Registration Rights Agreement
Exhibit 10.3
This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of November 29, 2023 (the “Effective Date”), between Etao International Co. Ltd., a Cayman Islands company (the “Company”), and Generating Alpha Ltd., a Saint Kitts and Nevis corporation (“Holder”). The Company and the Holder may be referred to herein individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”.
WHEREAS, the Parties are the parties to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the Effective Date (the “Purchase Agreement”), and in connection therewith, as an inducement to participate in the transactions as set forth in the Purchase Agreement, the Company agrees to register the shares of Common Stock underlying the Securities purchased thereby; and
WHEREAS, the Parties desire to enter into this Agreement in order to grant certain registration rights to the Holder as set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
| (a) | “Advice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b). |
| (b) | “Effectiveness Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the sixtieth (60th) calendar day following the Effective Date, provided, however, that in the event the Company is notified by the SEC that the Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Effectiveness Date as to such Registration Statement shall be the fifth (5th) Trading Day following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates otherwise required above, provided, further, if such Effectiveness Date falls on a day that is not a Trading Day, then the Effectiveness Date shall be the next succeeding Trading Day. |
| (c) | “Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a). |
| (d) | “Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(f). |
| (e) | “Event Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(f). |
| (f) | “Filing Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required hereunder, the date that is fifteen (15) days following the Effective Date. With respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 2(c) or Section 3(c), the earliest practical date on which the Company is permitted by SEC Guidance to file such additional Registration Statement related to the Registrable Securities. |
| (g) | “Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(b). |
| (h) | “Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(b). |
| (i) | “Initial Registration Statement” means the initial Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed pursuant to this Agreement. |
| (j) | “Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a). |
| (k) | “Prospectus” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus. |
| (l) | “Registrable Securities” means, as of any date of determination, (a) all Conversion Shares then issued and issuable upon conversion of the Note or Notes (assuming on such date the Note or Notes are converted in full without regard to any conversion limitations therein), (b) all Warrant Shares then issued and issuable upon exercise of the Common Stock Purchase Warrant (“Warrant” or “Warrants”) (assuming on such date the Warrants are exercised in full without regard to any exercise limitations therein), (d) all of the shares of Common Stock then issued and issuable in connection with any anti-dilution or any remedies provisions in the Notes, Preferred Stock and Warrants (in each case without giving effect to any limitations on conversion or exercise, as the case may be, therein), and (e) any shares of Common Stock issued or then issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock; provided, however, that any such Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (and the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness of any, or file another, Registration Statement hereunder with respect thereto) for so long as (a) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such Registrable Securities is declared effective by the SEC under the Securities Act and such Registrable Securities have been disposed of by the Holder in accordance with such effective Registration Statement, (b) such Registrable Securities have been previously sold in accordance with Rule 144, or (c) such securities become eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions and without current public information pursuant to Rule 144 as set forth in a written opinion letter to such effect, and the Holder (assuming that such securities and any securities issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of which, or as a dividend upon which, such securities were issued or are issuable, were at no time held by any Affiliate of the Company), as reasonably determined by the Company, upon the advice of counsel to the Company. |
| (m) | “Registration Statement” means any registration statement required to be filed hereunder pursuant to Section 2(a) and any additional registration statements contemplated by Section 2 or Section 3(c), including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to any such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in any such registration statement. |
2
| (n) | “Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule. |
| (o) | “Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule. |
| (p) | “Selling Stockholder Questionnaire” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a). |
| (q) | “SEC Guidance” means (i) any publicly-available written or oral guidance of the SEC staff, or any comments, requirements or requests of the SEC staff and (ii) the Securities Act. |
| (r) | “Trading Day” means any day that shares of Common Stock are listed for trading or quotation on any Trading Market. |
| (s) | “Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, The Nasdaq Capital Market, The Nasdaq Global Market, The Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing). |
Section 2. Registration.
| (a) | No later than the Filing Date, the Company shall submit to the SEC a draft registration statement of the form of the Initial Registration Statement, which shall include for registration all of the Registrable Securities. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause a Registration Statement filed under this Agreement (including, without limitation, under Section 3(c)) to be declared effective under the Securities Act within sixty (60) days after the filing thereof, but in any event no later than the applicable Effectiveness Date, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement (i) have been sold, thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144, or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144, as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Holder (the “Effectiveness Period”). The Company shall telephonically request effectiveness of a Registration Statement as of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on a Trading Day. The Company shall immediately notify the Holder by e-mail of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement on the same Trading Day that the Company telephonically confirms effectiveness with the SEC, which shall be the date requested for effectiveness of such Registration Statement. The Company shall, by 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the Trading Day after the effective date of such Registration Statement, file a final Prospectus with the SEC as required by Rule 424. Failure to so notify the Holder within one (1) Trading Day of such notification of effectiveness or failure to file a final Prospectus as foresaid shall be deemed an Event under Section 2(f). |
| (b) | Notwithstanding the registration obligations set forth in Section 2(a), if the SEC informs the Company that all of the Registrable Securities cannot, as a result of the application of Rule 415, be registered for resale as a secondary offering on a single registration statement, the Company agrees to promptly inform the Holder thereof and use its commercially reasonable efforts to file amendments to the Initial Registration Statement as required by the SEC, covering the maximum number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered by the SEC, on Form S-3 or such other form available to register for resale the Registrable Securities as a secondary offering, subject to the provisions of Section 2(f); with respect to filing on Form S-3 or other appropriate form, and subject to the provisions of Section 2(f) with respect to the payment of liquidated damages, provided, however, that prior to filing such amendment, the Company shall be obligated to use diligent efforts to advocate with the SEC for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the SEC Guidance, including without limitation, Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation 612.09. |
3
| (c) | If the managing underwriter with respect to the Registration Statement advises the Company and the Holder in writing that in its reasonable and good faith opinion the number of shares of Common Stock proposed to be included in the Initial Registration Statement, including all Registrable Securities and all other shares of Common Stock proposed to be included in the Initial Registration Statement exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of shares that can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of the sale of the Common Stock registered in the Registration Statement, the Company shall include in such registration (i) first, the shares of Common Stock that the Company proposes to sell; and (ii) second, the Registrable Securities to be included therein by the Holder. |
| (d) | None of the Company’s security holders may include securities of the Company in the Initial Registration Statement. |
| (e) | Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, and subject to the provisions of Section 2(f) with respect to the payment of liquidated damages, if the SEC or any SEC Guidance sets forth a limitation on the number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered on a particular Registration Statement as a secondary offering (and notwithstanding that the Company used diligent efforts to advocate with the SEC for the registration of all or a greater portion of Registrable Securities), unless otherwise directed in writing by the Holder, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will be reduced (i) first, by reducing the shares of Common Stock that the Company proposes to sell; and (ii) second, by reducing the Registrable Securities to be included therein by the Holder. In the event of a cutback pursuant to this Section 2(e), the Company shall give the Holder at least five (5) Trading Days prior written notice along with the calculations as to the Holder’s allotment. In the event the Company amends the Initial Registration Statement in accordance with the foregoing, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC, as promptly as allowed by Commission or SEC Guidance provided to the Company or to registrants of securities in general, one or more registration statements on Form S-3 or such other form available to register for resale those Registrable Securities that were not registered for resale on the Initial Registration Statement, as amended. |
4
| (f) | If, for any reason within the reasonable control of the Company (i) the Initial Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to the Filing Date, and if the Company files the Initial Registration Statement without providing the Holder the opportunity to review and comment on the same as required by Section 3(a), the Company shall be deemed to have not satisfied this clause (i); (ii) the Company fails to file with the SEC a request for acceleration of a Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 461 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act, within five (5) Trading Days of the date that the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the SEC that such Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review; (iii) prior to the effective date of a Registration Statement, the Company fails to file a pre-effective amendment and otherwise respond in writing to comments made by the SEC in respect of such Registration Statement within ten (10) calendar days after the receipt of comments by or notice from the SEC that such amendment is required in order for such Registration Statement to be declared effective; (iv) a Registration Statement registering for resale all of the Registrable Securities is not declared effective by the SEC by the Effectiveness Date of the Initial Registration Statement; or (v) after the effective date of a Registration Statement, such Registration Statement ceases for any reason to remain continuously effective as to all Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, or the Holder is otherwise not permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell such Registrable Securities, for more than ten (10) consecutive calendar days or more than an aggregate of fifteen (15) calendar days (which need not be consecutive calendar days) during any 12-month period (any such failure or breach being referred to as an “Event”, and for purposes of clause (i) thirty (30) calendar days after the date on which such Event occurs, and for purpose of clause (ii), the date on which such five (5) Trading Day period is exceeded, and for purpose of clause (iii) the date which such fifteen (15) calendar day period is exceeded and for purpose of clause (v) the date on which such ten (10) or fifteen (15) calendar day period, as applicable, is exceeded being referred to as “Event Date”), then, in addition to any other rights the Holder may have hereunder or under applicable law, on each such Event Date and on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date thereafter (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) or any pro rata portion thereof, until the applicable Event is cured or sixty (60) calendar days after the applicable Event Date, whichever occurs first, the Company shall pay to the Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to the product of five percent (5.0%) multiplied by the Purchase Price pursuant to the Purchase Agreement; provided, that the maximum amount payable thereunder shall not exceed 10% of such Purhase Price. If the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section 2(f) in full within seven (7) days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of eighteen percent (18%) per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. If the Company fails to pay the above liquidated damages and interest to the Holder, such amounts will be added to the principal of the Note that the Holder has with the Company |
| (g) | In the event that any Event occurs for any reason outside of the control of the Company, then at the option of the Holder during the five (5) Business Day period following the date of the occurrence of the Event, the Company shall repay to the Holder, collectively, (i) 105% of Purchase Price of the Note and the Warrants plus (ii) all other amounts, costs, fees (including late fees), expenses, indemnification and liquidated and other damages and other amounts due to the Holder pursuant to the terms of the Transaction Documents. Following such repayment, the Note and Warrants any Conversion Shares any shares of Common Stock issued on any conversion of the Note and Warrants shall each be deemed paid in full, terminated and redeemed. |
| (h) | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein but subject to comments by the SEC, in no event shall the Company be permitted to name Holder or any Affiliate of Holder as an underwriter without the prior written consent of the Holder. |
5
Section 3. Registration Procedures. In connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall have the following obligations:
| (a) | Not less than three (3) Trading Days prior to the filing of each Registration Statement and not less than one (1) Trading Day prior to the filing of any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference), the Company shall (i) furnish to the Holder copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be subject to the review of the Holder, and (ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent registered public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to the Holder, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. Notwithstanding the above, the Company shall not be obligated to provide the Holder advance copies of any universal registration statement registering securities in addition to those required hereunder, or any Prospectus prepared thereto. The Company shall not file a Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holder shall reasonably object in good faith, provided, that, the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than five (5) Trading Days after the Holder has been so furnished copies of a Registration Statement or one (1) Trading Day after the Holder has been furnished copies of any related Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto. Xxxxxx agrees to furnish to the Company a completed questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex A (a “Selling Stockholder Questionnaire”) on a date that is not less than two (2) Trading Days prior to the Filing Date or by the end of the fourth (4th) Trading Day following the date on which the Holder receives draft materials in accordance with this Section 3(a). |
| (b) | (i) The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to a Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep a Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the SEC such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities, (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement (subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424, (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to any comments received from the SEC with respect to a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and provide as promptly as reasonably practicable to the Holder true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the SEC relating to a Registration Statement (provided, that the Company shall excise any information contained therein which would constitute material non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), and (iv) comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to the terms of this Agreement) with the intended methods of disposition by the Holder thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented. |
| (c) | If during the Effectiveness Period, the number of Registrable Securities at any time exceeds 100% of the number of shares of Common Stock then registered in a Registration Statement, then the Company shall file as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any case, prior to the applicable Filing Date, an additional Registration Statement covering the resale by the Holder of not less than the number of such Registrable Securities. |
6
| (d) | The Company shall notify the Holder (which notice shall, pursuant to clauses (iii) through (vi) hereof, be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than one (1) Trading Day prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one (1) Trading Day following the day: (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to be filed, (B) when the SEC notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the SEC comments in writing on such Registration Statement, and (C) with respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose, (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose, (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in a Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of a Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (vi) of the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may be material and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best interest of the Company to allow continued availability of a Registration Statement or Prospectus; provided, however, in no event shall any such notice contain any information which would constitute material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. |
| (e) | The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order stopping or suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment. |
| (f) | The Company shall furnish to the Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each such Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference to the extent requested by such Person, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the SEC; provided, that any such item which is available on the XXXXX system (or successor thereto) need not be furnished in physical form. |
| (g) | Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by the Holder in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after the giving of any notice pursuant to Section 3(d). |
7
| (h) | The Company shall cooperate with any broker-dealer through which the Holder proposes to resell its Registrable Securities in effecting a filing with the FINRA Corporate Financing Department pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110, as requested by the Holder, and the Company shall pay the filing fee required by such filing within two (2) Business Days of receipt of a request therefor. |
| (i) | Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by the Holder, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the Holder in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the Registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale by the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as the Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction. |
| (j) | If requested by the Holder, the Company shall cooperate with the Holder to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any the Holder may request. |
| (k) | Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(d), as promptly as reasonably possible under the circumstances taking into account the Company’s good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to a Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither a Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holder in accordance with clauses (iii) through (vi) of Section 3(d) to suspend the use of any Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holder shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this Section 3(k) to suspend the availability of a Registration Statement and Prospectus, subject to any payment of partial liquidated damages otherwise required pursuant to Section 2(f) for a period not to exceed sixty (60) calendar days (which need not be consecutive days) in any 12-month period. |
| (l) | The Company shall comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC. |
| (m) | The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain eligibility for use of Form S-3 (or any successor form thereto) for the registration of the resale of Registrable Securities. |
8
Section 4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with, this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent registered public accountants) (A) with respect to filings made with the SEC, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities) and (D) if not previously paid by the Company in connection with an Issuer Filing, with respect to any filing that may be required to be made by any broker through which the Holder intends to make sales of Registrable Securities with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110, so long as the broker is receiving no more than a customary brokerage commission in connection with such sale, (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions of Holder or, except to the extent provided for in the Transaction Documents, any legal fees or other costs of the Holder.
Section 5. Indemnification.
| (a) | Indemnification. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, in addition to and not in substitution for, any other indemnification provision by the Company, indemnify and hold harmless the Holder, the officers, directors, managers, managing members, members, partners, advisors, agents, brokers (including brokers who offer and sell Registrable Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or any failure to perform under a margin call of Common Stock), staff members (whether or not classified as employees or independent contractors), investment advisors and (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each of them, each Person who controls any the Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, managers, managing members, members, stockholders, staff members (whether or not classified as employees or independent contractors), partners, advisors, agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to (1) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (2) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding the Holder furnished in writing to the Company by the Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to the Holder or the Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by the Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement, such Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(d) (iii)-(vi), the use by the Holder of an outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable Prospectus after the Company has notified the Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable for use by the Holder and prior to the receipt by the Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(b), but only if and to the extent that following the receipt of the Advice the misstatement or omission giving rise to such Loss would have been corrected. The Company shall notify the Holder promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of which the Company is aware. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such indemnified person and shall survive the transfer of any Registrable Securities by any of the Holder in accordance with Section 7(n). |
9
| (b) | Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. |
| (i) | If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have materially and adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party. |
| (ii) | An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and counsel to the Indemnified Party shall reasonably believe that a material conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding. |
| (iii) | Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section 5(b)) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten (10) Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) not to be entitled to indemnification hereunder. |
10
| (c) | Contribution. If the indemnification under Section 5(a) or Error! Reference source not found. is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the Parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a Party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys’ or other fees or expenses incurred by such Party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such Party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section 5(c) was available to such Party in accordance with its terms. The Parties agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(c) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(c), Holder shall not be required to contribute pursuant to this Section 5(c), in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by the Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that the Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 5(c) are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties. |
Section 6. Additional Covenants and Agreements.
| (a) | Compliance. Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it (unless an exemption therefrom is available) in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement. |
| (b) | Discontinued Disposition. By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, the Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(d)(iii) through (vi), the Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company agrees and acknowledges that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue the disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2(f). |
11
| (c) | Piggy-Back Registrations. |
| (i) | If, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with the Company’s stock option or other employee benefit plans, then the Company shall deliver to the Holder a written notice of such determination and, if within fifteen (15) days after the date of the delivery of such notice, the Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities that Holder requests to be registered (each a “Piggyback Registration”); provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 6(c) that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 (without volume restrictions or current public information requirements) promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act or that are the subject of a then-effective Registration Statement. |
| (ii) | The Company shall cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration if so elected by the Holder and shall cause the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested to be included in a Piggyback Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. If the Holder proposes to distribute its Registrable Securities through a Piggyback Registration that involves an underwriter or underwriters, then it shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected for such Piggyback Registration, and the Holder also agrees to execute and deliver a customary lock-up agreement if so requested by the Company and/or the underwriter(s), pursuant to which the Holder agrees to customary restrictions on resale of the securities of the Company for a period of 180 days. |
| (iii) | If a Piggyback Registration is initiated as a primary underwritten offering on behalf of the Company and the managing underwriter advises the Company and the Holder and other Investors or other persons who are holders of any other shares of Common Stock which are also “Registrable Securities” under an agreement similar to this Agreement (if any holders of Registrable Securities have elected to include Registrable Securities in such Piggyback Registration) in writing that in its reasonable and good faith opinion the number of shares of Common Stock proposed to be included in such registration, including all Registrable Securities and all other shares of Common Stock proposed to be included in such underwritten offering, exceeds the number of shares of Common Stock which can be sold in such offering and/or that the number of shares of Common Stock proposed to be included in any such registration or takedown would adversely affect the price per share of the Common Stock to be sold in such offering, the Company shall include in such registration (i) first, the shares of Common Stock that the Company proposes to sell; (ii) the Registrable Securities to be included therein by the Holder; and (iii) such other holders pro rata based on the number of Registrable Securities held by such other holders. |
| (iv) | The provisions of Section 5 shall apply to any Piggyback Registration. |
12
Section 7. Miscellaneous.
| (a) | Notices. Any notice or other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement. |
| (b) | Attorneys’ Fees. In the event that either Party institutes any action or suit to enforce this Agreement or to secure relief from any default hereunder or breach hereof, the prevailing Party shall be reimbursed by the losing Party for all costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred in connection therewith and in enforcing or collecting any judgment rendered therein. |
| (c) | Amendments; No Waivers. |
| (i) | Other than as specifically set forth herein, this Agreement may be amended, modified, superseded, terminated or cancelled, and any of the terms, covenants, representations, warranties or conditions hereof may be waived, only by a written instrument executed by the Parties. |
| (ii) | Every right and remedy provided herein shall be cumulative with every other right and remedy, whether conferred herein, at law, or in equity, and may be enforced concurrently herewith, and no waiver by any Party of the performance of any obligation by another Party shall be construed as a waiver of the same or any other default then, theretofore, or thereafter occurring or existing. |
| (iii) | Neither any failure or delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder or in requiring satisfaction of any condition herein nor any course of dealing shall constitute a waiver of or prevent any Party from enforcing any right or remedy or from requiring satisfaction of any condition. No notice to or demand on a Party waives or otherwise affects any obligation of that Party or impairs any right of the Party giving such notice or making such demand, including any right to take any action without notice or demand not otherwise required by this Agreement. No exercise of any right or remedy with respect to a breach of this Agreement shall preclude exercise of any other right or remedy, as appropriate to make the aggrieved Party whole with respect to such breach, or subsequent exercise of any right or remedy with respect to any other breach. |
| (d) | No Consequential or Punitive Damages. Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, no Party shall seek, nor shall any Party be liable for, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages, under any tort, contract, equity, or other legal theory, with respect to any breach (or alleged breach) of this Agreement or any provision hereof or any matter otherwise relating hereto or arising in connection herewith, other than for any punitive damages actually ordered by a Governmental Authority and thereafter finally paid. |
13
| (e) | Expenses. Unless otherwise contemplated or stipulated by this Agreement, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement shall be paid by the Party incurring such cost or expense. |
| (f) | Successors and Assigns; Benefit. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. No Party shall have any power or any right to assign or transfer, in whole or in part, this Agreement, or any of its rights or any of its obligations hereunder, including, without limitation, any right to pursue any claim for damages pursuant to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein, or to pursue any claim for any breach or default of this Agreement, or any right arising from the purported assignor’s due performance of its obligations hereunder, without the prior written consent of the other Party and any such purported assignment in contravention of the provisions herein shall be null and void and of no force or effect. |
| (g) | Third-Party Beneficiaries. This contract is strictly between the Parties and, except as specifically provided herein, no director, officer, shareholder, employee, agent, independent contractor or any other Person shall be deemed to be a third-Party beneficiary of this Agreement. |
| (h) | Governing Law. This Agreement shall be deemed executed, delivered and performed in Nevis. This Agreement shall be solely and exclusively construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed solely and exclusively by the internal laws of Nevis, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of Nevis or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Nevis. The Borrower irrevocably and exclusively consents to and expressly agrees that binding arbitration in Nevis conducted by the Arbitrator Conflict Resolution Centre shall be their sole and exclusive remedy for any dispute arising out of or relating to the Agreement, Irrevocable Instructions or any other agreement between the parties, the Borrower’s transfer agent or the relationship of the parties or their affiliates, and that the arbitration shall be conducted via telephone or teleconference. If the Arbitrator is not available, a different arbitrator or law firm in Nevis shall be chosen by the Investor and agreed upon by the Borrower. Borrower covenants and agrees to provide written notice to Investor via email prior to bringing any action or arbitration action against the Borrower’s transfer agent or any action against any person or entity that is not a party to this Agreement that is related in any way to this Agreement or any of the Exhibits under this Agreement or any transaction contemplated herein or therein, and further agrees to timely notify Investor to any such action. Borrower acknowledges that the governing law and venue provisions set forth in this Agreement are material terms to induce Investor to enter into the Transaction Documents and that but for Borrower’s agreements set forth in this section, Investor would not have entered into the Transaction Documents. In the event that the Investor needs to take action to protect their rights under the Agreement, the Investor may commence action in any jurisdiction needed with the understanding that the Agreement shall still be solely and exclusively construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed solely and exclusively by the internal laws of Nevis, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of Nevis or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Nevis. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Note or any other related transaction document by email. This section and provision of the Agreement will not apply to the Confession of Judgment. The award and decision of the arbitrator shall be conclusive and binding on all Parties, and judgment upon the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. |
14
| (i) | Specific Performance. Each Party agrees that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that each Party shall be entitled to seek specific performance of the terms hereof in addition to any other remedy at law or in equity. |
| (j) | Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the Transactions is not affected in any manner adverse to any Party. Upon such determination that any provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the Parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that the Transactions are fulfilled to the extent possible. |
| (k) | Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents constitute the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both oral and written, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. |
| (l) | Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which taken together shall be but a single instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. |
| (m) | Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement. |
| (n) | Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. No Party shall have any power or any right to assign or transfer, in whole or in part, this Agreement, or any of its rights or any of its obligations hereunder, including, without limitation, any right to pursue any claim for damages pursuant to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein, or to pursue any claim for any breach or default of this Agreement, or any right arising from the purported assignor’s due performance of its obligations hereunder, without the prior written consent of the other Party and any such purported assignment in contravention of the provisions herein shall be null and void and of no force or effect. |
| (o) | No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered, as of the Effective Date, nor shall the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holder in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. |
| (p) | Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any other remedies provided by law. |
| (q) | Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof. |
(Signatures Appear on Following Pages)
15
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of the Effective Date.
| ETAO INTERNATIONAL CO. LTD. | ||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxx | |
| Printed Name: | Xxxxxxxx Xxx | |
| Title: | Chairman, Founder, Chief Executive | |
| Generating Alpha Ltd. | ||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxx | |
| Name: | Xxxxx Xxxx | |
| Title: | Director | |
16
