AEMETIS, INC. Common Stock (par value $0.001 per share) At Market Issuance Sales Agreement
EXHIBIT
1.1
Common
Stock
(par
value $0.001 per share)
X.X.
Xxxxxxxxxx & Co., LLC
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Xxxx
Capital Partners, LLC
000 Xxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Aemetis, Inc., a
Nevada corporation (the “Company”), confirms its
agreement (this “Agreement”) with X.X.
Xxxxxxxxxx & Co., LLC (“HCW”) and Xxxx Capital
Partners, LLC (“XXXX”; each of HCW and
XXXX individually a “Distribution Agent” and
collectively the “Distribution Agents”) as
follows:
1. Issuance
and Sale of Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to
time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to
the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through the
Distribution Agents shares (the “Placement
Shares”) of the Company’s common
stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”);
provided however, that in
no event shall the Company issue or sell through the Distribution
Agents such number of Placement Shares that (a) exceeds the number
of shares or dollar amount of Common Stock registered on the
effective Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to
which the offering is being made, (b) exceeds the number of
authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock, (c) exceeds the
number of shares or dollar amount registered on the Prospectus
Supplement (as defined below) or (d) exceeds the dollar amount of
shares of Common Stock that would cause the Company or the offering
of the Placement Shares to not satisfy the eligibility and
transaction requirements for use of Form S-3 (including, if
applicable, General Instruction I.B.6 of Registration Statement on
Form S-3 (the lesser of (a), (b), (c) and (d), the
“Maximum
Amount”) . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the
limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the number of
Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the
sole responsibility of the Company and that the Distribution Agents
shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance,
provided that the Distribution Agents shall not sell any more
Placement Shares than the aggregate amount requested by the Company
on all Placement Notices (as defined below). The issuance and sale
of Placement Shares through the Distribution Agents will be
effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below),
although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring
the Company to use the Registration Statement to issue any
Placement Shares.
The
Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
thereunder (the “Securities Act”), with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), a
registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-248492), including
a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the
Placement Shares to be issued from time to time by the Company, and
which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has
filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder (the “Exchange Act”). The
Company has prepared a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus
included as part of such registration statement specifically
relating to the Placement Shares (the “Prospectus Supplement”).
The Company will furnish to the Distribution Agents, for use by the
Distribution Agents, copies of the base prospectus included as part
of such registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus
Supplement, relating to the Placement Shares. Except where the
context otherwise requires, such registration statement, including
all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference
therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus
(as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of
such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities
Act, is herein called the “Registration Statement.”
The base prospectus, including all documents incorporated or deemed
incorporated therein by reference to the extent such information
has not been superseded or modified in accordance with Rule 412
under the Securities Act (as qualified by Rule 430B(g) of the
Securities Act), included in the Registration Statement, as it may
be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which
such base prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most
recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, is herein called the
“Prospectus.” Any
reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and
include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any
reference herein to the terms “amend,”
“amendment” or “supplement” with respect to
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to
refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any
document with the Commission incorporated by reference therein (the
“Incorporated
Documents”).
For
purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto
shall be deemed to include the most recent copy filed with the
Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and
Retrieval System, or if applicable, the Interactive Data Electronic
Application system when used by the Commission (collectively,
“XXXXX”).
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2. Placements.
Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement
Shares hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will
notify HCW (the “Designated Distribution
Agent”) by email notice (or other method mutually
agreed to in writing by the parties) of the number of Placement
Shares, the time period during which sales are requested to be
made, any limitation on the number of Placement Shares that may be
sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not
be made (a “Placement Notice”), the
form of which is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement
Notice shall originate from either of the individuals from the
Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to each
of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule),
and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the
Designated Distribution Agent set forth on Schedule 3, as such
Schedule 3 may be
amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective
immediately upon receipt by the Designated Distribution Agent
unless and until (i) the Designated Distribution Agent declines to
accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole
discretion, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares
thereunder has been sold, (iii) the Company suspends or terminates
the Placement Notice or (iv) this Agreement has been terminated
under the provisions of Section 13. The amount of any
discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the
Company to the Designated Distribution Agent in connection with the
sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with
the terms set forth in Schedule 2. It is expressly
acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the
Distribution Agents will have any obligation whatsoever with
respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the
Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Designated Distribution
Agent and the Designated Distribution Agent does not decline such
Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then
only upon the terms specified therein and herein. In the event of a
conflict between the terms of Sections 2 or 3 of this Agreement and the
terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will
control.
3. Sale
of Placement Shares by the Designated Distribution
Agent.
a. Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for the period
specified in a Placement Notice, the Designated Distribution Agent
will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its
normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal
laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the NASDAQ Stock
Market (the “Exchange”), to sell the
Placement Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in
accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Designated
Distribution Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company
no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below)
immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of
Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement
Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to
the Designated Distribution Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such
sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the
Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by the
Designated Distribution Agent (as set forth in Section 5(b)) from the gross
proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of
a Placement Notice, the Designated Distribution Agent may sell
Placement Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an
“at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 of the
Securities Act, including without limitation sales made directly on
the Exchange, on any other existing trading market for the Common
Stock or to or through a market maker. Subject to the terms of a
Placement Notice, the Designated Distribution Agent may also sell,
with the Company’s consent, Placement Shares by any other
method permitted by law, including but not limited to negotiated
transactions. “Trading Day” means any
day on which Common Stock is purchased and sold on the
Exchange.
b. During
the term of this Agreement, neither the Distribution Agents nor any
of their respective affiliates or subsidiaries shall, for their own
respective accounts, engage in (i) any short sale of any security
of the Company, (ii) any sale of any security of the Company that
the Distribution Agents do not own or any sale which is consummated
by the delivery of a security of the Company borrowed by, or for
the account of, the Distribution Agents, (iii) any proprietary
trading or trading for the Distribution Agents’ (or either of
their respective affiliates’ or subsidiaries’) own
account, or (vi) any market making, bidding, stabilization or other
trading activity with regard to the Common Stock or related
derivative securities if such activity would be prohibited under
Regulation M or other anti-manipulation rules under the Securities
Act.
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4. Suspension
of Sales. The Company or the Designated Distribution Agent
may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email
correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set
forth on Schedule
3, if receipt of such correspondence is actually
acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent,
other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately
by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to
each of the individuals of the other party set forth on
Schedule 3),
suspend any sale of Placement Shares (a “Suspension”);
provided, however, that
such suspension shall not affect or impair any party’s
obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder
prior to the receipt of such notice. While a Suspension is in
effect, any obligation under Sections 7(l), 7(m), and 7(n) with respect to the
delivery of certificates, opinions, or comfort letters to the
Distribution Agents, shall be waived. Each of the parties agrees
that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective
against any other party unless it is made to one of the individuals
named on Schedule 3
hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to
time.
5. Sale
and Delivery to the Designated Distribution Agent;
Settlement.
a. Sale
of Placement Shares. On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions
herein set forth, upon the Designated Distribution Agent’s
acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale
of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined,
suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement, the Designated Distribution Agent, for the period
specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially
reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales
practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and
regulations and the rules of the Exchange to sell such Placement
Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance
with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges
and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Designated
Distribution Agent will be successful in selling Placement Shares,
(ii) the Designated Distribution Agent will incur no liability or
obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does
not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by
the Designated Distribution Agent to use its commercially
reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales
practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and
regulations and the rules of the Exchange to sell such Placement
Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) the Designated
Distribution Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase
Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement,
except as otherwise agreed by the Designated Distribution Agent and
the Company.
b. Settlement
of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the
applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement
Shares will occur on the second (2nd) Trading Day (or
such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading)
following the date on which such sales are made (each, a
“Settlement
Date”). The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the
Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement
Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be
equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Designated
Distribution Agent, after deduction for (i) the Designated
Distribution Agent’s commission, discount or other
compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to
Section 2 hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any
governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such
sales.
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c. Delivery
of Placement Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, the
Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically
transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting the
Designated Distribution Agent’s or its designee’s
account (provided the Designated Distribution Agent shall have
given the Company written notice of such designee and such
designee’s account information at least one Trading Day prior
to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its
Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means
of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto
which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable,
registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement
Date, the Designated Distribution Agent will deliver the related
Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the
Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. The Company agrees
that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable),
defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a
Settlement Date through no fault of the Designated Distribution
Agent, then in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and
obligations set forth in Section 11(a) hereto, it will
(i) hold the Designated Distribution Agent harmless against any
loss, claim, damage, or reasonable, documented expense (including
reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred,
arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or
its transfer agent (if applicable) and (ii) pay to the Designated
Distribution Agent (without duplication) any commission, discount,
or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been
entitled absent such default.
d.
Limitations on Offering
Size. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or
request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving
effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate number
of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed
the lesser of (A) together with all sales of Placement Shares under
this Agreement, the Maximum Amount, (B) the amount available for
offer and sale under the currently effective Registration Statement
and (C) the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and
sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of
directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized
executive committee, and notified to the Designated Distribution
Agent in writing. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or
request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this
Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from
time to time by the Company’s board of directors, a duly
authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive
committee, and notified to the Designated Distribution Agent in
writing.
e. Sales
Through Distribution Agent. The Company agrees that any
offer to sell, any solicitation of an offer to buy, or any sales of
Common Stock or any other equity security of the Company on any
single given date shall only be effected by or through the
Designated Distribution Agent; provided, however, that (i) the
foregoing limitation shall not apply to (A) the exercise of any
option, warrant, right or any conversion privilege set forth in the
instruction governing such securities, (B) sales solely to
employees, directors, officers or security holders of the Company
or its subsidiaries (or either of their respective
affiliates’ or subsidiaries’), or to a trustee or other
person acquiring such securities for the accounts of such person
and (ii) such limitation shall not apply (A) on any day during
which no sales are made pursuant to this Agreement or (B) during a
period in which the Company has notified the Designated
Distribution Agent that it will not sell Common Stock under this
Agreement and (1) no Placement Notice is pending or (2) after a
Placement Notice has been withdrawn. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary contained herein, subject to compliance with
Regulation M, the Company is not precluded from engaging another
broker-dealer or financial institution to sell the Company’s
securities in a private placement, registered direct offering or
similar transaction.
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6. Representations
and Warranties of the Company. Except as disclosed in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus (including the Incorporated
Documents), the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with
each of the Distribution Agents that as of the date of this
Agreement and as of each Applicable Time (as defined below), unless
such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different
date or time:
a. Registration
Statement and Prospectus. The Company and, assuming no act
or omission on the part of the Distribution Agents that would make
such statement untrue, the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the conditions
for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration
Statement has been filed with the Commission and has been declared
effective under the Securities Act. The Prospectus Supplement will
name X.X. Xxxxxxxxxx & Co., LLC as the lead managing agent and
Xxxx Capital Partners as the co-managing agent in the section
entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Company has not
received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission
preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or
threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose. The
Registration Statement and the offer and sale of Placement Shares
as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the
Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule.
Any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement
have been so described or filed, as applicable. Copies of the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any such amendments or
supplements and all documents incorporated by reference therein
that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this
Agreement have been delivered, or are available through XXXXX, to
the Distribution Agents and their counsel. The Company has not
distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement
Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares,
will not distribute any offering material in connection with the
offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus (as defined below) to which the Distribution
Agents have consented. The Common Stock is currently quoted on the
Exchange. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date
hereof, received notice from the Exchange to the effect that the
Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance
requirements of the Exchange. To the Company’s knowledge, it
is in compliance with all such listing and maintenance
requirements.
b. No
Misstatement or Omission. At each Settlement Date, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of such date, will
conform in all material respects with the requirements of the
Securities Act. The Registration Statement, when it became
effective, did not 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 not misleading. The
Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto, on the date
thereof and at each Applicable Time (defined below), did not or
will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The documents incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement did not, and any further
documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not,
when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated in such document or necessary to make the statements in such
document, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or
omissions from, any such document made in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, information furnished to the Company by a
Distribution Agent specifically for use in the preparation
thereof.
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c. Conformity
with Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Incorporated
Documents, when such documents were or are filed with the
Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or became
or become effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be,
conformed or will conform in all material respects with the
requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as
applicable.
d. Financial
Information. The consolidated financial statements of the
Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, together with the related notes and
schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the
consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries
(as defined below) as of the dates indicated and the consolidated
results of operations, cash flows and changes in
stockholders’ equity of the Company and the Subsidiaries for
the periods specified (subject, in the case of unaudited
statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which will not be
material, either individually or in the aggregate) and have been
prepared in compliance with the published requirements of the
Securities Act and Exchange Act, as applicable, and in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States
(“GAAP”) applied on a
consistent basis (except (i) for such adjustments to accounting
standards and practices as are noted therein and (ii) in the case
of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude
footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) during the
periods involved; the other financial and statistical data with
respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries contained or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a
basis consistent with the financial statements and books and
records of the Company; there are no financial statements
(historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as
required; the Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material
liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off
balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus which are required to be described in
the Registration Statement or Prospectus; and all disclosures
contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, if any, regarding “non-GAAP
financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and
regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with
Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K
under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.
e. Conformity
with XXXXX Filing. The Prospectus delivered to the
Distribution Agents for use in connection with the sale of the
Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to
the versions of the Prospectus created to be transmitted to the
Commission for filing via XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.
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f. Organization.
The Company and any subsidiary that is a significant subsidiary (as
such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by
the Commission) (each, a “Subsidiary”,
collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), are duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
their respective jurisdictions of organization. The Company and the
Subsidiaries are duly licensed or qualified as foreign entities for
transaction of business and in good standing under the laws of each
other jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of
property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires
such license or qualification, and have all corporate or other
power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective
properties and to conduct their respective businesses as described
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the
failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power
or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
material adverse effect on the assets, business, operations,
earnings, properties condition (financial or otherwise), prospects,
stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company
and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or prevent the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby (a “Material Adverse
Effect”).
g. Subsidiaries.
As of the date hereof, the Company’s only Subsidiaries are
set forth on Schedule
6(g). The Company owns
directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests of the
Subsidiaries free and clear of any lien, charge, security interest,
encumbrance, right of first refusal or other restriction, and all
the equity interests of the Subsidiaries are validly issued and are
fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive and similar
rights.
h. No
Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary
is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar
organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has
occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would
constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of
any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other similar agreement
or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or
by which the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or to which any of
the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject;
or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order,
rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or
regulatory authority, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii)
and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
To the Company’s knowledge, no other party under any material
contract or other agreement to which it or any Subsidiary is a
party is in default in any respect thereunder where such default
would have a Material Adverse Effect.
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i. No
Material Adverse Effect. Since the date of the most recent
financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has
not been (i) any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that
would result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any transaction
which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a
whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent
(including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the
Company or the Subsidiaries, which is material to the Company and
the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any material change in the
capital stock (other than (A) the grant of additional options under
the Company’s existing stock option plans, (B) changes in the
number of outstanding Common Stock of the Company due to the
issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities
exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock outstanding on
the date hereof, (C) as a result of the issuance of Placement
Shares, (D) any repurchases of capital stock of the Company, (E) as
described in a proxy statement filed on Schedule 14A or a
Registration Statement on Form S-4, or (F) otherwise publicly
announced) or outstanding long-term indebtedness of the Company or
the Subsidiaries or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind
declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company or any
Subsidiary, other than in each case above in the ordinary course of
business or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus (including any document incorporated by reference
therein).
j. Capitalization.
The issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are
not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or
similar rights. The Company has an authorized, issued and
outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as of the dates referred to therein
(other than (i) the grant of additional options under the
Company’s existing stock option plans, (ii) changes in the
number of outstanding Common Stock of the Company due to the
issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities
exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock outstanding on
the date hereof, (iii) as a result of the issuance of Placement
Shares, or (iv) any repurchases of capital stock of the Company)
and such authorized capital stock conforms to the description
thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
The description of the Common Stock in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material
respects.
k. Authorization;
Enforceability. The Company has full legal right, power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions
contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and
binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms, except to the extent that (i)
enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable
principles and (ii) the indemnification and contribution provisions
of Section 11
hereof may be limited by federal or state securities laws and
public policy considerations in respect thereof.
l. Authorization
of Placement Shares. The Placement Shares, when issued and
delivered pursuant to the terms approved by the board of directors
of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, or a duly
authorized executive committee, against payment therefor as
provided herein, will be duly and validly authorized and issued and
fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien,
encumbrance, security interest or other claim (other than any
pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim arising
from an act or omission of a Distribution Agent or a purchaser),
including any statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale
rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights, and will
be registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. The
Placement Shares, when issued, will conform in all material
respects to the description thereof set forth in or incorporated
into the Prospectus.
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m. No
Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization,
order, registration or qualification of or with any court or
arbitrator or any governmental or regulatory authority is required
for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this
Agreement, and the issuance and sale by the Company of the
Placement Shares as contemplated hereby, except for such consents,
approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or
qualifications (i) as may be required under applicable state
securities laws or by the by-laws and rules of the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or the Exchange,
including any notices that may be required by the Exchange, in
connection with the sale of the Placement Shares by the
Distribution Agents, (ii) as may be required under the Securities
Act and (iii) as have been previously obtained by the
Company.
n. No
Preferential Rights. (i) No person, as such term is defined
in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act
(each, a “Person”), has the right,
contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to
such Person any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock
or other securities of the Company (other than upon the exercise of
options or warrants to purchase Common Stock or upon the exercise
of options that may be granted from time to time under the
Company’s stock option plans), (ii) no Person has any
preemptive rights, rights of first refusal, or any other rights
(whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or
otherwise) to purchase any Common Stock or shares of any other
capital stock or other securities of the Company from the Company
which have not been duly waived with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby, (iii) no Person has the right to act as an
underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection
with the offer and sale of the Common Stock, and (iv) no Person has
the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to
register under the Securities Act any Common Stock or shares of any
other capital stock or other securities of the Company, or to
include any such shares or other securities in the Registration
Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result
of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise,
except in each case for such rights as have been waived on or prior
to the date hereof.
o. Independent
Public Accountant. RSM US LLP (formerly McGladrey LLP) (the
“Accountant”), whose
report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company is
filed with the Commission as part of the Company’s most
recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and
incorporated into the Registration Statement, are and, during the
periods covered by their report, were independent public
accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the
Company’s knowledge, the Accountant is not in violation of
the auditor independence requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of
2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) with
respect to the Company.
p. Enforceability
of Agreements. All agreements between the Company and third
parties expressly referenced in the Prospectus, other than such
agreements that have expired by their terms or whose termination is
disclosed in documents filed by the Company on XXXXX, are legal,
valid and binding obligations of the Company and, to the
Company’s knowledge, enforceable in accordance with their
respective terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may
be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by
general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification
provisions of certain agreements may be limited by federal or state
securities laws or public policy considerations in respect thereof,
and except for any unenforceability that, individually or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
10
q. No
Litigation. There are no legal, governmental or regulatory
actions, suits or proceedings pending, nor, to the Company’s
knowledge, any legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, to
which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party or to which any
property of the Company or any Subsidiary is the subject that,
individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse
Effect or materially and adversely affect the ability of the
Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; to the
Company’s knowledge, no actions, suits or proceedings are
threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory
authority or threatened by others that, individually or in the
aggregate would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect; and there are no current or pending legal, governmental or
regulatory actions, suits, proceedings or, to the Company’s
knowledge, investigations that are required under the Securities
Act to be described in the Prospectus that are not described in the
Prospectus (including any Incorporated Document).
r. Licenses
and Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess or
have obtained, all licenses, certificates, consents, orders,
approvals, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have
made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal,
state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that
are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective
properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (the
“Permits”), except where
the failure to possess, obtain or make the same would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received written notice
of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any
such Permit or has any reason to believe that such Permit will not
be renewed in the ordinary course, except where the failure to
obtain any such renewal would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
s. No
Material Defaults. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is
in default on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or
on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults,
individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse
Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last
Annual Report on Form 10-K, indicating that it (i) has failed to
pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or
(ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed
money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which
defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material
Adverse Effect.
t. Certain
Market Activities. Neither the Company, nor any Subsidiary,
nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective
directors, officers or controlling persons has taken, directly or
indirectly, any action designed, or that has constituted or would
cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the
Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement
Shares.
u. Broker/Dealer
Relationships. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary or any
related entities (i) is required to register as a
“broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the
provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person
associated with a member” or “associated person of a
member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA
Manual).
v. No
Reliance. The Company has not relied upon either of the
Distribution Agents or legal counsel for the Distribution Agents
for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the
offering and sale of the Placement Shares.
11
w. Taxes.
The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state,
local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed
and paid all taxes shown thereon through the date hereof, to the
extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested
in good faith, except where the failure to do so would not have a
Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in or
contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no
tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any
Subsidiary which has had, or would have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge
of any federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty
or assessment which has been or might be asserted or threatened
against it which could have a Material Adverse Effect.
x. Title
to Real and Personal Property. The Company and the
Subsidiaries have good and valid title to all items of real
property and good and valid title to all personal property
(excluding intellectual property, which is addressed below)
described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being
owned by them that are material to the businesses of the Company or
such Subsidiary, in each case free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances and claims, except those that (i) do not materially
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such
property by the Company and the Subsidiaries or (ii) would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
Any real property described in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus as being leased by the Company and the Subsidiaries is
held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except
those that (A) do not materially interfere with the use made or
proposed to be made of such property by the Company or the
Subsidiaries or (B) would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect.
y. Intellectual
Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries own or possess
adequate enforceable rights to use all patents, patent
applications, trademarks (both registered and unregistered),
service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service xxxx
registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade
secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or
confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the
“Intellectual
Property”), necessary for the conduct of their
respective businesses as conducted as of the date hereof, except to
the extent that the failure to own or possess adequate rights to
use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and the
Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim of
infringement or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property rights
of others, which infringement or conflict would reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; there are no
pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened judicial
proceedings or interference proceedings against the Company or its
Subsidiaries challenging the Company’s or any of its
Subsidiary’s rights in or to or the validity of the scope of
any of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s patents,
patent applications or proprietary information; no other entity or
individual has any right or claim in any patents, patent
applications or any patent to be issued therefrom that are owned or
purported to be owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by
virtue of any contract, license or other agreement entered into
between such entity or individual and the Company or any Subsidiary
or by any non-contractual obligation, other than by written
licenses granted by the Company or any Subsidiary, except as would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect; the Company and the Subsidiaries have not received any
written notice of any claim challenging the rights of the Company
or its Subsidiaries in or to any Intellectual Property owned,
licensed or optioned by the Company or any Subsidiary which claim,
if the subject of an unfavorable decision would result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
12
z. Environmental
Laws. The Company and the Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance
with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws,
rules, regulations, decisions and orders relating to the protection
of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic
substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively,
“Environmental
Laws”); (ii) have received and are in compliance with
all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under
applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective
businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus; and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or
potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any
disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes,
pollutants or contaminants, except, in the case of any of clauses
(i), (ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or failure
to receive required permits, licenses, other approvals or liability
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect.
aa. Disclosure
Controls. The Company maintains a system of internal
accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that
(i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded
as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii)
access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing
assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences. The Company is not aware of any
material weaknesses in its internal control over financial
reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus). Since the date of the latest audited financial
statements of the Company included in the Prospectus, there has
been no change in the Company’s internal control over
financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably
likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control
over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus). The Company has
established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15) that comply with the
requirements of the Exchange Act. The Company’s certifying
officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s
controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the
filing date of the Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently
ended (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). Except
as otherwise disclosed on the Company’s Form 10-K, for the
fiscal year most recently ended the conclusions of the certifying
officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures based on their evaluations as of the most recent
Evaluation Date, and the “disclosure controls and
procedures” are effective.
13
bb. Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the
Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the
Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such,
to comply in all material respects with any applicable provisions
of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder. Each of the principal executive officer and the
principal financial officer of the Company (or each former
principal executive officer of the Company and each former
principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made
all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms,
statements and other documents required to be filed by it or
furnished by it to the Commission during the past 12 months. For
purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive
officer” and “principal financial officer” shall
have the meanings given to such terms in the Exchange Act Rules
13a-15 and 15d-15.
cc. Finder’s
Fees. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred
any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage commissions or
similar payments in connection with the transactions herein
contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to the
Distribution Agents pursuant to this Agreement.
dd. Labor
Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees
of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is threatened which would result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
ee. Investment
Company Act. The Company is not
nor, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement
Shares, will be required to register as an “investment
company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company
Act”).
ff. Operations.
The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have
been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial
record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and
Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money
laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company or
the Subsidiaries are subject, the rules and regulations thereunder
and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines,
issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having
jurisdiction over the Company (collectively, the
“Money Laundering
Laws”), except where the failure to be in such
compliance would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no
action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental
agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company
or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is
pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened.
gg. Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements. There are no transactions,
arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the
Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its
affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not
limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited
purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet
Transaction”) that would affect materially the
Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements
for its capital resources, including those Off Balance Sheet
Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions
and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61),
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus which have not been described as required.
14
hh. Underwriter
Agreements. The Company is not a party to any agreement with
an agent or underwriter for any other “at-the-market”
or continuous equity transaction.
ii. ERISA.
To the knowledge of the Company, (i) each material employee benefit
plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is
maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of
its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and
the Subsidiaries has been maintained in material compliance with
its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders,
rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); (ii) no
prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA
or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in a
material liability to the Company with respect to any such plan
excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or
administrative exemption; and (iii) for each such plan that is
subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section
302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as
defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or
not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such
plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid
contributions) equals or exceeds the present value of all benefits
accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial
assumptions, other than, in the case of (i), (ii) and (iii) above,
as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
jj. Forward-Looking
Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the
Exchange Act) (a “Forward-Looking
Statement”) contained in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable
basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
kk. Margin
Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the
Placement Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the
Company as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
ll. Insurance.
The Company and the Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by,
insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company
and the Subsidiaries reasonably believe are adequate for the
conduct of their business.
15
mm. No
Improper Practices. (i) Neither the Company nor, to the
Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries, nor to the
Company’s knowledge, any of their respective executive
officers has, in the past five years, made any unlawful
contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed
fully to disclose any contribution in violation of law) or made any
contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for,
any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person
charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of
any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the
Prospectus; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists
between or among the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge,
the Subsidiaries or any affiliate of any of them, on the one hand,
and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company or, to
the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries, on the other hand,
that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described;
(iii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among
the Company or the Subsidiaries or any affiliate of them, on the
one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders or directors of
the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries,
on the other hand, that is required by the rules of FINRA to be
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is
not so described; (iv) there are no material outstanding loans or
advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or,
to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries to or for the
benefit of any of their respective officers or directors or any of
the members of the families of any of them; and (v) the Company has
not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Common Stock
to any person with the intent to influence unlawfully (A) a
customer or supplier of the Company or the Subsidiaries to alter
the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business
with the Company or the Subsidiaries or (B) a trade journalist or
publication to write or publish favorable information about the
Company or the Subsidiaries or any of their respective products or
services, and, (vi) neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries nor,
to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the
Company or the Subsidiaries has made any payment of funds of the
Company or the Subsidiaries or received or retained any funds in
violation of any anti-corruption law, rule, or regulation
(including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
of 1977), which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a
character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus.
nn. Status
Under the Securities Act. The Company was not and is not an
ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act
at the times specified in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities
Act in connection with the offering of the Placement
Shares.
oo. No
Misstatement or Omission in an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its
issue date and as of each Applicable Time (as defined in
Section 25 below),
did not, does not and will not, through the completion of the
Placement or Placements for which such Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus is issued, when taken together with the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, contain any misstatement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to prevent the
statements made therein from being misleading.. The foregoing
sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by the Distribution
Agents specifically for use therein.
pp. No
Conflicts. Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the
issuance, offering or sale of the Placement Shares, nor the
consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein and
therein, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms and
provisions hereof and thereof will conflict with, or will result in
a breach of, any of the terms and provisions of, or has constituted
or will constitute a default under, or has resulted in or will
result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to
the terms of any contract or other agreement to which the Company
may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company is subject, except (i) such conflicts, breaches or defaults
as may have been waived and (ii) such conflicts, breaches and
defaults that would not have a Material Adverse Effect; nor will
such action result (x) in any violation of the provisions of the
organizational or governing documents of the Company, or (y) in any
material violation of the provisions of any statute or any order,
rule or regulation applicable to the Company or of any court or of
any federal, state or other regulatory authority or other
government body having jurisdiction over the Company, except where
such violation would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
16
qq. OFAC.
(i) Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary (collectively, the
“Entity”) nor, to the
Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, employee, agent,
affiliate or representative of the Entity, is a government,
individual, or entity (in this paragraph (pp), “Person”) that is, or is
owned or controlled by a Person that is:
(a) currently
the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S.
Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
(“OFAC”), the United
Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European
Union (“EU”), or Her
Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) (collectively,
“Sanctions”),
nor
(b) located,
organized or resident in a country or territory that is the target
of Sanctions.
(ii) The
Entity will not, directly or indirectly, knowingly use the proceeds
of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available
such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other
Person:
(a) to
fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person
or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or
facilitation, is the target of Sanctions; or
(b) in
any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by
the Entity or the Distribution Agents.
(iii) The
Entity represents and covenants that, except as detailed in the
Prospectus, for the past 5 years, it has not knowingly engaged in
and is not now knowingly engaged in any dealing or transactions
with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time
of the dealing or transaction is or was the target of
Sanctions.
rr. Stock
Transfer Taxes. On each Settlement Date, all material stock
transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are
required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the
Placement Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been,
fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing
such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with by the
Company in all material respects.
17
Any
certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to a
Distribution Agent or to counsel for a Distribution Agent pursuant
to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to the
Distribution Agents as to the matters set forth
therein.
7. Covenants
of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each
of the Distribution Agents that:
a. Registration
Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and
during any period in which a prospectus relating to any Placement
Shares is required to be delivered by the Distribution Agents under
the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such
requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the
Securities Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery
Period”) (i) the Company will notify the Distribution
Agents promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the
Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by
reference or amendments not related to any Placement, has been
filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any
subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any
request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus related to the Placement or
for additional information related to the Placement, (ii) the
Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon
either of the Distribution Agents’ request, any amendments or
supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in
the reasonable opinion of counsel of the Distribution Agents, is
necessary in connection with the distribution of the Placement
Shares by a Distribution Agent (provided, however, that the failure
of the Distribution Agents to make such request shall not relieve
the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the
Distribution Agents’ right to rely on the representations and
warranties made by the Company in this Agreement; (iii) the Company
will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or a
security convertible into the Placement Shares (other than an
Incorporated Document) unless a copy thereof has been submitted to
the Distribution Agents within a reasonable period of time before
the filing and either of the Distribution Agents has not reasonably
objected thereto (provided, however, that (A) the failure of the
Distribution Agents to make such objection shall not relieve the
Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the
Distribution Agents’ right to rely on the representations and
warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and (B) the
Company has no obligation to provide the Distribution Agents any
advance copy of such filing or to provide the Distribution Agents
an opportunity to object to such filing if the filing does not name
the Distribution Agents or does not relate to the transaction
herein provided; and provided, further, that the only remedy the
Distribution Agents shall have with respect to the failure by the
Company to obtain such consent shall be to cease making sales under
this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Distribution
Agents at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that
upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the
Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents
available via XXXXX; and (iv) the Company will cause each amendment
or supplement to the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission as
required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the
Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated
therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required
pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed
(the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement
with the Commission under this Section 7(a), based on the
Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall
be made exclusively by the Company).
b. Notice
of Commission Stop Orders. The Company will advise the
Distribution Agents, promptly after it receives notice or obtains
knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the
Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of
the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or
of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such
purpose; and it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to
prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal
if such a stop order should be issued. The Company will advise the
Distribution Agents promptly after it receives any request by the
Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement or any
amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus or for additional information related to the
offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information
related to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus.
18
c. Delivery
of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During the Prospectus
Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements
imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in
force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all
reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required
to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the
Exchange Act. If the Company has omitted any information from the
Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities
Act, it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with
the provisions of and make all requisite filings with the
Commission pursuant to said Rule 430A and to notify the
Distribution Agents promptly of all such filings. If during the
Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs as a result of which
the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such
Prospectus Delivery Period it is necessary to amend or supplement
the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the
Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Designated
Distribution Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Shares
during such period and the Company will promptly amend or
supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense
of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or
effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may
delay the filing of any amendment or supplement, if in the judgment
of the Company, it is in the best interest of the Company and
provided, further, that the only remedy the Distribution Agents
shall have with respect to the failure to make such filing shall be
to cease making sales under this Agreement until such amendment or
supplement is filed).
d. Listing
of Placement Shares. During the Prospectus Delivery Period,
the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause
the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to qualify
the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such
jurisdictions in the United States as each of the Distribution
Agents reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in
effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement
Shares; provided, however,
that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to
qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities, file a
general consent to service of process, or subject itself to
taxation in any jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so
subject.
e. Delivery
of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will
furnish to the Distribution Agents and their counsel (at the
reasonable expense of the Company) copies of the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by
reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the
Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period (including all
documents filed with the Commission during such period that are
deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as
soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as either of
the Distribution Agents may from time to time reasonably request
and, at the Distribution Agents’ request, will also furnish
copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales
of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company
shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the
Prospectus) to the Distribution Agents to the extent such document
is available on XXXXX.
f. Earnings
Statement. The Company will make generally available to its
security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later
than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal
quarter, an earnings statement covering a 12-month period that
satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the
Securities Act.
19
g. Use
of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as
described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of
Proceeds.”
h. Notice
of Other Sales. Without the prior written consent of the
Distribution Agents, the Company will not, directly or indirectly,
offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or
otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement
Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any
rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock during the period
beginning on the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to
the Distribution Agents hereunder and ending on the third (3rd)
Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with
respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice
(or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior
to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice,
the date of such suspension or termination); and will not directly
or indirectly in any other “at-the-market” or
continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to
sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common
Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this
Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common
Stock prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such
restrictions will not apply in connection with the Company’s
issuance or sale of (i) Common Stock, options to purchase Common
Stock or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options,
pursuant to any employee or director stock option or benefits plan,
stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not Common
Stock subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend
reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in effect or
hereafter implemented; (ii) Common Stock issuable upon conversion
of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights
in effect or outstanding, and disclosed in filings by the Company
available on XXXXX or otherwise in writing to the Distribution
Agents, (iii) Common Stock, or securities convertible into or
exercisable for Common Stock, offered and sold in a privately
negotiated transaction to vendors, customers, strategic partners or
potential strategic partners or other investors conducted in a
manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Common Stock
hereby and (iv) Common Stock in connection with any acquisition,
strategic investment or other similar transaction (including any
joint venture, strategic alliance or partnership).
i. Change
of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the
pendency of a Placement Notice advise the Distribution Agents
promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge
thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in
any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other
document required to be provided to the Distribution Agents
pursuant to this Agreement.
j. Due
Diligence Cooperation. During the term of this Agreement,
the Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review
conducted by the Distribution Agents or their representatives in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including,
without limitation, providing information and making available
documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business
hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as either of
the Distribution Agents may reasonably request.
20
k. Required
Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The
Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall
require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the
Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the
Securities Act (each and every date a filing under Rule 424(b) is
made, a “Filing
Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth,
within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold
through the Distribution Agents, the Net Proceeds to the Company
and the compensation payable by the Company to the Distribution
Agents with respect to such Placement Shares, and (ii) deliver such
number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each
exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be
required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or
market.
l. Representation
Dates; Certificate. Each time during the term of this
Agreement that the Company:
(i) amends
or supplements (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely
to an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares) the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement
Shares by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or
supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by
reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
relating to the Placement Shares;
(ii) files
an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any
Form 10-K/A containing amended audited financial information or a
material amendment to the previously filed Form 10-K);
(iii) files
its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act;
or
(iv) files
a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial
information (other than information “furnished”
pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure
pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification
of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the
Exchange Act;
(Each
date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in
clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation
Date.”)
the
Company shall furnish the Distribution Agents (but in the case of
clause (iv) above only if either of the Distribution Agents
reasonably determines that the information contained in such Form
8-K is material) with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit 7(1). The
requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(1) shall be waived
for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no
Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the
earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement
Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be
considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring
Representation Date on which the Company files its annual report on
Form 10-K. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) upon the delivery of
the first Placement Notice hereunder and (ii) if the Company
subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a
Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did
not provide the Distribution Agents with a certificate under this
Section 7(1), then
before either of the Distribution Agents sells any Placement
Shares, the Company shall provide the Distribution Agents with a
certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(1), dated the date of
the Placement Notice.
21
m. Legal
Opinion. On or prior to the date of the first Placement
Notice given hereunder the Company shall cause to be furnished to
the Distribution Agents written opinions of XxXxxxxx Carano Wilson
LLP, Nevada counsel to the Company, and written opinions and a
negative assurance letter of Shearman & Sterling LLP
(“Company
Counsel”), or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to
the Distribution Agents, each in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Distribution Agents. Thereafter, within five
(5) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which
the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable,
and not more than once per calendar quarter, the Company shall
cause to be furnished to the Distribution Agents a negative
assurance letter of Company Counsel in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Distribution Agents.
n. Comfort
Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Placement
Notice given hereunder and within five (5) Trading Days after each
subsequent Representation Date, other than pursuant to Section 7(l)(iii), the Company
shall cause its independent accountants to furnish the Distribution
Agents letters (the “Comfort Letters”), dated
the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the
requirements set forth in this Section 7(n). The Comfort
Letter from the Company’s independent accountants shall be in
a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Distribution
Agents, (i) confirming that they are an independent public
accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the
PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings
of such firm with respect to the financial information and other
matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort
letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public
offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letter”)
and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information
that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it
been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and
supplemented to the date of such letter.
o. Market
Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly,
(i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that
constitutes or would constitute, the stabilization or manipulation
of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale
or resale of Common Stock or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase Common
Stock in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation
for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than the
Distribution Agents.
p. Investment
Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a
manner so as to reasonably ensure that it will not be or become, at
any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an
“investment company,” as such term is defined in the
Investment Company Act.
q. No
Offer to Sell. Other than an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
approved in advance by the Company and the Distribution Agents in
their capacity as agents hereunder pursuant to Section 23, neither of the
Distribution Agents nor the Company (including its agents and
representatives, other than the Distribution Agents in their
capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or
refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405),
required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer
to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares
hereunder.
22
x. Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act. The Company will maintain and keep accurate books and
records reflecting its assets and maintain internal accounting
controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in
accordance with GAAP and including those policies and procedures
that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable
detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and
dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable
assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the
preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial
statements in accordance with GAAP, (iii) that receipts and
expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with
management’s and the Company’s directors’
authorization, and (iv) provide reasonable assurance regarding
prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or
disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a
material effect on its financial statements. The Company will
maintain disclosure controls and procedures that comply with the
requirements of the Exchange Act.
8. Representations
and Covenants of the Distribution Agents. Each of the
Distribution Agents represents and warrants that it is duly
registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the
applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the
Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in
which such Distribution Agent is exempt from registration or such
registration is not otherwise required. Each of the Distribution
Agents shall continue, for the term of this Agreement, to be duly
registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the
applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the
Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in
which it is exempt from registration or such registration is not
otherwise required, during the term of this Agreement. Each of the
Distribution Agents shall comply with all applicable law and
regulations, including but not limited to Regulation M, in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
including the issuance and sale through the Distribution Agents of
the Placement Shares.
9. Payment
of Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to
the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including
(i) the preparation, filing, including any fees required by the
Commission, and printing of the Registration Statement (including
financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each
amendment and supplement thereto and each Free Writing Prospectus,
in such number as the Distribution Agents shall deem reasonably
necessary, (ii) the printing and delivery to the Distribution
Agents of this Agreement and such other documents as may be
required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance
or delivery of the Placement Shares, (iii) the preparation,
issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the
Placement Shares to the Designated Distribution Agent, including
any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp
duties or other duties or taxes payable upon the sale, issuance or
delivery of the Placement Shares to the Distribution Agents, (iv)
the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other
advisors to the Company, (v) the reasonable and documented
out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel to the Designated
Distribution Agent up to $25,000; (vi) the fees and expenses of the
transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock, (vii) the filing
fees incident to any review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of
the Placement Shares, and (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in
connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the
Exchange.
23
10. Conditions
to Distribution Agents’ Obligations. The obligations
of the Distribution Agents hereunder with respect to a Placement
will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the
representations and warranties made by the Company herein (other
than those representations and warranties made as of a specified
date or time), to the due performance in all material respects by
the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by the
Distribution Agents of a due diligence review satisfactory to it in
its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing reasonable
satisfaction (or waiver by each of the Distribution Agents in their
sole discretion) of the following additional
conditions:
a. Registration
Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall have
become effective and shall be available for the sale of all
Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement
Notice.
b. No
Material Notices. None of the following events shall have
occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any
request for additional information from the Commission or any other
federal or state governmental authority during the period of
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which
would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the
Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or receipt by the Company of notification of the
initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by
the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of
the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the
Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or receipt by the
Company of notification of the initiation of, or a threat to
initiate, any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) the occurrence
of any event that makes any material statement made in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material
Incorporated Document untrue in any material respect or that
requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus or any material Incorporated Document so that, in
the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any
materially 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 not misleading and, that in the case of the
Prospectus or any material Incorporated Document, it will not
contain any materially 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 the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
c. No
Misstatement or Material Omission. Neither of the
Distribution Agents shall have advised the Company that the
Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in
the Distribution Agents’ reasonable opinion is material, or
omits to state a fact that in the Distribution Agents’
reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein
or is necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
d. Material
Changes. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or
disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission,
there shall not have been any Material Adverse Effect, or any
development that would cause a Material Adverse Effect as to make
it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the
Placement Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
Prospectus.
24
e. Legal
Opinion. The Distribution Agents shall have received the
opinion and negative assurance letter of Company Counsel required
to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(m) on or before the
date on which such delivery of such opinion and negative assurance
letter are required pursuant to Section 7(m).
f. Comfort
Letter. The Distribution Agents shall have received the
Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(n) on or before the
date on which such delivery of such letter is required pursuant to
Section
7(n).
g. Representation
Certificate. The Distribution Agents shall have received the
certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(1) on or before the
date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to
Section
7(1).
h. No
Suspension. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been
suspended on the Exchange and the Common Stock shall not have been
delisted from the Exchange.
i. Other
Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to
deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(1), the Company shall
have furnished to the Distribution Agents such appropriate further
information, certificates and documents as either of the
Distribution Agents may reasonably request and which are usually
and customarily furnished by an issuer of securities in connection
with a securities offering of the type contemplated hereby. All
such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in
compliance with the provisions hereof.
j. Securities
Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required
by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to
the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made
within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by
Rule 424.
k. Approval
for Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been
approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of
issuance, or the Company shall have filed an application for
listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to,
the issuance of any Placement Notice.
l. No
Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event
that would permit the Distribution Agents to terminate this
Agreement pursuant to Section 13(a).
11. Indemnification
and Contribution.
(a)
Company
Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Distribution Agents, their partners, members,
directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who
controls the Distribution Agents within the meaning of Section 15
of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as
follows:
(i) against
any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever,
as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto),
or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any related
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading;
25
(ii) against
any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever,
as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the aggregate
amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation
or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue
statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or
omission; provided that (subject to Section 11(d) below) any such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company,
which consent shall not unreasonably be delayed or withheld;
and
(iii) against
any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the
reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of
counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or
defending against any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue
statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or
omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i)
or (ii) above,
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not
apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the
extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged
untrue statement or omission made solely in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by
either of the Distribution Agents expressly for use in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or in any
related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(b)
Indemnification by the
Distribution Agents. Each Distribution Agent agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and each
officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and
each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control
with the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense whatsoever described in the indemnity contained in
Section 11(a), as
incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions,
or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration
Statement (or any amendments thereto) or in any related Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Company in writing by such
Distribution Agent expressly for use therein; provided, however,
that in no case shall the Distribution Agent be responsible for any
amount in excess of the fee paid to the Designated Distributions
Agent applicable to the Placement Shares and paid
hereunder.
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(c)
Procedure. Any
party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under
this Section 11
will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any
action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made
against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 11, notify each such
indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a
copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such
indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i)
any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise
than under this Section
11 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any
indemnified party under the foregoing provisions of this
Section 11 unless,
and only to the extent that, such omission results in the
forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying
party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party
and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the
indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the
extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the
indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the
commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with
any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the
defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to
the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the
indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for
any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for
the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the
indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified
party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such
action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel
will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the
employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized
in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has
reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be
legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that
are different from or in addition to those available to the
indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict of
interest exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified
party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in
which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct
the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or
(4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to
assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after
receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of
which cases the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees,
disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense
of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the
indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any
proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be
liable for the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees,
disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm
admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all
such indemnified party or parties. All such reasonable and
documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges will
be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly after the
indemnifying party receives a written invoice relating to fees,
disbursements and other charges in reasonable detail. An
indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any
settlement of any action or claim effected without its written
consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent
to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim,
action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this
Section 11 (whether
or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such
settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an unconditional
release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of
such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) does
not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability
or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified
party.
27
(d)
Contribution. In
order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the
foregoing paragraphs of this Section 11 is applicable in
accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be
unavailable from the Company or a Distribution Agent, the Company
and such Distribution Agent will contribute to the total losses,
claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any
investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in
connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action,
suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any
contribution received by the Company from persons other than the
Distribution Agents, such as persons who control the Company within
the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, officers of
the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of
the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the
Company and the Distribution Agents may be subject in such
proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Distribution Agents
on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on
the one hand and the Distribution Agents on the other hand shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total Net Proceeds from
the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses)
received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by
the Distribution Agents (before deducting expenses) from the sale
of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company; provided, however, that in no case shall
the Designated Distribution Agent be responsible for any amounts in
excess of the fee applicable to the Placement Shares and paid
hereunder. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the
foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the
allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to
in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the
Company, on the one hand, and such Distribution Agent, on the other
hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in
such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in
respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or such Distribution Agent, the
intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The Company and each Distribution Agent agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this
Section 11(d) were
to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of
allocation that does not take into account the equitable
considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability,
expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above
in this Section
11(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this
Section 11(d), any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim to the extent consistent with Section 11(c) hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(d), a Distribution
Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of
the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person
found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 11(d), any person who
controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act, and any officers, directors,
partners, employees or agents of a Distribution Agent, will have
the same rights to contribution as that party, and each officer who
signed the Registration Statement and director of the Company will
have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in
each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to
contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of
any action against such party in respect of which a claim for
contribution may be made under this Section 11(d), will notify any
such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the
omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from
whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or
they may have under this Section 11(d) except to the
extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially
prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from
whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into
pursuant to the last sentence of Section 11(c) hereof, no party
will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim
settled without its written consent if such consent is required
pursuant to Section
11(c) hereof.
28
12. Representations
and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and
contribution agreements contained in Section 11 of this Agreement
and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in
certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their
respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on
behalf of the Distribution Agents, any controlling persons, or the
Company (or any of their respective officers, directors or
controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement
Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this
Agreement.
13. Termination.
a. A
Distribution Agent may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the
Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has
been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the
date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any
Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would have a
Material Adverse Effect that, in the sole judgment of such
Distribution Agent, is material and adverse and makes it
impractical or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to
enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (2) if
there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial
markets in the United States or the international financial
markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other
calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a
prospective change in national or international political,
financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which
is such as to make it, in the judgment of such Distribution Agent,
impracticable or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to
enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (3) if
trading in the Common Stock has been suspended or limited by the
Commission or the Exchange, or if trading generally on the Exchange
has been suspended or limited, or minimum prices for trading have
been fixed on the Exchange, (4) if any suspension of trading of any
securities of the Company on any exchange or in the
over-the-counter market shall have occurred and be continuing, (5)
if a major disruption of securities settlements or clearance
services in the United States shall have occurred and be
continuing, or (6) if a banking moratorium has been declared by
either U.S. Federal or New York authorities. Any such termination
shall be without liability of any party to any other party except
that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of
Expenses), Section
11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and
Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and
Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to
Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding such termination. If a Distribution Agent elects to
terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 13(a), such
Distribution Agent shall provide the required notice as specified
in Section 14 (Notices).
29
b. The
Company shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days notice as
hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole
discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of
Expenses), Section
11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and
Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and
Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to
Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding such termination.
c. Each
of the Distribution Agents shall have the right, by giving ten (10)
days notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in
its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement.
Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any
other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of
Expenses), Section
11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and
Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and
Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to
Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding such termination.
d. Unless
earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 13, this Agreement
shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of
the Placement Shares through the Distribution Agents on the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth herein except that the
provisions of Section
9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and
Contribution), Section
12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery),
Section 18
(Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to
Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding such termination.
e. This
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated
pursuant to Sections
13(a), (b),
(c), or
(d) above or
otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such
termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to
provide that Section
9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and
Contribution), Section
12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery),
Section 18
(Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to
Jurisdiction) shall remain in full force and effect. Upon
termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not have any
liability to a Distribution Agent for any discount, commission or
other compensation with respect to any Placement Shares not
otherwise sold by a Distribution Agent under this
Agreement.
f. Any
termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date
specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such
termination shall not be effective until the close of business on
the date of receipt of such notice by a Distribution Agent or the
Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior
to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such
Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of
this Agreement.
14. Notices.
All notices or other communications required or permitted to be
given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if
sent to the Distribution Agents, shall be delivered
to:
30
X.X.
Xxxxxxxxxx & Co., LLC
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
e-mail:
Notices @xxxxx.xxx
and
Xxxx
Capital Partners, LLC
000 Xxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX 00000
e-mail:xxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
with a
copy to:
Ellenoff Xxxxxxxx
& Schole LLP
0000
Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
e-mail:
xxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
and if
to the Company, shall be delivered to:
00000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx.
Xxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxxx, XX
00000
Attention: Xxxx
Xxxxx, CFO
Telephone: (000)
000-0000
Email:
xxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
with a
copy to:
Shearman &
Sterling LLP
0000 Xx
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 0
Xxxxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Telephone: (000)
000-0000
Email:
Xxxxx.Xxxxxxxxx@Xxxxxxxx.xxx
Each
party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by
sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new
address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication
shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally, by email, or
by verifiable facsimile transmission on or before 4:30 p.m., New
York City time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business
Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business
Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight
courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if
deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return
receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this
Agreement, “Business
Day” shall mean any day on which the Exchange and
commercial banks in the City of New York are open for
business.
31
An
electronic communication (“Electronic Notice”) shall
be deemed written notice for purposes of this Section 14 if sent to the
electronic mail address specified by the receiving party under
separate cover. Electronic Notice shall be deemed received at the
time the party sending Electronic Notice receives confirmation of
receipt by the receiving party. Any party receiving Electronic
Notice may request and shall be entitled to receive the notice on
paper, in a nonelectronic form (“Nonelectronic Notice”)
which shall be sent to the requesting party within ten (10) days of
receipt of the written request for Nonelectronic
Notice.
15. Successors
and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the Company and each Distribution Agent and
their respective successors and the affiliates, controlling
persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 11 hereof. References
to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed
to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party.
Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to
confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their
respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies,
obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement,
except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither party may
assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the
prior written consent of the other party.
16. Adjustments
for Stock Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all
share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted
to take into account any share consolidation, stock split, stock
dividend, corporate domestication or similar event effected with
respect to the Placement Shares.
17. Entire
Agreement; Amendment; Severability. This Agreement
(including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement
Notices issued pursuant hereto) constitutes the entire agreement
and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and
undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with
regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any
term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument
executed by the Company and each of the Distribution Agents. In the
event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or
the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid,
illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent
jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and
effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and
enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein
shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable
term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent
that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms
and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the
parties as reflected in this Agreement.
32
18. GOVERNING
LAW AND TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE
OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. THE COMPANY AND
THE DISTRIBUTION AGENTS EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO
TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO
THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY.
19. CONSENT
TO JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO
THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS
SITTING IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, FOR THE
ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY
TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, AND
AGREES NOT TO ASSERT IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, ANY CLAIM
THAT IT IS NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH
COURT, THAT SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS BROUGHT IN AN
INCONVENIENT FORUM OR THAT THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR
PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES
PERSONAL SERVICE OF PROCESS AND CONSENTS TO PROCESS BEING SERVED IN
ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF
(CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) TO SUCH
PARTY AT THE ADDRESS IN EFFECT FOR NOTICES TO IT UNDER THIS
AGREEMENT AND AGREES THAT SUCH SERVICE SHALL CONSTITUTE GOOD AND
SUFFICIENT SERVICE OF PROCESS AND NOTICE THEREOF. NOTHING CONTAINED
HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED TO LIMIT IN ANY WAY ANY RIGHT TO SERVE
PROCESS IN ANY MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.
20. Use
of Information. The Distribution Agents may not use any
information gained in connection with this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due
diligence, to advise any party with respect to transactions not
expressly approved by the Company.
21. Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed
Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile
transmission or email of a .pdf attachment.
22. Effect
of Headings. The section and Exhibit headings herein are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction
hereof.
33
23. Permitted
Free Writing Prospectuses.
The
Company represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the
prior consent of each of the Distribution Agents, and each of the
Distribution Agents represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it
obtains the prior consent of the Company, it has not made and will
not make any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would
constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would
otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as
defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any
such free writing prospectus consented to by the Distribution
Agents or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter
referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.”
The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees
that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an
“issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule
433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule
433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including
timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and
record keeping. For the purposes of clarity, the parties hereto
agree that all free writing prospectuses, if any, listed in
Exhibit 23 hereto
are Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.
24. Absence
of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and
agrees that:
a. Each
Distribution Agent is acting solely as agent in connection with the
public offering of the Placement Shares and in connection with each
transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading
to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship
between the Company or any of its respective affiliates,
stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or
any other party, on the one hand, and either Distribution Agent, on
the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of
whether or not such Distribution Agent has advised or is advising
the Company on other matters, and neither Distribution Agent has
any obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set
forth in this Agreement;
b. it
is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and
accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;
c. Neither
Distribution Agent has provided any legal, accounting, regulatory
or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting,
regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed
appropriate;
d. it
is aware that each Distribution Agent and its respective affiliates
are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve
interests that differ from those of the Company and such
Distribution Agent has no obligation to disclose such interests and
transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or
agency relationship or otherwise; and
e. it
waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may
have against a Distribution Agent for breach of fiduciary duty or
alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the sale of
Placement Shares under this Agreement and agrees that such
Distribution Agent shall not have any liability (whether direct or
indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such
a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty
claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or
creditors of Company, other than in respect of such Distribution
Agent’s obligations under this Agreement and to keep
information provided by the Company to such Distribution Agent and
its counsel confidential to the extent not otherwise
publicly-available.
34
25. Definitions.
As used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings
set forth below:
“Applicable Time” means
(i) each Representation Date and (ii) the time of each sale of any
Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the
Placement Shares that (1) is required to be filed with the
Commission by the Company, (2) is a “road show” that is
a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule
433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed with the
Commission, or (3) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule
433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Placement
Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in
each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the
Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in
the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the
Securities Act.
“Rule 172,”
“Rule
405,” “Rule 415,”
“Rule
424,” “Rule 424(b),”
“Rule
430B,” and “Rule 433” refer to such
rules under the Securities Act.
All
references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules
and other information that is “contained,”
“included” or “stated” in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like
import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial
statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as
the case may be.
All
references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing
shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission
pursuant to XXXXX; all references in this Agreement to any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses that, pursuant to Rule 433, are not required to be
filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy
thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX; and all
references in this Agreement to “supplements” to the
Prospectus shall include, without limitation, any supplements,
“wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection
with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement
Shares by the Distribution Agents outside of the United
States.
[Remainder
of the page intentionally left blank]
35
If the
foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Company and each Distribution Agent, please so indicate in the
space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall
constitute a binding agreement between the Company and each of the
Distribution Agents.
Very
truly yours,
By:
/s/
Xxxx X. XxXxxx
Name: Xxxx X.
XxXxxx
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
ACCEPTED
as of the date first-above written:
X.X.
XXXXXXXXXX & CO., LLC
By:
/s/ Xxxx X.
Viklund
Name:
Xxxx X. Viklund
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
XXXX
CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC
By:
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title:
Head of Equity Capital Markets
36
SCHEDULE 1
FORM OF
PLACEMENT NOTICE
From:
To:
[●]
Attention:
[●]
Subject:
At Market Issuance--Placement Notice
Gentlemen:
Pursuant to the
terms and subject to the conditions contained in the At Market
Issuance Sales Agreement between Aemetis, Inc., a Nevada
corporation (the “Company”), and X.X.
Xxxxxxxxxx & Co., LLC and Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC, dated
September __, 2020, the Company hereby requests that X.X.
Xxxxxxxxxx & Co., LLC sell up to [_______] shares of the
Company’s Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, at a
minimum market price of $per share, during the time period
beginning [month, day, time] and ending [month, day,
time].
37
SCHEDULE 2
________________________
Compensation
________________________
The
Company shall pay to the Designated Distribution Agent in cash,
upon each sale of Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement, an
amount equal to 3% of the gross proceeds from each sale of
Placement Shares.
38
SCHEDULE 3
________________________
Notice Parties
________________________
The Company
with a
copy to Xxxxx.Xxxxxxxxx@Xxxxxxxx.xxx
HCW/XXXX
with a
copy to xxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
39
SCHEDULE 6(g)
________________________
Subsidiaries
________________________
Aemetis
Biochemicals, Inc.
Aemetis
International, Inc.
International
Biofuels Ltd (Mauritius)
Universal
Biofuels Private Limited (India)
Aemetis
Technologies, Inc.
Aemetis
Biofuels, Inc.
Aemetis
Biogas, LLC
Energy
Enzymes, Inc.
AE
Advanced Fuels, Inc.
Aemetis
Advanced Fuels Xxxxx, Inc.
Aemetis
Advanced Biorefinery Xxxxx, Inc.
Aemetis
Advanced Products Xxxxx, Inc.
Aemetis
Facility Xxxxx, Inc.
Aemetis
Advanced Fuels, Inc.
Aemetis
Property Xxxxx, Inc.
Aemetis
Americas, Inc.
Aemetis
Riverbank, Inc.
Aemetis
Properties Riverbank, Inc.
Aemetis
Health Products, Inc.
Aemetis
Advanced Products Riverbank, Inc.
AE
Biofuels, Inc.
Edeniq
Acquisition Corp.
Goodland
Advanced Fuels, Inc.
40
EXHIBIT 7(1)
Form of Representation Date Certificate
___________, 20___
This
Representation Date Certificate (this “Certificate”) is executed
and delivered in connection with Section 7(1) of the At Market
Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated
September __, 2020, and entered into between Aemetis, Inc. (the
“Company”) and X.X.
Xxxxxxxxxx & Co., LLC and Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC. All
capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the
meanings given to such terms in the Agreement.
The
Company hereby certifies as follows:
1. The
representations and warranties of the Company in Section 6 of the Agreement
(A) to the extent such representations and warranties are
subject to qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating
to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, are true and correct on
and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if
expressly made on and as of the date hereof, except for those
representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific
date and which were true and correct as of such date, and
(B) to the extent such representations and warranties are not
subject to any qualifications or exceptions, are true and correct
in all material respects as of the date hereof as if made on and as
of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly
made on and as of the date hereof, except for those representations
and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date and which
were true and correct as of such date.
2. The Company has complied
with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied pursuant to the Agreement at or prior to the
date hereof.
The
undersigned has executed this Officer’s Certificate as of the
date first written above.
By:
Name:
Title:
41
|
41
EXHIBIT 23
Permitted Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
None.
42