REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
EXECUTION VERSION
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and entered into as of March 24, 2010, by and among Applied Natural Gas Fuels, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company") and the holders listed on the Schedule of
Holders attached hereto as Annex A and identified on the signature pages hereto (each a "Holder" and collectively, the "Holders").
The Company and the Holders hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth in this Section 1:
“Advice” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).
“Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which is a federal legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Commission Comments" means written comments pertaining
solely to Rule 415 (or which challenge the right of a Holder to have its Registrable Securities included in a Registration Statement filed hereunder without being deemed an underwriter) which are received by the Company from the Commission to a filed Registration Statement, a copy of which shall have been provided by the Company to the Holders, which either (i) requires
the Company to limit the number of Registrable Securities which may be included therein to a number which is less than the number sought to be included thereon as filed with the Commission or (ii) requires the Company to either exclude Registrable Securities held by specified Holders or deem such Holders to be underwriters with respect to Registrable Securities they seek to include in such Registration Statement.
“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $.001 per share, and any securities into which such common stock may hereafter be reclassified.
“Cut Back Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
"Effective Date" means, as to a Registration Statement, the date on which such Registration Statement is first declared effective by the Commission.
“Effectiveness Date” means (a) with respect to the initial Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the earlier of: (i) the 90th day following the filing of such
Registration Statement to be filed and (ii) the fifth Trading Day following the date on which the Company is notified by the Commission that the initial Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments; (b) with respect to any
additional Registration Statements required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the earlier of: (i) the 90th day following the applicable Filing Date for such additional Registration Statement(s) and (ii) the fifth Trading Day following the date on which the
Company is notified by the Commission that the such additional Registration Statement(s) will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review; (c) with respect to any additional Registration Statements required to be filed solely due to SEC Restrictions, the earlier of: (i) the 90th day following the applicable Restriction Termination Date and (ii) the fifth Trading Day following the date on which the Company is notified
by the Commission that such Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments; and (d) with respect to a Registration Statement required to be filed under Section 2(c), the earlier of: (i) the 90th day following the date on which the Company becomes eligible to utilize Form S-3 to register the resale of Common Stock; provided,
that, if the Commission reviews and has written comments to such filed Registration Statement that would require the filing of a pre-effective amendment thereto with the Commission, then the Effectiveness Date under this clause (d)(i) shall be the earlier of the 90th day following the date on which the Company becomes eligible to utilize Form S-3 to register the resale of Common Stock, and (ii) the fifth Trading Day following the date
on which the Company is notified by the Commission that the Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments.
"Effectiveness Period" means, as to any Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement, the period commencing on the Effective Date of such Registration Statement and ending on the fifth anniversary of such Effective Date.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Filing Date" means (a) with respect to the initial Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the 60th day following the demand for such Registration Statement to be filed; (b)
with respect to any additional Registration Statements required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the 30th day following the Effective Date for the last Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement under Section 2(a); (c) with respect to any additional Registration Statements required to be filed due to SEC Restrictions, the 30th day following
the applicable Restriction Termination Date; and (d) with respect to a Registration Statement required to be filed under Section 2(c), the 30th day following the date on which the Company becomes eligible to utilize Form S-3 to register the resale of Common Stock.
"Holder" or "Holders" means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
“New York Courts” means the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan.
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
“Plan” means the Plan of Reorganization of PNG Ventures, Inc. and certain of its affiliates.
"Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
“Prospectus” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated
under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
“Registrable Securities” means: (i) the Shares and (ii) any securities issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event, or any price adjustment as a result of such stock splits, reverse stock splits or similar
events with respect to any of the securities referenced in (i) or (ii) above. As to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when: (a) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement; (b) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding, or (c) the Registrable
Securities are saleable without any volume or manner of sale restrictions under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
"Registration Statement" means the initial registration statement required to be filed in accordance with Section 2(a) and any additional registration statements required to be filed under this Agreement, including in each case the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration
statements or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.
“Restriction Termination Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
"Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
“SEC Restrictions” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Shares" means the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to the Holders pursuant to the Plan and any other shares of capital stock of the Company issued or issuable to the Holders including, without limitation, all securities convertible into, exchangeable for or exercisable into
shares of capital stock of the Company.
“Shareholders’ Agreement” means the agreement by and among the Holders and the Company dated the date hereof (as amended, modified or supplemented from time-to-time).
“Trading Day” means (i) a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market, or (ii) if the Common Stock is not quoted on any Trading Market, a day on which the Common Stock is quoted in the over-the-counter market as reported by the Pink Sheets LLC (or any similar
organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices); provided, that in the event that the Common Stock is not listed or quoted as set forth in (i) and (ii) hereof, then Trading Day shall mean a Business Day.
“Trading Market” means whichever of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market, the NASDAQ Capital Market or OTC Bulletin Board on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date
in question.
2. Registration.
(a) On demand of any Holder, and on or prior to its applicable Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering the resale of all Registrable Securities, including for an underwritten offering or for an offering to be made
on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415. Each Registration Statement required to be filed under this Agreement shall be filed on Form S-1 (or if the Company is not then eligible to utilize such form of registration, it shall utilize such other available form appropriate for such purpose) and contain (except if otherwise required pursuant to written comments received from the Commission upon a review of such Registration Statement, other than as to the characterization of any Holder as an underwriter,
which shall not occur without such Holder’s written consent) the "Plan of Distribution" attached hereto as Annex B (as revised as required for particular transactions). The Company shall cause each Registration Statement required to be filed under this Agreement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as soon as possible but, in any event, no later than its Effectiveness Date, and shall use its reasonable best efforts
to keep each such Registration Statement continuously effective during its entire Effectiveness Period. By 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Business Day immediately following the
Effective Date of each Registration Statement, the Company shall file with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424 under the Securities Act the final prospectus to be used in connection with sales pursuant to such Registration Statement (whether or not such filing is technically required under such Rule). If for any reason other
than due solely to SEC Restrictions, a Registration Statement is effective but not all outstanding Registrable Securities are registered for resale pursuant thereto, then the Company shall prepare and file by the applicable Filing Date an additional Registration Statement (except those excluded from the Registration Statement due solely to the SEC Restrictions) to register the resale of all such unregistered Registrable Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2, if the Company receives Commission Comments, and following discussions with and responses to the Commission in which the Company uses its reasonable best efforts and time to cause as many Registrable
Securities for as many Holders as possible to be included in the Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) without characterizing any Holder as an underwriter (and in such regard uses its reasonable best efforts to cause the Commission to permit the affected Holders or their respective counsel to participate in Commission conversations on such issue together with counsel to the Company, and timely conveys relevant information concerning
such issue with the affected Holders or their respective counsel), the Company is unable to cause the inclusion of all Registrable Securities, then the Company may, following not less than three (3) Trading Days prior written notice to the Holders (i) remove from the Registration Statement such Registrable Securities (the “Cut Back Shares”) and/or (ii) agree to such restrictions and limitations on the registration and resale of the Registrable
Securities, in each case as the Commission may require in order for the Commission to allow such Registration Statement to become effective; provided, that in no event may the Company name any Holder as an underwriter without such Holder’s prior written consent (collectively, the “SEC Restrictions”). Unless the SEC Restrictions otherwise require, any cut-back imposed
pursuant to this Section 2(b) shall be allocated among the Registrable Securities of the Holders on a pro rata basis. No liquidated damages under Section 2(d) shall accrue on or as to any Cut Back Shares, and the required Effectiveness Date for such Registration Statement will be tolled, until such time as the Company is able to effect the registration of the Cut Back Shares in accordance with any SEC Restrictions (such date, the “Restriction Termination
Date”). From and after the Restriction Termination Date, all provisions of this Section 2 (including, without limitation, the liquidated damages provisions, subject to tolling as provided above) shall again be applicable to the Cut Back Shares (which, for avoidance of doubt, retain their character as “Registrable Securities”) so that the Company will be required to file with and cause to be declared effective by the Commission such additional Registration Statements in the
time frames set forth herein as necessary to ultimately cause to be covered by effective Registration Statements all Registrable Securities (if such Registrable Securities cannot at such time be resold by the Holders thereof without volume limitations pursuant to Rule 144).
(c) Promptly following any date on which the Company becomes eligible to use a registration statement on Form S-3 to register Registrable Securities for resale, the Company shall file a Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering all Registrable Securities (or a post-effective
amendment on Form S-3 to the then effective Registration Statement) and shall cause such Registration Statement to be filed by the Filing Date for such Registration Statement and declared effective under the Securities Act as soon as possible thereafter, but in any event prior to the Effectiveness Date therefor. Such Registration Statement shall contain (except if
otherwise required pursuant to written comments received from the Commission upon a review of such Registration Statement, other than as to the characterization of any Holder as an underwriter, which shall not occur without such Holder’s consent) the “Plan of Distribution” attached hereto as Annex
B. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act during the entire Effectiveness Period. By 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Business Day immediately following the Effective Date of such Registration Statement, the Company shall file with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424 under the Securities Act the final prospectus to be used in connection with sales pursuant to such Registration
Statement (whether or not such filing is technically required under such Rule).
(d) If: (i) a Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to its Filing Date covering the Registrable Securities required under this Agreement to be included therein (if the Company files a Registration Statement without affording the Holders the opportunity to review
and comment on the same as required by Section 3(a) hereof, the Company shall not be deemed to have satisfied this clause (i)), or (ii) a Registration Statement is not declared effective by the Commission on or prior to its required Effectiveness Date or if by the Business Day immediately following the Effective Date, the Company shall not have filed a “final” prospectus for the Registration Statement with the Commission under Rule 424(b) in accordance with the terms hereof (whether or not such a
prospectus is technically required by such Rule), or (iii) except for Allowable Blackout Periods, after its Effective Date, without regard for the reason thereunder or efforts therefor, such Registration Statement ceases for any reason to be effective and available to the Holders as to all Registrable Securities to which it is required to cover at any time prior to the expiration of its Effectiveness Period for more than an aggregate of 30 Trading Days (which need not be consecutive) (any such failure or breach
being referred to as an "Event," and for purposes of clauses (i) or (ii) the date on which such Event occurs, or for purposes of clause (iii) the date which such 30 Trading Day-period is exceeded, being referred to as "Event Date"), then in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law, on each such Event Date and on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date
(if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to 1.0% of the aggregate value as of the date hereof of the Shares held by such Holder; provided that the maximum aggregate liquidated damages payable to a Holder under this Agreement shall be ten percent (10%) of the aggregate value as of the date hereof of the Shares held by such Holder. The
partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro-rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event (except in the case of the first Event Date), and shall cease to accrue (unless earlier cured) upon the expiration of the Effectiveness Period.
(e) Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed Questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex C (a “Selling Holder Questionnaire”). The
Company shall not be required to include the Registrable Securities of a Holder in a Registration Statement and shall not be required to pay any liquidated or other damages under Section 2(d) to any Holder who fails to furnish to the Company a fully completed Selling Holder Questionnaire at least two Trading Days prior to the Filing Date (subject to the requirements set forth in Section 3(a)).
3. Registration Procedures.
In connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:
(a) Not less than four Trading Days prior to the filing of a Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, the Company shall furnish to each Holder copies of the “Selling Stockholders” section of such document, the “Plan
of Distribution” and any risk factor contained in such document that addresses specifically this transaction or the Selling Stockholders, as proposed to be filed, which documents will be subject to the review of such Holder. The Company shall not file a Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto in which the “Selling Stockholder” section thereof differs from the disclosure received from a Holder in its Selling Holder Questionnaire (as amended or
supplemented). The Company shall not file a Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto in which it (i) characterizes any Holder as an underwriter, (ii) excludes a particular Holder due to such Holder refusing to be named as an underwriter, or (iii) reduces the number of Registrable Securities being registered on behalf of a Holder except pursuant to, in the case of subsection (iii), the Commission Comments, without, in each case, such Holder’s express written
authorization.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to each Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective as to
the applicable Registrable Securities for its Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible to any comments received from the Commission with respect
to each Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and, as promptly as reasonably possible provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to such Registration Statement that would not result in the disclosure to the Holders of material and non-public information concerning the Company; and (iv) comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the Registration Statement(s) and the disposition
of all Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement.
(c) Notify the Holders as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than three Trading Days prior to such filing and, in the case of (v) below, not less than three Trading Days prior to the financial statements in any Registration Statement
becoming ineligible for inclusion therein) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one Trading Day following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a "review" of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such Registration Statement (the Company shall provide true
and complete copies thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the Holders that pertain to the Holders as a Selling Stockholder or to the Plan of Distribution, but not information which the Company believes would constitute material and non-public information); and (C) with respect to each Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority for amendments
or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company
of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of such Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) Use its reasonable best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(e) Furnish to each Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished) promptly after the filing of such documents with
the Commission.
(f) Promptly deliver to each Holder, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably request. The Company hereby consents to the use of
such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.
(g) Prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, register or qualify such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of all jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder may request, to keep each such registration or
qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement(s); provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where
it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this paragraph or subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction.
(h) Participate in presentations to investors and cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement(s), which certificates
shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Shareholders’ Agreement of all restrictive legends, and to
enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holders may request.
(i) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c)(v), as promptly as reasonably possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to the affected Registration Statements or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, no Registration Statement nor any Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(j) The Holder(s) shall have the right to engage and select an underwriter for sales pursuant to this agreement. The Company shall cooperate with underwriter(s), including by allowing the underwriter(s) to perform a customary due diligence investigation (including
with respect to the Company’s outside auditor), signing and observing a customary underwriter(s) agreement, delivering to such underwriter customary legal opinions from Company counsel and “comfort” letters from the Company’s independent auditors, and participating in investor and “roadshow” presentations as requested by the underwriter(s).
4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities
are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (B) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws), (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing
certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the printing of prospectuses is reasonably requested by a Holder), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (viii) the reasonable fees
and expenses of counsel for the Holders. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required
hereunder.
5. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, agents, investment advisors,
partners, members and employees of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable costs of preparation and reasonable attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively, "Losses"), as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (1) such
untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood
that the Holder has approved Annex B hereto for this purpose) or (2) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(ii)-(v), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of an Advice or an amended or supplemented Prospectus, but only if and to the extent that following the receipt of the Advice or the amended or supplemented
Prospectus the misstatement or omission giving rise to such Loss would have been corrected. The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Company is aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, arising solely out of or based solely upon: (x) such Holder's failure to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act or (y) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any form
of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising solely out of or based solely upon any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading to the extent, but only to the extent that, (1) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder's
proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex B hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (2) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(ii)-(v), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company
has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of an Advice or an amended or supplemented Prospectus, but only if and to the extent that following the receipt of the Advice or the amended or supplemented Prospectus the misstatement or omission giving rise to such Loss would have
been corrected. In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an "Indemnified
Party"), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party") in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure
of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have proximately and materially adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses;
(2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the
Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No
Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
All fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within twenty Trading Days of written notice thereof to
the Indemnifying Party (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder; provided, that the Indemnifying Party may require such Indemnified Party to undertake to reimburse all such fees and expenses to the extent it is finally judicially determined that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder).
(d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu
of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The
relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or
omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c), any reasonable attorneys' or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions
of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder, of any of their obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled
to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that
a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Piggyback on Registrations. Neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the Company in a Registration
Statement other than the Registrable Securities, and the Company shall not during the Effectiveness Period enter into any agreement providing any such right to any of its security holders.
(c) Compliance. Each
Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(d) Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition of such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described
in Section 3(c), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice") by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this paragraph.
(e) Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account
of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with stock option or other employee benefit plans, then the Company shall send to each Holder written notice of such determination and, if within fifteen calendar days after receipt of
such notice, any such Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such holder requests to be registered, subject to underwriter cutbacks pursuant to which the number of shares that may be included in the underwriting shall be allocated, first, to the Company; second to the Holders on a pro rata basis based on the total number of Registrable Securities held by the Holders; and, third, to persons participating in such
registration pursuant to demand rights on a pro rata basis based on the number of shares held by such persons,. The Company shall have the right to terminate or withdraw any registration initiated by it under this Section 6(e) prior to the effectiveness of such registration whether or not any Holder has elected to include securities in such registration.
(f) Blackout Periods. Upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(c)(iv) or 3(c)(v) or of any event as a result of which the prospectus
included in the Registration Statement contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify each Holder (a “Suspension Notice”) and each Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement for a reasonable length of time not to exceed 15 days until such Holder is advised in
writing by Company that the use of the prospectus may be resumed and is furnished with a supplemented or amended prospectus (a “Blackout Period”); provided, however, that such postponement of sales of Registrable Securities by such Holder shall not exceed forty five (45) days in the aggregate in any 12 month period. In
any event, the Company shall not be entitled to deliver more than a total of three (3) Suspension Notices in any 12 month period. A Blackout Period that does not violate any of the restrictions on Blackout Periods set forth herein is referred to in this Agreement as an “Allowable Blackout Period.” In no event shall any such
notice under this Section 3(f) contain any information which would constitute material, nonpublic information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(g) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this Section 6(f), may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and each Holder.
(h) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of
(a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile (provided the sender receives a machine-generated confirmation of successful transmission) at the facsimile number specified in this Section prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 6:30 p.m. (New
York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as follows:
|
|
If to the Company: |
Applied Natural Gas Fuels, Inc. |
|
|
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx |
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
____________________
|
|
Attn: Chief Executive Officer |
|
|
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000 |
|
|
With a copy to: |
Fox Rothschild LLP |
0000 Xxxxxx Xx.
00xx Xxxxx
|
|
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000 |
____________________
Attn.: Xxx X. Baume, Esq.
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
|
If to a Holder: |
To the address set forth under such Holder's name on the signature pages hereto with a copy to such Person identified on such signature page. |
|
If to any other Person who is then the registered Holder: |
To the address of such Holder as it appears in the stock transfer books of the Company. |
or such other address as may be designated in writing hereafter, in the same manner, by such Person.
(i) Successors and Assigns. This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Holder. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under the Shareholders’ Agreement.
(j) Execution and Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
(k) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation
of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective Affiliates, employees or agents) will be commenced in the New York Courts. Each party hereto hereby
irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any New York Court, or that such Proceeding has been commenced in an improper or inconvenient forum. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal
service of process and consents to process being served in any such Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Each
party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any Proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. If either party shall commence a Proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Agreement, then the prevailing party in such Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorney’s fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation
and prosecution of such Proceeding.
(l) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies
provided by law.
(m) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and
the parties hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions
without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(n) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(o) Independent Nature of Holders' Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Holder under this Agreement are several and not joint with the obligations of each other Holder, and no Holder shall
be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder under this Agreement. Nothing contained herein and no action taken by any Holder pursuant thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Holder acknowledges
that no other Holder will be acting as agent of such Holder in enforcing its rights under this Agreement. Each Holder shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. The Company acknowledges that each of the Holders has been provided with the same Registration Rights Agreement for
the purpose of closing a transaction with multiple Holders and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Holder.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGES TO FOLLOW]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
APPLIED NATURAL GAS FUELS, INC.
By: /s/ Cem Hacioglu
Name: Cem Hacioglu
Title: President & CEO
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGES OF HOLDERS TO FOLLOW]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
HOLDERS
CASTLERIGG PNG INVESTMENTS, LLC
By: Castlerigg Master Investments, Ltd., Managing Member
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer of Xxxxxxx Asset
Management Corp., investment manager
ADDRESS FOR NOTICE
c/o Sandell Asset Management Corp.
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
With a copy to
Winston & Xxxxxx LLP
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
FOURTH THIRD, LLC
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Authorized Signatory
ADDRESS FOR NOTICE
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Telecopier: (000) 000-0000
With a copy to
King & Spalding LLP
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Telecopier: (000) 000-0000
