Exhibit 4.7
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NORTON MOTORS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
AND
XXXXX & COMPANY, INC.
REPRESENTATIVE'S
WARRANT AGREEMENT
Dated as of , 1998
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REPRESENTATIVE'S WARRANT AGREEMENT dated as of _________, 1998 between
NORTON MOTORS INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Minnesota corporation (the "Company"), and
XXXXX & COMPANY, INC. (hereinafter referred to variously as the "Holder" or
"Holders" or the "Representative").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Company proposes to issue to the Representative warrants
("Warrants") to purchase up to an aggregate 300,000 shares of Common Stock,
$0.01 par value, of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Representative has agreed pursuant to the underwriting
agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement") dated as of the date hereof between the
Company and the several Underwriters listed therein to act as the Representative
in connection with the Company's proposed public offering of up to 3,000,000
shares of Common Stock at a public offering price of $______ per share of Common
Stock (the "Public Offering"); and
WHEREAS, the Warrants to be issued pursuant to this Agreement will be
issued on the Closing Date (as such term is defined in the Underwriting
Agreement) by the Company to the Representative in consideration for, and as
part of the Representative's compensation in connection with, the Representative
acting as the Representative pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the payment by the
Representative to the Company of an aggregate thirty dollars ($30.00), the
agreements herein set forth and other good and valuable consideration, hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Grant. The Representative (or its designees) is hereby granted the
right to purchase, at any time from _____________, 1999 [twelve months after
date of this Agreement],
until 5:30 P.M., New York time, on ___________, 2003 [five years after date of
this Agreement], up to an aggregate of 300,000 shares of Common Stock at an
initial exercise price (subject to adjustment as provided in Section 8 hereof)
of $_____ per share of Common Stock [120% of initial public offering price per
share of Common Stock], subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
Except as set forth herein, the shares of Common Stock are in all respects
identical to the shares of Common Stock being purchased by the Underwriters for
resale to the public pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Underwriting
Agreement. The shares of Common Stock are sometimes hereinafter referred to
collectively as the "Securities."
2. Warrant Certificates. The warrant certificates (the "Warrant
Certificates") delivered and to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be
in the form set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto and made a part hereof, with
such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions, and other variations as
required or permitted by this Agreement.
3. Exercise of Warrant.
Section 3.1 Method of Exercise. The Warrants initially are exercisable
at an aggregate initial exercise price (subject to adjustment as provided in
Section 8 hereof) per share of Common Stock set forth in Section 6 hereof
payable by certified or official bank check in New York Clearing House funds,
subject to adjustment as provided in Section 8 hereof. Upon surrender of a
Warrant Certificate with the annexed Form of Election to Purchase duly executed,
together with payment of the Exercise Price (as hereinafter defined) for the
shares of Common Stock purchased at the Company's principal executive offices in
Minnesota (presently located at 00000-00xx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx
55447-4910) the registered holder of a Warrant Certificate ("Holder" or
"Holders") shall be entitled to receive a certificate or certificates for the
shares of Common Stock so purchased. The purchase rights represented by each
Warrant Certificate are exercisable at the option of the Holder thereof, in
whole or in part (but not as to
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fractional shares of the Common Stock). Warrants may be exercised to purchase
all or part of the shares of Common Stock. In the case of the purchase of less
than all the shares of Common Stock purchasable under any Warrant Certificate,
the Company shall cancel said Warrant Certificate upon the surrender thereof and
shall execute and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of like tenor for the
balance of the shares of Common Stock purchasable thereunder.
Section 3.2 Exercise by Surrender of Warrant. In addition to the method
of payment set forth in Section 3.1 and in lieu of any cash payment required
thereunder, the Holder(s) of the Warrants shall have the right at any time and
from time to time to exercise the Warrants in full or in part by surrendering
the Warrant Certificate in the manner specified in Section 3.1 hereof. The
number of shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Section 3.2 shall
be equal to the difference between (a) the number of shares of Common Stock in
respect of which the Warrants are exercised and (b) a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock in respect of which the
Warrants are exercised multiplied by the Exercise Price and the denominator of
which shall be the Market Price (as defined in Section 3.3 hereof) of the shares
of Common Stock. Solely for the purposes of this paragraph, Market Price shall
be calculated either (i) on the date on which the form of election attached
hereto is deemed to have been sent to the Company pursuant to Section 14 hereof
("Notice Date") or (ii) as the average of the Market Prices for each of the five
trading days preceding the Notice Date, whichever of (i) or (ii) is greater.
Section 3.3 Definition of Market Price. As used herein, the phrase
"Market Price" at any date shall be deemed to be when referring to the Common
Stock, the last reported sale price, or, in case no such reported sale takes
place on such day, the average of the last reported sale prices for the last
three (3) trading days, in either case as officially reported by the principal
securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading
or by the American Stock
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Exchange ("Amex") or by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated
Quotation System ("Nasdaq"), or, if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted
to trading on any national securities exchange or quoted by Nasdaq, the average
closing bid price as furnished by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") through Nasdaq or similar organization if Nasdaq is no
longer reporting such information, or if the Common Stock is not quoted on
Nasdaq, as determined in good faith (using customary valuation methods) by
resolution of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company, based on the
best information available to it.
4. Issuance of Certificates. Upon the exercise of the Warrants, the
issuance of certificates for shares of Common Stock and/or other securities,
properties or rights underlying such Warrants shall be made forthwith (and in
any event within five (5) business days thereafter) without charge to the Holder
thereof including, without limitation, any tax which may be payable in respect
of the issuance thereof, and such certificates shall (subject to the provisions
of Sections 5 and 7 hereof) be issued in the name of, or in such names as may be
directed by, the Holder thereof; provided, however, that the Company shall not
be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer
involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificates in a name other
than that of the Holder, and the Company shall not be required to issue or
deliver such certificates unless or until the person or persons requesting the
issuance thereof shall have paid to the Company the amount of such tax or shall
have established to the satisfaction of the Company that such tax has been paid.
The Warrant Certificates and the certificates representing the shares
of Common Stock (and/or other securities, property or rights issuable upon the
exercise of the Warrants) shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the
manual or facsimile signature of the then Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board
of Directors or President or Vice President of the Company. Warrant
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Certificates shall be dated the date of execution by the Company upon initial
issuance, division, exchange, substitution or transfer. Certificates
representing the shares of Common Stock (and/or other securities, property or
rights issuable upon exercise of the Warrants) shall be dated as of the Notice
Date (regardless of when executed or delivered) and dividend bearing securities
so issued shall accrue dividends from the Notice Date.
5. Restriction On Transfer of Warrants. The Holder of a Warrant
Certificate, by its acceptance thereof, covenants and agrees that the Warrants
are being acquired as an investment and not with a view to the distribution
thereof; that the Warrants may not be sold, transferred, assigned, hypothecated
or otherwise disposed of, in whole or in part, for a period of one (1) year from
the date hereof, except to officers of the Representative.
6. Exercise Price.
Section 6.1 Initial and Adjusted Exercise Price. Except as otherwise
provided in Section 8 hereof, the initial exercise price of each Warrant shall
be $_____ per share of Common Stock [120% of the initial public offering price
of the Common Stock]. The adjusted exercise price shall be the price which shall
result from time to time from any and all adjustments of the initial exercise
price in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 hereof. Any transfer of a
Warrant shall constitute an automatic transfer and assignment of the
registration rights set forth in Section 7 hereof with respect to the Securities
or other securities, properties or rights underlying the Warrants.
Section 6.2 Exercise Price. The term "Exercise Price" herein shall mean
the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending upon the
context or unless otherwise specified.
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7. Registration Rights.
Section 7.1 Registration Under the Securities Act of 1933. The
Warrants, the shares of Common Stock, or other securities issuable upon exercise
of the Warrants (collectively, the "Warrant Securities") have been registered
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act") pursuant to the
Company's Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (Registration No. 333-_______)
(the "Registration Statement"). All of the representations and warranties of the
Company contained in the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus (as such terms are defined
in the Underwriting Agreement) and made as of the dates provided therein, are
incorporated by reference herein. The Company agrees and covenants promptly to
file post-effective amendments to such Registration Statement as may be
necessary in order to maintain its effectiveness and otherwise to take such
action as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement as long as any Warrants are outstanding. In the event that, for any
reason, whatsoever, the Company shall fail to maintain the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, the certificates representing the Warrant Securities
shall bear the following legend:
The securities represented by this certificate have not been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
("Act"), and may not be offered or sold except pursuant to
(i) an effective registration statement under the Act, (ii)
to the extent applicable, Rule 144 under the Act (or any
similar rule under such Act relating to the disposition of
securities), or (iii) an opinion of counsel, if such opinion
shall be reasonably satisfactory to counsel to the issuer,
that an exemption from registration under such Act is
available.
Section 7.2 Piggyback Registration. If, at any time commencing after
the date hereof and expiring seven (7) years thereafter, the Company proposes to
register any of its securities under the Act (other than pursuant to Form X-0,
Xxxx X-0 or a comparable registration statement) it will give written notice by
registered mail, at least thirty (30) days prior to the filing
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of each such registration statement, to the Representative and to all other
Holders of the Warrants and/or the Warrant Securities of its intention to do so.
If the Representative or other Holders of the Warrants and/or Warrant Securities
notify the Company within twenty (20) business days after receipt of any such
notice of its or their desire to include any such securities in such proposed
registration statement, the Company shall afford the Representative and such
Holders of the Warrants and/or Warrant Securities the opportunity to have any
such Warrant Securities registered under such registration statement.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7.2, the Company shall
have the right at any time after it shall have given written notice pursuant to
this Section 7.2 (irrespective of whether a written request for inclusion of any
such securities shall have been made) to elect not to file any such proposed
registration statement, or to withdraw the same after the filing but prior to
the effective date thereof.
Section 7.3 Demand Registration.
(a) At any time commencing after the date hereof and expiring five (5)
years thereafter, the Holders of the Warrants and/or Warrant Securities
representing a "Majority" (as hereinafter defined) of such securities (assuming
the exercise of all of the Warrants) shall have the right (which right is in
addition to the registration rights under Section 7.2 hereof), exercisable by
written notice to the Company, to have the Company prepare and file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), on one occasion, a
registration statement and such other documents, including a prospectus, as may
be necessary in the opinion of both counsel for the Company and counsel for the
Representative and Holders, in order to comply with the provisions of the Act,
so as to permit a public offering and sale of their respective Warrant
Securities for nine (9) consecutive months by such Holders and any other
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Holders of the Warrants and/or Warrant Securities who notify the Company within
ten (10) days after receiving notice from the Company of such request.
(b) The Company covenants and agrees to give written notice of any
registration request under this Section 7.3 (whether such request is made
pursuant to Section 7.3(a) or 7.3(c) hereof) by any Holder or Holders to all
other registered Holders of the Warrants and the Warrant Securities within ten
(10) days from the date of the receipt of any such registration request.
(c) In addition to the registration rights under Section 7.2 and
Section 7.3(a), at any time commencing after the date hereof and expiring five
(5) years thereafter, any Holder(s) of Warrants and/or Warrant Securities shall
have the right, exercisable by written request to the Company, to have the
Company prepare and file with the Commission, on one occasion, a registration
statement so as to permit a public offering and sale for nine (9) consecutive
months by any such Holder(s) of its or their Warrants and/or Warrant Securities;
provided, however, that the provisions of Section 7.4(b) hereof shall not apply
to any such registration request and all costs incident thereto shall be at the
expense of the Holders) making such request.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if the
Company shall not have filed a registration statement for the Warrant Securities
within the time period specified in Section 7.4(a) hereof pursuant to the
written notice specified in Section 7.3(a) of a Majority of the Holders of the
Warrants and/or Warrant Securities, the Company may, at its option, upon the
written notice of election of a Majority of the Holders of the Warrants and/or
Warrant Securities requesting such registration, repurchase (i) any and all
Warrant Securities of such Holders at the higher of the Market Price per share
of Common Stock, determined as of (x) the date of the notice sent pursuant to
Section 7.3(a) or (y) the expiration of the period specified in Section 7.4(a)
and (ii) any and all Warrants of such Holders at such Market Price less the
Exercise Price of such Warrant. Such repurchase shall be in immediately
available funds
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and shall close within two (2) days after the later of (i) the expiration of the
period specified in Section 7.4(a) or (ii) the delivery of the written notice of
election specified in this Section 7.3(d).
Section 7.4 Covenants of the Company With Respect to Registration. In
connection with any registration under Section 7.2 or 7.3 hereof, the Company
covenants and agrees as follows:
(a) The Company shall use its best efforts to file a registration
statement within thirty (30) days of receipt of any demand therefor, shall use
its best efforts to have any registration statements declared effective at the
earliest possible time, and shall furnish each Holder desiring to sell Warrant
Securities such number of prospectuses as shall reasonably be requested.
(b) The Company shall pay all costs (excluding fees and expenses of
Holder(s)' counsel and any underwriting or selling commissions), fees and
expenses in connection with all registration statements filed pursuant to
Sections 7.2 and 7.3(a) hereof including, without limitation, the Company's
legal and accounting fees, printing expenses, blue sky fees and expenses.
(c) The Company will take all necessary action which may be required in
qualifying or registering the Warrant Securities included in a registration
statement for offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such
states as reasonably are requested by the Holder(s), provided that the Company
shall not be obligated to execute or file any general consent to service of
process or to qualify as a foreign corporation to do business under the laws of
any such jurisdiction.
(d) The Company shall indemnify the Holder(s) of the Warrant Securities
to be sold pursuant to any registration statement and each person, if any, who
controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
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1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"), against all loss, claim, damage, expense or
liability (including all expenses reasonably incurred in investigating,
preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may
become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such
registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as
the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify each of the
Underwriters contained in Section 7 of the Underwriting Agreement.
(e) The Holder(s) of the Warrant Securities to be sold pursuant to a
registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and
not jointly, indemnify the Company, its officers and directors and each person,
if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or
Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or
liability (including all expenses reasonably incurred in investigating,
preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become
subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information
furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, for
specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with
the same effect as the provisions contained in Section 7 of the Underwriting
Agreement pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify the
Company.
(f) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring
the Holder(s) to exercise their Warrants prior to the initial filing of any
registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.
(g) The Company shall not permit the inclusion of any securities other
than the Warrant Securities to be included in any registration statement filed
pursuant to Section 7.3 hereof, or permit any other registration statement to be
or remain effective during the effectiveness of a registration statement filed
pursuant to Section 7.3 hereof (other than (i) shelf
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registrations effective prior thereto and (ii) registrations on Form S-4 or
S-8), without the prior written consent of the Holders of the Warrants and
Warrant Securities representing a Majority of such securities.
(h) The Company shall furnish to each Holder participating in the
offering and to each underwriter, if any, a signed counterpart, addressed to
such Holder or underwriter, of (i) an opinion of counsel to the Company, dated
the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration
includes an underwritten public offering, an opinion dated the date of the
closing under the underwriting agreement) relating to the due incorporation of
the Company, the validity of the shares being issued, the due execution and
delivery of the underwriting agreement and Rule 10b-5, and (ii) a "cold comfort"
letter dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such
registration includes an underwritten public offering, a letter dated the date
of the closing under the underwriting agreement) signed by the independent
public accountants who have issued a report on the Company's financial
statements included in such registration statement, covering substantially the
same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus
included therein) and, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such
financial statements, as are customarily covered in accountants' letters
delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings of securities.
(i) The Company shall as soon as practicable after the effective date
of the registration statement, and in any event within 15 months thereafter,
make "generally available to its security holders" (within the meaning of Rule
158 under the Act) an earnings statement (which need not be audited) complying
with Section 11(a) of the Act and covering a period of at least 12 consecutive
months beginning after the effective date of the registration statement.
(j) The Company shall deliver promptly to each Holder participating in
the offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below and to
the managing
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underwriters, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the
Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with
the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and
permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable
advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the
registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with
applicable securities laws or rules of the NASD. Such investigation shall
include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the
business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such
reasonable extent and at such reasonable times and as often as any such Holder
or underwriter shall reasonably request.
(k) The Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with the
managing underwriters selected for such underwriting by Holders holding a
Majority of the Warrant Securities requested pursuant to Section 7.3(a) to be
included in such underwriting, which may be the Representative. Such agreement
shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Company, each Holder and such
managing underwriter(s), and shall contain such representations, warranties and
covenants by the Company and such other terms as are customarily contained in
agreements of that type used by the managing underwriter(s). The Holders shall
be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to an underwritten sale of
their Warrant Securities whether pursuant to Section 7.2 or Section 7.3(a) and
may, at their option, require that any or all of the representations, warranties
and covenants of the Company to or for the benefit of such underwriter(s) shall
also be made to and for the benefit of such Holders. Such Holders shall not be
required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the
Company or the underwriter(s) except as they may relate to such Holders and
their intended methods of distribution.
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(l) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Majority" in reference to
the Holders of Warrants or Warrant Securities, shall mean in excess of fifty
percent (50%) of the then outstanding Warrants or Warrant Securities that (i)
are not held by the Company, an affiliate, officer, creditor, employee or agent
thereof or any of their respective affiliates, members of their family, persons
acting as nominees or in conjunction therewith and (ii) have not been resold to
the public pursuant to a registration statement filed with the Commission under
the Act.
8. Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Securities.
Section 8.1 Subdivision and Combination. In case the Company shall at
any time subdivide or combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the
Exercise Price shall forthwith be proportionately decreased in the case of
subdivision or increased in the case of combination.
Section 8.2 Stock Dividends and Distributions. In case the Company
shall pay a dividend in, or make a distribution of, shares of Common Stock or of
the Company's capital stock convertible into Common Stock, the Exercise Price
shall forthwith be proportionately decreased. An adjustment made pursuant to
this Section 8.2 shall be made as of the record date for the subject stock
dividend or distribution.
Section 8.3 Adjustment in Number of Securities. Upon each adjustment of
the Exercise Price pursuant to the provisions of this Section 8, the number of
Warrant Securities issuable upon the exercise at the adjusted exercise price of
each Warrant shall be adjusted to the nearest full amount by multiplying a
number equal to the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment by the number of Warrant Securities issuable upon exercise of the
Warrants immediately prior to such adjustment and dividing the product so
obtained by the adjusted Exercise Price.
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Section 8.4 Definition of Common Stock. For the purpose of this
Agreement, the term "Common Stock" shall mean (i) the class of stock designated
as Common Stock in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company as may be
amended as of the date hereof, or (ii) any other class of stock resulting from
successive changes or reclassifications of such Common Stock consisting solely
of changes in par value, or from par value to no par value, or from no par value
to par value.
Section 8.5 Merger or Consolidation. In case of any consolidation of
the Company with, or merger of the Company with, or merger of the Company into,
another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger which does not result
in any reclassification or change of the outstanding Common Stock), the
corporation formed by such consolidation or merger shall execute and deliver to
the Holder a supplemental warrant agreement providing that the holder of each
Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter
(until the expiration of such Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such
Warrant, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and
property receivable upon such consolidation or merger, by a holder of the number
of securities of the Company for which such Warrant might have been exercised
immediately prior to such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer. Such
supplemental warrant agreement shall provide for adjustments which shall be
identical to the adjustments provided in Section 8. The above provision of this
subsection shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or mergers.
Section 8.6 No Adjustment of Exercise Price in Certain Cases. No
adjustment of the Exercise Price shall be made if the amount of said adjustment
shall be less than two cents (2) per Warrant Security, provided, however, that
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 of and
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together with the next subsequent adjustment which, together with any adjustment
so carried forward, shall amount to at least two cents (2?) per Warrant
Security.
9. Exchange and Replacement of Warrant Certificates. Each Warrant
Certificate is exchangeable without expense, upon the surrender thereof by the
registered Holder at the principal executive office of the Company, for a new
Warrant Certificate of like tenor and date representing in the aggregate the
right to purchase the same number of Warrant Securities in such denominations as
shall be designated by the Holder thereof at the time of such surrender.
Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it
of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of any Warrant Certificate, and,
in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably
satisfactory to it, and reimbursement to the Company of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender and cancellation of the Warrants, if
mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of like
tenor, in lieu thereof.
10. Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be
required to issue certificates representing fractions of shares of Common Stock
upon the exercise of the Warrants, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or
pay cash in lieu of fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties
that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up to
the nearest whole number of shares of Common Stock or other securities,
properties or rights.
11. Reservation and Listing of Securities. The Company shall at all
times reserve and keep available out of its authorized shares of Common Stock,
solely for the purpose of issuance upon the exercise of the Warrants, such
number of shares of Common Stock or other securities, properties or rights as
shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees
that, upon exercise of the Warrants and payment of the Exercise Price
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therefor, all shares of Common Stock, and other securities issuable upon such
exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid, non-assessable and not
subject to the preemptive rights of any stockholder. As long as the Warrants
shall be outstanding, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause all shares
of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants to be listed (subject
to official notice of issuance) on all securities exchanges on which the Common
Stock issued to the public in connection herewith may then be listed and/or
quoted on the Amex or Nasdaq.
12. Notices to Warrant Holders. Nothing contained in this Agreement
shall be construed as conferring upon the Holders the right to vote or to
consent or to receive notice as a stockholder in respect of any meetings of
stockholders for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any
rights whatsoever as a stockholder of the Company. If, however, at any time
prior to the expiration of the Warrants and their exercise, any of the following
events shall occur:
(a) the Company shall take a record of the holders of its
shares of Common Stock for the purpose of entitling them to receive
a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash
dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of current or
retained earnings or capital surplus (in accordance with applicable
law), as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or
distribution on the books of the Company; or
(b) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its Common
Stock any additional shares of capital stock of the Company or
securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital
stock of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe
therefor; or
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(c) a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company
(other than in connection with a consolidation or merger) or a sale
of all or substantially all of its property, assets and business as
an entirety shall be proposed;
then, in any one or more of said events, the Company shall give written notice
of such event at least thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed as a record date
or the date of closing the transfer books for the determination of the
stockholders entitled to such dividend, distribution, convertible or
exchangeable securities or subscription rights, or entitled to vote on such
proposed dissolution, liquidation, winding up or sale. Such notice shall specify
such record date or the date of closing the transfer books, as the case may be.
Failure to give such notice or any defect therein shall not affect the validity
of any action taken in connection with the declaration or payment of any such
dividend, or the issuance of any convertible or exchangeable securities, or
subscription rights, options or warrants, or any proposed dissolution,
liquidation, winding up or sale.
13. Notices.
All notices, requests, consents and other communications hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made and sent when
delivered, or mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested:
(a) If to the registered Holder of the Warrants, to the
address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company; or
(b) If to the Company, to the address set forth in Section 3
hereof or to such other address as the Company may designate by notice
to the Holders.
14. Supplements and Amendments. The Company and the Representative may
from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
Holders of Warrant Certificates (other than the Representative) in order to cure
any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may
be defective or inconsistent with any
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provisions herein, or to make any other provisions in regard to matters or
questions arising hereunder which the Company and the Representative may deem
necessary or desirable and which the Company and the Representative deem shall
not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Warrant Certificates.
15. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company, the Holders and
their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
16. Termination. This Agreement shall terminate at the close of
business on __________, 2005. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnification
provisions of Section 7 shall survive such termination until the close of
business on _________, 2011.
17. Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and each
Warrant Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the State of New York and for all purposes shall be construed in
accordance with the laws of said State without giving effect to the rules of
said State governing the conflicts of laws.
The Company, the Representative and the Holders hereby agree that
any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any
way to, this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State
of New York or of the United States of America for the Southern District of New
York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be
exclusive. The Company, the Representative and the Holders hereby irrevocably
waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction or inconvenient forum. Any
such process or summons to be served upon any of the Company, the Representative
and the Holders (at the option of the party bringing such action, proceeding or
claim) may be served by transmitting a copy thereof, by registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address
set forth in Section 13 hereof. Such mailing shall be
18
deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the party so served
in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company, the Representative and the
Holders agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action or proceeding
shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its/their
reasonable legal costs and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or
incurred in connection with the preparation therefore.
18. Entire Agreement; Modification. This Agreement (including the
Underwriting Agreement to the extent portions thereof are referred to herein)
contains the entire understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the
subject matter hereof and may not be modified or amended except by a writing
duly signed by the party against whom enforcement of the modification or
amendment is sought.
19. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to
be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not
affect any other provision of this Agreement.
20. Captions. The caption headings of the Sections of this Agreement
are for convenience of reference only and are not intended, nor should they be
construed as, a part of this Agreement and shall be given no substantive effect.
21. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company and the
Representative and any other registered Holder(s) of the Warrant Certificates or
Warrant Securities any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this
Agreement; and this Agreement shall be for the sole benefit of the Company and
the Representative and any other registered Holders of Warrant Certificates or
Warrant Securities.
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22. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the
same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, as of the day and year first above written.
NORTON MOTORS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Attest:
----------------------------
Secretary
XXXXX & COMPANY, INC.
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
20
EXHIBIT A
[FORM OF WARRANT CERTIFICATE]
THE WARRANTS REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE OTHER SECURITIES ISSUABLE
UPON EXERCISE THEREOF MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO (i) AN
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, (ii) TO THE
EXTENT APPLICABLE, RULE 144 UNDER SUCH ACT (OR ANY SIMILAR RULE UNDER SUCH ACT
RELATING TO THE DISPOSITION OF SECURITIES), OR (iii) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, IF
SUCH OPINION SHALL BE REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO COUNSEL FOR THE ISSUER, THAT AN
EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH ACT IS AVAILABLE.
THE TRANSFER OR EXCHANGE OF THE WARRANTS REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS
RESTRICTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WARRANT AGREEMENT REFERRED TO HEREIN.
EXERCISABLE ON OR BEFORE
5:30 P.M., NEW YORK TIME, ___________, 2003
No. W- Warrants to Purchase
____ shares of Common
Stock
WARRANT CERTIFICATE
This Warrant Certificate certifies that , or registered assigns, is the
registered holder of Warrants to purchase initially, at any time from _________,
1999 until 5:30 p.m. New York time on __________, 2003 ("Expiration Date"), up
to __________ fully-paid and non-assessable shares of common stock, $0.01 par
value ("Common Stock"), of NORTON MOTORS INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Minnesota
corporation (the "Company"), at the initial exercise price, subject to
adjustment in certain events (the "Exercise Price"), of $_____ per share of
Common Stock upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate and payment of the
Exercise Price at an office or agency of the Company, but subject to the
conditions set forth herein and in the warrant agreement dated as of _________,
1998 between the Company and XXXXX & COMPANY, INC. (the "Warrant Agreement").
Payment of the Exercise Price shall be made by certified or official bank check
in New York Clearing House funds payable to the order of the Company or by
surrender of this Warrant Certificate.
No Warrant may be exercised after 5:30 p.m., New York time, on the
Expiration Date, at which time all Warrants evidenced hereby, unless exercised
prior thereto, hereby shall thereafter be void.
The Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate are part of a duly
authorized issue of Warrants issued pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, which
Warrant Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference in and made a part of this
instrument and is hereby referred to for a description of the rights, limitation
of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company and the
holders (the words "holders" or "holder" meaning the registered holders or
registered holder) of the Warrants.
The Warrant Agreement provides that upon the occurrence of certain
events the Exercise Price and the type and/or number of the Company's securities
issuable thereupon may, subject to certain conditions, be adjusted. In such
event, the Company will, at the request of the holder, issue a new Warrant
Certificate evidencing the adjustment in the Exercise Price and the number
and/or type of securities issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants; provided,
however, that the failure of the Company to issue such new Warrant Certificates
shall not in any way change, alter, or otherwise impair, the rights of the
holder as set forth in the Warrant Agreement.
Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of this Warrant
Certificate at an office or agency of the Company, a new Warrant Certificate or
Warrant Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number
of Warrants shall be issued to the transferee(s) in exchange for this Warrant
Certificate, subject to the limitations provided herein and in the Warrant
Agreement, without any charge except for any tax or other governmental charge
imposed in connection with such transfer.
Upon the exercise of less than all of the Warrants evidenced by this
Certificate, the Company shall forthwith issue to the holder hereof a new
Warrant Certificate representing such number of unexercised Warrants.
The Company may deem and treat the registered holder(s) hereof as the
absolute owner(s) of this Warrant Certificate (notwithstanding any notation of
ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone), for the purpose of any
exercise hereof, and of any distribution to the holder(s) hereof, and for all
other purposes, and the Company shall not be affected by any notice to the
contrary.
All terms used in this Warrant Certificate which are defined in the
Warrant Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Warrant
Agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant Certificate to
be duly executed under its corporate seal.
Dated as of _____________, 1998
NORTON MOTORS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
[FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.1]
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right,
represented by this Warrant Certificate, to purchase:
/ / __________ shares of Common Stock;
and herewith tenders in payment for such securities a certified or official bank
check payable in New York Clearing House Funds to the order of Norton Motors
International, Inc. in the amount of $_______________________, all in accordance
with the terms of Section 3.1 of the Representative's Warrant Agreement dated as
of _________, 1998 between Norton Motors International, Inc. and Xxxxx &
Company, Inc. The undersigned requests that a certificate for such securities be
registered in the name of whose address is and that such Certificate be
delivered to whose address is .
Dated:
Signature
-------------------------------
(Signature must conform in all respects
to name of holder as specified on the
face of the Warrant Certificate.)
________________________________________
(Insert Social Security or Other
Identifying Number of Holder)
24
[FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.2]
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right,
represented by this Warrant Certificate, to purchase:
/ / _____________ shares of Common Stock;
and herewith tenders in payment for such securities ________ Warrants all in
accordance with the terms of Section 3.2 of the Representative's Warrant
Agreement dated as of ________, 1998 between Norton Motors International, Inc.
and Xxxxx & Company, Inc. The undersigned requests that a certificate for such
securities be registered in the name of whose address is and that such
Certificate be delivered to whose address is .
Dated:
Signature
------------------------------
(Signature must conform in all respects
to name of holder as specified on the
face of the Warrant Certificate.)
----------------------------------------
(Insert Social Security or Other
Identifying Number of Holder)
25
[FORM OF ASSIGNMENT]
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer the Warrant Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Warrant Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to transfer the
within Warrant Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full
power of substitution.
Dated: Signature:
-----------------------------
(Signature must conform in all respects
to name of holder as specified on the
face of the Warrant Certificate.)
----------------------------------------
Insert Social Security or Other
Identifying Number of Assignee)
26
