4,000,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK CHINA FOR-GEN CORP. UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
4,000,000
SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
November
__, 2010
MAXIM
GROUP LLC
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000
As
Representative of the Underwriters
named on
Schedule A
hereto
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
China
For-Gen Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its
agreement, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, with each of
the underwriters listed on Schedule A hereto
(collectively, the “Underwriters”), for whom Maxim
Group LLC is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), to sell and
issue to the Underwriters an aggregate of 4,000,000 shares of common stock,
$0.001 par value (the “Common
Stock”) of the Company (the "Firm Shares"). The Firm Shares are
more fully described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus referred to
below.
The
offering and sale of the Common Stock contemplated by this underwriting
agreement (this “Agreement”)
is referred to herein as the “Offering.”
1.1 Firm Shares; Over-Allotment
Option.
(a) Purchase of Firm Shares.
On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to
issue and sell, severally and not jointly, to the several Underwriters, an
aggregate of 4,000,000 Firm Shares of the Company at a purchase price (net of
discounts and commissions) of $[X.XX] per Firm Share. The Underwriters,
severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the number of Firm
Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A attached
hereto and made a part hereof at a purchase price (net of discounts and
commissions) of $[X.XX] per Firm Share.
(b) Payment and Delivery.
Delivery and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New
York time, on the third Business Day following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the
Registration Statement (or the fourth Business Day following the effective Date,
if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:30 p.m.) or at such
earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company at
the offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon
by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment
for the Firm Shares is called the “Closing Date.” The closing of
the payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates
representing, the Firm Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing.” Payment for the Firm
Shares shall be made on the Closing Date at the Representative’s election by
wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds or by certified or bank cashier’s
check(s) in New York Clearing House funds. Any remaining proceeds (less
commissions, expense allowance and actual expense payments or other fees payable
pursuant to this Agreement) shall be paid to the order of the Company upon
delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriters) representing the Firm Shares (or through the full fast transfer
facilities of the Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”)) for the account of the
Underwriters. The Firm Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in
such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at
least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company will permit the
Representative to examine and package the Firm Shares for delivery, at least one
full Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated
to sell or deliver the Firm Shares except upon tender of payment by the
Representative for all the Firm Shares.
(c) Option Shares. For
the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution
and sale of the Firm Shares, the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters
is, hereby granted, an option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the number
of Firm Shares (the "Option
Shares") to be offered by the Company in the Offering (the “Over-allotment Option”). The
Firm Shares and the Option Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as
the “Shares”. The Shares
and the Representative’s Securities (as hereinafter defined) are referred to as
(the “Securities”). The
purchase price to be paid for the Option Shares (net of discounts and
commissions) will be $[X.XX] per Option Share.
(d) Exercise of Option.
The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.1(c) hereof may
be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from
time to time) of the Option Shares within 45 days after the Effective Date. The
Underwriters will not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Shares
prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option
granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company from
the Representative, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail or
facsimile transmission setting forth the number of Option Shares to be purchased
and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares, which
will not be later than five Business Days after the date of the notice or such
other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the
offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by
the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option
Shares does not occur on the Closing Date, the date and time of the closing for
such Option Shares will be as set forth in the notice (hereinafter the “Option Closing Date”). Upon
exercise of the Over-allotment Option, the Company will become obligated to
convey to the Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Underwriters will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option
Shares specified in such notice.
(e)
Payment and Delivery
of Option Shares. Payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the
Option Closing Date at the Representative’s election by wire transfer in Federal
(same day) funds or by certified or bank cashier’s check(s) in New York Clearing
House funds, by deposit of the sum of $[X.XX] per Option Share to the Company
upon delivery to the Underwriters of certificates (in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Option Shares (or through the
full fast transfer facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The
certificates representing the Option Shares to be delivered will be in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Representative requests not
less than two Business Days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, and will be made available to the Representative for
inspection, checking and packaging at the aforesaid office of the Company’s
transfer agent or correspondent not less than one full Business Day prior to
such Closing Date or Option Closing Date.
(f) Representative's Warrants.
As additional consideration, the Company hereby agrees to issue and sell
to the Representative (and/or their respective designees) on the Effective Date
warrants (the “Representative's
Warrants”) for the purchase of that many shares of Common Stock equal to
5% of the Common Stock sold in the Offering for an aggregate purchase price of
$100.00. The Representative's Warrants shall be exercisable, in whole or in
part, commencing on the date that is six months from the Effective Date and
expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an initial
exercise price per unit of $[—], which is equal to one hundred and ten percent
(110%) of the public offering price of a Share. The Representative’s Warrant
shall allow for cashless exercise and provide for one demand registration right
at the Company’s expense, one demand registration right at the Representative’s
expense and for unlimited “piggyback” registration rights at the Company’s
expense with respect to the underlying shares of common
stock. Pursuant to the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority, Inc., (“FINRA”), and in particular
FINRA Rule 5110, the Representative’s Warrants (and underlying shares) may not
be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or the subject of any
hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result
in the effective disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180
days immediately following the date of delivery and payment for the shares
offered provided, however, the Representative’s Warrant (and underlying shares)
may be transferred to officers or directors of the Representative and members of
the underwriting syndicate and their affiliates as long as the Representative’s
Warrants (and underlying shares) remain subject to such lock-up. The
Representative's Warrants and the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Representative’s Warrants are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Representative’s
Securities.”
2. Representations and
Warranties of the Company.
2.1 The
Company represents, warrants and covenants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing
Date:
(a) The
Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) a
registration statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-166868), and amendments
thereto, and related preliminary prospectuses for the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the
Securities which registration statement, as so amended (including post-effective
amendments, if any), has been declared effective by the Commission and copies of
which have heretofore been delivered to the Underwriters. The registration
statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the prospectus,
financial statements, schedules, exhibits and other information (if any) deemed
to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant
to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement.” If
the Company has filed or is required pursuant to the terms hereof to file a
registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act
registering additional Common Stock (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”),
then, unless otherwise specified, any reference herein to the term
“Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement. Other than a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, which,
if filed, becomes effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the
Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission. All of the
Securities have been registered under the Securities Act pursuant to the
Registration Statement or, if any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is filed,
will be duly registered under the Securities Act with the filing of such Rule
462(b) Registration Statement. The Company has responded to all requests of the
Commission for additional or supplemental information. Based on communications
from the Commission, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of either the
Registration Statement or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has
been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened
by the Commission. The Company, if required by the Securities Act and the rules
and regulations of the Commission (the “Rules and Regulations”), proposes to
file the Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
Securities Act (“Rule 424(b)”). The prospectus,
in the form in which it is to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b), or, if the prospectus is not to be filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b), the prospectus in the form included as part of the Registration
Statement at the time the Registration Statement became effective, is
hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus,” except that if
any revised prospectus or prospectus supplement shall be provided to the
Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the Offering which
differs from the Prospectus (whether or not such revised prospectus or
prospectus supplement is required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule
424(b)), the term “Prospectus” shall also refer to such revised prospectus or
prospectus supplement, as the case may be, from and after the time it is first
provided to the Underwriters for such use. Any preliminary prospectus or
prospectus subject to completion included in the Registration Statement or filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act is hereafter
called a “Preliminary
Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include
the exhibits incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the Rules and
Regulations on or before the effective date of the Registration Statement, the
date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the date of the Prospectus, as the case
may be. Any reference herein to the terms “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement”
with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include: (i) the filing of any
document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and together
with the Rules and Regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) after the
effective date of the Registration Statement, the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or the date of the Prospectus, as the case may be, which is
incorporated therein by reference, and (ii) any such document so filed. All
references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462 (b)
Registration Statement, a Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, or any
amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include any
copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data
Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“XXXXX”).
(b) The
Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number 001-) providing
for the registration under the Exchange Act of the Common Stock. The
registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act has been declared
effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
(c) At
the time of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement or the effectiveness of any post-effective amendment to
the Registration Statement, when the Prospectus is first filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), when any supplement to or amendment of the
Prospectus is filed with the Commission, when any document filed under the
Exchange Act was or is filed, at all other subsequent times until the completion
of the public offer and sale of the Securities, and at the Closing Date (as
hereinafter defined), if any, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and
any amendments thereof and supplements or exhibits thereto complied or will
comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities
Act, the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations, and did not and will not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact and did not and will not omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein: (i) in the case of the Registration Statement, not
misleading, and (ii) in the case of the Prospectus in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading. When any Preliminary Prospectus was
first filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of the registration
statement for the registration of the Securities or any amendment thereto or
pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act) and when any amendment thereof
or supplement thereto was first filed with the Commission, such Preliminary
Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto complied in all
material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact and did not omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. No representation and warranty is made in this subsection (b),
however, with respect to any information contained in or omitted from the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any related Preliminary Prospectus
or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf
of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein. The
parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of
any Underwriter consists solely of the subsections of the “Underwriting” section
of the Prospectus captioned “Stabilization,” "Pricing of Securities," the last
sentence of "Other Matters" and the penultimate paragraph on the cover page of
the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (the “Underwriters’
Information”).
(d) Neither:
(i) any Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined
below) issued at or prior to the Time of Sale (as defined below) and the
Statutory Prospectus (as defined below), all considered together (collectively,
the “General Disclosure
Package”), nor
(ii) any individual Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus(es)
(as defined below), when considered together with the General Disclosure
Package, includes or included as of the Time of Sale, any untrue statement of a
material fact or omits or omitted as of the Time of Sale to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence
does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus
included in the Registration Statement or any Issuer-Represented Free Writing
Prospectus (as defined below) based upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by the Representative specifically for use
therein.
(e) Each
Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all
subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the
Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the
Representative as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not
include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the
information contained in the Registration Statement, any Statutory Prospectus or
the Prospectus. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer-Represented Free
Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result
of which such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would
conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any
Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus relating to the Securities or included or
would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading,
the Company has notified or will notify promptly the Representative so that any
use of such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus may cease until it is
promptly amended or supplemented by the Company, at its own expense, to
eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission. The foregoing
two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any
Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by the Representative specifically
for use therein.
(f) The
Company has not distributed and will not distribute any prospectus or other
offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities
other than the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or other materials
permitted by the Act to be distributed by the Company. Unless the Company
obtains the prior consent of the Representative, the Company has not made and
will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an
“issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, or that
would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405
under the Act, required to be filed with the Commission. The Company has
complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the
Act applicable to any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus as of its issue
date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and
sale of the Securities, including timely filing with the Commission where
required, legending and record keeping. The Company has satisfied and will
satisfy the conditions in Rule 433 under the Act to avoid a requirement to file
with the Commission any electronic road show.
(g) Each
Underwriter agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the
Company, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would
constitute an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) or
that would otherwise (without taking into account any approval, authorization,
use or reference thereto by the Company) constitute a “free writing prospectus”
required to be filed by the Company with the Commission (as defined herein) or
retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act; provided that the
prior written consent of the Company hereto shall be deemed to have been given
in respect of any Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectuses
referenced on Schedule
C attached hereto
As used
in this Agreement, the terms set forth below shall have the following
meanings:
(i) “Time of Sale” means [___]
(Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.
(ii) “Statutory Prospectus” as of
any time means the prospectus that is included in the Registration Statement
immediately prior to that time. For purposes of this definition, information
contained in a form of prospectus that is deemed retroactively to be a part of
the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A or 430B shall be considered to
be included in the Statutory Prospectus as of the actual time that form of
prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
Act.
(iii) “Issuer-Represented Free Writing
Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in
Rule 433 under the Act, relating to the Securities that (A) is required to be
filed with the Commission by the Company, or (B) is exempt from filing pursuant
to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) under the Act because it contains a description of the
Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms or pursuant
to Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) because it is a “bona fide electronic road show,” as
defined in Rule 433 of the Regulations, 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
Act.
(iv) “Issuer-Represented General Free
Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus
that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced
by its being specified in Schedule C to this
Agreement.
(v) “Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free
Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus
that is not an Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectus. The term
Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus also includes any “bona
fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Regulations, that is
made available without restriction pursuant to Rule 433(d)(8)(ii), even though
not required to be filed with the Commission.
(h) Paritz
& Company (“Paritz”),
whose reports relating to the Company are included in the Registration
Statement, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act,
the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations and, to the Company's knowledge,
such accountants are not in violation of the auditor independence requirements
of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (“Sarb-Ox”).
(i) Subsequent
to the respective dates as of which information is presented in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as
disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus: (i) the Company has not declared, paid or made any dividends or
other distributions of any kind on or in respect of its capital stock, and (ii)
there has been no material adverse change (or, to the knowledge of the Company,
any development which has a high probability of involving a material adverse
change in the future), whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary
course of business, in or affecting: (A) the business, condition (financial or
otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties or prospects
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined below), taken as a whole; (B)
the long-term debt or capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
or (C) the Offering or consummation of any of the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (a “Material Adverse Change”).
Since the date of the latest balance sheet presented in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred or undertaken any liabilities or
obligations, whether direct or indirect, liquidated or contingent, matured or
unmatured, or entered into any transactions, including any acquisition or
disposition of any business or asset, which are material to the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except for liabilities, obligations and
transactions which are disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.
(j) As
of the dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, the authorized, issued and outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Company were as set forth in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column headed “Actual”
under the section thereof captioned “Capitalization” and, after giving effect to
the Offering and the other transactions (excluding the offer and sale of the
Over-allotment Shares) contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be as set
forth in the column headed “As Adjusted” in such section. All of the issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, as well as any securities
convertible or exercisable for capital stock of the Company, are fully paid and
non-assessable and have been duly and validly authorized and issued, in
compliance with all applicable state, federal and foreign securities laws and
not in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar right that does or
will entitle any Person (as defined below), upon the issuance or sale of any
security, to acquire from the Company or any Subsidiary any Relevant Security.
As used herein, the term “Relevant Security” means any
Common Stock or other security of the Company or any Subsidiary that is
convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or equity
securities, or that holds the right to acquire any Common Stock or equity
securities of the Company or any Subsidiary or any other such Relevant Security,
except for such rights as may have been fully satisfied or waived prior to the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement. As used herein, the term “Person” means any foreign or
domestic individual, corporation, trust, partnership, joint venture, limited
liability company or other entity. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by,
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date, there will be no options,
warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but
unissued Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock, or any
contracts or commitments to issue or sell Common Stock or any such options,
warrants, rights or convertible securities.
(k) The
Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued, delivered and
paid for in accordance with this Agreement on the Closing Date, will be duly and
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will have been issued in
compliance with all applicable state, federal and foreign securities laws and
will not have been issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive or
similar right that does or will entitle any Person to acquire any Relevant
Security from the Company or any Subsidiary upon issuance or sale of the Shares
in the Offering. The Common Stock conform to the descriptions thereof contained
in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has outstanding warrants,
options to purchase, or any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for
or to purchase, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any Relevant
Security.
(l) The
Common Stock underlying the Representative's Warrants have been duly authorized
for issuance, will conform to the description thereof in the Registration
Statement and in the Prospectus and have been validly reserved for future
issuance and will, upon exercise of the Representative's Warrants and payment of
the exercise price thereof, be duly and validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable and will not have been issued in violation of or subject to
preemptive or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the
Company. The issuance of such securities is not subject to any statutory
preemptive rights under the laws of the British Virgin Islands or the Company's
organization documents as in effect at the time of issuance, rights of first
refusal or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company (except for
such preemptive or contractual rights as were waived).
(m) The
subsidiaries of the Company (the "Subsidiaries") are Liaoning Shengsheng
Biotechnological Co., Ltd. (“Liaoning Shengsheng”) and Karamai Pusheng Forest
and Wood Industry, LLC (“Pusheng”). Liaoning Shengsheng is owned 100%
by the Company and Pusheng is owned 100% by Liaoning Shengsheng. Liaoning
Shengsheng and Pusheng are each organized under the laws of the People’s
Republic of China (the “PRC”), and they are the only subsidiaries of the Company
within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. Except for the
Subsidiaries, the Company holds no ownership or other interest, nominal or
beneficial, direct or indirect, in any corporation, partnership, joint venture
or other business entity. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital
stock of, or other ownership interests in, each Subsidiary have been duly and
validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are
owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, free and clear of any lien,
charge, mortgage, pledge, security interest, claim, equity, trust or other
encumbrance, preferential arrangement, defect or restriction of any kind
whatsoever (any “Lien”).
No director, officer or key employee of the Company named in the
Prospectus holds any direct equity, debt or other pecuniary interest in any
Subsidiary or any Person with whom the Company or any Subsidiary does business
or is in privity of contract with, other than, in each case, indirectly through
the ownership by such individuals of Common Stock.
(n) Each
of the Company and the Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated, formed or
organized, and validly exists as a corporation, partnership or limited liability
company in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation,
formation or organization. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has all
requisite power and authority to carry on its business as it is currently being
conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, and to own, lease and operate its respective
properties. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do
business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, partnership or
limited liability company in each jurisdiction in which the character or
location of its properties (owned, leased or licensed) or the nature or conduct
of its business makes such qualification necessary, except, in each case, for
those failures to be so qualified or in good standing which (individually and in
the aggregate) would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse
effect on: (i) the business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of
operations, shareholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company and the
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (ii) the long-term debt or capital stock of the
Company or any Subsidiary; or (iii) the Offering or consummation of any of the
other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (any such effect being a
“Material Adverse
Effect”).
(o) Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in violation of its certificate or
articles of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association, by-laws,
certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, joint venture
agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents, (ii) is in
default under, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or
both, would constitute a default under or result in the creation or imposition
of any Lien upon any of its property or assets pursuant to, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to
which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or
assets is subject or (iii) is in violation in any respect of any law, rule,
regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any judicial,
regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, foreign or domestic,
except (in the case of clause (ii) above) for any Lien disclosed in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(p) The
Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement, the Representative's Warrants and all other agreements, documents,
certificates and instruments required to be delivered pursuant to this
Agreement. The Company has duly and validly authorized this Agreement, the
Representative's Warrants and each of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and the Representative's Warrants. This Agreement and the
Representative's Warrants have been duly and validly executed and delivered by
the Company and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Company and are enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms,
except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally
and except as enforceability may be subject to general principles of equity
(regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law).
(q) The
execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement, the Representative's
Warrants and all other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments
required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement, and consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement do not and will not: (i) conflict
with, require consent under or result in a breach of any of the terms and
provisions of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse
of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, or result in the creation
or imposition of any Lien upon any property or assets of the Company or any
Subsidiary pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement
or other agreement, instrument, franchise, license or permit to which the
Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary
or their respective properties, operations or assets may be bound or (ii)
violate or conflict with any provision of the certificate or articles of
incorporation, by-laws, certificate of formation, limited liability company
agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents of the
Company or any Subsidiary, or (iii) violate or conflict with any law, rule,
regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any judicial,
regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign,
except in the case of subsections (i) and (iii) for any default, conflict or
violation that would not have or reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(r) Each
of the Company and the Subsidiaries has all consents, approvals, authorizations,
orders, registrations, qualifications, licenses, filings and permits of, with
and from all judicial, regulatory and other legal or governmental agencies and
bodies and all third parties, foreign and domestic (collectively, the “Consents”), to own, lease and
operate its properties and conduct its business as it is now being conducted and
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, and each such Consent is valid and in full force and effect.
Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received notice of any investigation
or proceedings which results in or, if decided adversely to the Company or any
Subsidiary, could reasonably be expected to result in, the revocation of, or
imposition of a materially burdensome restriction on, any Consent. No Consent
contains a materially burdensome restriction not adequately disclosed in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(s) Each
of the Company and the Subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable laws,
rules, regulations, ordinances, directives, judgments, decrees and orders,
foreign and domestic, except for any non-compliance the consequences of which
would not have or reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates (within the meaning of Rule 144
under the Securities Act) (“Affiliates”) has received any
notice or other information from any regulatory or other legal or governmental
agency which could reasonably be expected to result in any default or potential
decertification by the Company, or any of its Affiliates.
(t) No
Consent of, with or from any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental
agency or body or any third party, foreign or domestic is required for the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Representative's
Warrants or consummation of each of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, including the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities to be
issued, sold and delivered hereunder, except the registration under the
Securities Act of the Securities, which has become effective, and such Consents
as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws or the by-laws and
rules of the NYSE Amex, where the Common Stock have been approved for listing,
and FINRA in
connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the
Underwriters, each of which has been obtained and is in full force and
effect.
(u) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, there is no judicial, regulatory, arbitral or other legal or
governmental proceeding or other litigation or arbitration, domestic or foreign,
pending to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or of which any
property, operations or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is the subject
which, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company
or any Subsidiary, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no such proceeding, litigation or
arbitration is threatened or contemplated; and the defense of all such
proceedings, litigation and arbitration against or involving the Company or any
Subsidiary would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(v) The
financial statements, including the notes thereto, and the supporting schedules
included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act and present fairly the financial position as of
the dates indicated and the cash flows and results of operations for the periods
specified of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries. Except as otherwise
stated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent
basis throughout the periods involved, except in the case of unaudited
financials which are subject to normal year end adjustments and do not contain
certain footnotes. The supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the
information required to be stated therein. No other financial statements or
supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
The other financial and statistical information included in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the
information included therein and have been prepared on a basis consistent with
that of the financial statements that are included in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and the books and
records of the respective entities presented therein.
(w) There
are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements which are required to be
included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus in accordance with Regulation S-X which have not been included as so
required. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information included
in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
has been properly compiled and prepared in accordance with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and include all
adjustments necessary to present fairly in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles the pro forma and as adjusted financial position of the
respective entity or entities presented therein at the respective dates
indicated and their cash flows and the results of operations for the respective
periods specified. The assumptions used in preparing the pro forma and pro forma
as adjusted financial information included in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus provide a reasonable basis for
presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions or
events described therein. The related pro forma and pro forma as adjusted
adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions; and the pro forma and
pro forma as adjusted financial information reflect the proper application of
those adjustments to the corresponding historical financial statement
amounts.
(x) The
statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are
based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith
believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from
which they are derived.
(y) The
Company is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act and files reports with the Commission on the XXXXX system. The
Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange
Act and, as of the Closing Date, the outstanding Common Stock will be listed on
the NYSE Amex stock market (the “NYSE Amex”). The Company has taken no action
designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of
the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or de-listing the Common Stock, Units
and Warrants from the NYSE Amex, nor has the Company received any notification
that the Commission or NYSE Amex is contemplating terminating such registration
or listing. Since [April 28, 2009], the
Company has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other
documents required to be filed by it with the Commission pursuant to the
reporting requirements of the Exchange Act (all of the foregoing, and all other
documents and registration statements heretofore filed by the Company with the
Commission being hereinafter referred to as the “SEC Documents”). None of the
SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the Commission (except those SEC
Documents that were subsequently amended), contained any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of their respective
dates, the financial statements of the Company included (or incorporated by
reference) in the SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects
with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations
of the Commission or other applicable rules and regulations with respect thereto
(except those SEC Documents that were subsequently amended).
(z) The
Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act) and such controls and
procedures are effective in ensuring that material information relating to the
Company, including its subsidiaries, is made known to the principal executive
officer and the principal financial officer. The Company has utilized such
controls and procedures in preparing and evaluating the disclosures in the
Registration Statement, in the General Disclosure Package and in the
Prospectus.
(aa) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A)
transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific
authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation
of financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted
accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to
assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific
authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package or in the Prospectus, since [April 28, 2009], 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.
(bb) Intentionally
Omitted.
(cc) The
Company’s Board of Directors has validly appointed an audit committee whose
composition satisfies the requirements of the rules and regulations of the NYSE
Amex and the Board of Directors and/or audit committee has adopted a charter
that satisfies the requirements of the rules and regulations of the NYSE Amex.
The audit committee has reviewed the adequacy of its charter within the past
twelve months. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Board of Directors nor the audit
committee has been informed, nor is any director of the Company aware, of: (i)
any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation
of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to
adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report
financial information; or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting.
(dd) Neither
the Company nor any of its Affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any
action which constitutes or is designed to cause or result in, or which could
reasonably be expected to constitute, cause or result in, the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the sale or resale of
the Securities.
(ee) Neither
the Company nor any of its Affiliates has, prior to the date hereof, made any
offer or sale of any securities which are required to be “integrated” pursuant
to the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations with the offer and sale of
the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement. Except as disclosed in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus,
neither Company nor any of its Affiliates has sold or issued any Relevant
Security during the six-month period preceding the date of the Prospectus,
including but not limited to any sales pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation D or
S under the Securities Act, other than Common Stock issued pursuant to employee
benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or the employee compensation plans
or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants as described in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(ff) All
information contained in the questionnaires completed by each of the Company’s
officers and directors immediately prior to the Offering and provided to the
Representative as well as the biographies of such individuals in the
Registration Statement is true and correct in all material respects and the
Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the
information disclosed in the questionnaires completed by the directors and
officers to become inaccurate and incorrect.
(gg) No
director or officer of the Company is subject to any non-competition agreement
or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could
materially affect his ability to be and act in his respective capacity of the
Company.
(hh) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, no holder of any Relevant Security has any rights to require
registration of any Relevant Security as part or on account of, or otherwise in
connection with, the offer and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby, and
any such rights so disclosed have either been fully complied with by the Company
or effectively waived by the holders thereof, and any such waivers remain in
full force and effect.
(ii) The
conditions for use of Form S-1 to register the Offering under the Securities
Act, as set forth in the General Instructions to such Form, have been
satisfied.
(jj) The
Company is not and, at all times up to and including consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and after giving effect to
application of the net proceeds of the Offering, will not be, subject to
registration as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, and is not and will not be an entity “controlled” by an
“investment company” within the meaning of such act.
(kk) No
relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or
any Affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and any director, officer,
shareholder, customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the
Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act or the Rules and Regulations to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus which is not so described as required. There are no
outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the
ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or
for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of
their respective family members, except as described in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company has
not, in violation of the Sarb-Ox directly or indirectly, including through a
Subsidiary (other than as permitted under the Sarb-Ox for depositary
institutions), extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of
credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or
for any director or executive officer of the Company.
(ll) The
Company is in material compliance with the provisions of Sarb-Ox and the Rules
and Regulations promulgated thereunder and related or similar rules and
regulations promulgated by the NYSE Amex or any other governmental or self
regulatory entity or agency, except for such violations which, singly or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing: (i) all members of the Company’s board of directors
who are required to be “independent” (as that term is defined under applicable
laws, rules and regulations), including, without limitation, all members of the
audit committee of the Company’s board of directors, meet the qualifications of
independence as set forth under applicable laws, rules and regulations and (ii)
the audit committee of the Company’s board of directors has at least one member
who is an “audit committee financial expert” (as that term is defined under
applicable laws, rules and regulations).
(mm) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the
Company and any Person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company
or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like
payment in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or,
to the Company’s knowledge, any arrangements, agreements, understandings,
payments or issuance with respect to the Company or any of its officers,
directors, shareholders, partners, employees, Subsidiaries or Affiliates that
may affect the Underwriters’ compensation as determined by FINRA.
(nn) The
Company and each Subsidiary owns or leases all such properties as are necessary
to the conduct of its business as presently operated and as proposed to be
operated as described in the Registration and the Prospectus. The Company and
the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real
property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them,
in each case free and clear of all Liens except such as are described in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or
such as do not (individually or in the aggregate) materially affect the business
or prospects of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries. Any real property and
buildings held under lease or sublease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are
held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions
as are not material to, and do not interfere with, the use made and proposed to
be made of such property and buildings by the Company and the Subsidiaries.
Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any claim
adverse to its ownership of any real or personal property or of any claim
against the continued possession of any real property, whether owned or held
under lease or sublease by the Company or any Subsidiary.
(oo) The
Company and each Subsidiary: (i) owns or possesses adequate right to use all
patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark
registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses, formulae,
customer lists, and know-how and other intellectual property (including trade
secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures, “Intellectual Property”)
necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as being
conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
and Prospectus and (ii) have no knowledge that the conduct of their respective
businesses do or will conflict with, and they have not received any notice of
any claim of conflict with, any such right of others. Except as set forth in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus,
neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has granted or assigned to any other
Person any right to sell the current products and services of the Company and
its Subsidiaries or those products and services described in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus. To the Company’s best knowledge, there is no
infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property; there is no
pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or
claim by others challenging the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s rights in or to
any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which
would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; and there is no pending or, to
the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others
that the Company or any Subsidiary infringes or otherwise violates any patent,
trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and
the Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable basis for
any such claim.
(pp) The
agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform to the descriptions thereof
contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required to be
described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration
Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other
instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party
or by which its property or business is or may be bound or affected and (i) that
is referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus or attached as an exhibit thereto, or (ii) is material to the
Company’s business, has been duly and validly executed by the Company, is in
full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the
Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in
accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’
rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution
provision may be limited under the foreign, federal and state securities laws,
and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms
of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the
discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought, and
none of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and
neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in
breach or default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has
occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would
constitute a breach or default thereunder. To the Company’s knowledge,
performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or
instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule,
regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court,
domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets
or businesses, including, without limitation, those relating to environmental
laws and regulations.
(qq) No
securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of,
or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by, or
under common control with the Company since the date of the Company’s formation,
except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus.
(rr) The
disclosures in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus concerning the effects of foreign, federal, state and local
regulation on the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in
all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made,
not misleading.
(ss) Each
of the Company and the Subsidiaries has accurately prepared and timely filed all
federal, state, foreign, including the PRC, and other tax returns that are
required to be filed by it and has paid or made provision for the payment of all
taxes, assessments, governmental or other similar charges, including without
limitation, all sales and use taxes and all taxes which the Company or any
Subsidiary is obligated to withhold from amounts owing to employees, creditors
and third parties, with respect to the periods covered by such tax returns
(whether or not such amounts are shown as due on any tax return). No deficiency
assessment with respect to a proposed adjustment of the Company’s or any
Subsidiary’s federal, state, local or foreign, including the PRC, taxes is
pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened. The accruals and reserves on
the books and records of the Company and the Subsidiaries in respect of tax
liabilities for any taxable period not finally determined are adequate to meet
any assessments and related liabilities for any such period and, since the date
of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements, the Company and the
Subsidiaries have not incurred any liability for taxes other than in the
ordinary course of its business. There is no tax lien, whether imposed by any
federal, state, foreign or other taxing authority, outstanding against the
assets, properties or business of the Company or any Subsidiary.
(tt) No
labor disturbance by the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary currently
exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is likely to occur.
(uu) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, the Company and each Subsidiary have at all times operated their
respective businesses in material compliance with all Environmental Laws, and no
material expenditures are or will be required in order to comply therewith.
Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice or communication
that relates to or alleges any actual or potential violation or failure to
comply with any Environmental Laws that will result in a Material Adverse
Effect. As used herein, the term “Environmental Laws” means all
applicable laws and regulations, including any licensing, permits or reporting
requirements, and any action by a federal state or local government entity
pertaining to the protection of the environment, protection of public health,
protection of worker health and safety, or the handling of hazardous materials,
including without limitation, the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401, et seq., the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, 42
U.S.C. § 9601, et seq., the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. §
1321, et seq., the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. § 1801, et
seq., the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. § 690-1, et seq.,
and the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2601, et seq. or similar laws
and regulations, to the extent applicable, under the laws and regulations of the
PRC.
(vv) Except
as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is a party to an
“employee benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) or similar rules and
regulations of the PRC which: (i) is subject to any provision of ERISA or such
rules and regulations of the PRC and (ii) is or was at any time maintained,
administered or contributed to by the Company or any Subsidiary and covers any
employee or former employee of the Company or any Subsidiary or any ERISA
Affiliate (as defined hereafter). These plans are referred to collectively
herein as the “Employee Plans.”
For purposes of this Section, “ERISA Affiliate” of any person
or entity means any other person or entity which, together with that person or
entity, could be treated as a single employer under Section 414(m) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or is an “affiliate,”
whether or not incorporated, as defined in Section 407(d)(7) of ERISA, of the
person or entity.
(ww) The
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
identify each employment, severance or other similar agreement, arrangement or
policy and each material plan or arrangement providing for insurance coverage
(including any self- insured arrangements), workers’ compensation, disability
benefits, severance benefits, supplemental unemployment benefits, vacation
benefits, retirement benefits or for deferred compensation, profit-sharing,
bonuses, stock options, stock appreciation or other forms of incentive
compensation, or post-retirement insurance, compensation or benefits which: (i)
is not an Employee Plan, (ii) is entered into, maintained or contributed to, as
the case may be, by the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective
ERISA Affiliates, and (iii) covers any employee or former employee of the
Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates. These
contracts, plans and arrangements are referred to collectively in this Agreement
as the “Benefit Arrangements.”
Each Benefit Arrangement has been maintained in substantial compliance
with its terms and with requirements prescribed by any and all statutes, orders,
rules and regulations that are applicable to that Benefit
Arrangement.
(xx) Except
as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus, there is no liability in respect of post-retirement health and
medical benefits for retired employees of the Company or any Subsidiary or any
of their respective ERISA Affiliates other than medical benefits required to be
continued under applicable law, determined using assumptions that are reasonable
in the aggregate, over the fair market value of any fund, reserve or other
assets segregated for the purpose of satisfying such liability (including for
such purposes any fund established pursuant to Section 40 1(h) of the Code).
With respect to any of the Company’s or any Subsidiaries’ Employee Plans which
are “group health plans” under Section 4980B of the Code and Section 607(1) of
ERISA, there has been material compliance with all requirements imposed there
under such that the Company or any Subsidiary or their respective ERISA
Affiliates have no (and will not incur any) loss, assessment, tax penalty, or
other sanction with respect to any such plan.
(yy) As
set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is a party to or subject to
any employment contract or arrangement providing for annual future compensation,
or the opportunity to earn annual future compensation (whether through fixed
salary, bonus, commission, options or otherwise) of more than $120,000 to any
officer, consultant, director or employee.
(zz) The
execution of this Agreement, the Representative's Warrants or consummation of
the Offering does not constitute a triggering event under any Employee Plan or
any other employment contract, whether or not legally enforceable, which (either
alone or upon the occurrence of any additional or subsequent event) will or may
result in any payment (of severance pay or otherwise), acceleration, increase in
vesting, or increase in benefits to any current or former participant, employee
or director of the Company or any Subsidiary other than an event that is not
material to the financial condition or business of the Company or any
Subsidiary, either individually or taken as a whole.
(aaa) No
“prohibited transaction” (as defined in either Section 406 of the ERISA or
Section 4975 of Code), “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section
302 of ERISA) or other event of the kind described in Section 4043(b) of ERISA
(other than events with respect to which the 30-day notice requirement under
Section 4043 of ERISA has been waived) has occurred with respect to any employee
benefit plan for which the Company or any Subsidiary would have any liability;
each employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary is in compliance in
all material respects with applicable law, including (without limitation) ERISA
and the Code; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to incur
liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or
withdrawal from any “pension plan”; and each employee benefit plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a)
of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by
failure to act, which could cause the loss of such qualification.
(bbb) Neither
the Company, any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their
respective employees or agents has at any time during the last five (5) years:
(i) made any unlawful contribution to any candidate for foreign office, or
failed to disclose fully any contribution in violation of law, or (ii) made any
payment to any federal or state governmental officer or official, including the
PRC, or other Person charged with similar public or quasi-public duties, other
than payments that are not prohibited by the laws of the United States of any
jurisdiction thereof.
(ccc) The
Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, the Firm Shares to
any Person or entity with the intention of unlawfully influencing: (i) a
customer or supplier of the Company or any Subsidiary to alter the customer’s or
supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or any Subsidiary or (ii)
a journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the
Company, any Subsidiary or its products or services.
(ddd) As
of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, and except as contemplated by
this Agreement, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary operates within the
United States or any state or territory thereof in such a manner so as to
subject the Company or its operations or businesses to registration as a foreign
company doing business in any state within the United States or to any of the
following laws in any material respect: (i) the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended,
(ii) the Uniting and Strengthening of America by Providing Appropriate Tools
Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, as amended, (iii) the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, (iv) the Currency and Foreign
Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, (v) the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, (vi) the Money Laundering Control Act
of 1986, as amended (vii) the rules and regulations promulgated under any such
law, or any successor law, or any judgment, decree or order of any applicable
administrative or judicial body relating to such law and (viii) any
corresponding law, rule, regulation, ordinance, judgment, decree or order of any
state or territory of the United States or any administrative or judicial body
thereof.
(eee) The
operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at
all times in compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting
requirements and money laundering statutes of the PRC and the United States and,
to the Company’s knowledge, all other jurisdictions to which the Company and its
Subsidiaries are subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related
or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by
any applicable governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no
action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency,
authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the
best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(fff) Except
as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no holders of any
securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or
exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the
Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Act or to
include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the
Company.
(ggg) Neither
the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent,
employee or affiliate of the Company (as such term is defined under Rule 144
under the Securities Act, an “Affiliate”) is currently
subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets
Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will
not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute
or otherwise make available such proceeds to any joint venture partner or other
person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person
currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(hhh) The
establishment of Pusheng and the acquisition of the equity interest of Pusheng
by Liaoning Shengsheng in 2009 fully complied with the PRC laws and regulations.
All the necessary approvals and registrations for Liaoning Shengsheng’s
acquisition of the equity interest in Pusheng had been obtained.
(iii) None
of the entities or natural persons holding any shares or other equity securities
of the Company, directly or indirectly, immediately before the Offering, is a
PRC resident which shall be subject to the approval and registration
requirements under the PRC laws and regulations in connection with its holding
of shares or equity securities in the Company, including the Notice on Issues
Relating to Administration of Foreign Exchange in Fund-raising and Reverse
Investment Activities of Domestic Residents Conducted via Offshore Special
Purpose Companies and any implementing rules and guidelines related
thereto.
(jjj) As
used in this Agreement, references to matters being “material” with respect to the
Company or its Subsidiaries shall mean a material event, change, condition,
status or effect related to the condition (financial or otherwise), properties,
assets (including intangible assets), liabilities, business, prospects,
operations or results of operations of the Company or the applicable
Subsidiaries, either individually or taken as a whole, as the context
requires.
(kkk) As
used in this Agreement, the term “knowledge of the Company” (or
similar language) shall mean the knowledge of the officers and directors of the
Company and the applicable Subsidiaries who are named in the Prospectus, with
the assumption that such officers and directors shall have made reasonable and
diligent inquiry of the matters presented (with reference to what is customary
and prudent for the applicable individuals in connection with the discharge by
the applicable individuals of their duties as officers, directors or managers of
the Company or the applicable Subsidiaries).
Any
certificate signed by or on behalf of the Company and delivered to the
Underwriters or to Loeb & Loeb LLP (“Underwriters’ Counsel”) shall
be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter
listed on Schedule A
hereto as to the matters covered thereby.
3. Reserved.
4. Offering. Upon
authorization of the release of the Firm Shares by the Representative, the
Underwriters propose to offer the Shares for sale to the public upon the terms
and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
5. Covenants of the Company.
The Company acknowledges, covenants and agrees with the Underwriters
that:
(a)
The Registration Statement and any amendments thereto have been declared
effective, and if Rule 430A is used or the filing of the Prospectus is otherwise
required under Rule 424(b), the Company will file the Prospectus (properly
completed if Rule 430A has been used) pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the
prescribed time period and will provide evidence satisfactory to the
Representative of such timely filing.
(b) During
the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the Closing
Date or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter, the
Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered (or in lieu thereof the
notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act is no longer required
to be provided), in connection with sales by an underwriter or dealer (the
“Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to
amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Underwriter for
review a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company
shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the
Underwriter reasonably object within 36 hours of delivery thereof to the
Underwriter and its counsel.
(c) After
the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Underwriter in
writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or
supplemental information from, the Commission, (ii) of the time and date of any
filing of any post- effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any
amendment or supplement to any Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement becomes effective and (iv) of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or of any order preventing or
suspending its use or the use of any Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package,
the Prospectus or any Issuer- Represented Free Writing Prospectus, or of any
proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing the Common Stock from
any securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading, or of the
threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the
Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its
reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible
moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the
provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A and 430B, as applicable, under the Securities
Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the
Company under Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the
Commission (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or Rule 164(b)).
(d) (i)
During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply as far as it is
able with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as now and
hereafter amended, and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in
force, and by the Exchange Act so far as necessary to permit the continuance of
sales of or dealings in the Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof,
the General Disclosure Package, and the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the
Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers,
the General Disclosure Package ) 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 period it is necessary or appropriate in the opinion of the Company or its
counsel or the Underwriter or counsel to the Underwriter to amend the
Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not
yet available to prospective purchasers, the General Disclosure Package ) to
comply with the Securities Act or to file under the Exchange Act any document
which would be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order
to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will promptly
notify the Underwriter and will amend the Registration Statement or supplement
the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective
purchasers, the General Disclosure Package) or file such document (at the
expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect
such compliance.
(ii) If
at any time following issuance of an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus
there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such
Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the
information contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or
the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at
that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company has promptly notified or
promptly will notify the Underwriter and has promptly amended or will promptly
amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer-Represented Free Writing
Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or
omission.
(e) The
Company will promptly deliver to the Underwriters and Underwriters’ Counsel a
signed copy of the Registration Statement, as initially filed and all amendments
thereto, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith, and will maintain
in the Company’s files manually signed copies of such documents for at least
five (5) years after the date of filing thereof. The Company will promptly
deliver to each of the Underwriters such number of copies of any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, and all amendments of
and supplements to such documents, if any, and all documents which are exhibits
to the Registration Statement and Prospectus or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, as the Underwriters may reasonably request. Prior to 10:00
A.M., New York time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this
Agreement and from time to time thereafter, the Company will furnish the
Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities
as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(f) The
Company consents to the use and delivery of the Preliminary Prospectus by the
Underwriters in accordance with Rule 430 and Section 5(b) of the Securities
Act.
(g) If
the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company
shall both file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in
compliance with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule
111 of the Act by the earlier of: (i) 10:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
date of this Agreement, and (ii) the time that confirmations are given or sent,
as specified by Rule 462(b)(2).
(h) The
Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Representative, at or
prior to the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, to qualify the
Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws relating to the
offering or sale of the Securities of such jurisdictions, domestic or foreign,
as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualification in effect
for so long as required for the distribution thereof; except that in no event
shall the Company be obligated in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign
corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process or to subject
itself to taxation if it is otherwise not so subject.
(i) 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 (which need not be
audited) covering a 12-month period that shall satisfy the provisions of Section
11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and
Regulations.
(j) Except
with respect to (i) securities of the Company which may be issued in connection
with an acquisition of another entity (or the assets thereof), (ii) the issuance
of securities of the Company intended to provide the Company with proceeds to
acquire anther entity (or the assets thereof), or (iii) the issuance of
securities at fair market value (as defined in such plan) under the Company’s
stock option plans in effect from time to time, during the nine (9) months
following the Closing Date, the Company or any successor to the Company shall
not undertake any public or private offerings of any equity securities of the
Company (including equity-linked securities) without the written consent of the
Representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(k) Except
with respect to (i) securities of the Company which may be issued in connection
with an acquisition of another entity (or the assets thereof), (ii) the issuance
of securities of the Company intended to provide the Company with proceeds to
acquire anther entity (or the assets thereof), during the nine (9) months
following the Closing Date, without the consent of the Representative which
shall not be unreasonably withheld: (i) the Company will not file any
registration statement relating to the offer or sale of any of the Company’s
securities, except Form S-8 filed with the Commission in connection with any
Company Stock Option Plan.
(l) Following
the Closing Date, the Company and any of the individuals listed on Schedules B-1 and B-2
hereto (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”) shall not sell or
otherwise dispose of any securities of the Company, whether publicly or in a
private placement during the period that their respective lock-up agreements are
in effect. The Company will deliver to the Representative the agreements of
Lock-Up Parties to the foregoing effect prior to the Closing Date, which
agreements shall be substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex II with
respect to the persons listed on Schedule B-I and Annex II-A with respect to the
persons named on Schedule B-II.
(m) Intentionally
Omitted.
(n) For
a period of one (1) year from the effective date of the Registration Statement,
the Company, at its expense, shall provide the Representative on a weekly basis
with a copy of the Company’s weekly transfer sheets from the previous week and
securities positions listings.
(o) If
the Company fails to maintain the listing of its Common Stock on a nationally
recognized exchange, for a period of three (3) years from the effective date of
the Registration Statement, the Company, at its expense, shall obtain and keep
current a listing in the Standard & Poor’s Corporation Records Services or
the Xxxxx’x Industrial Manual; provided that Xxxxx’x OTC Industrial Manual is
not sufficient for these purposes.
(p) During
the period of three (3) years from the effective date of the Registration
Statement, the Company will make available to the Underwriters copies of all
reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to security
holders or from time to time published or publicly disseminated by the Company,
and will deliver to the Underwriters: (i) as soon as they are available, copies
of any reports, financial statements and proxy or information statements
furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on
which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional
information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as
the Representative may from time to time reasonably request (such financial
information to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the
Company and the Subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its
security holders generally or to the Commission).
(q) The
Company will not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without
the Representative’ prior written consent, for a period ending at 5:00 p.m.
Eastern time on the first business day following the forty-fifth (45th) day
following the Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in
the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
(r) Prior
to the consummation of the Offering, the Company will engage or continue to
engage (for no less than two (2) years from the date of the Closing Date) a
financial public relations firm mutually acceptable to the Company and the
Representative. The Company further agrees to consult with the Representative as
is customary within the securities industry prior to distribution to third
parties of any financial information, news releases, and/or other publicity
regarding the Company, its business, or any terms of the proposed Offering, it
being agreed that the Company shall give the Representative no less than twelve
(12) hours prior notice of any such distribution and a reasonable opportunity
during or prior to such period to review the contents of the proposed
distribution.
(s) The
Company has or will retain Continental Stock Transfer (or a transfer agent of
similar competence and quality) as transfer agent for the Securities and shall
continue to retain such transfer agent for a period of three (3) years following
the Closing Date.
(t) The
Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as set forth
under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus. Without the written
consent of the Representative, no proceeds of the Offering will be used to pay
outstanding loans from officers, directors or shareholders or to pay any accrued
salaries or bonuses to any employees or former employees.
(u) The
Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the
Securities on the NYSE Amex for at least three (3) years after the Closing
Date.
(v) The
Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under
the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, will file all documents required to be
filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and
the Rules and Regulations within the time periods required thereby.
(w) The
Company will use its best efforts to do and perform all things required to be
done or performed under this Agreement by the Company prior to the Closing Date,
and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Firm
Shares.
(x) The
Company will not take, and will cause its Affiliates not to take, directly or
indirectly, any action which constitutes or is designed to cause or result in,
or which could reasonably be expected to constitute, cause or result in, the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the
sale or resale of the Securities.
(y) The
Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered to the Representative, at its
expense, within one (1) business day from the effective date of this Agreement,
an Electronic Prospectus to be used by the Underwriters in connection with the
Offering. As used herein, the term “Electronic Prospectus” means a
form of prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of
the following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format,
satisfactory to the Representative, that may be transmitted electronically by
the other Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the Securities for at least
the period during which a Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to
be delivered under the Securities Act; (ii) it shall disclose the same
information as the paper prospectus and prospectus filed pursuant to XXXXX,
except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated
electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced
in the electronic prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or
tabular representation of such material, as appropriate; and (iii) it shall be
in or convertible into a paper format or an electronic format, satisfactory to
the Representative, that will allow recipients thereof to store and have
continuously ready access to the prospectus at any future time, without charge
to such recipients (other than any fee charged for subscription to the Internet
as a whole and for on-line time). The Company hereby confirms that it has
included or will include in the Prospectus filed pursuant to XXXXX or otherwise
with the Commission and in the Registration Statement at the time it was
declared effective an undertaking that, upon receipt of a request by an investor
or his or her representative within the period when a prospectus relating to the
Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, the Company
shall transmit or cause to be transmitted promptly, without charge, a paper copy
of the Prospectus.
(z) The
Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent
of the Representative, and the Representative represents and agrees that, unless
it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will
not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer
free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, or
that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule
405 under the Securities Act, required to be filed with the Commission; provided
that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have
been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses included in Schedule C. Any such
free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representative is
hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company
represents that it has treated or 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 Commission
filing where required, legending and record keeping.
(aa) For
a period of three (3) years from the Closing Date the Company agrees to hold all
special and annual meetings of its shareholders within the United
States.
6. Consideration; Payment of
Expenses.
(a) In
consideration of the services to be provided for hereunder, the Company shall
pay to the Underwriters or their respective designees their pro rata portion
(based on the Securities purchased) of the following compensation with respect
to the Shares which they are offering:
(i) An
underwriting discount of eight percent (8%); and
(ii) The
Representative's Warrants.
(b) The
Company grants the Representative the right of participation to act as lead
underwriter or placement agent for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the
Closing Date, for any and all public and private equity and debt offerings,
excluding ordinary course of business financings such as bank lines of credit,
accounts receivable, factoring and financing generated by the Company or any
successor to or any subsidiary of the Company. The Company shall provide written
notice to Representative with terms of such offering and if Representative fails
to accept in writing any such proposal for such public or private sale within 20
days after receipt of a written notice from the Company containing such
proposal, then Representative will have no claim or right with respect to any
such sale contained in any such notice.
(c) The
Representative reserves the right to reduce any item of compensation or adjust
the terms thereof as specified herein in the event that a determination shall be
made by FINRA to the effect that the Underwriters’ aggregate compensation is in
excess of FINRA Rules or that the terms thereof require adjustment.
(d)
Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus are consummated or this Agreement is terminated,
the Company hereby agrees to pay all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder, including the following:
(i) all
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, formatting for XXXXX and
filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus and any and all amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing
and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers;
(ii) all
fees and expenses in connection with the filing of Corporate Offerings Business
& Regulatory Analysis (“COBRADesk”) filings with
FINRA;
(iii) all
fees and expenses in connection with filing of the Registration Statement and
Prospectus with the Commission;
(iv) the
fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in
connection with the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act and
the Offering;
(v) all
expenses in connection with the qualifications of the Shares for offering and
sale under state or foreign securities or blue sky laws, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
qualification and in connection with any blue by survey undertaken by such
counsel;
(vi) all
fees and expenses in connection with listing the Securities on the NYSE
Amex;
(vii) up
to $25,000 to cover Maxim’s actual “road show” expenses for the Offering (“Road Show
Expenses”);
(viii) any
stock transfer taxes incurred in connection with this Agreement or the
Offering
(ix) the
cost of preparing stock certificates representing the Securities;
(x) up
to $75,000 towards the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar for
the Securities;
(xi) the
cost of (a) two (2) “tombstone” advertisements to be placed in appropriate daily
or weekly periodicals of the Representative’s choice (i.e., The Wall Street
Journal and The New York Times); and (b) as many bound volumes of the Offering
documents and commemorative lucite (or other reasonable form) memorabilia as the
Representative may reasonably request;
(xii) up
to $150,000 for the Representative’s legal fees and disbursements;
and
(xiii) all
other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the Company obligations
hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section
6.
(e) In
addition to the costs and expenses set forth in Section 6(d), at the Time of
Delivery the Company will pay to the Representative a non-accountable expense
allowance equal to one percent (1.00%) of the gross proceeds received by the
Company from the sale of the Firm Shares by deduction from the proceeds of the
Offering; provided however, that $[50,000] in the aggregate was previously paid
by the Company to the Representative shall be deducted from the non-accountable
expense allowance payable to the Representative at the Time of
Delivery.
(f) It
is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, and Sections 7,
8 and 12(d) hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and
expenses, including the fees of their counsel. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Section 6, in the event that this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 6 or 12(b) hereof, or subsequent to a Material Adverse
Change, the Company will pay, up to $[150,000] (less any
advances previously paid), all out-of-pocket expenses of the Underwriters
(including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel to the
Underwriters) incurred in connection herewith which shall be limited to expenses
which are actually incurred as allowed under FINRA Rule 5110.
(g) The
Company agrees that the Representative shall either (i) designate one individual
who meets the independence criteria of NYSE Amex to serve on the Company’s board
of directors for the three-year period following the Closing Date or (ii) in the
event that the individual designated by the Representative is not elected to the
Company’s Board of Directors, have a designee of the Representative attend all
meetings of the Company’s Board of Directors as an observer during such
three-year period. Such director or observer, as the case may be, shall attend
meetings of the Company’s Board of Directors, receive all notices and other
correspondence and communications sent by the Company to its directors, and such
director shall receive compensation equal to the highest compensation of other
non-employee directors of the Company, excluding the Chairman of the Audit
Committee. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to
indemnify and hold such board member or observer, as the case may be, harmless
against any and all claims, actions, damages, costs and expenses, and judgments
arising solely out of the attendance and participation of such persons at any
such persons at any such meeting described herein or in their capacity as a
director of the Company. Additionally, the Company shall maintain a
liability insurance policy affording coverage for the acts of its officers and
directors, and it agrees, if possible, to include such board member or observer,
as the case may be, as an insured under such policy.
7. Conditions of Underwriters’
Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for
the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, as provided herein shall
be subject to: (i) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the
Company herein contained, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (ii)
the absence from any certificates, opinions, written statements or letters
furnished to the Representative or to Underwriters’ Counsel pursuant to this
Section 7 of any misstatement or omission (iii) the performance by the Company
of its obligations hereunder, and (iv) each of the following additional
conditions. For purposes of this Section 7, the terms “Closing Date” and
“Closing” shall refer to the Closing Date for the Firm Shares or Option Shares,
as the case may be, and each of the foregoing and following conditions must be
satisfied as of each Closing.
(a) The
Registration Statement shall have become effective and all necessary regulatory
or listing approvals shall have been received not later than 5:30 P.M., New York
time, on the date of this Agreement, or at such later time and date as shall
have been consented to in writing by the Representative. If the Company shall
have elected to rely upon Rule 430A under the Securities Act, the Prospectus
shall have been filed with the Commission in a timely fashion in accordance with
the terms hereof and a form of the Prospectus containing information relating to
the description of the Securities and the method of distribution and similar
matters shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within
the applicable time period; and, at or prior to the Closing Date or the actual
time of the Closing, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof, or any amendment thereof, nor
suspending or preventing the use of the General Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued; no
proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or
threatened; any request of the Commission for additional information (to be
included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been
complied with to the Representative’s satisfaction; and FINRA shall have raised
no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and
arrangements.
(b) The
Representative shall not have reasonably determined, and advised the Company,
that the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the
Representative’s reasonable opinion, is material, or omits to state a fact
which, in the Representative’s reasonable opinion, is material and is required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(c) The
Representative shall have received (i) the favorable written opinion of each of
Pillsbury Xxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, United States legal counsel for the
Company, Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx, British Virgin Islands counsel for the
Company, each dated as of the Closing Date addressed to the Underwriters in the
form attached hereto as Annex II and (ii) the favorable written opinion of
Jingtian & Gongcheng, legal counsel for the Company with respect to the laws
of the PRC dated as of the Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters in the
form attached hereto as Annex III.
(d) Intentionally
Omitted.
(e) The
Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer
and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of each Closing Date to the
effect that: (i) the condition set forth in subsection (a) of this Section 7 has
been satisfied, (ii) as of the date hereof and as of the applicable Closing
Date, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Sections 1
and 2 hereof are accurate, (iii) as of the applicable Closing Date, all
agreements, conditions and obligations of the Company to be performed or
complied with hereunder on or prior thereto have been duly performed or complied
with, (iv) the Company and the Subsidiaries have not sustained any material loss
or interference with their respective businesses, whether or not covered by
insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding,
(v) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
any post-effective amendment thereof has been issued and no proceedings therefor
have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, (vi) there are no pro forma
or as adjusted financial statements that are required to be included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
pursuant to the Rules and Regulations which are not so included or incorporated
by reference and (vii) subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus there has
not been any Material Adverse Change or any development involving a prospective
Material Adverse Change, whether or not arising from transactions in the
ordinary course of business.
(f) On
the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, the Representative shall
have received a “cold comfort” letter from PARITZ as of the date of the date of
delivery and addressed to the Underwriters and in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative and Underwriters’ Counsel, confirming that
they are independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company
and its Subsidiaries within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and stating, as of the date of delivery (or, with respect to
matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which
specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not
more than five (5) days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions and
findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other
matters relating to the Registration Statement covered by such
letter.
(g) Subsequent
to the execution and delivery of this Agreement or, if earlier, the dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any
amendment thereof) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto),
there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of
the Company or any Subsidiary or any change or development involving a change,
whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, in
the business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations,
shareholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company and the
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, including but not limited to the occurrence of
any fire, flood, storm, explosion, accident, act of war or terrorism or other
calamity, the effect of which, in any such case described above, is, in the sole
judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering on the terms and in
the manner contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement).
(h) The
Representative shall have received a lock-up agreement from each Lock-Up Party,
duly executed by the applicable Lock-Up Party, in each case substantially in the
form attached as Annex I.
(i) The
Securities shall have been approved for quotation on the NYSE Amex.
(j) FINRA
shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the
fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and
arrangements.
(k) No
action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall
have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign
governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent
the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any
federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the
Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.
(l) The
Company shall have furnished the Underwriters and Underwriters’ Counsel with
such other certificates, opinions or other documents as they may have reasonably
requested.
If any of
the conditions specified in this Section 7 shall not have been fulfilled when
and as required by this Agreement, or if any of the certificates, opinions,
written statements or letters furnished to the Representative or to
Underwriters’ Counsel pursuant to this Section 7 shall not be reasonably
satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and to Underwriters’
Counsel, all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled by the
Representative at, or at any time prior to, the consummation of the Closing.
Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing, or by
telephone. Any such telephone notice shall be confirmed promptly thereafter in
writing.
8. Indemnification.
(a) The
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters and each Person,
if an, who controls each Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities to which such party may become subject, under the
Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement, including the information
deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness
and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Rules and
Regulations, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto (including any documents filed under the Exchange Act and
deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus), any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus or in any materials or information provided to investors by,
or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the
offering of the Shares (“Marketing Materials”),
including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the
Company (whether in person or electronically) or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and
will reimburse such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending against such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action; or (ii) in whole or in part upon any
inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained
herein; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform
its obligations hereunder or under law; provided, however, that the Company
shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the General Disclosure
Package, the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials, in reliance upon and in
conformity with the Underwriters Information.
(b) Each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, each of the directors of the Company, each of the officers of the
Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement, and each other Person,
if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and expenses whatsoever as incurred (including but
not limited to attorneys’ fees and any and all expenses whatsoever incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever, and any and all amounts paid in settlement
of any claim or litigation), joint or several, to which they or any of them may
become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar
as such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect
thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, as
originally filed or any amendment thereof, or any related Preliminary Prospectus
or the Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that
any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense arises out of or is based
upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with the
Underwriters’ Information; provided, however, that in no
case shall any Underwriter be liable or responsible for any amount in excess of
the underwriting discount applicable to the Securities to be purchased by such
Underwriter hereunder. The parties agree that such information provided by or on
behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative consists solely of the
material referred to in the last sentence of Section 1(b) hereof.
(c) Promptly
after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of
notice of any claims or the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under such subsection, notify each party against whom indemnification is
to be sought in writing of the claim or the commencement thereof (but the
failure so to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying
party from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 to the extent
that it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall
not relieve it from any liability that such indemnifying party may have
otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement hereunder). In case any
such claim or action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies
an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will
be entitled to participate, at its own expense in the defense of such action,
and to the extent it may elect by written notice delivered to the indemnified
party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party,
to assume the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified
party; provided however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not
(except with the written consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to
the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnified party or
parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such
case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such
indemnified party or parties unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall
have been authorized in writing by one of the indemnifying parties in connection
with the defense of such action, (ii) the indemnifying parties shall not have
employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action within a
reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, (iii) the
indemnifying party does not diligently defend the action after assumption of the
defense, or (iv) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably
concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different
from or additional to those available to one or all of the indemnifying parties
(in which case the indemnifying parties shall not have the right to direct the
defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of
which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the indemnifying parties.
No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified parties, effect any settlement or compromise of, or consent to the
entry of judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened claim,
investigation, action or proceeding in respect of which indemnity or
contribution may be or could have been sought by an indemnified party under this
Section 8 or Section 9 hereof (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual
or potential party thereto), unless (x) such settlement, compromise or judgment
(i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such claim, investigation, action or proceeding and
(ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
any failure to act, by or on behalf of the indemnified party, and (y) the
indemnifying party confirms in writing its indemnification obligations hereunder
with respect to such settlement, compromise or judgment.
9. Contribution. In
order to provide for contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification
provided for in Section 8 hereof is for any reason held to be unavailable from
any indemnifying party or is insufficient to hold harmless a party indemnified
thereunder, the Company and the Underwriters shall contribute to the aggregate
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses of the nature contemplated by
such indemnification provision (including any investigation, legal and other
expenses incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any
action, suit or proceeding or any claims asserted, but after deducting in the
case of losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses suffered by the
Company, any contribution received by the Company from Persons, other than the
Underwriters, who may also be liable for contribution, including Persons who
control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act, officers of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement and directors of the Company) as incurred to which the
Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject, in such proportions
as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and
the Underwriters from the Offering or, if such allocation is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportions as are appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to above but also the relative fault of the Company
and the Underwriters in connection with the statements or omissions which
resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as
any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by
the Company and the Underwriters shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as
(x) the total proceeds from the Offering (net of underwriting discounts and
commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the Company bears to (y)
the underwriting discount or commissions received by the Underwriters, in each
case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative
fault of each of the Company and of the Underwriters shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the
parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters
agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation
which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in
this Section. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and
expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section
9 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any judicial, regulatory or
other legal or governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9:
(i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount by which the discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares
underwritten by it and distributed to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission and (ii)
no Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
1 1 (f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this
Section 9, each Person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have
the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each Person, if any,
who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have
signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have
the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to clauses
(i) and (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence. Any party entitled to
contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any
action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim for
contribution may be made against another party or parties, notify each party or
parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify such
party or parties shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution
may be sought from any obligation it or they may have under this Section 9 or
otherwise. The obligations of the Underwriters to contribute pursuant to this
Section 9 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares to be
purchased by each of the Underwriters hereunder and not joint.
10. Underwriter
Default.
(a) If
any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligation to
purchase Firm Shares hereunder, and if the Firm Shares with respect to which
such default relates (the “Default Shares”) do not (after
giving effect to arrangements, if any, made by the Representative pursuant to
subsection (b) below) exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Shares,
each non-defaulting Underwriter, acting severally and not jointly, agrees to
purchase from the Company that number of Default Shares that bears the same
proportion of the total number of Default Shares then being purchased as the
number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A hereto
bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of the
non-defaulting Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate
fractional shares as the Representative in its sole discretion shall
make.
(b) In
the event that the aggregate number of Default Shares exceeds 10% of the number
of Firm Shares, the Representative may in their discretion arrange for
themselves or for another party or parties (including any non-defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters who so agree) to purchase the Default Shares on the
terms contained herein. In the event that within five calendar days after such a
default the Representative do not arrange for the purchase of the Default Shares
as provided in this Section 10, this Agreement shall thereupon terminate,
without liability on the part of the Company with respect thereto (except in
each case as provided in Sections 5, 7, 8, 10 and 12(d)) or the Underwriters,
but nothing in this Agreement shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters of its or their liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and
the Company for damages occasioned by its or their default
hereunder.
(c) In
the event that any Default Shares are to be purchased by the non-defaulting
Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid,
the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing
Date for a period, not exceeding five (5) business days, in order to effect
whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company
agrees to file promptly any amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus which, in the reasonable opinion of Underwriters’
Counsel, may thereby be made necessary or advisable. The term “Underwriter” as
used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 10
with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with
respect to such Firm Shares.
11. Survival of Representations
and Agreements. All representations and warranties, covenants and
agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or in
certificates of officers of the Company or any Subsidiary submitted pursuant
hereto, including the agreements contained in Section 6, the indemnity
agreements contained in Section 8 and the contribution agreements contained in
Section 9 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless
of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling
Person thereof or by or on behalf of the Company, any of its officers and
directors or any controlling Person thereof, and shall survive delivery of and
payment for the Shares to and by the Underwriters. The representations contained
in Section 2 hereof and the covenants and agreements contained in Sections 5, 6,
8, 9, this Section 11 and Sections 15 and 16 hereof shall survive any
termination of this Agreement, including termination pursuant to Section 10 or
12 hereof.
12. Effective Date of Agreement;
Termination.
(a) This
Agreement shall become effective upon the later of: (i) receipt by the
Representative and the Company of notification of the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or (ii) the execution of this Agreement. Notwithstanding
any termination of this Agreement, the provisions of this Section 12 and of
Sections 1, 5, 7, 8 and 12 through 17, inclusive, shall remain in full force and
effect at all times after the execution hereof.
(b) The
Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time
prior to the consummation of the Closing if: (i) any domestic or international
event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the opinion of the
Representative will in the immediate future materially disrupt, the market for
the Company’s securities or securities in general; or (ii) trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ or the AMEX shall have been suspended or been
made subject to material limitations, or minimum or maximum prices for trading
shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have
been required, on the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE Amex or the NYSE AMEX or
by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority having
jurisdiction; or (iii) a banking moratorium has been declared by any state or
federal authority or if any material disruption in commercial banking or
securities settlement or clearance services shall have occurred; (iv) any
downgrading shall have occurred in the Company’s corporate credit rating or the
rating accorded the Company’s debt securities or trust preferred stock by any
“nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes
of Rule 436(g) under the Securities Act) or if any such organization shall have
been publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible
negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities; or
(v) (A) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or
acts of terrorism involving the United States or there is a declaration of a
national emergency or war by the United States or (B) there shall have been any
other calamity or crisis or any change in political, financial or economic
conditions if the effect of any such event in (A) or (B), in the judgment of the
Representative, is so material and adverse that such event makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale and delivery of
the Firm Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the
Prospectus.
(c) Any
notice of termination pursuant to this Section 12 shall be in
writing.
(d) If
this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to any of the provisions hereof
(other than pursuant to Section 10(b) hereof), or if the sale of the Shares
provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations
of the Underwriters set forth herein is not satisfied or because of any refusal,
inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein
or comply with any provision hereof, the Company will, subject to demand by the
Representative, reimburse the Underwriters for only those out-of-pocket expenses
(including the fees and expenses of their counsel), actually incurred by the
Underwriters in connection herewith up to $150,000 less any amounts previously
paid by the Company.
13. Notices. All
communications hereunder, except as may be otherwise specifically provided
herein, shall be in writing, and:
(a) if
sent to the Representative or any Underwriter, shall be mailed, delivered, or
faxed and confirmed in writing, to Maxim Group LLC, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Director of
Investment Banking, with a copy to Underwriters’ Counsel at Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
PC, 65 Xxxxxxxxxx Avenue, Roseland, New Jersey, Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx,
Esq.; and
(b) if
sent to the Company, shall be mailed, delivered, or faxed and confirmed in
writing to the Company and its counsel at the addresses set forth in the
Registration Statement,. provided, however, that any
notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 shall be delivered or sent by
mail or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in
its acceptance facsimile to the Representative, which address will be supplied
to any other party hereto by the Representative upon request. Any such notices
and other communications shall take effect at the time of receipt
thereof.
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14. Parties; Limitation of
Relationship. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of, and
shall be binding upon, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling
Persons, directors, officers, employees and agents referred to in Sections 7 and
8 hereof, and their respective successors and assigns, and no other Person shall
have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under
or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provision herein
contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended
to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and said
controlling Persons and their respective successors, officers, directors, heirs
and legal Representative, and it is not for the benefit of any other Person. The
term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as
such, of Units from any of the Underwriters.
15. Governing Law. This
Agreement shall be deemed to have been executed and delivered in New York and
both this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed
as to validity, interpretation, construction, effect, and in all other respects
by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflicts of laws
principals thereof (other than Section 5-1401 of The New York General
Obligations Law). Each of the Underwriters and the Company: (a) agrees that any
legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement
and/or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted exclusively in
the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, or in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York, (b) waives any
objection which it may have or hereafter to the venue of any such suit, action
or proceeding, and (c) irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of Supreme Court
of the State of New York, New York County, or in the United States District
Court for the Southern District of New York in any such suit, action or
proceeding. Each of the Underwriters and the Company further agrees to accept
and acknowledge service of any and all process which may be served in any such
suit, action or proceeding in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New
York County, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of
New York and agrees that service of process upon the Company mailed by certified
mail to the Company’s address or delivered by Federal Express via overnight
delivery shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the
Company, in any such suit, action or proceeding, and service of process upon the
Underwriters mailed by certified mail to the Underwriters’ address or delivered
by Federal Express via overnight delivery shall be deemed in every respect
effective service process upon the Underwriter, in any such suit, action or
proceeding. THE COMPANY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, THE SUBSIDIARIES AND, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS RESPECTIVE EQUITY HOLDERS AND
CREDITORS) HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHT THEY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF
ANY CLAIM BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND
THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND
THE PROSPECTUS.
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16. Entire Agreement.
This Agreement, together with the schedule and exhibits attached hereto
and as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms
hereof, contains the entire agreement among the parties hereto relating to the
subject matter hereof and there are no other or further agreements outstanding
not specifically mentioned herein.
17. Severability. If any
term or provision of this Agreement or the performance thereof shall be invalid
or unenforceable to any extent, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not
affect or render invalid or unenforceable any other provision of this Agreement
and this Agreement shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent permitted
by law.
18. Amendment. This
Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the
parties hereto.
19. Waiver, etc. The
failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the
provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of
any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or
any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter
enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach,
non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement
shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the
party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and
no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be
construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach,
non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
20. No Fiduciary Relationship.
The Company hereby acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting solely
as underwriters in connection with the offering of the Company's securities. The
Company further acknowledge that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a
contractual relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an
arm’s length basis and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters
act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Company, its management,
shareholders, creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that
the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the offering
of the Company's securities, either before or after the date hereof,. The
Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations to
the Company, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions, and the Company hereby
confirms its understanding and agreement to that effect. The Company hereby
further confirms its understand that no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or
fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the Offering
contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including any negotiation
related to the pricing of the Units; and the Company has consulted its own legal
and financial advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate in connection
with this Agreement and the Offering. The Company and the Underwriters agree
that they are each responsible for making their own independent judgments with
respect to any such transactions, and that any opinions or views expressed by
the Underwriters to the Company regarding such transactions, including but not
limited to any opinions or views with respect to the price or market for the
Company's securities, do not constitute advice or recommendations to the
Company. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted
by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with
respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary or similar duty to the
Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
any matters leading up to such transactions.
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21. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute
one and the same instrument. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement
by facsimile transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery
thereof.
22. Headings. The
headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not
intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this
Agreement.
23. Time is of the Essence.
Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term
“business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any day on
which the major stock exchanges in New York, New York are not open for
business.
[Signature
Pages Follow]
If the
foregoing correctly sets forth your understanding, please so indicate in the
space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a
binding agreement among us.
Very
truly yours,
By:____________________________
Name:
Title:
|
Accepted
by the Representative, acting for themselves and as Representative of the
Underwriters named on Schedule A attached
hereto, as of the date first written above:
MAXIM
GROUP LLC
By:_______________________________________________
Name:
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title:
Executive Managing Director — Investment Banking
SCHEDULE
A
Underwriter
|
|
|||||||
Number
of Firm Shares
to be Purchased from
the Company
|
Underwriters
Number
of Secondary
Offering Units to be
Purchased
|
Over-Allotment
Option Shares
|
||||||
Maxim
Group LLC
|
$
|
[ ]
|
$
|
[ ]
|
$
|
[ ]
|
||
Chardan
Capital Market, LLC
|
$
|
[ ]
|
$
|
[ ]
|
$
|
[ ]
|
||
Total
|
V-1
SCHEDULE
B
Lock-Up
Parties
Xxxxxxxx
Xx Liyong Qu
Xx
Xx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxx Xx
Zheyu
Xxxx Xxxxxxx Fan Xxxxx Xxxxxxx X.X. Xxxxx
Xxxx
Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx Maotong Xu
Oasis
Green Investment Group Plumpton Group Limited Honest Joy Group
Limited
V-2
SCHEDULE
C
Issuer-Represented
General Free Writing Prospectus
[None]
V-3