WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit 4.4
WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT (this “Warrant Agreement”) dated as of ______, 2020 (the “Issuance Date”) between The9 Limited., a company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”), and Computershare Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Computershare”), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust company (the “Warrant Agent”).
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of that certain Underwriting Agreement (“Underwriting Agreement”), dated _______, 2020, between the Company and Maxim Group., LLC (“Maxim”), as representative of the underwriters set forth therein, the Company is engaged in a public offering (the “Offering”) of up to _________ American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each ADS representing three (3) Class A ordinary shares of the Company, par value US$0.01 per share (“Ordinary Shares”), and up to ________ Warrants (the “Warrants”), with each such Warrant representing the right of the holder thereof to purchase one ADS (each, a “Warrant ADS”) for US$_____ per ADS, subject to adjustment as described herein, plus applicable fees, charges and taxes;
WHEREAS, the ADSs are issuable under the Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement dated as of June 28, 2019 (the “Deposit Agreement”) among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary (the “Depositary”), and all Owners and Holders (each as defined in the Deposit Agreement) from time to time of the ADSs issued thereunder;
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a Registration Statement, No. 333-240331, on Form F-1 (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”) for the registration, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of, among other securities, the Warrants and the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrant ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (the “Warrant Shares”), and such Registration Statement was declared effective on ________, 2020;
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Warrant Agreement in connection with the issuance, registration, registration of transfer and exercise of the Warrants;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Warrants the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Warrant Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company with respect to the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the express terms and conditions set forth in this Warrant Agreement (and no implied terms or conditions).
2. Warrants.
2.1 Form of Warrants. The Warrants shall be registered securities in book entry form and shall be evidenced by a global certificate (“Global Certificate”) in the form of Annex A to this Warrant Agreement, which shall be deposited on behalf of the Company with a custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and registered in the name of Cede & Co., a nominee of DTC. If DTC subsequently ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for the Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding making other arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent to provide written instructions to DTC to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation the Global Certificate, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver each holder of the Warrants separate certificates in the form of Annex A evidencing Warrants (“Definitive Certificates” and, together with the Global Certificate, “Warrant Certificates”) registered as requested through the DTC system. In the event Definitive Certificates are delivered to the Holders, the transfer, exchange or exercise of the Warrants shall be conducted in accordance with the customary procedures of the Warrant Agent. The Company shall use its best efforts to enable the Warrants be “DTC eligible” so that the interests in the Warrants may be held in book-entry through DTC for the term of the Warrants.
2.1.1 Exchange of Interest in Global Certificate for Definitive Certificate. Notwithstanding Section 2.1 above, a holder of a security entitlement in Warrants evidenced by the Global Certificate has the right to elect at any time to exchange it for a Definitive Certificate evidencing the same number of Warrants. Upon written notice by a Participant having Warrants credited to its DTC account for the exchange of some or all that entitlement for a Definitive Certificate evidencing the same number of Warrants, which request shall be in the form attached hereto as Annex D (a “Warrant Certificate Request Notice” and the date of delivery of such Warrant Certificate Request Notice by the Holder, the “Warrant Certificate Request Notice Date” and the exchange made pursuant to the Warrant Certificate Request Notice, a “Warrant Exchange”), and upon surrender by that Participant of the Warrants to be exchanged to the Warrant Agent through DTC’s system, the Warrant Agent shall, without unreasonable delay, effect the Warrant Exchange by issuing and delivering a Definitive Certificate for such number of Warrants in the name and mailed to the address set forth in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice. Such Definitive Certificate shall be dated the original issue date of the Warrants, shall be manually executed by an authorized signatory of the Company and shall be in the form attached hereto as Annex A In connection with a Warrant Exchange, the Company agrees to deliver, or to direct the Warrant Agent to deliver, the Definitive Certificate to the specified Holder within ten (10) Business Days of the Warrant Certificate Request Notice pursuant to the delivery instructions in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice (the “Warrant Certificate Delivery Date”). “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
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2.1.2 The Company shall provide to the Warrant Agent an opinion of counsel on or prior to the issuance of Warrants to set up a reserve of Warrant Shares for the outstanding Warrants. The opinion shall state that all Warrants or Warrant Shares, as applicable, are, (i) registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and (ii) validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
2.2 Issuance and Registration of Warrants.
2.2.1 Warrant Register. Upon the receipt of all relevant information from the Company or its agents, the Warrant Agent shall maintain books (“Warrant Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Warrants.
2.2.2 Issuance of Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent shall issue the Global Certificate and deliver the Warrants in the DTC book-entry settlement system in accordance with written instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained (i) by DTC and (ii) by institutions that have accounts with DTC (each, with respect to a Warrant in its account, a “Participant”).
2.2.3 Beneficial Owner; Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name that Warrant shall be registered on the Warrant Register (the “Holder”, which shall include, if the Warrants are held in “street name”, a Participant or a designee appointed by such Participant) as the absolute owner of such Warrant for purposes of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Warrant Agent or any agent of the Company or the Warrant Agent from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by DTC governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Warrant. The rights of beneficial owners in a Warrant evidenced by the Global Certificate shall be exercised by the Holder or a Participant through the DTC system.
2.2.4 Execution. The Warrant Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any authorized officer of the Company (an “Authorized Officer”), which need not be the same authorized signatory for all of the Warrant Certificates, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Warrant Certificates shall be countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Warrant Agent either by manual, electronic or facsimile signature, which need not be the same signatory for all of the Warrant Certificates, and no Warrant Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any Authorized Officer of the Company that signed any of the Warrant Certificates ceases to be an Authorized Officer of the Company before countersignature by the Warrant Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Warrant Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Warrant Agent, issued and delivered with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Warrant Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Warrant Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Warrant Certificate, shall be an Authorized Officer of the Company authorized to sign such Warrant Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Warrant Agreement any such person was not such an Authorized Officer.
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2.2.5 Registration of Transfer. At any time at or prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below), a transfer of any Warrants may be registered and any Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates may be split up, combined or exchanged for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the same number of Warrants as the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates surrendered. Any Holder desiring to register the transfer of Warrants or to split up, combine or exchange any Warrant Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to the Warrant Agent, and shall surrender to the Warrant Agent the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the Warrants the transfer of which is to be registered or that is or are to be split up, combined or exchanged and, in the case of registration of transfer, shall provide a signature guarantee by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee program.” Thereupon, the Warrant Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company and the Warrant Agent may require payment, by the Holder requesting a registration of transfer of Warrants or a split-up, combination or exchange of a Warrant Certificate (but, for purposes of clarity, not upon the exercise of the Warrants and issuance of Warrant ADS to the Holder), of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with such registration of transfer, split-up, combination or exchange, together with reimbursement to the Company and the Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto. The Warrant Agent shall not have any duty or obligation to take any action under any section of this Warrant Agreement that requires the payment of taxes and/or charges unless and until it is satisfied that all such payments have been made.
2.2.6 Loss, Theft and Mutilation of Warrant Certificates. Upon receipt by the Company and the Warrant Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Warrant Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security acceptable to the Warrant Agent, and reimbursement to the Company and the Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Warrant Agent and cancellation of the Warrant Certificate if mutilated, the Warrant Agent shall, on behalf of the Company, countersign and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of like tenor to the Holder in lieu of the Warrant Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. The Warrant Agent may charge the Holder an administrative fee for processing the replacement of lost Warrant Certificates, which shall be charged only once in instances where a single surety bond obtained covers multiple certificates. The Warrant Agent may receive compensation from the surety companies or surety agents for administrative services provided to them. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in connection with a Warrant in book entry or electronic form through DTC, no posting of a bond shall be required under this Section 2.2.6.
2.2.7 Proxies. The Holder of a Warrant may grant proxies or otherwise authorize any person, including the Participants and beneficial holders that may own interests through the Participants, to take any action that a Holder is entitled to take under this Warrant Agreement or the Warrants; provided, however, that at all times that Warrants are evidenced by a Global Certificate, exercise of those Warrants shall be effected on their behalf by Participants through DTC in accordance with the procedures administered by DTC.
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3. Terms and Exercise of Warrants.
3.1 Exercise Price. Each Warrant shall entitle the Holder, subject to the provisions of the applicable Warrant Certificate and of this Warrant Agreement, to purchase from the Company the number of ADSs stated therein, at the price of US$______ per ADS, subject to the subsequent adjustments provided in Section 4 hereof. The term “Exercise Price” as used in this Warrant Agreement refers to the price per ADS at which ADSs may be purchased at the time a Warrant is exercised.
3.2 Duration of Warrants. Warrants may be exercised only during the period (“Exercise Period”) commencing on the Issuance Date and terminating at 5:00 P.M., New York City time (the “close of business”) on _________, 2023 (“Expiration Date”). Each Warrant not exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this Warrant Agreement shall cease at the close of business on the Expiration Date.
3.3 Exercise of Warrants.
3.3.1 Exercise and Payment. (a) Subject to the provisions of this Warrant Agreement, a Holder (or a Participant acting on behalf of a Holder in accordance with DTC procedures) may exercise Warrants by delivering to the Warrant Agent, not later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on any Business Day during the Exercise Period an election to purchase the Warrant ADSs underlying the Warrants to be exercised (A) in the form included in Annex B to this Warrant Agreement or (B) via an electronic warrant exercise through the DTC system (each, an “Election to Purchase”). Within one Trading Day following the delivery of the Election to Purchase, the Holder shall deliver (i) the Warrants to be exercised by (A) surrender of the Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants to the Warrant Agent at its office designated for such purpose or (B) delivery of the Warrants to an account of the Warrant Agent at DTC designated for such purpose in writing by the Warrant Agent to DTC from time to time, (ii) and (ii) the Exercise Price for each Warrant to be exercised (and, if applicable, any taxes or charges due in connection with the exercise of such Warrants), in lawful money of the United States of America by (A) certified or official bank check or wire transfer from a United States bank payable to the Warrant Agent or (B) payment to the Warrant Agent through the DTC system, unless cashless exercise is applicable.
(b) If any of (i) the Warrants, (ii) the Election to Purchase, or (iii) the Exercise Price therefor (and, if applicable, any taxes or charges due in connection with the exercise of such Warrants), is received by the Warrant Agent on any date after 5:00 P.M., New York City time, or on a date that is not a Trading Day, the Warrants with respect thereto will be deemed to have been received and exercised on the Trading Day next succeeding such date. The “Exercise Date” will be the date on which the Election to Purchase is delivered to the Warrant Agent. However, the Warrants shall not be deemed to be duly exercised if (i) the Warrants and (ii) the Exercise Price therefore are not received by the Warrant Agent on or prior to the Trading Day following the delivery of the Election to Purchase. If the Warrants are received or deemed to be received after the Expiration Date, the exercise thereof will be null and void and any funds delivered to the Warrant Agent will be returned to the Holder or Participant, as the case may be, as soon as practicable. “Trading Day” means any day on which the ADSs are traded on the Trading Market, or, if the Trading Market is not the principal trading market for the ADSs, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market in the United States on which the ADSs are then traded. “Trading Market” means NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange.
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(c) The Warrant Agent shall deposit all funds received by it in payment of the Exercise Price in the account maintained by the Warrant Agent in its name as agent for the Company. The Warrant Agent shall forward funds received for warrant exercises in a given month by the fifth Business Day of the following month by wire transfer to an account designated by the Company, or as otherwise from time to time as reasonably requested by the Company. All funds received by Computershare under this Agreement that are to be distributed or applied by Computershare in the performance of services hereunder (the “Funds”) shall be held by Computershare as agent for the Company and deposited in one or more bank accounts to be maintained by Computershare in its name as agent for the Company. Until paid pursuant to the terms of this Warrant Agreement, Computershare will hold the Funds through such accounts in: deposit accounts of commercial banks with Tier 1 capital exceeding $1 billion or with an average rating above investment grade by S&P (LT Local Issuer Credit Rating), Xxxxx’x (Long Term Rating) and Fitch Ratings, Inc. (LT Issuer Default Rating) (each as reported by Bloomberg Finance L.P.). Computershare shall have no responsibility or liability for any diminution of the Funds that may result from any deposit made by Computershare in accordance with this Section 3.3.1(c), including any losses resulting from a default by any bank, financial institution or other third party. Computershare may from time to time receive interest, dividends or other earnings in connection with such deposits. Computershare shall not be obligated to pay such interest, dividends or earnings to the Company, any holder or any other party.
(d) If less than all the Warrants evidenced by a surrendered Warrant Certificate are exercised, the Warrant Agent shall split up the surrendered Warrant Certificate and return to the Holder a Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants that were not exercised.
3.3.2 Issuance of Warrant Shares. (a) The Warrant Agent shall, by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date of any Warrant, advise the Company, the transfer agent and registrar for Ordinary Shares and the Depositary, in respect of (i) the number of Warrant Shares indicated on the Election to Purchase as issuable upon such exercise with respect to such exercised Warrants, (ii) the instructions of the Holder or Participant, as the case may be, provided to the Warrant Agent with respect to the delivery of the Warrant ADSs and the number of Warrants that remain outstanding after such exercise and (iii) such other information as the Company or the Depositary shall reasonably request.
(b) The Company shall, by no later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the fourth Trading Day following the Exercise Date of any Warrant, provided the funds in payment of the Exercise Price for each Warrant to be exercised have cleared on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date, cause its registrar to deliver the Warrant Shares issuable upon that exercise to the Depositary’s custodian for deposit under the Deposit Agreement and instruct the Depositary to deliver the Warrant ADSs issuable upon that deposit of Warrant Shares as requested in the Election to Purchase.
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(c) The Company shall, by no later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the fifth Trading Day following the Exercise Date of any Warrant, provided the funds in payment of the Exercise Price for each Warrant to be exercised have cleared on the Trading Day following the Exercise Date, cause the Depositary to deliver the Warrant ADSs to the Holder pursuant to the Election to Purchase (the “Warrant ADS Delivery Date”).
3.3.3 Valid Issuance. All Warrant Shares and Warrant ADSs issuable by the Company upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Warrant Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
3.3.4 No Fractional Exercise. No fractional Warrant ADSs will be issued upon the exercise of the Warrant, but rather the Company shall adjust the number of Warrant Shares issued up or down to the nearest integral multiple of the number of Ordinary Shares at the time represented by one ADS.
3.3.5 No Transfer Taxes. The Company shall not be required to pay any stamp or other tax or charge required to be paid in connection with the exercise of Warrants; and the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any Warrant Shares until such tax or other charge shall have been paid or it has been established to the Company’s and the Warrant Agent’s satisfaction that no such tax or other charge is due. For purposes of clarity, the Company shall pay any stamp or other tax or charge required to be paid in connection with any issuance to the Holder of the Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares upon the exercise of Warrants.
3.3.6 Date of Issuance. (a) The Holder shall only be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant ADSs on the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, except that, if the Exercise Date is a date when the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such shares at the open of business on the next succeeding date on which the stock transfer books are open. However, it is understood and agreed that Warrant ADSs will not be registered or issued until the Depositary receives notice from its custodian that the Warrant Shares have been deposited under the Deposit Agreement; provided further, however, it is acknowledged and agreed that the Company shall take all reasonable steps to ensure the Warrant ADSs are delivered to the Holder on or prior to the Warrant ADS Delivery Date in accordance with Section 3.3.2(c) hereof and, if the Warrant ADSs are not delivered to the Holder on or prior to the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, the provisions of Section 3.3.9 shall apply.
(b) No exercising Holder, which Holder effected a Warrant Exchange pursuant to Section 2.1.1 prior to the Exercise Date, shall be required to surrender its Warrant to the Warrant Agent, unless such exercise is for the remaining numbers of ADSs issuable upon exercise of such Warrant, in which case the Holder shall deliver the Warrant Certificate to the Warrant Agent within three (3) Business Days.
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3.3.7 Restrictive Legend Events; Cashless Exercise Under Certain Circumstances.
(i) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and the current status of the prospectus included therein or to file and maintain the effectiveness of another registration statement and another current prospectus covering the Warrants and the Warrant Shares at any time that the Warrants are exercisable. The Company shall provide to the Warrant Agent and each Holder prompt written notice of any time that the Company is unable to deliver the Warrant ADSs via DTC transfer or otherwise without restrictive legend because (A) the Commission has issued a stop order with respect to the Registration Statement, (B) the Commission otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (C) the Company has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (D) the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement is not available for the issuance of the Warrant ADSs to the Holder, (E) the Registration Statement or the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement is not current and does not conform to the requirements of the applicable rules and regulations, or the SEC has not declared effective a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement if one is required to be filed to update the disclosure in the Registration Statement, or (F) otherwise (each a “Restrictive Legend Event”). To the extent that the Warrants cannot be exercised as a result of a Restrictive Legend Event or a Restrictive Legend Event occurs after a Holder has exercised Warrants in accordance with the terms of the Warrants but prior to the delivery of the Warrant ADSs, the Company shall, at the election of the Holder, which shall be given within five (5) days of receipt of such notice of the Restrictive Legend Event, either (A) rescind the previously submitted Election to Purchase and the Company shall return all consideration paid by registered holder for such shares upon such rescission or (B) treat the attempted exercise as a cashless exercise as described in paragraph (ii) below and refund the cash portion of the exercise price to the Holder.
(ii) If a Restrictive Legend Event has occurred, the Warrant shall only be exercisable on a cashless basis. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, other than the rights of any Holder to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 3.3.9 herein, the Company shall not be required to make any cash payments or net cash settlement to the Holder in lieu of delivery of the Warrant ADSs. Upon a “cashless exercise”, the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Warrant ADSs equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A-B) (X) by (A), where:
(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Election to Purchase if such Election to Purchase is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 3.3.1 hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(68) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Election to Purchase or (z) the Bid Price of the Ordinary Shares on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Election to Purchase if such Election to Purchase is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Election to Purchase if the date of such Election to Purchase is a Trading Day and such Election to Purchase is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;
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(B) = the Exercise Price of the Warrant, as adjusted as set forth herein; and
(X) | = the number of Warrant ADSs that would be issuable upon exercise of the Warrant in accordance with the terms of the Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise. |
If the Warrant ADSs are issued in such a cashless exercise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that, in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant ADSs shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised and the Company agrees not to take any position contrary thereto. Upon receipt of an Election to Purchase for a cashless exercise, the Warrant Agent will promptly deliver a copy of the Election to Purchase to the Company to confirm the number of Warrant ADSs issuable in connection with the cashless exercise. The Company shall calculate and transmit to the Warrant Agent in a written notice, and the Warrant Agent shall have no duty, responsibility or obligation under this section to calculate, the number of Warrant ADSs issuable in connection with any cashless exercise. The Warrant Agent shall be entitled to rely conclusively on any such written notice provided by the Company, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with such written instructions or pursuant to this Warrant Agreement.
For purposes of this Warrant Agreement the term “VWAP” shall mean, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the ADSs are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the ADSs are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) the volume weighted average price of the ADSs for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTC Bulletin Board, (c) if the ADSs are not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for the ADSs are then reported in the OTCQB maintained by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per ADS so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an ADS as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Ordinary Shares are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Ordinary Shares for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Ordinary Shares is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Ordinary Shares for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Ordinary Shares are not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Ordinary Shares are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Ordinary Shares so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of an Ordinary Share as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
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3.3.8 Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant ADSs issuable in connection with any exercise, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder the number of Warrant ADSs that are not disputed.
3.3.9 Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant ADSs Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Depositary to deliver the Warrant ADSs to the Holder pursuant to Section 3.3.2, and if after such date the beneficial owner is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the beneficial owner’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, ADSs or Ordinary Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the beneficial owner of the Warrant ADSs, which the beneficial owner anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the beneficial owner’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares, as applicable, that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares, as applicable, for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Warrant ADSs or Warrant Shares, as applicable, that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its delivery obligations. For example, if the beneficial owner purchases ADSs or Ordinary Shares having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Warrant ADSs with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000 for the benefit of the beneficial owner. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit right of a Holder to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Warrant ADSs upon exercise of Warrants as required pursuant to the terms of this Warrant Agreement. The Warrant Agent shall have no liability for the Company’s failure to deliver to the Holders the Warrant ADSs as set forth in this Section 3.3.9.
In addition, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant ADSs subject to an Election to Purchase by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant ADSs subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the ADSs on the date of the applicable Election to Purchase), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant ADS Delivery Date until such Warrant ADSs are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. In addition, if the Company fails to cause the Depository to transmit to the Holder the Warrant ADSs by the Warrant ADS Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.
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3.3.10 Beneficial Ownership Limitation. A Holder shall not have the right to exercise any Warrants to the extent that after giving effect to the issuance of Warrant ADSs as set forth on the applicable Election to Purchase, such Holder or a person holding through such Holder (together with such Holder’s or person’s Affiliates (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), and any other persons acting as a group together with that Holder or person or any of that Holder’s or person’s Affiliates), would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or, at the election of the Holder prior to the issuance of the Warrants, 9.99%) (“Beneficial Ownership Limitation”) of the Company’s Ordinary Shares. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by a person shall include the number of Ordinary Shares underlying ADSs held by the Holder plus the number of Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrant ADSs that would be owned by that person issuable upon exercise of the Warrants with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of Ordinary Shares (i) underlying the Warrant ADSs which would be issuable upon exercise of the remaining, non-exercised Warrants beneficially owned by that person or any of its Affiliates and (ii) underlying any other securities of the Company held by such Holder or its Affiliates that are exercisable or convertible into Ordinary Shares and subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise that is analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 3.3.10. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 3.3.10, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that neither the Warrant Agent nor the Company is representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder or beneficial owner is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 3.3.10 applies, the determination of whether a Warrant is exercisable and of the number of Warrants that are exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of an Election to Purchase shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether such Warrant is exercisable and of the number of Warrants that are exercisable, and neither the Warrant Agent nor the Company shall have any obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination and neither of them shall have any liability for any error made by the Holder or any other person. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 3.3.10, in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares, a Holder or other person may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding. For any reason at any time, upon the written or oral request of a person that represents that it is or is acting on behalf of a Holder, the Company shall, within two (2) Trading Days, confirm orally or in writing or by e-mail to that person the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, the Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% as specified in such notice, provided that any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company and any such increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder and its Affiliates and not to any other holder of Warrants. The provisions of this Section 3.3.10 shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 3.3.10 to correct this subsection (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation herein contained.
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3.3.11 The Company shall pay all Warrant Agent and Depositary fees required for timely processing of any Election to Purchase and all fees to DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for electronic issuance and delivery of the Warrant ADSs for timely delivery of Warrant ADSs on or prior to the Warrant ADSs Delivery Date. The Company shall pay all applicable fees and expenses of the Depositary in connection with the issuance of the Warrants ADSs hereunder.
4. Adjustments.
4.1 Adjustment upon Subdivisions or Combinations. If the Company at any time after the Issuance Date subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, scheme of arrangement or otherwise) its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a greater number of Ordinary Shares or the ratio of Ordinary Shares per ADS is reduced (e.g., the ratio is changed from 3 Ordinary Shares per one ADS to 2 Ordinary Shares per one ADS), the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of Warrant ADSs will be proportionately increased. If the Company at any time after the Issuance Date combines (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, scheme, arrangement or otherwise) its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of Ordinary Shares or the ratio of Ordinary Shares per ADS is increased (e.g., the ratio is changed from 3 Ordinary Shares per one ADS to 5 Ordinary Shares per one ADS), the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased and the number of Warrant ADSs will be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment under this Section 4.1 shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination or ratio change becomes effective. The Company shall promptly notify the Warrant Agent in writing of any adjustment to the Warrants and give specific instructions to the Warrant Agent with respect to any adjustments to the warrant register.
4.2 Adjustment for Other Distributions. In the event the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a dividend or distribution to all holders of Ordinary Shares of any evidences of indebtedness or assets or subscription rights, options or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 4.1 or other dividends paid out of retained earnings), then in each such case the Holder will, upon the exercise of Warrants, be entitled to receive, in addition to the number of Warrant ADSs issuable thereupon, and without payment of any additional consideration therefor, the amount of such dividend or distribution, as applicable, which such Holder would have held on the date of such exercise had such Holder been the holder of record of such Warrant ADSs as of the date on which holders of ADSs became entitled to receive such dividend or distribution. Such adjustment shall be made whenever any such distribution is made and shall become effective immediately after the record date mentioned above.
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4.3 Reclassification, Consolidation, Purchase, Combination, Sale or Conveyance. If, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any direct or indirect purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another person) is completed pursuant to which holders of ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the total voting power of the Company’s ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) (not including any Ordinary Shares (including those represented by ADSs) held by the other person or other persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other persons making, such purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer), (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of ADSs or Ordinary Shares or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the ADSs or Ordinary Shares are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another person whereby such other person acquires more than 50% of the total voting power of the Company’s ordinary shares (including those represented by ADSs) (not including any Ordinary Shares (including those represented by ADSs) held by the other person or other persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of a Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 3.3.10 on the exercise of the Warrants), the number of shares, if any, of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, or depositary shares representing those shares, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of ADSs for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 3.3.10 on the exercise of the Warrants). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one ADS in such Fundamental Transaction and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of ADSs are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”), to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant Agreement in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4.3 pursuant to written agreements in form reasonably satisfactory to the Warrant Agent and shall, upon the written request of the Holder of Warrants, deliver to that Holder in exchange for those Warrants a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to those Warrants that is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity), if any, plus any Alternate Consideration, receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of ADSs for which those Warrants were exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock, if any, plus any Alternate Consideration (but taking into account the relative value of the ADSs or Ordinary Shares prior to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock plus Alternate Consideration after that Fundamental Transaction, for the purpose of protecting the economic value those Warrants had immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant Agreement and the Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant Agreement and the Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.
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The Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent in writing to mail by first class mail, postage prepaid, to each Holder, written notice of the execution of any such amendment, supplement or agreement with the Successor Entity. Any supplemented or amended agreement entered into by the successor corporation or transferee shall provide for adjustments, which shall be as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Section 4.3. The Warrant Agent shall have no duty, responsibility or obligation to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in such agreement or such notice, including but not limited to any provisions relating either to the kind or amount of securities or other property receivable upon exercise of warrants or with respect to the method employed and provided therein for any adjustments, and shall be entitled to rely conclusively for all purposes upon the provisions contained in any such agreement. The provisions of this Section 4.3 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, changes, consolidations, mergers, sales and conveyances of the kind described above.
4.4 Other Events. If any event occurs of the type contemplated by the provisions of Section 4.1 or 4.2 but not expressly provided for by such provisions (including, without limitation, the granting of stock appreciation rights, phantom stock rights or other rights with equity features to all holders of ADSs for no consideration), then the Company’s Board of Directors will, at its discretion and in good faith, make an adjustment in the Exercise Price and the number of Warrant ADSs or designate such additional consideration to be deemed issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, so as to protect the rights of the registered Holder. No adjustment to the Exercise Price will be made pursuant to more than one sub-section of this Section 4 in connection with a single issuance.
4.5 Notices of Changes in Warrant. Upon every adjustment of the Exercise Price or the number of Warrant ADSs issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, the Company shall give written notice thereof to the Warrant Agent, which notice shall state the Exercise Price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease, if any, in the number of Warrant ADSs purchasable at such price upon the exercise of a Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation is based. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 4.1 or 4.2, then, in any such event, the Company shall give written notice to each Holder, at the last address set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register, as of the record date or the effective date of the event. Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such event. The Warrant Agent shall be entitled to rely conclusively on, and shall be fully protected in relying on, any certificate, notice or instructions provided by the Company with respect to any adjustment of the Exercise Price or the number of shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, or any related matter, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with any such certificate, notice or instructions or pursuant to this Warrant Agreement. The Warrant Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received written notice thereof from the Company.
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5. Restrictive Legends; Fractional Warrants.
In the event that a Warrant Certificate surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not register that transfer until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend upon that transfer. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the transfer of or delivery of a Warrant Certificate for a fraction of a Warrant.
6. Expense Reimbursement. The Company shall reimburse the Holder, upon the Holder’s request, for any reasonable fees charged to the Holder by the Depositary in connection with the issuance or holding or sale of ADSs, Warrant ADSs and/or Ordinary Shares.
7. Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.
7.1 No Rights as Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, a Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of Warrants, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of share capital of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant Agreement be construed to confer upon a Holder, solely in its capacity as the registered holder of Warrants, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of share capital, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights or rights to participate in new issues of shares, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant ADSs which it is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of Warrants.
7.2 Reservation of Ordinary Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Warrant Agreement.
8. Concerning the Warrant Agent and Other Matters.
8.1 (a) Whether or not any Warrants are exercised, the Company agrees to pay to the Warrant Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder in accordance with a fee schedule to be mutually agreed upon and, from time to time, on demand of the Warrant Agent, to reimburse the Warrant Agent for all of its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the preparation, delivery, negotiation, amendment, administration and execution of this Warrant Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.
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(b) All amounts owed by the Company to the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement are due within 30 days of the invoice date. Delinquent payments are subject to a late payment charge of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month commencing 45 days from the invoice date. The Company agrees to reimburse the Warrant Agent for any attorney’s fees and any other costs associated with collecting delinquent payments.
(c) No provision of this Warrant Agreement shall require Warrant Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties under this Warrant Agreement or in the exercise of its rights.
8.2 As agent for the Company hereunder the Warrant Agent:
(a) shall have no duties or obligations other than those specifically set forth in this Warrant Agreement or as may subsequently be agreed to in writing by the Warrant Agent and the Company;
(b) shall have no obligation to effect any delivery of Warrant ADSs other than to instruct the Depositary with respect to that delivery;
(c) shall be regarded as making no representations and having no responsibilities as to the validity, sufficiency, value, or genuineness of the Warrants or any Warrant Shares or Warrant ADSs;
(d) shall not be obligated to take any legal action under this Warrant Agreement; if, however, the Warrant Agent determines to take any legal action under this Warrant Agreement, and where the taking of such action might, in its judgment, subject or expose it to any expense or liability it shall not be required to act unless it has been furnished with an indemnity satisfactory to it;
(e) may rely on and shall be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or other document or security delivered to the Warrant Agent and believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper party or parties;
(f) shall not be liable or responsible for any recital or statement contained in the Registration Statement or any other documents relating thereto, this Warrant Agreement or any Warrant Certificate except as to its countersignature thereof, or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only;
(g) shall not have any liability for or be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Warrant Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Warrant Agent) or in respect of the legality or validity or execution of any Warrant Certificate (including in the case of book entry shares, by notation in book entry accounts reflecting ownership), except its countersignature thereof; nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or failure by the Company to satisfy any condition contained in this Warrant Agreement or in any Warrant Certificate; nor shall it be liable or responsible for modification by or order of any court, tribunal, or governmental authority in connection with the foregoing, any change in the exercisability of the Warrant ADSs or any adjustment required under this Warrant Agreement or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment;
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(h) shall not be liable or responsible for any failure on the part of the Company to comply with any of its covenants and obligations relating to the Warrants, including without limitation obligations under this Warrant Agreement and applicable securities laws;
(i) may rely on and shall be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon the written, telephonic or oral instructions with respect to any matter relating to its duties as Warrant Agent covered by this Warrant Agreement (or supplementing or qualifying any such actions) of officers of the Company, and is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Company or counsel to the Company, and may apply to the Company, for advice or instructions in connection with the Warrant Agent’s duties hereunder, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions; any applications by the Warrant Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Warrant Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement and the date on or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective; the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Warrant Agent in accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date such application is sent to the Company, unless the Company shall have consented in writing to any earlier date) unless prior to taking any such action, the Warrant Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted;
(j) may consult with counsel satisfactory to the Warrant Agent and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered, or omitted by it hereunder in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel;
(k) may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Warrant Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company, to Holders or any other person resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection and continued employment thereof (which gross negligence or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction;
(l) is not authorized, and shall have no obligation, to pay any brokers, dealers, or soliciting fees to any person;
(m) shall not be required hereunder to comply with the laws or regulations of any country other than the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof; and Warrant Agent may, after consulting with the Company to the extent practical, consult with foreign counsel, the fees and expenses of which shall be at the Company’s expense, to resolve any foreign law issues that may arise as a result of the Company or any other party being subject to the laws or regulations of any foreign jurisdiction;
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(n) (and any stockholder, affiliate, member, director, officer, agent, representative or employee of the Warrant Agent) may buy, sell or deal in any of the Warrant ADSs or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Warrant Agent or any such stockholder, affiliate, director, member, officer, agent, representative or employee from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other person; and
(o) shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any event or condition hereunder, including any event or condition that may require action by the Warrant Agent, unless the Warrant Agent shall be specifically notified in writing of such event or condition by the Company, and all notices or other instruments required by this Warrant Agreement to be delivered to the Warrant Agent must, in order to be effective, be received by the Warrant Agent as specified in Section 8.10 hereof, and in the absence of such notice so delivered, the Warrant Agent may conclusively assume no such event or condition exists.
8.3 (a) In the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part (which gross negligence or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted by it or for any error of judgment made by it in the performance of its duties under this Warrant Agreement. Anything in this Warrant Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall Warrant Agent be liable for special, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive losses or damages of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Warrant Agent has been advised of the possibility of such losses or damages and regardless of the form of action. Any liability of the Warrant Agent will be limited in the aggregate to the amount of fees (but not reimbursed costs, charges or expenses) paid by the Company hereunder for the twelve months preceding the event for which recovery from the Warrant Agent is being sought. The Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any failures, delays or losses, arising directly or indirectly out of conditions beyond its reasonable control including, but not limited to, acts of government, exchange or market ruling, suspension of trading, work stoppages or labor disputes, fires, civil disobedience, riots, rebellions, storms, electrical or mechanical failure, computer hardware or software failure, communications facilities failures including telephone failure, war, terrorism, insurrection, earthquakes, floods, epidemics, pandemics, acts of God or similar occurrences.
(b) In the event any question or dispute arises with respect to the proper interpretation of the Warrants or the Warrant Agent’s duties under this Warrant Agreement or the rights of the Company or of any Holder, the Warrant Agent shall not be required to act and shall not be held liable or responsible for its refusal to act until the question or dispute has been judicially settled (and, if appropriate, it may, but shall not be required to, file a suit in interpleader or for a declaratory judgment for such purpose) by final judgment rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction, binding on all persons interested in the matter which is no longer subject to review or appeal, or settled by a written document in form and substance satisfactory to Warrant Agent and executed by the Company and each such Holder. In addition, the Warrant Agent may require for such purpose, but shall not be obligated to require, the execution of such written settlement by all the Holders and all other persons that may have an interest in the settlement.
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(c) The Warrant Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility in the case of the receipt of any written demand from any Holder with respect to any action or default by the Company, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any duty or responsibility to initiate or attempt to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise or to make any demand upon the Company on behalf of any Holder.
8.4 The Company covenants to indemnify the Warrant Agent and hold it harmless from and against loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) that may be paid, incurred or suffered by it, or which it may become subject, without gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Warrant Agent (which gross negligence or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by the Warrant Agent in connection with the execution, acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its duties under this Warrant Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly or indirectly, or enforcing its rights hereunder. The provisions under Sections 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and this Section 8.4 shall survive the expiration of the Warrant ADSs and the termination of this Warrant Agreement and the resignation, replacement or removal of the Warrant Agent. The costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall be borne by the Company.
8.5 Unless terminated earlier by the parties hereto, this Warrant Agreement shall terminate 90 days after the earlier of the Expiration Date and the date on which no Warrants remain outstanding (the “Termination Date”). On the Business Day following the Termination Date, the Agent shall deliver to the Company any entitlements, if any, held by the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement. The Agent’s right to be indemnified and held harmless and to be reimbursed for fees, charges and out-of-pocket expenses as provided in this Section 8 shall survive the termination of this Warrant Agreement.
8.6 If any provision of this Warrant Agreement shall be held illegal, invalid, or unenforceable by any court, this Warrant Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such provision had not been contained herein and shall be deemed an agreement among the parties to it to the full extent permitted by applicable law; provided, however, that if such excluded provision shall adversely affect the rights, immunities, liabilities, duties or obligations of the Warrant Agent, the Warrant Agent shall be entitled to resign immediately upon written notice to the Company.
8.7 The Company represents and warrants that (a) it is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, (b) the offer and sale of the Warrants and the execution, delivery and performance of all transactions contemplated thereby (including this Warrant Agreement) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in a breach of or constitute a default under the articles of association, bylaws or any similar document of the Company or any indenture, agreement or instrument to which it is a party or is bound, (c) this Warrant Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the Company, (d) the Warrants will comply in all material respects with all applicable requirements of law and (e) to the best of its knowledge, there is no litigation pending or threatened as of the date hereof in connection with the offering of the Warrants.
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8.8 In the event of inconsistency between this Warrant Agreement and the descriptions in the Registration Statement, as they may from time to time be amended, the terms of this Warrant Agreement shall control.
8.9 Set forth in Annex C hereto is a list of the names and specimen signatures of the persons authorized to act for the Company under this Warrant Agreement and the Company shall, from time to time, certify to you the names and signatures of any other persons authorized to act for the Company under this Warrant Agreement (collectively, the “Authorized Representatives”). The Warrant Agent shall be fully authorized and protected in relying upon the advice or instructions received from any such Authorized Representatives.
8.10 Except as expressly set forth elsewhere in this Warrant Agreement, all notices, instructions and communications under this Warrant Agreement shall be in writing, by overnight delivery service, first-class mail, postage prepaid, properly addressed shall be effective upon receipt and shall be addressed, if to the Company, to its address set forth beneath its signature to this Warrant Agreement, or, if to the Warrant Agent, to:
Computershare Inc.
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Client Services
or to such other address of which a party hereto has notified the other party; and, if to a Holder made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or overnight delivery service, addressed to such Holder at the last address of such Holder set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register.
8.11 (a) This Warrant Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. All actions and proceedings relating to or arising from, directly or indirectly, this Warrant Agreement may be litigated in courts located within the Borough of Manhattan in the City and State of New York. The Company hereby submits to the personal jurisdiction of such courts and consents that any service of process may be made by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, directed to the Company at its address last specified for notices hereunder. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives the right to a trial by jury in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Warrant Agreement.
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(b) This Warrant Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of the parties hereto. This Warrant Agreement may not be assigned, or otherwise transferred, in whole or in part, by either party without the prior written consent of the other party, which the other party will not unreasonably withhold, condition or delay; except that (i) consent is not required for an assignment or delegation of duties by Warrant Agent to any affiliate of Warrant Agent and (ii) any reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale of assets or other form of business combination by Warrant Agent or the Company shall not be deemed to constitute an assignment of this Warrant Agreement.
(c) No provision of this Warrant Agreement may be amended, modified or waived, except in a written document signed by both parties. The Company and the Warrant Agent may amend or supplement this Warrant Agreement without the consent of any Holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Warrant Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties determine, in good faith, shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders in any material respect. All other amendments and supplements shall require the vote or written consent of Holders of at least 50.1% of the then outstanding Warrants, provided, however, that no modification of the terms (including but not limited to the adjustments described in Section 4 herein) upon which the Warrants are exercisable (including by cashless exercise or the rights of the holders of Warrants to receive payments in cash from the Company, including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 3.3.9 of the Warrant, or no reduction of the percentage required for consent to modification of this Warrant Agreement or no requirement for a holder of Warrants in book entry or electronic form held through DTC to deliver any ink-original Election to Purchase or any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of an Election to Purchase or no or to modification of the terms of the beneficial ownership limitation in Section 3.3.10 or reimbursement to the Holder pursuant to Section 6 may be made without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Warrant affected thereby. As a condition precedent to the Warrant Agent executing any amendment or supplement, the Company shall deliver a certificate from an Authorized Representative which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 8.11(c). Notwithstanding anything in this Warrant Agreement to the contrary, the Warrant Agent shall not be required to execute any supplement or amendment to this Warrant Agreement that it has determined would adversely affect its own rights, duties, obligations or immunities under this Warrant Agreement.
8.12 Payment of Taxes. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Warrant Shares or Warrant ADSs upon the exercise of Warrants, but the Company may require the Holders to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares. The Warrant Agent may refrain from registering any transfer of Warrants or any delivery of any Warrant ADSs unless or until the persons requesting the registration or issuance shall have paid to the Warrant Agent for the account of the Company the amount of such tax or charge, if any, or shall have established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company and the Warrant Agent that such tax or charge, if any, has been paid.
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8.13 Resignation of Warrant Agent.
8.13.1 Appointment of Successor Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving thirty (30) days’ notice in writing to the Company, or such shorter period of time agreed to by the Company. The Company may terminate the services of the Warrant Agent, or any successor Warrant Agent, after giving thirty (30) days’ notice in writing to the Warrant Agent or successor Warrant Agent. In the event any transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Warrant Agent terminates, the Warrant Agent will be deemed to have resigned automatically and be discharged from its duties under this Warrant Agreement as of the effective date of such termination, If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation, termination or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent, then the Warrant Agent or any Holder may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Company’s cost. Pending appointment of a successor to such Warrant Agent, either by the Company or by such a court, the duties of the Warrant Agent shall be carried out by the Company. Any successor Warrant Agent (but not including the initial Warrant Agent), whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a person organized and existing under the laws of any state of the United States of America, in good standing, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed, and except for executing and delivering documents as provided in the sentence that follows, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall have no further duties, obligations, responsibilities or liabilities hereunder, but shall be entitled to all rights that survive the termination of this Warrant Agreement and the resignation or removal of the Warrant Agent, including but not limited to its right to indemnity hereunder. If for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate or at the request of the Company, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder, except the rights and immunities retained by the predecessor Warrant Agent under the terms hereof; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver at the expense of the Company any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
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8.13.2 Notice of Successor Warrant Agent. In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the transfer agent for the ADSs not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
8.13.3 Merger or Consolidation of Warrant Agent. Any person into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated or any person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party or any person succeeding to the shareowner services business of the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement, without any further act or deed. For purposes of this Warrant Agreement, “person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereof or thereto.
9. Miscellaneous Provisions.
9.1 Persons Having Rights under this Warrant Agreement. Nothing in this Warrant Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the Holders any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Warrant Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof.
9.2 Examination of the Warrant Agreement. A copy of this Warrant Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent designated for such purpose for inspection by any Holder. Prior to such inspection, the Warrant Agent may require any such holder to provide reasonable evidence of its interest in the Warrants.
9.3 Counterparts. This Warrant Agreement may be executed in any number of original, facsimile or electronic counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
9.4 Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Warrant Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
9.5 Further Assurance. The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required or requested by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Warrant Agent of the provisions of this Warrant Agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Warrant Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above written.
THE9 LIMITED | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address for notices: | ||
17 Floor, No. 130 Wu Song Road | ||
Hong Xxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 000000 | ||
People’s Republic of China | ||
Attention: | ||
Telephone: | ||
Facsimile: | ||
E-mail: | ||
Computershare Inc., | ||
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., | ||
As Warrant Agent | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Annex A Form of Warrant Certificates
Annex B Election to Purchase
Annex C Authorized Representatives
Annex D Form of Warrant Certificate Request Notice
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ANNEX A
[Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation (“DTC”), to issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange, or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or in such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.]
THE9 LIMITED.
WARRANT CERTIFICATE
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER _________, 2023
This certifies that the person whose name and address appears below, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Warrants set forth below. Each Warrant entitles its registered holder to purchase from The9 Limited., a company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”) at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on _________, 2023, at the designated office of Computershare Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”) set forth below, one American Depositary Share (each, an “ADS”), each ADS representing three (3) Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.01 per share, of the Company (each, a “Share” and collectively, the “Shares”), at price of US$__ per whole ADS, subject to possible adjustments as provided in the Warrant Agreement (as defined below). The Company will pay the issuance fee for each ADS issued pursuant to the Warrants to the Depositary under the Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement dated as of June 28, 2019 (the “Deposit Agreement”) among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, and all Owners and Holders (each as defined in the Deposit Agreement) from time to time of the ADSs issued thereunder.
This Warrant Certificate, with or without other Warrant Certificates, upon surrender at the designated office of the Warrant Agent, may be exchanged for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the same number of Warrants as the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates surrendered. A transfer of the Warrants evidenced hereby may be registered upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate at the designated office of the Warrant Agent by the registered holder in person or by a duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, a signature guarantee, and such other and further documentation as the Warrant Agent may reasonably request and duly stamped as may be required by the laws of the State of New York and of the United States of America.
The terms and conditions of the Warrants and the rights and obligations of the holder of this Warrant Certificate are set forth in the Warrant Agent Agreement dated as of __________, 2020 (the “Warrant Agreement”) between the Company and the Warrant Agent. A copy of the Warrant Agreement is available for inspection during business hours at the office of the Warrant Agent.
This Warrant Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Warrant Agent.
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WITNESS the facsimile signature of a proper officer of the Company.
THE9 LIMITED | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Dated: _____, 2020 | ||
Countersigned | ||
, |
As Warrant Agent | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
PLEASE DETACH HERE
Certificate No.:_________ Number of Warrants:__________
WARRANT CUSIP NO.: _________
THE9 LIMITED
[Name & Address of Holder] | __________________________, Warrant Agent |
By mail: | |
By hand or overnight courier: | |
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ANNEX B
[Form of Election to Purchase]
(To Be Executed Upon Exercise Of Warrants not evidenced by a Global Certificate)
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate, to receive ADSs and herewith tenders payment for such ADSs to the order of [_____________], in the amount of US$ in accordance with the terms hereof.
OR
[In cases where cashless exercise is permitted under the Warrant Agreement] — The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate, to receive ADSs (before giving effect to the cashless exercise provisions) and herewith agrees to make payment therefor pursuant to the cashless exercise provisions of the Warrant Agreement, all on the terms and the conditions specified in the Warrant Agreement.
The undersigned requests that a certificate for such ADSs be registered in the name of
,whose address is
and that such
certificate be delivered to whose address is
If the number of Warrants being exercised hereby is less than all the Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate, the undersigned requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining unexercised Warrants be registered in the name of
,whose address is
and that such
certificate be delivered to whose address is
Date: _________________ _________________________________________________________________________
(Signature of holder)
Place signature guarantee stamp here:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Warrant Agent, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Warrant Agent in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
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ANNEX C
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES
Name | Title | Signature | ||
ANNEX D
Annex D: Form of Warrant Certificate Request Notice
WARRANT CERTIFICATE REQUEST NOTICE
To: ___________________ as Warrant Agent for The9 Limited (the “Company”)
The undersigned Holder of Series _____ American Depositary Share Purchase Warrants (“Warrants”) in the form of Global Warrants issued by the Company hereby elects to receive a Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants held by the Holder as specified below:
1. Name of Holder of Warrants in form of Global Warrants:
2. Name of Holder in Warrant Certificate (if different from name of Holder of Warrants in form of Global Warrants): ________________________________
3. Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Global Warrants: ___________________
4. Number of Warrants for which Warrant Certificate shall be issued: __________________
5. Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Global Warrants after issuance of Warrant Certificate, if any: ___________
6. Warrant Certificate shall be delivered to the following address:
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that, in connection with this Warrant Exchange and the issuance of the Warrant Certificate, the Holder is deemed to have surrendered the number of Warrants in form of Global Warrants in the name of the Holder equal to the number of Warrants evidenced by the Warrant Certificate.
[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER] | ||
Name of Investing Entity: | ||
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: | ||
Name of Authorized Signatory: | ||
Title of Authorized Signatory: | ||
Date: |