PLACEMENT AGENCY AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
[ ], 2024
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Bakersfield CA 93309
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxx, Chief Executive Officer
Dear Xx. Xxxx:
This agreement (the “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Spartan Capital Securities, LLC (the “Placement Agent”) and Trio Petroleum Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), pursuant to which the Placement Agent shall serve as the exclusive placement agent for the Company, on a “reasonable best efforts” basis, in connection with the proposed public offering (the “Placement”) of up to an aggregate of $10 million of shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Shares”) and/or or (b) pre-funded warrants to subscribe for Common Shares (the “Prefunded Warrants”). The Common Shares underlying the Prefunded Warrants shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Prefunded Warrant Shares”, and the Shares, the Prefunded Warrant, and the Prefunded Warrant Shares, shall hereinafter be referred to collectively as the “Securities.” The terms of the Placement and the Securities shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the purchasers (each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”) and nothing herein constitutes that the Placement Agent would have the power or authority to bind the Company or any Purchaser or an obligation for the Company to issue any Securities or complete the Placement. The Placement Agent shall act solely as the Company’s agent and not as principal. The Company shall have the sole right to accept offers to purchase Securities and may reject any such offer, in whole or in part. The purchase price to the Purchasers for each Common Share is $[___], the purchase price to the Purchasers for each Pre-Funded Warrant is $[___], and the exercise price to the Purchasers for each share of Prefunded Warrant Share issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants is $0.0001. This Agreement and the documents executed and delivered by the Company and the Purchasers in connection with the Placement, including but not limited to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below), and the form of the Prefunded Warrants shall be collectively referred to herein as the “Transaction Documents.” The date of the closing of the Placement shall be referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agent’s obligations hereunder are on a reasonable best-efforts basis only and that the execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by the Placement Agent to purchase the Securities and does not ensure the successful placement of the Securities or any portion thereof or the success of the Placement Agent with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company. With the prior written consent of the Company, the Placement Agent may retain other brokers or dealers to act as sub-agents or selected-dealers on its behalf in connection with the Placement. The sale of the Securities to any Purchaser will be evidenced by a securities purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) between the Company and such Purchaser in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company and the Placement Agent. Capitalized terms that are not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement. Prior to the signing of any Purchase Agreement, officers of the Company will be available to answer inquiries from prospective Purchasers.
SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY; COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
A. Representations of the Company. Each of the representations and warranties (together with any related disclosure schedules thereto) and covenants made by the Company to the Purchasers in the Purchase Agreement in connection with the Placement is hereby incorporated herein by reference into this Agreement (as though fully restated herein) and is, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, hereby made to, and in favor of, the Placement Agent. In addition to the foregoing, the Company represents and warrants that:
1. The Company has prepared and filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (Registration No. 333-[ ]), and amendments thereto, for the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the Securities, which registration statement, as so amended (including post-effective amendments, if any) became effective on [____], 2024. Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, as of the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement.” Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement shall each be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”) on or before the date of this Agreement; and any reference in this Agreement to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), after the date of this Agreement, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included,” “described,” “referenced,” “set forth” or “stated” in the Registration Statement (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, and no proceeding for any such purpose is pending or has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened by the Commission. For purposes of this Agreement, the “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus, if any, together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, used in connection with the Placement, including any documents incorporated by reference therein.
2. The Registration Statement (and any further documents to be filed with the Commission) contains all exhibits and schedules as required by the Securities Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Commission promulgated thereunder and did not and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Incorporated Documents, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations, and none of such documents, when they were filed with the Commission, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein (with respect to Incorporated Documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement), in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement reflecting any facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein is required to be filed with the Commission. There are no documents required to be filed with the Commission in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby that (x) have not been filed as required pursuant to the Securities Act or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time period. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits or schedules to the Registration Statement, which (x) have not been described or filed as required or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time period.
3. Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed, and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Time of Sale Prospectus.
4. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Time of Sale Prospectus and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of each of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) or the Company’s shareholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals (as defined in the Purchase Agreement). This Agreement has been duly executed by the Company and, when duly execute by the Placement Agent and delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
5. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated pursuant to the Time of Sale Prospectus, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby to which it is a party do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement).
6. Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Placement Agent or to counsel for the Placement Agent shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Placement Agent as to the matters set forth therein.
7. The Company acknowledges that the Placement Agent will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and warranties and hereby consents to such reliance.
8. No forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
9. Any statistical, industry-related and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes to be reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
10. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company, any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement. There are no other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Placement Agent’s compensation, as determined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). Other than payments to the Placement Agent for this Placement, the Company has not made and has no agreements, arrangements or understanding to make any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member participating in the offering as defined in FINRA Rule 5110 (a “Participating Member”); or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Participating Member, within the 180-day period preceding the initial filing of the Registration Statement through the 60-day period after the effective date of the Registration Statement. None of the net proceeds of the Placement will be paid by the Company to any Participating Member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein. To the Company’s knowledge, no officer, director or any beneficial owner of 10% or more of the Company’s Common Shares or Common Share equivalents has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Participating Member in the Placement. Except for securities purchased on the open market, no Company affiliate is an owner of stock or other securities of any Participating Member. No Company affiliate has made a subordinated loan to any Participating Member. No proceeds from the sale of the Securities (excluding placement agent compensation as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus) will be paid to any Participating Member, any persons associated with a Participating Member or an affiliate of a Participating Member. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not issued any warrants or other securities or granted any options, directly or indirectly, to the Placement Agent within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement. Except for securities issued to the Placement Agent as disclosed in the Registration Statement, no person to whom securities of the Company have been privately issued within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Time of Sale Prospectus is a Participating Member, is a person associated with a Participating Member or is an affiliate of a Participating Member. No Participating Member in the Placement has a conflict of interest with the Company. For this purpose, a “conflict of interest” exists when a Participating Member, the parent or affiliate of a Participating Member or any person associated with a Participating Member in the aggregate beneficially own 5% or more of the Company’s outstanding subordinated debt or common equity, or 5% or more of the Company’s preferred equity. “FINRA member participating in the Placement” includes any associated person of a Participating Member in the Placement, any member of such associated person’s immediate family and any affiliate of a Participating Member in the Placement. When used in this Section 1.A.10 the term “affiliate of a FINRA member” or “affiliated with a FINRA member” means an entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a FINRA member. The Company will advise the Placement Agent and its counsel if it learns that any officer, director or owner of 10% or more of the Company’s outstanding Common Shares or Common Share equivalents is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a Participating Member.
11. The Board of Directors is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Registration Statement captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the Board of Directors comply with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and the rules of the Trading Market (as defined below). In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent” as defined under the rules of the Trading Market.
12. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires most recently completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers is true and correct in all respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in such questionnaires become inaccurate and incorrect.
B. Covenants of the Company.
1. The Company has delivered, or will as promptly as practicable deliver, to the Placement Agent materially complete conformed copies of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts, as applicable, filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Placement Agent reasonably requests. Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Placement other than the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Registration Statement, copies of the documents incorporated by reference therein and any other materials permitted by the Securities Act.
2. Section 4.15 of the Purchase Agreement as in effect on the date hereof may not be amended or waived without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent.
3. The Company covenants that it will not, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a Company Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act. In the event that the Placement Agent expressly consents in writing to any such free writing prospectus (a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”), the Company covenants that it shall (i) treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as a Company Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) comply with the requirements of Rule 164 and 433 of the Securities Act applicable to such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
4. The Company will maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Shares.
SECTION 2. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PLACEMENT AGENT. The Placement Agent represents and warrants that it (i) is a member in good standing of FINRA, (ii) is registered as a broker/dealer under the Exchange Act, (iii) is licensed as a broker/dealer under the laws of the states applicable to the offers and sales of the Securities by such Placement Agent, (iv) is and will be a body corporate validly existing under the laws of its place of incorporation, and (v) has full power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Placement Agent will immediately notify the Company in writing of any change in its status as such. The Placement Agent covenants that it will use its reasonable best efforts to conduct the Placement hereunder in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement and the requirements of applicable law.
SECTION 3. COMPENSATION. In consideration of the services to be provided for hereunder, the Company shall pay to the Placement Agent or their respective designees their pro rata portion (based on the Securities placed) of the following compensation with respect to the Securities which they are placing:
A. A cash fee (the “Cash Fee”) equal to 7.5% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Placement. The Company also agrees to pay the Placement Agent a non-accountable expense allowance of 0.5%a non-accountable expense allowance in the amount of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Placement (the “Non-Accountable Expense Allowance”). Each of the Cash Fee and the Non-Accountable Expense Allowance shall be paid at the closing of the Placement (the “Closing”).
B. Subject to compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(D), the Company also agrees to reimburse the Placement Agent for all travel and other out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees, costs and disbursements of its legal counsel, in an amount not to exceed an aggregate of US$145,000. The Company will reimburse the Placement Agent directly out of the Closing of the Placement.
C. The Placement Agent reserves the right to reduce any item of its compensation or adjust the terms thereof as specified herein in the event that a determination shall be made by FINRA to the effect that such Placement Agent’s aggregate compensation is in excess of FINRA rules or that the terms thereof require adjustment.
SECTION 4. INDEMNIFICATION. The Company agrees to the indemnification and other agreements set forth in the indemnification provisions (the “Indemnification Provisions”) attached hereto as Addendum A, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
SECTION 5. PLACEMENT AGENT INFORMATION. The Company agrees that any information or advice rendered by the Placement Agent in connection with this engagement is for the confidential use of the Company only in their evaluation of the Placement and, except as otherwise required by law, the Company will not disclose or otherwise refer to the advice or information in any manner without the Placement Agent’s prior written consent.
SECTION 6. NO FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP. This Agreement does not create, and shall not be construed as creating rights enforceable by any person or entity not a party hereto, except those entitled hereto by virtue of the Indemnification Provisions hereof. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agent is not and shall not be construed as a fiduciary of the Company and shall have no duties or liabilities to the equity holders or the creditors of the Company or any other person by virtue of this Agreement or the retention of the Placement Agent hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived.
SECTION 7. CLOSING. The obligations of the Placement Agent, and the closing of the sale of the Securities hereunder, are subject to the accuracy, when made and on the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and its subsidiaries contained herein and in the Purchase Agreement, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company and its subsidiaries made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and its subsidiaries of their obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions, except as otherwise disclosed to and acknowledged and waived by the Placement Agent to the Company:
A. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request for additional information on the part of the Commission (to be included in the Registration Statement or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Placement Agent. Any filings required to be made by the Company in connection with the Placement shall have been timely filed with the Commission.
B. The Placement Agent shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Placement Agent, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the reasonable opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and was not remedied prior to the Closing Date by the filing of an amendment to the Registration Statement.
C. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form, execution, delivery and validity of each of this Agreement, the Securities, the Registration Statement and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Placement Agent, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
D. The Placement Agent shall have received on the Closing Date the favorable opinion of Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Schole LLP, counsel to the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, including, without limitation, a negative assurance letter addressed to the Placement Agent and in form and substance satisfactory to the Placement Agent.
E. The Placement Agent shall have received “comfort” letters from Xxxx & Associates CPA LLC (the Company’s independent registered accounting firm) (“Auditor”) as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, addressed to the Placement Agent and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Placement Agent and Placement Agent’s counsel.
F. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a certificate duly executed by an executive officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying (i) the resolutions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby as adopted by the Company’s board of directors, (ii) the certificate of incorporation of the Company and (iii) the bylaws of the Company, each as in effect at the Closing.
G. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a certificate duly executed by an executive officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying that each and every representation and warranty of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), 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 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;
H. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, providing a customary certification as to such accounting or financial matters that are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement that the Auditor is unable to provide assurances on in the letter contemplated by Section 7.E above.
I. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a letter from the Transfer Agent certifying the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Closing Date immediately prior to the Closing.
J. The Placement Agent shall have received evidence of the good standing of the Company as of the date of the Agreement and at the Closing Date, in its jurisdictions of organization (to the extent the concept of “good standing” or such equivalent concept exists under the laws of the applicable jurisdictions) and its good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Placement Agent may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions. If the applicable jurisdiction does not have a concept of “good standing,” the Company will furnish evidence in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities that the relevant company was duly incorporated and remains duly registered in the jurisdiction of its incorporation.
K. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, as applicable, (i) shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, terrorist act or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material change, or any development involving a prospective material change, in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, and (iii) since such date there shall not have been any new or renewed inquiries by the Commission, FINRA or any other regulatory body regarding the Company, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii), is, in the judgment of the Placement Agent, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Registration Statement.
L. The Common Shares are registered under the Exchange Act and, as of the Closing Date, the Shares and the Common Shares underlying the Prefunded Warrants shall be listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the NYSE American (the “Trading Market”) or other applicable U.S. national exchange, or an application for such listing shall have been submitted to the Trading Market, and satisfactory evidence of such action shall have been provided to the Placement Agent. The Company shall have taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting or suspending from trading the Common Shares from the Trading Market or other applicable U.S. national exchange, nor, except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and Registration Statement, has the Company received any information suggesting that the Commission or the Trading Market or other U.S. applicable national exchange is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.
M. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; and no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.
N. The Company shall have prepared and filed with the Commission a Form 8-K with respect to the Placement, including as an exhibit thereto this Agreement.
O. The Company shall have entered into a Purchase Agreement with each of the Purchasers and such agreements shall be in full force and effect and shall contain representations, warranties and covenants of the Company as agreed between the Company and the Purchasers.
P. FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements of this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall, if requested by the Placement Agent, make or authorize Placement Agent’s counsel to make on the Company’s behalf, any filing with the FINRA Corporate Financing Department pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 with respect to the Placement and pay all filing fees required in connection therewith.
Q. On the Closing Date, Placement Agent shall have received signed lock-up agreements, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, addressed to the Placement Agent by each of the Company, the Company’s directors, officers and any other holder(s) of five percent (5.0%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Shares of the Company as of the effective date of the Registration Statement. The Company shall not amend, modify, waive or terminate any provision of any of the lock-up agreements without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, except to extend the term of the lock-up period, and shall enforce the provisions of each lock-up agreement in accordance with its terms. If any party to a lock-up agreement 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.
R. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agent such further information, certificates and documents as the Placement Agent may reasonably request.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 7 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement, or if any of the certificates, opinions, written statements or letters furnished to the Placement Agent or to the Placement Agent’s counsel pursuant to this Section 7 shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Placement Agent and to the Placement Agent’s counsel, all obligations of the Placement Agent hereunder may be cancelled by the Placement Agent at, or at any time prior to, the consummation of the Closing. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or orally. Any such oral notice shall be confirmed promptly thereafter in writing.
SECTION 8. Governing Law; Jurisdiction and Venue Arbitration. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of law. Any controversy between the parties to this Agreement, or arising out of the Agreement, shall be resolved by arbitration before the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) or FINRA Arbitration (FINRA”) in New York, New York. The following arbitration agreement should be read in conjunction with these disclosures:
| (a) | ARBITRATION IS FINAL AND BINDING ON THE PARTIES. | |
| (b) | THE PARTIES ARE WAIVING THEIR RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES IN COURT, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL. | |
| (c) | PRE-ARBITRATION DISCOVERY IS GENERALLY MORE LIMITED THAN AND DIFFERENT FROM COURT PROCEEDING; AND | |
| (d) | THE ARBITRATORS’ AWARD IS NOT REQUIRED TO INCLUDE FACTUAL FINDING OR LEGAL REASONING AND ANY PARTY’S RIGHT TO APPEAL OR TO SEEK MODIFICATION OF RULINGS BY THE ARBITRATORS IS STRICTLY LIMITED. | |
| (e) | ARBITRATION AGREEMENT. ANY AND ALL CONTROVERSIES, DISPUTES OR CLAIMS BETWEEN SPARTAN AND YOU OR YOUR AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES, EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS OR CONTROL PERSONS, ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION WITH, OR WITH RESPECT TO (i) ANY PROVISIONS OF OR THE VALIDITY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY RELATED AGREEMENTS, (ii) THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PARTIES HERETO, OR (iii) ANY CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF YOUR BUSINESS SHALL BE CONDUCTED BY THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION UNDER ITS COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION RULES OR FINRA ARBITRATION RULES. ARBITRATION MUST BE COMMENCED BY SERVICE OF A WRITTEN DEMAND FOR ARBITRATION OR A WRITTEN NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ARBITRATE. IF YOU ARE A PARTY TO SUCH ARBITRATION, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY THE RULES OF THE APPLICABLE ARBITRATION TRIBUNAL, THE ARBITRATION SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK. THE DECISION AND AWARD OF THE ARBITRATORS(S) SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON ALL PARTIES, AND ANY JUDGMENT UPON ANY AWARD RENDERED MAY BE ENTERED IN THE STATE OR FEDERAL COURTS LOCATED IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK, OR ANY OTHER COURT HAVING JURISDICTION THEREOF, AND NEITHER PARTY SHALL OPPOSE SUCH ENTRY. |
SECTION 9. ENTIRE AGREEMENT/MISC. This Agreement (including the attached Indemnification Provisions) embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, relating to the subject matter hereof except the Engagement Letter, as amended, by and between the Company and the Placement Agent, dated July 12, 2024. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the Placement Agent and the Company. The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants contained herein shall survive the closing of the Placement and delivery of the Securities. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together 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, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or a .pdf format file, such signature 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 facsimile or .pdf signature page were an original thereof.
SECTION 10. NOTICES. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is sent to the email address specified on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a business day, (b) the next business day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is sent to the email address on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a business day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any business day, (c) the third business day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. internationally recognized air courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages hereto.
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Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth our agreement by signing and returning to the Placement Agent the enclosed copy of this Agreement.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| SPARTAN CAPITAL SECURITIES, LLC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Address for notice: | |
| 00 Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx | |
| New York, NY 10006 | |
| Attention: Xxx Xxxxxxx, Chief Administrative Officer | |
| Email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx |
Accepted and Agreed to as of
the date first written above:
| TRIO PETROLEUM CORP. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Xxxxx Xxxx | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| Address for notice: | |
| Trio Petroleum Corp. | |
| 0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000 | |
| Bakersfield CA 93309 | |
| Attention: Xxxxx Xxxx, Chief Executive Officer | |
| Email: xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xx |
ADDENDUM A
INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS
In connection with the engagement of Spartan Capital Securities, LLC (the “Placement Agent”) by Trio Petroleum Corp. (the “Company”) pursuant to a placement agency agreement dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and the Placement Agent, as it may be amended from time to time in writing (the “Agreement”), the Company hereby agrees as follows:
1. To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify the Placement Agent and its affiliates, directors, officers, employees and controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) against all losses, claims, damages, expenses and liabilities, as the same are incurred (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), relating to or arising out of its activities hereunder or pursuant to the Agreement, except, with regard to the Placement Agent, to the extent that any losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) are found in a final judgment (not subject to appeal) by a court of law to have resulted primarily and directly from any indemnitee’s willful misconduct or gross negligence.
2. Promptly after receipt by the Placement Agent of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action or proceeding with respect to which the Placement Agent is entitled to indemnity hereunder, the Placement Agent will notify the Company in writing of such claim or of the commencement of such action or proceeding, and the Company will assume the defense of such action or proceeding and will employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and will pay the fees and expenses of such counsel. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Placement Agent will be entitled to employ counsel separate from counsel for the Company and from any other party in such action if counsel for the Placement Agent reasonably determines that it would be inappropriate under the applicable rules of professional responsibility for the same counsel to represent both the Company and the Placement Agent. In such event, the reasonable fees and disbursements of no more than one such separate counsel will be paid by the Company. The Company will have the exclusive right to settle the claim or proceeding provided that the Company will not settle any such claim, action or proceeding without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, which will not be unreasonably withheld. The Placement Agent and all other indemnitees shall not settle any claim, action or proceeding without the prior written consent of the Company.
3. The Company agrees to notify the Placement Agent promptly of the assertion against it or any other person of any claim or the commencement of any action or proceeding relating to a transaction contemplated by the Agreement.
4. If for any reason the foregoing indemnity is unavailable to the Placement Agent or insufficient to hold the Placement Agent harmless, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Placement Agent, as the case may be, as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand, and the Placement Agent on the other, but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Placement Agent on the other that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any relevant equitable considerations. The amounts paid or payable by a party in respect of losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees and expenses incurred in defending any litigation, proceeding or other action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions hereof, the Placement Agent’s share of the liability hereunder shall not be in excess of the amount of fees actually received, or to be received, by the Placement Agent under the Agreement (excluding any amounts received as reimbursement of expenses incurred by the Placement Agent).
5. These Indemnification Provisions shall remain in full force and effect whether or not the transaction contemplated by the Agreement is completed and shall survive the termination of the Agreement, and shall be in addition to any liability that the Company might otherwise have to any indemnified party under the Agreement or otherwise.
EXHIBIT A
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
[ ], 2024
Spartan Capital Securities, LLC
00 Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
New York, NY 10006
| Re: | Placement of Common Shares or Pre-Funded Warrants to Purchase Common Shares |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you are the placement agent (the “Placement Agent”) in the placement agency agreement (the “Placement Agency Agreement”) to be entered into between Trio Petroleum Corp, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Placement Agent, providing for the public offering, on a “reasonable best efforts” basis (the “Offering”) of either (a) Common Shares (each, a “Share”) or (b) pre-funded warrants to subscribe for Common Shares (each a “Prefunded Warrant”) pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of [●], 2024, by and among the Company and the purchasers signatory thereto (the “Purchase Agreement”). The Common Shares underlying the Prefunded Warrants shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Prefunded Warrant Shares”, and the Prefunded Warrant Shares and the Shares shall hereinafter be referred to collectively as the “Securities.”
In consideration of the Placement Agent’s agreement to enter into the Placement Agency Agreement and to proceed with the Offering, and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees, for the benefit of the Company (if applicable) and the Placement Agent that, without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date of this Lock-up Agreement and continuing and including the date that is one hundred and eighty (180) days after the effective date of the registration statement on Form S-1, and any prospectus included therein (the “Registration Statement”), covering the offer and sale of the Securities sold in the current Offering (the “Lock-Up Period”), unless otherwise provided herein, directly or indirectly (a) offer, sell, agree to offer or sell, solicit offers to purchase, grant any call option or purchase any put option with respect to, pledge, encumber, assign, borrow or otherwise dispose of (each a “Transfer”) any Relevant Security (as defined below) or otherwise publicly disclose the intention to do so, or (b) establish or increase any “put equivalent position” or liquidate or decrease any “call equivalent position” with respect to any Relevant Security (in each case within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder) with respect to any Relevant Security or otherwise enter into any swap, derivative or other transaction or arrangement that Transfers to another, in whole or in part, any economic consequence of ownership of a Relevant Security, whether or not such transaction is to be settled by the delivery of Relevant Securities, other securities, cash or other consideration, with respect to the undersigned’s holdings, or otherwise publicly disclose the intention to do so. As used herein, the term “Relevant Security” means any Common Shares, any unit, any warrant to purchase Common Shares or any other security of the Company or any other entity that is convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Shares or any other equity security of the Company, in each case owned beneficially or otherwise by the undersigned on the date of closing of the Offering or acquired by the undersigned during the Lock-Up Period.
The restrictions in the foregoing paragraph shall not apply to: (a) any exercise (including a cashless exercise or broker-assisted exercise and payment of tax obligations), vesting or settlement, as applicable, by the undersigned of options or warrants to purchase Common Shares or other equity awards pursuant to any stock incentive plan or stock purchase plan of the Company; provided that any Common Shares received by the undersigned upon such exercise, conversion or exchange will be subject to the Lock-Up Period, (b) any establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the Transfer of Common Shares (a “Trading Plan”); provided that (i) the Trading Plan shall not provide for or permit any Transfers, sales or other dispositions of Common Shares during the Lock-Up Period, and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such public announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Relevant Securities may be made under such plan during the Lock-Up Period; (c) any sales or dispositions of Common Shares under a Trading Plan that is in effect prior to the closing of the Offering; (d) any Transfer of Common Shares acquired in open market transactions following the closing of the Offering, provided the Transfer would not require any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and no such filing is voluntarily made, (e) the Transfer of the undersigned’s Common Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares to the Company in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s employment with the Company or pursuant to contractual arrangements under which the Company has the option to repurchase such shares, provided that no filing by any party under the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be made voluntarily within 45 days after the date the undersigned ceases to provide services to the Company, and after such 45th day, if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Common Shares during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the termination of the undersigned’s employment, and no other public announcement shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer (other than the filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period), (f) the conversion of the outstanding securities into Common Shares, provided that any such Common Shares received upon such conversion shall be subject to the restrictions on Transfer set forth in this Lock-Up Agreement, or (g) the Transfer of Common Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer for securities of the Company, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the board of directors of the Company, made to all holders of Common Shares involving a change of control (as defined below), provided that all of the undersigned’s Relevant Securities subject to this Lock-Up Agreement shall remain subject to the restrictions herein. For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “change of control” means any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of affiliated persons, other than the Company, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of the total voting power of the voting stock of the Company (or the surviving entity).
In addition, the undersigned further agrees that, except for any registration statement on Form S-8, during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent: (a) file or participate in the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) any registration statement or circulate or participate in the circulation of any preliminary or final prospectus or other disclosure document, in each case with respect to any proposed offering or sale of a Relevant Security beneficially owned by the undersigned, or (b) exercise any rights the undersigned may have to require registration with the SEC of any proposed offering or sale of a Relevant Security beneficially owned by the undersigned.
In furtherance of the undersigned’s obligations hereunder, the undersigned hereby authorizes the Company during the Lock-Up Period to cause the transfer agent for the Relevant Securities to decline to Transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to, Relevant Securities for which the undersigned is the record owner and the Transfer of which would be a violation of this Lock-Up Agreement and, in the case of the Relevant Securities for which the undersigned is the beneficial owner but not the record owner, the undersigned agrees that during the Lock-Up Period it will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the record owner to authorize the Company to cause the relevant transfer agent to decline to transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to such Relevant Securities to the extent such transfer would be a violation of this Lock-Up Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything contained herein to the contrary, the undersigned may transfer the undersigned’s Relevant Securities:
| (i) | as a bona fide gift or gifts; | |
| (ii) | to any immediate family member of the undersigned, or to any trust, partnership, limited liability company or other legal entity commonly used for estate planning purposes which is established for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or a member or members of the immediate family of the undersigned; | |
| (iii) | if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (1) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect Affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned, (2) to partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of the undersigned or holders of similar equity interests in the undersigned, or (3) in connection with a sale, merger or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the undersigned or any other change of control of the undersigned, not undertaken for the purpose of avoiding the restrictions imposed by this Lock-Up Agreement; | |
| (iv) | if the undersigned is a trust, to the trustee or beneficiary of such trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust; | |
| (v) | by testate or intestate succession; | |
| (vi) | by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement; | |
| (vii) | the withholder of Common Shares by, or surrender of Common Shares to, the Company pursuant to a “net” or “cashless” exercise or settlement feature to cover taxes due upon or the consideration required in connection with the exercise of securities issued under an equity incentive plan or stock purchase plan of the Company; or | |
| (viii) | to a charity or educational institution. |
provided, in the case of clauses (i)-(vi), that (A) such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (B) the transferee agrees in writing with the Placement Agent and the Company to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, and (C) such transfer would not require any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and no such filing is voluntarily made.
For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Placement Agent agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a Transfer of Common Shares, the Placement Agent will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver and (ii) the Company will announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Placement Agent hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if: (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration, and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Lock-Up Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
The undersigned, whether or not participating in the Offering, understands that the Placement Agent is entering into the Placement Agency Agreement and proceeding with the Offering in reliance upon this Lock-Up Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement and that this Lock-Up Agreement has been duly authorized (if the undersigned is not a natural person) and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the undersigned, enforceable in accordance with its terms. Upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the undersigned from the date of this Lock-Up Agreement.
The undersigned understands that, if the Placement Agency Agreement is not executed within 30 days of the date hereof, or if the Placement Agency Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities to be sold thereunder, then this Lock-Up Agreement shall be void and of no further force or effect.
This Lock-Up Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof. Delivery of a signed copy of this Lock-Up Agreement by facsimile or e-mail/.pdf transmission shall be effective as the delivery of the original hereof.
In witness whereof, the undersigned xxxxxx agrees to the above on the date set forth above.
| (Name - Please Print) | |
| (Signature) | |
| (Name of Signatory, in the case of entities - Please Print) | |
| (Title of Signatory, in the case of entities - Please Print) |
| Address: | ||
