EXHIBIT 4.9
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is entered into as
of March 14, 2000, by and among XxxxxxXxxx.xxx, Inc., a corporation duly
incorporated and existing under the laws of the State of Nevada (the "Company")
and the subscriber as named on the signature page hereto (hereinafter referred
to as "Subscriber").
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Company's offering ("Offering") of up to Thirty
Million Dollars ($30,000,000), excluding any funds paid upon exercise of the
Warrants, of Common Stock of the Company pursuant to that certain Investment
Agreement of even date herewith (the "Investment Agreement") between the Company
and the Subscriber, the Company has agreed to sell and the Subscriber has agreed
to purchase, from time to time as provided in the Investment Agreement, shares
of the Company's Common Stock for a maximum aggregate offering amount of Thirty
Million Dollars ($30,000,000);
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Investment Agreement, the Company
has agreed to issue to the Subscriber, from time to time, Commitment Warrants
and Purchase Warrants, each as defined in the Investment Agreement, to purchase
a number of shares of Common Stock, exercisable for five (5) years from their
respective dates of issuance (collectively, the "Subscriber Warrants" or the
"Warrants"); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Investment Agreement, the Company
has agreed to provide the Subscriber with certain registration rights with
respect to the Common Stock to be issued in the Offering and the Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Subscriber Warrants as set forth in this
Registration Rights Agreement.
TERMS:
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises,
representations, warranties, covenants and conditions set forth in Agreement and
for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which
is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement (including the Recitals
above), the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to
be equally applicable to both singular and plural forms of the terms defined):
"1934 Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
"Additional Registration Statement" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 3(b).
"Amended Registration Statement" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(b).
"Business Day" shall have the meaning set forth in the Investment
Agreement.
"Closing Bid Price" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Investment Agreement.
"Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01, of
the Company.
"Due Date" shall mean the date that is one hundred twenty (120)
days after the date of this Agreement.
"Effective Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
"Filing Deadline" shall mean the date that is forty five (45)
days after the date of next shareholder meeting of the Company held after the
date of this Agreement.
"Holder" shall mean Subscriber, and any other person or entity
owning or having the right to acquire Registrable Securities or any permitted
assignee thereof;
"Piggyback Registration" and "Piggyback Registration Statement"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.
"Put" shall have the meaning as set forth in the Investment
Agreement.
"Register," "Registered," and "Registration" shall mean and refer
to a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or
similar document in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Act"), and pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act or any successor rule, and the
declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such registration statement or
document.
"Registrable Securities" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1.
"Registration Statement" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2.
"Rule 144" shall mean Rule 144, as amended, promulgated under the
Act.
"Subscriber" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to
this Agreement.
"Subscriber Warrants" shall have the meaning set forth in the
above Recitals.
"Investment Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Recitals hereto.
"Supplemental Registration Statement" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 3(b).
"Warrants" shall have the meaning set forth in the above
Recitals.
"Warrant Shares" shall mean shares of Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of any Warrant.
2. Required Registration.
2.1 Registrable Securities. "Registrable Securities" shall mean
those shares of the Common Stock of the Company together with any capital stock
issued in replacement of, in exchange for or otherwise in respect of such Common
Stock, that are: (i) issuable or issued to the Subscriber pursuant to the
Investment Agreement or in this Agreement, and (ii) issuable or issued upon
exercise of the Subscriber Warrants; provided, however, that notwithstanding the
above, the following shall not be considered Registrable Securities:
(a) any Common Stock which would otherwise be deemed to
be Registrable Securities, if and to the extent that those shares of Common
Stock may be resold in a public transaction without volume limitations or other
material restrictions without registration under the Act, including without
limitation, pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act; and
(b) any shares of Common Stock which have been
sold in a private transaction in which the transferor's rights under this
Agreement are not assigned.
2.2 Filing of Initial Registration Statement. The Company shall,
by the Filing Deadline, file a registration statement ("Registration Statement")
on Form SB-2 (or other suitable form, at the Company's discretion, but subject
to the reasonable approval of Subscriber), covering the resale of a number of
shares of Common Stock as Registrable Securities equal to at least Twelve
Million (12,000,000) shares of Common Stock and shall cover, to the extent
allowed by applicable law, such indeterminate number of additional shares of
Common Stock that may be issued or become issuable as Registrable Securities by
the Company pursuant to Rule 416 of the Act. In the event that the Company has
not filed the Registration Statement by the Filing Deadline, then the Company
shall pay to Subscriber an amount equal to $500, in cash, for each Business Day
after the Filing Deadline until such Registration Statement is filed, payable
within ten (10) Business Days following the end of each calendar month in which
such payments accrue.
2.3 [Intentionally Left Blank].
2.4 Registration Effective Date. The Company shall use its best
efforts to have the Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC (the
date of such
effectiveness is referred to herein as the "Effective Date") by the Due Date.
2.5 [Intentionally Left Blank].
2.6 [Intentionally Left Blank].
2.7 Shelf Registration. The Registration Statement shall be
prepared as a "shelf" registration statement under Rule 415, and shall be
maintained effective until all Registrable Securities are resold pursuant to
such Registration Statement.
2.8 Supplemental Registration Statement. Anytime the Registration
Statement does not cover a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock to cover
all outstanding Registrable Securities, the Company shall promptly prepare and
file with the SEC such Supplemental Registration Statement and the prospectus
used in connection with such registration statement as may be necessary to
comply with the provisions of the Act with respect to the disposition of all
such Registrable Securities and shall use its best efforts to cause such
Supplemental Registration Statement to be declared effective as soon as
possible.
3. Obligations of the Company. Whenever required under this
Agreement to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities, the Company
shall, as expeditiously and reasonably possible:
(a) Prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC") a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and
use its best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective
and to remain effective until all Registrable Securities are resold pursuant to
such Registration Statement, notwithstanding any Termination or Automatic
Termination (as each is defined in the Investment Agreement) of the Investment
Agreement.
(b) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements
to such Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection with such
Registration Statement ("Amended Registration Statement") or prepare and file
any additional registration statement ("Additional Registration Statement,"
together with the Amended Registration Statement, "Supplemental Registration
Statements") as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Act with
respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such Supplemental
Registration Statements or such prior registration statement and to cover the
resale of all Registrable Securities.
(c) Furnish to the Holders such numbers of copies of a
prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, in conformity with the
requirements of the Securities Act, and such other documents as they may
reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of Registrable
Securities owned by them.
(d) Use its best efforts to register and qualify the securities
covered by such Registration Statement under such other securities or Blue Sky
laws of the jurisdictions in which the Holders are located, of such other
jurisdictions as shall be reasonably requested by the Holders of the Registrable
Securities covered by such
Registration Statement and of all other jurisdictions where legally required,
provided that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a
condition thereto to qualify to do business or to file a general consent to
service of process in any such states or jurisdictions.
(e) [Intentionally Omitted].
(f) As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such
event, notify each Holder of Registrable Securities of the happening of any
event of which the Company has knowledge, as a result of which the prospectus
included in the Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, use its best efforts
promptly to prepare a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement to
correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver a number of copies of
such supplement or amendment to each Holder as such Holder may reasonably
request.
(g) Provide Holders with notice of the date that a Registration
Statement or any Supplemental Registration Statement registering the resale of
the Registrable Securities is declared effective by the SEC, and the date or
dates when the Registration Statement is no longer effective.
(h) Provide Holders and their representatives the opportunity and
a reasonable amount of time, based upon reasonable notice delivered by the
Company, to conduct a reasonable due diligence inquiry of Company's pertinent
financial and other records and make available its officers and directors for
questions regarding such information as it relates to information contained in
the Registration Statement.
(i) Provide Holders and their representatives the opportunity to
review the Registration Statement and all amendments or supplements thereto
prior to their filing with the SEC by giving the Holder at least ten (10)
business days advance written prior to such filing.
(j) Provide each Holder with prompt notice of the issuance by the
SEC or any state securities commission or agency of any stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any
proceeding for such purpose. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent
the issuance of any stop order and, if any is issued, to obtain the removal
thereof at the earliest possible date.
(k) Use its best efforts to list the Registrable Securities
covered by the Registration Statement with all securities exchanges or markets
on which the Common Stock is then listed and prepare and file any required
filing with the NASD, American Stock Exchange, NYSE and any other exchange or
market on which the Common Stock is listed.
4. Piggyback Registration. If anytime prior to the date that the
Registration Statement is declared effective or during any Ineffective Period
(as defined in the Investment Agreement) the Company proposes to register
(including for this purpose a
registration effected by the Company for shareholders other than the Holders)
any of its Common Stock under the Act in connection with the public offering of
such securities solely for cash (other than a registration relating solely for
the sale of securities to participants in a Company stock plan or a registration
on Form S-4 promulgated under the Act or any successor or similar form
registering stock issuable upon a reclassification, upon a business combination
involving an exchange of securities or upon an exchange offer for securities of
the issuer or another entity), the Company shall, at such time, promptly give
each Holder written notice of such registration (a "Piggyback Registration
Statement"). Upon the written request of each Holder given by fax within ten
(10) days after mailing of such notice by the Company, the Company shall cause
to be included in such registration statement under the Act all of the
Registrable Securities that each such Holder has requested to be registered
("Piggyback Registration") to the extent such inclusion does not violate the
registration rights of any other security holder of the company granted prior to
the date hereof; provided, however, that nothing herein shall prevent the
Company from withdrawing or abandoning such registration statement prior to its
effectiveness.
5. [Intentionally Left Blank].
6. Dispute as to Registrable Securities. In the event the Company
believes that shares sought to be registered under Section 2 or Section 4 by
Holders do not constitute "Registrable Securities" by virtue of Section 2.1 of
this Agreement, and the status of those shares as Registrable Securities is
disputed, the Company shall provide, at its expense, an Opinion of Counsel,
reasonably acceptable to the Holders of the Securities at issue (and
satisfactory to the Company's transfer agent to permit the sale and transfer),
that those securities may be sold immediately, without volume limitation or
other material restrictions, without registration under the Act, by virtue of
Rule 144 or similar provisions.
7. Furnish Information. At the Company's request, each Holder shall
furnish to the Company such information regarding Holder, the Registrable
Securities held by it, and the intended method of disposition of such securities
to the extent required to effect the registration of its Registrable Securities
or to determine that registration is not required pursuant to Rule 144 or other
applicable provision of the Act. The Company shall include all information
provided by such Holder pursuant hereto in the Registration Statement,
substantially in the form supplied, except to the extent such information is not
permitted by law.
8. Expenses. All expenses, other than commissions and fees and expenses
of counsel to the selling Holders, incurred in connection with registrations,
filings or qualifications pursuant hereto, including (without limitation) all
registration, filing and qualification fees, printers' and accounting fees, fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Company, shall be borne by the Company.
9. Indemnification. In the event any Registrable Securities are included
in a Registration Statement under this Agreement:
(a) (i) To the extent permitted by law, the Company will
indemnify
and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, partners, legal counsel,
and accountants of each Holder, any underwriter (as defined in the Act, or as
deemed by the Securities Exchange Commission, or as indicated in a registration
statement) for such Holder and each person, if any, who controls such Holder or
underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), against any losses, claims,
damages, or liabilities (joint or several) to which they may become subject
under the Act, the 1934 Act or other federal or state law, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise
out of or are based upon any of the following statements or omissions: (i) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
such registration statement, including any preliminary prospectus or final
prospectus contained therein or any amendments or supplements thereto, or (ii)
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and
the Company will reimburse each such Holder, officer or director, underwriter or
controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them
in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability, or action; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained
in this subsection 9(a) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any
such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action if such settlement is effected
without the consent of the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld), nor shall the Company be liable in any such case for any such loss,
claim, damage, liability, or action to the extent that it arises out of or is
based upon a violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished expressly for use in connection with such
registration by any such Holder, officer, director, underwriter or controlling
person; provided however, that the above shall not relieve the Company from any
other liabilities which it might otherwise have.
(ii) To the extent permitted by law, each Holder will
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers, directors, partners,
legal counsel, and accountants, any underwriter (as defined in the Act, or as
deemed by the Securities Exchange Commission, or as indicated in a registration
statement) for the Company and each person, if any, who controls such Company or
underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), against any losses, claims,
damages, or liabilities (joint or several) to which they may become subject
under the Act, the 1934 Act or other federal or state law, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise
out of or are based upon any of the following statements or omissions made by
such Holder: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in such registration statement, including any preliminary
prospectus or final prospectus contained therein or any amendments or
supplements thereto, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and such Holder will reimburse the Company, its officer
or director, underwriter or controlling person for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action; provided, however, that the
indemnity agreement contained in this subsection 9(a) shall not apply to amounts
paid in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action if such
settlement is effected without
the consent of such Holder (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld),
nor shall such Holder be liable in any such case for any such loss, claim,
damage, liability, or action to the extent that it arises out of or is based
upon a violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished expressly for use in connection with such registration by
the Company, its officer, director, underwriter or controlling person; provided
however, that the above shall not relieve such Holder from any other liabilities
which it might otherwise have.
(b) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action (including any
governmental action), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof
is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 9, deliver to
the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof and the
indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent
the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party
similarly noticed, to assume, the defense thereof with counsel mutually
satisfactory to the parties; provided, however, that an indemnified party shall
have the right to retain its own counsel, with the reasonably incurred fees and
expenses of one such counsel to be paid by the indemnifying party, if
representation of such indemnified party by the counsel retained by the
indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential conflicting
interests between such indemnified party and any other party represented by such
counsel in such proceeding. The failure to deliver written notice to the
indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such
action, if materially prejudicial to its ability to defend such action, shall
relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the indemnified party under
this Section 9, but the omission so to deliver written notice to the
indemnifying party will not relieve it of any liability that it may have to any
indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 9.
(c) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) of this
Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified
party for any reason, the Company and each Holder agree to contribute to the
aggregate claims, losses, damages and liabilities (including legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending same)
(collectively "Losses") to which the Company and one or more of the Holders may
be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of
the Company and the Holders in connection with the statements or omissions which
resulted in such Losses. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to
whether any alleged untrue statement or omission relates to information provided
by the Company or by the Holders. The Company and the Holders agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata
allocation or any other method of allocation that does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 9, each person who controls a
Holder of Registrable Securities within the meaning of either the Securities Act
or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, partner, employee and agent of a
Holder shall have the same rights to contribution as such holder, and each
person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the
Exchange Act and each director
and officer of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the
Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this
paragraph (c).
(d) The obligations of the Company and Holders under this Section
9 shall survive the resale, if any, of the Common Stock, the completion of any
offering of Registrable Securities in a Registration Statement under this
Agreement, and otherwise.
10. Reports Under Securities Exchange Act of 1934. With a view to making
available to the Holders the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Act and
any other rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit a Holder to
sell securities of the Company to the public without registration, the Company
agrees to:
(a) make and keep public information available, as those terms
are understood and defined in Rule 144; and
(b) use its best efforts to file with the SEC in a timely manner
all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Act and the
1934 Act.
11. Amendment of Registration Rights. Any provision of this Agreement
may be amended and the observance thereof may be waived (either generally or in
a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), only with the
written consent of the Company and the written consent of each Holder affected
thereby. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this paragraph
shall be binding upon each Holder, each future Holder, and the Company.
12. Notices. All notices required or permitted under this Agreement
shall be made in writing signed by the party making the same, shall specify the
section under this Agreement pursuant to which it is given, and shall be
addressed if to (i) the Company at: Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx or Xxxx X. Xxxxx;
XxxxxxXxxx.xxx, Inc., 000 X. 0xx Xx., Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000; Telephone: (317)
000-0000, Facsimile: (000) 000-0000 (or at such other location as directed by
the Company in writing) and (ii) the Holders at their respective last address as
the party as shown on the records of the Company. Any notice, except as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be made by fax and shall be deemed
given at the time of transmission of the fax.
13. Termination. This Agreement shall terminate on the date all
Registrable Securities cease to exist (as that term is defined in Section 2.1
hereof); but without prejudice to (i) the parties' rights and obligations
arising from breaches of this Agreement occurring prior to such termination (ii)
other indemnification obligations under this Agreement.
14. Assignment. No assignment, transfer or delegation, whether by
operation of law or otherwise, of any rights or obligations under this Agreement
by the Company or any Holder, respectively, shall be made without the prior
written consent of the majority in interest of the Holders or the Company,
respectively; provided that the rights of a Holder may be transferred to a
subsequent holder of the Holder's Registrable Securities (provided such
transferee shall provide to the Company, together with or prior to such
transferee's request to have such Registrable Securities included in a
Registration, a
writing executed by such transferee agreeing to be bound as a Holder by the
terms of this Agreement), and the Company hereby agrees to file an amended
registration statement including such transferee or a selling security holder
thereunder; and provided further that the Company may transfer its rights and
obligations under this Agreement to a purchaser of all or a substantial portion
of its business if the obligations of the Company under this Agreement are
assumed in connection with such transfer, either by merger or other operation of
law (which may include without limitation a transaction whereby the Registrable
Securities are converted into securities of the successor in interest) or by
specific assumption executed by the transferee.
15. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia applicable to agreements made
in and wholly to be performed in that jurisdiction, except for matters arising
under the Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which matters shall be
construed and interpreted in accordance with such laws.
16. Execution in Counterparts Permitted. This Agreement may be executed
in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be enforceable against the
parties actually executing such counterparts, and all of which together shall
constitute one (1) instrument.
17. Specific Performance. The Holder shall be entitled to the remedy of
specific performance in the event of the Company's breach of this Agreement, the
parties agreeing that a remedy at law would be inadequate.
18. Indemnity. Each party shall indemnify each other party against any and
all claims, damages (including reasonable attorney's fees), and expenses arising
out of the first party's breach of any of the terms of this Agreement.
19. Entire Agreement; Written Amendments Required. This Agreement,
including the Exhibits attached hereto, the Investment Agreement, the Common
Stock certificates, and the other documents delivered pursuant hereto constitute
the full and entire understanding and agreement between the parties with regard
to the subjects hereof and thereof, and no party shall be liable or bound to any
other party in any manner by any warranties, representations or covenants except
as specifically set forth herein or therein. Except as expressly provided
herein, neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended, waived,
discharged or terminated other than by a written instrument signed by the party
against whom enforcement of any such amendment, waiver, discharge or termination
is sought.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of
this 14thday of March, 2000.
XXXXXXXXXX.XXX, INC.
By: /S/
-----------------------------------
Xxxx X. Xxxxx, President & CEO
Address:
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx or Xxxx X. Xxxxx
XxxxxxXxxx.xxx, Inc.
000 X. 0xx Xx.
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
SUBSCRIBER:
XXXXXX PRIVATE EQUITY, LLC.
By: /S/
-----------------------------------
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx, Manager
Address: 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxx. 000, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
