REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.9
This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of December 22, 2006, by and among International Fight League, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the several purchasers signatory hereto (each a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof between the Company and each Purchaser (the “Purchase Agreement”).
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Purchasers agree as follows:
1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth in this Section 1:
“Advice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(e).
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any person, any other person which directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such person.
“Business Day” means a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which banks in New York City are open for the general transaction of business.
“Closing” has the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
“Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share, and any securities into which such common stock may hereinafter be reclassified.
“Effective Date” means the date that the Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) is first declared effective by the Commission.
“Effectiveness Deadline” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required to be filed to cover the resale by the Holders of the Registrable Securities, the earlier of: (i) the 150th calendar day following the Closing Date; provided, that, if the Commission reviews and has written comments to the filed Registration Statement, then the Effectiveness Deadline under this clause (i) shall be the 180th calendar day following the Closing Date, and (ii) the fifth (5th) Trading Day following the date on which the Company is notified by the Commission that the Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments and the effectiveness of the Registration Statement may be accelerated.
“Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
“Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Event Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Filing Deadline” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the 60th calendar day following the Closing Date.
“Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
“Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
“New York Courts” means the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan.
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
“Placement Agent” means Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. and any permitted assigns.
“Principal Trading Market” means the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is primarily listed on and quoted for trading, which, as of the Closing Date shall be the Over the Counter Bulletin Board (“XXX.XX”).
“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
“Prospectus” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
“Register,” “registered” and “registration” refer to a registration made by preparing and filing a Registration Statement or similar document in compliance with the Securities Act, and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such Registration Statement or document.
“Registrable Securities” means all of (i) the Shares issuable and (ii) any securities issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event; provided, that the Holder has completed and delivered to the Company a Selling Shareholder Questionnaire; and provided, further, that a Holder’s security shall cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of the following: (A) sale pursuant to a Registration Statement or Rule 144 under the Securities Act
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(in which case, only such security sold shall cease to be a Registrable Security); or (B) such security becoming eligible for sale by the Holder pursuant to Rule 144(k).
“Registration Statement” means any registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act that covers the resale of any of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Registration Statement.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Selling Shareholder Questionnaire” means a questionnaire in the form attached as Annex B hereto, or such other form of questionnaire as may reasonably be adopted by the Company from time to time.
“Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to the Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
“Trading Day” means (i) a day on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and traded on its primary Trading Market (other than the OTC Bulletin Board), or (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on a Trading Market (other than the OTC Bulletin Board), a day on which the Common Stock is traded in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTC Bulletin Board, or (iii) if the Common Stock is not quoted on any Trading Market, a day on which the Common Stock is quoted in the over-the-counter market as reported by the National Quotation Bureau Incorporated (or any similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices); provided, that in the event that the Common Stock is not listed or quoted as set forth in (i), (ii) and (iii) hereof, then Trading Day shall mean a Business Day.
“Trading Market” means whichever of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market, the NASDAQ Capital Market or OTC Bulletin Board on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question.
2. Registration.
(a) On or prior to the Filing Deadline, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering the resale of all Registrable Securities not already covered by an existing and effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis
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pursuant to Rule 415. The Registration Statement shall be on Form S-1 and shall contain (except if otherwise required pursuant to written comments received from the Commission upon a review of such Registration Statement) the “Plan of Distribution” attached hereto as Annex A.
(b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable and, in any event, no later than the Effectiveness Deadline (including filing with the Commission a request for acceleration of effectiveness in accordance with Rule 461 promulgated under the Securities Act within five (5) Business Days after the date that the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that a Registration Statement will not be “reviewed,” or not be subject to further review and the effectiveness of the Registration Statement may be accelerated) and shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the earliest of: (i) such time as all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been publicly sold by the Holders; (ii) the date that all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement may be sold by non-affiliates without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k) as determined by counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Company’s transfer agent and the affected Holders; and (iii) the second anniversary of this Agreement (the “Effectiveness Period”). The Company shall ensure that each Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto and prospectuses contained therein) shall 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 (in the case of prospectuses, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made) not misleading. Such Registration Statement shall also cover, to the extent allowable under the Securities Act and the rules promulgated thereunder (including Rule 416), such indeterminate number of additional shares of Common Stock resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions with respect to the Registrable Securities.
(c) If: (i) the Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to the Filing Deadline, (ii) a Registration Statement is not declared effective by the Commission (or otherwise does not become effective) on or prior to its Effectiveness Deadline or (iii) after its Effective Date, such Registration Statement ceases for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a stop order, or the Company’s failure to update the Registration Statement), but excluding the inability of any Holder to sell the Registrable Securities covered thereby due to market conditions, to remain continuously effective and available to the Holders as to all Registrable Securities to which it is required to cover at any time prior to the expiration of the Effectiveness Period for an aggregate of more than 20 consecutive Trading Days or for more than an aggregate of 40 Trading Days in any 12-month period (which need not be consecutive), (any such failure or breach in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above being referred to as an “Event,” and, for purposes of clauses (i) or (ii), the date on which such Event occurs, or for purposes of clause (iii), the date which such 20 consecutive or 40 Trading Day period (as applicable) is exceeded, being referred to as “Event Date”), then in addition to any other rights available to the Holders: (x) on such Event Date the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to 1.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement for any Registrable Securities then held by such Holder (which remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies available under this Agreement); and (y) on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date thereof (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to 1.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement for any Registrable Securities then held by such Holder (which remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies available under this Agreement). If the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section in full within seven days after the date such liquidated damages are payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 10% per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such
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partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro-rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event, except in the case of the first Event Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the maximum payment to a Holder associated with all Events in the aggregate shall not exceed (i) in any 30-day period, an aggregate of 1.0% of the purchase price paid by such Holder for its Registrable Securities (plus interest accrued thereon, if applicable) and (ii) 10.0% of the purchase paid by such Holder for its Registrable Securities.
(d) The Company shall not, from the date hereof until the date occurring sixty (60) days after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement, prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or, in connection with an acquisition, on Form S-4.
(e) Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed Selling Shareholder Questionnaire. The Company shall not be required to include the Registrable Securities of a Holder in a Registration Statement who fails to furnish to the Company a fully completed Selling Shareholder Questionnaire at least two Trading Days prior to the Filing Deadline (subject to the requirements set forth in Section 3(a)).
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if the Commission refuses to declare a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement effective as a valid secondary offering under Rule 415 due to the number of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement relative to the outstanding number of shares of Common Stock, then, without any liability under Section 2(c) or any further obligation to register such excess Registrable Securities, the Company shall be permitted to reduce the number of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to an amount that does not exceed an amount that the Commission allows for the offering thereunder to qualify as a valid secondary offering under Rule 415.
3. Registration Procedures
In connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:
(a) Not less than four (4) Trading Days prior to the filing of a Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish to each Holder copies of such Registration Statement, Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, as proposed to be filed, which documents will be subject to the review of such Holder (it being acknowledged and agreed that if a Holder does not object to or comment on the aforementioned documents within two Trading Days after its receipt thereof, then the Holder shall be deemed to have consented to and approved the use of such documents). The Company shall not file a Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto in which the “Selling Stockholder” section thereof differs from the disclosure received from a Holder in its Selling Shareholder Questionnaire (as amended or supplemented), except as may otherwise be required by applicable securities law or the Commission.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to each Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for its Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) respond
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as promptly as reasonably practicable, and, provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to such Registration Statement that pertains to the Holders as Selling Stockholders but not any comments that would result in the disclosure to the Holders of material and non-public information concerning the Company; and (iv) comply with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement.
(c) Notify the Holders as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than three Trading Days prior to such filing, in the case of (iii) and (iv) below, not more than one Trading Day after such issuance or receipt and, in the case of (v) below, not less than three Trading Days prior to the financial statements in any Registration Statement becoming ineligible for inclusion therein) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one Trading Day following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on any Registration Statement (in which case the Company shall provide true and complete copies thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the Holders that pertain to the Holders as a Selling Stockholder or to the Plan of Distribution, but not information which the Company believes would constitute material and non-public information); and (C) with respect to each Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information that pertains to the Holders as Selling Stockholders or the Plan of Distribution; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of such Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading.
(d) Use its reasonable best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, as soon as practicable.
(e) If requested by a Holder, furnish to such Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission; provided, that the Company shall have no obligation to provide any document pursuant to this clause that is available on the Commission’s XXXXX system.
(f) Upon notification by the Commission that a Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Company shall request acceleration
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of such Registration Statement within five (5) Business Days after receipt of such notice such that it becomes effective no later than 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the Effective Date and file a prospectus supplement for any Registration Statement, whether or not it is required under Rule 424 (or otherwise), by 9:00 a.m. New York City time the day after the Effective Date.
(g) Prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities by a Holder, register or qualify such Registrable Securities for offer and sale by the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statements; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would subject the Company to general service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(h) If requested by the Holders, cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement and under applicable law, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holders may reasonably request. In connection therewith, if required by the Company’s transfer agent, the Company shall promptly after the effectiveness of the Registration Statement cause an opinion of counsel as to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement to be delivered to and maintained with its transfer agent, together with any other authorizations, certificates and directions required by the transfer agent, which authorize and direct the transfer agent to issue such Registrable Securities without legend upon sale by the holder of such shares of Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement.
(i) Following the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c)(v), as promptly as reasonably possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to the affected Registration Statements or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, no Registration Statement nor any Prospectus will contain an 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 (in the case of any Prospectus, form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading.
(j) (i) In the time and manner required by the Principal Trading Market, prepare and file with such Trading Market an additional shares listing application covering all of the Registrable Securities, (ii) take all steps necessary to cause such Registrable Securities to be approved for listing on the Principal Trading Market as soon as possible thereafter, (iii) if requested by any Holder, provide such Holder evidence of such listing, and (iv) during the Effectiveness Period, maintain the listing of such Registrable Securities on the Principal Trading Market.
(k) As long as any Holder owns Shares, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As long as any Holder owns Shares, if the Company is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Holders and make publicly available in accordance with Rule 144(c) promulgated under the Securities Act annual and quarterly financial statements, together with a discussion and analysis of such financial statements in form and substance
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substantially similar to those that would otherwise be required to be included in reports required by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as any other information required thereby, in the time period that such filings would have been required to have been made under the Exchange Act. The Company further covenants that it will take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Person to sell Shares without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, including compliance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement relating to the transfer of the Shares.
(l) The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and any Affiliate thereof and as to any NASD affiliations and of any natural persons who have the power to vote or dispose of the Common Stock.
4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with its obligations under this Agreement (excluding any underwriting discounts and selling commissions and all legal fees and expenses of legal counsel for any Holder) shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with the securities exchanges on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (B) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws), (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the printing of prospectuses is reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions of any Holder or any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.
5. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, agents, partners, members, managers, shareholders, Affiliates and employees of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, partners, members, managers, shareholders, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable costs of preparation and investigation and reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose) or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the
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case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or (ii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (A) such untrue statements, alleged untrue statements, omissions or alleged omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and approved by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that each Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose) or (B) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(ii)-(v), the use by a Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of Advice (as defined in Section 6(e) below), but only if and to the extent that following the receipt of the Advice the misstatement or omission giving rise to such Loss would have been corrected; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5(a) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Losses if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Each Holder shall notify the Company promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Holder is aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of an Indemnified Party (as defined in Section 5(c)) and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Holders.
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, arising solely out of or based solely upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising solely out of or based solely upon any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and approved by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Losses if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Holder, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all reasonable
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fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have proximately and materially adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate (but not control) in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party), provided, that the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all Indemnified Parties. The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
All fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within twenty Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder; provided, that the Indemnifying Party may require such Indemnified Party to undertake to reimburse all such fees and expenses to the extent it is finally judicially determined that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder).
(d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c), any reasonable attorneys’ or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.
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The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties and are not in diminution or limitation of the indemnification provisions under the Purchase Agreement.
6. Miscellaneous
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder, of any of their obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter, except for, and as provided in the Transaction Documents.
(c) Benefits of the Agreement. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective permitted successors and assigns of the parties. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and assigns any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.
(d) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it (unless an exemption therefrom is available) in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement and shall sell the Registrable Securities only in accordance with a method of distribution described in the Registration Statement.
(e) Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder further agrees by its acquisition of such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(c)(ii)-(v), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
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reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this paragraph.
(f) Amendments and Waivers. This Agreement may be amended only by a writing signed by the Company and the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities issued at the Closing. The Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company shall have obtained the written consent to such amendment, action or omission to act, of each Purchaser. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
(g) 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 (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified in this Section prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile or e-mail to the facsimile number or e-mail addressed specified in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the Business Day following the date of mailing, if sent by nationally recognized overnight courier service with next day delivery specified, or (iv) 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 follows:
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000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000 |
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Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 |
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Telephone No.: (000) 000-0000 |
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Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000 |
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Attention: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Esq., General Counsel |
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With a copy to: |
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Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx PC |
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0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx |
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Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 |
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Telephone No.: (000) 000-0000 |
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Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000 |
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Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq. |
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provided, that any party may change its address for notices by providing written notice to the other parties in the manner prescribed by this Section.
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(h) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Holder. The rights of the Holders hereunder, including the right to have the Company register Registrable Securities pursuant to this Agreement, may be assigned by each Holder to transferees or assignees of all or any portion of the Registrable Securities, but only if (i) the Holder agrees in writing with the transferee or assignee to assign such rights, and a true and complete copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company prior to such assignment, (ii) prior to such assignment, the Company is furnished with written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and the securities with respect to which such registration rights are being transferred or assigned, (iii) at or before the time the Company received the written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this sentence, the transferee or assignee agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions contained herein and (iv) the transferee is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D.
(i) Execution and Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
(j) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective Affiliates, employees or agents) will be commenced in the New York Courts. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any New York Court, or that such Proceeding has been commenced in an improper or inconvenient forum. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for 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. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any Proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. If any party shall commence a Proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Agreement, then the prevailing party in such Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other parties for its attorney’s fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Proceeding.
(k) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(l) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall
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in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(m) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(n) Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under this Agreement are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder. The decision of each Purchaser to purchase Shares pursuant to the Transaction Documents has been made independently of any other Purchaser. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Purchaser acknowledges that no other Purchaser has acted as agent for such Purchaser in connection with making its investment hereunder and that no Purchaser will be acting as agent of such Purchaser in connection with monitoring its investment in the Shares or enforcing its rights under the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. The Company acknowledges that each of the Purchasers has been provided with the same Registration Rights Agreement for the purpose of closing a transaction with multiple Purchasers and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Purchaser.
(o) Currency. Unless otherwise indicated, all dollar amounts referred to in this Agreement are in United States Dollars. All amounts owing under this Agreement are in United States Dollars. All amounts denominated in other currencies shall be converted in the United States dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the applicable exchange rate in effect on the date of calculation.
(p) Further Assurances. The parties shall execute and deliver all such further instruments and documents and take all such other actions as may reasonably be required to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby and to evidence the fulfillment of the agreements herein contained.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
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Title: President and Chief Executive Officer |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
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