Nikola Corporation 133,333,334 Shares of Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
Execution Version
Nikola Corporation
133,333,334 Shares of Common Stock
December 7, 2023
BTIG, LLC
As Representative of the several Underwriters
c/o BTIG, LLC
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx,
New York, NY 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1. INTRODUCTORY. Nikola Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to sell, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, to the several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters,” or, each, an “Underwriter”), 133,333,334 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”) of the Company (the “Securities”). BTIG, LLC is acting as representative of the several Underwriters and in such capacity is herein referred to as the “Representative.” The transactions contemplated hereby are collectively referred to herein as the “Transactions.”
2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company represents and warrants to the several Underwriters, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as defined below), and agrees with the several Underwriters, that:
(a) The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-264068), including a prospectus, relating to the securities registered thereunder (the “Shelf Securities”), including the Securities, to be issued from time to time by the Company. The registration statement as of its most recent effective date, including the information (if any) (but excluding Form T-1) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act,” and such rules and regulations thereunder being referred to as the “Rules and Regulations”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”, and the related prospectus covering the Shelf Securities and filed as part of the Registration Statement is hereinafter referred to as the “Base Prospectus,” and the Base Prospectus, together with any amendments or supplements thereto before the time of execution of this Agreement relating to the Securities (including any preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Securities), is hereinafter referred to as a “Preliminary Prospectus”. “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus together with the final prospectus supplement, relating to the Securities, to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act on or before the second business day after the date hereof, in the form furnished by the Company
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to the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement”, “Base Prospectus”, “Preliminary Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof. The terms “supplement”, “amendment” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated by reference therein. The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect.
(b) As of the Time of Sale (as defined below) and as of the Closing Date (as defined below), neither (i) the General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Time of Sale, the Pricing Prospectus (as defined below) and the information included on Schedule B hereto, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), (ii) any individual Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below), nor (iii) any “bona fide electronic road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) of the Rules and Regulations), when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included or will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Prospectus, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information the parties hereto agree is limited to the Underwriters’ Information (as defined in Section 17). As used in this paragraph (b) and elsewhere in this Agreement:
“Pricing Prospectus” means the Preliminary Prospectus, as amended and supplemented with respect to the Securities as of immediately prior to the Time of Sale, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations relating to the Securities in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) of the Rules and Regulations.
“General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, that is identified on Schedule C to this Agreement.
“Limited Use Free Writing Prospectuses” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
“Time of Sale” means 5:45 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement or such other time as agreed to in writing by the Company and the Representative.
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(c) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Securities has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act has been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, and did not 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; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from any Preliminary Prospectus, an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or a Prospectus, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information the parties hereto agree is limited to the Underwriters’ Information.
(d) At the respective times the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto became or become effective, at the date of this Agreement and at the Closing Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Rules and Regulations and did not and 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 not misleading; and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto was or will be filed with the Commission and at the Closing Date, conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the foregoing representations and warranties in this paragraph (d) shall not apply to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company through any Underwriter by or on behalf of the Representative specifically for inclusion therein, which information the parties hereto agree is limited to the Underwriters’ Information.
(e) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representative as described in Section 4(e), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof, or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and none of such documents when filed contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when such documents are
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filed with Commission will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(g) The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the Securities Act, and consistent with Section 4(b) below. The Company will file with the Commission all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses (other than a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) of the Rules and Regulations) in the time and manner required under Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations.
(h) The Company has not prepared or used, and will not prepare or use, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise, except as permitted pursuant to Rule 164(e)(2).
(i) The Company is subject to, and is in compliance in all material respects with, the reporting requirements of Section 13 and Section 15(d), as applicable, of the Exchange Act. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is listed on the Exchange (as defined below), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or reasonably likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.
(j) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. The Securities to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of any preemptive or similar rights and will conform to the description thereof contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(k) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 15) have been duly organized and are validly existing as corporations or other legal entities in good standing (or the foreign equivalent thereof) under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing as foreign corporations or other legal entities in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification and have all power and authority (corporate or other) necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to so qualify or have such power or authority would not (i) have, singularly or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, assets, business or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (ii) impair in any material respect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate any of the Transactions (any such effect as described in clauses (i) or (ii), a “Material Adverse Effect”).
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(l) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws, and conform to the description thereof contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All of the Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or exchange any securities for shares of the Company’s capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws. There are no authorized or outstanding shares of capital stock, options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than those described above or accurately described in the General Disclosure Package. The description of the Company’s stock option plans and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, accurately and fairly present the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.
(m) All of the outstanding shares of capital stock (if any) of each Subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and, except to the extent set forth in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are owned by the Company directly or indirectly through one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries, free and clear of any claim, lien, encumbrance, security interest, restriction upon voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.
(n) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, including the issue and sale of the Securities by the Company and the consummation of the Transactions does not and will not (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) contravene any provision of (i) applicable law, (ii) the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company, (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary, except that in the case of clauses (i), (iii) and (iv), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, including the issue and sale of the Securities by the Company and the consummation of the Transactions, and except for the registration of offer and sale of the Securities under the Securities Act and applicable state or foreign securities laws and the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”), no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states, the FINRA or Exchange in connection with the issue and sale of the Securities by the Company and the consummation of the Transactions. All approvals necessary for the Company to consummate the Transactions have been obtained and are in effect.
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(o) The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and any Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the dates shown and its results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except for any normal year-end adjustments in the Company’s quarterly financial statements. The pro forma financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the historical financial statement amounts in the pro forma financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The pro forma financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act, and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements. The other financial information included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, or Romeo Power, Inc., and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby.
(p) Ernst & Young LLP, who has audited certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and delivered its report with respect to certain audited consolidated financial statements and schedules filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”).
(q) The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(r) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than (a) proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Prospectus and (b) proceedings that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described in all material respects; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents to which the Company is subject or by which the Company is bound that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described in all material respects or filed as required.
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(s) Except where the failure would not result in a material adverse effect on the Company, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations, licenses and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization, license or permit which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(t) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities or the concurrent offering described in the General Disclosure Package and the application of the proceeds thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, in each case as described in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(u) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
(v) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries own or have a valid license to all patents, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names and other intellectual property, including any and all registrations, applications for registration, and goodwill associated with any of the foregoing (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) currently employed by them in connection with the business as now operated, or as proposed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, to be operated, by them, except where the failure to own, possess, license, have the right to use any of the foregoing would not reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (ii) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Intellectual Property Rights exclusively licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case, which are material to the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted are valid, subsisting and enforceable, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any such Intellectual Property Rights; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any infringement, misappropriation or other violation of Intellectual Property Rights which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (iv) all Intellectual Property Rights owned or purported to be owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries is owned solely by the Company or its Subsidiaries and is owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, defects and other restrictions; (v) to the Company’s knowledge, no third party is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company, except to the extent that the infringement, misappropriation or violation, would not,
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individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (vi) to the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights of a third party; (vii) all employees or contractors engaged in the development of Intellectual Property Rights on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company have executed an invention assignment agreement whereby such employees or contractors presently assign all of their right, title and interest in and to such Intellectual Property Rights to the Company or the applicable Subsidiary, and to the Company’s knowledge no such agreement has been breached or violated; and (viii) the Company and its Subsidiaries use, and have used, commercially reasonable efforts to appropriately maintain all information intended to be maintained as a trade secret.
(w) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, respectively.
(x) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(y) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(z) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
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(aa) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole) and have paid all taxes required to be paid (except for cases in which the failure to pay would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, except as are currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which, individually or in the aggregate, has had (nor does the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its Subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(bb) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as in the Company’s reasonable judgment are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(cc) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement is accurate, in each case in all material respects. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(dd) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, the Company maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that
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such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company has carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act, and except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, such disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal quarter.
(ee) None of the proceeds of the sale of the Securities will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Securities to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
(ff) Except as otherwise have been validly waived or complied with in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby and as described in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(gg) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short term debt or long term debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(hh) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or implementing the provisions thereof (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) that are in effect.
(ii) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates, or any director or officer thereof, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any government official (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) (“Government Official”) in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (ii) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries and affiliates
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have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.
(jj) The statistical and market related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate, and such data are consistent with the sources from which they are derived.
(kk) The operations of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and each of its Subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(ll) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently (a) subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”) or (b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, or so-called Luhansk People’s Republic or any other Covered Region of Ukraine identified pursuant to Executive Order 14065, and the Crimea region of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria). The Company represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person (a) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or (b) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any person (including any person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). The Company represents and covenants that, except as detailed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, for the past five years, it has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not knowingly engage in, any dealings or transactions with any person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or
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otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC. For purposes of this section, no person shall be an affiliate of the Company solely by reason of owning less than a majority of any class of voting securities of the Company.
(mm) (i) The Company and its Subsidiaries use and have used any and all software and other materials distributed under a “free,” “open source,” or similar licensing model (including but not limited to the MIT License, Apache License, GNU General Public License, GNU Lesser General Public License and GNU Affero General Public License) (“Open Source Software”) in compliance with all material license terms applicable to such Open Source Software; and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries uses or distributes or has used or distributed any Open Source Software in any manner that requires or has required (A) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to permit reverse engineering of any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to be (1) disclosed or distributed in source code form, (2) licensed for the purpose of making derivative works or (3) redistributed at no charge.
(nn) Except as would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (i) the Company and each of its subsidiaries have complied and are presently in compliance with all internal and external privacy policies, contractual obligations, applicable laws, statutes, judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority and any other legal obligations, in each case, relating to the collection, use, transfer, import, export, storage, protection, disposal and disclosure by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of personal, personally identifiable, household, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Data Security Obligations”, and such data, “Data”); (ii) the Company has not received any notification of or complaint regarding non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation; and (iii) of there is no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened alleging non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation.
(oo) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, the “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the IT Systems and Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ businesses. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and its Subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish and maintain, and have established, maintained, implemented and complied with, reasonable information technology, information security, cyber security and data protection controls, policies and procedures, including oversight, access controls, encryption, technological and physical safeguards and business continuity/disaster recovery and security plans that are designed to protect against and prevent breach, destruction, loss, unauthorized distribution, use, access, disablement, misappropriation or modification, or other compromise or misuse of or relating to any IT System or Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ businesses (“Breach”). To the Company’s knowledge, there has been no such material Breach, and the Company and its Subsidiaries have not been notified of and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any such material Breach.
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(pp) The Company and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are not as of the date hereof, and immediately after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby to occur on the Closing Date, will not be Insolvent (as defined below). For purposes of this section, “Insolvent” means, with respect to any person, (i) the present fair saleable value of the assets of such person and its subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis, is less than the amount required to the total Indebtedness of such person and its subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis, (ii) such person and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are unable to pay their consolidated debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured, (iii) such person and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, intend to incur or believe that they will incur debts that would be beyond their ability to pay as such debts mature or (iv) such person and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which they are engaged as such business is now conducted.
(qq) The Company has the corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement.
Any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
3. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF OFFERED SECURITIES. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters, and the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Securities set forth opposite the names of the respective Underwriters in Schedule A. The purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters to the Company for the Securities will be $0.72 per share (the “Purchase Price”). The Representative hereby advises the Company that the Representative intends to offer for sale to the public, initially on the terms set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, the Securities as soon after this Agreement has been executed and the Representative has determined is advisable and practicable.
The Company will deliver the Securities to the Representative for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), issued in such names and in such denominations as the Representative may request against payment by the Underwriters of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer in federal (same day) funds to such bank account or accounts as the Company shall designate to the Representative at least two business days prior to the Closing Date, with any transfer or similar taxes payable in connection with the sale and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for the Securities duly paid by the Company. The time and date of the delivery and closing shall be at 10:00 a.m., New York time, on December 12, 2023. The date and time for delivery of and payment for the Securities is herein called the “Closing Date.” The Closing Date and the location of delivery of, and the form of payment for, the Securities may be varied by agreement between the Company and the Representative.
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Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligations of the Representative hereunder.
The several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. FURTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative containing information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430B of the Rules and Regulations and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations not later than the second business (2nd) day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430B of the Rules and Regulations; to notify the Representative immediately of the Company’s intention to file or prepare any supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement or to the Prospectus and to make no amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or to the Prospectus to which the Representative shall reasonably object by notice to the Company after a reasonable period to review; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to any Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Underwriters with copies thereof; to file promptly all material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Rules and Regulations) is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, and promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order.
(b) The Company represents and agrees that it has not made and, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representative, and each of the Underwriters represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representative, it will not make, any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations (each, a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”); provided that the prior written consent of the Representative hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule B and Schedule C hereto. The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing
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Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 of the Rules and Regulations applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including the requirements relating to timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping and will not take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that such Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.
(c) If at any time prior to the date when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Rules and Regulations) any event occurs or condition exists as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact, or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made when the Prospectus is delivered (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Rules and Regulations), not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement any Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, that the Company will promptly notify the Representative thereof and upon its request will prepare an appropriate amendment or supplement or upon its request make an appropriate filing pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance and will use its best efforts to have any amendment to any Registration Statement declared effective as soon as possible. The Company will furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request of such amendment or supplement. In case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Rules and Regulations) relating to the Securities, the Company upon the request of the Representative will prepare promptly an amended or supplemented Prospectus as may be necessary to permit compliance with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act and deliver to such Underwriter as many copies as such Underwriter may reasonably request of such amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act.
(d) If the General Disclosure Package is being used to solicit offers to buy the Securities at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or to make the statements therein not conflict with the information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement then on file and not superseded or modified, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package to comply with any law, the Company promptly will either (i) prepare, file with the Commission (if required) and furnish to the Underwriters and any dealers an appropriate amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or (ii) prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate filing under the Exchange Act which shall be incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package so that the General Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or conflict with the Registration Statement then on file, or so that the General Disclosure Package will comply with law.
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(e) If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus or Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof and not superseded or modified or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representative so that any use of the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus may cease until it is amended or supplemented and has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information the parties hereto agree is limited to the Underwriters’ Information.
(f) To the extent not available on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“XXXXX”), to furnish promptly to the Representative and to counsel for the Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and of each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith.
(g) To deliver promptly to the Representative in New York City such number of the following documents as the Representative shall reasonably request: (i) conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission (in each case excluding exhibits), (ii) each Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (iv) the Prospectus (the delivery of the documents referred to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) of this paragraph (g) to be made not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement), (v) conformed copies of any amendment to the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits), (vi) any amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus after the date hereof (the delivery of the documents referred to in clauses (v) and (vi) of this paragraph (g) to be made not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the business day following the date of such amendment or supplement) and (vii) any document incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (excluding exhibits thereto) (the delivery of the documents referred to in clause (vi) of this paragraph (g) to be made not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the business day following the date of such document).
(h) To make generally available to its stockholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 16 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) of the Rules and Regulations), an earnings statement of the Company and its Subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158).
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(i) To take promptly from time to time such actions as the Representative may reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to continue such qualifications in effect, and to comply with such laws, for so long as required to permit the offer and sale of Securities in such jurisdictions; provided that the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be obligated to qualify as foreign corporations in any jurisdiction in which they are not so qualified or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.
(j) Upon request, during the period of two years from the date hereof, to deliver to each of the Underwriters, (i) as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications furnished to stockholders generally, and (ii) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed. However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on XXXXX, it is not required to furnish such reports or statements to the Underwriters.
(k) During the period commencing on and including the date hereof and ending on and including the 30th day following the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”) the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of the Representative), directly or indirectly offer, sell (including, without limitation, any short sale), assign, transfer, pledge, contract to sell, establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of, or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any Common Stock, options, rights or warrants to acquire Common Stock or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Common Stock or publicly announce any intention to do any of the foregoing; provided, however, that the Company may (i) issue and sell the Securities hereunder, (ii) issue convertible notes (including any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof) pursuant to an underwriting agreement being entered into by the Company and BTIG, LLC on behalf of the several underwriters named therein on the date hereof (the “Convertible Notes Underwriting Agreement”), (iii) issue restricted Common Stock or options to acquire Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans as such plans are in existence on the date hereof and described in the Prospectus, (iv) issue Common Stock upon conversion of the PIK Toggle Notes (as defined in the Prospectus) in accordance with the terms thereof and the indentures governing the PIK Toggle Notes and (v) issue Common Stock pursuant to the valid exercises, vesting or settlements of options, warrants or rights outstanding on the date hereof. The Company will cause each officer and director listed in Schedule D to furnish to the Representative prior to the Closing Date, a letter, substantially in the form of Exhibit I hereto. The Company also agrees that during the Lock-Up Period, other than for the sale of the Securities hereunder, the Company will not file any registration statement, preliminary prospectus or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, under the Securities Act for any such transaction or which registers, or offers for sale, Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, except for (A) a registration statement on Form S-8 relating to employee benefit plans and (B) one or more registration statements, preliminary prospectus or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto relating to the transaction referenced in clause (ii) of this paragraph (k).
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(l) To supply the Representative with copies of all correspondence to and from, and all documents issued to and by, the Commission in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act or the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein.
(m) To comply with the provisions of Regulation M under the Exchange Act and to cause its affiliated purchasers (as defined in Regulation M under the Exchange Act) to do the same.
(n) To use its reasonable efforts not to take any action prior to latest of the Closing Dates which would require the Prospectus to be amended or supplemented pursuant to Section 4(c).
(o) To at all times comply with all applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act in effect from time to time.
(p) To maintain, at its expense, a transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock.
(q) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds,” and except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter. The Company shall manage its affairs and investments in such a manner as not to be or become an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(r) To use its reasonable best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, and to maintain the listing of the Securities on the Exchange.
(s) To use its reasonable best efforts to do and perform all things required to be done or performed under this Agreement by the Company prior to the Closing Date and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Securities.
(t) Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Securities (the “License”); provided, however that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.
(u) The Company shall prepare a final term sheet or sheets, as the case may be (in either such case, the “Final Term Sheet”) reflecting the final terms of the Securities and the offering thereof, in the form of Schedule B hereto (and containing such other information as the Company and the Representative may agree), and file such Final Term Sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations prior to the close of business two business days after the date hereof; provided that the Company shall furnish the Representative with copies of such Final Term Sheet a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not use or file any such document to which the Representative or counsel to the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
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5. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company agrees to pay, or reimburse if paid by any Underwriter, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated or this Agreement is terminated: (a) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (b) the costs incident to the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act; (c) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and distribution of the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto or any document incorporated by reference therein; (d) the fees and expenses (including related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters) incurred in connection with the securing any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities and any filings made with FINRA; (e) any applicable listing or other fees; (f) the fees and expenses (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters) of qualifying the Securities under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 4(i) and of preparing, printing and distributing wrappers, Blue Sky Memoranda and Legal Investment Surveys; (g) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock; (h) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with the legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in Section 2(d); (i) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the officers of the Company and such consultants, including the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; (j) the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters by the Underwriters; and (k) all other costs and expenses incident to the offering of the Securities or the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement (including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s independent accountants; provided that, except to the extent otherwise provided in this Section 5 and in Section 9, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including the fees and expenses of their counsel, and any transfer taxes on the resale of any Securities by the Underwriters. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, (1) the expenses covered in clauses (d) and (f) of this this Section 5 shall not exceed a combined $35,000 in the aggregate, and (2) the expenses covered in clause (j) of this this Section 5 shall not exceed $150,000 in the aggregate, and, in each case of clause (1) and (2), shall, without duplication, be inclusive of any such fees payable pursuant to the same provisions in the Convertible Notes Underwriting Agreement.
6. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS’ OBLIGATIONS. The respective obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and as of the Time of Sale and on the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:
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(a) The Registration Statement is effective under the Securities Act, and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof, preventing or suspending the use of any Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission (to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative; each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by, and in compliance with, the Rules and Regulations and in accordance with Section 4(a); and FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) None of the Underwriters shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the General Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.
(c) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of this Agreement, the Securities, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(d) Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx LLP shall have furnished to the Representative such counsel’s written opinion, as special counsel to the Company, addressed to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
(e) The Representative shall have received from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Underwriters may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for enabling them to pass upon such matters.
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(f) At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, addressed to the Underwriters, executed and dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative (i) confirming that they are an independent registered accounting firm with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and rules and regulations of the PCAOB and (ii) stating the conclusions and findings of such firm, of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters, with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(g) On the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement and on the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received a letter (the “bring-down letter”) from Xxxxx & Young LLP addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date confirming, as of the date of the bring-down letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of a date not more than three business days prior to the date of the bring-down letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm, of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters, with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by its letter delivered to the Representative concurrently with the execution of this Agreement pursuant to paragraph (j) of this Section 6.
(h) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary stating that (i) such officers have examined the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, at the Time of Sale, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and the General Disclosure Package, as of the Time of Sale and as of the Closing Date, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that has not been so set forth therein, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date, the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, or any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change or a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except as set forth in the Prospectus.
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(i) At the time of the execution of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate of its Chief Executive Officer, covering the financial statements of Romeo Power, Inc., in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Underwriters.
(j) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package as of the date hereof, (i) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, and (ii) other than as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than stock option and warrant exercises and stock repurchases in the ordinary course of business and repayments of existing indebtedness), or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii) of this paragraph (j), is, in the judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the General Disclosure Package.
(k) No action shall have been taken and no law, statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or could be reasonably expected to materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; and no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.
(l) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the Exchange or the NYSE American LLC or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices or maximum range for prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or market or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, or the subject of an act of terrorism, or there shall have been an outbreak of or escalation in hostilities involving the United States, or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic,
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political or financial conditions (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such), in the case of clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, so as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(m) An application for the listing of the Securities shall have been submitted to the Exchange, and the Exchange shall have not raised any objections to it.
(n) The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(o) The Representative shall have received the written agreements, substantially in the form of Exhibit I hereto, of the officers and directors of the Company listed in Schedule D to this Agreement.
(p) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
7. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
(a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless: each Underwriter, its affiliates, and each of their respective directors, officers, managers, members, employees, representatives and agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”) against any loss, claim, damage, expense or liability whatsoever (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof), joint or several, to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding arises out of or is based upon (A) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein, or in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically) (“Marketing Materials”) or (B) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d)
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of the Rules and Regulations, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein, or in any Marketing Materials, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, and shall reimburse each Underwriter Indemnified Party promptly upon demand for any legal fees or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating, or preparing to defend, or defending against, or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding, as such fees and expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in, or omission or alleged omission from any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Marketing Materials made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use therein, which information the parties hereto agree is limited to the Underwriters’ Information.
The indemnity agreement in this Section 7(a) is not exclusive and is in addition to each other liability which the Company might have under this Agreement or otherwise, and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available under this Agreement, at law or in equity to any Underwriter Indemnified Party.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors, its officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Company Indemnified Parties” and each a “Company Indemnified Party”) against any loss, claim, damage, expense or liability whatsoever (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof), joint or several, to which such Company Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein, or any Marketing Materials or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein, or in any Marketing Materials, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they are made not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for use therein, which information the parties hereto agree is limited to the Underwriters’ Information, and shall reimburse the Company Indemnified Parties for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or preparing to defend or defending against or
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appearing as third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, investigation or proceeding, as such fees and expenses are incurred. This indemnity agreement is not exclusive and will be in addition to any liability which the Underwriters might otherwise have and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available under this Agreement, at law or in equity to the Company Indemnified Parties.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify such indemnifying party in writing of the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 7 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by such failure; and, provided, further, that the failure to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 7. If any such action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense of such action with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party (which counsel shall not, except with the written consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party). After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such action, except as provided herein, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under Section 7 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense of such action other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that any indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and to participate in the defense of such action but the fees and expenses of such counsel (other than reasonable costs of investigation) shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized in writing by the Company in the case of a claim for indemnification under Section 7(a) or the Representative in the case of a claim for indemnification under Section 7(b), (ii) such indemnified party shall have been advised by its counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, or (iii) the indemnifying party has failed to assume the defense of such action and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of the commencement of the action or the indemnifying party does not diligently defend the action after assumption of the defense, 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 of (or, in the case of a failure to diligently defend the action after assumption of the defense, to continue to defend) such action on behalf of such indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall be responsible for legal or other expenses subsequently and reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense of such action; provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all such indemnified parties (in addition to any local counsel), which firm shall be designated in writing by the Representative if the indemnified parties under this Section 7 consist of any Underwriter Indemnified Party or by the Company if the indemnified parties under this Section 7 consist of any Company Indemnified
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Parties. Subject to this Section 7(c), the amount payable by an indemnifying party under Section 7 shall include, but not be limited to, (x) reasonable legal fees and expenses of counsel to the indemnified party and any other expenses in investigating, or preparing to defend or defending against, or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any action, investigation, proceeding or claim, and (y) all amounts paid in settlement of any of the foregoing. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to any pending or threatened action or any claim whatsoever, in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 7 (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. Subject to the provisions of the following sentence, no indemnifying party shall be liable for settlement of any pending or threatened action or any claim whatsoever that is effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), but if settled with its written consent, if its consent has been unreasonably withheld or delayed or if there be a judgment for the plaintiff in any such matter, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested that an indemnifying party reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 7(a) or 7(b) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the request for reimbursement, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 7(a) or 7(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid, payable or otherwise incurred by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof), as incurred, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) of this Section 7(d) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) of this Section 7(d) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other with respect to the statements, omissions, acts or failures to act which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof) as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the Securities purchased under this Agreement, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page
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of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement, omission, act or failure to act; provided that the parties hereto agree that the written information furnished to the Company by the Representative by or on behalf of the Underwriters for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, consists solely of the Underwriters’ Information.
(e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to Section 7(d) above were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in Section 7(d) above. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding referred to in Section 7(d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission, act or alleged act or failure to act or alleged failure to act. 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 Underwriters’ obligation to contribute as provided in this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
8. TERMINATION. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representative, in its absolute discretion by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections 6(k) or 6(l) have occurred or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement.
9. REIMBURSEMENT OF UNDERWRITERS’ EXPENSES. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if (a) this Agreement shall have been terminated pursuant to Section 8 or 10, (b) the Company shall fail to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters for any reason not permitted under this Agreement, (c) the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement or (d) the sale of the Securities is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth herein is not satisfied or because of the refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to satisfy any condition or to comply with the provisions hereof, then in addition to the payment of amounts in accordance with Section 5, the Company shall, pro rata based on the number of Securities it agreed to sell hereunder, reimburse the Underwriters for reasonable and
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accountable fees and expenses of Underwriters’ counsel and for such other out-of-pocket expenses as shall have been actually incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Securities, including, without limitation, travel and lodging expenses of the Underwriters, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representative; provided that if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 10 by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters, the Company shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of expenses to the extent incurred by such defaulting Underwriter, provided further that the foregoing shall not limit any reimbursement obligation of the Company to any non-defaulting Underwriter under this Section 9.
10. SUBSTITUTION OF UNDERWRITERS. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase Securities hereunder on the Closing Date and the number of Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of Securities to be purchased by all Underwriters on the Closing Date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on the Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall so default and the number of Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur is more than 10% of the total aggregate number of Securities to be purchased by all Underwriters on the Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to the Representative and the Company for the purchase of such Securities by other persons are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate.
If the remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters are required hereby or agree to take up all or part of the shares of Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters on the Closing Date as provided in this Section 10, (i) the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a period of not more than five full business days in order that the Company may effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees promptly to file any amendments to the Registration Statement or supplements to the Prospectus which may thereby be made necessary, and (ii) the respective number of Securities to be purchased by the remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters shall be taken as the basis of their underwriting obligation for all purposes of this Agreement. Nothing herein contained shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability to the Company or the other Underwriters for damages occasioned by its default hereunder. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except that the representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities, agreements and other statements set forth in Section 2, the obligations with respect to expenses to be paid or reimbursed pursuant to Sections 5 and 9 and the provisions of Section 7 and Sections 11 through 24, inclusive, shall not terminate and shall remain in full force and effect.
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11. ABSENCE OF FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) each Underwriter’s responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature, the Representative has been retained solely to act as underwriter in connection with the sale of the Securities and no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Representative has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Representative has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;
(b) the price of the Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Representative and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) it has been advised that the Representative and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Representative has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
(d) it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Representative for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that the Representative shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company.
12. SUCCESSORS; PERSONS ENTITLED TO BENEFIT OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the several Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors and assigns. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons mentioned in the preceding sentence, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement, or any provisions herein contained, this Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive benefit of such persons and for the benefit of no other person; except that the representations, warranties, covenants, agreements and indemnities of the Company contained in this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties, and the indemnities of the several Underwriters shall be for the benefit of the Company Indemnified Parties. It is understood that each Underwriter’s responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and the Underwriters do not owe the Company, or any other party, any fiduciary duty as a result of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
13. SURVIVAL OF INDEMNITIES, REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, ETC. The respective indemnities, covenants, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by them respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company or any person controlling any of them and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, including without limitation any termination pursuant to Section 8 or Section 10, the indemnities, covenants, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements forth in Sections 2, 5, 7 and 9 and Sections 11 through 24, inclusive, of this Agreement shall not terminate and shall remain in full force and effect at all times.
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14. NOTICES. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:
(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex, facsimile transmission or email to BTIG, LLC, 00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx, xxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx; with a copy to: BTIG, LLC, 000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: General Counsel, XXXxxxx@XXXX.xxx; and
(b) if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex, facsimile transmission or email to Nikola Corporation, 0000 X Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Chief Legal Officer, email: ; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 7 shall be delivered or sent by mail, or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its acceptance telex to the several Underwriters, which address will be supplied to any other party hereto by the several Underwriters upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof.
15. DEFINITION OF CERTAIN TERMS. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) “business day” means any day on which the Exchange is open for trading and (b) “Subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations but in no event shall “Subsidiary” include the Foreign Subsidiaries.
16. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, including without limitation Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations. The Company irrevocably (a) submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York for the purpose of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement and any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, (b) agrees that all claims in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding may be heard and determined by any such court, (c) waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any immunity from the jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process, (d) agrees not to commence any such suit, action or proceeding other than in such courts, and (e) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum.
17. UNDERWRITERS’ INFORMATION. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, for all purposes of this Agreement, the “Underwriters’ Information” consists solely of the following information in the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting–Commissions and Discounts,” the information in the second, third and fourth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting–Price Stabilization, Short Positions” and the information under the heading “Underwriting–Electronic Distribution,” in each case contained in the Pricing Prospectus.
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18. PARTIAL UNENFORCEABILITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph, clause or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
19. GENERAL. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. In this Agreement, the masculine, feminine and neuter genders and the singular and the plural include one another. The section headings in this Agreement are for the convenience of the parties only and will not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended or modified, and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived, only by a writing signed by the Company and the Representative.
20. AUTHORITY OF THE REPRESENTATIVE. In connection with this Agreement, you will act for and on behalf of the several Underwriters, and any action taken under this Agreement by the Representative, will be binding on all of the Underwriters.
21. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
22. RECOGNITION OF THE U.S. SPECIAL RESOLUTION REGIMES.
(a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
For purposes of this Section 22, a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
31
23. TRIAL BY JURY. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
24. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORT HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Agreement or in any instruments, agreements, certificates, legal opinions, negative assurance letters or other documents entered into or delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf,” “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign, AdobeSign, “pdf,” “tif” or “jpg”). The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.
[Signature Page Follows]
32
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of the agreement between the Company and the several Underwriters, kindly indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.
Very truly yours, | ||
Nikola Corporation | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement (Common Stock)]
Acceptance of the date first above written:
BTIG, LLC
Acting on its own behalf
and as Representative of the several
Underwriters referred to in the
foregoing Agreement.
BTIG, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Title: Managing Director |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement (Common Stock)]
SCHEDULE A
Name |
Number of Securities | |||
BTIG, LLC |
106,609,784 | |||
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated |
8,907,850 | |||
Xxxxx, Garnier & Co. Limited |
8,907,850 | |||
Nomura Securities International, Inc. |
8,462,458 | |||
WR Securities, LLC |
445,392 | |||
|
|
|||
Total |
133,333,334 |
SCHEDULE B
Pricing Term Sheet
[Attached]
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration Statement File No. 333-264068
Relating to the
Preliminary Prospectus Supplements
Dated December 6, 2023
(To Prospectus Dated April 14, 2022)
PRICING TERM SHEET
December 7, 2023
Nikola Corporation
Offerings of
133,333,334 Shares of Common Stock
and
$175,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount of
8.25% Green Convertible Senior Notes due 2026
The information in this pricing term sheet supplements Nikola Corporation’s preliminary prospectus supplement, dated December 6, 2023 (the “Common Stock Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”), relating to an offering of common stock (the “Common Stock Offering”), and Nikola Corporation’s preliminary prospectus supplement, dated December 6, 2023 (the “Convertible Note Preliminary Prospectus Supplement,” and, together with the Common Stock Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplements”), relating to an offering of green convertible senior notes due 2026 (the “Convertible Note Offering”), and supersedes the information in the applicable Preliminary Prospectus Supplement to the extent inconsistent with the information in that Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. Terms used, but not defined, in this pricing term sheet have the respective meanings set forth in the applicable Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. As used in this pricing term sheet, “we,” “our” and “us” refer to Nikola Corporation and not to its subsidiaries.
Common Stock Offering
Issuer | Nikola Corporation. | |
Securities Offered | 133,333,334 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of Nikola Corporation (the “Common Stock”). | |
Ticker / Exchange for Common Stock | NKLA / Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”). | |
Last Reported Sale Price per Share of Common Stock on Nasdaq on December 7, 2023 |
$0.7526. |
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Public Offering Price per Share of Common Stock | $0.75. | |
Underwriting Discount | $0.03 per share of Common Stock, and $4,000,000.02 in the aggregate. | |
Trade Date | December 8, 2023. | |
Settlement Date | December 12, 2023. | |
Use of Proceeds | We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the Common Stock Offering will be approximately $95.7 million, after deducting the underwriters’ discounts and commissions and our estimated offering expenses. We currently intend to use the net proceeds from the Common Stock Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds” in the Common Stock Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. | |
Book-Running Managers | BTIG, LLC | |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated | ||
Xxxxx, Garnier & Co. Limited | ||
Nomura Securities International, Inc. | ||
WR Securities, LLC | ||
CUSIP / ISIN Numbers for the Common Stock | 654110 105 / US6541101050. | |
Convertible Note Offering | ||
Issuer | Nikola Corporation. | |
Ticker / Exchange for Common Stock | NKLA / Nasdaq. | |
Trade Date | December 8, 2023. | |
Settlement Date | December 12, 2023. | |
Notes | 8.25% green convertible senior notes due 2026 (the “Notes”). | |
Principal Amount | $175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes. | |
Public Offering Price | 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued interest, if any, from the Settlement Date. | |
Underwriting Discount | 3.00% of the principal amount of the Notes, and $5,250,000 in the aggregate, in each case plus accrued interest, if any, from the Settlement Date. |
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Maturity | December 15, 2026, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. | |
Stated Interest Rate | 8.25% per annum. | |
Interest Payment Dates | June 15 and December 15 of each year, beginning on June 15, 2024. | |
Record Dates | June 1 and December 1. | |
Last Reported Sale Price per Share of Common Stock on Nasdaq on December 7, 2023 |
$0.7526. | |
Conversion Premium | Approximately 20% above the Public Offering Price per Share of Common Stock in the Common Stock Offering. | |
Initial Conversion Price | Approximately $0.90 per share of our Common Stock. | |
Initial Conversion Rate | 1,111.1111 shares of our Common Stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes. | |
Optional Redemption | The Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part (subject to certain limitations described below), at our option at any time, and from time to time, on or after December 15, 2025 and before the maturity date, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, but only if the last reported sale price per share of our Common Stock exceeds 175% of the conversion price on each of at least 20 trading days, whether or not consecutive, during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the trading day immediately before the date we send the related redemption notice. However, we may not redeem less than all of the outstanding Notes unless at least $100.0 million aggregate principal amount of Notes are outstanding and not called for redemption as of the time we send the related redemption notice. See “Description of Notes—Optional Redemption” in the Convertible Note Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. |
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Use of Proceeds | We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the Convertible Note Offering will be approximately $169.5 million, after deducting the underwriters’ discounts and commissions and our estimated offering expenses. We intend to allocate an amount equal to the net proceeds from the Convertible Note Offering to finance, refinance or make direct investments in, in whole or in part, one or more new or recently completed (within the 24 months prior to the Settlement Date), current and/or future Eligible Green Projects in alignment with the guidelines of the Green Bond Principles, 2021 (with June 2022 Appendix I). Pending full allocation of an amount equal to the net proceeds from the Convertible Note Offering to Eligible Green Projects, we may temporarily invest the net proceeds in cash or other short-term and liquid instruments, and we will not knowingly invest in operations that result in an overall net increase in greenhouse gas emissions. See “Use of Proceeds” in the Convertible Note Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. | |
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consideration | We and each beneficial owner of the Notes will agree in the indenture to treat the Notes, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as “contingent payment debt instruments” and to be bound by our application of the contingent payment debt regulations to the Notes, including our determination of the comparable yield of the Notes and the related projected payment schedule. Under this characterization, U.S. holders will generally be required to accrue and include in income (as ordinary income) original issue discount (subject to certain adjustments) on a constant-yield basis, based on the rate at which we would issue a noncontingent, nonconvertible debt instrument with terms and conditions otherwise comparable to the terms of the Notes, regardless of the U.S. holder’s regular method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We have determined that this rate is 14.33% per annum, compounded semi-annually. The amount of interest required to be included in income for each year will therefore generally exceed the interest payments on the Notes in that year. In addition, U.S. holders will recognize ordinary income, rather than capital gain, on the sale, conversion, exchange, redemption, retirement or other taxable disposition of a Note at a gain. The amount realized by a U.S. holder on a conversion will equal the amount of cash plus the fair market value of Common Stock received. | |
Book-Running Managers | BTIG, LLC | |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated | ||
Xxxxx, Garnier & Co. Limited | ||
Nomura Securities International, Inc. | ||
WR Securities, LLC |
- 4 -
CUSIP / ISIN Numbers | 654110 AG0 / US654110AG03. | |
Increase to Conversion Rate in Connection with a Make-Whole Fundamental Change | If a make-whole fundamental change occurs and the conversion date for the conversion of a Note occurs during the related make-whole fundamental change conversion period, then, subject to the provisions described in the Convertible Note Preliminary Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Description of Notes—Conversion Rights—Increase in Conversion Rate in Connection with a Make-Whole Fundamental Change,” the conversion rate applicable to such conversion will be increased by a number of shares set forth in the table below corresponding (after interpolation, as described below) to the effective date and the stock price of such make-whole fundamental change: |
Stock Price | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Effective Date |
$ | 0.750 | $ | 0.875 | $ | 0.900 | $ | 1.050 | $ | 1.150 | $ | 1.250 | $ | 1.575 | $ | 1.750 | $ | 2.000 | $ | 2.250 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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December 12, 2023 |
222.2222 | 128.4800 | 114.1444 | 50.4667 | 24.5130 | 16.9640 | 9.0286 | 4.1343 | 0.1250 | 0.0000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 15, 2024 |
222.2222 | 128.4800 | 114.1444 | 44.8095 | 24.5130 | 14.1400 | 4.5460 | 2.0814 | 0.0625 | 0.0000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 15, 2025 |
222.2222 | 128.4800 | 114.1444 | 31.6190 | 24.5130 | 11.3160 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 15, 2026 |
222.2222 | 31.7486 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 |
If such effective date or stock price is not set forth in the table above, then:
• | if such stock price is between two stock prices in the table above or the effective date is between two dates in the table above, then the number of additional shares will be determined by straight-line interpolation between the numbers of additional shares set forth for the higher and lower stock prices in the table above or the earlier and later dates in the table above, based on a 365- or 366-day year, as applicable; and |
• | if the stock price is (x) greater than $2.25 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner as the stock prices set forth in the column headings of the table above are adjusted, as described in the Convertible Note Preliminary Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Description of Notes—Conversion Rights—Increase in Conversion Rate in Connection with a Make-Whole Fundamental Change—Adjustment of Stock Prices and Number of Additional Shares”); or (y) less than $0.75 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner), then no additional shares will be added to the conversion rate. |
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in no event will the conversion rate be increased to an amount that exceeds 1,333.3333 shares of our Common Stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, which amount is subject to adjustment in the same manner as, and at the same time and for the same events for which, the conversion rate is required to be adjusted pursuant to the provisions described in the Convertible Note Preliminary Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Description of Notes—Conversion Rights—Conversion Rate Adjustments—Generally.”
* * *
- 5 -
We have filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) and the Preliminary Prospectus Supplements with the SEC for the offerings to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the applicable Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents we have filed with the SEC for more complete information about us and these offerings. You may get these documents free by visiting XXXXX on the SEC website at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, we, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the applicable offering will arrange to send you the applicable Preliminary Prospectus Supplement (or, when available, the applicable final prospectus supplement) and the accompanying prospectus upon request to: BTIG, LLC, 000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000 Attention: Syndicate Department (415-248-2200) or by email at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.
The information in this pricing term sheet is not a complete description of the Common Stock, the Common Stock Offering, the Notes or the Convertible Note Offering. You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in the applicable Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as supplemented by this pricing term sheet, in making an investment decision with respect to the Common Stock or the Notes.
ANY DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES THAT MAY APPEAR BELOW ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES WERE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING SENT VIA BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER EMAIL SYSTEM.
- 6 -
SCHEDULE C
None.
SCHEDULE D
1. Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
2. Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
3. Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
4. Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
5. Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
6. Xxxx X. Xxxxx
7. Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
8. Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
9. Xxxx X. Xxxx
10. Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
11. Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Exhibit I
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
[ ], 2023
BTIG, LLC
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
New York, NY 10022
RE: | Nikola Corporation (the “Company”) |
Ladies & Gentlemen:
This agreement is being delivered to you in connection with (i) the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Equity Underwriting Agreement”) between Nikola Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and BTIG, LLC (“BTIG”), as representative of the several underwriters named therein (in such capacity, the “Representative”), relating to the proposed issuance by the Company of shares (the “Shares”) of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Notes Underwriting Agreement” and, together with the Equity Underwriting Agreement, the “Underwriting Agreements” and each, an “Underwriting Agreement”) between the Company and the Representative, as representative of the several underwriters named therein, relating to the proposed issuance by the Company of its Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes” and, together with the Shares, the “Securities”).
In order to induce you to enter into the Underwriting Agreements, and in light of the benefits that the offering of Securities will confer upon the undersigned in its capacity as a securityholder and/or an officer, director or employee of the Company, and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with the Representative that, during the period beginning on and including the date of the Underwriting Agreements through and including the date that is the 30th day after the date of such Underwriting Agreements (or if the Underwriting Agreements have different dates, from the date of the earlier executed Underwriting Agreement for 30 days after the latest date set forth on any such Underwriting Agreement, or if only one of the proposed offerings occurs, then 30 days after the latest date set forth on any such Underwriting Agreement) (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, sell, assign, transfer, pledge, contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of, or announce the intention to otherwise dispose of, any shares of Common Stock (including, without limitation, Common Stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable in Common Stock, (ii) enter into any swap, hedge or similar
agreement or arrangement that transfers in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of the Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable in Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or (iii) engage in any short selling of Common Stock.
The restrictions set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph shall not apply to:
1. | if the undersigned is a natural person, any transfers made by the undersigned (a) as a bona fide gift to any member of the immediate family (as defined below) of the undersigned or to a trust the beneficiaries of which are exclusively the undersigned or members of the undersigned’s immediate family, (b) by will or intestate succession upon the death of the undersigned or (c) as a bona fide gift to a charity, non-profit organization or educational institution; |
2. | if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, any transfers to any shareholder, partner or member of, or owner of a similar equity interest in, the undersigned, as the case may be, if, in any such case, such transfer is not for value; |
3. | if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, any transfer made by the undersigned (a) in connection with the sale or other bona fide transfer in a single transaction of all or substantially all of the undersigned’s capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or other similar equity interests, as the case may be, or all or substantially all of the undersigned’s assets, in any such case not undertaken for the purpose of avoiding the restrictions imposed by this agreement or (b) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity so long as the transferee is an affiliate (as defined below) of the undersigned and such transfer is not for value; |
4. | the transfer or sale of any shares of Common Stock or other securities pursuant to any contract, instruction or plan meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that has been entered into by the undersigned (or a member of the undersigned’s immediate family) prior to the commencement of the Lock-Up Period; |
5. | transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the offerings, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Common Stock or other securities acquired in such open market transactions during the Lock-Up Period; |
6. | transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock in a transaction not involving a disposition for value that occurs by operation of law pursuant to a qualified domestic order in connection with a divorce settlement; |
7. | transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock made by the undersigned to satisfy tax withholding obligations pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans or arrangements and the Founder Stock Option Plan (as defined in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K), provided that no public announcement or filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or any other public filing or disclosure shall be made by the undersigned during the Lock-Up Period, unless such filing is required and indicates in the footnotes thereto that the transfer or disposition is made to satisfy tax withholding obligations pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans or arrangements and the Founder Stock Option Plan disclosed in the Prospectus; and |
8. | the transfer of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock in connection with a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, stock sale, recapitalization, consolidation or other transaction approved by the board of directors of the Company involving a Change in Control (as defined below) of the Company, provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, stock sale, recapitalization, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the Common Stock owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this letter agreement. For the purposes of this clause, “Change in Control” means the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, stock sale, recapitalization, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons (other than the underwriters pursuant to the offerings) of the Company’s voting securities if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold more than 50% of outstanding voting securities of the Company (or surviving entity) or would otherwise have the power to control the board of directors of the Company or to direct the operations of the Company; |
provided, however, that in the case of any transfer described in clause (1)(a), 1(b), (2), (3) or (6) above, it shall be a condition to the transfer that (A) the transferee executes and delivers to the Representative, not later than one business day prior to such transfer, a written agreement, in substantially the form of this agreement (it being understood that any references to “immediate family” in the agreement executed by such transferee shall expressly refer only to the immediate family of the undersigned and not to the immediate family of the transferee) and otherwise satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative, and (B) if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period (as the same may be extended as described above), the undersigned shall include a statement in such report to the effect that, in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (1) above, such transfer is being made as a gift or by will or intestate succession or, in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (2) above, such transfer is being made to a shareholder, partner or member of, or owner of a similar equity interest in, the undersigned and is not a transfer for value or, in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (3) above, such transfer is being made either (a) in connection with the sale or other bona fide transfer in a single transaction of all or substantially all of the undersigned’s capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or other similar equity interests, as the case may be, or all or substantially all of the undersigned’s assets or (b) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity that is an affiliate of the undersigned and such transfer is not for value or, in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (6) above, the transfer is pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement.
Notwithstanding the restrictions described herein, the undersigned may at any time after the date hereof (A) exercise any options or warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock (including any cashless exercise to the extent permitted by the instruments representing such options or warrants); provided that in any such case the shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise shall remain subject to the provisions of this agreement and, if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act during the Lock-Up Period (as the same may be extended as described above) in connection with such exercise, the undersigned shall include a statement in such report to the effect that such disposition was pursuant to cashless exercise of an option or warrant, as applicable, or (B) enter into a trading plan (a “New Plan”) or modify an existing plan (a “Modified Plan”) meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act, relating to the sale of shares of Common Stock or other securities, if then permitted by the Company and applicable law; provided, that the shares of Common Stock or other securities subject to a New Plan shall not be sold during the Lock-Up Period if such sale is otherwise prohibited by this agreement and shares of Common Stock or other securities subject to a Modified Plan may only be sold if they were not affected by the modifications of the existing plan. For purposes of this paragraph, “immediate family” shall mean a spouse, domestic partner, child, grandchild or other lineal descendant (including by adoption), father, mother, brother or sister of the undersigned; and “affiliate” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
The undersigned further agrees that (i) it will not, during the Lock-Up Period (as the same may be extended as described above), make any demand or request for or exercise any right with respect to the registration under the Securities Act, of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, and (ii) the Company may, with respect to any Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock owned or held (of record or beneficially) by the undersigned, cause the transfer agent or other registrar to enter stop transfer instructions and implement stop transfer procedures with respect to such securities during the Lock-Up Period (as the same may be extended as described above). In addition, the undersigned hereby waives, from the date hereof until the expiration of the Lock-Up Period and any extension of such period pursuant to the terms hereof, any and all rights, if any, to request or demand registration pursuant to the Securities Act, of any shares of Common Stock that are registered in the name of the undersigned.
It is understood that, if (i) the Company notifies the Representative in writing that it does not intend to proceed with either of the offerings of Securities contemplated by the Underwriting Agreements; (ii) neither of the Underwriting Agreements relating to the offerings of Securities is executed on or before December 31, 2023; or (iii) the Underwriting Agreements (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated for any reason prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities to be sold thereunder, this agreement shall immediately terminate and the undersigned shall automatically be released from all of his, her or its obligations under this agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this agreement and that this agreement has been duly authorized (if the undersigned is not a natural person), executed and delivered by the undersigned and is a valid and binding agreement of the undersigned. This agreement and all authority herein conferred are irrevocable and shall survive the death or incapacity of the undersigned (if a natural person) and shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the offerings of the Securities and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Representative may be required or choose to provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures to you in connection with the offerings, the Representative and the other underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to enter into this agreement, and nothing set forth in such disclosures is intended to suggest that the Representative or any underwriter is making such a recommendation.
This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that whether or not any offering of Securities actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions.
[signature page follows]
Very truly yours,
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |