US$100,000,000 SINA CORPORATION Zero Coupon Subordinated Convertible Notes Due 2023 REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 4.3
EXECUTION COPY
US$100,000,000
SINA CORPORATION
Zero Coupon Subordinated Convertible Notes Due 2023
July 7, 2003
Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
c/o Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
Eleven Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Dear Sirs:
SINA Corporation, a Cayman Islands corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to Credit Suisse First Boston LLC (the “Initial Purchaser”), upon the terms set forth in a purchase agreement dated as of June 30, 2003 (the “Purchase Agreement”), US$100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its Zero Coupon Subordinated Convertible Notes due 2023 (the “Initial Securities”). The Initial Securities will be convertible into ordinary shares, par value $0.133 per share, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”) at the conversion price set forth in the Offering Circular dated June 30, 2003 (the “Offering Circular”). The Initial Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of July 7, 2003 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The description of the registration rights described in the Offering Circular Dated June 30, 2003 with respect to the offering of the Initial Securities shall be qualified in its entirety by the terms of this agreement. As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers, for the benefit of (i) the Initial Purchasers and (ii) the holders of the Initial Securities and the Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion of the Initial Securities (collectively, the “Securities”) from time to time until such time as such Securities have been sold pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement (as defined below) (each of the forgoing a “Holder” and collectively the “Holders”), as follows:
1. Shelf Registration. (a) The Company shall, at its cost, prepare and, as promptly as practicable (but in no event more than 90 days after so required or requested pursuant to this Section 1) file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and thereafter use its best efforts to cause to be declared effective no later than 180 days a registration statement on Form S-3 or any other appropriate form (the “Shelf Registration Statement” relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in Section 5 hereof) by the Holders thereof from time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution set forth in the Shelf Registration Statement and Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (hereinafter, the “Shelf Registration”); provided, however, that no Holder (other than an Initial Purchaser) shall be entitled to have the Securities held by it covered by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees in writing to be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Holder.
(b) The Company shall use its best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the prospectus included therein (the “Prospectus”) to be lawfully delivered by the Holders of the relevant Securities, for a period of two years (or for such longer period if extended pursuant to Section 2(h) below) from the date of its effectiveness or such shorter period that will terminate when all the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement (i) have been sold pursuant thereto or (ii) are no longer restricted securities (as defined in Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act, or any successor rule thereof), assuming for this purpose that the Holders thereof are not affiliates of the Company (in any such case, such period being called the “Shelf Registration Period”). The Company shall be deemed not to have used its best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite period if it voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Securities during that period, unless such action is (i) required by applicable law or (ii) taken by the Company in good faith and contemplated by Sections 2(b)(v) and 2(b)(vi) below, and the Company thereafter complies with the requirements of Section 2(h).
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or supplement, (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission and (ii) not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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.
2. Registration Procedures. In connection with the Shelf Registration contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser, prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any, to the prospectus included therein and, in the event that an Initial Purchaser (with respect to any portion of an unsold allotment from the original offering) is participating in the Shelf Registration Statement, shall use its best efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the Commission, such comments as such Initial Purchaser reasonably may propose; and (ii) include the names of the Holders who have timely delivered a Selling Securityholder Notice and Questionnaire attached as Annex A to the Offering Circular (the “Notice and Questionnaire”) to the Company in accordance with Section 2(l) hereof (each such Holder a “Notice Holder”) .
(b) The Company shall give written notice to the Initial Purchasers and the Notice Holders(which notice pursuant to clauses (ii) - (vi) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) (a “Deferral Notice”):
| (i) when the Shelf Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed with the Commission and when the Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective; |
| (ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Shelf Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein or for additional information; | |
| (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; |
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| (iv) of the receipt by the Company or its legal counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; |
| (v) of the happening of any event that requires the Company to make changes in the Shelf Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order that the Shelf Registration Statement or the Prospectus does not contain an untrue statement of a material fact nor omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading; and |
| (vi) of the occurrence of, but not the nature or details concerning, certain pending corporate developments that, in the good faith judgment of the Company, after consultation with independent outside counsel to the Company, (A) would be required to be made in any registration statement filed by the Company with the Commission so that such registration statement would not be false or misleading in any material respect; (B) would not be required to be made at such time but for the filing or publication of such registration statement; and (C) would serve a bona fide business purpose of the Company for not disclosing publicly. |
(c) The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement.
(d) The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, at least one copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, and, if the Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by reference).
(e) The Company shall, during the Shelf Registration Period, deliver to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such person may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of the Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities covered by the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in the Shelf Registration Statement.
(f) Prior to any public offering of the Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall register or qualify or cooperate with the Holders of the Securities included therein and their respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of such states of the United States as any Holder of the Securities reasonably requests in writing and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities covered by such Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or (ii) take any action which would subject it to general service of process or to taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(g) The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing the Securities to be sold pursuant to any Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such denominations and registered in such names as the
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Holders may request a reasonable period of time prior to sales of the Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.
(h) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 2(b) above during the period for which the Company is required to maintain an effective Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall as promptly as practicable prepare and file a post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement or an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus and any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to Notice Holders or purchasers of the Securities, the Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Initial Purchasers and the Notice Holders in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 2(b) above to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes to the Prospectus have been made, then the Initial Purchasers and the Notice Holders shall suspend use of such prospectus, and the period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement provided for in Section 1(b) above shall be extended by the number of days from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Initial Purchasers and the Notice Holders shall have received such amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to this Section 2(h).
(i) If the Company notifies (such notice, “Suspension Notice”) the Initial Purchasers and the Holders in accordance with paragraph (vi) of Section 2(b) above to suspend the use of the Prospectus, then the Initial Purchasers and the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus for the period set forth in the Suspension Notice or until otherwise notified (such notice, “Resumption Notice”) by the Company that such suspension is no longer applicable and use of the Prospectus may be resumed (the period between the dates for such suspension and resumption set forth on the Suspension Notice, or the date for such resumption set forth on the Resumption Notice, as applicable, being the “Deferral Period”), and the period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement provided for in Section 1(b) above shall be extended by the number of days from and including the date of the giving of the Suspension Notice to and including the date when the Initial Purchasers and the Notice Holders shall have received the Resumption Notice; provided, however, that the Company may not request suspension of the use of the Prospectus pursuant to this paragraph for longer than an aggregate of 45 days in any 90 day period or an aggregate of 90 days in any 12 month period.
(j) Not later than the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company will provide CUSIP numbers for the Initial Securities and the Common Stock registered under the Shelf Registration Statement, and provide the Trustee with printed certificates for the Initial Securities, in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.
(k) The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of the Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the Shelf Registration and will make generally available to its security holders (or otherwise provide in accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) an earnings statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act, no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first month of the Company’s first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such 12-month period.
(l) The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, (the “Trust Indenture Act”) in a timely manner and containing such changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such qualification. In the event that such qualification would require the appointment of a new trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall appoint a new trustee thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture.
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(m) If any Holder wishes to sell Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement and related Prospectus, it may do so only in accordance with this Section 2(m) and Section 2(b) of this Agreement. Following the date that the initial Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective, each Holder that has not previously delivered a Notice and Questionnaire who wishes to sell Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement and related Prospectus must to deliver a Notice and Questionnaire to the Company at least ten (10) Business Days prior to such Holder’s intended distribution of Securities under the Shelf Registration Statement. From and after the date the initial Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective, the Company shall, as promptly as practicable after the date that a Notice and Questionnaire is delivered, and in any event upon the later of (x) five (5) business days after such date or (y) five (5) business days after the expiration of any Deferral Period in effect when the Notice and Questionnaire is delivered or put into effect:
| (i) file with the Commission a post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement or prepare and file a supplement to the related Prospectus or a supplement or amendment to any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that the Holder delivering such Notice and Questionnaire is named as a selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement and the related Prospectus in such a manner as to permit such Holder to deliver such Prospectus to purchasers of the Securities in accordance with applicable law and, if the Company shall file a post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement, use its best efforts to cause such post-effective amendment to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as is practicable; |
| (ii) provide such Holder copies of any documents filed pursuant to Section 2(m)(i); and |
| (iii) notify such Holder as promptly as practicable after the effectiveness under the Securities Act of any post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Section 2(m)(i); |
provided, that if such Notice and Questionnaire is delivered during a Deferral Period, the Company shall so inform the Holder delivering such Notice and Questionnaire and shall take the actions set forth in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above upon expiration of the Deferral Period. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to name any Holder who has not delivered a Notice and Questionnaire to the Company in accordance with the terms hereof as a selling securityholder in any Registration Statement or related Prospectus.
(n) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements (including, if requested, an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all such other actions, if any, as any Holder shall reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration.
(o) The Company shall (i) make reasonably available for inspection by the Holders, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by the Holders or any such underwriter, all relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and (ii) cause the Company’s officers, directors, employees, accountants and auditors to supply all relevant information reasonably requested by the Holders or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, as shall be reasonably necessary to enable such persons, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act; provided, however, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall be coordinated on behalf of the Initial Purchasers by you and on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel designated by and on behalf of such other parties as described in Section 3 hereof.
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(p) The Company, if requested by any Holder of Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver an opinion and updates thereof relating to the Securities in customary form addressed to such Holders and the managing underwriters, if any, thereof, and dated, in the case of the initial opinion, the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (it being agreed that the matters to be covered by such opinion shall include, without limitation, the due incorporation and good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries; the qualification of the Company and its subsidiaries to transact business as foreign corporations; the due authorization, execution and delivery of the relevant agreement of the type referred to in Section 2(m) hereof; the due authorization, execution, authentication and issuance, and the validity and enforceability, of the Securities; the absence of material legal or governmental proceedings involving the Company and its subsidiaries; the absence of governmental approvals required to be obtained in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, the offering and sale of the Securities, or any agreement of the type referred to in Section 2(m) hereof; the compliance as to form of the Shelf Registration Statement and any documents incorporated by reference therein and of the Indenture with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, respectively; and, as of the date of the opinion and as of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most recent post-effective amendment thereto, as the case may be, the absence from the Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein, as then amended or supplemented, and from any documents incorporated by reference therein of an untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of any such documents, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time that such documents were filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)); (ii) its officers to execute and deliver all customary documents and certificates and updates thereof requested by any underwriters of the Securities and (iii) its independent public accountants to provide to the selling Holders of the applicable Securities and any underwriter therefor a comfort letter in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in comfort letters in connection with primary underwritten offerings, subject to receipt of appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72.
(q) The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to (a) if the Initial Securities have been rated prior to the initial sale of such Initial Securities, confirm such ratings will apply to the Securities covered by a Registration Statement, or (b) if the Initial Securities were not previously rated, cause the Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be rated with the appropriate rating agencies, if so requested by holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, or by the managing underwriters, if any.
(r) In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act shall underwrite any Securities or participate as a member of an underwriting syndicate or selling group or “assist in the distribution” (within the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the “Rules”) of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”)) thereof, whether as a Holder of such Securities or as an underwriter, a placement or sales agent or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, the Company will assist such broker-dealer in complying with the requirements of such Rules, including, without limitation, by (i) if such Rules, including Rule 2720, shall so require, engaging a “qualified independent underwriter” (as defined in Rule 2720) to participate in the preparation of the Shelf Registration Statement relating to such Securities, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in respect thereto and, if any portion of the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement is an underwritten offering or is made through a placement or sales agent, to recommend the yield of such Securities, (ii) indemnifying any such qualified independent underwriter to the extent of the indemnification of underwriters provided in Section 5 hereof and (iii) providing such information to such broker-dealer as may be required in order for such broker-dealer to comply with the requirements of the Rules.
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(s) The Company shall use its best efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration of the Securities covered by a Registration Statement contemplated hereby.
(t) Each Notice Holder agrees promptly to furnish to the Company all information required under the Securities Act to be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished to the Company by such Notice Holder not misleading and any other information regarding such Notice Holder and the distribution such Securities as the Company may, from time to time reasonably request. The Company shall provide each Notice Holder with a draft of the proposed Prospectus and allow such Notice Holder adequate time and opportunity to review and correct, if necessary, the information with respect thereto set forth in the Prospectus. If each such Notice Holder has been provided such opportunity to review such Prospectus, any sale of any Securities by any Holder by way of a Prospectus shall constitute a representation and warranty by such Holder that the information relating to such Holder and its plan of distribution is as set forth in the Prospectus delivered by such Holder in connection with such disposition, that such Prospectus does not as of the time of such sale contain any untrue statement of a material fact relating to or provided by such Holder or its plan of distribution and that such Prospectus does not as of the time of such sale omit to state any material fact relating to or provided by such Holder or its plan of distribution necessary to make the statements in such Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
3. Registration Expenses. (a) All expenses incident to the Company’s performance of and compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company, regardless of whether a Registration Statement is ever filed or becomes effective, including without limitation;
| (i) all registration and filing fees and expenses; |
| (ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and state “blue sky” or securities laws; |
| (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing certificates for the Securities to be issued and printing of Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone; |
| (iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; |
| (v) all application and filing fees in connection with listing the Securities on a national securities exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the requirements hereof; and |
| (vi) all fees and disbursements of independent certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such performance). |
The Company will bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses of any person, including special experts, retained by the Company. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3, each seller of Securities shall pay any applicable underwriting discount and commissions.
(b) In connection with the Shelf Registration Statement required by this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders of Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, for the reasonable fees and disbursements of not more than one counsel, designated by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration
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Statement (provided that Holders of Common Stock issued upon the conversion of the Initial Securities shall be deemed to be Holders of the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities from which such Common Stock was converted) to act as counsel for the Holders in connection therewith.
4. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder and each person, if any, who controls such Holder within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each Holder, and such controlling persons are referred to collectively as the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, or any actions in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions relating to purchases and sales of the Securities) to which each Indemnified Party may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Shelf Registration Statement or prospectus including any document incorporated by reference therein, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to the Shelf Registration, or arise out of, or are based upon, the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall reimburse, as incurred, the Indemnified Parties for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Shelf Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to the Shelf Registration in reliance upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein and (ii) with respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus relating to the Shelf Registration Statement, the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Securities concerned, to the extent that a prospectus relating to such Securities was required to be delivered by such Holder under the Securities Act in connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Holder results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person, a copy of the final prospectus if the Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Holder; provided further, however, that this indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to such Indemnified Party. The Company shall also indemnify underwriters, their officers and directors and each person who controls such underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders of the Securities if requested by such Holders.
(b) Each Holder, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers and directors and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities or any actions in respect thereof, to which the Company or any such controlling person may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Shelf Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to the Shelf Registration, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to such Holder and
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furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein; and, subject to the limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, shall reimburse, as incurred, the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Holder may otherwise have to the Company or any of its controlling persons.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 4 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including a governmental investigation), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 4, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 4 for any legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation, subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action, and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 4 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsections (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the parties shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or such Holder or such other indemnified party, as the case may be, on the other, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 4(d), the Holders shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by such Holders from the sale of the Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement exceeds the amount of damages which such Holders have otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
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meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls such indemnified party within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such indemnified party and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
(e) The agreements contained in this Section 4 shall survive the sale of the Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
5. Default Interest Under Certain Circumstances. (a) Default interest (the “Default Interest”) with respect to the Initial Securities shall be assessed as follows if any of the following events occur (each such event in clauses (i) through (iv) below being herein called a “Registration Default”):
| (i) the Shelf Registration Statement has not been filed with the Commission by the 90th day after the first date of original issuance of the Initial Securities; |
| (ii) the Shelf Registration Statement has not been declared effective by the Commission by the 180th day after the first date of original issue of the Initial Securities; |
| (iii) the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission but (A) the Shelf Registration Statement thereafter ceases to be effective or (B) the Shelf Registration Statement or the Prospectus ceases to be usable in connection with resales of Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined below) during the periods specified herein because either (1) any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus forming part of such Shelf Registration Statement would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or (2) it shall be necessary to amend such Shelf Registration Statement or supplement the related prospectus, to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder; or |
| (iv) the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in any period exceeds the number of days permitted in respect of such period pursuant to Section 2(i) hereof. |
Each of the foregoing will constitute a Registration Default.
Default Interest shall accrue on the Initial Securities over and above the interest set forth in the title of the Initial Securities and any other interest which may accrue on the Securities under the Indenture, from and including the date on which any such Registration Default shall begin, to but excluding the date on which all such Registration Defaults have been cured, (i) in respect of any Note, at a rate per annum equal to 0.50% of the aggregate principal amount of such Note and (ii) in respect of each Underlying Ordinary Share that has been issued upon conversion of a Note, at a rate per annum equal to 0.50% on the Conversion Price (as defined in the Indenture) at which the Note applicable to such Underlying Ordinary Share was converted, as the case may, be determined on the basis of a 360 day year (the “Default Interest Rate”); provided that in the case of a Default Interest accrual period that is in effect solely as a result of the Company’s failure to perform its obligations set forth in Section 2(m) with respect to Holders delivering Notices and Questionnaires requesting registration following the date on which the initial Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective, such Default Interest shall be paid only to the Holders (as set forth in the succeeding
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paragraph) that have delivered such Notices and Questionnaires that caused the Company to incur the obligations set forth in Section 2(m)(i). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Default Interest shall accrue as to any Security from and after the earlier of (x) the date such Security is eligible for sale under rule 144(k) of the Securities Act and (y) expiration of the Shelf Registration Period. The rate of accrual of Default Interest with respect to any period shall not exceed the rate provided for in this paragraph notwithstanding the occurrence of multiple current Registration Defaults.
(b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 5(a)(iii) hereof shall be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to the Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited financial information with respect to the Company where such post-effective amendment is not yet effective and needs to be declared effective to permit Holders to use the related prospectus or (y) other material events, with respect to the Company that would need to be described in such Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement the Shelf Registration Statement and related prospectus to describe such events as required by paragraph 2(h) hereof; provided, however, that in any case if such Registration Default occurs for a continuous period in excess of 30 days, Default Interest shall be payable in accordance with the above paragraph from the 31st continuous day such Registration Default occurs until such Registration Default is cured.
(c) Any amounts of Default Interest due pursuant to Section 5(a) will be payable in cash semi-annually on the April 15th and October 15th during the continuation of a Registration Default and which next succeeds the end of a period of Registration Default.
(d) “Transfer Restricted Securities” means each Security until (i) the date on which such Security has been effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement or (iv) the date on which such Security is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act.
6. Rules 144 and 144A. The Company shall use its best efforts to file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder, make publicly available other information so long as necessary to permit sales of their securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A. The Company covenants that it will take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Transfer Restricted Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). The Company will provide a copy of this Agreement to prospective purchasers of Securities identified to the Company by the Initial Purchasers upon request. Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 6 shall be deemed to require the Company to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.
7. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration are to be sold in an underwritten offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers that will administer the offering (“Managing Underwriters”) will be selected by the holders of 33% in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer Restricted Securities to be included in such offering (provided that holders of Ordinary Shares issued upon conversion of the Initial Securities shall not be deemed holders of Ordinary Shares, but shall be deemed to be holders of the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities from which such Ordinary Shares was converted.
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No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person’s Transfer Restricted Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
8. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. The Company acknowledges and agrees that any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 1 hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company’s obligations under Sections 1 hereof. The Company further agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not on or after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Company’s securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company and the written consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consents (provided that holders of Ordinary Shares issued upon conversion of Initial Securities shall not be deemed holders of Ordinary Shares, but shall be deemed to be holders of the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities from which such Ordinary Shares was converted). Without the consent of the Holder of each Initial Security, however, no modification may change the provisions relating to the payment of Default Interest.
(d) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail, facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:
| (1) if to a Holder of the Securities, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company. |
| (2) | if to the Initial Purchasers; | |||||
| Credit Suisse First Boston LLC Eleven Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000 Tel: (000) 000-0000 Fax No.: (000) 000-0000 Attention: Transactions Advisory Group |
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| with a copy to: | ||||||
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| Shearman & Sterling LLP 00/X Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxxxx 00 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx Tel: (000) 0000-0000 Fax No.: (000) 0000-0000 Attention: Hsiao-xxxxxx Xx |
| (3) | if to the Company, at its address as follows: | |||||
| SINA Corporation 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000 Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 XXX Attention: Xxxxxx Xx Tel: (0-000) 000-0000 Fax No.: (0-000) 000-0000 |
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| with a copy to: | ||||||
| Venture Law Group 0000 Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx, XX 00000 Attention: Xxxxx Xxx Tel: 0-000-000-0000 Fax No.: 0-000-000-0000 |
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All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged by recipient’s facsimile machine operator, if sent by facsimile transmission; and on the day delivered, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.
(e) Third Party Beneficiaries. The Holders shall be third party beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent they may deem such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect their rights or the rights of Holders hereunder.
(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
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(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(i) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
By the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any federal or state court in the State of New York.
(j) Severability. If any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(k) Securities Held by the Company. Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is required hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (other than subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.
(l) Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunities. By the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company (i) acknowledges that it has, by separate written instrument, irrevocably designated and appointed Corporation Service Company (and any successor entity), as its authorized agent upon which process may be served in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement that may be instituted in any federal or state court in the State of New York or brought under federal or state securities laws, and acknowledges that Corporation Service Company has accepted such designation, (ii) submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any such court in any such suit or proceeding, and (iii) agrees that service of process upon Corporation Service Company and written notice of said service to the Company shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon it in any such suit or proceeding. The Company further agrees to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of Corporation Service Company in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities shall be outstanding. To the extent that the Company may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) with respect to itself or its property, it hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Initial Purchasers and the Company in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| SINA Corporation | ||
| by | ||
|
Name: |
||
| Title: | ||
The foregoing Registration
Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed
and accepted as of the date first
above written.
Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
By: Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
| by | ||
|
Name: |
||
| Title: |
