FORM OF SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 99.1
FORM OF SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of May __, 2018 by and among GrowGeneration Corp, a Colorado corporation (the “Company”), and _______ (the “Purchaser”).
WHEREAS, the Company is offering (the “Offering”), on a “best efforts” basis, in a private placement to the Purchaser, which is an “accredited investor” (as such term in defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), up to an aggregate of thirty-four (34) units (the “Units”), each consisting of 100,000 shares of the Company’s $.001 par value common stock (the “Shares”) and 50,000 3-year warrants (the “Warrants”), substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, each entitling the Purchaser to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock (the “Warrant Shares”), at a price of $.35 per share or through cashless exercise, at a price of $300,000 per Unit.
WHEREAS, the maximum offering amount of the Offering is $10,200,000.
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser desires to purchase from the Company, such number of Units as set forth opposite Purchaser’s name on the signature pages to this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Purchaser agree as follows:
1. Subscription. The Purchaser intending to be legally bound, hereby irrevocably agrees to purchase from the Company such number of Units as shall be set forth on the signature page hereof, at a price of $300,000 per Unit (the “Purchase Price”).
2. The Shares and Warrants Comprising the Units.
(a) Each Unit will consist of 100,000 Shares and 50,000 Warrants.
(b) Each Warrant shall entitle the Purchaser to purchase from the Company one share of Common Stock, at a price of $.35 per share or through cashless exercised during the Term.
3. Payment. The Purchaser encloses herewith a check payable to the Company, or will immediately make a wire transfer payment in the full amount of the Purchase Price.
4. No Escrow of Funds. The Purchase Price will be delivered directly to the Company without provision for refund. The Purchase Price will not be placed in escrow.
5. Acceptance of Subscription. The Purchaser understands and agrees that the Company, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to accept or reject this or any other subscription for Units, in whole or in part, notwithstanding prior receipt by the Purchaser of notice of acceptance of this subscription. The Company shall have no obligation hereunder until the Company executes and delivers to the Purchaser an executed copy of this Agreement. If this subscription is rejected in whole, all funds received from the Purchaser will be returned without interest or offset, and this Agreement shall thereafter be of no further force or effect. If this subscription is rejected in part, the funds for the rejected portion of this subscription will be returned without interest or offset, and this Agreement will continue in full force and effect to the extent this subscription was accepted.
6. Use of Proceeds. The Purchaser understands and agrees that the proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company for working capital purposes, to acquire inventory and/or to open or acquire additional stores and/or businesses.
7. Registration Rights.
(a) The Company agrees that, if, at any time until the later of (x) twelve (12) months of the date of issuance of the Units and (y) such time as the Purchaser is allowed, without restriction, to sell all of its Shares and Warrant Shares pursuant to Rule 144, the Company proposes to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering by the Company of its Common Stock (other than a registration (i) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (or other registration solely relating to an offering or sale to employees or directors of the Company pursuant to any employee stock plan or other employee benefit arrangement), (ii) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or similar form that relates to a transaction subject to Rule 145 under the Securities Act or any successor rule thereto), or (iii) in connection with any dividend or distribution reinvestment or similar plan), then the Company shall give written notice (each, a “Company Piggy-Back Notice”) of such proposed filing to Purchaser at least fifteen (15) calendar days before the anticipated filing date of such registration statement, and such Company Piggy-Back Notice also shall be required to offer to such Purchaser the opportunity to register such aggregate number of Shares and Warrant Shares as the Purchaser may request. The Purchaser shall have the right, exercisable for the five days immediately following the giving of a Company Piggy-Back Notice, to request, by written notice (the “Holder Notice”) to the Company, the inclusion of all or any portion of the Shares and Warrant Shares of the Purchaser in such registration statement. The Company shall use reasonable efforts to cause the managing underwriter(s) of a proposed underwritten offering to permit the inclusion of the Shares and Warrant Shares which were the subject of the Holder Notice in such underwritten offering on the same terms and conditions as any Common Stock of the Company included therein. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this paragraph, if the managing underwriter(s) of such underwritten offering or any proposed underwritten offering delivers a written opinion to the Purchaser that the total number of shares of Common Stock which they, the Company and any other person intend to include in such offering is such as to materially and adversely affect the success of such offering, then the amount of securities to be offered for the accounts of the Purchaser and persons other than the Company shall be eliminated or reduced pro rata (based on the amount of securities owned by the Purchaser and other persons which carry registration rights) to the extent necessary to reduce the total amount of securities to be included in such offering to the amount recommended by such managing underwriter(s) in the managing underwriter’s written opinion.
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(b) Notwithstanding anything contained to the contrary in this Section 7, the Company shall have the absolute right, whether before or after the giving of a Company Piggy-Back Notice or Holder Notice, to determine not to file a registration statement to which the Purchaser shall have the right to include its Shares and Warrant Shares therein pursuant to this Section 7, to withdraw such registration statement or to delay or suspend pursuing the effectiveness of such registration statement. In the event of such a determination after the giving of a Company Piggy-Back Notice, the Company shall give notice of such determination to the Purchaser and other persons which carry registration rights and, thereupon, (A) in the case of a determination not to register or to withdraw such registration statement, the Company shall be relieved of its obligation under this Section 7 to register any of the Shares and Warrant Shares in connection with such registration and (B) in the case of a determination to delay the registration, the Company shall be permitted to delay or suspend the registration of Shares and Warrant Shares pursuant to this Section 7 for the same period as the delay in the registration of such other securities.
(c) The Purchaser agrees to complete a Selling Stockholder Questionnaire, a form of which is attached as Exhibit C hereto for the purposes of this Section 7.
8. Representations and Warranties.
The Purchaser hereby acknowledges, represents, warrants, and agrees as follows:
(a) None of the Units or Securities (as hereinafter defined) offered are registered under the Securities Act, or any state securities laws. The Purchaser understands that the offering and sale of the Units is intended to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act, by virtue of Section 4(a)(2) thereof and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D (“Regulation D”) promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) thereunder, based, in part, upon the representations, warranties and agreements of the Purchaser contained in this Agreement.
(b) Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Purchaser and the Purchaser's attorney, accountant, purchaser representative and/or tax adviser, if any (collectively, the “Advisers”), have received the this Agreement, the Term Sheet (attached hereto as Exhibit A) and the Warrants (collectively, the “Offering Documents”) and all other documents requested by the Purchaser, have carefully reviewed them and understand the information contained therein.
(c) Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved the Units or Securities or passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of Units or confirmed the accuracy or determined the adequacy of the Offering Documents. The Offering Documents has not been reviewed by any federal, state or other regulatory authority.
(d) All documents, records, and books pertaining to the investment in the Units (including, without limitation, the Offering Documents) have been made available for inspection by such Purchaser and its Advisers, if any.
(e) The Purchaser and its Advisers, if any, have had a reasonable opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from a person or persons acting on behalf of the Company concerning the offering of the Units and the business, financial condition and results of operations of the Company, and all such questions have been answered to the full satisfaction of the Purchaser and its Advisers, if any.
(f) The Purchaser is aware that the Company is a reporting company in the United States and files annual, quarterly and periodic reports with the SEC. These reports are available at: xxxxx://xxx.xxx.xxx. The Purchaser agrees that all of the filings made by the Company in the past 24 months are deemed to be incorporated herein by reference and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Agreement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Agreement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document or report that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Agreement.
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(g) In evaluating the suitability of an investment in the Company, the Purchaser has not relied upon any representation or information (oral or written) other than as stated in the Offering Documents.
(h) The Purchaser is unaware of, is in no way relying on, and did not become aware of the Offering of the Units through or as a result of, any form of general solicitation or general advertising including, without limitation, any article, notice, advertisement or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television, radio or the Internet (including, without limitation, internet “blogs,” bulletin boards, discussion groups and social networking sites) in connection with the Offering and sale of the Units and is not subscribing for the Units and did not become aware of the Offering of the Units through or as a result of any seminar or meeting to which the Purchaser was invited by, or any solicitation of a subscription by, a person not previously known to the Purchaser in connection with investments in securities generally.
(i) The Purchaser has taken no action that would give rise to any claim by any person for brokerage commissions, finders' fees or the like relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby to be paid by the Company to any member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
(j) The Purchaser, together with its Advisers, if any, has such knowledge and experience in financial, tax, and business matters, and, in particular, investments in securities, so as to enable it to utilize the information made available to it in connection with the Offering to evaluate the merits and risks of an investment in the Units and the Company and to make an informed investment decision with respect thereto.
(k) The Purchaser is not relying on the Company or any of its employees or agents with respect to the legal, tax, economic and related considerations of an investment in the Units, and the Purchaser has relied on the advice of, or has consulted with, only its own Advisers.
(l) The Purchaser is acquiring the Units solely for such Purchaser's own account for investment purposes only and not with a view to or intent of resale or distribution thereof, in whole or in part. The Purchaser has no agreement or arrangement, formal or informal, with any person to sell or transfer all or any of the Securities or any part of the Units, and the Purchaser has no plans to enter into any such agreement or arrangement.
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(m) The Purchaser must bear the substantial economic risks of the investment in the Units indefinitely because none of the Shares, the Warrants or the Warrant Shares (the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares may be collectively referred to herein as the “Securities”) may be sold, hypothecated or otherwise disposed of unless subsequently registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Legends to the following effect shall be placed on the Securities to the effect that they have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws:
THE SECURITIES] REPRESENTED HEREBY AND THE UNDERLYING SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “U.S. SECURITIES ACT”). THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING SUCH SECURITIES, AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT SUCH SECURITIES MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT, IF AVAILABLE, OR UNDER AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, IN EACH CASE, IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. IN ADDITION, HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT.
Appropriate notations will be made in the Company's stock books to the effect that the Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws. There is only limited resale market for the Securities and any other securities of the Company.
(n) The Purchaser has adequate means of providing for such Purchaser's current financial needs and foreseeable contingencies and has no need for liquidity of its investment in the Securities for an indefinite period of time.
(o) The Purchaser is aware that an investment in the Units is high risk, involving a number of very significant risks and has carefully read and considered the matters set forth under “Risk Factors” attached hereto as Appendix I.
(p) The Purchaser represents that it meets the requirements of at least one of the suitability standards for an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Regulation D and as set forth on the Accredited Investor Certification contained herein as Appendix II.
(q) The Purchaser (i) if a natural person, represents that the Purchaser has reached the age of 21 and has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and all other related agreements or certificates and to carry out the provisions hereof and thereof; (ii) if a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or partnership, or association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or other entity, represents that such entity was not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Units, such entity is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its organization, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby is authorized by, and will not result in a violation of state law or its charter or other organizational documents, such entity has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and all other related agreements or certificates and to carry out the provisions hereof and thereof and to purchase and hold the securities constituting the Units, the execution and delivery of this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary action, this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered on behalf of such entity and is a legal, valid and binding obligation of such entity; or (iii) if executing this Agreement in a representative or fiduciary capacity, represents that it has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement in such capacity and on behalf of the subscribing individual, xxxx, partnership, trust, estate, corporation, or limited liability company or partnership, or other entity for whom the Purchaser is executing this Agreement, and such individual, partnership, xxxx, trust, estate, corporation, or limited liability company or partnership, or other entity has full right and power to perform pursuant to this Agreement and make an investment in the Company, and represents that this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such entity. The execution and delivery of this Agreement will not violate or be in conflict with any order, judgment, injunction, agreement or controlling document to which the Purchaser is a party or by which it is bound.
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(r) The Purchaser and the Advisers, if any, have had the opportunity to obtain any additional information, to the extent the Company has such information in its possession or could acquire it without unreasonable effort or expense, necessary to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this Agreement and all documents received or reviewed in connection with the purchase of the Units and have had the opportunity to have representatives of the Company provide them with such additional information regarding the terms and conditions of this particular investment and the financial condition, results of operations, business of the Company and deemed relevant by the Purchaser or the Advisers, if any, and all such requested information, to the extent the Company had such information in its possession or could acquire it without unreasonable effort or expense, has been provided to the full satisfaction of the Purchaser and the Advisers, if any.
(s) Any information which the Purchaser has heretofore furnished or is furnishing herewith to the Company is complete and accurate and may be relied upon by the Company in determining the availability of an exemption from registration under federal and state securities laws in connection with the offering of securities as described in this Agreement. The Purchaser further represents and warrants that it will notify and supply corrective information to the Company immediately upon the occurrence of any change therein occurring prior to the Company’s issuance of the Units.
(t) The Purchaser has significant prior investment experience. The Purchaser is knowledgeable about investment considerations in development-stage companies with limited operating histories. The Purchaser has a sufficient net worth to sustain a loss of its entire investment in the Company in the event such a loss should occur. The Purchaser's overall commitment to investments which are not readily marketable is not excessive in view of the Purchaser’s net worth and financial circumstances and the purchase of the Units will not cause such commitment to become excessive. The investment is a suitable one for the Purchaser.
(u) The Purchaser is satisfied that the Purchaser has received adequate information with respect to all matters which it or the Advisers, if any, consider material to its decision to make this investment.
(v) The Purchaser acknowledges that any estimates or forward-looking statements or projections included in the Offering Documents, if any, were prepared by the Company in good faith but that the attainment of any such projections, estimates or forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed by the Company should not be relied upon.
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(w) No oral or written representations have been made, or oral or written information furnished, to the Purchaser or the Advisers, if any, in connection with the Offering which are in any way inconsistent with the information contained in the Offering Documents.
(x) Within five (5) days after receipt of a request from the Company, the Purchaser will provide such information and deliver such documents as may reasonably be necessary to comply with any and all laws and ordinances to which the Company is subject.
(y) THE SECURITIES OFFERED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS AND ARE BEING OFFERED AND SOLD IN RELIANCE ON EXEMPTIONS FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF SAID ACT AND SUCH LAWS. THE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER SAID ACT AND SUCH LAWS PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM. THE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY, NOR HAVE ANY OF THE FOREGOING AUTHORITIES PASSED UPON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THIS OFFERING OR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE OFFERING DOCUMENTS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL.
(z) The Purchaser acknowledges that none of the Securities have been recommended by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority. In making an investment decision the Purchaser must rely on its own examination of the Company and the terms of the Offering, including the merits and risks involved. Furthermore, the foregoing authorities have not confirmed the accuracy or determined the adequacy of this Agreement or the rest of the Offering Documents. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
(aa) (For ERISA plans only) The fiduciary of the ERISA plan (the “Plan”) represents that such fiduciary has been informed of and understands the Company’s investment objectives, policies and strategies, and that the decision to invest “plan assets” (as such term is defined in ERISA) in the Company is consistent with the provisions of ERISA that require diversification of plan assets and impose other fiduciary responsibilities. The Purchaser fiduciary or Plan (a) is responsible for the decision to invest in the Company; (b) is independent of the Company or any of its affiliates; (c) is qualified to make such investment decision; and (d) in making such decision, the Purchaser fiduciary or Plan has not relied primarily on any advice or recommendation of the Company or any of its affiliates.
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(bb) The Purchaser should check the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) website at xxxx://xxx.xxxxx.xxx/xxxx before making the following representations. The Purchaser represents that the amounts invested by it in the Company in the Offering were not and are not directly or indirectly derived from activities that contravene federal, state or international laws and regulations, including anti-money laundering laws and regulations. Federal regulations and Executive Orders administered by OFAC prohibit, among other things, the engagement in transactions with, and the provision of services to, certain foreign countries, territories, entities and individuals. The lists of OFAC prohibited countries, territories, persons and entities can be found on the OFAC website at xxxx://xxx.xxxxx.xxx/xxxx. In addition, the programs administered by OFAC (the “OFAC Programs”) prohibit dealing with individuals1 or entities in certain countries regardless of whether such individuals or entities appear on the OFAC lists.
(cc) To the best of the Purchaser’s knowledge, none of: (1) the Purchaser; (2) any person controlling or controlled by the Purchaser; (3) if the Purchaser is a privately-held entity, any person having a beneficial interest in the Purchaser; or (4) any person for whom the Purchaser is acting as agent or nominee in connection with this investment is a country, territory, individual or entity named on an OFAC list, or a person or entity prohibited under the OFAC Programs. Please be advised that the Company may not accept any amounts from a prospective investor if such prospective investor cannot make the representation set forth in the preceding paragraph. The Purchaser agrees to promptly notify the Company should the Purchaser become aware of any change in the information set forth in these representations. The Purchaser understands and acknowledges that, by law, the Company may be obligated to “freeze the account” of the Purchaser, either by prohibiting additional subscriptions from the Purchaser, declining any redemption requests and/or segregating the assets in the account in compliance with governmental regulations, and may also be required to report such action and to disclose the Purchaser’s identity to OFAC. The Purchaser further acknowledges that the Company may, by written notice to the Purchaser, suspend the redemption rights, if any, of the Purchaser if the Company reasonably deems it necessary to do so to comply with anti-money laundering regulations applicable to the Company or any of the Company’s other service providers. These individuals include specially designated nationals, specially designated narcotics traffickers and other parties subject to OFAC sanctions and embargo programs.
(dd) To the best of the Purchaser’s knowledge, none of: (1) the Purchaser; (2) any person controlling or controlled by the Purchaser; (3) if the Purchaser is a privately-held entity, any person having a beneficial interest in the Purchaser; or (4) any person for whom the Purchaser is acting as agent or nominee in connection with this investment is a senior foreign political figure,2 or any immediate family3 member or close associate4 of a senior foreign political figure, as such terms are defined in the footnotes below.
(ee) If the Purchaser is affiliated with a non-U.S. banking institution (a “Foreign Bank”), or if the Purchaser receives deposits from, makes payments on behalf of, or handles other financial transactions related to a Foreign Bank, the Purchaser represents and warrants to the Company that: (1) the Foreign Bank has a fixed address, other than solely an electronic address, in a country in which the Foreign Bank is authorized to conduct banking activities; (2) the Foreign Bank maintains operating records related to its banking activities; (3) the Foreign Bank is subject to inspection by the banking authority that licensed the Foreign Bank to conduct banking activities; and (4) the Foreign Bank does not provide banking services to any other Foreign Bank that does not have a physical presence in any country and that is not a regulated affiliate.
1 These individuals include specially designated nationals, specially designated narcotics traffickers and other parties subject to OFAC sanctions and embargo programs.
2 A “senior foreign political figure” is defined as a senior official in the executive, legislative, administrative, military or judicial branches of a foreign government (whether elected or not), a senior official of a major foreign political party, or a senior executive of a foreign government-owned corporation. In addition, a “senior foreign political figure” includes any corporation, business or other entity that has been formed by, or for the benefit of, a senior foreign political figure.
3 “Immediate family” of a senior foreign political figure typically includes the figure’s parents, siblings, spouse, children and in-laws.
4 A “close associate” of a senior foreign political figure is a person who is widely and publicly known to maintain an unusually close relationship with the senior foreign political figure, and includes a person who is in a position to conduct substantial domestic and international financial transactions on behalf of the senior foreign political figure.
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9. Indemnification. The Purchaser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys, control persons and affiliates from and against all losses, liabilities, claims, damages, costs, fees and expenses whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all expenses incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation commenced or threatened) based upon or arising out of any actual or alleged false acknowledgment, representation or warranty, or misrepresentation or omission to state a material fact, or breach by the Purchaser of any covenant or agreement made by the Purchaser herein or in any other document delivered in connection with this Agreement.
10. Irrevocability; Binding Effect. The Purchaser hereby acknowledges and agrees that the subscription hereunder is irrevocable by the Purchaser, except as required by applicable law, and that this Agreement shall survive the death or disability of the Purchaser and shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives, and permitted assigns. If the Purchaser is more than one person, the obligations of the Purchaser hereunder shall be joint and several and the agreements, representations, warranties, and acknowledgments herein shall be deemed to be made by and be binding upon each such person and such person's heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives, and permitted assigns.
11. Modification. This Agreement shall not be modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the party against whom any such modification or waiver is sought.
12. Notices. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, or delivered against receipt to the party to whom it is to be given (a) if to the Company at the address set forth above, or (b) if to the Purchaser, at the address set forth on the signature page hereof (or, in either case, to such other address as the party shall have furnished in writing in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10). Any notice or other communication given by certified mail shall be deemed given at the time of certification thereof, except for a notice changing a party's address which shall be deemed given at the time of receipt thereof.
13. Assignability. This Agreement and the rights, interests and obligations hereunder are not transferable or assignable by the Purchaser and the transfer or assignment of any of the Securities shall be made only in accordance with all applicable laws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchaser may assign all or a portion of the rights, interests and obligations hereunder to a fund affiliated with the Purchaser (each a “Fund”), provided such Fund is managed by the same general partner as the Purchaser.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado applicable to contracts to be wholly-performed within said State.
15. Arbitration. The parties agree to submit all controversies to arbitration in accordance with the provisions set forth below and understand that:
(a) Arbitration is final and binding on the parties.
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(b) The parties are waiving their right to seek remedies in court, including the right to a jury trial.
(c) Pre-arbitration discovery is generally more limited and different from court proceedings.
(d) The arbitrator's award is not required to include factual findings or legal reasoning and any party's right to appeal or to seek modification of rulings by arbitrators is strictly limited.
(e) The panel of arbitrators will typically include a minority of arbitrators who were or are affiliated with the securities industry.
(f) All controversies which may arise between the parties concerning this Agreement shall be determined by arbitration pursuant to the rules then pertaining to the AAA in New York, New York. Judgment on any award of any such arbitration may be entered in the Supreme Court of the State of New York or in any other court having jurisdiction of the person or persons against whom such award is rendered. Any notice of such arbitration or for the confirmation of any award in any arbitration shall be sufficient if given in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. The parties agree that the determination of the arbitrators shall be binding and conclusive upon them.
16. Blue Sky Qualification. The purchase of Units under this Agreement is expressly conditioned upon the exemption from qualification of the offer and sale of the Units from applicable federal and state securities laws. The Company shall not be required to qualify this transaction under the securities laws of any jurisdiction and, should qualification be necessary, the Company shall be released from any and all obligations to maintain its offer, and may rescind any sale contracted, in the jurisdiction.
17. Use of Pronouns. All pronouns and any variations thereof used herein shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular or plural as the identity of the person or persons referred to may require.
18. Confidentiality. The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that any information or data the Purchaser has acquired from or about the Company, not otherwise properly in the public domain, was received in confidence. The Purchaser agrees not to divulge, communicate or disclose, except as may be required by law or for the performance of this Agreement, or use to the detriment of the Company or for the benefit of any other person or persons, or misuse in any way, any confidential information of the Company, including any scientific, technical, trade or business secrets of the Company or any scientific, technical, trade or business materials that are treated by the Company as confidential or proprietary, including, but not limited to, ideas, discoveries, inventions, developments and improvements belonging to the Company or and confidential information obtained by or given to the Company or about or belonging to third parties.
19. Miscellaneous.
(a) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Purchaser and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior oral or written agreements and understandings, if any, relating to the subject matter hereof. The terms and provisions of this Agreement may be waived, or consent for the departure therefrom granted, only by a written document executed by the party entitled to the benefits of such terms or provisions.
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(b) The representations and warranties of the Company and the Purchaser made in this Agreement shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and delivery of the Units, the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares.
(c) Each of the parties hereto shall pay its own fees and expenses (including the fees of any attorneys, accountants, appraisers or others engaged by such party) in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated.
(d) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
(e) Each provision of this Agreement shall be considered separable and, if for any reason any provision or provisions hereof are determined to be invalid or contrary to applicable law, such invalidity or illegality shall not impair the operation of or affect the remaining portions of this Agreement.
(f) Paragraph titles are for descriptive purposes only and shall not control or alter the meaning of this Agreement as set forth in the text.
(g) The Purchaser understands and acknowledges that there may be multiple closings for this Offering.
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To subscribe for Units in the private offering of GrowGeneration Corp:
| 1. | Date and Fill in the number of Units being purchased and Complete and Sign the Signature Page of the Securities Purchase Agreement. |
| 2. | Initial the Accredited Investor Certification page attached to the Securities Purchase Agreement. |
| 3. | Complete and return the Wire Transfer Authorization attached hereto, if applicable. |
| 4. | Email all forms to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx at xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx and then send all signed original documents with check to: |
GrowGeneration, Corp.
0000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Chief Executive Officer
| 5. | The Purchase Price for the Units purchased hereunder shall be paid directly to the Company pursuant to the following instructions: |
By wire transfer:
[ ]
Thank you for your interest,
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ANTI MONEY LAUNDERING REQUIREMENTS
The USA PATRIOT Act
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What is money laundering? | How big is the problem and why is it important? |
The USA PATRIOT Act is designed to detect, deter, and punish terrorists in United States and abroad. The Act imposes new anti-money laundering requirements on brokerage firms and financial institutions. Since April 24, 2002 all brokerage firms have been required to have new, comprehensive anti-money laundering programs.
To help you understand these efforts, we want to provide you with some information about money laundering and our steps to implement the USA PATRIOT Act. |
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegally obtained money so that the funds appear to come from legitimate sources or activities. Money laundering occurs in connection with a wide variety of crimes, including illegal arms sales, drug trafficking, robbery, fraud, racketeering, and terrorism. |
The use of the U.S. financial system by criminals to facilitate terrorism or other crimes could well taint our financial markets. According to the U.S. State Department, one recent estimate puts the amount of worldwide money laundering activity at $1 trillion a year. |
| What are we required to do to eliminate money laundering? | |
Under rules required by the USA PATRIOT Act, our anti-money laundering program must designate a special compliance officer, set up employee training, conduct independent audits, and establish policies and procedures to detect and report suspicious transaction and ensure compliance with such laws. |
As part of our required program, we may ask you to provide various identification documents or other information. Until you provide the information or documents we need, we may not be able to effect any transactions for you. |
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SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE
The Purchaser hereby elects to subscribe under the Securities Purchase Agreement for an aggregate principal amount of $_______ Units at a price of $300,000 per Unit (NOTE: to be completed by the Purchaser) and executes the Securities Purchase Agreement.
Date (To be completed by the Purchaser):
If the Purchaser is an INDIVIDUAL, and if purchased as JOINT TENANTS, as TENANTS IN COMMON, or as COMMUNITY PROPERTY:
| ____________________________ | ______________________________ | |||
| Print Name(s) | Social Security Number(s) | |||
| ___________________________ | ______________________________ | |||
| Signature(s) of Subscriber(s) | Signature | |||
| ____________________________ | ______________________________ | |||
| Date | Address |
If the Purchaser is a PARTNERSHIP, CORPORATION, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY or TRUST:
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |||
| Name of Partnership, | Federal Taxpayer | |||
| Corporation, Limited | Identification Number | |||
| Liability Company or Trust | ||||
| ______________________________ | By:_________________________ | |||
| Name: | State of Organization | |||
| Title: | ||||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |||
| Date | Address |
ACCEPTED BY:
| GROWGENERATION CORP. | |||
| By: | |||
| Authorized Officer | |||
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Appendix I
Risk Factors
An investment in GrowGeneration Corp.’s (the “Company,” “we” or “us”) securities is speculative and illiquid and involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of a loss of your entire investment. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below and the other information contained in the Company’s filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) before investing in our securities. If any of the following risks actually materialize, our business, financial condition, prospects and/or operations could suffer. In such event, you could lose all or a substantial portion of the money that you pay for our securities.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This document contains “forward-looking statements,” which include information relating to future events, future financial performance, financial projections, strategies, expectations, competitive environment and regulation. Words such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” and similar expressions, as well as statements in future tense, identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and may not be accurate indications of when such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information we have when those statements are made or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to:
| ● | our limited operating history; |
| ● | our current and future capital requirements to support our efforts to open or acquire new retail locations; |
| ● | our dependence on consumer interest in growing crops with the equipment, soil and nutrients that we offer; |
| ● | our dependence on third-parties to manufacture and sell us inventory; |
| ● | our ability to maintain or protect the validity of our intellectual property; |
| ● | our ability to retain key executive members; |
| ● | our ability to internally develop products and intellectual property; |
| ● | interpretations of current laws and the passages of future laws; |
| ● | acceptance of our business model by investors; |
| ● | the accuracy of our estimates regarding expenses and capital requirements; and |
| ● | our ability to adequately support growth. |
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All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on information available to us on the date of this document. Except to the extent required by applicable laws or rules, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained above and throughout this document.
We have a limited operating history on which to evaluate our business or base an investment decision.
Our business prospects are difficult to predict because of our limited operating history and unproven business strategy. If we are unable to manage our existing stores and business, as well as others that we open or acquire, our business is unlikely to succeed. Our business should be viewed in light of these risks, challenges and uncertainties.
We face intense competition that could prohibit us from developing or increasing our customer base and generating revenue.
The industry within which we compete is highly competitive. We compete with companies that have greater capital resources, facilities and diversity of product lines. We compete in the specialty gardening industry, selling hydroponic and organic nutrients, soils and other gardening related products. Additionally, if demand for our hydroponic growing equipment and products continues to grow, we expect many new competitors to enter the market, as there are no significant barriers to retail sales of hydroponic growing equipment and related gardening products. More established gardening companies with much greater financial resources which do not currently compete with us may be able to easily adapt their existing operations to sales of hydroponic growing equipment. Due to this competition, there is no assurance that we will not encounter difficulties in generating or increasing revenues and capturing market share. In addition, increased competition may lead to reduced prices and/or margins for products we sell. Our competitors may also introduce new hydroponic growing equipment, manufacturers may sell equipment direct to consumers, and our distributers could cease sales of product to us.
If we need additional capital to fund our operations, we may not be able to obtain sufficient capital and may be forced to limit the scope of our operations.
If adequate additional financing is not available on reasonable terms, we may not be able to expand our retail or online operations and we may be forced to modify our business plans accordingly. There is no assurance that additional financing will be available to us. In connection with our growth strategies, we may experience increased capital needs and accordingly, we may not have sufficient capital to fund our future operations without additional capital investments. Our capital needs will depend on numerous factors, including (i) our profitability; (ii) the release of competitive products by our competition; (iii) the level of our investment in sales and marketing; and (iv) new store openings and or acquisitions. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain capital in the future to meet our needs. If we cannot obtain additional funding, we may be required to: (i) limit our expansion; (ii) limit our marketing efforts; and (iii) decrease or eliminate capital expenditures. Such reductions could materially adversely affect our business and our ability to compete. Moreover, even if we do find a source of additional capital, we may not be able to negotiate terms and conditions for receiving the additional capital that are favorable to us. Any future capital investments could dilute or otherwise materially and adversely affect the holdings or rights of our existing shareholders. We cannot give you any assurance that any additional financing will be available to us, or if available, will be on terms favorable to us.
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Our business depends substantially on the continuing efforts of our executive officers and our business may be severely disrupted if we lose their services.
Our future success depends substantially on the continued services of our executive officers, especially our Chief Executive Officer, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, our President, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, and our Chief Operating Officer, Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxx. We do not maintain key man life insurance on any of our executive officers and directors. If one or more of our executive officers are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, we may not be able to replace them readily, if at all. Therefore, our business may be severely disrupted, and we may incur additional expenses to recruit and retain new officers.
If we are not successful in attracting and retaining highly qualified personnel, we may not be able to successfully implement our business strategy.
Our ability to compete in the highly competitive hydroponics and gardening industry depends in large part upon our ability to attract highly qualified managerial and sales personnel. In order to induce valuable employees to come and work for us or to remain with us, we intend to provide employees with stock options that vest over time. The value to employees of stock options that vest over time will be significantly affected by movements in our stock price that we will not be able to control and may at any time be insufficient to counteract more lucrative offers from other companies. Our success also depends on our ability to continue to attract, retain and motivate highly skilled junior, mid-level, and senior personnel.
In order to increase our sales and marketing infrastructure, we will need to grow the size of our organization, and we may experience difficulties in managing this growth.
As we continue to work to open and/or acquire additional retail store locations, we will need to expand the size of our employee base for managerial, operational, sales, marketing, financial and other resources. Future growth would impose significant added responsibilities on members of management, including the need to identify, recruit, maintain, motivate and integrate additional employees. In addition, our management may have to divert a disproportionate amount of its attention away from our day-to-day activities and devote a substantial amount of time to managing these growth activities. Our future financial performance and our ability to continue to grow our operation and compete in the hydroponics industry effectively will depend, in part, on our ability to effectively manage any future growth.
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Litigation may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
From time to time in the normal course of our business operations, we may become subject to litigation that may result in liability material to our financial statements as a whole or may negatively affect our operating results if changes to our business operation are required. The cost to defend such litigation may be significant and may require a diversion of our resources. There also may be adverse publicity associated with litigation that could negatively affect customer perception of our business, regardless of whether the allegations are valid or whether we are ultimately found liable. As a result, litigation may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may not obtain insurance coverage to adequately cover all significant risk exposures.
We will be exposed to liabilities that are unique to the products we provide. We currently maintain only premises insurance and there can be no assurance that we will acquire or maintain insurance for certain risks, that the amount of our insurance coverage will be adequate to cover all claims or liabilities, or that we will not be forced to bear substantial costs resulting from risks and uncertainties of business. It is also not possible to obtain insurance to protect against all operational risks and liabilities. The failure to obtain adequate insurance coverage on terms favorable to us, or at all, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Federal practices could change with respect to providers of equipment potentially usable by participants in the medical cannabis industry, which could adversely impact us.
Cannabis growers utilize various products that we offer for sale. While we are not aware of any threatened or current federal or state law enforcement actions against any retailer of hydroponic equipment that might be used for cannabis growing or use we have heard that a number of years ago, law enforcement authorities did initiate raids at some retail stores where operators evidently knew they were selling hydroponic equipment directly to customers who indicated they intended to use it for the cultivation of recreational cannabis. Those raids took place in a different legal landscape, well before the legalization of medical or recreational cannabis by any state. Notwithstanding potential changes in enforcement threatened or under discussion by the US Attorney General. we are unaware of any threatened or actual law enforcement activity against manufacturers or retailers of supplies marketed for usage by participants in the emerging cannabis industry.
A theoretical risk exists that our activities could be deemed to be facilitating the selling or distribution of cannabis in violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, or to constitute aiding or abetting, or being an accessory to, a violation of that Act. We believe, however, that such a risk is relatively low. Federal authorities have not focused their resources on such tangential or secondary violations of the Act, nor have they threatened to do so, with respect to the sale of equipment that might be used by cannabis gardeners, or with respect to any supplies marketed to participants in the emerging medical cannabis industry. We are unaware of such a broad application of the Controlled Substances Act by federal authorities, and we believe that such an attempted application would be unprecedented.
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If the federal government were to change its practices, or were to expend its resources attacking providers of equipment that could be usable by participants in the medical or recreational cannabis industry, such action could have a materially adverse effect on our operations, our customers, or the sales of our products.
Continued federal intervention in certain segments of the cannabis industry is disruptive to the industry, and may have a negative impact on us.
Our products are sold to growers of various crops, including cannabis, and we expect the number of gardeners or cannabis users buying our products to remain relatively unaffected despite federal interference in some segments of the cannabis industry. Although we expect minimal impact on the Company from any federal government crackdown on cannabis providers, the disruption to the cannabis industry could cause some potential customers to be more reluctant to invest in growing equipment, including equipment we sell. Moreover, the federal government’s tactics may change or have unforeseen effects, which could be detrimental to our business.
There can be no assurance that our intended operations will not violate state or federal law.
We have not requested or obtained any opinion of counsel or ruling from any authority to determine if our intended operations are in compliance with or violate any state or federal laws or whether we are assisting others to violate a state or federal law. In the event that our intended operations are deemed to violate any laws or if we are deemed to be others to violate a state or federal law, we could have liability that could cause us to modify or cease our operations.
Our 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 Private Placements were made pursuant to an exemption from registration.
Our private placements in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 were made in reliance upon the so-called "private placement" exemption from registration with the SEC provided by Sections 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Securities Act, by Regulation D, Rule 506 adopted there under, and the exemptions from registration provided by the Blue Sky laws of states in which our securities are offered. However, reliance upon these exemptions is highly technical and should not be viewed as a guarantee that such exemptions are indeed available. If for any reason the private placement exemption is not available for the private placements and no other exemption from registration is found to be available, the sale of the securities in such private placements would be deemed to have been made in violation of the applicable laws, thus requiring registration of those securities. As a remedy for such a violation, each investor would have the right to rescind its purchase and to have its full investment returned. If an investor requests return of its investment, it is possible that funds would not be available to us for that purpose, and that liquidation of us may be required. Any refunds made would reduce funds available to us for our operations. A significant number of requests for rescission would probably leave us without funds sufficient to respond to such requests or to proceed successfully with its activities.
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The registration for resale of a significant portion of our outstanding shares of common stock in our registration statement may have a depressive effect on our stock price.
The Company currently maintains an effective registration statement which covers the resale of 2,123,911 shares of our common stock available for sale in the public market. The availability of such a large number of shares of common stock for sale in the public market could harm the market price of the stock, even if there is no relationship between such sales and the performance of our business. Further, our shares may be offered from time to time in the open market pursuant to Rule 144, and these sales may have a depressive effect as well.
If product liability lawsuits are brought against us, we may incur substantial liabilities.
We face a potential risk of product liability as a result of any of the products that we offer for sale. For example, we may be sued if any product we sell allegedly causes injury or is found to be otherwise unsuitable during product testing, manufacturing, marketing or sale. Any such product liability claims may include allegations of defects in manufacturing, defects in design, a failure to warn of dangers inherent in the product, negligence, strict liability and a breach of warranties. Claims could also be asserted under state consumer protection acts. If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against product liability claims, we may incur substantial liabilities. Even successful defense would require significant financial and management resources. Regardless of the merits or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:
| ● | decreased demand for products that we may offer for sale; |
| ● | injury to our reputation; |
| ● | costs to defend the related litigation; |
| ● | a diversion of management's time and our resources; |
| ● | substantial monetary awards to trial participants or patients; |
| ● | product recalls, withdrawals or labeling, marketing or promotional restrictions; |
| ● | a decline in our stock price. |
Our inability to obtain and retain sufficient product liability insurance at an acceptable cost to protect against potential product liability claims could prevent or inhibit the commercialization of products we develop. We do not maintain any product liability insurance. Even if we obtain product liability insurance in the future, we may have to pay amounts awarded by a court or negotiated in a settlement that exceed our coverage limitations or that are not covered by our insurance, and we may not have, or be able to obtain, sufficient capital to pay such amounts.
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We may acquire businesses or products, or form strategic alliances, in the future, and we may not realize the benefits of such acquisitions.
We may acquire additional businesses or products, form strategic alliances or create joint ventures with third parties that we believe will complement or augment our existing business. If we acquire businesses with promising markets or products, we may not be able to realize the benefit of acquiring such businesses if we are unable to successfully integrate them with our existing operations and company culture. We may encounter numerous difficulties in developing, manufacturing and/or marketing any new products resulting from a strategic alliance or acquisition that delay or prevent us from realizing their expected benefits or enhancing our business. We cannot assure you that, following any such acquisition, we will achieve the expected synergies to justify the transaction.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
Our officers and directors will control our company for the foreseeable future, including the outcome of matters requiring stockholder approval.
Our founders, officers and directors collectively beneficially own approximately 23.5% of our outstanding shares of Common Stock (inclusive of shares they may acquire upon exercise of options). As a result, such individuals acting together will have the ability to exert significant influence on the election of our directors and the outcome of corporate actions requiring stockholder approval, such as: (i) a merger or a sale of our company, (ii) a sale of all or substantially all of our assets, and (iii) amendments to our articles of incorporation and bylaws. This concentration of voting power and control could have a significant effect in delaying, deferring or preventing an action that might otherwise be beneficial to our other stockholders and be disadvantageous to our stockholders with interests different from those entities and individuals. Certain of these individuals also have significant control over our business, policies and affairs as officers or directors of our company. Therefore, you should not invest in reliance on your ability to have any control over our company. See “Principal Stockholders.”
Limited public market for our common stock currently exists, and an active trading market may not develop or be sustained.
As we are in our early stages, an investment in our company will likely require a long-term commitment, with no certainty of return. The Company was approved to start trading its common stock on the OTCQB Marketplace as of October 19, 2016, and commenced trading on November 11, 2016. On October 10, 2017, the Company’s Common Stock started trading on OTCQX Best Market. There is currently is a limited public market for our Common Stock and there is no guarantee that any sustained trading market will develop in the near future or at all. In the absence of an active trading market:
| ● | investors may have difficulty buying and selling or obtaining market quotations; |
| ● | market visibility for shares of our common stock may be limited; and |
| ● | a lack of visibility for shares of our common stock may have a depressive effect on the market price for shares of our common stock. |
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The OTCQX Best Market is a relatively unorganized, inter-dealer, over-the-counter market that provides significantly less liquidity than NASDAQ or the NYSE MKT (formerly known as the NYSE AMEX). The market for our common stock may be illiquid and you may be unable to dispose of your shares of Common Stock at desirable prices or at all. Moreover, there is a risk that our Common Stock could be delisted from the OTCQX Best Market, in which case it might be listed on the so called “Pink Sheets”, which is even more illiquid than the OTCQX Best Market.
The lack of an active market impairs your ability to sell your shares at the time you wish to sell them or at a price that you consider reasonable. The lack of an active market may also reduce the fair market value of your shares. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital to continue to fund operations by selling shares and may impair our ability to acquire additional intellectual property assets by using our shares as consideration.
The market price of our common stock may be significantly volatile.
The market price for our common stock may be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to factors including the following:
| ● | actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly or annual operating results; |
| ● | changes in financial or operational estimates or projections; |
| ● | conditions in markets generally; |
| ● | changes in the economic performance or market valuations of companies similar to ours; and |
| ● | general economic or political conditions in the United States or elsewhere. |
The securities market has from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are not related to the operating performance of particular companies. These market fluctuations may also materially and adversely affect the market price of shares of our common stock.
Our common stock may be considered a “xxxxx stock,” and thereby be subject to additional sale and trading regulations that may make it more difficult to sell.
The SEC has adopted rules that regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in xxxxx stocks. Xxxxx stocks are generally equity securities with a price of less than $5.00 (other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or authorized for quotation on certain automated quotation systems, provided that current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system). The OTCBB and OTCQX Best Market do not meet such requirements and if the price of our common stock is less than $5.00, our common stock will be deemed xxxxx stocks. The xxxxx stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a transaction in a xxxxx stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document containing specified information. In addition, the xxxxx stock rules require that prior to effecting any transaction in a xxxxx stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, a broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the xxxxx stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive (i) the purchaser’s written acknowledgment of the receipt of a risk disclosure statement; (ii) a written agreement to transactions involving xxxxx stocks; and (iii) a signed and dated copy of a written suitability statement. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the trading activity in the secondary market for our common stock, and therefore stock holders may have difficulty selling their shares.
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FINRA sales practice requirements may also limit your ability to buy and sell our common stock, which could depress the price of our shares.
FINRA rules require broker-dealers to have reasonable grounds for believing that an investment is suitable for a customer before recommending that investment to the customer. Prior to recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status and investment objectives, among other things. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability such speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. Thus, FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our common stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our shares, have an adverse effect on the market for our shares, and thereby depress our share price.
You may face significant restrictions on the resale of our shares of common stock due to state “blue sky” laws.
Each state has its own securities laws, often called “blue sky” laws, which (1) limit sales of securities to a state’s residents unless the securities are registered in that state or qualify for an exemption from registration, and (2) govern the reporting requirements for broker-dealers doing business directly or indirectly in the state. Before a security is sold in a state, there must be a registration in place to cover the transaction, or it must be exempt from registration. The applicable broker-dealer must also be registered in that state.
We do not know whether our securities will be registered or exempt from registration under the laws of any state. A determination regarding registration will be made by those broker-dealers, if any, who agree to serve as market makers for our common stock. We have not yet applied to have our securities registered in any state and will not do so until we receive expressions of interest from investors resident in specific states after they have viewed this document. There may be significant state blue sky law restrictions on the ability of investors to sell, and on purchasers to buy, our securities. You should therefore consider the resale market for our common stock to be limited, as you may be unable to resell your shares of common stock without the significant expense of state registration or qualification.
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The securities you purchase in this offering may experience substantial dilution by exercises of outstanding warrants and options.
As of April 20, 2018, we had outstanding warrants to purchase an aggregate of 2,319,000, shares of our common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $2.34 per share, and options to purchase an aggregate of 1,923,000 shares of our common stock (out of which 1,733,498 are vested as of this date) at a weighted average exercise prices of $.79 per share. The 1,733,498 vested options have a weighted average exercise price of $.73 per share (the first $100,000 of options granted to each of our officers and directors may be deemed to be incentive stock options). The exercise of such outstanding options and warrants will result in substantial dilution of your investment. In addition, you may experience additional dilution if we issue common stock in the future. Any of such dilution may have adverse effect on the price of our common stock.
We are an “emerging growth company,” and will be able take advantage of reduced disclosure requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies,” which could make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or JOBS Act, and, for as long as we continue to be an “emerging growth company,” we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies but not to “emerging growth companies,” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We could be an “emerging growth company” for up to five years, or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues exceed $1 billion, (ii) the date that we become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, or (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding three year period. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive if we choose to rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result of any choices to reduce future disclosure, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.
We will incur significantly increased costs and devote substantial management time as a result of operating as a public company particularly after we are no longer an “emerging growth company.”
As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. For example, we will be required to comply with certain of the requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as well as rules and regulations subsequently implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. We expect that compliance with these requirements will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time consuming and costly. In addition, we expect that our management and other personnel will need to divert attention from operational and other business matters to devote substantial time to these public company requirements. In particular, we expect to incur significant expenses and devote substantial management effort toward ensuring compliance with the requirements of Section 404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. We are just beginning the process of compiling the system and processing documentation needed to comply with such requirements. We may not be able to complete our evaluation, testing and any required remediation in a timely fashion. In that regard, we currently do not have an internal audit function, and we will need to hire additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company experience and technical accounting knowledge.
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However, for as long as we remain an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We intend to take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an “emerging growth company.”
Under the JOBS Act, “emerging growth companies” can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, we will be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies.”
After we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” we expect to incur additional management time and cost to comply with the more stringent reporting requirements applicable to companies that are deemed accelerated filers or large accelerated filers, including complying with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
We cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur as a result of becoming a public company or the timing of such costs.
There may be limitations on the effectiveness of our internal controls, and a failure of our control systems to prevent error or fraud may materially harm our company.
Proper systems of internal controls over financial accounting and disclosure are critical to the operation of a public company. As we are a start-up company, we are at the very early stages of establishing, and we may be unable to effectively establish such systems, especially in light of the fact that we expect to operate as a publicly reporting company. This would leave us without the ability to reliably assimilate and compile financial information about our company and significantly impair our ability to prevent error and detect fraud, all of which would have a negative impact on our company from many perspectives.
Moreover, we do not expect that disclosure controls or internal control over financial reporting, even if established, will prevent all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. Failure of our control systems to prevent error or fraud could materially adversely impact us.
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We may be unable to complete our analysis of our internal controls over financial reporting in a timely manner, or these internal controls may not be determined to be effective, which may adversely affect investor confidence in our company and, as a result, the value of our common stock.
We may be required, pursuant to Section 404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act, to furnish a report by our management on, among other things, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for the first fiscal year beginning after the effective date of the registration statement of which this document is a part. This assessment will need to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by our management in our internal control over financial reporting, as well as a statement that our independent registered public accounting firm has issued an opinion on our internal control over financial reporting.
If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or, if applicable, our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion on the effectiveness of our internal controls, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which would cause the price of our common stock to decline, and we may be subject to investigation or sanctions by the SEC. We will also be required to disclose changes made in our internal control and procedures on a quarterly basis.
However, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 until the later of the year following our first annual report required to be filed with the SEC, or the date we are no longer an “emerging growth company” as defined in the recently enacted JOBS Act, if we take advantage (as we expect to do) of the exemptions contained in the JOBS Act. We will remain an “emerging growth company” for up to five years, although if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, we would cease to be an “emerging growth company” as of the following December 30.
At such time, our independent registered public accounting firm may issue a report that is adverse in the event it is not satisfied with the level at which our controls are documented, designed or operating. Our remediation efforts may not enable us to avoid a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting in the future. Any of the foregoing occurrences, should they come to pass, could negatively impact the public perception of our company, which could have a negative impact on our stock price.
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We do not currently intend to pay dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future, and consequently, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation in the price of our common stock.
We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Consequently, investors must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on their investments. There is no guarantee that shares of our common stock will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which our stockholders have purchased their shares.
Upon dissolution of our company, you may not recoup all or any portion of your investment.
In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our company, whether voluntary or involuntary, the proceeds and/or assets of our company remaining after giving effect to such transaction, and the payment of all of our debts and liabilities will be distributed to the stockholders of common stock on a pro rata basis. There can be no assurance that we will have available assets to pay to the holders of common stock, or any amounts, upon such a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our Company. In this event, you could lose some or all of your investment.
Risk Related to This Offering
If the Purchaser of the Units offered hereby exercises the Warrants into shares of common stock, it will incur substantial dilution in the pro forma net tangible book value of the shares of common stock upon exercise.
If the Purchaser of the Units offered hereby exercises its Warrants, it will incur substantial dilution in the pro forma net tangible book value of the Warrant Shares. Moreover, further dilution in the pro forma net tangible book value of the Shares and Warrant Shares could be incurred if the Company issues additional securities to meet its financing requirements or growth objectives at a price lower than the current of the Units.
No tax advice or counsel is given within this document and the Company has not sought any tax advice with respect to the Offering.
There are material U.S. federal income tax considerations associated with the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Units, the Shares, the Warrants, and the Warrant Shares. This document does not discuss the U.S. federal income tax consequences, or provide any tax advice, to any prospective Purchaser, the Company or its affiliates, or its existing shareholders regarding the offering, acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Units, the Shares, the Warrants, and the Warrant Shares. This document also does not address any state, local or non-U.S. tax considerations.
In evaluating the purchase of Units as an investment, as well as the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Shares and exercise of the Warrants, a prospective purchaser should consider the tax risks thereof, if any, as well as possible adverse changes in the tax laws and their interpretation. If you are considering the purchase of Units in this Offering, we urge you to consult your own tax advisors concerning the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Units, the Warrants and the shares of common stock, as well as any consequences to you arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.
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In addition, the Company has not sought any tax advice regarding the U.S. federal income tax considerations to it, its affiliates, or its existing shareholders, associated with the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Units, Shares, Warrants and the Warrant Shares.
Management of the Company has broad discretion in the use of proceeds.
The executive officers of the Company will have broad discretion in allocating the net proceeds of the Offering, which creates uncertainty for shareholders. Neither the terms of the Offering nor any other agreement restricts the activities of the Company with respect to borrowing for any purpose, use of its assets, encumbrance of future income to secure Company obligations or debts, or the acquisition of assets of any kind and nature.
The offering price of our Units and the exercise price of the Warrants in this Offering have been determined on an arbitrary basis.
The offering price of the Units and the exercise price of the Warrants that we are offering have been determined by us on an arbitrary basis and bear no relationship to earnings, asset values, book value or any other recognized criteria of value. Neither the price of the Units nor the exercise price of the Warrants should be viewed as an indication of the value of those securities.
No investor counsel has been retained to represent the investors.
Counsel has not been retained to represent the Purchaser of the Units. The Purchaser is urged to consult with its own legal counsel, and retain their services as deemed necessary.
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Appendix II
Accredited Investor Certification
For Individual Investors Only
(All Individual Investors must INITIAL where appropriate):
| Initial | I have a net worth (including homes, furnishings and automobiles, but excluding for these purposes the value of my primary residence) in excess of $1 million either individually or through aggregating my individual holdings and those in which I have a joint, community property or other similar shared ownership interest with my spouse. | ||
| Initial | I have had an annual gross income for the past two years of at least $200,000 (or $300,000 jointly with my spouse) and expect my income (or joint income, as appropriate) to reach the same level in the current year. | ||
| Initial | I am a director or executive officer of GrowGeneration Corp. |
For Non-Individual Investors
(All Non-Individual Investors must INITIAL where appropriate):
| Initial | The investor certifies that it is a partnership, corporation, limited liability company or business trust that is 100% owned by persons who meet at least one of the criteria for Individual Investors set forth above. | ||
| Initial | The investor certifies that it is a partnership, corporation, limited liability company or business trust that has total assets of at least $5 million and was not formed for the purpose of investing in the Company. | ||
| Initial | The investor certifies that it is an employee benefit plan whose investment decision is made by a plan fiduciary (as defined in ERISA §3(21)) that is a bank, savings and loan association, insurance company or registered investment adviser. | ||
| Initial | The investor certifies that it is an employee benefit plan whose total assets exceed $5,000,000 as of the date of this Agreement. | ||
| Initial | The undersigned certifies that it is a self-directed employee benefit plan whose investment decisions are made solely by persons who meet either of the criteria for Individual Investors. | ||
| Initial | The investor certifies that it is a U.S. bank, U.S. savings and loan association or other similar U.S. institution acting in its individual or fiduciary capacity. | ||
| Initial | The undersigned certifies that it is a broker-dealer registered pursuant to §15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. | ||
| Initial | The investor certifies that it is an organization described in §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code with total assets exceeding $5,000,000 and not formed for the specific purpose of investing in the Company. | ||
| Initial | The investor certifies that it is a trust with total assets of at least $5,000,000, not formed for the specific purpose of investing in the Company, and whose purchase is directed by a person with such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that he is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment. | ||
| Initial | The investor certifies that it is a plan established and maintained by a state or its political subdivisions, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, for the benefit of its employees, and which has total assets in excess of $5,000,000. | ||
| Initial | The investor certifies that it is an insurance company as defined in §2(13) of the Securities Act, or a registered investment company. | ||
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