REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.45
This
Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made
and entered into as of September 10, 2009, by and among China Bio Energy
Holdings Group Co., Ltd. (the “Company”), and the persons listed on Schedule I hereto
(the “Holders”).
The
Company and the Holders hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
“Advice” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 3(m).
“Affiliate” means,
with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly
controls or is controlled by or under common control with such
Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used
with respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such
Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise; and the terms of “affiliated,” “controlling” and
“controlled”
have meanings correlative to the foregoing. For the purposes of this
definition, a Person shall be deemed to control any of his or her immediate
family members.
“Board” shall have
meaning set forth in Section 3(n).
“Business Day” means
any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a legal holiday or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of New York generally are
authorized or required by law or other government actions to close.
“Commission” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” means
the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.
“Effectiveness Period”
means the period commencing on the applicable Effective Date and ending on the
earlier of (i) the date when all Registrable Securities are sold and (ii) the
date when the Holders are permitted to sell the Registrable Securities under
Rule 144(i).
“Exchange Act” means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Holder” or “Holders” means the
holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable
Securities.
“Indemnified Party”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Indemnifying Party”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Losses” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
“Person” means an
individual or a corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated
association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company,
government (or an agency or political subdivision thereof) or other entity of
any kind.
“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 the 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 the Registration Statement, and
all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective
amendments, and all material incorporated by reference in such
Prospectus.
“Registrable
Securities means (i) the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the
Holders listed on Schedule I,
immediately prior to the Closing Date; and (ii) any securities issued or
issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization
or similar event with respect to the foregoing.
“Registration
Statement” means the registration statements and any additional
registration statements contemplated by Section 2, including (in each case) the
Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement or
Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto,
and all material incorporated by reference in such registration
statement.
“Rule 158” means Rule
158 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 416” means Rule
416 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.
“Securities Act” means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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2. Registration
Rights.
(a) Piggy-Back
Registration.
(i) If
at any time within ninety (90) days of the date hereof (the “Piggy-Back Registration
Period”), the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the
Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity or debt securities, or
securities by the Company for its own account or for holders of the Company for
their account (or by the Company and by holders of the Company) (an “Offering”), other
than a Registration Statement (i) on Form S-8, or any successor or similar form,
(ii) for an exchange offer or offering of securities solely to the Company’s
existing holders, (iii) for a dividend reinvestment plan or (iv) to register
securities on a Form S-4, or on any successor or similar form, then the Company
shall (x) give notice, either orally or in writing, of such proposed filing to
the Holders of Registrable Securities, offer to the Holders of Registrable
Securities in such notice the opportunity to register for resale on a resale
prospectus included in such Registration Statement such number of shares of
Registrable Securities as such Holders may request orally or in writing (a
“Holder’s Piggy-Back
Request”). The Company shall cause that number of Registrable
Securities as set forth in the Holder’s Piggy-Back Request to be included in
such registration. The filing and effectiveness dates of the
Registration Statement filed under this Section 2(a) shall be as set forth in
the registration rights agreements, or other agreements, entered into in
connection with an Offering, if any, otherwise the filing date shall be the date
determined by the Company and the effective date shall be the date the
Commission declares the Registration Statement effective.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary set forth in this Section 2 (a), in the event the Commission does not
permit the Company to register all of the Registrable Securities in the
Registration Statement because of the Commission’s application of Rule 415, the
Registrable Securities to be registered shall be reduced, on a pro-rata basis,
among the Holders to such number permitted to be registered.
(b)
In the event the Commission does not permit the Company to register all of the
Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a),
the Company shall use its best efforts to file subsequent Registration
Statements to register the Registrable Securities that were not registered as
promptly as possible and in a manner permitted by the Commission. For
purposes of this Section 2(b), “Filing Date” means
with respect to each subsequent Registration Statement filed pursuant hereto,
the later of (i) sixty (60) days following the sale of substantially all of the
Registrable Securities included in the initial Registration Statement or any
subsequent Registration Statement and (ii) six (6) months following the
effective date of the initial Registration Statement or any subsequent
Registration Statement, as applicable, or such earlier date as permitted by the
Commission. For purposes of this Section 2(b), “Effectiveness Date”
means with respect to each subsequent Registration Statement filed pursuant to
this Section 2(b) hereto, the earlier of (A) the ninetieth (90th) day
following the filing date of such Registration Statement (or in the event such
Registration Statement receives a “full review” by the Commission, the one
hundred twentieth (120th) day
following such filing date) or (B) the date which is within three (3) Business
Days after the date on which the Commission informs the Company (i) that the
Commission will not review such Registration Statement or (ii) that the Company may
request the acceleration of the effectiveness of such Registration Statement;
provided that, if the
Effectiveness Date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or any other day which shall be a
legal holiday or a day on which the Commission is authorized or required by law
or other government actions to close, the Effectiveness Date shall be the
following Business Day.
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3. Registration
Procedures.
In
connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company
shall:
(a) Prepare
and file with the Commission, on or prior to the applicable Filing Date, a
Registration Statement on Form S-1 in accordance with the plan of
distribution as set forth on Exhibit A hereto and
in accordance with applicable law, and cause the Registration Statement to
become effective and remain effective as provided herein on the applicable
Effectiveness Date..
(b) (i)
Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective
amendments, to the Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the
Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable
Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission
such additional Registration Statements as necessary 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
(or any similar provisions then in force) promulgated under the Securities Act;
(iii) respond as promptly as possible to any comments received from the
Commission with respect to the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto
and as promptly as possible provide the Holders true and complete copies of all
correspondence from and to the Commission relating to the Registration
Statement; (iv) file the final prospectus pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities
Act no later than two (2) Business Days following the date the Registration
Statement is declared effective by the Commission; and (v) comply in all
material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act
with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement during the Effectiveness Period in accordance with the
intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the
Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so
supplemented.
(c) Notify
the Holders of Registrable Securities as promptly as possible (and, in the case
of (i)(A) below, not less than three (3) Business Days prior to such filing, and
in the case of (iii) below, on the same day of receipt by the Company of such
notice from the Commission) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such
notice in writing no later than one (1) Business Day following the
day: (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is 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 and (C) with respect to the 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 the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or
all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation or threatening of any
Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) if at any time any of the representations and
warranties of the Company contained in any agreement contemplated hereby ceases
to be true and correct in all material respects; (v) 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 (vi) of the occurrence of any event that makes any statement made
in the 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 the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other
documents so that, in the case of the 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 the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
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(d) Use
its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal
of, as promptly as possible, (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption
from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction.
(e) If
requested by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities
outstanding, (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement such information as the
Company reasonably agrees should be included therein and (ii) make all required
filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon
as practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be
incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment.
(f) If
requested by any Holder, furnish to such Holder, at least one conformed copy of
each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits to the extent requested by
such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference)
promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission.
(g) Promptly
deliver to each Holder, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses
(including each form of prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto as
such Persons may reasonably request; and subject to the provisions of Sections
3(m) and 3(n), 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.
(h) Prior
to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its reasonable efforts to
register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the
registration or qualification (or exemption from such registration or
qualification) of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as
any Holder requests in writing, 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 a Registration
Statement; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would
subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is
not then so subject or subject the Company to any material tax in any such
jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
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(i) Cooperate
with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to a
Registration Statement, which certificates, to the extent permitted by
applicable federal and state securities laws, shall be free of all restrictive
legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations
and registered in such names as any Holder may request in connection with any
sale of Registrable Securities.
(j) Upon
the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c)(vi), as promptly as
possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective
amendment, to the Registration Statement 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, neither the Registration Statement nor such 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 the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(k) Comply
in all material respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission and make generally available to its security holders all documents
filed or required to be filed with the Commission, including, but not limited,
to, earning statements satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the
Securities Act and Rule 158 not later than 45 days after the end of any 12-month
period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month period if such period is a
fiscal year) commencing on the first day of the first fiscal quarter of the
Company after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which statement
shall conform to the requirements of Rule 158.
(l) Within
two (2) Business Days after a Registration Statement which covers the
Registrable Securities is ordered effective by the Commission, the Company shall
deliver, and shall cause legal counsel for the Company to deliver, to the
transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to the Holders whose
Registrable Securities are included in such Registration Statement) confirmation
that such Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission
in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
B.
(m) The
Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company information
regarding such Holder and the distribution of such Registrable Securities as is
required by law to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, or
any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Company may exclude from such
registration the Registrable Securities of any such Holder who unreasonably
fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such
request.
If the
Registration Statement refers to any Holder by name or otherwise as the holder
of any securities of the Company, then such Holder shall have the right to
require (if such reference to such Holder by name or otherwise is not required
by the Securities Act or any similar federal statute then in force) the deletion
of the reference to such Holder in any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement filed or prepared subsequent to the time that such
reference ceases to be required.
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Each
Holder covenants and agrees that it will not sell any Registrable Securities
under the Registration Statement until the Company has electronically filed the
Prospectus as then amended or supplemented as contemplated in Section 3(g) and
notice from the Company that the Registration Statement and any post-effective
amendments thereto have become effective as contemplated by Section
3(c).
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)(ii), 3(c)(iii), 3(c)(iv), 3(c)(v), 3(c)(vi) or 3(n),
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
contemplated by Section 3(j), or until it is advised (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.
(n) If
(i) there is material non-public information regarding the Company which the
Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) determines
not to be in the Company’s best interest to disclose and which the Company is
not otherwise required to disclose, (ii) there is a significant business
opportunity (including, but not limited to, the acquisition or disposition of
assets (other than in the ordinary course of business) or any merger,
consolidation, tender offer or other similar transaction) available to the
Company which the Board determines not to be in the Company’s best interest to
disclose, or (iii) the Company is required to file a post-effective amendment to
the Registration Statement to incorporate the Company’s quarterly and annual
reports and audited financial statements on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, then the
Company may postpone or suspend filing of a registration
statement until such time as the Board determines.
4. Registration
Expenses.
All fees
and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement by
the Company, except as and to the extent specified in this Section 4, shall be
borne by the Company whether or not the Registration Statement is filed or
becomes effective and whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold
pursuant to the 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 the NASDAQ and each other
securities exchange or market on which Registrable Securities are required
hereunder to be listed, if any (B) with respect to filing fees required to be
paid to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. and the FINRA
Regulation, Inc. (including, without limitation, pursuant to NASD Rule 2710) and
(C) in compliance with state securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without
limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Holders in connection with
Blue Sky qualifications of the Registrable Securities and determination of the
eligibility of the Registrable Securities for investment under the laws of such
jurisdictions as the Holders of a majority of Registrable Securities may
designate)), (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of
printing certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if
the printing of prospectuses is requested by the Holders of a majority of the
Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger,
telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) reasonable and itemized 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, including, without
limitation, the Company’s independent public accountants (including the expenses
of any comfort letters or costs associated with the delivery by independent
public accountants of a comfort letter or comfort letters). 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, the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing
of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange if required
hereunder. The Company shall not be responsible for any discounts,
commissions, transfer taxes or other similar fees incurred by the Holders in
connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities.
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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, managers, partners, members, holders, agents, brokers, investment
advisors 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, costs of preparation and attorneys’ fees) and expenses
(collectively, “Losses”), as
incurred, arising out of or relating to any violation of securities laws or
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
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 the light of the
circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent,
but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or omissions are based
solely upon information regarding or provided by such Holder or such other
Indemnified Party furnished in writing to the Company for use
therein. 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 and 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 any untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the 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 (in the case of any
Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, to the extent, but
only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any
information so furnished in writing by such Holder or other Indemnifying Party
to the Company specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or such
Prospectus.
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(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 promptly shall promptly notify the Person from whom
indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”)
in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to 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; or (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 parties 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 or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior
written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending
or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party
and indemnity has been sought hereunder, 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
indemnifiable fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable
fees and expenses 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 ten (10) Business 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
Indemnified Party shall reimburse all such fees and expenses to the extent it is
finally judicially determined that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to
indemnification hereunder).
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(d) Contribution. If a
claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is due but unavailable to
an Indemnified Party because of a failure or refusal of a governmental authority
to enforce such indemnification in accordance with its terms (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 benefits received by the Indemnifying
Party on the one hand and the Indemnified Party on the other. If, but
only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by
applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the
foregoing sentence but also the relative fault, as applicable, 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. In no event shall any
selling Holder be required to contribute an amount under this Section 5(d) in
excess of the gross proceeds received by such Holder upon sale of such Holder’s
Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement giving rise to
such contribution obligation.
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. No
Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
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 pursuant to the law.
6. Rule 144.
As
long as any Holder owns Registrable Securities, the Company covenants to timely
file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable
grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date
hereof pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As
long as any Holder owns Registrable Securities, if the Company is not required
to file reports pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, it will
prepare and furnish to the Holders and make publicly available in accordance
with Rule 144(c) promulgated under the Securities Act annual and quarterly
financial statements, together with a discussion and analysis of such financial
statements in form and substance substantially similar to those that would
otherwise be required to be included in reports required by Section 13(a) or
15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as any other information required thereby, in
the time period that such filings would have been required to have been made
under the Exchange Act. The Company further covenants that it will
take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent
required from time to time to enable such Person to sell the Registrable
Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation
of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act,
including providing any legal opinions relating to such sale pursuant to Rule
144. Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to
such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether
it has complied with such requirements.
10
7. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. In
the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder, of any of their obligations
under this Agreement, such 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 Inconsistent
Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
has, as of the date hereof entered into and currently in effect, nor shall the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement,
enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent
with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts
with the provisions hereof. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has previously entered into any agreement currently in effect
granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any
Person. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, without the
written consent of the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable
Securities, the Company shall not grant to any Person other than a Holder, the
right to request the Company to register any securities of the Company under the
Securities Act unless the rights so granted are subject in all respects to the
prior rights in full of the Holders set forth herein, and are not otherwise in
conflict with the provisions of this Agreement
(c) Shares Held by the Company
and its Affiliates. Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a
specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder,
Registrable Securities held by the Company or its Affiliates (other than any
Holder or transferees or successors or assigns thereof if such Holder is deemed
to be an Affiliate solely by reason of its holdings of such Registrable
Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval
was given by the Holders of such required percentage.
11
(d) Assignment of Registration
Rights. The rights of each Holder hereunder, including the
right to have the Company register for resale Registrable Securities in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, shall be automatically assignable
by each Holder to any Person who acquires all or a portion of the Registrable
Securities if: (i) the Holder agrees in writing with the transferee or assignee
to assign such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company
within a reasonable time after such assignment, (ii) the Company is, within a
reasonable time after such transfer or assignment, furnished with written notice
of (a) the name and address of such transferee or assignee, and (b) the
securities with respect to which such registration rights are being transferred
or assigned, (iii) following such transfer or assignment the further disposition
of such securities by the transferee or assignees is restricted under the
Securities Act and applicable state securities laws unless such securities are
registered in a Registration Statement under this Agreement (in which case the
Company shall be obligated to amend such Registration Statement to reflect such
transfer or assignment) or are otherwise exempt from registration, and (iv) at
or before the time the Company receives the written notice contemplated by
clause (ii) of this Section, the transferee or assignee agrees in writing with
the Company to be bound by all of the provisions of this
Agreement. The rights to assignment shall apply to the Holders (and
to subsequent) successors and assigns.
(e) Amendments and
Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the
provisions of this sentence, 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 the Holders of
seventy-five percent (75%) of the Registrable Securities
outstanding.
(f) Notices. Any
notice, demand, request, waiver or other communication required or permitted to
be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be effective (a) upon hand
delivery, telecopy, e-mail or facsimile at the address or number designated
below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such
notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if
delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such
notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date
of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address,
or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first
occur. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If
to the Company:
|
China
Bio Energy Holding Group
Dongxin
Century Square, 7th Floor
Hi-Tech
Development District
Xi’an
Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China:
Attn: Gao
Xincheng
Tel:
00-00-0000-0000
Fax:
|
12
with
copies to (which shall not constitute notice):
|
Loeb
& Loeb
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Tel:
000-000-0000
Fax:
000-000-0000
|
|
If
to any Holder:
|
At
the address of such Holder set forth on Schedule I to this
Agreement
|
Any party
hereto may from time to time change its address for notices by giving at least
ten (10) days written notice of such changed address to the other party
hereto.
(g) Successors and
Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns and shall
inure to the benefit of each Holder and its successors and
assigns. Neither the Holders, nor the Company may assign this
Agreement or any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior
written consent of the other party.
(h) 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 and shall become effective when
counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other parties
hereto, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same
counterpart. 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.
(i) Governing Law;
Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without
giving effect to any of the conflicts of law principles which would result in
the application of the substantive law of another jurisdiction. This
Agreement shall not be interpreted or construed with any presumption against the
party causing this Agreement to be drafted. The Company and the
Holders agree that venue for any dispute arising under this Agreement will lie
exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New York County, New York,
and the parties irrevocably waive any right to raise forum non conveniens or any
other argument that New York is not the proper venue. The Company and
the Holders irrevocably consent to personal jurisdiction in the state and
federal courts of the state of New York. The Company and the Holders
consent to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by
mailing a copy thereof 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 in this
Section 7(i) shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other
manner permitted by law. The Company and the Holders hereby agree
that the prevailing party in any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement, shall be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable
legal fees from the non-prevailing party. The parties hereby waive
all rights to a trial by jury.
13
(j) Cumulative
Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not
exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(k) Severability. If any
term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held to be
invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable in any respect, 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.
(l) Headings. The
headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this
Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions
hereof.
(m) Independent Nature of
Holders. The Company acknowledges that the obligations of each
Holder under this Agreement are several and not joint with the obligations of
any other Holder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the
performance of the obligations of any other Holder under this
Agreement. The Company acknowledges that nothing contained herein,
and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto (including, but not limited
to, the (i) inclusion of a Holder in the Registration Statement and (ii) review
by, and consent to, such Registration Statement by a Holder) 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. The Company acknowledges
that 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 it has elected to provide all Holders with the same terms for the
convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so
by the Holders. The Company acknowledges that such procedure with
respect to this Agreement in no way creates a presumption that the Holders are
in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby.
[REMAINDER
OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
14
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Registration Rights
Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized persons as of the
date first indicated above.
CHINA BIO ENERGY GROUP HOLDINGS, CO., LTD. | |||
|
By:
|
/s/ Xincheng Gao | |
Name: Xincheng Gao | |||
Title: Chief Executive Officer | |||
[Company
Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
15
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Registration Rights
Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized persons as of the
date first indicated above.
|
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx | |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx | |||
|
|
/s/ Yuan Gong | |
Yuan Gong | |||
[Holder
Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
16
Schedule
I
Holders
Names and Number of
Shares
to be Registered for each of
the Holders
Name
|
Number
of Shares
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
310,320
|
Yuan
Gong
|
206,880
|
Total
|
517,200
|
17
Exhibit
A
Plan of
Distribution
The
selling security holders and any of their pledgees, donees, assignees and
successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares
of common stock being offered under this prospectus on any stock exchange,
market or trading facility on which shares of our common stock are traded or in
private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated
prices. The selling security holders may use any one or more of the
following methods when disposing of shares:
|
·
|
ordinary
brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer
solicits purchasers;
|
|
·
|
block
trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent
but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to
facilitate the transaction;
|
|
·
|
purchases
by a broker-dealer as principal and resales by the broker-dealer for its
account;
|
|
·
|
an
exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable
exchange;
|
|
·
|
privately
negotiated transactions;
|
|
·
|
to
cover short sales made after the date that the registration statement of
which this prospectus is a part is declared effective by the
Commission;
|
|
·
|
broker-dealers
may agree with the selling security holders to sell a specified number of
such shares at a stipulated price per
share;
|
|
·
|
a
combination of any of these methods of sale;
and
|
|
·
|
any
other method permitted pursuant to applicable
law.
|
The
shares may also be sold under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (“Securities Act”), if available, rather than under this
prospectus. The selling security holders have the sole and absolute
discretion not to accept any purchase offer or make any sale of shares if they
deem the purchase price to be unsatisfactory at any particular
time.
The
selling security holders may pledge their shares to their brokers under the
margin provisions of customer agreements. If a selling security
holder defaults on a margin loan, the broker may, from time to time, offer and
sell the pledged shares.
Broker-dealers
engaged by the selling security holders may arrange for other broker-dealers to
participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from
the selling security holders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the
purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, which
commissions as to a particular broker or dealer may be in excess of customary
commissions to the extent permitted by applicable law.
If sales
of shares offered under this prospectus are made to broker-dealers as
principals, we would be required to file a post-effective amendment to the
registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. In the
post-effective amendment, we would be required to disclose the names of any
participating broker-dealers and the compensation arrangements relating to such
sales.
18
The
selling security holders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in
selling the shares offered under this prospectus may be deemed to be
“underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with these
sales. Commissions received by these broker-dealers or agents and any
profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be
underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Any
broker-dealers or agents that are deemed to be underwriters may not sell shares
offered under this prospectus unless and until we set forth the names of the
underwriters and the material details of their underwriting arrangements in a
supplement to this prospectus or, if required, in a replacement prospectus
included in a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which
this prospectus is a part.
The
selling security holders and any other persons participating in the sale or
distribution of the shares offered under this prospectus will be subject to
applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations under
that act, including Regulation M. These provisions may restrict
activities of, and limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares
by, the selling security holders or any other person. Furthermore,
under Regulation M, persons engaged in a distribution of securities are
prohibited from simultaneously engaging in market making and other activities
with respect to those securities for a specified period of time prior to the
commencement of such distributions, subject to specified exceptions or
exemptions. All of these limitations may affect the marketability of
the shares.
If any of
the shares of common stock offered for sale pursuant to this prospectus are
transferred other than pursuant to a sale under this prospectus, then subsequent
holders could not use this prospectus until a post-effective amendment or
prospectus supplement is filed, naming such holders. We offer no
assurance as to whether any of the selling security holders will sell all or any
portion of the shares offered under this prospectus.
We have
agreed to pay all fees and expenses we incur incident to the registration of the
shares being offered under this prospectus. However, each selling
security holder and purchaser is responsible for paying any discounts,
commissions and similar selling expenses they incur.
We and
the selling security holders have agreed to indemnify one another against
certain losses, damages and liabilities arising in connection with this
prospectus, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
19
EXHIBIT
B
FORM
OF NOTICE OF EFFECTIVENESS
OF
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
[Stock
Transfer Agent]
[Address]
Telephone:
Facsimile: [ ]
Attn: [ ]
Re: CHINA
BIO ENERGY GROUP HOLDINGS, LTD.
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
We are
counsel to CHINA BIO ENERGY HOLDINGS GROUP, LTD., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”). The Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement,
dated August __, 2009 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), with the holders
set forth on Schedule
I hereto (the “Holders”), pursuant to which the Company agreed, among
other things, to register the Registrable Securities (as defined in the
Registration Rights Agreement), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “1933 Act”). In connection with the Company’s obligations under
the Registration Rights Agreement, on [ENTER DATE OF FILING], the
Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-________) (the
“Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“SEC”) relating to the resale of the Registrable Securities which names each of
the Holders as a selling holder thereunder.
In
connection with the foregoing, we advise you that the SEC entered an order
declaring the Registration Statement effective under the 1933 Act at [ENTER TIME OF EFFECTIVENESS]
on [ENTER DATE OF
EFFECTIVENESS] and we have no knowledge that any stop order suspending
its effectiveness has been issued or that any proceedings for that purpose are
pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and accordingly, the Registrable
Securities are available for resale under the 1933 Act pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
Very truly yours, | |||
LOEB & LOEB LLP | |||
|
By:
|
||
cc: [LIST
NAMES OF HOLDERS]
20