EXHIBIT 9
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") is made and
entered into as of this 25th day of February, 2002 by and among Amerigon
Incorporated, a California corporation (the "Company"), and the "Investor" named
in that certain Exchange Agreement by and among the Company and the Investor
(the "Exchange Agreement").
The parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms
shall have the following meanings:
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any person, any other person which
directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control
with, such person.
"Business Day" means a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which
banks in New York City and Los Angeles are open for the general transaction of
business.
"Closing Price" as of any date means (a) the closing bid price of one
share of Common Stock as reported on The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. SmallCap
Market System ("Nasdaq") on such date, (b) if no closing bid price is available,
the average of the high bid and the low asked price quoted on Nasdaq on such
date, or (c) if the shares of Common Stock are not then quoted on Nasdaq, the
value of one share of Common Stock on such date as shall be determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company and the Required Investors,
provided, that if the Board of Directors of the Company and the Required
Investors are unable to agree upon the value of a share of Common Stock pursuant
to this subpart (c), the Company and the Required Investors shall jointly select
an appraiser who is experienced in such matters. The decision of such appraiser
shall be final and conclusive, and the cost of such appraiser shall be borne one
half by the Company and one half by the Investors.
"Common Stock" shall mean the Company's common stock, no par value.
"Investors" shall mean the Investor identified in the Exchange
Agreement and any Affiliate or permitted transferee of the Investor who is a
subsequent holder of any Warrants or Registrable Securities.
"Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration
Statement, 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 such Registration Statement and by all other amendments and
supplements to the prospectus, including post-effective amendments and all
material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.
"Register," "registered" and "registration" refer to a registration
made by preparing and filing a Registration Statement or similar document in
compliance with the 1933 Act (as defined below), and the declaration or ordering
of effectiveness of such Registration Statement or document.
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"Registrable Securities" shall mean the shares of Common Stock issuable
(i) pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, (ii) upon the exercise of the Warrants,
if any, and (iii) pursuant to the provisions of Sections 2(a) and 2(c) below,
and any other securities issued or issuable with respect to or in exchange for
Registrable Securities; provided, that, a security shall cease to be a
Registrable Security upon (A) sale pursuant to a Registration Statement or Rule
144 under the 1933 Act, or (B) such security becoming eligible for sale by the
Investors pursuant to Rule 144(k).
"Registration Statement" shall mean any registration statement of the
Company filed under the 1933 Act that covers the resale of any of the
Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, amendments
and supplements to such Registration Statement, including post-effective
amendments, all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference in such
Registration Statement.
"Required Investors" means the Investors holding a majority of the
Registrable Securities.
"SEC" means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
"1933 Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder.
"1934 Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
"Warrants" means, the warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock which
may be issued to the Investors pursuant to the Exchange Agreement, the form of
which is attached to the Exchange Agreement as Exhibit A.
"Warrant Shares" means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Warrants.
2. Registration.
(a) Registration Statement. Promptly following the closing of
the exchange of indebtedness for shares of Common Stock contemplated by the
Exchange Agreement (the "Closing Date") but no later thirty (30) days after the
Closing Date (the "Filing Deadline"), the Company shall prepare and file with
the SEC one Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or, if Form S-3 is not then
available to the Company, on such form of registration statement as is then
available to effect a registration for resale of the Registrable Securities),
covering the resale of the Registrable Securities in an amount at least equal to
the number of shares of Common Stock issued to the Investors on the Closing Date
plus the number of shares of Common Stock necessary to permit the exercise in
full of the Warrants. Such Registration Statement also shall cover, to the
extent allowable under the 1933 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder
(including Rule 416), such indeterminate number of additional shares of Common
Stock resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions with
respect to the Registrable Securities. The Company shall use its reasonable best
efforts to obtain from each person who now has piggyback registration rights a
waiver of those rights with respect to the Registration Statement. The
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Registration Statement (and each amendment or supplement thereto, and each
request for acceleration of effectiveness thereof) shall be provided in
accordance with Section 3(c) to the Investors and their counsel prior to its
filing or other submission. If a Registration Statement covering the Registrable
Securities is not filed with the SEC on or prior to the Filing Deadline, the
Company will make pro rata payments to each Investor, as liquidated damages and
not as a penalty, in an amount equal to 2.0% of the aggregate amount paid by
such Investor on the Closing Date to the Company for any 30-day period or pro
rata for any portion thereof following the date by which such Registration
Statement should have been filed for which no Registration Statement is filed
with respect to the Registrable Securities. Such payments shall constitute the
Investors' exclusive remedy for such events, except for the Investors' right to
seek equitable remedies, such as specific performance. Such payments shall be
made to each Investor in cash or, at the option of such Investor, in additional
fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock not later than three
Business Days following the end of each 30-day period. For this purpose, each
share of Common Stock shall be deemed to have a value equal to the arithmetic
mean of the Closing Prices for the ten (10) trading days beginning twenty (20)
trading days prior to the issuance of such shares.
(b) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses associated
with each registration, including filing and printing fees, counsel and
accounting fees and expenses, costs associated with clearing the Registrable
Securities for sale under applicable state securities laws, listing fees and the
Investors' reasonable expenses in connection with the registration, but
excluding discounts, commissions, fees of underwriters, selling brokers, dealer
managers or similar securities industry professionals with respect to the
Registrable Securities being sold.
(c) Effectiveness.
(i) The Company shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to have the Registration Statement declared effective as soon as
practicable. If a Registration Statement covering the Registrable Securities is
not declared effective by the SEC within ninety (90) days after the Closing Date
(or within 105 days after the Closing Date if the SEC reviews the Registration
Statement), then the Company will make pro rata payments to each Investor, as
liquidated damages and not as a penalty, in an amount equal to 2.0% of the
aggregate amount invested by such Investor for any month or pro rata for any
portion thereof following the date by which such Registration Statement should
have been effective (the "Blackout Period"). Such payments shall constitute the
Investors' exclusive remedy for such events, except for the Investors' right to
seek equitable remedies, such as specific performance. The amounts payable as
liquidated damages pursuant to this paragraph shall be paid monthly within three
(3) Business Days of the last day of each month following the commencement of
the Blackout Period until the termination of the Blackout Period. Such payments
shall be made to each Investor in cash or, at the option of such Investor, in
additional fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock. Each share of
Common Stock shall be deemed to have a value equal to the arithmetic mean of the
Closing Prices for the ten (10) trading days beginning twenty (20) trading days
prior to the issuance of such shares.
(ii) For not more than twenty (20) consecutive days
or for a total of not more than forty-five (45) days in any twelve (12) month
period, the Company may delay the disclosure of material non-public information
concerning the Company, by suspending the use of any Prospectus included in any
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registration contemplated by this Section containing such information, the
disclosure of which at the time is not, in the good faith opinion of the
Company, in the best interests of the Company (an "Allowed Delay"); provided,
that the Company shall promptly (a) notify the Investors in writing of the
existence of (but in no event, without the prior written consent of an Investor,
shall the Company disclose to such Investor any of the facts or circumstances
regarding) material non-public information giving rise to an Allowed Delay, and
(b) advise the Investors in writing to cease all sales under the Registration
Statement until the end of the Allowed Delay.
(d) Underwritten Offering. If any offering pursuant to a
Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof involves an underwritten
offering, the Company shall have the right to select an investment banker and
manager to administer the offering, which investment banker or manager shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Required Investors.
3. Company Obligations. The Company will use commercially reasonable
efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance
with the terms hereof, and pursuant thereto the Company will, as expeditiously
as possible:
(a) use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such
Registration Statement to become effective and to remain continuously effective
for a period that will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the date on which all
Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement as amended from
time to time, have been sold, and (ii) the date on which all Registrable
Securities covered by such Registration Statement may be sold pursuant to Rule
144(k);
(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as
may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective for the period
specified in Section 3(a) and to comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act and
the 1934 Act with respect to the distribution of all of the Registrable
Securities covered thereby;
(c) provide copies to and permit counsel designated by the
Investors to review each Registration Statement and all amendments and
supplements thereto no fewer than three (3) Business Days prior to their filing
with the SEC and not file any document to which such counsel reasonably objects;
(d) furnish to the Investors and their legal counsel (i)
promptly after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed with the
SEC, or received by the Company (but not later than two (2) Business Days after
the filing date, receipt date or sending date, as the case may be, one (1) copy
of any Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, each preliminary
prospectus and Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, and each
letter written by or on behalf of the Company to the SEC or the staff of the
SEC, and each item of correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC, in
each case relating to such Registration Statement (other than any portion of any
thereof which contains information for which the Company has sought confidential
treatment), and (ii) such number of copies of a Prospectus, including a
preliminary prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto and such
other documents as each Investor may reasonably request in order to facilitate
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the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Investor that are
covered by the related Registration Statement;
(e) in the event the Company selects an underwriter for the
offering, the Company shall enter into and perform its reasonable obligations
under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, including, without
limitation, customary indemnification and contribution obligations, with the
underwriter of such offering;
(f) if required by the underwriter, or if any Investor is
described in the Registration Statement as an underwriter, the Company shall
furnish, on the effective date of the Registration Statement (except with
respect to clause (i) below) and on the date that Registrable Securities are
delivered to an underwriter, if any, for sale in connection with the
Registration Statement (including any Investor deemed to be an underwriter), (i)
(A) in the case of an underwritten offering, an opinion, dated as of the closing
date of the sale of Registrable Securities to the underwriters, from independent
legal counsel representing the Company for purposes of such Registration
Statement, in form, scope and substance as is customarily given in an
underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters and the Investors
participating in such underwritten offering or (B) in the case of an "at the
market" offering, an opinion, dated as of or promptly after the effective date
of the Registration Statement to the Investors, from independent legal counsel
representing the Company for purposes of such Registration Statement, in form,
scope and substance as is customarily given in a public offering, addressed to
the Investors, and (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain a letter,
dated as of the effective date of such Registration Statement and confirmed as
of the applicable dates described above, from the Company's independent
certified public accountants in form and substance as is customarily given by
independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten
public offering, addressed to the underwriters (including any Investor deemed to
be an underwriter);
(g) use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) prevent the
issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness and, (ii) if
such order is issued, obtain the withdrawal of any such order at the earliest
possible moment;
(h) prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities,
use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the
Investors and their counsel in connection with the registration or qualification
of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue
sky laws of such jurisdictions requested by the Investors and do any and all
other commercially reasonable acts or things necessary or advisable to enable
the distribution in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by
the Registration Statement;
(i) use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all
Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be listed on each
securities exchange, interdealer quotation system or other market on which
similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;
(j) immediately notify the Investors, at any time when a
Prospectus relating to Registrable Securities is required to be delivered under
the 1933 Act, upon discovery that, or upon the happening of any event as a
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result of which, the Prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as then in
effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing, and at the
request of any such holder, promptly prepare and furnish to such holder a
reasonable number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such
Prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the
purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such Prospectus shall not include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in
light of the circumstances then existing; and
(k) otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to comply
with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC under the 1933 Act and the
1934 Act, take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate
the registration of the Registrable Securities hereunder; and make available to
its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than the
Availability Date (as defined below), an earnings statement covering a period of
at least twelve (12) months, beginning after the effective date of each
Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act (for the purpose of this subsection 3(k),
"Availability Date" means the 45th day following the end of the fourth fiscal
quarter that includes the effective date of such Registration Statement, except
that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company's fiscal
year, "Availability Date" means the 90th day after the end of such fourth fiscal
quarter).
(l) With a view to making available to the Investors the
benefits of Rule 144 (or its successor rule) and any other rule or regulation of
the SEC that may at any time permit the Investors to sell shares of Common Stock
to the public without registration, the Company covenants and agrees to: (i)
make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and
defined in Rule 144, until the earlier of (A) six months after such date as all
of the shares of Common Stock received by them pursuant to the Exchange
Agreement (including the Warrant Shares) may be resold pursuant to Rule 144(k)
or any other rule of similar effect or (B) such date as all of the shares of
Common Stock received by them pursuant to the Exchange Agreement (including the
Warrant Shares) shall have been resold; (ii) file with the SEC in a timely
manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the 1934
Act; and (iii) furnish to each Investor upon request, as long as such Investor
owns any shares of Common Stock received by them pursuant to the Exchange
Agreement (including the Warrant Shares), (A) a written statement by the Company
that it has complied with the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act, (B) a copy
of the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q, and (C) such other information as may be reasonably requested in
order to avail such Investor of any rule or regulation of the SEC that permits
the selling of any such shares of Common Stock without registration.
4. Due Diligence Review; Information. The Company shall make available,
during normal business hours, for inspection and review by the Investors,
advisors to and representatives of the Investors (who may or may not be
affiliated with the Investors and who are reasonably acceptable to the Company),
any underwriter participating in any disposition of shares of Common Stock on
behalf of the Investors pursuant to a Registration Statement or amendments or
supplements thereto or any blue sky, NASD or other filing, all financial and
other records, all SEC Filings (as defined in the Exchange Agreement) and other
filings with the SEC, and all other corporate documents and properties of the
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Company as may be reasonably necessary for the purpose of such review, and cause
the Company's officers, directors and employees, within a reasonable time
period, to supply all such information reasonably requested by the Investors or
any such representative, advisor or underwriter in connection with such
Registration Statement (including, without limitation, in response to all
questions and other inquiries reasonably made or submitted by any of them),
prior to and from time to time after the filing and effectiveness of the
Registration Statement for the sole purpose of enabling the Investors and such
representatives, advisors and underwriters and their respective accountants and
attorneys to conduct initial and ongoing due diligence with respect to the
Company and the accuracy of such Registration Statement.
The Company shall not disclose material nonpublic information to the
Investors, or to advisors to or representatives of the Investors, unless prior
to disclosure of such information the Company identifies such information as
being material nonpublic information and provides the Investors, such advisors
and representatives with the opportunity to accept or refuse to accept such
material nonpublic information for review.
5. Obligations of the Investors.
(a) Each Investor shall furnish in writing to the Company such
information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the
intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it, as
shall be reasonably required to effect the registration of such Registrable
Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration
as the Company may reasonably request. At least five (5) Business Days prior to
the first anticipated filing date of any Registration Statement, the Company
shall notify each Investor of the information the Company requires from such
Investor if such Investor elects to have any of the Registrable Securities
included in the Registration Statement. An Investor shall provide such
information to the Company at least two (2) Business Days prior to the first
anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement if such Investor elects
to have any of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration
Statement.
(b) Each Investor, by its acceptance of the Registrable
Securities agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the
Company in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration
Statement hereunder, unless such Investor has notified the Company in writing of
its election to exclude all of its Registrable Securities from such Registration
Statement.
(c) In the event the Company, at the request of the Investors,
determines to engage the services of an underwriter, such Investor agrees to
enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual
and customary form, including, without limitation, customary indemnification and
contribution obligations, with the managing underwriter of such offering and
take such other actions as are reasonably required in order to expedite or
facilitate the dispositions of the Registrable Securities.
(d) Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from
the Company of either (i) the commencement of an Allowed Delay pursuant to
Section 2(c)(ii) or (ii) the happening of an event pursuant to Section 3(j)
hereof, such Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable
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Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable
Securities, until the Investor's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or
amended prospectus filed with the SEC and declared effective and, if so directed
by the Company, the Investor shall deliver to the Company (at the expense of the
Company) or destroy (and deliver to the Company a certificate of destruction)
all copies in the Investor's possession of the Prospectus covering the
Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
(e) No Investor may participate in any third party
underwritten registration hereunder unless it (i) agrees to sell the Registrable
Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements in usual and
customary form entered into by the Company, (ii) completes and executes all
questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and
other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting
arrangements, and (iii) agrees to pay its pro rata share of all underwriting
discounts and commissions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Investor shall be
required to make any representations to such underwriter, other than those with
respect to itself and the Registrable Securities owned by it, including its
right to sell the Registrable Securities, and any indemnification in favor of
the underwriter by the Investors shall be several and not joint and limited in
the case of any Investor, to the proceeds received by such Investor from the
sale of its Registrable Securities. The scope of any such indemnification in
favor of an underwriter shall be limited to the same extent as the indemnity
provided in Section 6(b) hereof.
6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company will indemnify
and hold harmless each Investor and its officers, directors, members, employees
and agents, successors and assigns, and each other person, if any, who controls
such Investor within the meaning of the 1933 Act, against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such seller, officer,
director, member, or controlling person may become subject under the 1933 Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration
Statement, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein, or
any amendment or supplement thereof; (ii) any blue sky application or other
document executed by the Company specifically for that purpose or based upon
written information furnished by the Company filed in any state or other
jurisdiction in order to qualify any or all of the Registrable Securities under
the securities laws thereof (any such application, document or information
herein called a "Blue Sky Application"); (iii) 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; (iv) any violation by the Company or
its agents of any rule or regulation promulgated under the 1933 Act applicable
to the Company or its agents and relating to action or inaction required of the
Company in connection with such registration; or (v) any failure to register or
qualify the Registrable Securities included in any such Registration in any
state where the Company or its agents has affirmatively undertaken or agreed in
writing that the Company will undertake such registration or qualification on an
Investor's behalf (the undertaking of any underwriter chosen by the Company
being attributed to the Company) and will reimburse such Investor, and each such
officer, director or member and each such controlling person for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however,
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that the Company will not be liable in any such case if and to the extent that
any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission so
made in conformity with information furnished by such Investor or any such
controlling person in writing specifically for use in such Registration
Statement or Prospectus.
(b) Indemnification by the Investors. In connection with any
registration pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each Investor will furnish
to the Company in writing such information as the Company reasonably requests
concerning the holders of Registrable Securities or the proposed manner of
distribution for use in connection with any Registration Statement or Prospectus
and agrees, severally but not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, the Company, its directors, officers,
employees, stockholders and each person who controls the Company (within the
meaning of the 0000 Xxx) against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
expense (including reasonable attorney fees) resulting from any untrue statement
of a material fact or any omission of a material fact required to be stated in
the Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary prospectus or amendment
or supplement thereto or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, to the extent, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or
omission is contained in any information furnished in writing by such Investor
to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration Statement or
Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto. In no event shall the liability
of an Investor be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net
of all expense paid by such Investor and the amount of any damages such holder
has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or
omission) received by such Investor upon the sale of the Registrable Securities
included in the Registration Statement giving rise to such indemnification
obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. Any person
entitled to indemnification hereunder shall (i) give prompt notice to the
indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification
and (ii) permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; provided that any
person entitled to indemnification hereunder shall have the right to employ
separate counsel and to participate in the defense of such claim, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such person unless (a)
the indemnifying party has agreed to pay such fees or expenses, or (b) the
indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense of such claim and
employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such person or (c) in the reasonable
judgment of any such person, based upon written advice of its counsel, a
conflict of interest exists between such person and the indemnifying party with
respect to such claims (in which case, if the person notifies the indemnifying
party in writing that such person elects to employ separate counsel at the
expense of the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have the
right to assume the defense of such claim on behalf of such person); and
provided, further, that the failure of any indemnified party to give notice as
provided herein shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations
hereunder, except to the extent that such failure to give notice shall
materially adversely affect the indemnifying party in the defense of any such
claim or litigation. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in
connection with any proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for fees or
expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all such
indemnified parties. No indemnifying party will, except with the consent of the
indemnified party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement
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that does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the
claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability
in respect of such claim or litigation.
(d) Contribution. If for any reason the indemnification
provided for in the preceding paragraphs (a) and (b) is unavailable to an
indemnified party or insufficient to hold it harmless, other than as expressly
specified therein, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount
paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage
or liability in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault
of the indemnified party and the indemnifying party, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act shall be
entitled to contribution from any person not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. In no event shall the contribution obligation of a holder of
Registrable Securities be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the
proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such holder and the amount of any damages
such holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission) received by it upon
the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution
obligation.
7. Miscellaneous.
(a) Amendments and Waivers. This Agreement may be amended only
by a writing signed by the parties hereto. The Company may take any action
herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by
it, only if the Company shall have obtained the written consent to such
amendment, action or omission to act, of the Required Investors.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for
or permitted hereunder shall be made as set forth in Section 9.4 of the Exchange
Agreement.
(c) Assignments and Transfers by Investors. The provisions of
this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Investors
and their respective successors and assigns. An Investor may transfer or assign,
in whole or from time to time in part, to one or more persons its rights
hereunder in connection with the transfer of Registrable Securities by such
Investor to such person, provided that such Investor complies with all laws
applicable thereto and provides written notice of assignment to the Company
promptly after such assignment is effected.
(d) Assignments and Transfers by the Company. This Agreement
may not be assigned by the Company (whether by operation of law or otherwise)
without the prior written consent of each Investor, provided, however, that the
Company may assign its rights and delegate its duties hereunder to any surviving
or successor corporation in connection with a merger or consolidation of the
Company with another corporation, or a sale, transfer or other disposition of
all or substantially all of the Company's assets to another corporation, without
the prior written consent of the Investors, after notice duly given by the
Company to each Investor.
(e) Benefits of the Agreement. The terms and conditions of
this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective
permitted successors and assigns of the parties. Nothing in this Agreement,
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express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties
hereto or their respective successors and assigns any rights, remedies,
obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as
expressly provided in this Agreement.
(f) Counterparts; Faxes. This Agreement may be executed in two
or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of
which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement may
also be executed via facsimile, which shall be deemed an original.
(g) Titles and Subtitles. The titles and subtitles used in
this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in
construing or interpreting this Agreement.
(h) Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction,
be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without
invalidating the remaining provisions hereof but shall be interpreted as if it
were written so as to be enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by
applicable law, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction
shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other
jurisdiction. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the parties hereby
waive any provision of law which renders any provisions hereof prohibited or
unenforceable in any respect.
(i) Further Assurances. The parties shall execute and deliver
all such further instruments and documents and take all such other actions as
may reasonably be required to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby and
to evidence the fulfillment of the agreements herein contained.
(j) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the
parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete
and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto
in respect of the subject matter contained herein. This Agreement supersedes all
prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such
subject matter provided that this Agreement does not supersede or modify that
certain Investors Rights Agreement dated as of June 8, 1999, by and among the
Company, the Investor and Westar Capital II LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company, as amended.
(k) Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement
shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the
State of New York without regard to the choice of law principles thereof. Each
of the parties hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the
courts of the State of New York located in New York County and the United States
District Court for the Southern District of New York for the purpose of any
suit, action, proceeding or judgment relating to or arising out of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Service of process in
connection with any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on each party
hereto anywhere in the world by the same methods as are specified for the giving
of notices under this Agreement. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably consents
to the jurisdiction of any such court in any such suit, action or proceeding and
to the laying of venue in such court. Each party hereto irrevocably waives any
EXHIBIT 9
objection to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought
in such courts and irrevocably waives any claim that any such suit, action or
proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement or caused
their duly authorized officers to execute this Agreement as of the date first
above written.
The Company: AMERIGON INCORPORATED
By: /s/ XXXXXX X. XXXXX
----------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Title: CFO and Secretary
The Investor: BIG BEAVER INVESTMENTS LLC
By: /s/ XXXX XXXXX
----------------------
Name: Xxxx Xxxxx
Title: Treasurer
EXHIBIT 9
