SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This Securities Purchase Agreement (this "Agreement") is dated as of
September 1, 2004, among LJ International Inc., a British Virgin Islands
corporation (the "Company"), and each purchaser identified on the signature
pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a "Purchaser" and
collectively the "Purchasers"); and
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement and pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act (as defined below),
and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to
each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to
purchase from the Company in the aggregate, up to $5,000,000 of shares of Common
Stock and Warrants on the Closing Date.
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in
this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and
adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agrees
as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this
Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the
meanings indicated in this Section 1.1:
"Action" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Section 3.1(j).
"Affiliate" means any Person that, directly or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is
under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and
construed under Rule 144. With respect to a Purchaser, any investment
fund or managed account that is managed on a discretionary basis by the
same investment manager as such Purchaser will be deemed to be an
Affiliate of such Purchaser.
"Closing" means the closing of the purchase and sale of the
Common Stock and the Warrants pursuant to Section 2.1.
"Closing Date" means the Trading Day when all of the
Transaction Documents have been executed and delivered by the
applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the
Purchasers' obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the
Company's obligations to deliver the Securities have been satisfied or
waived.
"Closing Price" means on any particular date (a) the last
reported closing bid price per share of Common Stock on such date on
the Trading Market (as reported by Bloomberg L.P. at 4:15 PM (New York
time) as the last reported closing bid price for regular session
trading on such day), or (b) if there is no such price on such date,
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then the closing bid price on the Trading Market on the date nearest
preceding such date (as reported by Bloomberg L.P. at 4:15 PM (New York
time) as the closing bid price for regular session trading on such
day), or (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted on the
Trading Market and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in
the "pink sheets" published by the National Quotation Bureau
Incorporated (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its
functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of
the Common Stock so reported, or (d) if the shares of Common Stock are
not then publicly traded the fair market value of a share of Common
Stock as determined by an appraiser selected in good faith by the
Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Shares then outstanding.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Stock" means the common stock of the Company, par
value $0.01 per share, and any securities into which such common stock
may hereafter be reclassified.
"Common Stock Equivalents" means any securities of the Company
or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire
at any time Common Stock, including without limitation, any debt,
preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is
at any time convertible into or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles
the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
"Company Counsel" means Liner Yankelevitz Sunshine &
Regenstreif LLP.
"Disclosure Schedules" means the Disclosure Schedules of the
Company delivered concurrently herewith.
"Effective Date" means the date that the Registration
Statement is first declared effective by the Commission.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Exempt Issuance" means the issuance of (a) shares of Common
Stock or options to employees, officers, consultants, advisors or
directors of the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan duly
adopted by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of
Directors of the Company or a majority of the members of a committee of
non-employee directors established for such purpose; provided, however,
in no event shall issuances to consultants and advisors pursuant to
clause (a) above exceed 250,000 shares, in the aggregate, in any 12
month period, (b) securities upon the exercise of or conversion of any
securities issued hereunder, convertible securities, options or
warrants issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided
that such securities have not been amended since the date of this
Agreement to increase the number of such securities, and (c) securities
issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions, provided any
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such issuance shall only be to a Person which is, itself or through its
subsidiaries, an operating company in a business synergistic with the
business of the Company and in which the Company receives benefits in
addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a
transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for
the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business
is investing in securities.
"FW" means Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx LLP with offices located at 000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000.
"Intellectual Property Rights" shall have the meaning ascribed
to such term in Section 3.1(o).
"Liens" means a lien, charge, security interest or
encumbrance.
"Material Adverse Effect" shall have the meaning ascribed to
such term in Section 3.1(b).
"Material Permits" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
term in Section 3.1(m).
"Per Share Purchase Price" equals $2.20, subject to adjustment
for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock
combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that
occur after the date of this Agreement.
"Person" means an individual or corporation, partnership,
trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture,
limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an
agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
"Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or
proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial
proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
"Registration Rights Agreement" means the Registration Rights
Agreement, dated as of the date of this Agreement, among the Company
and each Purchaser, in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
"Registration Statement" means a registration statement
meeting the requirements set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement
and covering the resale by the Purchasers of the Shares and the Warrant
Shares.
"Required Approvals" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
term in Section 3.1(e).
"Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission
pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time
to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the
Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
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"SEC Reports" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Section 3.1(h).
"Securities" means the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant
Shares.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Shares" means the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable
to each Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement.
"Subscription Amount" means, as to each Purchaser, the amounts
set forth below such Purchaser's signature block on the signature page
hereto, in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.
"Subsidiary" shall mean the subsidiaries of the Company, if
any, set forth on Schedule 3.1(a).
"Trading Day" means a day on which the Common Stock is traded
on a Trading Market.
"Trading Market" means the following markets or exchanges on
which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in
question: the American Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the
Nasdaq National Market or the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.
"Transaction Documents" means this Agreement, the Warrants and
the Registration Rights Agreement and any other documents or agreements
executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.
"Warrants" means the Common Stock Purchase Warrants, in the
form of Exhibit B, delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in
accordance with Section 2.2(a)(iii) hereof, which warrants shall be
exercisable immediately upon issuance for a term of 5 years and have at
an exercise price equal to $2.98, subject to adjustment as provided
therein.
"Warrant Shares" means the shares of Common Stock issuable
upon exercise of the Warrants.
ARTICLE II.
PURCHASE AND SALE
2.1 Closing. On the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall purchase from the
Company, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, and the Company
shall issue and sell to each Purchaser, (a) a number of Shares equal to such
Purchaser's Subscription Amount divided by the Per Share Purchase Price and (b)
the Warrants as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a)(iii). The aggregate
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Subscription Amounts for the Shares sold hereunder shall be up to $5,000,000.
Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.3, the Closing shall
occur at the offices of FW or such other location as the parties shall mutually
agree.
2.2 Deliveries.
(a) On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to
be delivered to each Purchaser the following:
(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;
(ii) a copy of the irrevocable instructions to the
Company's transfer agent instructing the transfer agent to
deliver, on an expedited basis, a certificate evidencing a
number of Shares equal to such Purchaser's Subscription Amount
divided by the Per Share Purchase Price, registered in the
name of such Purchaser;
(iii) within 3 Trading Days of the date hereof, a
Warrant, registered in the name of such Purchaser, pursuant to
which such Purchaser shall have the right to acquire up to the
number of shares of Common Stock equal to 30% of the Shares to
be issued to such Purchaser,
(iv) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed
by the Company;
(v) a lock-up letter from Xxxxx Xxx in the form of
Exhibit D hereto agreeing not to sell any shares of Common
Stock for a period ending 60 days after the Effective Date;
and
(vi) a legal opinion of Company Counsel, in the form
of Exhibit C attached hereto.
(b) On the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause
to be delivered to the Company the following:
(i) this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser;
(ii) such Purchaser's Subscription Amount by wire
transfer to the account as specified in writing by the
Company; and
(iii) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed
by such Purchaser.
2.3 Closing Conditions.
(a) The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection
with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:
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(i) the accuracy in all material respects when made
and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties
of the Purchasers contained herein;
(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the
Purchasers required to be performed at or prior to the Closing
Date shall have been performed; and
(iii) the delivery by the Purchasers of the items set
forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.
(b) The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in
connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions
being met:
(i) the accuracy in all material respects on the
Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the
Company contained herein;
(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the
Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing
Date shall have been performed;
(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set
forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;
(iv) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect
with respect to the Company since the date hereof; and
(v) From the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading
in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the
Commission (except for any suspension of trading of limited
duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be
terminated prior to the Closing), and, at any time prior to
the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported
by Bloomberg Financial Markets shall not have been suspended
or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established
on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on
any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been
declared either by the United States or New York State
authorities nor shall there have occurred any material
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or
international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or
any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in
each case, in the reasonable judgment of each Purchaser, makes
it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Shares at the
Closing.
ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth
under the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules
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which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof, the Company hereby
makes the representations and warranties set forth below to each Purchaser and
for each representation and warranty set forth below, such representation and
warranty shall include reference to the British Virgin Islands in addition to
any state or federal law mentioned therein:
(a) Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries
of the Company are set forth on Schedule 3.1(a). The Company owns,
directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity
interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all the
issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are
validly issued and, except as set forth in the Company's SEC Reports,
are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar
rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. If the Company has no
subsidiaries, then references in the Transaction Documents to the
Subsidiaries will be disregarded.
(b) Organization and Qualification. Each of the Company and
the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with
the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and
assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the
provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation,
bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the
Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and
is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property
owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the
failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be,
could not have or reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material
adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any
Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of
operations, assets, business or financial condition of the Company and
the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect
on the Company's ability to perform in any material respect on a timely
basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii)
or (iii), a "Material Adverse Effect") and no Proceeding has been
instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or
seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or
qualification.
(c) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite
corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the
transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction Documents and
otherwise to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and
delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the
consummation by it of the transactions contemplated thereby have been
duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and
no further action is required by the Company in connection therewith
other than in connection with the Required Approvals. Each Transaction
Document has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by
the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof,
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will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except (i)
as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement
of creditors' rights generally and (ii) as limited by laws relating to
the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other
equitable remedies.
(d) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of
the Transaction Documents by the Company, the issuance and sale of the
Shares and the consummation by the Company of the other transactions
contemplated thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate
any provision of the Company's or any Subsidiary's certificate or
articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter
documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event
that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default)
under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or
assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights
of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or
without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit
facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary
debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any
Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company
or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the
Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law,
rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other
restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company
or a Subsidiary is subject (including applicable securities laws and
regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a
Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses
(ii) and (iii), such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not
required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give
any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or
other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other
Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by
the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than (i) filings
required pursuant to Section 4.4 of this Agreement, (ii) the filing
with the Commission of the Registration Statement, (iii) application(s)
to each applicable Trading Market for the listing of the Shares and
Warrant Shares for trading thereon in the time and manner required
thereby, and (iv) the filing of Form D with the Commission and such
filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities
laws (collectively, the "Required Approvals").
(f) Issuance of the Securities. The Shares and Warrants are
duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the
Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other
than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction
Documents. The Warrant Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms
of the Transaction Documents, will be validly issued, fully paid and
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nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The
Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum
number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement
and the Warrants.
(g) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as
described in the Company's most recent periodic report filed with the
Commission. The Company has not issued any capital stock since such
filing other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options
under the Company's stock option plans, the issuance of shares of
Common Stock to employees pursuant to the Company's employee stock
purchase plan and pursuant to the conversion or exercise of outstanding
Common Stock Equivalents. No Person has any right of first refusal,
preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to
participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents. Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the
Securities and except pursuant to the Company's stock or options plans
for employees, officers, directors, consultants and advisors of the
Company, there are no outstanding options, warrants, script rights to
subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating
to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or
exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or
acquire, any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments,
understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary
is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock, or
securities or rights convertible or exchangeable into shares of Common
Stock. The issue and sale of the Securities will not obligate the
Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any
Person (other than the Purchasers) and will not result in a right of
any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion,
exchange or reset price under such securities. All of the outstanding
shares of capital stock of the Company are validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and
state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued
in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe
for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any
stockholder, the Board of Directors of the Company or others is
required for the issuance and sale of the Shares. Except as disclosed
in the SEC Reports, there are no stockholders agreements, voting
agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company's
capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of
the Company, between or among any of the Company's stockholders.
(h) SEC Reports; Financial Statements. The Company has filed
all reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for
the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the
Company was required by law to file such material) (the foregoing
materials, including the exhibits thereto, being collectively referred
to herein as the "SEC Reports") on a timely basis or has received a
valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC
Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their
respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects
with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and
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the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, and
none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports
comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements
and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as
in effect at the time of filing.
(i) Material Changes. Since the date of the latest audited
financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as
specifically disclosed in the SEC Reports, (i) there has been no event,
occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has
not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A)
trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required
to be reflected in the Company's financial statements pursuant to GAAP
or required to be disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii)
the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company
has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other
property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any
agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and
(v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer,
director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option
plans. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any
request for confidential treatment of information.
(j) Litigation. There is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of
violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any
Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any
court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory
authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an
"Action") which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality,
validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the
Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision,
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is
or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of
or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of
breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of
the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by
the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director
or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order
or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration
statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act
or the Securities Act.
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(k) Labor Relations. No material labor dispute exists or, to
the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the
employees of the Company which could reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is
in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has
not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would
result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has
the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in
default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or
credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a
party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not
such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any
order of any court, arbitrator or governmental body, or (iii) is or has
been in violation of any statute, rule or regulation of any
governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign,
federal, state and local laws applicable to its business except in each
case as could not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries
possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the
appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities
necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the
SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not
have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect
("Material Permits"), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has
received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
modification of any Material Permit.
(n) Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries have
good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by
them that is material to the business of the Company and the
Subsidiaries and good and marketable title in all personal property
owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the
Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for
Liens 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 the Subsidiaries and Liens for the payment
of federal, state or other taxes, the payment of which is neither
delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities
held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them
under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases of which the Company and
the Subsidiaries are in material compliance.
(o) Patents and Trademarks. The Company and the Subsidiaries
have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications,
trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names,
copyrights, licenses and other similar rights necessary or material for
use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the
SEC Reports and which the failure to so have could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the
"Intellectual Property Rights"). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary
has received a written notice that the Intellectual Property Rights
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used by the Company or any Subsidiary violates or infringes upon the
rights of any Person. To the knowledge of the Company, all such
Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing
infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property
Rights.
(p) Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by
insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and
risks and in such amounts as are customary in the businesses in which
the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged. To the best of Company's
knowledge, such insurance contracts and policies are accurate and
complete.
(q) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set
forth in the SEC Reports, none of the officers or directors of the
Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of
the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or
any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and
directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement
providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental
of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring
payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the
knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or
any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer,
director, trustee or partner, in each case in excess of $60,000 other
than (i) for payment of salary or consulting fees for services
rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the
Company and (iii) for other employee benefits, including stock option
agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.
(r) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx; Internal Accounting Controls. The Company
is in material compliance with all provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act
of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the Closing Date. The Company
and the 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, and
(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. The Company has established disclosure
controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and
15d-15(e) (to the extent such rules are applicable to the Company)) for
the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to
ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its
subsidiaries, is made known to the certifying officers by others within
those entities, particularly during the period in which the Company's
most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, as the case
may be, is being prepared. The Company's certifying officers have
evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's controls and procedures as
of the date prior to the filing date of the most recently filed
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periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the "Evaluation
Date"). The Company presented in its most recently filed periodic
report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying
officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since
the Evaluation Date, there have been no significant changes in the
Company's internal controls (as such term is defined in Item 307(b) of
Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act) or, to the Company's knowledge,
in other factors that could significantly affect the Company's internal
controls.
(s) Certain Fees. No brokerage or finder's fees or commissions
are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor
or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or
other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. The Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any
fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other
Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due
in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(t) Private Placement. Assuming the accuracy of the
Purchasers' representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, no
registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and
sale of the Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as contemplated
hereby. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not
contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.
(u) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an
Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Shares,
will not be or be an Affiliate of, an "investment company" within the
meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company
shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become
subject to the Investment Company Act.
(v) Registration Rights. No Person has any right to cause the
Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any
securities of the Company.
(w) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Company's Common
Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and
the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge
is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the
Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any
notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such
registration. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date
hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Common
Stock is or has been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is
not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such
Trading Market. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it
will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with
all such listing and maintenance requirements.
13
(x) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and its
Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to
render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business
combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights
agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws
of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the
Purchasers as a result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling
their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction
Documents, including without limitation the Company's issuance of the
Securities and the Purchasers' ownership of the Securities.
(y) Disclosure. The Company confirms that, neither the Company
nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the
Purchasers or their agents or counsel with any information that
constitutes or might reasonably be deemed to constitute material,
non-public information. The Company understands and confirms that the
Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representations and covenants in
effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All disclosure
provided to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its business and the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to
this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Company with respect
to the representations and warranties made herein are, to the Company's
knowledge, true and correct with respect to such representations and
warranties and, to the Company's knowledge, do not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company
acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any
representations or warranties with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section
3.2 hereof.
(z) No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the
Purchasers' representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2,
neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any Person acting
on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or
sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security,
under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to
be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the
Securities Act or any applicable shareholder approval provisions,
including, without limitation, under the rules and regulations of any
exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the securities
of the Company are listed or designated.
(aa) Solvency. Based on the financial condition of the Company
as of the Closing Date after giving effect to the receipt by the
Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder, (i)
the Company's fair saleable value of its assets exceeds the amount that
will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company's existing
debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as
they mature; (ii) the Company's assets do not constitute unreasonably
14
small capital to carry on its business for the current fiscal year as
now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital
needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the
business conducted by the Company, and projected capital requirements
and capital availability thereof; and (iii) the current cash flow of
the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were
it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all
anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on
or in respect of its debt when such amounts are required to be paid.
The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay
such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts
of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt).
(bb) Taxes. Except for matters that would not, individually or
in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each Subsidiary has filed all
necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns
and has paid or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon, and the Company
has no knowledge of a tax deficiency which has been asserted or
threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary.
(cc) General Solicitation. Neither the Company nor any person
acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold any of the Shares
by any form of general solicitation or general advertising. The Company
has offered the Shares for sale only to the Purchasers and certain
other "accredited investors" within the meaning of Rule 501 under the
Securities Act.
(dd) Accountants. The Company's accountants are set forth on
Schedule 3.1(dd) of the Disclosure Schedule. To the Company's
knowledge, such accountants, who the Company expects will express their
opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 20-K for the year ending December 31,
2004, are independent accountants as required by the Securities Act.
(ee) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers' Purchase of Shares.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is
acting solely in the capacity of an arm's length purchaser with respect
to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby.
The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a
financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar
capacity) with respect to this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of
their respective representatives or agents in connection with this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is merely incidental
to the Purchasers' purchase of the Shares. The Company further
represents to each Purchaser that the Company's decision to enter into
this Agreement has been based solely on the independent evaluation of
the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its
representatives.
15
(ff) Form F-3 Eligibility. The Company is eligible to register
the resale of its Common Stock by the Purchasers under Form F-3
promulgated under the Securities Act.
3.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser
hereby, for itself and for no other Purchaser, represents and warrants as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows:
(a) Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser is an entity duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization with full right, corporate or
partnership power and authority to enter into and to consummate the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to
carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution, delivery and
performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or
similar action on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document
to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and
when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof,
will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such
Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except
(i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of
general application affecting enforcement of creditors' rights
generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of
specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and
(iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be
limited by applicable law.
(b) Investment Intent. Such Purchaser understands that the
Securities are "restricted securities" and have not been registered
under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and is
acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and not with
a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part
thereof, has no present intention of distributing any of such
Securities and has no arrangement or understanding with any other
persons regarding the distribution of such Securities (this
representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser's right to sell
the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in
compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). Such
Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course
of its business. Such Purchaser does not have any agreement or
understanding, directly or indirectly, with any Person to distribute
any of the Securities.
(c) Purchaser Status. At the time such Purchaser was offered
the Securities, it was, and at the date hereof it is, and on each date
on which it exercises any Warrants, it will be either: (i) an
"accredited investor" as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3),
(a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Securities Act or (ii) a "qualified
institutional buyer" as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the Securities
Act. Such Purchaser is not required to be registered as a broker-dealer
under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.
16
(d) Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser has such
knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial
matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the
prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the
merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the
economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present
time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.
(e) General Solicitation. Such Purchaser is not purchasing the
Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other
communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper,
magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or
presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general
advertisement.
(f) Recent Trading of Shares. Such Purchaser represents that
from July 6, 2004 through the Closing Date, neither it nor any Person
acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such
Purchaser have made any purchases or sales of, or granted any option
for the purchase or sale of or entered into any hedging or similar
transaction with the same economic effect as a purchase or sale, of the
Common Stock.
(g) SEC Reports. Each Purchaser has reviewed the Company's
reports filed under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, and has been provided
opportunity by the Company to request such additional information
requested by each Purchaser in connection with their purchase of the
Securities.
(h) Reporting Requirements. Each Purchaser understands, and is
purchasing the Securities with full knowledge, that the Company is a
foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the
Exchange Act. As such, the Company exempt from certain provisions
applicable to United States public companies, including: (i) the rules
under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the Commission of
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 6-K; (ii) the
provisions of Regulation FD intended to prevent issuers from making
selective disclosures of material information; (iii) the sections of
the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or
authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange
Act; and (iv) the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to
file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and
establishing insider liability for profits realized from any
"short-swing" trading transaction. Because of these exemptions, the
Company's shareholders are not provided with the same information which
is generally available about public companies organized in the United
States.
(i) BVI Corporation. Each Purchaser understands, and is
purchasing the Securities with full knowledge, that, as a BVI
corporation, the Company's directors have the power to take certain
actions without shareholder approval which would require shareholder
approval under the laws of most United States jurisdictions. The
directors of a BVI corporation, subject in certain cases to court
17
approval but without shareholder approval, may implement a
reorganization, merger or consolidation, the sale of any assets,
property, part of the business, or securities of the corporation.
(j) Certain Trading Activities. Such Purchaser has not
directly or indirectly, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or
pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, engaged in any
transactions in the securities of the Company (including, without
limitations, any Short Sales involving the Company's securities) since
the time that such Purchaser was first contacted by the Company or Xxxx
Capital Partners, LLC regarding this investment in the Company. For
purposes of this Section, "Short Sales" include, without limitation,
all "short sales" as defined in Rule 3b-3 of the Exchange Act and
include all types of direct and indirect stock pledges, forward sale
contracts, options, puts, calls, short sales, swaps and similar
arrangements (including on a total return basis), and sales and other
transactions through non-US broker dealers or foreign regulated brokers
having the effect of hedging the securities or investment made under
this Agreement. Such Purchaser covenants that neither it nor any Person
acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will
engage in any transactions in the securities of the Company (including
Short Sales) prior to the time that the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement are publicly disclosed.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Purchaser does not make
or has not made any representations or warranties with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in this
Section 3.2.
ARTICLE IV.
OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES
4.1 Transfer Restrictions.
(a) The Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with
state and federal securities laws (and any comparable jurisdictional
law for the British Virgin Islands). In connection with any transfer of
Securities other than pursuant to an effective registration statement
or Rule 144, to the Company or to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in
connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 4.1(b), the Company
may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion
of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the
Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not
require registration of such transferred Securities under the
Securities Act. As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall
agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and shall
have the rights of a Purchaser under this Agreement and the
Registration Rights Agreement.
(b) The Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is
required by this Section 4.1(b), of a legend on any of the Securities
in the following form:
18
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY
STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"),
AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT
TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A
TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF
THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE
SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO
THE TRANSFEROR REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY TO SUCH
EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE
TO THE COMPANY. THESE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION
WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT WITH A REGISTERED
BROKER-DEALER OR OTHER LOAN WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT
IS AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from
time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a
registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of
the Securities to a financial institution that is an "accredited
investor" as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and who
agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and the
Registration Rights Agreement and, if required under the terms of such
arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Securities
to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not
be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal
counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in
connection therewith. Further, no notice shall be required of such
pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser's expense, the Company will
execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or
secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a
pledge or transfer of the Securities, including, if the Securities are
subject to registration pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement,
the preparation and filing of any required prospectus supplement under
Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act or other applicable provision
of the Securities Act to appropriately amend the list of Selling
Stockholders thereunder.
(c) Certificates evidencing the Shares and Warrant Shares
shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section
4.1(b)), (i) while a registration statement (including the Registration
Statement) covering the resale of such security is effective under the
Securities Act, or (ii) following any sale of such Shares or Warrant
Shares pursuant to Rule 144, or (iii) if such Shares or Warrant Shares
are eligible for sale under Rule 144(k), or (iv) if such legend is not
19
required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including
judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the Staff of the
Commission). If all or any portion of a Warrant is exercised at a time
when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale
of the Warrant Shares, such Warrant Shares shall be issued free of all
legends. The Company agrees that following the Effective Date or at
such time as such legend is no longer required under this Section
4.1(c), it will, no later than five Trading Days following the delivery
by a Purchaser to the Company or the Company's transfer agent of a
certificate representing Shares or Warrant Shares, as the case may be,
issued with a restrictive legend (such date, the "Legend Removal
Date"), deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a
certificate representing such Securities that is free from all
restrictive and other legends. The Company may not make any notation on
its records or give instructions to any transfer agent of the Company
that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section.
(d) In addition to such Purchaser's other available remedies,
the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated
damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Shares or Warrant
Shares (based on the Closing Price of the Common Stock on the date such
Securities are submitted to the Company's transfer agent) subject to
Section 4.1(c), $10 per Trading Day for each Trading Day commencing on
the 3rd Trading following the Legend Removal Date until such
certificate is delivered. Nothing herein shall limit such Purchaser's
right to pursue actual damages for the Company's failure to deliver
certificates representing any Securities as required by the Transaction
Documents, and such Purchaser shall have the right to pursue all
remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without
limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief.
(e) Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other
Purchasers, agrees that the removal of the restrictive legend from
certificates representing Securities as set forth in this Section 4.1
is predicated upon the Company's reliance that the Purchaser will sell
any Securities pursuant to either the registration requirements of the
Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery
requirements, or an exemption therefrom.
4.2 Furnishing of Information. As long as any Purchaser owns
Securities, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in
respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports
required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the
Exchange Act applicable to foreign issuers. As long as any Purchaser owns
Securities, if the Company is not required to file reports pursuant to the
Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Purchasers and make publicly
available in accordance with Rule 144(c) such information as is required for the
Purchasers to sell the Securities under Rule 144. The Company further covenants
that it will take such further action as any holder of Securities may reasonably
request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Person to
sell such Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the
limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144.
20
4.3 Integration. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit
offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in
Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale
of the Securities in a manner that would require the registration under the
Securities Act of the sale of the Securities to the Purchasers or that would be
integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules
and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require shareholder
approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless shareholder
approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.
4.4 Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. The Company shall, by 8:30
a.m. Eastern time on the Trading Day following the date hereof, issue a press
release or file a Current Report on Form 6-K, disclosing the material terms of
the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company and each Purchaser shall
consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser
shall issue any such press release or otherwise make any such public statement
without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of
any Purchaser, or without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to
any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be
withheld, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the
disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of
such public statement or communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the
name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency
or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except
(i) as required by federal securities law in connection with the registration
statement contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement and (ii) to the
extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations, in
which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such
disclosure permitted under subclause (i) or (ii).
4.5 Shareholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the
Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other Person that any Purchaser
is an "Acquiring Person" under any shareholder rights plan or similar plan or
arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser
could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by
virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any
other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers. The Company shall
conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the
Investment Company Act.
4.6 Non-Public Information. The Company covenants and agrees that
neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf will provide any Purchaser
or its agents or counsel with any information that the Company believes
constitutes material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser
shall have executed a written agreement regarding the confidentiality and use of
such information. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall
be relying on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in
securities of the Company.
21
4.7 Use of Proceeds. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.7 attached
hereto, the Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities
hereunder for working capital purposes and not for the satisfaction of any
portion of the Company's debt (other than payment of trade payables in the
ordinary course of the Company's business and prior practices), to redeem any
Company equity or equity-equivalent securities or to settle any outstanding
litigation.
4.8 Indemnification of Purchasers.
(a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.8, the Company will
indemnify and hold the Purchasers and their directors, officers, shareholders,
partners, employees and agents (each, a "Purchaser Party") harmless from any and
all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and
expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and
reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser
Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of
the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in
this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action
instituted against a Purchaser, or any of them or their respective Affiliates,
by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser,
with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents (unless such action is based upon a breach of such Purchaser's
representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any
agreements or understandings such Purchaser may have with any such stockholder
or any violations by the Purchaser of state or federal securities laws (or any
comparable jurisdictional laws for the British Virgin Islands) or any conduct by
such Purchaser which constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or
malfeasance). If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in
respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such
Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company
shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own
choosing. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in
any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except
to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized
by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period
of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action
there is, in the reasonable opinion of such separate counsel, a material
conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the
position of such Purchaser Party. The Company will not be liable to any
Purchaser Party under this Agreement (i) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party
effected without the Company's prior written consent, which shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (ii) to the extent, but only to the extent
that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party's
breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made
by the Purchasers in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents.
(b) In no event shall the Company's liability for indemnification
to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement for a breach of Section 3.1 exceed,
22
in addition to direct claims against the Company not for indemnity, such
Purchaser's Subscription Amount.
4.9 Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has
reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all
times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock
for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue Shares pursuant to this
Agreement and Warrant Shares pursuant to any exercise of the Warrants.
4.10 Listing of Common Stock. The Company hereby agrees to use
commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Common Stock on a
Trading Market, and not later than the earlier of the Effective Date and the
first anniversary of the Closing Date, to list all of the Shares and Warrant
Shares on such Trading Market. The Company further agrees, if, following the
Effective Date, the Company applies to have the Common Stock traded on any other
Trading Market, it will include in such application all of the Shares and
Warrant Shares, and will take such other action as is reasonably necessary to
cause all of the Shares and Warrant Shares to be listed on such other Trading
Market as promptly as possible. The Company will take all action reasonably
necessary to continue the listing and trading of its Common Stock on a Trading
Market and will comply in all respects with the Company's reporting, filing and
other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market.
4.11 Equal Treatment of Purchasers. No consideration shall be offered
or paid to any person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any
provision of any of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration is
also offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents. For
clarification purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to
each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and
is intended to treat for the Company the Purchasers as a class and shall not in
any way be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with
respect to the purchase, disposition or voting of Securities or otherwise.
4.12 Participation in Future Financing. From the date hereof until 6
months after the Effective Date, upon any financing by the Company of its Common
Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (a "Subsequent Financing"), each Purchaser
holding 40% or more of its Shares purchased pursuant to this Agreement, shall
have the right to participate in up to 50% of such Subsequent Financing (the
"Participation Maximum"). At least 5 Trading Days prior to the closing of the
Subsequent Financing, the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser a written
notice of its intention to effect a Subsequent Financing ("Pre-Notice"), which
Pre-Notice shall ask such Purchaser if it wants to review the details of such
financing (such additional notice, a "Subsequent Financing Notice"). Upon the
request of a Purchaser, and only upon a request by such Purchaser, for a
Subsequent Financing Notice, the Company shall promptly, but no later than 1
Trading Day after such request, deliver a Subsequent Financing Notice to such
Purchaser. The Subsequent Financing Notice shall describe in reasonable detail
the proposed terms of such Subsequent Financing, the amount of proceeds intended
to be raised thereunder, the Person with whom such Subsequent Financing is
proposed to be effected, and attached to which shall be a term sheet or similar
document relating thereto. If by 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the second
23
Trading Day after all of the Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice,
notifications by the Purchasers of their willingness to participate in the
Subsequent Financing (or to cause their designees to participate) is, in the
aggregate, less than the Participation Maximum, then the Company may effect the
remaining portion of such Participation Maximum on the terms and to the Persons
set forth in the Subsequent Financing Notice. If the Company receives no notice
from a Purchaser as of such 2nd Trading Day, such Purchaser shall be deemed to
have notified the Company that it does not elect to participate. The Company
must provide the Purchasers with a second Subsequent Financing Notice, and the
Purchasers will again have the right of participation set forth above in this
Section 4.12, if the Subsequent Financing subject to the initial Subsequent
Financing Notice is not consummated for any reason on the terms set forth in
such Subsequent Financing Notice within 60 Trading Days after the date of the
initial Subsequent Financing Notice. In the event the Company receives responses
to Subsequent Financing Notices from Purchasers seeking to purchase more than
the aggregate amount of the Participation Maximum, each such Purchaser shall
have the right to purchase their Pro Rata Portion (as defined below) of the
Participation Maximum. "Pro Rata Portion" is the ratio of (x) the Subscription
Amount of Securities purchased by a participating Purchaser and (y) the sum of
the aggregate Subscription Amount of all participating Purchasers.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.12 shall not apply in respect of
an Exempt Issuance.
4.13 Subsequent Equity Sales. From the date hereof until 60 days after
the Effective Date, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall issue shares of
Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents; provided, however, the 60 day period
set forth in this Section 4.13 shall be extended for the number of Trading Days
during such period in which (y) trading in the Common Stock is suspended by any
Trading Market, or (z) following the Effective Date, the Registration Statement
is not effective or the prospectus included in the Registration Statement may
not be used by the Purchasers for the resale of the Shares and Warrant Shares.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.13 shall not apply in respect of
an Exempt Issuance.
4.14 Delivery of Securities After Closing. The Company shall deliver,
or cause to be delivered, the respective Shares and Warrants purchased by each
Purchaser to such Purchaser within 3 Trading Days of the Closing Date.
ARTICLE V.
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Fees and Expenses. The Company shall reimburse The BlueGrass Fund
("BlueGrass") the sum of $30,000 for its legal fees and expenses (less $10,000
of which was paid prior to the Closing). Accordingly, in lieu of the foregoing
payments, the Company, on the Closing Date, will direct that the aggregate
amount that BlueGrass is to pay for the Shares and Warrants at such Closing, be
reduced by $20,000. The Company shall deliver, prior to the Closing, a completed
and executed copy of the Closing Statement, attached hereto as Annex A. Except
as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, each party shall pay the fees and
expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and
all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation,
24
preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The fees and
expenses of Xxxx Capital, Investors Relations International and counsel for the
Company shall be paid at closing from the Subscription Amounts. The Company
shall pay all stamp and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the
sale of the Securities.
5.2 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the
exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties
with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties
acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.
5.3 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries
required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if
such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number
set forth on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York
City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of
transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the
facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that
is not a Trading Day or later than 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading
Day, (c) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S.
nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by
the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such
notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached
hereto.
5.4 Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived
or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment,
by the Company and each Purchaser or, in the case of a waiver, by the party
against whom enforcement of any such waiver is sought. No waiver of any default
with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall
be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent
default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor
shall any delay or omission of either party to exercise any right hereunder in
any manner impair the exercise of any such right.
5.5 Construction. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not
constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect
any of the provisions hereof. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed
to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no
rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
5.6 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns.
The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder
without the prior written consent of each Purchaser. Any Purchaser may assign
any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such
Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided such transferee agrees
in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the
provisions hereof that apply to the "Purchasers".
25
5.7 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted
assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced
by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.8.
5.8 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity,
enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by
and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of
New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each
party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and
federal courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan for the
adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any
transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to
the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably
waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim
that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that
such suit, action or proceeding is improper or inconvenient venue for such
proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and
consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by
mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery
(with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices
to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good
and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein
shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner
permitted by law. The parties hereby waive all rights to a trial by jury. If
either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of
the Transaction Documents, then the prevailing party in such action or
proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys' fees and
other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and
prosecution of such action or proceeding.
5.9 Survival. The representations and warranties herein shall survive
the Closing and delivery of the Shares and Warrant Shares for a period of 18
months.
5.10 Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the
same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by
each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both
parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is
delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid and
binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is
executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature page
were an original thereof.
5.11 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be
invalid or unenforceable in any respect, the validity and enforceability of the
remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement shall not in any way be
affected or impaired thereby and the parties will attempt to agree upon a valid
and enforceable provision that is a reasonable substitute therefor, and upon so
agreeing, shall incorporate such substitute provision in this Agreement.
26
5.12 Replacement of Securities. If any certificate or instrument
evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company
shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon
cancellation thereof, or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate
or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the
Company of such loss, theft or destruction and customary and reasonable
indemnity, if requested. The applicants for a new certificate or instrument
under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs
associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.
5.13 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights
provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the
Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the
Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be
adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of
obligations described in the foregoing sentence and hereby agrees to waive in
any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a
remedy at law would be adequate.
5.14 Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment
or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser
enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the
proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently
invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered
from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored
to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other person under any law
(including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law (or any
comparable jurisdictional law for the British Virgin Islands), common law or
equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the
obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived
and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or
such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.
5.15 Independent Nature of Purchasers' Obligations and Rights. The
obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not
joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any
Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant thereto,
shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a
joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the
Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such
obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Document. Each
Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights,
including without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of
the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other
Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such
purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel
in their review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. For reasons of
administrative convenience only, Purchasers and their respective counsel have
chosen to communicate with the Company through FW. FW does not represent all of
the Purchasers but only BlueGrass. The Company has elected to provide all
27
Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of
the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by the
Purchasers.
5.16 Liquidated Damages. The Company's obligations to pay any partial
liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a
continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid
partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the
fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated
damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.
(Signature Page Follows)
28
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized
signatories as of the date first indicated above.
LJ INTERNATIONAL INC. Address for Notice:
-------------------
By:
--------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGES FOR PURCHASERS FOLLOW]
29
[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO JADE SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities
Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized
signatories as of the date first indicated above.
Name of Investing Entity: ______________________________________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: _________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: __________________________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________________
Email Address of Authorized Entity:_____________________________________________
Address for Notice of Investing Entity:
Address for Delivery of Securities for Investing Entity (if not same as above):
Subscription Amount:
Shares:
Warrant Shares:
EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]
[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]
30
ANNEX A
CLOSING STATEMENT
Pursuant to the attached Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date
hereto, the purchasers shall purchase up to $5,000,000 of Common Stock and
Warrants from LJ International Inc. (the "Company"). All funds will be wired
into a trust account maintained by ____________, counsel to the Company. All
funds will be disbursed in accordance with this Closing Statement.
DISBURSEMENT DATE: September ____, 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. PURCHASE PRICE
GROSS PROCEEDS TO BE RECEIVED IN TRUST $
II. DISBURSEMENTS
$
$
$
$
$
TOTAL AMOUNT DISBURSED: $
WIRE INSTRUCTIONS:
To:
-------------------------------------
To:
-------------------------------------
31
SCHEDULES
TO THE
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
LJ INTERNATIONAL INC.
(A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CORPORATION),
AND THE PURCHASERS IDENTIFIED
ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES THERETO,
DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2004
Capitalized terms these Schedules use but do not define have the respective
meanings assigned to them in the Securities Purchase Agreement referred to above
(the "Agreement") unless the context otherwise requires. Any reference to a
section number in these Schedules refers to that section of the Agreement unless
the context otherwise requires. Headings contained in these Schedules are for
reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning,
interpretation or construction of the information disclosed herein.
These Schedules are qualified in their entirety by reference to the provisions
of the Agreement, and are not intended to constitute, and shall not be construed
as constituting, representations, warranties, covenants or obligations of the
parties except as and to the extent provided in the Agreement.
SCHEDULE 3.1(a)
SUBSIDIARIES
See disclosures of significant subsidiaries included in Exhibit 8.1 of the
Company's Form 20-F, filed on March 31, 2004.
With the exception of such subsidiaries included in Exhibit 8.1 of the Company's
Form 20-F, filed on March 31, 2004, all additional subsidiaries of the Company
are non-operational and/or formed for tax purposes only.
SCHEDULE 3.1(g)
CAPITALIZATION
The following additional options and warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock
were outstanding:
o 1,679,000 common stock purchase warrants which are publicly traded and which
were issued in the Company's April 1998 initial public offering to purchase
1,679,000 shares of common stock at $5.75 per share through April 15, 2005 (as
amended);
o 146,000 stock purchase options to purchase 146,000 shares of common stock at
$8.25 per share through April 15, 2005 (as amended), which were sold to the IPO
underwriter and/or persons related to the underwriter;
o warrants to purchase 75,000 shares at $3.75 per share through November 30,
2004, and warrants to purchase 87,500 shares at $6.9375 per share through March
31, 2005, which were granted to two investors and a placement agent in
connection with two tranches of the Company's 3% Convertible Debentures on
November 5, 1999, and March 22, 2000;
o warrants to purchase shares which were granted to a former financial
consultant on June 1, 2001, for services rendered in connection with corporate
development, and which are currently outstanding as follows:
o 80,000 shares at $4.57 per share exercisable through May 31, 2005.
o warrants to purchase 200,000 shares at $3.00 per share through August 15,
2006, which were granted to The Xxxxx Partnership, Inc. on August 16, 2001, in
connection with a proposed debt placement which was never completed
SCHEDULE 3.1(q)
TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES AND EMPLOYEES
See disclosure of Related Party Transaction set forth in Item 7.B of the
Company's Form 20-F filed on March 31, 2004.
SCHEDULE 3.1(s)
CERTAIN FEES
Xxxx Capital Partners shall receive a fee equal to seven percent (7%) of gross
proceeds from the sale of the Common Stock and Warrants, and shall also be
entitled to reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses.
Investor Relations International shall receive a finder's fee equal to $400,000.
SCHEDULE 3.1(v)
OUTSTANDING REGISTRATION RIGHTS
The Company issued 80,000 warrants at $4.57 per share, exercisable through
May 31, 2005, which have piggyback registration rights.
SCHEDULE 3.1(x)
APPLICATION OF TAKEOVER PROTECTIONS
The Company is a BVI corporation, and the Company's Directors may amend the
Memorandum and Articles of Association without shareholder consent. Therefore,
it is within the discretion of the Company's Directors to provide for additional
classes of stock, which may provide the Company with anti-takeover protection.
Section 3.2(i) is hereby incorporated by reference.
SCHEDULE 3.1(ff)
ACCOUNTANTS
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Mazars
EXHIBIT A
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
EXHIBIT C
LEGAL OPINION OF COMPANY COUNSEL
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER
