PEDEVCO Corp. Common Stock (par value $0.001 per share) At Market Issuance Sales Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
Common
Stock
(par
value $0.001 per share)
At
Market Issuance Sales Agreement
September 29,
2016
National Securities
Corporation
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
PEDEVCO
Corp., a Texas corporation (the “Company”), confirms its
agreement (this “Agreement”) with National
Securities Corporation (“NSC”), as
follows:
1.
Issuance and Sale of
Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during
the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through NSC,
shares (the “Placement Shares”) of the
Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the
“Common
Stock”) up to an aggregate offering price of
$2,000,000; provided
however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell
through NSC such number of Placement Shares that (a) would
cause the Company to not satisfy the eligibility requirements for
use of Form S-3 (including Instruction I.B.6. thereof),
(b) exceeds the number of shares of Common Stock registered on
the effective Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to
which the offering is being made, or (c) exceeds the number of
authorized but unissued shares of the Company’s Common Stock
or (d) exceeds the number or dollar amount of shares of Common
Stock for which the Company has filed a Prospectus Supplement (as
defined below) (the least of (a), (b), (c) or (d), the
“Maximum
Amount”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the
limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the amount of
Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the
sole responsibility of the Company and that NSC shall have no
obligation in connection with such compliance. The issuance and
sale of Placement Shares through NSC will be effected pursuant to
the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company
and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the “Commission”), although
nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the
Company to use the Registration Statement to issue Common
Stock.
The
Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the
rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act
Regulations”), with the Commission, with respect to
sales of Placement Shares prior to the effectiveness of the
registration statement to be initially filed on or prior to
November 5, 2016, a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No.
333-191869), and, with respect to sales of Placement Shares on or
after the effectiveness of the registration statement to be
initially filed on or prior to November 5, 2016, the registration
statement on Form S-3 to be initially filed on or prior to November
5, 2016, including a base prospectus, relating to certain
securities, including the Placement Shares to be issued from time
to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference
documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance
with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the
rules and regulations thereunder (the “Exchange Act
Regulations”). The Company will prepare a prospectus
supplement specifically relating to the Placement Shares (the
“Prospectus
Supplement”) to the base prospectus included as part
of such registration statement. The Company will furnish to NSC,
for use by NSC, copies of the prospectus included as part of such
registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus
Supplement, relating to the Placement Shares. Except where the
context otherwise requires, such registration statement, including
all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference
therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus
(as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations or deemed
to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to
Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations, is herein called
the “Registration
Statement.” The base prospectus, including all
documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the
Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus
Supplement, in the form in which such prospectus and/or Prospectus
Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act
Regulations (the “Prospectus”). Any
reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and
include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any
reference herein to the terms “amend,”
“amendment” or “supplement” with respect to
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to
refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any
document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference
therein (the “Incorporated
Documents”).
1
For
purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto
shall be deemed to include the most recent copy filed with the
Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and
Retrieval System, or if applicable, the Interactive Data Electronic
Application system when used by the Commission (collectively,
“XXXXX”).
2.
Placements. Each
time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement Shares
hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will
notify NSC by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in
writing by the Parties) of the number of Placement Shares, the time
period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation
on the number of Placement Shares that may be sold in any one day
and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a
“Placement
Notice”), the form of which is attached hereto as
Schedule 1.
The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals
from the Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to
each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such
schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from
NSC set forth on Schedule 3, as such
Schedule 3 may be amended from time to time. The Placement
Notice shall be effective unless and until (i) NSC declines to
accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole
discretion, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares
thereunder have been sold, (iii) the Company suspends or
terminates the Placement Notice or (iv) the Agreement has been
terminated under the provisions of Section 12. The amount of
any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the
Company to NSC in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares
shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in
Schedule 2. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that
neither the Company nor NSC will have any obligation whatsoever
with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and
until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to NSC and NSC does
not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth
above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein.
In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and
the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice
will control.
2
3.
Sale of Placement Shares
by NSC. Subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, NSC, for the period specified in the Placement Notice,
will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its
normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal
laws, rules and regulations and the rules of NYSE MKT (the
“Exchange”), to sell the
Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in
accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice. NSC will
provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the
opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following
the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares
hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such
day, the compensation payable by the Company to NSC pursuant to
Section 2 with
respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below)
payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made
by NSC (as set forth in Section 5(b)) from the
gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the
terms of the Placement Notice, NSC may sell Placement Shares by any
method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market”
offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act
Regulations, including without limitation sales made directly on
the Exchange, on any other existing trading market for the Common
Stock or to or through a market maker. Subject to the terms of a
Placement Notice, NSC may also sell Placement Shares by any other
method permitted by law, including but not limited to in negotiated
transactions, with the Company’s consent. “Trading Day” means any
day on which shares of Common Stock are purchased and sold on the
Exchange. Neither NSC nor any of its affiliates or subsidiaries
shall engage in (i) any short sale of any security of the
Company or (ii) any sale of any security of the Company that
NSC does not own or any sale which is consummated by the delivery
of a security of the Company borrowed by, or for the account of,
NSC. Neither NSC nor any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, engages
in any proprietary trading or trading for NSC’s (or its
affiliates’ or subsidiaries’) own account.
4.
Suspension of
Sales. The Company or NSC may, upon notice to the other
party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the
individuals of the other Party set forth on Schedule 3, if
receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of
the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via
auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable
facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the
individuals of the other Party set forth on Schedule 3), suspend any
sale of Placement Shares; provided, however, that such suspension
shall not affect or impair any party’s obligations with
respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt
of such notice. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice
under this Section 4 shall be
effective against any other party unless it is made to one of the
individuals named on Schedule 3 hereto, as such
Schedule may be amended from time to time.
5.
Sale and Delivery to NSC;
Settlement.
(a)
Sale of Placement
Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, upon NSC’s acceptance of the terms of a Placement
Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described
therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, NSC, for the period
specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially
reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales
practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement
Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with
the terms of such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges and
agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that NSC will be
successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) NSC will incur no
liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or
entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other
than a failure by NSC to use its commercially reasonable efforts
consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and
applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares as
required under this Agreement and (iii) NSC shall be under no
obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis
pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by NSC and
the Company.
3
(b)
Settlement of Placement
Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable
Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will
occur on the third (3rd) Trading Day (or such earlier day as
is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on
which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”). NSC
shall notify the Company of each sale of Placement Shares on the
date of such sale. The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the
Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement
Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be
equal to the aggregate sales price received by NSC, after deduction
for (i) NSC’s commission, discount or other compensation
for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2
hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any
governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such
sales.
(c)
Delivery of Placement
Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will,
or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the
Placement Shares being sold by crediting NSC’s or its
designee’s account (provided NSC shall have given the Company
written notice of such designee prior to the Settlement Date) at
The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at
Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be
mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall
be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good
deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, NSC will deliver the
related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by
the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. The Company
agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable),
defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a
Settlement Date, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no
way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in
Section 10(a) hereto, it will (i) hold NSC harmless
against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable
legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in
connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent
(if applicable) and (ii) pay to NSC any commission, discount,
or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been
entitled absent such default.
(d)
Limitations on Offering
Size. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or
request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving
effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate gross
sales proceeds of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement
would exceed the lesser of (A) together with all sales of
Placement Shares under this Agreement, the Maximum Amount,
(B) the amount available for offer and sale under the
currently effective Registration Statement and (C) the amount
authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this
Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, a duly
authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive
committee, and notified to NSC in writing. Under no circumstances
shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any
Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than
the minimum price authorized from time to time by the
Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee
thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to
NSC in writing. Further, under no circumstances shall the Company
cause or permit the aggregate offering amount of Placement Shares
sold pursuant to this Agreement to exceed the Maximum
Amount.
4
6.
Representations and
Warranties of the Company. Except as disclosed in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or in the Incorporated
Documents, the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with
NSC that as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Applicable
Time (as defined below), unless such representation, warranty or
agreement specifies a different time or time:
(a)
Registration Statement and
Prospectus. The Company and, assuming no act or omission on
the part of NSC that would make such statement untrue, the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements
for and comply with the conditions for the use of Form S-3 under
the Securities Act, including the transaction requirements set
forth in General Instruction I.B.6 of such form. The Registration
Statement has been filed with the Commission and has been declared
effective under the Securities Act. The Prospectus Supplement will
name NSC as the agent in the section entitled “Plan of
Distribution.” The Company has not received, and has no
notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the
use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting
proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement and the
offer and sale of Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the
requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply
in all material respects with said Rule. Any statutes, regulations,
contracts or other documents that are required to be described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or
filed. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and
any such amendments or supplements and all documents incorporated
by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or
prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are
available through XXXXX, to NSC and its counsel. The Company has
not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement
Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares,
will not distribute any offering material in connection with the
offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus (as defined below). The Common Stock is
currently listed on the Exchange under the trading symbol
“PED”.
Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the
Incorporated Documents, the Company has not, in the 12 months
preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Exchange to the
effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or
maintenance requirements. Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement, including the Incorporated Documents, or the Prospectus,
the Company has no reason to believe that it will not in the
foreseeable future continue to be in compliance with all such
listing and maintenance requirements.
(b)
No Misstatement or
Omission. The Registration Statement, when it became
effective, and the Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement
thereto, on the date of such Prospectus or amendment or supplement,
conformed and will conform in all material respects with the
requirements of the Securities Act. At each Settlement Date, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of such date, will
conform in all material respects with the requirements of the
Securities Act. The Registration Statement, when it became or
becomes effective, did not, and will not, 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 not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendment and
supplement thereto, on the date thereof and at each Applicable
Time, did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated by reference
in the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement did not, and any
further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will
not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated in such document or necessary to make the statements in such
document, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or
omissions from, any such document made in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, information furnished to the Company by NSC
specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
5
(c)
Conformity with Securities
Act and Exchange Act. The Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto, and the documents incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto, when such documents were or are filed with the
Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or became
or become effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be,
conformed or will conform in all material respects with the
requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as
applicable.
(d)
Financial
Information. The consolidated financial statements of the
Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus
together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in
all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the
Company and the Subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the
consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in
stockholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified
and have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the
Securities Act and Exchange Act, as applicable, and in conformity
with GAAP (as defined below) applied on a consistent basis (except
(i) for such adjustments to accounting standards and practices
as are noted therein or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim
financial statements, to the extent that they may not include
footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) during the
periods involved; there are no financial statements (historical or
pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are
not included or incorporated by reference as required; and all
disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial
measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and
regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the
Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the
Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The Company and the
Subsidiaries (as defined below) do not have any material
liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any
off-balance sheet obligations and any “variable interest
entities” within the meaning of Financial Accounting
Standards Board Interpretation No. 46) not disclosed in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(e)
Conformity with XXXXX
Filing. The Prospectus delivered to NSC for use in
connection with the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this
Agreement will be identical to the versions of the Prospectus
created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing via XXXXX,
except to the extent permitted by Regulation S T.
6
(f)
Organization. The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries has been duly organized. Each
of the Company and its subsidiaries organized in the United States
is validly existing as a corporation (or other legal entity) in
good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of
organization. The Company’s international subsidiaries,
Pacific Energy & Rare Earth Limited, a Hong Kong company, and
Blackhawk Energy Limited, a British Virgin Islands company, are not
individually or in the aggregate material to the business or
operations of the Company. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries
organized in the United States are, and will be, duly licensed or
qualified as a foreign corporation for transaction of business and
in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which
their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of
their respective businesses requires such license or qualification,
and have all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold
their respective properties and to conduct their respective
businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good
standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or
in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect or would
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition
(financial or otherwise), prospects, stockholders’ equity or
results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as
defined below) taken as a whole, or prevent or materially interfere
with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (a
“Material Adverse
Effect”).
(g)
Subsidiaries. The
subsidiaries set forth on Schedule 4 (collectively,
the “Subsidiaries”), are the
Company’s only significant subsidiaries (as such term is
defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the
Commission). The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the
equity interests of the Subsidiaries free and clear of any lien,
charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal or
other restriction, and all the equity interests of the Subsidiaries
are validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and free of
preemptive and similar rights.
(h)
No Violation or
Default. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
(i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar
organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has
occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would
constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of
any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or
instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound
or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries are subject; or (iii) in violation of any law
or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court
or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in
the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any
such violation or default that would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no other party under any
material contract or other agreement to which it or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party is in default in any respect thereunder
where such default would reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(i)
No Material Adverse
Change. In the last two fiscal years, there has not been
(i) any Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any transaction
which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a
whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent
(including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the
Company or any Subsidiary, which is material to the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any material change in the
capital stock (other than as a result of the sale of Placement
Shares) or outstanding long-term indebtedness of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries or (v) any dividend or distribution of any
kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company or
any Subsidiary, other than in each case above in the ordinary
course of business.
7
(j)
Capitalization. The
issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have
been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and, are not
subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or
similar rights. The Company has an authorized, issued and
outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as of the dates referred to therein
(other than the grant of additional options under the
Company’s existing stock option plans, or changes in the
number of outstanding Common Stock of the Company due to the
issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities
exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock outstanding on
the date hereof or as a result of the issuance of Placement Shares)
and such authorized capital stock conforms to the description
thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
The description of the Common Stock in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material
respects. The Company did not have outstanding any options to
purchase, or any rights or warrants to subscribe for, or any
securities or obligations convertible into, or exchangeable for, or
any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any shares of
capital stock or other securities.
(k)
Authorization;
Enforceability. The Company has full legal right, power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions
contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and
binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its
terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by
general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification and
contribution provisions of Section 10 hereof may be limited by
federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations
in respect thereof.
(l)
Authorization of Placement
Shares. The Placement Shares, when issued and delivered
pursuant to the terms approved by the board of directors of the
Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, or a duly
authorized executive committee, against payment therefor as
provided herein, will be duly and validly authorized and issued and
fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien,
encumbrance, security interest or other claim (other than any
pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim arising
from an act or omission of NSC or a purchaser), including any
statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights
of first refusal or other similar rights, and will be registered
pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. The Placement
Shares, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the
description thereof set forth in or incorporated into the
Prospectus.
(m)
No Consents
Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or
any governmental or regulatory authority is required for the
execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this
Agreement, and the issuance and sale by the Company of the
Placement Shares as contemplated hereby, except for such consents,
approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or
qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities
laws or by the by-laws and rules of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or the Exchange
in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares by
NSC.
8
(n)
No Preferential
Rights. (i) no person, as such term is defined in
Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities
Act (each, a “Person”), has the right,
contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to
such Person any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock
or other securities of the Company (other than upon the exercise of
options or warrants to purchase Common Stock or upon the exercise
of options that may be granted from time to time under the
Company’s stock option plans), (ii) no Person has any
preemptive rights, rights of first refusal, or any other rights
(whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or
otherwise) to purchase any Common Stock or shares of any other
capital stock or other securities of the Company from the Company
which have not been duly waived with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby, (iii) no Person has the right to act as
an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in
connection with the offer and sale of the Common Stock, and
(iv) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to
require the Company to register under the Securities Act any Common
Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of
the Company, or to include any such shares or other securities in
the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby,
whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or the sale of the Placement Shares as
contemplated thereby or otherwise.
(o)
Independent Public
Accountant. GBH CPAs, PC (the “Accountant”), whose
report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company is
filed with the Commission as part of the Company’s most
recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and
incorporated into the Registration Statement, are and, during the
periods covered by their report, were independent public
accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the
Company’s knowledge, the Accountant is not in violation of
the auditor independence requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of
2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) with
respect to the Company.
(p)
Enforceability of
Agreements. To the knowledge of the Company, all agreements
between the Company and third parties expressly referenced in the
Prospectus, other than such agreements that have expired by their
terms or whose termination is disclosed in documents filed by the
Company on XXXXX, are legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Company enforceable in accordance with their respective terms,
except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general
equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification provisions
of certain agreements may be limited be federal or state securities
laws or public policy considerations in respect thereof, except for
any unenforceability that, individually or in the aggregate, would
not unreasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(q)
No Litigation.
There are no legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or
proceedings pending, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any
legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, to which the
Company or a Subsidiary is a party or to which any property of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject that,
individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect
the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this
Agreement; to the Company’s knowledge, no such actions, suits
or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental
or regulatory authority or threatened by others that, individually
or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect; and (i) there are no current or
pending legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions,
suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to
be described in the Prospectus that are not described in the
Prospectus including any Incorporated Document; and (ii) there
are no contracts or other documents that are required under the
Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement that are not so filed.
9
(r)
Licenses and
Permits. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess or
have obtained, all licenses, certificates, consents, orders,
approvals, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have
made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal,
state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that
are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective
properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (the
“Permits”), except where
the failure to possess, obtain or make the same would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries have received written notice of any proceeding
relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit or has
any reason to believe that such Permit will not be renewed in the
ordinary course, except where the failure to obtain any such
renewal would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(s)
Market
Capitalization. As of the close of trading on the Exchange
on a Trading Day within sixty (60) days prior to the date of this
Agreement, the aggregate market value of the outstanding voting and
non-voting common equity (as defined in Securities Act
Rule 405) of the Company held by persons other than affiliates
of the Company (pursuant to Securities Act Rule 144, those
that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
control, or are controlled by, or are under common control with,
the Company) (the “Non-Affiliate Shares”),
was approximately $__ million (calculated by multiplying
(x) the price at which the common equity of the Company was
last sold on the Exchange on a Trading Day within sixty (60) days
prior to the date of this Agreement times (y) the number of
Non-Affiliate Shares). So long as required by the rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the aggregate market value of
all securities sold by or on behalf of the Company pursuant to Form
S-3 during the period of 12 calendar months immediately prior to,
and including, the offering contemplated hereby will be less than
one-third of the aggregate market value of the Non-Affiliate
Shares, all as contemplated by General Instruction I.B.6.(a) of
Form S-3. The Company is not a shell company (as defined in
Rule 405 under the Securities Act) and has not been a shell
company for at least 12 calendar months previously and if it has
been a shell company at any time previously, has filed current Form
10 information (as defined in Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3) with
the Commission at least 12 calendar months previously reflecting
its status as an entity that is not a shell company.
(t)
No Material
Defaults. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries
has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money
or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since
the filing of its last Annual Report on Form 10-K, indicating
that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund
installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any
installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on
one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in
the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
10
(u)
Certain Market
Activities. Neither the Company, nor any of the
Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective directors, officers or
controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action
designed, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected
to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the
Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement
Shares.
(v)
Broker/Dealer
Relationships. Neither the Company nor any of the
Subsidiaries or any related entities (i) is required to
register as a “broker” or “dealer” in
accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or
(ii) directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a
member” or “associated person of a member”
(within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).
(w)
No Reliance. The
Company has not relied upon NSC or legal counsel for NSC for any
legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and
sale of the Placement Shares.
(x)
Taxes. The Company
and each of its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local
and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and
paid all taxes shown thereon through the date hereof, to the extent
that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good
faith, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise
disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries which has had, or would
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any
federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or
assessment which has been or might be asserted or threatened
against it which could have a Material Adverse Effect.
(y)
Title to Real and Personal
Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus or the Incorporated Documents, the Company and its
Subsidiaries have good and valid title in fee simple to all items
of real property and good and valid title to all personal property
described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being
owned by them that are material to the businesses of the Company or
such Subsidiary, in each case free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances and claims, except those that (i) do not
materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of
such property by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries or
(ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the
aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real property
described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being
leased by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries is held by them
under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except those that
(A) do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed
to be made of such property by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or (B) would not be reasonably expected,
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(z)
Intellectual
Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess
adequate enforceable rights to all patents, patent applications,
trademarks (both registered and unregistered), service marks, trade
names, trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations,
copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and
other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the
“Intellectual
Property”), necessary for the conduct of their
respective businesses as conducted as of the date hereof, except to
the extent that the failure to own or possess adequate rights to
use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect; except as disclosed in writing to NSC, the Company and any
of its Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any
claim of infringement or conflict which asserted Intellectual
Property rights of others, which infringement or conflict, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, would result in a Material
Adverse Effect; there are no pending, or to the Company’s
knowledge, threatened judicial proceedings or interference
proceedings challenging the Company’s or its
Subsidiaries’ rights in or to or the validity of the scope of
any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ patents,
patent applications or proprietary information; no other entity or
individual has any right or claim in any of the Company’s or
its Subsidiaries’ patents, patent applications or any patent
to be issued therefrom by virtue of any contract, license or other
agreement entered into between such entity or individual and the
Company or a Subsidiary or by any non-contractual obligation, other
than by written licenses granted by the Company or a Subsidiary;
the Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any written
notice of any claim challenging the rights of the Company or a
Subsidiary in or to any Intellectual Property owned, licensed or
optioned by the Company or such Subsidiary which claim, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision would result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
11
(aa)
Environmental Laws.
Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in
compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and
foreign laws, rules, regulations, decisions and orders relating to
the protection of human health and safety, the environment or
hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants
(collectively, “Environmental Laws”);
(ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits,
licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable
Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and
(iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential
liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or
release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or
contaminants, except, in the case of any of clauses (i),
(ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or
failure to receive required permits, licenses, other approvals or
liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(bb)
Disclosure
Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain
systems of internal accounting controls designed to provide
reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific
authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset
accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management’s general or specific
authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets
is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and
appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since
the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company
included in the Prospectus, there has been no change in the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has
materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
the Company’s internal control over financial reporting
(other than as set forth in the Prospectus). The Company has
established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15) for the Company and designed
such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material
information relating to the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is
made known to the certifying officers by others within those
entities, particularly during the period in which the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q, as the case may be, is being prepared. The
Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the
effectiveness of the Company’s controls and procedures as of
a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of the Form 10-K for
the fiscal year most recently ended (such date, the
“Evaluation
Date”). The Company presented in its Form 10 K for the
fiscal year most recently ended the conclusions of the certifying
officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date.
Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no significant changes
in the Company’s internal controls (as such term is defined
in Item 307(b) of Regulation S K under the Securities Act). To
the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s “internal
controls over financial reporting” and “disclosure
controls and procedures” are effective.
12
(cc)
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx.
There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to
the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors
or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any
applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder. Each of the principal executive
officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each
former principal executive officer of the Company and each former
principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made
all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms,
statements and other documents required to be filed by it or
furnished by it to the Commission. For purposes of the preceding
sentence, “principal executive officer” and
“principal financial officer” shall have the meanings
given to such terms in the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
(dd)
Finder’s
Fees. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has
incurred any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage
commissions or similar payments in connection with the transactions
herein contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to
NSC pursuant to this Agreement.
(ee)
Labor Disputes. No
labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company,
is threatened which would reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(ff)
Investment Company
Act. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or,
after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement
Shares, will be an “investment company” or an entity
“controlled” by an “investment company,” as
such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the “Investment Company
Act”).
(gg)
Operations. The
operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been
conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial
record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and
Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money
laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company or
its Subsidiaries are subject, the rules and regulations thereunder
and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines,
issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency
(collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”),
except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect; and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any
court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to
the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened.
13
(hh)
Off-Balance Sheet
Arrangements. There are no transactions, arrangements and
other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to
the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates and any
unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any
structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity
(each, an “Off
Balance Sheet Transaction”) that could reasonably be
expected to affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the
availability of or requirements for its capital resources,
including those Off Balance Sheet Transactions described in the
Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations
(Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), required to be described
in the Prospectus which have not been described as
required.
(ii)
Underwriter
Agreements. The Company is not a party to any agreement with
an agent or underwriter for any other “at-the-market”
transaction.
(jj)
ERISA. To the
knowledge of the Company, each material employee benefit plan,
within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is
maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of
its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and
any of its Subsidiaries has been maintained in material compliance
with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes,
orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA
and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
“Code”); no prohibited
transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or
Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in a
material liability to the Company with respect to any such plan
excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or
administrative exemption; and for each such plan that is subject to
the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or
Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding
deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has
been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of
the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued
but unpaid contributions) exceeds the present value of all benefits
accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial
assumptions.
(kk)
Margin Rules.
Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Placement Shares nor
the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will violate
Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of
Governors.
(ll)
Insurance. The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by,
insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company
and each of its Subsidiaries reasonably believe are adequate for
the conduct of their properties and as is customary for companies
of similar size engaged in similar businesses in similar
industries.
(mm)
No Improper
Practices. (i) Neither the Company nor, to the
Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries, nor to the
Company’s knowledge, any of their respective executive
officers has, in the past five years, made any unlawful
contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed
fully to disclose any contribution in violation of law) or made any
contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for,
any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person
charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of
any law; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists
between or among the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge,
any Subsidiary or any affiliate of any of them, on the one hand,
and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company or, to
the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary, on the other hand,
that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described;
(iii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or
among the Company or any Subsidiary or any affiliate of them, on
the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders or
directors of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any
Subsidiary, on the other hand, that is required by the rules of
FINRA to be described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus that is not so described; (iv) except as described
in the Prospectus, there are no material outstanding loans or
advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or,
to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary to or for the
benefit of any of their respective officers or directors or any of
the members of the families of any of them; and (v) neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s
knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary
has made any payment of funds of the Company or any Subsidiary or
received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or
regulation (including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act of 1977), which payment, receipt or retention of
funds would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
14
(nn)
Independent
Engineer. South Texas Reservoir Alliance, LLC, a petroleum
engineering consulting firm from whose reserve reports information
is contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, is an independent petroleum engineer
with respect to the Company. Other than (i) the production of
reserves in the ordinary course of
business, or (ii) intervening price fluctuations, the Company is
not aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in a
material adverse change in its proved reserves in the aggregate, or
the aggregate present value of estimated future net revenues of the
Company or the standardized measure of discounted future net cash
flows therefrom, as described in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, and reflected in the reserve information as of the
respective dates such information is given. Estimates of the proved
reserves and the present value of the estimated future net revenues
and discounted future net cash flows derived therefrom as described
in the Registration Statement and Prospectus and reflected in the
reserve information were true and correct in all material respects
on the dates such information was provided, were prepared in
accordance with customary industry practices, and comply in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of Regulation
S-X of the Securities Act regulations and Industry Guide 2
under the Securities Act.
(oo)
Status Under the
Securities Act. The Company was not and is not an ineligible
issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act at the
times specified in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act in
connection with the offering of the Placement Shares.
(pp)
No Conflicts.
Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the issuance, offering
or sale of the Placement Shares, nor the consummation of any of the
transactions contemplated herein and therein, nor the compliance by
the Company with the terms and provisions hereof and thereof will
conflict with, or will result in a breach of, any of the terms and
provisions of, or has constituted or will constitute a default
under, or has resulted in or will result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any contract or
other agreement to which the Company may be bound or to which any
of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except
(i) such conflicts, breaches or defaults as may have been
waived and (ii) such conflicts, breaches and defaults that
would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
nor will such action result (x) in any violation of the
provisions of the organizational or governing documents of the
Company, or (y) in any material violation of the provisions of
any statute or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the
Company or of any court or of any federal, state or other
regulatory authority or other government body having jurisdiction
over the Company, except where such violation would not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
15
(qq)
Stock Transfer
Taxes. On each Settlement Date, all stock transfer or other
taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid in
connection with the sale and transfer of the Placement Shares to be
sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided
for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will
have been fully complied with.
Any
certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to
NSC or to counsel for NSC pursuant to or in connection with this
Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by
the Company, as applicable, to NSC as to the matters set forth
therein.
7.
Covenants of the
Company. The Company covenants and agrees with NSC
that:
(a)
Registration Statement
Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any
period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is
required to be delivered by NSC under the Securities Act (including
in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant
to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), (i) the Company
will notify NSC promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment
to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by
reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become
effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been
filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional information, (ii) the Company will prepare and file
with the Commission, promptly upon NSC’s request, any
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus that, in NSC’s reasonable opinion, may be
necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the
Placement Shares by NSC (provided, however, that the failure of NSC
to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any
obligation or liability hereunder, or affect NSC’s right to
rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in
this Agreement and provided, further, that the only remedy NSC
shall have with respect to the failure to make such filing shall be
to cease making sales under this Agreement until such amendment or
supplement is filed); (iii) the Company will not file any
amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus
relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the
Placement Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to NSC
within a reasonable period of time before the filing and NSC has
not objected thereto (provided, however, that the failure of NSC to
make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation
or liability hereunder, or affect NSC’s right to rely on the
representations and warranties made by the Company in this
Agreement and provided, further, that the only remedy NSC shall
have with respect to the failure to by the Company to obtain such
consent shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement) and
the Company will furnish to NSC at the time of filing thereof a
copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated
by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except
for those documents available via XXXXX; and (iv) the Company
will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to be
filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable
paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act or, in the case
of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be
filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act,
within the time period prescribed (the determination to file or not
file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this
Section 7(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion
or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the
Company).
16
(b)
Notice of Commission Stop
Orders. The Company will advise NSC, promptly after it
receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or
threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension
of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale
in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for any such purpose; and it will promptly use its
commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop
order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be
issued. The Company will advise NSC promptly after it receives any
request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration
Statement or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or any
Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information
related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional
information related to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
(c)
Delivery of Prospectus;
Subsequent Changes. During any period in which a Prospectus
relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by NSC
under the Securities Act with respect to the offer and sale of the
Placement Shares, (including in circumstances where such
requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the
Securities Act), the Company will comply with all requirements
imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in
force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all
reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required
to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the
Exchange Act. If the Company has omitted any information from the
Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the
Securities Act, it will use its best efforts to comply with the
provisions of and make all requisite filings with the Commission
pursuant to said Rule 430A and to notify NSC promptly of all
such filings. If during the pendency of a Placement Notice any
event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or
supplemented would include an 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 then existing, not
misleading, or if during the pendency of a Placement Notice it is
necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or
Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will
promptly notify NSC to suspend the offering of Placement Shares
during such period and the Company will promptly amend or
supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense
of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or
effect such compliance.
(d)
Listing of Placement
Shares. During any period in which the Prospectus relating
to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by NSC under
the Securities Act with respect to the offer and sale of the
Placement Shares, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts
to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to
qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of
such jurisdictions as NSC reasonably designate and to continue such
qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution
of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign
corporation or dealer in securities or file a general consent to
service of process in any jurisdiction.
17
(e)
Delivery of Registration
Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to NSC
and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents
incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and
supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are
filed with the Commission during any period in which a Prospectus
relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered under
the Securities Act (including all documents filed with the
Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by
reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable
and in such quantities as NSC may from time to time reasonably
request and, at NSC’s request, will also furnish copies of
the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the
Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company
shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the
Prospectus) to NSC to the extent such document is available on
XXXXX.
(f)
Earnings Statement.
The Company will make generally available to its security holders
as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months
after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an
earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the
provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the
Securities Act.
(g)
Use of Proceeds.
The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the
Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of
Proceeds.”
(h)
Notice of Other
Sales. Without the prior written consent of NSC, the Company
will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to
sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common
Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this
Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common
Stock during the period beginning on the fifth (5th) Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which any Placement Notice is
delivered to NSC hereunder and ending on the fifth
(5th) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement
Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such
Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated
or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a
Placement Notice, ending on the date of such suspension or
termination); and will not directly or indirectly engage in any
other “at-the-market” transaction; provided, however,
that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the
Company’s issuance or sale of (i) Common Stock, options
to purchase Common Stock or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise
of options, pursuant to any employee or director stock option or
benefits plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan
(but not Common Stock subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in
its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in
effect or hereafter implemented; (ii) Common Stock issuable
upon conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants, options
or other rights in effect or outstanding, and disclosed in filings
by the Company available on XXXXX or otherwise in writing to NSC
and (iii) Common Stock, or securities convertible into or
exercisable for Common Stock, offered and sold in a privately
negotiated transaction to vendors, customers, investors, strategic
partners or potential strategic partners who are qualified
institutional buyers and not more than three persons that are
“accredited investors” within the meaning of such term
under paragraph (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) of
Rule 501 under the Securities Act and otherwise conducted in a
manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Common Stock
hereby.
(i)
Change of
Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the
pendency of a Placement Notice advise NSC promptly after it shall
have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any
information or fact that would alter or affect in any material
respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document required
to be provided to NSC pursuant to this Agreement.
18
(j)
Due Diligence
Cooperation. The Company will cooperate with any reasonable
due diligence review conducted by NSC or its representatives in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including,
without limitation, providing information and making available
documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business
hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as NSC may
reasonably request.
(k)
Required Filings Relating
to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company agrees that on
such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will
(i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the
applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act
(each and every filing under Rule 424(b), a
“Filing
Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth,
within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold
through NSC, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation
payable by the Company to NSC with respect to such Placement
Shares, and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such
prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such
sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations
of such exchange or market.
(l)
Representation Dates;
Certificate. On the date of this Agreement and each time the
Company:
(i)
files the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or amends or
supplements (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to
an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares) the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement
Shares by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or
supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by
reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
relating to the Placement Shares;
(ii)
files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act
(including any Form 10-K/A containing amended financial information
or a material amendment to the previously filed Form
10-K);
(iii)
files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act;
or
(iv)
files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial
information (other than information “furnished”
pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure
pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the
reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations
in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 144) under the Exchange Act;
(Each
date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in
clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation
Date.”)
the
Company shall furnish NSC (but in the case of clause
(iv) above only if NSC reasonably determines that the
information contained in such Form 8 K is material) with a
certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l). The
requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(l)
shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at
which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue
until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a
Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall
be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring
Representation Date; provided, however, that such waiver shall not
apply for any Representation Date on which the Company files its
annual report on Form 10-K. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the
Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a
Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did
not provide NSC with a certificate under this Section 7(l),
then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or NSC sells
any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide NSC with a
certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l), dated the
date of the Placement Notice.
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(m)
Legal Opinion.
(1) On the date of this Agreement and (2) within ten
(10) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to
which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable,
the Company shall cause to be furnished to NSC written opinions of
The Loev Law Firm, PC (“Company Counsel”), or
other counsel satisfactory to NSC, in form and substance
satisfactory to NSC and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to
relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then
amended or supplemented; provided, however, the Company shall be
required to furnish to NSC no more than one opinion hereunder per
calendar quarter; provided, further, that in lieu of such opinions
for subsequent periodic filings under the Exchange Act, counsel may
furnish NSC with a letter (a “Reliance Letter”) to the
effect that NSC may rely on a prior opinion delivered under this
Section 7(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date
of such letter (except that statements in such prior opinion shall
be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of the date of the
Reliance Letter).
(n)
Comfort Letter.
(1) On or before the date of the initial Placement Notice
given hereunder and, thereafter, within ten (10) Trading Days
of each Representation Date, and with respect to which the Company
is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto
as Exhibit 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company
shall cause its independent accountants to furnish NSC letters (the
“Comfort
Letters”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is
delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this
Section 7(n); provided, that if requested by NSC, the Company
shall cause a Comfort Letter to be furnished to NSC within ten
(10) Trading Days of the date of occurrence of any material
transaction or event, including the restatement of the
Company’s financial statements. The Comfort Letter from the
Company’s independent accountants shall be in a form and
substance satisfactory to NSC, (i) confirming that they are an
independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the
Securities Act and the PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date,
the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the
financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by
accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in
connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter,
the “Initial Comfort
Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort
Letter with any information that would have been included in the
Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified
as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such
letter.
(o)
Market Activities.
The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any
action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of Common Stock or (ii) sell,
bid for, or purchase Common Stock in violation of Regulation M, or
pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the
Placement Shares other than NSC.
20
(p)
Investment Company
Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner
so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor any of its
Subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the
termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,”
as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.
(q)
No Offer to Sell.
Neither NSC nor the Company (including its agents and
representatives, other than NSC in their capacity as such) will
make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any
“written communication” which constitutes a “free
writing prospectus” (as such terms are defined in
Rule 405 under the Securities Act), required to be filed with
the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation
of an offer to buy Placement Shares hereunder. Any “free
writing prospectus” the use of which has been consented to in
writing by the Company and NSC is hereinafter referred to as a
“Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus.”
(r)
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
The Company and the Subsidiaries will maintain and keep accurate
books and records reflecting their assets and maintain internal
accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable
assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and
including those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to
the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and
fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of
the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of
the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principals, (iii) that
receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in
accordance with management’s and the Company’s
directors’ authorization, and (iv) provide reasonable
assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized
acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that
could have a material effect on its financial statements. The
Company and the Subsidiaries will maintain such controls and other
procedures, including, without limitation, those required by
Sections 302 and 906 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act, and the applicable
regulations thereunder that are designed to ensure that information
required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it
files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed,
summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the
Commission’s rules and forms, including, without limitation,
controls and procedures designed to ensure that information
required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it
files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and
communicated to the Company’s management, including its
principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or
persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow
timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to ensure that
material information relating to the Company or the Subsidiaries is
made known to them by others within those entities, particularly
during the period in which such periodic reports are being
prepared.
8.
Representations and
Covenants of NSC. NSC represents and warrants that it is
duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act
and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which
the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states
in which NSC is exempt from registration or such registration is
not otherwise required. NSC shall continue, for the term of this
Agreement, to be duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA,
the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of
each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold,
except such states in which NSC is exempt from registration or such
registration is not otherwise required, during the term of this
Agreement. NSC will comply with all applicable laws and regulations
in connection with the Placement Shares, including but not limited
to Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
21
9.
Payment of
Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including
(i) the preparation, filing, including any fees required by
the Commission, and printing of the Registration Statement
(including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed
and of each amendment and supplement thereto and any Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus, in such number as NSC shall deem reasonably
necessary, (ii) the printing and delivery to NSC of this
Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection
with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the
Placement Shares, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery
of the certificates, if any, for the Placement Shares to NSC,
including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties,
stamp duties or other duties or taxes payable upon the sale,
issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares to NSC, (iv) the
fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other
advisors to the Company, (v) the reasonable fees and
disbursements of the counsel to NSC, up to a maximum amount of
$30,000, which shall paid in three (3) installments as follows: (a)
$10,000 on the date of this Agreement, (b) $10,000 on the date that
is thirty (30) days from the date of this Agreement, and (c) the
balance due (not to exceed $10,000) on the date that is sixty (60)
days from the date of this Agreement, (vi) the fees and
expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock,
(vii) the filing fees incident to any review by FINRA of the
terms of the sale of the Placement Shares, and (viii) the fees
and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the
Placement Shares on the Exchange.
10.
Conditions to NSC’s
Obligations. The obligations of NSC hereunder with respect
to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and
completeness of the representations and warranties made by the
Company herein, to the due performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder, to the completion by NSC of a due diligence
review satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment, and to the
continuing satisfaction (or waiver by NSC in its sole discretion)
of the following additional conditions:
(a)
Registration Statement
Effective. The Registration Statement shall have become
effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement
Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement
Notice.
(b)
No Material
Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred
and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any request
for additional information from the Commission or any other federal
or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness
of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require
any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the
Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose;
(iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect
to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from
qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any
jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for
such purpose; or (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes
any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or any material document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or
that requires the making of any changes in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or documents so that, in the case of the
Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially 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 not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it
will not contain any materially 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 light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
22
(c)
No Misstatement or
Material Omission. NSC shall not have advised the Company
that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in
NSC’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a
fact that in NSC’s opinion is material and is required to be
stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(d)
Material Changes.
Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the
Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not
have been any material adverse change, on a consolidated basis, in
the authorized capital stock of the Company or any Material Adverse
Effect, or any development that could reasonably be expected to
cause a Material Adverse Effect.
(e)
Legal Opinion. NSC
shall have received the opinions of Company Counsel required to be
delivered pursuant Section 7(m) on or before the date on which
such delivery of such opinions are required pursuant to
Section 7(m).
(f)
Comfort Letter. NSC
shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered
pursuant Section 7(n) on or before the date on which such
delivery of such letter is required pursuant to
Section 7(n).
(g)
Representation
Certificate. NSC shall have received the certificate
required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(l) on or before
the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant
to Section 7(l).
(h)
No Suspension.
Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the
Exchange and the Common Stock shall not have been delisted from the
Exchange.
(i)
Other Materials. On
each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate
pursuant to Section 7(l), the Company shall have furnished to
NSC such appropriate further information, certificates and
documents as NSC may reasonably request. All such opinions,
certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance
with the provisions hereof. The Company will furnish NSC with such
conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other
documents as NSC shall reasonably request.
(j)
Securities Act Filings
Made. All filings with the Commission required by
Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to
the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made
within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by
Rule 424.
(k)
Approval for
Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been
approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of
issuance, or the Company shall have filed an application for
listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to,
the issuance of any Placement Notice.
23
(l)
No Termination
Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would
permit NSC to terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 12(a).
11.
Indemnification and
Contribution.
(a)
Company
Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless NSC, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees
and agents and each person, if any, who controls NSC within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20
of the Exchange Act as follows:
(i)
against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based
upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included
in any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged
omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading;
(ii)
against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the
aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body,
commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any
such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
statement or omission; provided that any such settlement is
effected with the written consent of the Company, which consent
shall not unreasonably be delayed or withheld; and
(iii)
against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the
fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or
any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body,
commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any
such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not
paid under (i) or (ii) above, provided, however, that this indemnity
agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or
expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made solely in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
to the Company by NSC expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), or in any Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto).
(b)
NSC
Indemnification. NSC agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company and its directors and each officer of the Company who
signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who
(i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15
of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or
(ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the
Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 11(c),
as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or
omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the
Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance
upon and in conformity with information relating to NSC and
furnished to the Company in writing by NSC expressly for use
therein.
24
(c)
Procedure. Any
party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under
this Section 11 will, promptly after receipt of notice of
commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a
claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under
this Section 11, notify each such indemnifying party of the
commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served,
but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not
relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it
might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 11 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any
indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this
Section 11 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission
results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the
indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any
indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its
commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to
participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering
written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving
notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified
party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice
from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its
election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be
liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses
except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of
investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in
connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the
right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees,
expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense
of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel
by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the
indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably
concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal
defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are
different from or in addition to those available to the
indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict
exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party)
between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which
case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the
defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or
(4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to
assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after
receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of
which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of
counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or
parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties
shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings
in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees,
disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm
admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all
such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and
other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly
after the indemnifying party receives a written invoice relating to
fees, disbursements and other charges in reasonable detail. An
indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any
settlement of any action or claim effected without its written
consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent
to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim,
action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this
Section 11 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party
thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent
(1) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified
party from all liability arising out of such litigation,
investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) does not include a
statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure
to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
25
(d)
Contribution. In
order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the
foregoing paragraphs of this Section 11 is applicable in
accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be
unavailable from the Company or NSC, the Company and NSC will
contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and
damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses
reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in
settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim
asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the
Company from persons other than NSC, such as persons who control
the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, officers of
the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of
the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the
Company and NSC may be subject in such proportion as shall be
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and NSC on the other hand. The relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and NSC on the
other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the
total net proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total
compensation received by NSC (before deducting expenses) from the
sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company. If, but only if,
the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted
by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative
benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the
relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and NSC, on the
other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that
resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or
action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or NSC, the intent of the
parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The
Company and NSC agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contributions pursuant to this Section 11(d) were to be
determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of
allocation that does not take into account the equitable
considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability,
expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above
in this Section 11(d) shall be deemed to include, for the
purpose of this Section 11(d), any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent
consistent with Section 11(c) hereof. Notwithstanding the
foregoing provisions of this Section 11(d), NSC shall not be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions
received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 11(d), any
person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of
the Securities Act, and any officers, directors, partners,
employees or agents of NSC, will have the same rights to
contribution as that party, and each officer and director of the
Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same
rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the
provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly
after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such
party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made
under this Section 11(d), will notify any such party or
parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to
so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom
contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may
have under this Section 11(d) except to the extent that the
failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the
substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution
is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the
last sentence of Section 11(c) hereof, no party will be liable
for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled
without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to
Section 11(c) hereof.
26
12.
Representations and
Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and
contribution agreements contained in Section 11 of this
Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company
herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive,
as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of NSC, any controlling persons,
or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors or
controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the
Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination
of this Agreement.
13.
Termination.
(a) NSC
may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, as
hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since
the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of
which information is given in the Prospectus, any Material Adverse
Effect, or any development that has occurred that is reasonably
likely to have a Material Adverse Effect has occurred or in the
sole judgment of NSC makes it impractical or inadvisable to market
the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the
Placement Shares, (2) if there has occurred any material
adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the
international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or
escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or
development involving a prospective change in national or
international political, financial or economic conditions, in each
case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the sole
judgment of NSC, impracticable or inadvisable to market the
Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the
Placement Shares, (3) if trading in the Common Stock has been
suspended or limited by the Commission or the Exchange, or if
trading generally on the Exchange has been suspended or limited, or
minimum prices for trading have been fixed on the Exchange,
(4) if any suspension of trading of any securities of the
Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall
have occurred and be continuing, (5) if a major disruption of
securities settlements or clearance services in the United States
shall have occurred and be continuing, or (6) if a banking
moratorium has been declared by either U.S. Federal or New York
authorities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any
party to any other party except that the provisions of
Section 9 (Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification),
Section 12 (Survival of Representations), Section 18
(Applicable Law; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent
to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding such termination. If NSC elects to terminate this
Agreement as provided in this Section 13(a), NSC shall provide
the required notice as specified in Section 14
(Notices).
(b) The
Company shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days notice
as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole
discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except that the provisions of Section 9,
Section 11, Section 12, Section 18 and
Section 19 hereof shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding such termination.
27
(c) NSC
shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days notice as
hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole
discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except that the provisions of Section 9,
Section 11, Section 12, Section 18 and
Section 19 hereof shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding such termination.
(d)
Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 13, this
Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale
of all of the Placement Shares through NSC on the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth herein except that the provisions of
Section 9, Section 11, Section 11, Section 12,
Section 18 and Section 19 hereof shall remain in full
force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(e)
This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless
terminated pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b), (c), or (d) above
or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however,
that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be
deemed to provide that Section 9, Section 11,
Section 12, Section 18 and Section 19 shall remain
in full force and effect. Upon termination of this Agreement, the
Company shall not have any liability to NSC for any discount,
commission or other compensation with respect to any Shares not
otherwise sold by NSC under this Agreement.
(f) Any
termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date
specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that
such termination shall not be effective until the close of business
on the date of receipt of such notice by NSC or the Company, as the
case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the
Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement
Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
14.
Notices. All
notices or other communications required or permitted to be given
by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if
sent to NSC, shall be delivered to:
National
Securities Corporation
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx – 00xx Xx.
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Telephone:
(000)
000-0000
Attention:
Xxxxxxxx X.
Xxxx
with a
copy to:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx LLP
One
Riverfront Plaza
0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx,
XX 00000
Telephone: (000)
000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X.
Xxxxx
Email:
XXXxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
28
and if
to the Company, shall be delivered to:
0000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxx, XX
00000
Telephone:
(000)
000-0000
Attention:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx,
Chief Executive Officer
with a
copy to:
The
Loev Law Firm, PC
0000
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxx, XX
00000
Telephone:
000-000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X.
Xxxx, Esq.
Email:
xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
Each
party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by
sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new
address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication
shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by
verifiable facsimile transmission (with an original to follow) on
or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if
such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business
Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a
nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the
Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail
(certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage
prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean
any day on which the Exchange and commercial banks in the City of
New York are open for business.
An
electronic communication (“Electronic Notice”) shall
be deemed written notice for purposes of this Section 14 if
sent to the electronic mail address specified by the receiving
party under separate cover. Electronic Notice shall be deemed
received at the time the party sending Electronic Notice receives
confirmation of receipt by the receiving party. Any party receiving
Electronic Notice may request and shall be entitled to receive the
notice on paper, in a nonelectronic form (“Nonelectronic Notice”)
which shall be sent to the requesting party within ten
(10) days of receipt of the written request for Nonelectronic
Notice.
15.
Successors and
Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the Company and NSC and their respective successors
and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and directors
referred to in Section 11 hereof. References to any of the
parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the
successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this
Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party
other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and
permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities
under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided
in this Agreement. Neither party may assign its rights or
obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent
of the other party.
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16.
Adjustments for Stock
Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all
share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted
to take into account any share consolidation, stock split, stock
dividend, corporate domestication or similar event effected with
respect to the Placement Shares.
17.
Entire Agreement;
Amendment; Severability. This Agreement (including all
schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued
pursuant hereto) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes
all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings,
both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the
subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof
may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by
the Company and NSC. In the event that any one or more of the
provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any
circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written
by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be
given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it
is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and
provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or
unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only
to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the
remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance
with the intent of the parties as reflected in this
Agreement.
18.
GOVERNING LAW AND
TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.
THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE
PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO
NEW YORK CITY TIME. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO
TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO
THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY.
19.
CONSENT
TO JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE
NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS SITTING
IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, FOR THE ADJUDICATION
OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSACTION
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, AND AGREES NOT
TO ASSERT IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS
NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT, THAT
SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM
OR THAT THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS
IMPROPER. EACH PARTY HEREBY
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF PROCESS AND CONSENTS TO
PROCESS BEING SERVED IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY
MAILING A COPY THEREOF (CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN
RECEIPT REQUESTED) 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.
30
20.
Use of Information.
NSC may not use any information gained in connection with this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
including due diligence, to advise any party with respect to
transactions not expressly approved by the Company.
21.
Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed
Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile
transmission.
22.
Effect of
Headings.
The
section and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and
shall not affect the construction hereof.
23.
Absence of Fiduciary
Relationship.
The
Company acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) NSC
is acting solely as agent in connection with the public offering of
the Placement Shares and in connection with each transaction
contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such
transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the
Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other
equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the
one hand, and NSC, on the other hand, has been or will be created
in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, irrespective of whether or not NSC has advised or is
advising the Company on other matters, and NSC has no obligation to
the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this
Agreement;
(b) it is
capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and
accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) NSC
has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice
with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax
advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;
(d) it
is aware that NSC and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range
of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those
of the Company and NSC has no obligation to disclose such interests
and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary,
advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and
(e) it
waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may
have against NSC for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of
fiduciary duty in connection with the sale of Placement Shares
under this Agreement and agrees that NSC shall not have any
liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or
otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to
any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in
right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of Company,
other than in respect of NSC’s obligations under this
Agreement and to keep information provided by the Company to NSC
and NSC’s counsel confidential to the extent not otherwise
publicly-available.
31
24.
Definitions.
As used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings
set forth below:
“Applicable Time” means
(i) each Representation Date and (ii) the time of each
sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this
Agreement.
[Remainder
of page intentionally left blank.]
32
If the
foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Company and NSC, please so indicate in the space provided below for
that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding
agreement between the Company and NSC.
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Very truly yours, |
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By:
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/s/
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx
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Name:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx
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Title:
Chief
Executive Officer
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ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written: |
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NATIONAL SECURITIES CORPORATION |
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By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx |
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Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx |
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Title:
EVP – Head of Investment Banking
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SCHEDULE
1
FORM
OF PLACEMENT NOTICE
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From:
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To:
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National Securities
Corporation
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Attention:
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_____________________
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Subject:
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At
Market Issuance—Placement Notice
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Gentlemen:
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Pursuant to the
terms and subject to the conditions contained in the At Market
Issuance Sales Agreement between PEDEVCO Corp., a Texas corporation
(the “Company”) and National
Securities Corporation (“NSC”), dated September
__, 2016, the Company hereby requests that NSC sell up to
_____________ of the Company’s Common Stock, $0.001 par value
per share, at a minimum market price of $ ______ per share, during
the time period beginning [month, day, time] and ending [month,
day, time].
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SCHEDULE
2
Compensation
The
Company shall pay to NSC in cash, upon each sale of Placement
Shares pursuant to this Agreement, an amount equal to 3.0% of the
gross proceeds from each sale of Placement Shares.
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SCHEDULE
3
Notice
Parties
The Company
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx
NSC
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
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SCHEDULE
4
Subsidiaries
SUBSIDIARIES OF PEDEVCO Corp
Name of Company and Name Doing Business
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Jurisdiction of Organization
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Red
Hawk Petroleum, LLC
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Nevada
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EXHIBIT 7(l)
Form
of Representation Date Certificate
This
Officers Certificate (this “Certificate”) is executed
and delivered in connection with Section 7(l) of the At Market
Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated
___________ 2016, and entered into between PEDEVCO Corp. (the
“Company”) and National
Securities Corporation. All capitalized terms used but not defined
herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the
Agreement
The
undersigned, a duly appointed and authorized officer of the
Company, having made reasonable inquiries to establish the accuracy
of the statements below and having been authorized by the Company
to execute this certificate on behalf of the Company, hereby
certifies as follows:
1. As
of the date of this Certificate, (i) the Registration
Statement does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading
and (ii) neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading and (iii) no event has
occurred as a result of which it is necessary to amend or
supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein
not untrue or misleading for (i) and (ii) to be
true.
2. Each
of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
the Agreement were, when originally made, and are, as of the date
of this Certificate, true and correct in all material
respects.
3.
Except as waived by NSC in writing, each of the covenants required
to be performed by the Company in the Agreement on or prior to the
date of the Agreement, this Representation Date, and each such
other date prior to the date hereof as set forth in the Agreement,
has been duly, timely and fully performed in all material respects
and each condition required to be complied with by the Company on
or prior to the date of the Agreement, this Representation Date,
and each such other date prior to the date hereof as set forth in
the Agreement has been duly, timely and fully complied with in all
material respects.
4.
Subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in
the Prospectus, and except as described in the Prospectus,
including Incorporated Documents, there has been no material
adverse change.
5. No
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or of any part thereof has been issued, and to our
knowledge no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or
are pending or threatened by any securities or other governmental
authority (including, without limitation, the
Commission).
6. No
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
the qualification or registration of the Placement Shares under the
securities or Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction are in effect and
no proceeding for such purpose is pending before, or threatened, to
the Company’s knowledge or in writing by, any securities or
other governmental authority (including, without limitation, the
Commission).
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The
undersigned has executed this Officer’s Certificate as of the
date first written above.
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Name:
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Title:
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