EXHIBIT 1
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NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE
HEREOF HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933,
AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE.
NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE
UPON EXERCISE HEREOF MAY BE SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN
THE ABSENCE OF REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION OR AN EXEMPTION
THEREFROM UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
Void after July 30, 2003
Warrant to Purchase 40,000 Shares
of Common Stock, $.01 par value
of Penn Octane Corporation
PENN OCTANE CORPORATION (POCC)
This is to Certify That, FOR VALUE RECEIVED,
STERLING 2000 INVESTMENTS
or registered assign(s) (herein referred to as the "Holder") is entitled to
purchase, subject to the provisions hereof, from PENN OCTANE CORPORATION, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), but not later than 5:00 p.m., California
time, on July 30, 2003 (or, if such date is not a Business Day in Redwood City,
California, then on the next succeeding day which shall be a Business Day),
40,000 shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value, of the Company (the "Common
Stock") at an exercise price of $3.00 per share, subject to adjustment as to
number of shares and purchase price as set forth in Section 6 below. The
exercise price of a share of Common Stock in effect at any time and as adjusted
from time to time is hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "Exercise Price".
For purposes of this Warrant, a "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York,
or in Redwood City, California, are authorized by law or regulation to close.
The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants are sometimes
herein called the "Warrant Stock."
1. Exercise of Warrant. This Warrant may be exercised in whole or in
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part at any time and from time to time by presentation and surrender hereof to
the Company at its principal office with the Purchase Form annexed hereto duly
executed and accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price in immediately
available funds for the number of shares specified in such form. If this
Warrant is exercised in part only, the Company shall, upon surrender of this
Warrant for cancellation, execute and deliver a new Warrant evidencing the right
of the Holder to purchase the balance of the shares purchasable hereunder. Upon
receipt by the Company of this Warrant at the office of the Company, in proper
form for exercise, accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price, the Holder
shall be deemed to be the holder of record of the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon such exercise, notwithstanding that certificates representing such
shares of Common Stock shall not then be actually delivered to the Holder. The
issuance of certificates for shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of this
Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issuance tax in
respect thereof (with the exception of any federal or state income taxes
applicable thereto), all such taxes to be paid by the Company, it being
understood however that the Holder shall be required to pay any tax which may be
payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any
certificate in a name other than that of the Holder. The Company will at no
time close its transfer books against the transfer of this Warrant or the
issuance of any shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of this
Warrant in any manner which interferes with the timely exercise of this Warrant.
2. Reservation of Shares; Stock Fully Paid. The Company agrees that at
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all times there shall be authorized and reserved for issuance upon exercise of
this Warrant such number of shares of its Common Stock as shall be required for
issuance or delivery upon exercise of this Warrant. All shares which may be
issued upon exercise hereof will, upon issuance, and receipt of payment
therefor, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable,
free of preemptive rights and any other rights of others.
3. Fractional Shares. This Warrant shall not be exercisable in such
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manner as to require the issuance of fractional shares. If, as a result of
adjustment in the Exercise Price or the number of shares of Common Stock to be
received upon exercise of this Warrant, fractional shares would be issuable, no
such fractional shares shall be issued. In lieu thereof, the Company shall pay
the Holder an amount in cash equal to such fraction multiplied by the Fair
Market Value of a share of Common Stock. The term "Fair Market Value" shall
mean, as of a particular date, the market price on such date.
For purposes of this Warrant, the market price on any day shall be the
last sale price on such day on the NASDAQ-AMEX Stock Market, or, if the Common
Stock is not then listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ-AMEX Stock Market,
on such other principal stock exchange on which such stock is then listed or
admitted to trading, or, if no sale takes place on such day on any such
exchange, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as
officially quoted on any such exchange, or, if the Common Stock is not then
listed or admitted to trading on any stock exchange, the average of the reported
closing bid and asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter market as
quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation
System or, if not so quoted, then as furnished by any member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. selected by the Company. If there shall
be no meaningful over-the-counter market, then Fair Market Value shall be such
amount, not less than book value, as may be determined by the Board of Directors
of the Company.
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4. Exchange or Assignment of Warrant. This Warrant is exchangeable
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without expense (other than applicable transfer taxes) at the option of the
Holder, upon presentation and surrender hereof to the Company for any other
Warrants of different denominations entitling the holder thereof to purchase in
the aggregate the same number of shares of Common Stock purchasable hereunder.
Subject to the provisions of Section 11 below and any restriction on transfer
applicable hereto pursuant to the securities laws of the United States or any
State, upon surrender of this Warrant to the Company with an assignment form
duly executed, and funds sufficient to pay any transfer tax, the Company shall,
without charge, execute and deliver a new Warrant in the name of the assignee
named in such instrument of assignment, and this Warrant shall promptly be
cancelled. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants which
carry the same rights upon presentation hereof at the principal office of the
Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations
in which new Warrants are to be issued signed by the Holder hereof. The term
"Warrant" as used herein includes any Warrants into which this Warrant may be
divided or exchanged, and the term "Holder" as used herein includes any holder
of any Warrant into which this Warrant may be divided or for which this Warrant
may be exchanged.
5. Rights of the Holder. The Holder shall not, by virtue hereof, be
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entitled to any rights of a stockholder in the Company, either at law or in
equity, and the rights of the Holder are limited to those expressed in this
Warrant.
6. Adjustment of Exercise Price and Number of Shares. The number and
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kind of securities purchasable upon the exercise or exchange of this Warrant and
the Exercise Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time upon the
occurrence of certain events, as follows:
A. Adjustment for Change in Capital Stock. If at any time after the
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date hereof, the Company:
1. pays a dividend or makes a distribution on its Common Stock in
shares of its Common Stock;
2. subdivides its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
greater number of shares;
3. combines its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares;
4. makes a distribution on its Common Stock in shares of its
capital stock other than Common Stock; or
5. issues by reclassification of its Common Stock any shares of
its capital stock;
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then the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such action and the
number of shares and type of capital stock issuable upon the exercise of this
Warrant shall be adjusted so that the Holder may receive, upon exercise or
exchange of this Warrant and payment of the same aggregate consideration as
provided herein and any proportionate part thereof upon any partial exercise of
this Warrant, the number of shares of capital stock of the Company which the
Holder would have owned immediately following such action if the Holder had
exercised or exchanged the Warrant immediately prior to the applicable record
date or effective date of such action.
The adjustment shall become effective immediately after the record date for
the determination of stockholders entitled to receive the dividend or
distribution in the case of a dividend or distribution and as of the effective
date of any subdivision, combination or reclassification.
B. Adjustment for Other Distributions. If at any time after the date
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hereof, the Company distributes to all holders of its Common Stock any of its
assets or its debt securities, the Exercise Price following the record date
shall be adjusted in accordance with the following formula:
E'= E x M-F
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M
where: E' = the adjusted Exercise Price.
E = the Exercise Price immediately prior to the adjustment.
M = the current market price (as defined in (e) below) per share of
Common Stock on the record date of the distribution.
F = the aggregate fair market value (as conclusively determined by
the Board of Directors of the Company) on the record date of
the assets or debt security to be distributed divided by the
number of outstanding shares of Common Stock.
The adjustment shall be made successively whenever any such distribution is
made and shall become effective immediately after the record date for the
determination of shareholders entitled to receive the distribution. In the
event that such distribution is not actually made, the Exercise Price shall
again be adjusted to the Exercise Price as determined without giving effect to
the calculation provided hereby. In no event shall the Exercise Price be
adjusted to an amount less than zero.
This subsection does not apply to cash dividends or cash distributions paid
out of consolidated current or retained earnings as shown on the books of the
Company and paid in the ordinary course of business.
C. When No Adjustment Required. No adjustment need be made for a
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change in the par value of the Common Stock.
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D. Statement of Adjustments. Whenever the Exercise Price and number of
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shares of Common Stock purchasable hereunder is required to be adjusted as
provided herein, the Company shall promptly prepare a certificate signed by its
President or any Vice President and its Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer,
setting forth, in reasonable detail, the event requiring the adjustment, the
amount and nature of the adjustment of the adjustment, the method by which such
adjustment was calculated (including a description hereunder), and the Exercise
Price and number of shares of Common Stock and/or description of the other
capital stock and number of shares of the other capital stock purchasable
hereunder after giving effect to such adjustment, and shall promptly cause
copies of such certificates to be mailed to the Holder.
E. No Adjustment Upon Exercise of Warrants. No adjustments shall be
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made under any Section herein in connection with the issuance of Warrant Stock
upon exercise or exchange of the Warrants.
F. No Adjustment for Small Amounts. Anything herein to the contrary
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notwithstanding, no adjustment of the Exercise Price shall be made if the amount
of such adjustment shall be less than $.05 per share, but in such case, any
adjustment that would otherwise be required then to be made shall be carried
forward and shall be made at the time and together with the next subsequent
adjustment which, together with any adjustment so carried forward, shall amount
to $.05 per share or more.
G. Common Stock Defined. Whenever reference is made in Section 6(a) to
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the issue of shares of Common Stock, the term "Common Stock" shall include any
equity securities of any class of the Company hereinafter authorized which shall
not be limited to a fixed sum or percentage in respect of the right of the
holders thereof to participate in dividends or distributions of assets upon the
voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.
Subject to the provisions of Section 7 hereof, however, shares issuable upon
exercise or exchange hereof shall include only shares of the class designated as
Common Stock of the Company as of the date hereof or shares of any class or
classes resulting from any reclassification or reclassifications thereof or as a
result of any corporate reorganization as provided for in Section 7 hereof.
7. Notice to Warrant Holders. So long as this Warrant shall be
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outstanding, (i) if the Company shall pay any dividend or make any distribution
upon its Common Stock, or (ii) if the Company shall offer to the holders of
Common Stock for subscription or purchase by them any shares of stock or
securities of any class or any other rights, or (iii) if any capital
reorganization of the Company, reclassification of the capital stock of the
Company, consolidation or merger of the Company with or into another
corporation, or any conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, or voluntary or involuntary dissolution or liquidation of the Company
shall be effected, then, in any such case, the Company shall cause to be mailed
to the Holder, at least thirty (30) days prior to the date specified in (x) or
(y) below, as the case may be, a notice containing a brief description of the
proposed action and stating the date which shall be (x) the record date for
determining the stockholders of the Company entitled to receive such dividend,
distribution or rights, or (y) such reclassification, reorganization,
consolidation, merger, conveyance, dissolution or liquidation is to take place
and the date, if any is to be fixed, as of which the holders of Common Stock of
record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities
or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, reorganization,
consolidation, merger, conveyance, dissolution or liquidation.
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8. Certain Obligations of the Company. The Company agrees that it will
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not increase the par value of the shares of Warrant Stock issuable upon exercise
of this Warrant above the prevailing and currently applicable Exercise Price
hereunder, and that before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the prevailing and current applicable Exercise Price hereunder below
the then par value of the Warrant Stock at the time issuable upon exercise of
this Warrant, the Company will take such corporate action, as in the opinion of
its counsel, may be necessary in order that the Company may validly issue fully
paid, nonassessable shares of such Warrant Stock upon the exercise of this
Warrant. The Company will maintain an office or agency (which shall initially
be the Company's principal office in Redwood City, California) where
presentations and demands to or upon the Company in respect of this Warrant may
be made and will give notice in writing to the registered holders of the then
outstanding Warrants, at their addresses as shown on the books of the Company,
of each change of location thereof.
9. Repurchase Right. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this
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Warrant, the Company may, in the event that, after the date six months after the
date hereof, the closing bid price, as reported on the NASDAQ/AMEX or such other
exchange on which the Company's Common Stock may then be quoted, of the
Company's Common Stock is greater than $4.50 for twenty consecutive trading
days, upon not less than ten (10) days' notice in writing to the Holder,
repurchase all or any portion of this Warrant at a purchase price equal to $.10
per share of Common Stock covered hereby, such purchase price to be
proportionally adjusted each time the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to
Section 6 hereof. During such ten (10) day period, the Holder may exercise such
Warrant in accordance with the terms hereof. The closing on such repurchase
shall occur on the date and at the time set forth in such notice at the office
of the Company in Redwood City, California or at such other place as shall be
specified by the Company. At the Closing, the Company shall deliver to the
Holder an amount equal to the purchase price in immediately available funds and
the Holder will deliver this Warrant to the Company for cancellation. To the
extent any repurchase hereunder is of less than all of the rights represented by
this Warrant, the Company will deliver to the Holder a new Warrant covering the
rights not so purchased.
10. Determination by Board of Directors. All determinations by the
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Board of Directors of the Company under the provisions of this Warrant will be
made in good faith with due regard to the interest of the Holder and in
accordance with sound financial practices.
11. Notice. All notices to the Holder shall be in writing, and all
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notices and certificates given to the Holder shall be sent registered or
certified mail, return receipt requested, to such Holder at his address
appearing on the records of the Company.
12. Replacement of Lost, Stolen, Destroyed or Mutilated Warrants. Upon
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receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft,
destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and, in the case of any such loss,
theft or destruction, upon delivery of any indemnity bond in such reasonable
amount as the Company may determine and in the case of any such mutilation, upon
the surrender of such Warrant for cancellation, the Company at its expense, will
execute and deliver, in lieu of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated
Warrant, a new Warrant of like tenor.
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13. Number and Gender. Whenever the singular number is used herein,
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the same shall include the plural where appropriate, and words of any gender
shall include each other gender where appropriate.
14. Applicable Law. This Warrant shall be governed by, and construed
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in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its
conflict of law principles.
PENN OCTANE CORPORATION
By:
Xxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Dated: July 30, 1999
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PURCHASE FORM
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Dated __________ , ____
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the within
Warrant to purchase ___________ shares of Common Stock and hereby makes payment
of in payment of the exercise price thereof.
Signature______________________________
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