SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.5
This SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of December 6, 2024, is by and among New Era Helium Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”) and the investor signatory hereto (the “Buyer”). The Buyer and the Company may be referred to herein individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties.”
RECITALS
X. Xxxx CH Acquisition V Co., a Delaware corporation (“Xxxx”), New Era Helium Corp., a Nevada corporation (“NEC”), and Xxxx XX V Merger Sub Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Roth (“Merger Sub”) entered into that certain Business Combination Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated as of January 3, 2024 and as amended on June 5, 2024, August 8, 2024, September 11, 2024, September 30, 2024 and as it may be further amended, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time (the “BCA”).
B. Pursuant to the terms of the BCA, among other things, effective as of the Effective Time (as defined in the BCA), (a) Xxxx merged (the “Redomestication Merger”) with and into Xxxx XX V Holdings LLC, a Nevada corporation (“Holdings”) and Holdings was the survivor of the Redomestication Merger and (b) immediately subsequent to the Redomestication Merger, Merger Sub merged (the “Acquisition Merger”) with and into NEC, with NEC surviving the Merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Holdings, now, the Company. The Redomestication Merger and the Acquisition Merger are collectively referred to herein as the “Business Combination”).
C. The shares of Common Stock have been approved for trading on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “NEHC”.
D. As a condition and an inducement to the willingness of the Parties to enter into this Agreement, in connection with the execution of this Agreement, certain stockholders of the Company will deliver to the Investor on or prior to the date of this Agreement, the Voting Agreements (as defined below) pursuant to which, among other things, each such stockholder will agree to vote in favor of certain stockholder proposals at the Stockholders Meeting (as defined below).
E. The Company and the Buyer desire to enter into this transaction to purchase the Warrants (as defined below) in reliance upon Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act”), or upon such other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act as may be available with respect to any or all of the transactions to be made hereunder.
F. The Company has authorized the issuance and sale to the Buyer of $30,000,000 of Warrants (as defined below), which Warrants shall be exercisable for shares of Common Stock (as defined below) (the shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the terms of the Warrants, including, without limitation, upon exercise or otherwise, collectively, the “Warrant Shares”).
G. The Buyer wishes to purchase, and the Company wishes to sell, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Closing (as defined below), (i) $10,000,000 of common stock purchase warrants of the Company, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-1 (the “First Tranche Warrants”) and (ii) $20,000,000 of common stock purchase warrants of the Company, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-2 (each, a “Subsequent Tranche Warrant” and together with the First Tranche Warrants, the “Warrants”).
H. The Warrants and the Warrants Shares are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities”.
I. The Company and the Buyer intend to enter into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company shall register the resale of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), which shall include, among other securities of the Company, the Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Buyer hereby agree as follows:
1. | PURCHASE AND SALE OF WARRANTS. |
(a) Purchase of Warrants.
(i) Purchase of Warrants. Subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of the conditions set forth in Sections 6(a) and 7(a) below, the Company shall issue and sell to the Buyer, and the Buyer agrees to purchase from the Company First Tranche Warrants and $20,000,000 of Subsequent Tranche Warrants (the “Closing”).
(b) Closing. Each Closing of the purchase of the Warrants by the Buyer shall occur at the offices of Xxxxxxxx & Worcester LLP, 0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX, 00000 or such other location as is mutually agreed to by the Company and the Buyer. The date and time of the Closing (the “Closing Date”) shall be 10:30 a.m., New York time, on the first Business Day following the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Sections 6(a0 and 7(a) below). As used herein “Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a federal legal holiday in the United States or a day on which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is closed and/or any of the following exchanges on which the Common Stock is traded and listed, or any successor(s) thereto, is not open for at least five (5) hours of trading: The New York Stock Exchange; the NYSE American; The Nasdaq Capital Market; The Nasdaq Global Market; or The Nasdaq Global Select Market, and any successor to any of the foregoing markets or exchanges (the “Primary Market”).
(c) Purchase Price. The purchase price for the First Tranche Warrants to be purchased by the Buyer at the Closing shall be $100 and $200, respectively (the “Purchase Price”). The Buyer and the Company agree that the Warrants constitute an “investment unit” for purposes of Section 1273(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Buyer and the Company mutually agree that the allocation of the issue price of such investment unit among the Warrants in accordance with Section 1273(c)(2) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.1273-2(h) shall be as mutually agreed by the parties hereto, and neither the Buyer nor the Company shall take any position inconsistent with such allocation in any tax return or in any judicial or administrative proceeding in respect of taxes.
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(d) Form of Payment. On the Closing Date, the Buyer shall pay the Company the Purchase Price (less the amounts withheld pursuant to Section 4(g)) to the Company for the Warrants) to be issued and sold to the Buyer at the Closing, by wire transfer of immediately available funds and (ii) the Company shall deliver to the Buyer each Warrant, duly executed on behalf of the Company and registered in the name of the Buyer or its designee.
2. | BUYER’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. |
The Buyer represents and warrants to the Company with respect to only itself that, as of the date hereof and as of each Closing Date:
(a) Organization; Authority. The Buyer is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with the requisite power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (as defined below) to which it is a party and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
(b) Validity; Enforcement. This Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents to which the Buyer is a party has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the Buyer and shall constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Buyer enforceable against the Buyer in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.
(c) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Buyer of this Agreement and each of the Transaction Documents to which the Buyer is a party and the consummation by the Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i) result in a violation of the organizational documents of the Buyer, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Buyer is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws) applicable to the Buyer, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such conflicts, defaults, rights or violations which could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Buyer to perform its obligations hereunder.
(d) No Group. Other than affiliates of the Buyer under this Agreement, the Buyer is not under common control with or acting in concert with any other person or entity and is not part of a “group” for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
(e) No Public Sale or Distribution. The Buyer (i) is acquiring the Warrants and (ii) upon exercise of the Warrants, will acquire the Warrant Shares, in each case, for its own account and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution thereof in violation of applicable securities laws, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the Securities Act; provided, however, by making the representations herein, the Buyer does not agree, or make any representation or warranty, to hold any of the Securities for any minimum or other specific term and reserves the right to dispose of the Securities at any time in accordance with or pursuant to a registration statement or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. The Buyer does not presently have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any Person to distribute any of the Securities in violation of applicable securities laws.
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(f) Accredited Investor Status. The Buyer is either: (i) an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act or (ii) a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the Securities Act.
(g) Reliance on Exemptions. The Buyer understands that the Warrant and the Warrant Shares are being offered and sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Buyer’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Buyer set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Buyer to acquire the Warrant and any and all Warrant Shares.
(h) Information. The Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Warrant and the Warrant Shares that have been requested by the Buyer. The Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the Company. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by the Buyer or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect the Buyer’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained herein. The Buyer understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk. The Buyer has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Warrant and any and all Warrant Shares.
(i) Experience. The Buyer, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. The Buyer is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.
(j) No Governmental Review. The Buyer understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Warrants.
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(k) Transfer or Resale. The Buyer understands that except as provided in this Agreement: (i) the Securities have not been and are not being registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws, and the Securities may not be offered for sale, sold, assigned or transferred unless (A) subsequently registered thereunder, (B) the Buyer shall have delivered to the Company (if requested by the Company) an opinion of counsel, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company, to the effect that such Securities to be sold, assigned or transferred may be sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration, or (C) the Buyer provides the Company with reasonable assurance that such Securities can be sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to Rule 144; (ii) any sale of the Securities made in reliance on Rule 144 may be made only in accordance with the terms of Rule 144, and further, if Rule 144 is not applicable, any resale of the Securities under circumstances in which the seller (or the Person through whom the sale is made) may be deemed to be an underwriter (as that term is defined in the Securities Act) may require compliance with some other exemption under the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder; and (iii) other than pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, neither the Company nor any other Person is under any obligation to register the Securities under the Securities Act or any state securities laws or to comply with the terms and conditions of any exemption thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Securities may be pledged in connection with a bona fide margin account or other loan or financing arrangement secured by the Securities and such pledge of Securities shall not be deemed to be a transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities hereunder, and the Buyer, if effecting a pledge of any of the Securities, shall not be required to provide the Company with any notice thereof or otherwise make any delivery to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.
(l) General Solicitation. The Buyer is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or presented at any seminar or, to the knowledge of the Buyer, any other general solicitation or general advertisement.
3. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. |
Except where specifically set forth below with respect to certain specified representations and warranties or disclosed in the SEC Documents (as defined below), the Company represents and warrants to the Buyer that, as of the date hereof and as of each Closing Date:
(a) Organization and Qualification. Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are entities duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are formed, and have the requisite power and authority to own their properties and to carry on their business as now being conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted. Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign entity to do business and is in good standing (if a good standing concept exists in such jurisdiction) in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on (i) the business, properties, assets, liabilities, operations (including results thereof), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any Subsidiary, individually or taken as a whole, (ii) the transactions contemplated hereby or in any of the other Transaction Documents or any other agreements or instruments to be entered into in connection herewith or therewith or (iii) the authority or ability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to perform any of their respective obligations under any of the Transaction Documents. Other than the Persons disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company has no Subsidiaries. “Subsidiaries” means any Person in which the Company, directly or indirectly, (I) owns any of the outstanding capital stock or holds any equity or similar interest of such Person or (II) controls or operates all or any part of the business, operations or administration of such Person, and each of the foregoing, is individually referred to herein as a “Subsidiary”.
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(b) Authorization; Enforcement; Xxxxxxxx. The Company has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. Each Subsidiary has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents by the Company and its Subsidiaries, and the consummation by the Company and its Subsidiaries of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Warrants and the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants have been duly authorized by the Company’s board of directors or other governing body, as applicable, and (other than (i) the filing with the SEC of (A) the applicable 8-K Filing (as defined below) and (B) a Form D with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) with respect to any applicable Closings, confirmation that Stockholder Approval has been obtained, (iii) with respect to any applicable Closings, the filing of an Additional Listing Application with the Principal Market, and (iv) any other filings as may be required by any state securities agencies (collectively, the “Required Approvals”)) and no further filing, consent or authorization is required by the Company, its Subsidiaries, their respective boards of directors or their stockholders or other governing body. This Agreement has been, and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party will be prior to such Closing, duly executed and delivered by the Company, and each constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies and except as rights to indemnification and to contribution may be limited by federal or state securities law. Prior to such Closing, the Transaction Documents to which each Subsidiary is a party will be duly executed and delivered by each such Subsidiary, and shall constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of each such Subsidiary, enforceable against each such Subsidiary in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies and except as rights to indemnification and to contribution may be limited by federal or state securities law. “Transaction Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, each of the Warrants, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions (as defined below) and each of the other agreements and instruments entered into or delivered by any of the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, as may be amended from time to time.
(c) Issuance of Securities. The issuance of the Securities have been duly authorized and upon issuance in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, (i) the Warrants will be validly executed, authenticated, issued, sold, and delivered and will constitute the legal, valid, and binding obligations of the Company and (ii) the Warrant Shares shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all preemptive or similar rights, mortgages, defects, claims, liens, pledges, charges, taxes, rights of first refusal, encumbrances, security interests and other encumbrances (collectively “Liens”) with respect to the issuance thereof. As of the applicable Closing, the Company shall have reserved from its duly authorized capital stock not less than 100% of the sum of the maximum number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants as of the Exercise Price (as defined in the Warrants) then in effect, and any such exercise shall not take into account any limitations on the exercise of the Warrants set forth in the Warrants). Upon issuance or exercise in accordance with the Warrants (as the case may be), the Warrant Shares, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all preemptive or similar rights or Liens with respect to the issue thereof, with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock.
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(d) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Warrants and the Warrant Shares and the reservation for issuance of the Warrant Shares) will not (i) result in a violation of the Articles of Incorporation (as defined below) (including, without limitation, any certificate of designation contained therein), Bylaws (as defined below), certificate of formation, memorandum of association, articles of association, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any capital stock or other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) in any respect under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including, without limitation, foreign, federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Principal Market”) and including all applicable foreign, federal and state laws, rules and regulations) applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected, assuming, with respect to clause (ii) and (iii) above, the receipt of the Required Approvals and except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such breaches, violations or conflicts as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Consents. Except for the Required Approvals, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is required to obtain any consent from, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any Governmental Entity (as defined below) or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency or any other Person in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its respective obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents, in each case, in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof. All consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company or any Subsidiary is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence have been or will be obtained or effected on or prior to such Closing Date, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries are aware of any facts or circumstances which might prevent the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from obtaining or effecting any of the registration, application or filings contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company is not in violation of the requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which could reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Common Stock. “Governmental Entity” means any nation, state, county, city, town, village, district, or other political jurisdiction of any nature, federal, state, local, municipal, foreign, or other government, governmental or quasi-governmental authority of any nature (including any governmental agency, branch, department, official, or entity and any court or other tribunal), multinational organization or body; or body exercising, or entitled to exercise, any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative, police, regulatory, or taxing authority or power of any nature or instrumentality of any of the foregoing, including any entity or enterprise owned or controlled by a government or a public international organization or any of the foregoing.
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(f) Acknowledgment Regarding Buyer’s Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Buyer is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and that the Buyer is not (i) an officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or a successor rule thereto) (collectively, “Rule 144”)) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iii) to its knowledge, a “beneficial owner” of more than 10% of the shares of Common Stock (as defined for purposes of Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act). The Company further acknowledges that the Buyer is not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and any advice given by the Buyer or any of its representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to the Buyer’s purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to the Buyer that the Company’s and each Subsidiary’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents to which it is a party has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company, each Subsidiary and their respective representatives.
(g) Placement Agent’s Fees. The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, or brokers’ commissions (other than for Persons engaged by the Buyer or its investment advisor) relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby in connection with the sale of the Securities. The Company shall pay, and hold the Buyer harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any such claim. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged any placement agent or other agent in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities other than Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Capital Group LLC.
(h) No Integrated Offering. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their affiliates, nor any Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to require approval of stockholders of the Company under any applicable stockholder approval provisions, including, without limitation, under the rules and regulations of any exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated for quotation. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries, their affiliates nor any Person acting on their behalf will take any action or steps that would cause the offering of any of the Securities to be integrated with other offerings of securities of the Company.
(i) Dilutive Effect. The Company understands and acknowledges that the number of Warrant Shares will increase in certain circumstances. The Company further acknowledges that its obligation to issue the Warrant Shares pursuant to the terms of the Warrants in accordance with this Agreement and the Warrant is absolute and unconditional regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership interests of other stockholders of the Company.
(j) Application of Takeover Protections; Rights Agreement. The Company and its board of directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, interested stockholder, business combination, poison pill (including, without limitation, any distribution under a rights agreement), stockholder rights plan or other similar antitakeover provision under the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws or other organizational documents or the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or otherwise which is or could become applicable to the Buyer as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Buyer’s ownership of the Securities. The Company has no stockholder rights plan or similar arrangement relating to accumulations of beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock or a change in control of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
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(k) SEC Documents; Financial Statements. The Company has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, proxy statements, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC (other than Section 16 ownership filings) pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits and appendices included therein and financial statements, notes and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein being hereinafter referred to as the “SEC Documents”). The Company has delivered or has made available to the Buyer or its representatives true, correct and complete copies of each of the SEC Documents not available on the XXXXX system. As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect as of the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate). The reserves, if any, established by the Company or the lack of reserves, if applicable, are reasonable based upon facts and circumstances known by the Company on the date hereof and there are no loss contingencies that are required to be accrued by the Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 5 of the Financial Accounting Standards Board which are not provided for by the Company in its financial statements or otherwise. No other information provided by or on behalf of the Company to the Buyer which is not included in the SEC Documents contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, in the light of the circumstance under which they are or were made. The Company is not currently contemplating amending or restating any of the financial statements (including, without limitation, any notes or any letter of the independent accountants of the Company with respect thereto) included in the SEC Documents (the “Financial Statements”), nor is the Company currently aware of facts or circumstances which would require the Company to amend or restate any of the Financial Statements, in each case, in order for any of the Financial Statements to be in material compliance with GAAP and the rules and regulations of the SEC. The Company has not been informed by its independent auditors that they recommend that the Company amend or restate any of the Financial Statements or that there is any need for the Company to amend or restate any of the Financial Statements.
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(l) Absence of Certain Changes. Since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in an Annual Report on Form 10-K or a Registration Statement on Form S-4, as applicable, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the business, assets, liabilities, properties, operations (including results thereof), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in an Annual Report on Form 10-K, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has (i) declared or paid any dividends, (ii) sold any assets, individually or in the aggregate, outside of the ordinary course of business or (iii) made any capital expenditures, individually or in the aggregate, outside of the ordinary course of business. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any steps to seek protection pursuant to any law or statute relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, liquidation or winding up, nor does the Company or any Subsidiary have any knowledge or reason to believe that any of their respective creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so. The Company and its Subsidiaries, individually and on a consolidated basis, are not as of the date hereof, and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby to occur at such Closing, will not be Insolvent (as defined below). For purposes of this Section 3(l), “Insolvent” means, whether on a consolidated or individual basis, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries are unable to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured, (ii) the present fair saleable value of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ assets is less than the amount required to pay the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ total Indebtedness (as defined below) or (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries intend to incur or believe that they will incur debts that would be beyond their ability to pay as such debts mature. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any business or in any transaction, and is not about to engage in any business or in any transaction, for which the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s remaining assets constitute unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted.
(m) No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances. No event, liability, development or circumstance has occurred or exists, or is reasonably expected to exist or occur with respect to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, properties, liabilities, prospects, operations (including results thereof) or condition (financial or otherwise), that (i) would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws on a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC relating to an issuance and sale by the Company of its Common Stock and which has not been publicly announced or (ii) could have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(n) Conduct of Business; Regulatory Permits. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or in default under its Articles of Incorporation, any certificate of designation, preferences or rights of any other outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Bylaws or their organizational charter, certificate of formation, memorandum of association, articles of association, Articles of Incorporation or articles of incorporation or bylaws, respectively. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any judgment, decree or order or any statute, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will conduct its business in violation of any of the foregoing, except in all cases for possible violations which could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company is not in violation of any of the rules, regulations or requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Common Stock by the Principal Market in the foreseeable future. During the two (2) years prior to the date hereof, (i) the Common Stock has been listed or designated for quotation on the Principal Market, (ii) trading in the Common Stock has not been suspended by the SEC or the Principal Market and (iii) except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company has received no communication, written or oral, from the SEC or the Principal Market regarding the suspension or delisting of the Common Stock from the Principal Market. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations or permits would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit. There is no agreement, commitment, judgment, injunction, order or decree binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party which has or would reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or materially impairing any business practice of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any acquisition of property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the conduct of business by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted other than such effects, individually or in the aggregate, which have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(o) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, the Company’s subsidiary or any director, officer, agent, employee, nor any other person acting for or on behalf of the foregoing (individually and collectively, a “Company Affiliate”) have violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), or any other applicable anti-bribery or anticorruption laws, nor has any Company Affiliate offered, paid, promised to pay, or authorized the payment of any money, or offered, given, promised to give, or authorized the giving of anything of value, to any officer, employee or any other person acting in an official capacity for any Governmental Entity to any political party or official thereof or to any candidate for political office (individually and collectively, a “Government Official”) or to any person under circumstances where such Company Affiliate knew or was aware of a high probability that all or a portion of such money or thing of value would be offered, given or promised, directly or indirectly, to any Government Official, for the purpose of:
(iii) (A) influencing any act or decision of such Government Official in his/her official capacity, (B) inducing such Government Official to do or omit to do any act in violation of his/her lawful duty, (C) securing any improper advantage, or (D) inducing such Government Official to influence or affect any act or decision of any Governmental Entity, or
(iv) assisting the Company or its Subsidiaries in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(p) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. The Company and each Subsidiary is in material compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as amended, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.
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(q) Transactions With Affiliates. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, no current or former employee, partner, director, officer or stockholder (direct or indirect) of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any associate, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of any thereof, or any relative with a relationship no more remote than first cousin of any of the foregoing, is presently, or has ever been, in each case that is, or would be required to be, disclosed as (i) a party to any transaction with the Company or its Subsidiaries (including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services by, or rental of real or personal property from, or otherwise requiring payments to, any such director, officer or stockholder or such associate or affiliate or relative Subsidiaries (other than for ordinary course services as employees, officers or directors of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries)) or (ii) the direct or indirect owner of an interest in any corporation, firm, association or business organization which is a competitor, supplier or customer of the Company or its Subsidiaries (except for a passive investment (direct or indirect) in less than 5% of the common stock of a company whose securities are traded on or quoted through the Primary Market), nor does any such Person receive income from any source other than the Company or its Subsidiaries which relates to the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries or should properly accrue to the Company or its Subsidiaries. No employee, officer, stockholder or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or member of his or her immediate family is indebted to the Company or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, nor is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries indebted (or committed to make loans or extend or guarantee credit) to any of them, other than (i) for payment of salary for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the Company, and (iii) for other standard employee benefits made generally available to all employees or executives (including stock option agreements outstanding under any stock option plan approved by the Board of Directors of the Company).
(r) Equity Capitalization.
(i) Definitions:
(A) “Common Stock” means (x) the Company’s shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and (y) any capital stock into which such common stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such common stock.
(B) “Preferred Stock” means (x) the Company’s blank check preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share, the terms of which may be designated by the board of directors of the Company in a certificate of designations and (y) any capital stock into which such preferred stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such preferred stock (other than a conversion of such preferred stock into Common Stock in accordance with the terms of such certificate of designations).
(ii) Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 75,000,000 shares of capital stock consisting of 70,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 5,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. As of the date hereof after giving effect to the closing of the Business Combination, the Company will have (i) 13,165,152 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding, (ii) no shares of preferred stock are issued and outstanding, and (iii) public warrants to purchase 5,750,000 shares of Common Stock and private placement warrants to purchase 230,750 shares of Common Stock.
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(iii) Valid Issuance; Available Shares; Affiliates. All of such outstanding shares are duly authorized and have been, or upon issuance will be, validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. To the Company’s knowledge, other than as disclosed on the SEC Documents, no Person owns 10% or more of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock (calculated based on the assumption that all Convertible Securities (as defined below), whether or not presently exercisable or convertible, have been fully exercised or converted (as the case may be) taking account of any limitations on exercise or conversion (including “blockers”) contained therein without conceding that such identified Person is a 10% stockholder for purposes of federal securities laws). “Convertible Securities” means any capital stock or other security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is at any time and under any circumstances directly or indirectly convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, or which otherwise entitles the holder thereof to acquire, any capital stock or other security of the Company (including, without limitation, Common Stock) or any of its Subsidiaries.
(iv) Existing Securities; Obligations. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents: (A) none of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s shares, interests or capital stock is subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or Liens suffered or permitted by the Company or any Subsidiary; (B) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares, interests or capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares, interests or capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares, interests or capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (C) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the Securities Act (except pursuant to this Agreement); (D) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (E) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities; and (F) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement.
(v) Organizational Documents. The Company has furnished to the Buyer true, correct and complete copies of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Articles of Incorporation”), and the Company’s bylaws, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Bylaws”), and the terms of all Convertible Securities and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.
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(s) Indebtedness and Other Contracts. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, (i) has any outstanding debt securities, notes, credit agreements, credit facilities or other agreements, documents or instruments evidencing Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound, (ii) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument, the violation of which, or default under which, by the other party(ies) to such contract, agreement or instrument could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) has any financing statements securing obligations in any amounts filed in connection with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iv) is in violation of any term of, or in default under, any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, except where such violations and defaults would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, or (v) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, the performance of which, in the judgment of the Company’s officers, has or is expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have any liabilities or obligations required to be disclosed in the SEC Documents which are not so disclosed in the SEC Documents, other than those incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses and which, individually or in the aggregate, do not or could not have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement: (x) “Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication (A) all indebtedness for borrowed money, (B) all obligations issued, undertaken or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (including, without limitation, “capital leases” in accordance with GAAP) (other than trade payables entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), (C) all reimbursement or payment obligations with respect to letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar instruments, (D) all obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, including obligations so evidenced incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses, (E) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, or incurred as financing, in either case with respect to any property or assets acquired with the proceeds of such indebtedness (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or bank under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (F) all monetary obligations under any leasing or similar arrangement which, in connection with GAAP, consistently applied for the periods covered thereby, is classified as a capital lease, (G) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (A) through (F) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien upon or in any property or assets (including accounts and contract rights) owned by any Person, even though the Person which owns such assets or property has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness, and (H) all Contingent Obligations in respect of indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (A) through (G) above; (y) “Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person with respect to any Indebtedness, lease, dividend or other obligation of another Person if the primary purpose or intent of the Person incurring such liability, or the primary effect thereof, is to provide assurance to the obligee of such liability that such liability will be paid or discharged, or that any agreements relating thereto will be complied with, or that the holders of such liability will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss with respect thereto; and (z) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and any Governmental Entity or any department or agency thereof.
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(t) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, there is no action, suit, arbitration, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by the Principal Market, any court, public board, other Governmental Entity, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Common Stock or any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ officers or directors, whether of a civil or criminal nature or otherwise, in their capacities as such, which is outside of the ordinary course of business or individually or in the aggregate material to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. No director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has willfully violated 18 U.S.C. §1519 or engaged in spoliation in reasonable anticipation of litigation. Without limitation of the foregoing, there has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the SEC involving the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any current or former director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The SEC has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. After reasonable inquiry of its employees, the Company is not aware of any fact which might result in or form the basis for any such action, suit, arbitration, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any Governmental Entity.
(u) Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will be unable to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) Employee Relations. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any collective bargaining agreement or employs any member of a union. The Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relations with their employees are good. No current (or former) executive officer (as defined in Rule 501(f) promulgated under the Securities Act) or other key employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has notified the Company or any such Subsidiary that such officer intends to leave the Company or any such Subsidiary or otherwise terminate such officer’s employment with the Company or any such Subsidiary. No current (or former) executive officer or other key employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement, non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant, and the continued employment of each such executive officer or other key employee (as the case may be) does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations respecting labor, employment and employment practices and benefits, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where failure to be in compliance would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(w) Title.
(i) Real Property. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries holds good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all real property, leases in real property, facilities or other interests in real property owned or held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (the “Real Property”) owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (as applicable). As of the date of the Business Combination, other than the liens relating to that certain Mortgage, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement, Fixture Filing and Financing Statement, dated as of August 25, 2023, by and between Xxxxx Partners, L.L.C., a Texas limited liability company, and Airlife Gases USA Inc., a Delaware corporation, except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Real Property is free and clear of all Liens and is not subject to any rights of way, building use restrictions, exceptions, variances, reservations, or limitations of any nature except for (a) Liens for current taxes not yet due and (b) zoning laws and other land use restrictions that do not impair the present or anticipated use of the property subject thereto. Any Real Property held under lease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(ii) Fixtures and Equipment. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as applicable) has good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, the tangible personal property, equipment, improvements, fixtures, and other personal property and appurtenances that are used by the Company or its Subsidiary in connection with the conduct of its business (the “Fixtures and Equipment”). The Fixtures and Equipment are structurally sound, are in good operating condition and repair, are adequate for the material uses to which they are being put, are not in need of material maintenance or repairs except for ordinary, routine maintenance and repairs and are sufficient for the conduct of the Company’s and/or its Subsidiaries’ businesses (as applicable) in the manner as conducted prior to such First Tranche Closing. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries owns all of its Fixtures and Equipment free and clear of all Liens except for (a) liens for current taxes not yet due and (b) zoning laws and other land use restrictions that do not impair the present or anticipated use of the property subject thereto.
(x) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights or licenses to use all material trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, original works of authorship, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights and all applications and registrations therefor (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary to conduct their respective businesses as now conducted and presently proposed to be conducted. Each of the patents owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is listed in the SEC Documents. None of the Company’s Intellectual Property Rights have expired or terminated or have been abandoned or are expected to expire or terminate or are expected to be abandoned, within three (3) years from the date of this Agreement. The Company does not have any knowledge of any infringement by the Company or its Subsidiaries of Intellectual Property Rights of others. There is no claim, action or proceeding being made or brought, or to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, being threatened, against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries regarding its Intellectual Property Rights. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is aware of any facts or circumstances which might give rise to any of the foregoing infringements or claims, actions or proceedings. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their Intellectual Property Rights.
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(y) Environmental Laws.
(i) The Company and its Subsidiaries (A) are in compliance with any and all Environmental Laws (as defined below), (B) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (C) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where, in each of the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the failure to so comply or have such permits, licenses or other approval, as applicable, would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The term “Environmental Laws” means all federal, state, local or foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.
(ii) No Hazardous Materials (A) have been disposed of or otherwise released from any Real Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in violation of any Environmental Laws; or (B) are present on, over, beneath, in or upon any Real Property or any portion thereof in quantities that would constitute a violation of any Environmental Laws. No prior use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any Real Property has occurred that violates any Environmental Laws, which violation would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(iii) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries knows of any other person who or entity which has stored, treated, recycled, disposed of or otherwise located on any Real Property any Hazardous Materials, including, without limitation, such substances as asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls.
(iv) None of the Real Properties are on any federal or state “Superfund” list or Liability Information System (“CERCLIS”) list or any state environmental agency list of sites under consideration for CERCLIS, nor subject to any environmental related Liens.
(z) Subsidiary Rights. The Company or one of its Subsidiaries has the unrestricted right to vote, and (subject to limitations imposed by applicable law) to receive dividends and distributions on, all capital securities of its Subsidiaries as owned by the Company or such Subsidiary.
(aa) Tax Status. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i) has timely made or filed all foreign, federal and state income and all other tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has timely paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations, except those being contested in good faith and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries know of no basis for any such claim. The Company is not operated in such a manner as to qualify as a passive foreign investment company, as defined in Section 1297 of the Code. The net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) for United States federal income tax purposes of the consolidated group of which the Company is the common parent, if any, shall not be adversely effected by the transactions contemplated hereby. The transactions contemplated hereby do not constitute an “ownership change” within the meaning of Section 382 of the Code, thereby preserving the Company’s ability to utilize such NOLs.
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(bb) Internal Accounting and Disclosure Controls. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that is effective to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset and liability accountability, (iii) access to assets or incurrence of liabilities is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets and liabilities is compared with the existing assets and liabilities at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any difference. The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and its principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or correspondence from any accountant, Governmental Entity or other Person relating to any potential material weakness or significant deficiency in any part of the internal controls over financial reporting of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(cc) Off Balance Sheet Arrangements. There is no transaction, arrangement, or other relationship between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and an unconsolidated or other off balance sheet entity that is required to be disclosed by the Company in its Exchange Act filings and is not so disclosed or that otherwise could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(dd) Investment Company Status. The Company is not, and upon consummation of the sale of the Securities will not be, an “investment company,” an affiliate of an “investment company,” a company controlled by an “investment company” or an “affiliated person” of, or “promoter” or “principal underwriter” for, an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
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(ee) Acknowledgement Regarding Buyer’s Trading Activity. It is understood and acknowledged by the Company that (i) following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with the terms thereof, the Buyer has not been asked by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to agree, nor has the Buyer agreed with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, to desist from effecting any transactions in or with respect to (including, without limitation, purchasing or selling, long and/or short) any securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold any of the Securities for any specified term; (ii) the Buyer, and counterparties in “derivative” transactions to which the Buyer is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock which was established prior to the Buyer’s knowledge of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents; (iii) the Buyer shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counterparty in any “derivative” transaction; and (iv) the Buyer may rely on the Company’s obligation to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon conversion, exercise or exchange, as applicable, of the Securities as and when required pursuant to the Transaction Documents for purposes of effecting trading in the Common Stock of the Company. The Company further understands and acknowledges that following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents pursuant to the Press Releases and/or 8-K Filings (as defined below) the Buyer may engage in hedging and/or trading activities (including, without limitation, the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock) at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value and/or number of the Warrants or Warrant Shares, as applicable, deliverable with respect to the Securities are being determined and such hedging and/or trading activities (including, without limitation, the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock), if any, can reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interest in the Company both at and after the time the hedging and/or trading activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging and/or trading activities do not constitute a breach of this Agreement, the Warrants or any other Transaction Document or any of the documents executed in connection herewith or therewith.
(ff) Manipulation of Price. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, (i) taken any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iv) paid or agreed to pay any Person for research services with respect to any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(gg) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or has ever been, and so long as any of the Securities are held by the Buyer or any of its affiliates, shall become, a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Code, and the Company and each Subsidiary shall so certify upon the Buyer’s request.
(hh) [Reserved] ..
(ii) Transfer Taxes. On each Closing Date, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income or similar taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the issuance, sale and transfer of the Securities to be sold to the Buyer hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company, and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been complied with.
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(jj) Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
(kk) Oil and Gas Properties.
(i) The Company has defensible title to all its Oil and Gas Properties (as such term is defined below) forming the basis for the reserves reflected in the Company’s financial statements as attributable to interests owned by the Company and are free and clear of all liens. The oil and gas leases and other agreements that provide the Company with operating rights in the Company’s Oil and Gas Properties are legal, valid and binding and in full force and effect, and the rentals, royalties and other payments due thereunder have been properly and timely paid, and there is no existing default (or event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under any of such oil and gas leases or other agreements, except, in each case, as individually or in the aggregate has not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(ii) The following are true regarding oil and gas operations involving the Assets, except as set forth in the SEC Documents, and in each case, as individually or in the aggregate has not had, and would not be reasonably likely to have or result in, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company:
(1) none of the xxxxx have been produced in excess of their allowable such that they are subject to being shut-in or to any overproduction penalty. The Company has not received any payment for hydrocarbon production from any well which is subject to refund or recoupment out of future production;
(2) there have been no changes proposed to reduce the production allowable for any well;
(3) the Company has complied with the provisions and requirements of all laws, rules, regulations and permits applicable to the Oil and Gas Properties and all of the xxxxx have been drilled and completed, operated, and produced in accordance with good oil and gas field practices and in compliance in all material respects with the applicable leases and contracts, and applicable laws, rules, regulations and permits;
(4) proceeds from the sale of oil and gas produced from and attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties are being received by the Company in a timely manner and are not being held in suspense for any reason;
(5) no person has any call on, option to purchase, or similar rights with respect to oil and gas production attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties for a price less than the generally prevailing market price at the time of production;
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(6) all royalties, overriding royalties, compensatory royalties and other payments due from or in respect of oil and gas production from the Oil and Gas Properties, have been properly and correctly paid or provided for in all respects; and
(7) all of the xxxxx that have been drilled and completed have been drilled and completed on lands currently covered by the leases or on lands properly pooled or unitized therewith.
(iii) None of the Oil and Gas Sales Agreements (defined below) will require as of or after the applicable Closing Date, the Company to sell or deliver hydrocarbons for a price materially less than the generally prevailing market price that would have been, or would be, received pursuant to an arm’s-length contract for a term of one month with an unaffiliated third-party purchaser.
(iv) There have been no claims from any third party for any price reduction or increase or volume reduction or increase under any of the Oil and Gas Sales Agreements, and the Company has not made any claims for any price reduction or increase or volume reduction or increase under any of the Oil and Gas Sales Agreements.
(v) To the knowledge of the Company, payments for hydrocarbons sold pursuant to each hydrocarbon sales agreement have been made (subject to adjustment in accordance with such hydrocarbon sales agreements) in accordance with prices or price-setting mechanisms set forth in such hydrocarbon sales agreements.
(vi) No purchaser under any hydrocarbon sales agreements has notified the Company (or, to the knowledge of the Company, the operator of any Oil and Gas Properties) of its intent to cancel, terminate, or renegotiate any hydrocarbon Sales Agreement or has otherwise failed or refused to take and pay for hydrocarbons in the quantities and at the price set out in any hydrocarbon sales agreement, whether such failure or refusal was pursuant to any force majeure, market out, or similar provisions contained in such hydrocarbon sales agreements or otherwise.
(vii) Seller is not obligated in any hydrocarbon sales agreements by virtue of any prepayment, “take-or-pay” or similar provision, a production payment, or any other arrangements to deliver hydrocarbons produced from an Oil and Gas Property at some future time without then and thereafter receiving full payment therefor.
(viii) The Oil and Gas Sales Agreements are of the type generally found in the oil and gas industry, and do not, individually or in the aggregate, contain unusual or unduly burdensome provisions;
(ix) There are no Oil and Gas Sales Agreements pertaining to the Oil and Gas Properties that provide for a fixed price that cannot be cancelled at any time upon ninety (90) days (or less) prior notice;
(x) The Assets are not subject to any hydrocarbon sales agreements or gathering or transportation contracts which include provisions for hedging, price risk management or other similar financial arrangements or transactions which will affect or burden the Oil and Gas Properties from and after the Closing; and
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For purposes of this Agreement: the terms: “Oil and Gas Properties” means all of the Company’s and any of its Subsidiaries’ right, title and interest in, to and under, or derived from oil and gas leases, licenses, authorities to prospect and rights, xxxxx and units, including all land, facilities, personal property and equipment, contracts and information pertaining or relating thereto; “Oil and Gas Sales Agreement” means any sales, purchase or marketing contract that is currently in effect and under which the Company is a seller of oil and gas produced from the Oil and Gas Properties (other than “spot” sales agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business with a term of three (3) months or less, terminable by the without penalty on thirty (30) days’ notice or less, and which provide for a price not less than the market price that would be received pursuant to an arms-length contract for the same term with an unaffiliated third-party purchaser).
(xi) There are no gas well or gas pipeline imbalances with respect to any of the xxxxx.
(ll) Illegal or Unauthorized Payments; Political Contributions. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge (after reasonable inquiry of its officers and directors), any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or other representatives of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other business entity or enterprise with which the Company or any Subsidiary is or has been affiliated or associated, has, directly or indirectly, made or authorized any payment, contribution or gift of money, property, or services, whether or not in contravention of applicable law, (i) as a kickback or bribe to any Person or (ii) to any political organization, or the holder of or any aspirant to any elective or appointive public office except for personal political contributions not involving the direct or indirect use of funds of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(mm) Money Laundering. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with, and have not previously violated, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and all other applicable U.S. and non-U.S. anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the laws, regulations and Executive Orders and sanctions programs administered by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, including, but not limited, to (i) Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001 entitled, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism” (66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (2001)); and (ii) any regulations contained in 31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V.
(nn) Management. During the past three-year period, no current or former officer or director or, to the knowledge of the Company, no current ten percent (10%) or greater stockholder of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been the subject of:
(i) a petition under bankruptcy laws or any other insolvency or moratorium law or the appointment by a court of a receiver, fiscal agent or similar officer for such Person, or any partnership in which such person was a general partner at or within two years before the filing of such petition or such appointment, or any corporation or business association of which such person was an executive officer at or within two years before the time of the filing of such petition or such appointment;
(ii) a conviction in a criminal proceeding or a named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations that do not relate to driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence);
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(iii) any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining any such person from, or otherwise limiting, the following activities:
(1) acting as a futures commission merchant, introducing broker, commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator, floor broker, leverage transaction merchant, any other person regulated by the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission or an associated person of any of the foregoing, or as an investment adviser, underwriter, broker or dealer in securities, or as an affiliated person, director or employee of any investment company, bank, savings and loan association or insurance company, or engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with such activity;
(2) engaging in any particular type of business practice; or
(3) engaging in any activity in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or commodity or in connection with any violation of securities laws or commodities laws;
(iv) any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any authority barring, suspending or otherwise limiting for more than sixty (60) days the right of any such person to engage in any activity described in the preceding sub paragraph, or to be associated with persons engaged in any such activity;
(v) a finding by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the SEC or other authority to have violated any securities law, regulation or decree and the judgment in such civil action or finding by the SEC or any other authority has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated; or
(vi) a finding by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated any federal commodities law, and the judgment in such civil action or finding has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated.
(oo) Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the applicable stock option plan of the Company and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.
(pp) No Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers. There are no material disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated by the Company to arise, between the Company and the accountants and lawyers formerly or presently employed by the Company and the Company is current with respect to any fees owed to its accountants and lawyers which could affect the Company’s ability to perform any of its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents. In addition, on or prior to the date hereof, the Company had discussions with its accountants about its financial statements previously filed with the SEC. Based on those discussions, the Company has no reason to believe that it will need to restate any such financial statements or any part thereof.
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(qq) No Additional Agreements. Other than with respect to the EPFA (as defined below), the Company does not have any agreement or understanding with the Buyer with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents other than as specified in the Transaction Documents.
(rr) Public Utility Holding Company Act. None of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a “holding company,” or an “affiliate” of a “holding company,” as such terms are defined in the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005.
(ss) Federal Power Act. None of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to regulation as a “public utility” under the Federal Power Act, as amended.
(tt) [Reserved].
(uu) Cybersecurity. The Company and its Subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company’s business. The Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable physical, technical and administrative controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data, including “Personal Data,” used in connection with their businesses. “Personal Data” means (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information which would qualify as “personally identifying information” under the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended; (iii) “personal data” as defined by the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (EU 2016/679); (iv) any information which would qualify as “protected health information” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (collectively, “HIPAA”); and (v) any other piece of information that allows the identification of such natural person, or his or her family, or permits the collection or analysis of any data related to an identified person’s health or sexual orientation. There have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person or such, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same except in each case, where such would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification except in each case, where such would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(vv) Compliance with Data Privacy Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries are, and at all prior times were, in compliance with all applicable state and federal data privacy and security laws and regulations, including without limitation HIPAA, and the Company and its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable actions to prepare to comply with, and since December 31, 2022, have been and currently are in compliance with, the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union (GDPR) (Regulation EU 2016/679) (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”) except in each case, where such would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. To ensure compliance with the Privacy Laws, the Company and its Subsidiaries have in place, comply with, and take appropriate steps reasonably designed to ensure compliance in all material respects with their policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, and analysis of Personal Data (the “Policies”). The Company and its Subsidiaries have at all times made all disclosures to users or customers required by applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, and none of such disclosures made or contained in any Policy have, to the knowledge of the Company, been inaccurate or in violation of any applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements in any material respect. The Company further certifies that neither it nor any Subsidiary: (i) has received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; or (iii) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.
(ww) Registration Rights. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, other than the Buyer, no holder of securities of the Company, has rights to the registration of any securities of the Company because of the filing of the Registration Statement or the issuance of the Securities hereunder that could expose the Company to material liability or the Buyer to any liability or that could impair the Company’s ability to consummate the issuance and sale of the Securities in the manner, and at the times, contemplated hereby, which rights have not been waived by the holder thereof as of the date hereof.
(xx) [Reserved].
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(yy) Disclosure. The Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided the Buyer or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes or could reasonably be expected to constitute material, non-public information concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than the existence of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. The Company understands and confirms that the Buyer will rely on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All disclosure provided to the Buyer regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the schedules to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. All of the written information furnished after the date hereof by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to the Buyer pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, taken as a whole, will be true and correct in all material respects as of the date on which such information is so provided and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each press release issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries during the twelve (12) months preceding the date of this Agreement did not at the time of release contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. No event or circumstance has occurred or information exists with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their business, properties, liabilities, prospects, operations (including results thereof) or conditions (financial or otherwise), which, under applicable law, rule or regulation, requires public disclosure at or before the date hereof or announcement by the Company but which has not been so publicly disclosed. All financial projections and forecasts that have been prepared by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and made available to you have been prepared in good faith based upon reasonable assumptions and represented, at the time each such financial projection or forecast was delivered to the Buyer, the Company’s best estimate of future financial performance (it being recognized that such financial projections or forecasts are not to be viewed as facts and that the actual results during the period or periods covered by any such financial projections or forecasts may differ from the projected or forecasted results). The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Buyer makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 2.
4. | COVENANTS. |
(a) Best Efforts. The Buyer shall use its best efforts to timely satisfy each of the covenants hereunder and conditions to be satisfied by it as provided in Section 6 of this Agreement. The Company shall use its best efforts to timely satisfy each of the covenants hereunder and conditions to be satisfied by it as provided in Section 7 of this Agreement.
(b) Blue Sky. The Company shall, on or before each Closing Date, take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to, qualify the Securities for sale to the Buyer at such applicable Closing pursuant to this Agreement under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States (or to obtain an exemption from such qualification), and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Buyer on or prior to such applicable Closing Date. Without limiting any other obligation of the Company under this Agreement, the Company shall timely make all filings and reports relating to the offer and sale of the Securities required under all applicable securities laws (including, without limitation, all applicable federal securities laws and all applicable “Blue Sky” laws), and the Company shall comply with all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws, statutes, rules, regulations and the like relating to the offering and sale of the Securities to the Buyer.
(c) Reporting Status. Until the date on which no Securities are outstanding (the “Reporting Period”), the Company shall timely file all reports required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, and the Company shall not terminate its status as an issuer required to file reports under the Exchange Act even if the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder would no longer require or otherwise permit such termination.
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(d) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the proceeds from the sale of the Securities for in the manner as set forth in any prospectus (including, without limitation, all amendments and supplements thereto) used by the Company in connection with a Registration Statement, including documents incorporated by reference therein (and any post-effective amendment thereto) and any prospectus supplement to a Prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, including documents incorporated by reference therein, thereto filed pursuant to this Agreement, including for working capital purposes for the Company and its subsidiaries, but not, directly or indirectly, for the satisfaction of any Indebtedness, the redemption or repurchase of any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or the settlement of any outstanding litigation; provided that up to $750,000 of such proceeds may be applied to Indebtedness outstanding as of the date hereof.
(e) Financial Information. The Company agrees to send the following to the Buyer during the Reporting Period (i) unless the following are filed with the SEC through XXXXX and are available to the public through the XXXXX system, within one (1) Business Day after the filing thereof with the SEC, a copy of its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, any interim reports or any consolidated balance sheets, income statements, stockholders’ equity statements and/or cash flow statements for any period other than annual, any Current Reports on Form 8-K and any registration statements (other than on Form S-8) or amendments filed pursuant to the Securities Act, (ii) unless the following are either filed with the SEC through XXXXX or are otherwise widely disseminated via a recognized news release service (such as PR Newswire), on the same day as the release thereof, e-mail copies of all press releases issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (iii) unless the following are filed with the SEC through XXXXX, copies of any notices and other information made available or given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the making available or giving thereof to the stockholders.
(f) Listing. The Company shall promptly secure the listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all of the Underlying Securities (as defined below) upon each national securities exchange and automated quotation system, if any, upon which the Common Stock is then listed or designated for quotation (as the case may be) (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain such listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all Underlying Securities from time to time issuable under the terms of the Transaction Documents on such national securities exchange or automated quotation system. The Company shall maintain the Common Stock’s listing or authorization for quotation (as the case may be) on the Primary Market. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action which could be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on a the Primary Market. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 4(i). “Underlying Securities” means (i) the Warrant Shares, and (ii) any capital stock of the Company issued or issuable with respect to the Warrant Shares or the Warrants, respectively, including, without limitation, (1) as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event or otherwise and (2) shares of capital stock of the Company into which the shares of Common Stock are converted or exchanged and shares of capital stock of a successor entity into which the shares of Common Stock are converted or exchanged, in each case, without regard to any limitations on exercise of the Warrants.
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(g) Fees. The Company shall reimburse the Buyer for all legal fees and expenses and reasonable costs and expenses incurred by it or its affiliates in connection with the structuring, documentation, diligence, negotiation, applicable closing and post-closing, as applicable, of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents irrespective of whether or not any Closings occur (including, without limitation, as applicable, any other reasonable and documented fees and expenses in connection with the structuring, documentation, negotiation and closing of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and due diligence and regulatory filings in connection therewith) (the “Transaction Expenses”) and such Transaction Expenses shall be withheld by the Buyer from its Purchase Price at each applicable Closing; provided, that the Company shall promptly reimburse Xxxxxxxx & Worcester LLP (and/or the Buyer, as applicable) on demand for all Transaction Expenses applicable thereto in accordance hereto not so reimbursed through such withholding at such applicable Closing. The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, transfer agent fees, DTC (as defined below) fees or broker’s commissions (other than for Persons engaged by the Buyer) relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company shall pay, and hold the Buyer harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any claim relating to any such payment. Except as otherwise set forth in the Transaction Documents, each party to this Agreement shall bear its own expenses in connection with the sale of the Securities to the Buyer.
(h) Pledge of Securities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Securities may be pledged by the Buyer in connection with a bona fide margin agreement or other loan or financing arrangement that is secured by the Securities. The Company hereby agrees to execute and deliver such documentation as a pledgee of the Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge of the Securities to such pledgee by the Buyer.
(i) Disclosure of Transactions and Other Material Information.
(i) Disclosure of Transaction.
(1) The Agreement. The Company shall, on or before 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the first (1st) Business Day following the date of this Agreement, issue a press release (the “Initial Press Release”) reasonably acceptable to the Buyer disclosing all the material terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. On or before 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the first (1st) Business Day following the date of this Agreement, the Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K describing all the material terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in the form required by the Exchange Act and attaching all the material Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, this Agreement and the form of Warrant), the “Initial 8-K Filing”). From and after the filing of the Initial 8-K Filing, the Company shall have disclosed all material, non-public information (if any) provided to the Buyer by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. In addition, effective upon the filing of the Initial 8-K Filing, the Company acknowledges and agrees that any and all confidentiality or similar obligations under any agreement, whether written or oral, between the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, affiliates, employees or agents, on the one hand, and any of the Buyer or any of its affiliates, on the other hand, shall terminate.
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(2) The Closings. The Company shall, on or before 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the first (1st) Business Day after the Company receives any (i) First Tranche Closing Notice or (ii) Subsequent Closing Notice, either issue a press release (each, a “Subsequent Press Release”, and collectively with the Initial Press Release, each a “Press Release”)) or file a Current Report on Form 8-K (each, a “Subsequent 8-K Filing”, and together with the Initial 8-K Filing, the “8-K Filings”), in each case reasonably acceptable to the Buyer, disclosing the Closing Notice or Subsequent Tranche Closing Notice, as applicable, or that “an institutional investor” has delivered a First Tranche Closing Notice or a Subsequent Tranche Closing Notice to the Company, as applicable. From and after the filing of the applicable Subsequent Tranche Press Release or Subsequent Tranche 8-K Filing, solely to the extent the Closing Notice or Subsequent Tranche Closing Notice, as applicable, constitutes material non-public information (as specified by the Company in such applicable First Tranche Closing Notice or Subsequent Tranche Closing Notice), the Company shall have disclosed all material, non-public information (if any) provided to any of the Buyer by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. In addition, effective upon the filing of the 8-K Filings, the Company acknowledges and agrees that any and all confidentiality or similar obligations under any agreement, whether written or oral, between the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, affiliates, employees or agents, on the one hand, and any of the Buyer or its affiliates, on the other hand, shall terminate.
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(ii) Limitations on Disclosure. Except with respect to the delivery of a First Tranche Closing Notice and/or an Subsequent Tranche Closing Notice, the Company shall not, and the Company shall cause each of its Subsidiaries and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents not to, provide the Buyer with any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from and after the date hereof without the express prior written consent of the Buyer (which may be granted or withheld in the Buyer’s sole discretion). In the event of a breach of any of the foregoing covenants, or any of the covenants or agreements contained in any other Transaction Document, by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of the Buyer), in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the Transaction Documents, the Buyer may deliver written notice to the Company to request that the Company promptly publicly release such applicable material, non-public information. If the Company fails to publicly release such material, non-public information on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day (as defined in the Warrants) after such written notice by the Buyer, the Buyer shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such breach or such material, non-public information, as applicable, without the prior approval by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees or agents. No Buyer shall have any liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees, affiliates, stockholders or agents, for any such disclosure. To the extent that the Company delivers any material, non-public information to the Buyer without the Buyer’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Buyer shall not have any duty of confidentiality with respect to, or a duty not to trade on the basis of, such material, nonpublic information. Subject to the foregoing, neither the Company, its Subsidiaries nor the Buyer shall issue any press releases or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of the Buyer, to make the Press Release and any press release or other public disclosure with respect to such transactions (i) in substantial conformity with the 8-K Filings and contemporaneously therewith and (ii) as is required by applicable law and regulations (provided that in the case of clause (i) the Buyer shall be consulted by the Company in connection with any such press release or other public disclosure prior to its release). Without the prior written consent of the Buyer (which may be granted or withheld in the Buyer’s sole discretion), the Company shall not (and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries and affiliates to not) disclose the name of the Buyer in any filing, announcement, release or otherwise, except as required by applicable law or regulations; provided, however, that with respect to any filing or submission required by applicable law or regulations, (i) such filing or submission shall contain only such information as is necessary or advisable to comply with applicable law or regulations and (ii) unless specifically prohibited by applicable law or court order, the Company shall promptly notify the Buyer of the requirement to make such submission or filing and provide the Buyer with a copy thereof. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary and without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that no Buyer shall have (unless expressly agreed to by a particular Buyer after the date hereof in a written definitive and binding agreement executed by the Company and such particular Buyer (it being understood and agreed that no Buyer may bind any other Buyer with respect thereto)), any duty of confidentiality with respect to, or a duty not to trade on the basis of, any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(j) Additional Issuance of Securities. So long as the Buyer beneficially owns any Securities, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Buyer, issue any Warrants (other than to the Buyer as contemplated hereby) and the Company shall not issue any other securities that would cause a breach or default under the Warrants. The Company agrees that for each period commencing on a Closing Date hereunder, through, and including, the tenth (10th) Trading Day immediately following such Closing Date (each, a “Restricted Period”), neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall directly or indirectly:
(i) file a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to securities that are not the Registrable Securities (other than a registration statement on Form S-4, Form S-8 or such supplements or amendments to registration statements that are outstanding and have been declared effective by the SEC as of the date hereof (including the Registration Statement) (solely to the extent necessary to keep such registration statements effective and available and not with respect to any Subsequent Placement)); or
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(ii) issue, offer, sell, grant any option or right to purchase, or otherwise dispose of (or announce any issuance, offer, sale, grant of any option or right to purchase or other disposition of) any equity security or any equity-linked or related security (including, without limitation, any “equity security” (as that term is defined under Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act)), any Convertible Securities, any debt, any preferred stock or any purchase rights (any such issuance, offer, sale, grant, disposition or announcement (whether occurring during the Restricted Period or at any time thereafter) is referred to as a “Subsequent Placement”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4(j) shall not apply in respect of the issuance of Excluded Securities. “Excluded Securities” means (i) shares of Common Stock or options to purchase Common Stock issued to directors, officers or employees of the Company for services rendered to the Company in their capacity as such pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan, provided that (A) all such issuances (taking into account the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such options) after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this clause (i) do not, in the aggregate, exceed more than 5% of the Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the date thereof and (B) the exercise price of any such options is not lowered, none of such options are amended to increase the number of shares issuable thereunder and none of the terms or conditions of any such options are otherwise materially changed in any manner that adversely affects any Buyer; (ii) shares of Common Stock issued upon the conversion or exercise of Convertible Securities (other than options to purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (i) above) issued prior to the date of this Agreement, provided that the conversion, exercise or other method of issuance (as the case may be) of any such Convertible Security is made solely pursuant to the conversion, exercise or other method of issuance (as the case may be) provisions of such Convertible Security that were in effect on the date immediately prior to the date of this Agreement, the conversion, exercise or issuance price of any such Convertible Securities (other than options to purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (i) above) is not lowered, none of such Convertible Securities (other than standard options to purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (i) above) are amended to increase the number of shares issuable thereunder and none of the terms or conditions of any such Convertible Securities (other than options to purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (i) above) are otherwise materially changed in any manner that adversely affects any of the Buyers; (iii) the shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the terms of the Notes, including, without limitation, upon conversion or otherwise; (iv) any shares of Common Stock issued or issuable in connection with any acquisitions (whether by merger, consolidation, purchase of equity, purchase of assets, reorganization or otherwise), mergers, consolidations, or reorganizations approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equityholders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business complementary with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith; and (v) up to 174,358 shares of Common Stock currently held on treasury. “Approved Stock Plan” means any employee benefit plan which has been approved by the board of directors of the Company prior to or subsequent to the date hereof pursuant to which shares of Common Stock and standard options to purchase Common Stock may be issued to any employee, officer or director for services provided to the Company in their capacity as such.
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(k) Reservation of Shares. So long as any of the Warrants remain outstanding, the Company shall take all action necessary to at all times have authorized, and reserved for the purpose of issuance, no less than 100% of the sum of the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of all the Warrants then outstanding (assuming for purposes hereof that (x) the Warrants are exercisable at the Exercise Price then in effect for such Warrants and that (y) any such exercise shall not take into account any limitations on the exercise of the Warrants set forth in the Warrants) (the “Required Reserve Amount”); provided that at no time shall the number of shares of Common Stock reserved pursuant to this Section 4(k) be reduced other than proportionally in connection with any exercise, as applicable, of Warrants. If at any time the number of shares of Common Stock authorized and reserved for issuance is not sufficient to meet the Required Reserve Amount, the Company will promptly take all corporate action necessary to authorize and reserve a sufficient number of shares, including, without limitation, calling a meeting of stockholders to authorize additional shares to meet the Company’s obligations pursuant to the Transaction Documents, in the case of an insufficient number of authorized shares, obtain stockholder approval of an increase in such authorized number of shares, and voting the management shares of the Company in favor of an increase in the authorized shares of the Company to ensure that the number of authorized shares is sufficient to meet the Required Reserve Amount.
(l) Conduct of Business. The business of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be conducted in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any Governmental Entity, except where such violations would not reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Other Warrants; Variable Securities. Until the later of the date on which (i) no Warrants are outstanding and (ii) the Company is eligible to register the offer and sale of its securities on Form S-3, the Company and each Subsidiary shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any Subsequent Placement involving a Variable Rate Transaction. “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company or any Subsidiary (i) issues or sells any Convertible Securities either (A) at a conversion, exercise or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such Convertible Securities, or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such Convertible Securities or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock, other than pursuant to a customary “weighted average” anti-dilution provision or (ii) enters into any agreement (including, without limitation, an equity line of credit or an “at-the-market” offering) whereby the Company or any Subsidiary may sell securities at a future determined price (other than standard and customary “preemptive” or “participation” rights). The Buyer shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company and its Subsidiaries to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary this Section 4(m) shall not apply to any issuance of securities pursuant to any Equity Purchase Facility Agreement entered into by and between the Company and the Buyer or one of its affiliates (the “EPFA”).
(n) [Reserved].
(o) Dilutive Issuances. For so long as any Warrants remain outstanding, the Company shall not, in any manner, enter into or effect any issuance or sale of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into, exchangeable for, or otherwise entitling the holder thereof to acquire, shares of Common Stock or any warrant, option, subscription or purchase right with respect to any such convertible, exchangeable or other security (other than to the Buyer or its assigns), for a consideration per share less than a price equal to the exercise price of a Warrant in effect immediately prior to such issuance or sale (a “Dilutive Issuance”) if the effect of such Dilutive Issuance is to cause the Company to be required to issue upon exercise of any Warrants any shares of Common Stock in excess of that number of shares of Common Stock which the Company may issue upon exercise of the Warrants without breaching the Company’s obligations under the rules or regulations of the Principal Market.
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(p) Passive Foreign Investment Company. The Company shall conduct its business, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to conduct their respective businesses, in such a manner as will ensure that the Company will not be deemed to constitute a passive foreign investment company within the meaning of Section 1297 of the Code.
(q) Restriction on Redemption and Cash Dividends. Until the date no Warrants remain outstanding, the Company shall not, directly or indirectly, redeem, or declare or pay any cash dividend or distribution on, any securities of the Company without the prior express written consent of the Buyer.
(r) Corporate Existence. So long as the Buyer beneficially owns any Warrants, the Company shall not be party to any Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the Warrants), unless the Company is in compliance with the applicable provisions governing Fundamental Transactions set forth in the Warrants.
(s) Stock Splits. Until the date no Warrants remain outstanding, the Company shall not effect any stock combination, reverse stock split or other similar transaction (or make any public announcement or disclosure with respect to any of the foregoing) without notifying the Buyer in writing (which may be an e-mail).
(t) Exercise Procedures. The form of Exercise Notice (as defined in the Warrants) included in the Warrants set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Buyer in order to exercise the Warrants. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Buyer to exercise the Warrants. The Company shall honor exercise of the Warrants and shall deliver the Warrants Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in the Warrants. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original Exercise Notice shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Exercise Notice form be required in order to exercise the Warrants.
(u) Resale Registration Statement. As soon as practicable (and in any event within thirty (30) calendar days from the first Closing Date), the Company shall file a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or Form S-1 if Form S-3 is not available to the Company) providing for the resale by the Buyer of the Warrant Shares issued and issuable upon exercise of the Warrants or shall include such Warrant Shares issued and issuable upon exercise of the Warrants in any other Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed by the Company. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration to become effective within forty-five (45) days following the such first Closing Date and to keep such registration statement effective at all times (except for any periods in connection with the filing of post-effective amendments as reasonably determined by Company’s counsel to be required) until no Securities are outstanding.
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(v) Participation Rights.
(i) From the date hereof until the later of (i) the termination of this Agreement and (ii) the three (3) year anniversary of the Closing, upon any issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock or any Convertible Securities in a Subsequent Placement, the Buyer shall have the right to participate in up to an aggregate amount of the Subsequent Placement equal to 10% of the Subsequent Placement (the “Participation Maximum”) on the same terms, conditions and price provided for in the Subsequent Placement.
(ii) At least five (5) Business Days prior to the closing of the Subsequent Placement, the Company shall deliver to the Buyer a written notice of its intention to effect a Subsequent Placement (“Pre-Notice”), which Pre-Notice shall request if the Buyer wants to review the details of such financing (such additional notice, a “Subsequent Placement Notice”). Upon the request of the Buyer, and only upon such request, for a Subsequent Placement Notice, the Company shall promptly, but no later than one (1) Trading Day after such request, deliver a Subsequent Placement Notice to the Buyer. The Subsequent Placement Notice shall describe in reasonable detail the proposed terms of such Subsequent Placement, the amount of proceeds intended to be raised thereunder and the potential investors through or with whom such Subsequent Placement is proposed to be effected and shall include a term sheet or similar document relating thereto as an attachment.
(iii) If the Buyer desires to participate in such Subsequent Placement, it must provide written notice to the Company by 6:30 am (New York City time) on the Trading Day following the date on which the Subsequent Placement Notice is delivered to the Buyer (the “Notice Termination Time”) that the Buyer is willing to participate in the Subsequent Placement, the amount of the Buyer’s participation, and representing and warranting that the Buyer has such funds ready, willing, and available for investment on the terms set forth in the Subsequent Placement Notice. If the Company receives no such notice from the Buyer as of such Notice Termination Time, the Buyer shall be deemed to have notified the Company that it does not elect to participate in such Subsequent Placement.
(iv) If, by the Notice Termination Time, notifications by the Buyer of its willingness to participate in the Subsequent Placement (or to cause their designees to participate) is, in the aggregate, less than the Participation Maximum, then the Company may effect the remaining portion of such Subsequent Placement on the terms and with the persons or entities set forth in the Subsequent Placement Notice.
(v) The Company must provide the Buyer with a second Subsequent Placement Notice, and the Buyer will again have the right of participation set forth above in this Section 4(v), if the definitive agreement related to the initial Subsequent Placement Notice is not entered into for any reason on the terms set forth in such Subsequent Placement Notice within two (2) Trading Days after the date of delivery of the initial Subsequent Placement Notice.
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(vi) The Company and the Buyer agree that, if the Buyer elects to participate in the Subsequent Placement, the transaction documents related to the Subsequent Placement shall not include any term or provision that, directly or indirectly, will, or is intended to, exclude the Buyer from participating in a Subsequent Placement, including, but not limited to, provisions whereby the Buyer shall be required to agree to any restrictions on trading as to any securities of the Company or be required to consent to any amendment to or termination of, or grant any waiver, release or the like under or in connection with, this Agreement, without the prior written consent of the Buyer. In addition, the Company and the Buyer agree that, in connection with a Subsequent Placement, the transaction documents related to the Subsequent Placement shall include a requirement for the Company to issue a widely disseminated press release by 9:30 am (New York City time) on the Trading Day following the execution of the transaction documents in such Subsequent Placement (or, if the date of execution is not a Trading Day, on the immediately following Trading Day) that discloses the material terms of the transactions contemplated by the transaction documents in such Subsequent Placement.
(vii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4(v) and unless otherwise agreed to by the Buyer, the Company shall either confirm in writing to the Buyer that the transaction with respect to the Subsequent Placement has been abandoned or shall publicly disclose its intention to issue the securities in the Subsequent Placement, in either case in such a manner such that the Buyer will not be in possession of any material, non-public information, by 9:30 am (New York City time) on the second (2nd) Trading Day following date of delivery of the Subsequent Placement Notice. If by 9:30 am (New York City time) on such second (2nd) Trading Day, no public disclosure regarding a transaction with respect to the Subsequent Placement has been made, and no notice regarding the abandonment of such transaction has been received by the Buyer, such transaction shall be deemed to have been abandoned and the Buyer shall not be deemed to be in possession of any material, non-public information with respect to the Company.
(viii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary pursuant to the Buyer’s (and its affiliates) rights to the Participation Maximum pursuant to this Section 4(v), if the number of shares of Common Stock issuable to the Buyer (and its affiliates) pursuant to any proposed Subsequent Placement, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Buyer (and its affiliates) at such time of such Subsequent Placement, would result in the Buyer (and its affiliates) exceeding the Ownership Limitation (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), then in lieu of receiving shares of Common Stock in a Subsequent Placement that would result in the Buyer (and its affiliates) exceeding the Ownership Limitation, the Buyer (and its affiliates) shall receive Convertible Securities (such as pre-funded Common Stock purchase warrants) with a beneficial ownership blocker in order for the Buyer (and its affiliates) to maintain a beneficial ownership at or below the Ownership Limitation.
(ix) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4(v) shall not apply in respect of the issuance of any Excluded Securities.
(w) Regulation M. The Company will not take any action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act, in connection with the distribution of the Securities contemplated hereby.
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(x) Stockholder Approval. The Company shall provide each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders of the Company (the “Stockholder Meeting”), which shall be promptly called and held not later than ninety (90) calendar days after the date hereof (the “Stockholder Meeting Deadline”), a proxy statement, in each case, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Buyer and Xxxxxxxx & Worcester LLP, at the expense of the Company, with the Company obligated to reimburse the expenses of Xxxxxxxx & Worcester LLP incurred in connection therewith in an amount not to exceed $50,000. The proxy statement, if any, shall solicit each of the Company’s stockholders’ affirmative vote at the Stockholder Meeting for approval of resolutions (“Stockholder Resolutions”) providing for (i) the approval of the issuance of all of the Securities in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Principal Market (without regard to any limitations on conversion or exercise set forth in the Warrants, assuming all Warrants have been issued hereunder) and (ii) an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of capital stock of the Company to 250,000,000 (such affirmative approvals being referred to herein as the “Stockholder Approval”, and the date such Stockholder Approval is obtained, the “Stockholder Approval Date”), and the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to solicit its stockholders’ approval of such resolutions and to cause the Board of Directors of the Company to recommend to the stockholders that they approve such resolutions. The Company shall be obligated to seek to obtain the Stockholder Approval by the Stockholder Meeting Deadline. If, despite the Company’s reasonable best efforts the Stockholder Approval is not obtained by such Stockholder Approval Date, the Company shall adjourn and reconvene the Stockholder Meeting at least as often as every thirty (30) calendar days thereafter until such Stockholder Approval is obtained, but in no event later than the three hundred and sixty-fifth (365th) calendar day after the Closing Date.
(y) Closing Documents. On or prior to fourteen (14) calendar days after each Closing Date, the Company agrees to deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Buyer and Xxxxxxxx & Worcester LLP a complete closing set of the executed Transaction Documents, Securities and any other document required to be delivered to any party pursuant to Section 7 hereof or otherwise.
(z) Non-Public Information. Neither the Company, nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents shall disclose any material non-public information about the Company to the Buyer, unless a simultaneous public announcement thereof is made by the Company in the manner contemplated by Regulation FD. In the event of a breach of the foregoing covenant by the Company, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees and agents (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of the Buyer), (i) the Buyer shall promptly provide written notice of such breach to the Company and (ii) after such notice has been provided to the Company and, provided that the Company shall have failed to publicly disclose such material, non-public information within 24 hours following demand therefor by the Buyer, in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the other Transaction Documents, the Buyer shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, non-public information without the prior approval by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents. The Buyer shall not have any liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, stockholders or agents, for any such disclosure.
5. | REGISTER; TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS; LEGEND. |
(a) Register. The Company shall maintain at its principal executive offices (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice to each holder of Securities), a register for the Warrants in which the Company shall record the name and address of the Person in whose name the Warrants have been issued (including the name and address of each transferee), the principal amount of the Warrants held by such Person, the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant to the terms of the Warrants held by such person. The Company shall keep the register open and available at all times during business hours for inspection of the Buyer or its legal representatives.
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(b) Transfer Agent Instructions. The Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to its transfer agent and any subsequent transfer agent (as applicable, the “Transfer Agent”) in a form acceptable to the Buyer (the “Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”) to issue certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registered in the name of the Buyer or its nominee(s), for the maximum number of Warrant Shares issuable from time to time by the Buyer to the Company upon exercise of all the Warrants issuable pursuant to this Agreement, subject to any applicable rules and regulations of the Principal Market. The Company represents and warrants that no instruction other than the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions referred to in this Section 5(b), will be given by the Company to its transfer agent with respect to the Securities, and that the Securities shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company, as applicable, to the extent provided in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. If the Buyer effects a sale, assignment or transfer of any Securities, the Company shall permit the transfer and shall promptly instruct its transfer agent to issue one or more certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at DTC in such name and in such denominations as specified by the Buyer to effect such sale, transfer or assignment. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Buyer. Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Section 5(b) will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Section 5(b), that the Buyer shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an order and/or injunction restraining any breach and requiring immediate issuance and transfer, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required. The Company shall cause its counsel to issue the legal opinion referred to in the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, if requested or required, as applicable, by the Transfer Agent, to the Transfer Agent as follows: (i) upon each exercise of the Warrants (unless such issuance is covered by a prior legal opinion previously delivered to the Transfer Agent) and (ii) on each date a registration statement with respect to the issuance or resale of any of the Securities is declared effective by the SEC. Any fees (with respect to the Transfer Agent, counsel to the Company or otherwise) associated with the issuance of such opinion or the removal of any legends on any of the Securities shall be borne by the Company.
(c) Removal of Legends.
(i) The Warrant Shares may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws. In connection with any transfer of the Warrant Shares other than pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, to the Company or to an affiliate of the Buyer or in connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 5(c)(ii), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Warrant Shares under the Securities Act.
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(ii) The Buyer agrees to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section 5(c), of a legend on the Warrants and any of the Warrant Shares in the following form:
NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS EXERCISABLE HAS BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT WITH A REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER OR OTHER LOAN WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT IS AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Buyer may from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of the Warrant Shares to a financial institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, the Buyer may transfer pledged or secured Warrant Shares to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith. Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge. At the Buyer’s expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Warrant Shares may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Warrant Shares.
(iii) Certificates evidencing the Warrant Shares shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 5(c)(ii) hereof): (i) while a registration statement covering the resale of such security is effective under the Securities Act, or (ii) following any sale of such Warrant Shares pursuant to Rule 144 or (iii) if such Warrant Shares are eligible for sale under Rule 144 without volume or manner-of-sale limitations, or (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the SEC). The Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion to the Transfer Agent or the Buyer promptly if required by the Transfer Agent to effect the removal of the legend hereunder, or if requested by the Buyer, respectively. If all or any portion of a Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale of the Warrant Shares, or if such Warrant Shares may be sold under Rule 144 without volume or manner-of-sale limitations or if such legend is not otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the SEC) then such Warrant Shares shall be issued free of all legends. The Company agrees that following such time as such legend is no longer required under this Section 5(c)(ii), the Company will, no later than the earlier of (i) one (1) Trading Day and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following the delivery by the Buyer to the Company or the Transfer Agent of a certificate representing Warrant Shares, as applicable, issued with a restrictive legend (such date, the “Legend Removal Date”), deliver or cause to be delivered to the Buyer a certificate representing such shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company may not make any notation on its records or give instructions to the Transfer Agent that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 5(c). Certificates for Warrant Shares subject to legend removal hereunder shall be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Buyer by crediting the account of the Buyer’s prime broker with the Depository Trust Company System as directed by the Buyer.
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(iv) In addition to the Buyer’s other available remedies, the Company shall pay to the Buyer, in cash, (i) as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares (based on the VWAP of the shares of Common Stock on the date such Securities are submitted to the Transfer Agent) delivered for removal of the restrictive legend and subject to Section 5(c), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day five (5) Trading Days after such damages have begun to accrue) for each Trading Day after the Legend Removal Date until such certificate is delivered without a legend and (ii) if the Company fails to (a) issue and deliver (or cause to be delivered) to a Purchaser by the Legend Removal Date a certificate representing the Securities so delivered to the Company by such Purchaser that is free from all restrictive and other legends and (b) if after the Legend Removal Date the Buyer purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Buyer of all or any portion of the number of shares of Common Stock, or a sale of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to all or any portion of the number of shares of Common Stock, that the Buyer anticipated receiving from the Company without any restrictive legend, then an amount equal to the excess of the Buyer’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) over the product of (A) such number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to such Purchaser by the Legend Removal Date multiplied by (B) the lowest closing sale price of the shares of Common Stock on any Trading Day during the period commencing on the date of the delivery by such Purchaser to the Company of the applicable Warrant Shares (as the case may be) and ending on the date of such delivery and payment under this Section 5(c).
6. | CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATION TO SELL. |
(a) The obligation of the Company hereunder to issue and sell the Warrants to the Buyer at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Buyer with prior written notice thereof:
(i) the Buyer shall have executed each of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and delivered the same to the Company.
(ii) the Buyer shall have delivered to the Company the applicable Purchase Price (less the amounts withheld pursuant to Section 4(g)) by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with .
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(iii) the representations and warranties of the Buyer shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though originally made at that time except for such representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality or material adverse effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects, except in the case of representations and warranties already qualified by materiality, of which shall be true and correct in all respects (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date), and the Buyer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Buyer at or prior to the Closing Date
(b) The obligation of the Company hereunder to issue and sell Subsequent Tranche Warrants to the Buyer at a Subsequent Tranche Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before each Subsequent Tranche Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Buyer with prior written notice thereof:
(i) the Buyer shall have executed each of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and delivered the same to the Company.
(ii) the Buyer shall have delivered to the Company the applicable Purchase Price (less the amounts withheld pursuant to Section 4(g)) for such Subsequent Tranche Warrant(s) being purchased by the Buyer at such Subsequent Tranche Closing by wire transfer of immediately available funds.
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(iii) the representations and warranties of the Buyer shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of such Subsequent Tranche Closing Date as though originally made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date), and the Buyer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Buyer at or prior to such Subsequent Tranche Closing Date.
7. | CONDITIONS TO THE BUYER’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE. |
(a) The obligation of the Buyer hereunder to purchase First Tranche Warrants at a First Tranche Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before each First Tranche Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Buyer’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Buyer at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Company with prior written notice thereof:
(i) the Company and each Subsidiary (as the case may be) shall have duly executed and delivered to the Buyer each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the Company shall have duly executed and delivered to the Buyer Warrants for a Purchase Price, that when aggregated with the Purchase Prices paid by the Buyer for all other Warrants during the First Tranche Period, does not exceed $10,000,000;
(ii) there shall be no existing event of default under any of the Company’s senior secured indebtedness;
(iii) the Buyer shall have received the opinion of Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx Carmel LLP, the Company’s counsel, dated as of the Closing Date, in the form acceptable to the Buyer and its counsel;
(iv) the Company shall have delivered to the Buyer a copy of the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, including with respect to any additional Warrant Shares that have not been previously reserved in Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions in connection with a prior Closing, in the form acceptable to the Buyer, which instructions shall have been delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Transfer Agent and shall remain in full force and effect as of the Closing Date;
(v) the Company shall have delivered to the Buyer a certificate evidencing the formation and good standing (if a good standing concept exists in such jurisdiction) of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries in each such entity’s jurisdiction of formation issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of such jurisdiction of formation as of a date within ten (10) days of the Closing Date;
(vi) the Company shall have delivered to the Buyer a certificate evidencing the Company’s and each Subsidiary’s qualification as a foreign corporation and good standing issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of each jurisdiction in which the Company and each Subsidiary conducts business and is required to so qualify, as of a date within ten (10) days of the Closing Date;
(vii) the Company shall have delivered to the Buyer a certified copy of the Articles of Incorporation as certified by the Delaware Secretary of State within ten (10) days of the Closing Date;
(viii) each Subsidiary shall have delivered to the Buyer a certified copy of its Articles of Incorporation (or such equivalent organizational document) as certified by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of such Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of incorporation within ten (10) days of the Closing Date;
(ix) the Company and each Subsidiary shall have delivered to the Buyer a certificate, in the form acceptable to the Buyer, executed by the Secretary of the Company and each Subsidiary and dated as of the Closing Date, as to (i) the resolutions consistent with Section 3(b) as adopted by the Company’s board of directors in a form reasonably acceptable to the Buyer, (ii) the Articles of Incorporation of the Company and the organizational documents of each Subsidiary and (iii) the Bylaws of the Company and the bylaws of each Subsidiary, each as in effect at the Closing;
(x) each and every representation and warranty of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects (except for such representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality or material adverse effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though originally made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with (except for covenants, agreements or conditions that are qualified by materiality or material adverse effect, which shall be performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with) the covenants, agreements and conditions required to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date. The Buyer shall have received a certificate, duly executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the foregoing effect and as to such other matters as may be reasonably requested by the Buyer in the form acceptable to the Buyer;
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(xi) the
Company shall have delivered to the Buyer a letter from the
Transfer Agent certifying the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Closing Date immediately prior to the Closing;
(xii) the Common Stock (A) shall be designated for quotation or listed (as applicable) on the Principal Market and (B) shall not have been suspended, as of the Closing Date, by the SEC or the Principal Market from trading on the Principal Market nor shall suspension by the SEC or the Principal Market have been threatened, as of the Closing Date, either (I) in writing by the SEC or the Principal Market or (II) by falling below the minimum maintenance requirements of the Principal Market;
(xiii) the Company shall have obtained all governmental, regulatory or third party consents and approvals, if any, necessary for the sale of the Securities, including without limitation, those required by the Principal Market, if any, and if required for the issuance of the maximum number of Warrant Shares issuable upon all Warrants issued to the Buyer pursuant to this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date, Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained;
(xiv) no statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction that prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents;
(xv) since the date of this Agreement, no event or series of events shall have occurred that reasonably would have or result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(xvi) the Company shall not amend, modify, waive or terminate any provision of any of the Lock-Up Agreements entered into by certain stockholders of the Company in connection with the Business Combination (or any substantially similar lock-up agreements signed by transferees of the initial parties to the Lock-Up Agreements) (the “Lock-Up Agreements”) except to extend the term of the lock-up period (the “Lock-Up Term”) and shall enforce the provisions of each Lock-Up Agreement (or any substantially similar lock-up agreements signed by transferees of the initial parties to the Lock-Up Agreements) in accordance with its terms. If any party to a Lock-Up Agreement (or any substantially similar lock-up agreements signed by transferees of the initial parties to the Lock-Up Agreements) breaches any provision of a Lock-Up Agreement, the Company shall promptly use its best efforts to seek specific performance of the terms of such Lock-Up Agreement;
(xvii) certain stockholders of the Company shall have entered into with the Company voting agreements in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (collectively, the “Voting Agreements”) as of the date hereof, and no material breach of such Lock-Up Agreements;
(xviii)
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(xix) the Company shall have obtained approval of the Principal Market to list or designate for quotation (as the case may be) the Warrant Shares;
(xx) from the date hereof to the Closing Date, (i) trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the SEC or the Principal Market (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Closing), and, (ii) at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on the Principal Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of the Buyer, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Securities at the Closing;
(xxi) no bona fide dispute shall exist, by and between (or among) the Buyer, any holder of Warrants, and/or the Company, which dispute is reasonably related to this Agreement, any of the Securities and/or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, as applicable; and
(xxii) the Company and its Subsidiaries shall have delivered to the Buyer such other documents, instruments or certificates relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as the Buyer or its counsel may reasonably request.
8. | MISCELLANEOUS. |
(a) Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect to any provision or rule (whether of the State of Nevada or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Nevada. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Nevada for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or under any of the other Transaction Documents or with any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or operate to preclude the Buyer from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to the Buyer or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Buyer. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR UNDER ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
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(b) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by an e-mail which contains a portable document format (.pdf) file of an executed signature page, such signature page shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such signature page were an original thereof.
(c) Headings; Gender. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof. The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the provision in which they are found.
(d) Severability; Maximum Payment Amounts. If any provision of this Agreement is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Agreement so long as this Agreement as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document (and without implication that the following is required or applicable), it is the intention of the parties that in no event shall amounts and value paid by the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries (as the case may be), or payable to or received by the Buyer, under the Transaction Documents (including without limitation, any amounts that would be characterized as “interest” under applicable law) exceed amounts permitted under any applicable law. Accordingly, if any obligation to pay, payment made to the Buyer, or collection by the Buyer pursuant to the Transaction Documents is finally judicially determined to be contrary to any such applicable law, such obligation to pay, payment or collection shall be deemed to have been made by mutual mistake of the Buyer, the Company and its Subsidiaries and such amount shall be deemed to have been adjusted with retroactive effect to the maximum amount or rate of interest, as the case may be, as would not be so prohibited by the applicable law. Such adjustment shall be effected, to the extent necessary, by reducing or refunding, at the option of the Buyer, the amount of interest or any other amounts which would constitute unlawful amounts required to be paid or actually paid to the Buyer under the Transaction Documents. For greater certainty, to the extent that any interest, charges, fees, expenses or other amounts required to be paid to or received by the Buyer under any of the Transaction Documents or related thereto are held to be within the meaning of “interest” or another applicable term to otherwise be violative of applicable law, such amounts shall be pro-rated over the period of time to which they relate.
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(e) Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and the schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between the Buyer, the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective affiliates and the Persons acting on their behalf, including, without limitation, any transactions by the Buyer with respect to Common Stock or the Securities, and the other matters contained herein and therein, and this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, the schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein contain the entire understanding of the parties solely with respect to the matters covered herein and therein; provided, however, nothing contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document shall (or shall be deemed to) (i) have any effect on any agreements the Buyer has entered into with, or any instruments the Buyer has received from, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries prior to the date hereof with respect to any prior investment made by the Buyer in the Company or (ii) waive, alter, modify or amend in any respect any obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any rights of or benefits to the Buyer or any other Person, in any agreement entered into prior to the date hereof between or among the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries and the Buyer, or any instruments the Buyer received from the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries prior to the date hereof, and all such agreements and instruments shall continue in full force and effect. Except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor the Buyer makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. For clarification purposes, the Recitals are part of this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Company and the Buyer, and any amendment to any provision of this Agreement made in conformity with the provisions of this Section 9(e) shall be binding on the Buyer and all holders of Securities, as applicable; provided that no such amendment shall be effective to the extent that it (A) applies to less than all of the holders of the Securities then outstanding or (B) imposes any obligation or liability on the Buyer without the Buyer’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in the Buyer’s sole discretion). No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party, provided that the Buyer may waive any provision of this Agreement, and any waiver of any provision of this Agreement made in conformity with the provisions of this Section 9(e) shall be binding on the Buyer and all holders of Securities, as applicable, provided that no such waiver shall be effective to the extent that it (1) applies to less than all of the holders of the Securities then outstanding (unless a party gives a waiver as to itself only) or (2) imposes any obligation or liability on the Buyer without the Buyer’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in the Buyer’s sole discretion). No consideration (other than reimbursement of legal fees) shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents, all holders of the Warrants. From the date hereof and while any Warrants are outstanding, the Company shall not be permitted to receive any consideration from the Buyer or a holder of Warrants that is not otherwise contemplated by the Transaction Documents in order to, directly or indirectly, induce the Company or any Subsidiary (i) to treat the Buyer or holder of Warrants in a manner that is more favorable than to other similarly situated holders of Warrants, or (ii) to treat the Buyer or holder(s) of Warrants in a manner that is less favorable than a holder of Warrants that is paying such consideration. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, made any agreements with the Buyer relating to the terms or conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except as set forth in the Transaction Documents. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company confirms that, except as set forth in this Agreement, the Buyer has not made any commitment or promise or has any other obligation to provide any financing to the Company, any Subsidiary or otherwise. As a material inducement for the Buyer to enter into this Agreement, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (x) no due diligence or other investigation or inquiry conducted by the Buyer, any of its advisors or any of its representatives shall affect the Buyer’s right to rely on, or shall modify or qualify in any manner or be an exception to any of, the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document and (y) unless a provision of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document is expressly preceded by the phrase “except as disclosed in the SEC Documents,” nothing contained in any of the SEC Documents shall affect the Buyer’s right to rely on, or shall modify or qualify in any manner or be an exception to any of, the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.
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(f) Notices. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by electronic mail (provided that such sent email is kept on file (whether electronically or otherwise) by the sending party and the sending party does not receive an automatically generated message from the recipient’s email server that such e-mail could not be delivered to such recipient); or (iii) one (1) Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier service with next day delivery specified, in each case, properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The mailing addresses and e-mail addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
0000 Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx
Midland, TX 79707
Attn: E. Xxxx Xxxx XX, Chief Executive Officer
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Email: xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
With a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx Carmel LLP
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
New York, NY 10036
Attn: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Email: xxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
If to the Buyer:
Attn:
Telephone:
Email:
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with a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
Xxxxxxxx & Worcester LLP
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
New York, NY 10020
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
E-mail: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
or to such other mailing address and/or e-mail address and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change, provided that Xxxxxxxx & Worcester LLP shall only be provided copies of notices sent to the Buyer. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s e-mail containing the time, date and recipient’s e-mail or (C) provided by an overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by e-mail or receipt from an overnight courier service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns, including any purchasers of any of the Warrants (but excluding any purchasers of Underlying Securities, unless pursuant to a written assignment by the Buyer). The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Buyer, including, without limitation, by way of a Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the Warrants) (unless the Company is in compliance with the applicable provisions governing Fundamental Transactions set forth in the Warrants) or a Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the Warrants) (unless the Company is in compliance with the applicable provisions governing Fundamental Transactions set forth in the Warrants). The Buyer may assign some or all of its rights hereunder in connection with any transfer of any of its Securities without the consent of the Company, in which event such assignee shall be deemed to be the Buyer hereunder with respect to such assigned rights.
(h) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, other than the Indemnitees referred to in Section 9(k).
(i) Survival. The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants shall survive each Closing. The Buyer shall be responsible only for its own representations, warranties, agreements and covenants hereunder.
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(j) Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(k) Indemnification.
(i) In consideration of the Buyer’s execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquiring the Securities thereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless the Buyer and each holder of any Securities and all of their stockholders, partners, members, officers, directors, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing Persons’ agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (i) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company or any Subsidiary in any of the Transaction Documents, (ii) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company or any Subsidiary contained in any of the Transaction Documents or (iii) any cause of action, suit, proceeding or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee by a third party (including for these purposes a derivative action brought on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary) or which otherwise involves such Indemnitee that arises out of or results from (A) the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents, (B) any transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of the issuance of the Securities, (C) any disclosure properly made by the Buyer pursuant to Section 4(l), or (D) the status of the Buyer or holder of the Securities either as an investor in the Company pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or as a party to this Agreement (including, without limitation, as a party in interest or otherwise in any action or proceeding for injunctive or other equitable relief). To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under applicable law.
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(ii) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnitee under this Section 9(k) of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving an Indemnified Liability, such Indemnitee shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company under this Section 9(k), deliver to the Company a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the Company shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the Company so desires, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the Company and the Indemnitee; provided, however, that an Indemnitee shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by the Company if: (A) the Company has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (B) the Company shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Indemnified Liability and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnitee in any such Indemnified Liability; or (C) the named parties to any such Indemnified Liability (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnitee and the Company, and such Indemnitee shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnitee and the Company (in which case, if such Indemnitee notifies the Company in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Company, then the Company shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company), provided further, that in the case of clause (C) above the Company shall not be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one (1) separate legal counsel for the Indemnitees. The Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the Company in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or Indemnified Liability by the Company and shall furnish to the Company all information reasonably available to the Indemnitee which relates to such action or Indemnified Liability. The Company shall keep the Indemnitee reasonably apprised at all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent, provided, however, that the Company shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its consent. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnitee of a release from all liability in respect to such Indemnified Liability or litigation, and such settlement shall not include any admission as to fault on the part of the Indemnitee. Following indemnification as provided for hereunder, the Company shall be subrogated to all rights of the Indemnitee with respect to all third parties, firms or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made. The failure to deliver written notice to the Company within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve the Company of any liability to the Indemnitee under this Section 9(k), except to the extent that the Company is materially and adversely prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
(iii) The indemnification required by this Section 9(k) shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, within ten (10) days after bills are received or Indemnified Liabilities are incurred.
(iv) The indemnity agreement contained herein shall be in addition to (A) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnitee against the Company or others, and (B) any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to the law.
(l) Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party. No specific representation or warranty shall limit the generality or applicability of a more general representation or warranty. Each and every reference to share prices, shares of Common Stock and any other numbers in this Agreement that relate to the Common Stock shall be automatically adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations, recapitalizations or other similar transactions that occur with respect to the Common Stock after the date of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty against, or a prohibition of, any actions with respect to the borrowing of, arrangement to borrow, identification of the availability of, and/or securing of, securities of the Company in order for the Buyer (or its broker or other financial representative) to effect short sales or similar transactions in the future.
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(m) Remedies. The Buyer and in the event of assignment by the Buyer of its rights and obligations hereunder, each holder of Securities, shall have all rights and remedies set forth in the Transaction Documents and all rights and remedies which such holders have been granted at any time under any other agreement or contract and all of the rights which such holders have under any law. Any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights granted by law. Furthermore, the Company recognizes that in the event that it or any Subsidiary fails to perform, observe, or discharge any or all of its or such Subsidiary’s (as the case may be) obligations under the Transaction Documents, any remedy at law would be inadequate relief to the Buyer. The Company therefore agrees that the Buyer shall be entitled to specific performance and/or temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive or other equitable relief from any court of competent jurisdiction in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages and without posting a bond or other security. The remedies provided in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief).
(n) Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) the Transaction Documents, whenever the Buyer exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company or any Subsidiary does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then the Buyer may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company or such Subsidiary (as the case may be), any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights.
(o) Payment Set Aside; Currency. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to the Buyer hereunder or pursuant to any of the other Transaction Documents or the Buyer enforce or exercise their rights hereunder or thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, all dollar amounts referred to in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are in United States Dollars (“U.S. Dollars”), and all amounts owing under this Agreement and all other Transaction Documents shall be paid in U.S. Dollars. All amounts denominated in other currencies (if any) shall be converted into the U.S. Dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the Exchange Rate on the date of calculation. “Exchange Rate” means, in relation to any amount of currency to be converted into U.S. Dollars pursuant to this Agreement, the U.S. Dollar exchange rate as published in the Wall Street Journal on the relevant date of calculation.
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(p) Judgment Currency.
(i) If for the purpose of obtaining or enforcing judgment against the Company in connection with this Agreement or any other Transaction Document in any court in any jurisdiction it becomes necessary to convert into any other currency (such other currency being hereinafter in this Section 9(p) referred to as the “Judgment Currency”) an amount due in U.S. Dollars under this Agreement, the conversion shall be made at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Trading Day immediately preceding:
(1) the date actual payment of the amount due, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of New York or in the courts of any other jurisdiction that will give effect to such conversion being made on such date: or
(2) the date on which the foreign court determines, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of any other jurisdiction (the date as of which such conversion is made pursuant to this Section 9(p)(i)(2) being hereinafter referred to as the “Judgment Conversion Date”).
(ii) If in the case of any proceeding in the court of any jurisdiction referred to in Section 9(p)(i)(2) above, there is a change in the Exchange Rate prevailing between the Judgment Conversion Date and the date of actual payment of the amount due, the applicable party shall pay such adjusted amount as may be necessary to ensure that the amount paid in the Judgment Currency, when converted at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the date of payment, will produce the amount of US Dollars which could have been purchased with the amount of Judgment Currency stipulated in the judgment or judicial order at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Judgment Conversion Date.
(iii) Any amount due from the Company under this provision shall be due as a separate debt and shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other amounts due under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.
[signature pages follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
NEW ERA HELIUM INC. | ||
By: | /s/ E. Will Gray II | |
Name: E. Will Gray II | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Securities Purchase Agreement]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
BUYER: | ||
By: | its manager |
NEW ERA HELIUM INC. | ||
By: | /s/ E. Will Gray II | |
Name: E. Will Gray II | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Securities Purchase Agreement]
EXHIBIT A-1
FORM OF FIRST TRANCHE WARRANT
See Exhibit 10.6 of the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 10, 2024
EXHIBIT A-2
FORM OF SUBSEQUENT TRANCHE WARRANT
See Exhibit 10.7 of the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 10, 2024
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF VOTING AGREEMENT
See Exhibit 10.11 of the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 10, 2024