EXHIBIT 20.1.2
EXCHANGE NOTES REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
EXCHANGE NOTES REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated
as of March 29, 2001, by and among Imperial Credit Industries, Inc., a
California corporation (the "Company"), and each of the undersigned Investors
(hereinafter referred to individually as an "Investor" and collectively as the
"Investors").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Company and each of the Investors have entered into a
Master Recapitalization Agreement, dated as of March 29, 2001 (the
"Recapitalization Agreement"), providing for the purchase by the Investors of
the Company's Senior Secured Notes due 2002 (the "Senior Secured Notes");
WHEREAS, the Senior Secured Notes are, in the event of the
satisfaction of certain conditions, to be exchanged for Senior Secured Notes due
2005 (the "Exchange Notes") with an election to exchange such Exchange Notes for
12% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2005 (the "Convertible Subordinated
Debt");
WHEREAS, to induce the Investors to execute and deliver the
Recapitalization Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain
registration rights under the Securities Act (this, and other capitalized terms
used herein and not otherwise defined herein are defined in Section 1 hereof)
and under applicable state securities laws;
WHEREAS, in addition to the rights provided by this Agreement, the
Investors have been afforded other registration rights pursuant to the terms of
the Recapitalization Agreement and the instruments contemplated thereby
including, in specific, registration rights in respect of the Convertible
Subordinated Debt and, accordingly, it is understood that the rights under this
Agreement are not exclusive.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the
Investors hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
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As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(a) "Investor" means a purchaser of the Senior Secured Notes and any
transferee or assignee thereof to whom an Investor assigns its rights under this
Agreement as permitted by the terms hereof and who agrees to become bound by the
provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9.
(b) "Person" means a corporation, a limited liability company, an
association, a partnership, an organization, a business, an individual, an
entity, a governmental or political subdivision or a governmental agency.
(c) "Register," "registered," and "registration" refer to a
registration effected by preparing and filing one or more Registration
Statements in compliance with the Securities Act and pursuant to Rule 415 under
the Securities Act or any successor rule providing for offering securities on a
continuous basis ("Rule 415"), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness
of such Registration Statement(s) by the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC").
(d) "Registrable Securities" means (i) the $18.2 million in Exchange
Notes issuable to the Investors pursuant to the Recapitalization Agreement and
(ii) the $5 million in additional Exchange Notes which the Company may be
obligated to issue to the Investors pursuant to Section 2.4 of the
Recapitalization Agreement.
(e) "Registration Statement" means a registration statement of the
Company filed under the Securities Act.
2. REGISTRATION.
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(a) Mandatory Registration. The Company shall prepare, and, on or
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prior to 60 days after the initial issuance date of the Senior Secured Notes
(the "Closing Date"), file with the SEC a Registration Statement or Registration
Statements on Form S-3 (or, if such form is not available for such a
registration, on such other form as is available for such a registration, at the
request of any Investor) covering the resale of all of the Registrable
Securities. The Company shall use its best efforts to have the Registration
Statement declared effective by the SEC within 120 days after the Closing Date.
(b) Counsel and Investment Bankers. Subject to Section 5 hereof, in
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connection with any offering pursuant to this Section 2, the Investors shall
have the right to select legal counsel and an investment banker or bankers and
manager or managers to administer their interest in the offering, which
investment banker or bankers or manager or managers shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Company. The Company shall reasonably cooperate with any
such counsel and investment bankers.
(c) Eligibility for Form S-3. The Company has filed and shall use its
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best efforts to file all reports required to be filed by the Company with the
SEC in a timely manner. In the event that Form S-3 is not available for sale by
the Investors of the Registrable Securities, then (i) the Company, at the
request of any Investor, shall register the sale of the Registrable Securities
on another appropriate form and (ii) the Company shall undertake to register the
Registrable Securities on Form S-3 as soon as such form is available, provided
that the Company shall maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
then in effect until such time as a Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering
the Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the SEC.
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3. RELATED OBLIGATIONS.
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At such time as the Company is obligated to file a Registration
Statement with the SEC pursuant to Section 2(a), the Company will use its best
efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance
with the intended method of disposition thereof and, pursuant thereto, the
Company shall have the following obligations:
(a) The Company shall promptly prepare and file with the SEC a
Registration Statement with respect to the Registrable Securities (on or prior
to the 60/th/ day after the Closing Date and solely (unless otherwise consented
to in writing by the Investors) for the registration of Registrable Securities
pursuant to Section 2(a)) and use its best efforts to cause such Registration
Statement(s) relating to Registrable Securities to become effective as soon as
possible after such filing and keep the Registration Statement(s) effective
pursuant to Rule 415 at all times until the earlier of (i) six months after the
date as of which the Investors may sell all of the Registrable Securities
without restriction pursuant to Rule 144(k) promulgated under the Securities Act
(or successor thereto) or (ii) the date on which the Investors shall have sold
all the Registrable Securities (the "Registration Period"), which Registration
Statement(s) (including any amendments or supplements thereto and prospectuses
contained therein) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were
made, not misleading. In the event that the Registration Statement is not
declared effective by the SEC before November 1, 2001, from and after November
1, 2001, the Senior Secured Notes shall bear interest at 20% per annum, as is
provided in the Senior Secured Notes.
(b) The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments
(including post-effective amendments) and supplements to the Registration
Statement(s) and the prospectus(es) used in connection with the Registration
Statement(s), which prospectus(es) are to be filed pursuant to Rule 424
promulgated under the Securities Act, as may be necessary to keep the
Registration Statement(s) effective at all times during the Registration Period,
and, during such period, comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with
respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company covered
by the Registration Statement(s) until such time as all of such Registrable
Securities shall have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods
of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set forth in the Registration
Statement(s).
(c) The Company shall furnish to each Investor whose Registrable
Securities are included in the Registration Statement(s) and its legal counsel
without charge (i) promptly after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC,
at least one copy of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto,
including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein
by reference and all exhibits, the prospectus(es) included in such Registration
Statement(s) (including each preliminary prospectus) and, with regard to the
Registration Statement, any correspondence by or on behalf of the Company to the
SEC or the staff of the SEC and any correspondence from the SEC or the staff of
the SEC to the Company or its representatives, (ii) upon the effectiveness of
any Registration Statement, ten copies of the prospectus included in such
Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto
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(or such other number of copies as such Investor may reasonably request) and
(iii) such other documents, including any preliminary prospectus, as such
Investor may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the
Registrable Securities owned by such Investor. The Company will promptly respond
to any and all comments received from the SEC, with a view toward causing any
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto to be declared effective by the
SEC as soon as practicable and shall, subject to Section 3(h), promptly file an
acceleration request as soon as practicable following the resolution or
clearance of all SEC comments or, if applicable, following notification by the
SEC that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto will not be subject
to review.
(d) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) register and qualify
the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement(s) under such
other securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions in the United States
as any Investor reasonably requests, (ii) prepare and file in those
jurisdictions, such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and
supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to
maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take
such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and
qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv)
take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the
Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that
the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition
thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not
otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (y) subject itself
to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to
service of process in any such jurisdiction. The Company shall promptly notify
each Investor who holds Registrable Securities of the receipt by the Company of
any notification with respect to the suspension of the registration or
qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale under the securities
or "blue sky" laws of any jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of
actual notice of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such
purpose.
(e) In the event Investors who hold a majority of the Registrable
Securities being offered in the offering select underwriters for the offering
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, the Company shall, subject to Section
2(b) hereof, 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 underwriters of such
offering.
(f) As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event, the
Company shall notify each Investor in writing of the happening of any event as a
result of which the prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as then in
effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, and promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to the Registration
Statement to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver ten copies
of such supplement or amendment to each Investor (or such other number of copies
as such Investor may reasonably request). The Company shall also promptly
notify each Investor in writing (i) when a prospectus or any prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and when a
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Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment has become effective
(notification of such effectiveness shall be delivered to each Investor by
facsimile on the same day of such effectiveness and by overnight mail), (ii) of
any request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement
or related prospectus or related information, and (iii) of the Company's
reasonable determination that a post-effective amendment to a Registration
Statement would be appropriate.
(g) The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of a Registration Statement,
or the suspension of the qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for
sale in any jurisdiction and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to
obtain the withdrawal of such order or suspension at the earliest possible
moment and to notify each Investor who holds Registrable Securities being sold
(and, in the event of an underwritten offering, the managing underwriters) of
the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof or its receipt of actual
notice of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
(h) The Company shall permit each Investor and a single firm of
counsel, initially Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx, P.A. or such other counsel as
may thereafter be designated as counsel by the Investors who hold a majority of
the Registrable Securities being sold, to review and comment upon the
Registration Statement(s) and all amendments and supplements thereto at least
four business days prior to their filing with the SEC, and not file any document
in a form to which such counsel reasonably objects. The Company shall not submit
a request for acceleration of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement(s)
or any amendment or supplement thereto without the prior approval of such
counsel, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(i) At the request of the Investors who hold a majority of the
Registrable Securities being sold, the Company shall furnish, on the date that
Registrable Securities are delivered to an underwriter, if any, for sale in
connection with the Registration Statement (i) if required by an underwriter, a
letter, dated such date, 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, and (ii) an opinion, dated as of such date, of
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.
(j) The Company shall make available for inspection by (i) any
Investor, (ii) any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to a
Registration Statement, (iii) one firm of attorneys and one firm of accountants
retained by the Investors, and (iv) one firm of attorneys retained by all such
underwriters (collectively, the "Inspectors") all such pertinent financial and
other records, and pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company
(collectively, the "Records"), as shall be reasonably deemed necessary by each
Inspector to enable each Inspector to exercise its due diligence responsibility,
and cause the Company's officers, directors and employees to supply all
information which any Inspector may reasonably request for purposes of such due
diligence; provided, however, that each Inspector shall agree to,
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and shall, hold in strict confidence and shall not make any disclosure (except
to an Investor) or use of any Record or other information which the Company
determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination the
Inspectors are so notified, unless (a) the disclosure of such Records is
necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration
Statement or is otherwise required under the Securities Act, (b) the release of
such Records is ordered pursuant to a final, non-appealable subpoena or order
from a court or government body of competent jurisdiction, or (c) the
information in such Records has been made generally available to the public
other than by disclosure in violation of this or any other agreement. Each
Investor agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such Records is
sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction or
through other means, give prompt notice to the Company and allow the Company, at
its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to
obtain a protective order for, the Records deemed confidential. Nothing herein
(or in any other confidentiality agreement between the Company and any Investor)
shall be deemed to limit the Investors' ability to sell Registrable Securities
in a manner which is otherwise consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
(k) The Company shall hold in confidence and not make any disclosure
of information concerning an Investor provided to the Company unless (i)
disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state
securities laws, (ii) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid
or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement, (iii) the
release of such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other final,
non- appealable order from a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction, or (iv) such information has been made generally available to the
public other than by disclosure in violation of this or any other agreement. The
Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such information
concerning an Investor is sought in or by a court or governmental body of
competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt written notice to
such Investor and allow such Investor, at the Investor's expense, to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order
for, such information.
(l) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause all the
Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be listed on each
securities exchange on which securities of the same class or series issued by
the Company are then listed, if any, if the listing of such Registrable
Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange. The Company shall
pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligation under
this Section 3(l).
(m) The Company shall cooperate with the Investors who hold
Registrable Securities being offered and, to the extent applicable, any managing
underwriter or underwriters, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery
of certificates (not bearing any restrictive legend) representing the
Registrable Securities to be offered pursuant to a Registration Statement and
enable such certificates to be in such denominations or amounts, as the case may
be, as the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, or, if there is no
managing underwriter or underwriters, the Investors may reasonably request and
registered in such names as the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, or
the Investors may request. Not later than the date on which any Registration
Statement registering the resale of Registrable Securities is declared
effective, the Company shall deliver to the Exchange Notes Indenture Trustee
instructions,
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accompanied by any reasonably required opinion of counsel, that permit sales of
unlegended securities in a timely fashion that complies with then mandated
applicable securities settlement procedures.
(n) The Company shall provide a CUSIP number for the Registrable
Securities not later than the effective date of such Registration Statement.
(o) If requested by the managing underwriters or an Investor, the
Company shall immediately incorporate in a prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment such information as the managing underwriters and the
Investors agree should be included therein relating to the sale and distribution
of Registrable Securities, including, without limitation, information with
respect to the number of Registrable Securities being sold to such underwriters,
the purchase price being paid therefor by such underwriters and with respect to
any other terms of the underwritten (or best efforts underwritten) offering of
the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering; make all required
filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as
notified of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment; and supplement or make amendments to any Registration
Statement if requested by a shareholder or any underwriter of such Registrable
Securities.
(p) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registrable
Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement to be registered
with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be
necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
(q) The Company shall otherwise use its best efforts to comply with
all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC in connection with any
registration hereunder.
4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTORS.
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(a) At least seven days prior to the first anticipated filing date of
the Registration Statement, the Company shall notify each Investor or its
counsel in writing of the information the Company requires from each such
Investor if such Investor elects to have any of such Investor's Registrable
Securities included in the Registration Statement. It shall be a condition
precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the registration
pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registrable Securities of a
particular Investor that such Investor shall furnish to the Company such
information as may be requested in writing by the Company 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.
(b) Each Investor by such Investor's 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 the Registration
Statement(s) hereunder, unless such Investor has notified the Company in writing
of such Investor's election to exclude all of such Investor's Registrable
Securities from the Registration Statement.
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(c) Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the
Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(g) or
the first sentence of 3(f), such Investor will immediately discontinue
disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement(s)
covering such Registrable Securities until such Investor's receipt of the copies
of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(g) or the
first sentence of 3(f) and, if so directed by the Company, such Investor shall
deliver to the Company (at the expense of the Company) or destroy all copies in
such Investor's possession, of the prospectus covering such Registrable
Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
(d) No Investor may participate in any underwritten registration
hereunder unless such Investor (i) agrees to sell such Investor's Registrable
Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by
the Investors entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes
and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting
agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such
underwriting arrangements.
5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
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All reasonable expenses, including underwriting discounts and
commissions, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or
qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all
registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees, and
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and fees and disbursements of
one counsel for the Investors, shall be paid by the Company. In addition, the
Company shall pay all of the Investors' reasonable costs (including legal fees)
incurred in connection with the successful enforcement of the Investors' rights
hereunder.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
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In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a Registration
Statement under this Agreement:
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will, and
hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend each Investor who holds such
Registrable Securities, the directors, officers, partners, employees, agents and
each Person, if any, who controls any Investor within the meaning of the
Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934
Act"), and any underwriter (as defined in the Securities Act) for the Investors,
and the directors and officers of, and each Person, if any, who controls, any
such underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the 1934 Act (each,
an "Indemnified Person"), against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities,
judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs, attorneys' fees, amounts paid in
settlement or expenses, joint or several (collectively, "Claims"), incurred in
investigating, preparing for the defense of or defending any action, claim,
suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the foregoing by
or before any court or governmental, administrative or other regulatory agency,
body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened, to which an indemnified party is
or may be a party ("Indemnified Damages"), to which any of them may become
subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or
threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any
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untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in a
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in any filing
made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities
or other "blue sky" laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are
offered, or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
(ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any preliminary prospectus if used prior to the effective date of
such Registration Statement, or contained in the final prospectus (as amended or
supplemented, if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto
with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material
fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the
circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading, or
(iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act,
the 1934 Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any state securities
law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the
Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement (the matters in the
foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) being, collectively, "Violations"). Subject
to the restrictions set forth in Section 6(d) with respect to the number of
legal counsel, the Company shall reimburse the Investors and each such
underwriter or controlling person, promptly as such expenses are incurred and
are due and payable, for any legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by
them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification
agreement contained in this Section 6(a) and the agreement with respect to
contribution contained in Section 7: (i) shall not apply to a Claim arising out
of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Indemnified Person
or underwriter for such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with
the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company
pursuant to Section 3(c); (ii) with respect to any preliminary prospectus, shall
not inure to the benefit of any such person from whom the person asserting any
such Claim purchased the Registrable Securities that are the subject thereof (or
to the benefit of any person controlling such person) if the untrue statement or
omission of material fact contained in the preliminary prospectus was corrected
in the prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, if such prospectus was
timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c), and the
Indemnified Person was promptly advised in writing not to use the incorrect
prospectus prior to the use giving rise to a Violation and such Indemnified
Person, notwithstanding such advice, used it; and (iii) shall not apply to
amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without
the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person
and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investors
pursuant to Section 9.
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement in which an Investor
is participating, each such Investor agrees to severally and not jointly
indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the same manner
as is set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors, each of its
officers who signs the Registration Statement, each Person, if any, who controls
the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the 1934 Act
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(collectively and together with an Indemnified Person, an "Indemnified Party"),
against any Claim or Indemnified Damages to which any of them may become
subject, under the Securities Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, insofar as such
Claim or Indemnified Damages arise out of or are based upon any Violation, in
each case to the extent, and only to the extent, that such Violation occurs in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such Investor expressly for use in connection with such Registration
Statement; and, subject to Section 6(d), such Investor will reimburse any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating
or defending any such Claim; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement
contained in this Section 6(b) and the agreement with respect to contribution
contained in Section 7 shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any
Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of such
Investor, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, further,
however, that the Investor shall be liable under this Section 6(b) for only that
amount of a Claim or Indemnified Damages as does not exceed the net proceeds to
such Investor as a result of the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such
Registration Statement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party
and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investors
pursuant to Section 9. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(b) with
respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any
Indemnified Party if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained
in the preliminary prospectus was corrected on a timely basis in the prospectus,
as then amended or supplemented.
(c) The Company shall be entitled to receive indemnities from
underwriters, selling brokers, dealer managers and similar securities industry
professionals participating in any distribution, to the same extent as provided
above, with respect to information such persons so furnished in writing
expressly for inclusion in the Registration Statement.
(d) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action or
proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving a Claim,
such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall, if a Claim in respect
thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 6,
deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof,
and the indemnifying party shall have the right (at its expense) to participate
in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof
with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified
Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may be; provided, however, that
such indemnifying party shall diligently pursue such defense and that an
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own
counsel with the fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying party, if, in
the reasonable opinion of counsel retained by the Indemnified Person or
Indemnified Party, as the case may be, the representation by such counsel of the
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party would be
inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such
counsel in such proceeding. The Company shall pay reasonable fees for only one
separate legal counsel for the Investors, and such legal counsel shall be
selected by the Investors holding a majority in interest of the
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Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement to which the Claim
relates. The Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person shall cooperate fully with
the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such
action or claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying
party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party or
Indemnified Person which relates to such action or claim. The indemnifying party
shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person fully apprised at all
times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with
respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any
action, claim or proceeding effected without its written consent, provided,
however, that the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or
condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person, consent to entry of any judgment or
enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an
unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person of a release from all liability in
respect to such claim or litigation. Following indemnification as provided for
hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person with respect to all third parties, firms
or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made.
The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a
reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such
indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is
prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
(e) The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by
periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation
or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified Damages are incurred.
(f) The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to
(i) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified
Person against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the
indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
7. CONTRIBUTION.
-------------
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is
prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum
contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable
under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that:
(i) no contribution shall be made under circumstances where the maker would not
have been liable for indemnification under the fault standards set forth in
Section 6; (ii) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any seller of Registrable Securities who
was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation; and (iii) contribution by any
seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of
proceeds received by such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities.
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8. REPORTS UNDER THE 1934 ACT.
---------------------------
With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule
144 promulgated under the Securities Act or any other similar rule or regulation
of the SEC that may at any time permit the Investors to sell securities of the
Company to the public without registration ("Rule 144"), the Company agrees to:
(a) make and keep public information available, as those terms are
understood and defined in Rule 144;
(b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the 1934 Act so
long as the Company remains subject to such requirements (it being understood
that nothing herein shall limit the Company's obligations under Section 5.8 of
the Master Recapitalization Agreement) and the filing of such reports and other
documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and
(c) furnish to each Investor so long as such Investor owns Registrable
Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the Company that
it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, the Securities Act
and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of
the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company, and
(iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to permit the
Investors to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration.
9. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
----------------------------------
The rights to have the Company register Registrable Securities
pursuant to this Agreement shall be assignable by the Investors to any Person (a
"Transferee") of all or any portion of Registrable Securities if: (i) the
Investor agrees in writing with the Transferee 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, and (b) the securities with respect to which such
registration rights are being transferred or assigned; (iii) immediately
following such transfer or assignment the further disposition of such securities
by the Transferee is restricted under the Securities Act and applicable state
securities laws; (iv) at or before the time the Company receives the written
notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this sentence the Transferee agrees in
writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions contained herein;
(v) such transfer shall have been made in accordance with the applicable
requirements of the Master Recapitalization Agreement; (vi) such Transferee
shall be an "accredited investor" as that term is defined in Rule 501 of
Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act; and (vii) in the event the
assignment occurs subsequent to the date of effectiveness of the Registration
Statement required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the Transferee agrees
to pay all reasonable expenses of amending or supplementing such Registration
Statement to reflect such assignment.
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10. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
---------------------------------
Provisions of this Agreement may be amended and the observance
thereof may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either
retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company
and Investors who hold a majority of the Registrable Securities. Any amendment
or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding upon each
Investor and the Company.
11. MISCELLANEOUS.
--------------
(a) A person or entity is deemed to be a holder of Registrable
Securities whenever such person or entity owns of record such Registrable
Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or
elections from two or more persons or entities with respect to the same
Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions,
notice or election received from the registered owner of such Registrable
Securities.
(b) Any notices consents, waivers or other communications required
or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing
and will be deemed to have been delivered (i) upon receipt, when delivered
personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile, provided a copy is mailed
by U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested; (iii) three days after being
sent by U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested; or (iv) one day after
deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case
properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile
numbers for such communications shall be:
if to the Company: Imperial Credit Industries, Inc.
00000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx 0, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
if to an Investor: to its address and facsimile number on the Schedule of
Investors attached hereto, with copies to such Investor's counsel as set forth
on the Schedule of Investors.
Each party shall provide five days prior notice to the other party of any
change in address, phone number or facsimile number.
(c) Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this
Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy,
shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
(d) This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in
accordance with the laws of the State of California without regard to the
principles of conflict of laws. If any provision of this Agreement shall be
invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or
unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the
remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or
enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
13
(e) This Agreement, the Senior Secured Notes and the Recapitalization
Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits thereto) constitute the entire
agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and
thereof. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other
than those set forth or referred to herein and therein. The aforementioned
documents supersede all prior agreements and understandings among the parties
hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
(f) Subject to the requirements of Section 9, this Agreement shall
inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the permitted successors and assigns
of each of the parties hereto.
(g) The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference
only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(h) This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall
constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party,
may be delivered to the other party hereto by facsimile transmission of a copy
of this Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this
Agreement provided that an original is promptly delivered thereafter to the
other party.
(i) Any legal action, suit or proceeding brought against the Company
with respect to this Agreement may be brought in any federal court of the
Central District of California or any state court located in the State of
California, and by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company hereby
irrevocably and unconditionally waives any claim (by way of motion, as a defense
or otherwise) of improper venue, that it is not subject personally to the
jurisdiction of such court, that such courts are an inconvenient forum or that
this Agreement or the subject matter may not be enforced in or by such court.
The Company hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consents to the service of
process of any of the aforementioned courts in any such action, suit or
proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail,
postage prepaid, at its address set forth or provided for in Section 11, such
service to become effective 10 days after such mailing. Nothing herein contained
shall be deemed to affect the right of any party to serve process in any manner
permitted by law or commence legal proceedings or otherwise proceed against any
other party in any other jurisdiction to enforce judgments obtained in any
action, suit or proceeding brought pursuant to this Section. The Company
irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the aforementioned courts
in such action, suit or proceeding. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES TRIAL
BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING, WHETHER AT LAW OR EQUITY, BROUGHT BY
IT OR AN INVESTOR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
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(j) Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and
performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all
such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other
party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the
purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the date first above written.
IMPERIAL CREDIT INDUSTRIES, INC.
By: /s/ H. Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
-----------------------
Name: H. Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
INVESTOR:
By:_____________________________
Name:
Title:
INVESTOR:
By:_____________________________
Name:
Title:
INVESTOR:
By:_____________________________
Name:
Title:
INVESTOR:
By:_____________________________
Name:
Title:
SCHEDULE OF INVESTORS
Investor Address and Investor's Legal Counsel
Investor Name Facsimile Number and Counsel's Address
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