of
any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required
hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or
similar commissions or, except to the extent provided for in the Transaction
Documents, any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.
5. Indemnification
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding
any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the
officers, directors, agents, brokers (including brokers who offer and sell
Registrable Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or any failure to
perform under a margin call of Common Stock), investment advisors and employees
of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the
officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to
the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation,
costs of preparation and reasonable attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively,
"Losses"), as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, any
Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission
or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form
of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent,
that (1) such untrue statements or omissions or alleged untrue statements or
omissions are based upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing
to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that
such information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of
distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved
in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement, such
Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or (2) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified
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in Section 3(d)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective
Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the
Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of
the Advice contemplated in Section 6(e). The Company shall notify the Holders
promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding arising from
or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of which
the Company is aware.
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not
jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers,
agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the
directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses (as
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment not subject
to appeal or review) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any
form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising solely
out of or based solely upon: (i) such Holder's failure to comply with the
prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act or (ii) any omission of a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading to the extent, but only to the extent, such untrue
statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by
such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration
Statement or such Prospectus or to the extent that (1) such untrue statements or
omissions are based upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing
to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent such
information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of
distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved
in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such
Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or (2) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section
3(d)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus
after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is
outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice
contemplated in Section 6(e). In no event shall the liability of any selling
Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds
received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise
to such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be
brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an
"Indemnified Party"), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person
from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party") in writing, and the
Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof, including the employment of
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all
fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that
the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the
Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement,
except (and only) to the extent that such failure shall have prejudiced the
Indemnifying Party.
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An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel
in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party
or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such
fees and expenses; or (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to
assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named
parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both
such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party
shall have been advised by counsel that a material conflict of interest is
likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and
the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the
Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the
expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the
right to assume the defense thereof and the expense of one such counsel for each
Holder shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying
Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected
without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the
Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of
which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all fees and expenses of the
Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred
in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a
manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified
Party, as incurred, within ten Trading Days of written notice thereof to the
Indemnifying Party (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an
Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder; provided, that
the Indemnifying Party may require such Indemnified Party to undertake to
reimburse all such fees and expenses to the extent it is finally judicially
determined that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification
hereunder).
(d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or
5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or
otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such
Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and
Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that
resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question,
including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission
or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to
information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or
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payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject
to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c), any reasonable attorneys' or other
reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any
Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or
expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to
such party in accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required
to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the
proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable
Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such
Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section
are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the
Indemnified Parties.
6. Miscellaneous
(a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company
and all of the Holders of the then outstanding Registrable Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions
hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of
Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other
Holders may be given by Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which
such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the provisions of this
sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with
the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any
agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of
impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise
conflicts with the provisions hereof. Except as set forth on Schedule 6(b),
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has previously entered into any
agreement granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities
to any Person that have not been satisfied in full.
(c) No Piggyback on Registrations. Except as set forth on Schedule
6(c) attached hereto, neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other
than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the
Company in the
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Registration Statement other than the Registrable Securities, and the Company
shall not after the date hereof enter into any agreement providing any such
right to any of its security holders. The Company shall not file any other
registration statements until the initial Registration Statement required
hereunder is declared effective by the Commission, provided that this Section
6(c) shall not prohibit the Company from filing amendments to registration
statements already filed.
(d) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply
with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to
it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
(e) Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition of
such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of
the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Sections 3(d)(ii), (iii) or
(vi), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable
Securities under a Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the
copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement
contemplated by Section 3(h), or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice")
by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in
either case, has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that
are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or
Registration Statement. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to
enforce the provisions of this paragraph. The Company agrees and acknowledges
that any period during which the Holder is required to discontinue the
disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 2(b).
(f) Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time during the Effectiveness
Period there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the
Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with
the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own
account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity
securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the
Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be
issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or
equity securities issuable in connection with stock option or other employee
benefit plans, then the Company shall send to each Holder written notice of such
determination and, if within fifteen days after receipt of such notice, any such
Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such
registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such
holder requests to be registered.
(g) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries
required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth
in the Purchase Agreement.
(h) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the
parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not
assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of
all of the Holders of the then-outstanding
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Registrable Securities. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder
in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under the Purchase Agreement.
(i) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original
and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In
the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such
signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on
whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect
as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
(j) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction,
validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined
in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement.
(k) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative
and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(l) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of
this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto shall use their reasonable 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.
(m) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(n) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder,
of any of their obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as
the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by
law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to
specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each
Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for
any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this
Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for
specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that
a remedy at law would be adequate.
(o) Independent Nature of Purchasers' Obligations and Rights. The
obligations of each Purchaser hereunder are several and not joint with the
obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder, and no Purchaser shall be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser hereunder. Nothing contained
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herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no
action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to
constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or
any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any
way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to protect and
enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this
Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as
an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.
********************
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights
Agreement as of the date first written above.
INNOVATIVE COMPANIES, INC.
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS FOLLOWS]
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[PURCHASER'S SIGNATURE PAGE TO GORX RRA]
Name of Investing Entity: __________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: _________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: __________________________
[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]
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ANNEX A
Plan of Distribution
--------------------
Each Selling Stockholder (the "Selling Stockholders") of the common stock
("Common Stock") of Innovative Companies, Inc., a Florida corporation (the
"Company") and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may,
from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of Common Stock on the
American Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange, market or trading facility
on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at
fixed or negotiated prices. A Selling Stockholder may use any one or more of the
following methods when selling shares:
. ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the
broker-dealer solicits purchasers;
. block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the
shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block
as principal to facilitate the transaction;
. purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the
broker-dealer for its account;
. an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the
applicable exchange;
. privately negotiated transactions;
. settlement of short sales;
. broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a
specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;
. a combination of any such methods of sale;
. through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging
transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise; or
. any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), if available, rather
than under this prospectus.
Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other
brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions
or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as
agent for the
17
purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated. Each
Selling Stockholder does not expect these commissions and discounts relating to
its sales of shares to exceed what is customary in the types of transactions
involved.
In connection with the sale of our common stock or interests therein, the
Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or
other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the
common stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling
Stockholders may also sell shares of our common stock short and deliver these
securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the common
stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling
Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with
broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more
derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other
financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such
broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this
prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved
in selling the shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of
the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions
received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the
shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or
discounts under the Securities Act. Each Selling Stockholder has informed the
Company that it does not have any agreement or understanding, directly or
indirectly, with any person to distribute the Common Stock.
The Company is required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the
Company incident to the registration of the shares. The Company has agreed to
indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Because Selling Stockholders may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the
meaning of the Securities Act, they will be subject to the prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act. In addition, any securities covered by this
prospectus which qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act
may be sold under Rule 144 rather than under this prospectus. Each Selling
Stockholder has advised us that they have not entered into any agreements,
understandings or arrangements with any underwriter or broker-dealer regarding
the sale of the resale shares. There is no underwriter or coordinating broker
acting in connection with the proposed sale of the resale shares by the Selling
Stockholders.
We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the earlier of (i) the
date on which the shares may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without
registration and without regard to any volume limitations by reason of Rule
144(e) under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all
of the shares have been sold pursuant to the prospectus or Rule 144 under the
Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect. The resale shares will be
sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if
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required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states,
the resale shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified
for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or
qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person
engaged in the distribution of the resale shares may not simultaneously engage
in market making activities with respect to our common stock for a period of two
business days prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the
Selling Stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may
limit the timing of purchases and sales of shares of our common stock by the
Selling Stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus
available to the Selling Stockholders and have informed them of the need to
deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of
the sale.
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