Exhibit 4.2
Warrant agreement between the registrant and XCL Partners dated
January 31, 2003.
THIS WARRANT AND THE COMMON SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS WARRANT HAVE
NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED. THIS WARRANT
AND THE COMMON SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS WARRANT MAY NOT BE SOLD,
OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT AS TO THIS WARRANT UNDER SAID ACT OR AN OPINION OF
COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO ISSUER THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT
REQUIRED.
Right to Purchase 1,000,000 Shares of Common Stock of Benacquista Galleries,Inc.
(subject to adjustment as provided herein)
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
No. 2003-1 Issue Date: January 31, 2003
Benacquista Galleries, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the
State of Nevada (the "COMPANY"), hereby certifies that, for value received, XCL
Partners or assigns (the "HOLDER"), is entitled, subject to the terms set
forth below, to purchase from the Company from and after the Issue Date of this
Warrant and at any time or from time to time before 5:00 p.m., New York time,
through three (3) years after such date (the "EXPIRATION DATE"), up to 1,000,000
fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined),
par value $0.001, of the Company, at the Exercise Price (as defined below). The
number and character of such shares of Common Stock and the Exercise Price are
subject to adjustment as provided herein.
As used herein the following terms, unless the context otherwise
requires, have the following respective meanings:
(a) The term "Company" shall include Benacquista Galleries, Inc. and
any corporation which shall succeed or assume the obligations of Benacquista
Galleries, Inc. hereunder.
(b) The term "Common Stock" includes (a) the Company's Common Stock,
par value $.001 per share, and (b) any other securities into which or for which
any of the securities described in (a) may be converted or exchanged pursuant to
a plan of recapitalization, reorganization, merger, sale of assets or otherwise.
(c) The term "Other Securities" refers to any stock (other than Common
Stock) and other securities of the Company or any other person (corporate or
otherwise) which the holder of the Warrant at any time shall be entitled to
receive, or shall have received, on the exercise of the Warrant, in lieu of or
in addition to Common Stock, or which at any time shall be issuable or shall
have been issued in exchange for or in replacement of Common Stock or Other
Securities pursuant to Section 4 or otherwise.
(d) The term "Exercise Price" shall mean $1.00 per share of Common
Stock, as subject to adjustment herein.
1. EXERCISE OF WARRANT.
1.1. NUMBER OF SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE. From and after
the date hereof through and including the Expiration Date, the Holder shall be
entitled to receive, upon exercise of this Warrant in whole or in part, by
delivery of an original or fax copy of the exercise notice attached hereto as
Exhibit A (the "EXERCISE NOTICE"), shares of Common Stock of the Company,
subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 4.
1.2. FAIR MARKET VALUE. Fair Market Value of a share of Common
Stock as of a particular date (the "DETERMINATION DATE") shall mean:
(a) If the Company's Common Stock is traded on the
NASD OTC Bulletin Board, then the mean of the average of the closing bid and
asked prices reported for the last business day immediately preceding the
Determination Date.
(b) Except as provided in clause (d) below, if the
Company's Common Stock is not publicly traded, then as the Holder and the
Company agree or in the absence of agreement by arbitration in accordance with
the rules then in effect of the American Arbitration Association, before a
single arbitrator to be chosen from a panel of persons qualified by education
and training to pass on the matter to be decided.
(c) If the Determination Date is the date of a
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or any event deemed to be a liquidation,
dissolution or winding up pursuant to the Company's charter, then all amounts to
be payable per share to holders of the Common Stock pursuant to the charter in
the event of such liquidation, dissolution or winding up, plus all other amounts
to be payable per share in respect of the Common Stock in liquidation under the
charter, assuming for the purposes of this clause (d) that all of the shares of
Common Stock then issuable upon exercise of the Warrant are outstanding at the
Determination Date.
2. PROCEDURE FOR EXERCISE.
2.1 DELIVERY OF STOCK CERTIFICATES, ETC. ON EXERCISE. The Company
agrees that the shares of Common Stock purchased upon exercise of this Warrant
shall be deemed to be issued to the Holder as the record owner of such shares as
of the close of business on the date on which this Warrant shall have been
surrendered and payment made for such shares as aforesaid. As soon as
practicable after the exercise of this Warrant in full or in part, and in any
event within 3 business days thereafter, the Company at its expense (including
the payment by it of any applicable issue taxes) will cause to be issued in the
name of and delivered to the Holder, or as such Holder (upon payment by such
holder of any applicable transfer taxes) may direct in compliance with
applicable securities laws, a certificate or certificates for the number of duly
and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock (or
Other Securities) to which such Holder shall be entitled on such exercise, plus,
in lieu of any fractional share to which such holder would otherwise be
entitled, cash equal to such fraction multiplied by the then Fair Market Value
of one full share, together with any other stock or other securities and
property (including cash, where applicable) to which such Holder is entitled
upon such exercise pursuant to Section 1 or otherwise.
2.2. EXERCISE.
(a) Payment may be made either in (i) cash or by certified or
official bank check payable to the order of the Company equal to the applicable
aggregate Exercise Price, (ii) by delivery of the Warrant, Common Stock and/or
Common Stock receivable upon exercise of the Warrant in accordance with Section
(b) below, or (iii) by a combination of any of the foregoing methods, for the
number of Common Shares specified in such form (as such exercise number shall be
adjusted to reflect any adjustment in the total number of shares of Common Stock
issuable to the holder per the terms of this Warrant) and the Holder shall
thereupon be entitled to receive the number of duly authorized, validly issued,
fully-paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities)
determined as provided herein.
(b) Notwithstanding any provisions herein to the contrary, if
the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock is greater than the Exercise
Price (at the date of calculation as set forth below), in lieu of exercising
this Warrant for cash, the Holder may elect to receive shares equal to the value
(as determined below) of this Warrant (or the portion thereof being exercised)
by surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company together
with the properly endorsed Exercise Notice in which event the Company shall
issue to the Holder a number of shares of Common Stock computed using the
following formula:
X=Y (A-B)
---
A
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Where X= the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the Holder
Y= the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable under the
Warrant or, if only a portion of the Warrant is being exercised
the portion of the Warrant being exercised (at the date of such
calculation)
A= the Fair Market Value of one share of the Company's Common
Stock (at the date of such calculation)
B= Exercise Price (as adjusted to the date of such calculation)
3. ADJUSTMENT FOR REORGANIZATION, CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC.
3.1. REORGANIZATION, CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case at
any time or from time to time, the Company shall (a) effect a reorganization,
(b) consolidate with or merge into any other person, or (c) transfer all or
substantially all of its properties or assets to any other person under any plan
or arrangement contemplating the dissolution of the Company, then, in each such
case, as a condition to the consummation of such a transaction, proper and
adequate provision shall be made by the Company whereby the Holder of this
Warrant, on the exercise hereof as provided in Section 1 at any time after the
consummation of such reorganization, consolidation or merger or the effective
date of such dissolution, as the case may be, shall receive, in lieu of the
Common Stock (or Other Securities) issuable on such exercise prior to such
consummation or such effective date, the stock and other securities and property
(including cash) to which such Holder would have been entitled upon such
consummation or in connection with such dissolution, as the case may be, if such
Holder had so exercised this Warrant, immediately prior thereto, all subject to
further adjustment thereafter as provided in Section 4.
3.2. DISSOLUTION. In the event of any dissolution of the
Company following the transfer of all or substantially all of its properties or
assets, the Company, prior to such dissolution, shall at its expense deliver or
cause to be delivered the stock and other securities and property (including
cash, where applicable) receivable by the Holder of the Warrant after the
effective date of such dissolution pursuant to Section 3.1 to a bank or trust
company having its principal office in Maryland, as trustee for the Holder of
the Warrant.
3.3. CONTINUATION OF TERMS. Upon any reorganization,
consolidation, merger or transfer (and any dissolution following any transfer)
referred to in this Section 3, this Warrant shall continue in full force and
effect and the terms hereof shall be applicable to the shares of stock and other
securities and property receivable on the exercise of this Warrant after the
consummation of such reorganization, consolidation or merger or the effective
date of dissolution following any such transfer, as the case may be, and shall
be binding upon the issuer of any such stock or other securities, including, in
the case of any such transfer, the person acquiring all or substantially all of
the properties or assets of the Company, whether or not such person shall have
expressly assumed the terms of this Warrant as provided in Section 4. In the
event this Warrant does not continue in full force and effect after the
consummation of the transactions described in this Section 3, then only in such
event will the Company's securities and property (including cash, where
applicable) receivable by the holders of the Warrant be delivered to the Trustee
as contemplated by Section 3.2.
4. EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS REGARDING COMMON STOCK. In the event that the
Company shall (a) issue additional shares of the Common Stock as a dividend or
other distribution on outstanding Common Stock, (b) subdivide its outstanding
shares of Common Stock, or (c) combine its outstanding shares of the Common
Stock into a smaller number of shares of the Common Stock, then, in each such
event, the Exercise Price shall, simultaneously with the happening of such
event, be adjusted by multiplying the then Exercise Price by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the
product so obtained shall thereafter be the Exercise Price then in effect. The
Exercise Price, as so adjusted, shall be readjusted in the same manner upon the
happening of any successive event or events described herein in this Section 4.
The number of shares of Common Stock that the holder of this Warrant shall
thereafter, on the exercise hereof as provided in Section 1, be entitled to
receive shall be increased to a number determined by multiplying the number of
shares of Common Stock that would otherwise (but for the provisions of this
Section 4) be issuable on such exercise by a fraction of which (a) the numerator
is the Exercise Price that would otherwise (but for the provisions of this
Section 4) be in effect, and (b) the denominator is the Exercise Price in effect
on the date of such exercise.
5. CERTIFICATE AS TO ADJUSTMENTS. In each case of any adjustment or
readjustment in the shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities) issuable on the
exercise of the Warrant, the Company at its expense will promptly cause its
Chief Financial Officer or other appropriate designee to compute such adjustment
or readjustment in accordance with the terms of the Warrant and prepare a
certificate setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail
the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based, including a
statement of (a) the consideration received or receivable by the Company for any
additional shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities) issued or sold or deemed
to have been issued or sold, (b) the number of shares of Common Stock (or Other
Securities) outstanding or deemed to be outstanding, and (c) the Exercise Price
and the number of shares of Common Stock to be received upon exercise of this
Warrant, in effect immediately prior to such adjustment or readjustment and as
adjusted or readjusted as provided in this Warrant. The Company will forthwith
mail a copy of each such certificate to the holder of the Warrant and any
Warrant agent of the Company (appointed pursuant to Section 11 hereof).
6. RESERVATION OF STOCK, ETC. ISSUABLE ON EXERCISE OF WARRANT. The
Company will at all times reserve and keep available, solely for issuance and
delivery on the exercise of the Warrant, shares of Common Stock (or Other
Securities) from time to time issuable on the exercise of the Warrant.
7. ASSIGNMENT; EXCHANGE OF WARRANT. Subject to compliance with
applicable securities laws, this Warrant, and the rights evidenced hereby, may
be transferred by any registered holder hereof (a "TRANSFEROR") with respect to
any or all of the Shares. On the surrender for exchange of this Warrant, with
the Transferor's endorsement in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto (the
"TRANSFEROR ENDORSEMENT FORM") and together with evidence reasonably
satisfactory to the Company demonstrating compliance with applicable securities
laws, which shall include, without limitation, a legal opinion from the
Transferor's counsel that such transfer is exempt from the registration
requirements of applicable securities laws, the Company at its expense but with
payment by the Transferor of any applicable transfer taxes) will issue and
deliver to or on the order of the Transferor thereof a new Warrant of like
tenor, in the name of the Transferor and/or the transferee(s) specified in such
Transferor Endorsement Form (each a "TRANSFEREE"), calling in the aggregate on
the face or faces thereof for the number of shares of Common Stock called for on
the face or faces of the Warrant so surrendered by the Transferor.
8. REPLACEMENT OF WARRANT. On receipt of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
this Warrant and, in the case of any such loss, theft or destruction of this
Warrant, on delivery of an indemnity agreement or security reasonably
satisfactory in form and amount to the Company or, in the case of any such
mutilation, on surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company at its
expense will execute and deliver, in lieu thereof, a new Warrant of like tenor.
9. REGISTRATION RIGHTS. The Holder of this Warrant is hereby granted
the registration right commonly referred to as a "piggyback" registration right.
Specifically, should the Company file a registration statement with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") any time after the effectiveness of
the Company's first registration statement filed with the SEC, the Company shall
use its best efforts to include this Warrant and/or the Common Stock underlying
this Warrant in such a registration statement at the Company's sole expense.
10. MAXIMUM EXERCISE. The Holder shall not be entitled to exercise this
Warrant on an exercise date, in connection with that number of shares of Common
Stock which would be in excess of the sum of (i) the number of shares of Common
Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its affiliates on an exercise date,
and (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of this
Warrant with respect to which the determination of this proviso is being made on
an exercise date, which would result in beneficial ownership by the Holder and
its affiliates of more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of
the Company on such date. For the purposes of the proviso to the immediately
preceding sentence, beneficial ownership shall be determined in accordance with
Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Regulation
13d-3 thereunder. Subject to the foregoing, the Holder shall not be limited to
aggregate exercises which would result in the issuance of more than 4.99%.
11. WARRANT AGENT. The Company may, by written notice to the each
holder of the Warrant, appoint an agent for the purpose of issuing Common Stock
(or Other Securities) on the exercise of this Warrant pursuant to Section 1,
exchanging this Warrant pursuant to Section 7, and replacing this Warrant
pursuant to Section 8, or any of the foregoing, and thereafter any such
issuance, exchange or replacement, as the case may be, shall be made at such
office by such agent.
12. TRANSFER ON THE COMPANY'S BOOKS. Until this Warrant is transferred
on the books of the Company, the Company may treat the registered holder hereof
as the absolute owner hereof for all purposes, notwithstanding any notice to the
contrary.
13. NOTICES, ETC. All notices and other communications from the Company
to the Holder of this Warrant shall be mailed by first class registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, at such address as may have been furnished to
the Company in writing by such holder or, until any such Holder furnishes to the
Company an address, then to, and at the address of, the last Holder of this
Warrant who has so furnished an address to the Company.
14. VOLUNTARY ADJUSTMENT BY THE COMPANY. The Company may at any time
during the term of this Warrant reduce the then current Exercise Price to any
amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors
of the Company.
15. MISCELLANEOUS. This Warrant and any term hereof may be changed,
waived, discharged or terminated only by an instrument in writing signed by the
party against which enforcement of such change, waiver, discharge or termination
is sought. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of State of Nevada without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.
Any action brought concerning the transactions contemplated by this Warrant
shall be brought only in the state courts of Nevada or in the federal courts
located in the state of Nevada.. The prevailing party shall be entitled to
recover from the other party its reasonable attorney's fees and costs. In the
event that any provision of this Warrant is invalid or unenforceable under any
applicable statute or rule of law, then such provision shall be deemed
inoperative to the extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed
modified to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any such provision which
may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity
or enforceability of any other provision of this Warrant. The headings in this
Warrant are for purposes of reference only, and shall not limit or otherwise
affect any of the terms hereof. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision hereof shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of any
other provision. The Company acknowledges that legal counsel participated in the
preparation of this Warrant and, therefore, stipulates that the rule of
construction that ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party
shall not be applied in the interpretation of this Warrant to favor any party
against the other party.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Warrant under seal
as of the date first written above.
BENACQUISTA GALLERIES, INC.
By:/s/Xxxxx Xxxxx CEO
XCL Partners
By:/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Rieu - Sole Proprietor
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF SUBSCRIPTION
(To be signed only on exercise of Warrant)
TO: Benacquista Galleries, Inc.
The undersigned, pursuant to the provisions set forth in the attached Warrant
(No.____), hereby irrevocably elects to purchase (check applicable box):
___ ________ shares of the Common Stock covered by such Warrant; or
___ the maximum number of shares of Common Stock covered by such Warrant
pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in Section 2.
The undersigned herewith makes payment of the full Exercise Price for such
shares at the price per share provided for in such Warrant, which is
$___________. Such payment takes the form of (check applicable box or boxes):
___ $__________ in lawful money of the United States; and/or
___ the cancellation of such portion of the attached Warrant as is exercisable
for a total of _______ shares of Common Stock (using a Fair Market Value of
$_______ per share for purposes of this calculation); and/or
___ the cancellation of such number of shares of Common Stock as is necessary,
in accordance with the formula set forth in Section 2, to exercise this Warrant
with respect to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock purchasable
pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in Section 2.
The undersigned requests that the certificates for such shares be issued in the
name of, and delivered to ____________________ whose address is
----------------------------------------- .
The undersigned represents and warrants that all offers and sales by the
undersigned of the securities issuable upon exercise of the within Warrant shall
be made pursuant to registration of the Common Stock under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or pursuant to an exemption from
registration under the Securities Act.
Dated:___________________ _________________________________________
(Signature must conform to name of holder
as specified on the face of the Warrant)
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Exhibit B
FORM OF TRANSFEROR ENDORSEMENT
(To be signed only on transfer of Warrant)
For value received, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns, and
transfers unto the person(s) named below under the heading "Transferees" the
right represented by the within Warrant to purchase the percentage and number of
shares of Common Stock of Benacquista Galleries, Inc. to which the within
Warrant relates specified under the headings "Percentage Transferred" and
"Number Transferred," respectively, opposite the name(s) of such person(s) and
appoints each such person Attorney to transfer its respective right on the books
of Benacquista Galleries, Inc. with full power of substitution in the premises.
========================== ========================== ==========================
Transferees Percentage Number
Transferred Transferred
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Dated:___________________ _________________________________________
(Signature must conform to name of holder
as specified on the face of the Warrant)
Signed in the presence of:
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(Name) (address)
-----------------------------------------
ACCEPTED AND AGREED: (address)
[TRANSFEREE]
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