SHARPSPRING, INC. (a Delaware corporation) 770,000 Shares of Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Execution Version
Exhibit 1.1
(a
Delaware corporation)
770,000
Shares of Common Stock
March
7, 2019
Canaccord
Genuity LLC
as
Representative of the several Underwriters
c/o
Canaccord Genuity LLC
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
SharpSpring, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
confirms its agreement with Canaccord Genuity LLC
(“Canaccord”)
and each of the other underwriters named in Schedule A hereto
(collectively, the “Underwriters,”
which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as
provided in Section 10 hereof), for
whom Canaccord is acting as representative (in such capacity, the
“Representative”)
with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase
by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the
respective numbers of shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per
share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”)
set forth in Schedule A hereto and
(ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting
severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of
115,500 additional shares of Common Stock solely to cover
over-allotments, if any, pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement
(this “Agreement”).
The aforesaid 770,000 shares of Common Stock (the
“Initial
Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and
all or any part of the 115,500 shares of Common Stock subject to
the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the
“Option
Securities”) are herein called, collectively, the
“Securities.”
The
Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public
offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems
advisable after this Agreement has been executed and
delivered.
The
Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) a
shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-222850)
covering the public offering and sale of certain securities,
including the Securities, under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “1933 Act”) and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the
“1933 Act
Regulations”). As used herein, “Registration
Statement” means such registration statement as amended by
any post-effective amendments thereto, including the exhibits and
any schedules thereto, the documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part
thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the 1933 Act Regulations (the
“Rule 430B Information”). Each preliminary prospectus
used in connection with the offering of the Securities, including
the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933
Act, are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary
prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this
Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus
relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of
Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”)
of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any registration statement filed
pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein
called the “Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement” and, after such filing, the term
“Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement. The final prospectus, in the form first
furnished or made available to the Underwriters for use in
connection with the offering of the Securities, including the
documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are
collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.”
For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration
Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to
include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its
Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any
successor system (“XXXXX”).
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As used
in this Agreement:
“Applicable
Time” means 7:00 A.M., New York City time, on
March 7, 2019 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the
Representative.
“General Disclosure
Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing
Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the most
recent preliminary prospectus that is distributed to investors
prior to the Applicable Time and the information included on
Schedule B-1
hereto, all considered together.
“Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act
Regulations (“Rule 433”),
including without limitation any “free writing
prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act
Regulations (“Rule 405”))
relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed
with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show
that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule
433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the
Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of
the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final
terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with
the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form
retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule
433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free
Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective
investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,”
as defined in Rule 433 (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road
Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in
Schedule B-2
hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free
Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing
Prospectus.
All
references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules
and other information which is “contained,”
“included” or “stated” (or other references
of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such
financial statements and schedules and other information
incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the execution and delivery
of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include
the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder (collectively, the “1934 Act”),
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the execution and
delivery of this Agreement.
SECTION
1. Representations and
Warranties.
(a)
Representations and Warranties by
the Company. The Company meets the requirements for use of
Form S-3 under the 1933 Act including the requirements under
General Instruction I.B.1 of such Form S-3. The Company represents
and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the
Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date
of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter,
as follows:
(i)
Registration Statement and
Prospectuses. Each of the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto has been declared effective under the 1933 Act.
No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued
under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of
any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no
proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are
pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The
Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission
for additional information.
Each of
the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment
thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with
the Commission, complied in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each
preliminary prospectus delivered by the Company to the Underwriters
for use in connection with this offering and the Prospectus was or
will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof
filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent
permitted by Regulation S-T.
The
documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or
hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply
in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and
the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the
“1934 Act
Regulations”).
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(ii)
Accurate
Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any
amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at
any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable
Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor
(B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus,
when considered together with the General Disclosure Package,
included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state
a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement
thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date,
at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included,
includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective
or when such documents incorporated by reference were filed with
the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the
other information in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not
and will not include 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
representations and warranties in this Section 1(a)(ii) shall
not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure
Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein.
For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished
shall be the fourth and tenth through thirteenth paragraphs under
the heading “Underwriting” in each case contained in
the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter
Information”).
(iii)
Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or
will conflict with the information contained in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by
reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed
to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or
modified.
(iv)
Company Not Ineligible
Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and
any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time
thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a
bona fide offer (within the
meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the
Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not
an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without
taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to
Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an
ineligible issuer.
(v)
[Reserved.]
(vi)
FINRA Exemption.
The Company satisfies the pre-1992 eligibility requirements for the
use of a registration statement on Form S-3 in connection with the
offering contemplated thereby (the pre-1992 eligibility
requirements for the use of the registration statement on Form S-3
include (i) having a non-affiliate, public common equity float of
at least $150 million or a non-affiliate, public common equity
float of at least $100 million and annual trading volume of at
least three million shares and (ii) having been subject to the 1934
Act reporting requirements for a period of 36 months).
(vii)
Independent
Accountants. Cherry Bekaert LLP, who certified the financial
statements and supporting schedules incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus are independent public accountants as required by the
1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board.
(viii)
Financial Statements;
Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements
included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and
notes, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial
position of the Company and its subsidiaries at the dates indicated
and its results of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash
flows for the periods specified; said financial statements have
been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles (“GAAP”) applied
on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except for
any preparation of non-GAAP measures). The supporting schedules, if
any, present fairly in all material respects in accordance with
GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected
financial data and the summary financial information included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the
information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis
consistent with that of the audited financial statements included
or incorporated by reference therein. Except as included therein,
no historical or pro forma
financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be
included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act
Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus
regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term
is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply
in all material respects with Regulation G of the 1934 Act, and
Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, to the extent
applicable.
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(ix)
No Material Adverse Change
in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in
the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business
affairs or business prospects of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business (a “Material Adverse
Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions
entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than
those in the ordinary course of business, which are material to the
Company, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of
any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries on any class of its capital stock.
(x)
Good Standing of the
Company. The Company is a corporation duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State
of Delaware. The Company has requisite corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct
its business as described in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and
perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is
duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is
in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or
leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in
a Material Adverse Effect.
(xi)
Subsidiaries. Each
of the Company’s subsidiaries has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a corporation or other entity in good standing
(or the foreign equivalent thereof) under the laws of its
jurisdiction of organization, with requisite power and authority to
own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described
in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus. Each of the Company’s subsidiaries is duly
qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the
conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where
the failure to be so qualified would not have a Material Adverse
Effect. All of the issued shares of capital stock or other
ownership interest of each of the subsidiaries have been duly
authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable
and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear
of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for such
liens, encumbrances, equities or claims as would not, individually
or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect. The Company does not own or control, directly or
indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than
the subsidiaries listed in Schedule D hereto (each, a
“subsidiary,”
and collectively, the “subsidiaries”).
(xii)
Capitalization. The
Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus as of the date or dates set forth therein. The
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of
the Company were issued in violation of the preemptive or other
similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. Except as
described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there
are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation,
pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments
convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock
or other equity interest in the Company, or any contract,
commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind
relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company, any
such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights,
warrants or options.
(xiii) Stock
Options.
With respect to the outstanding stock options (the
“Stock
Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based
compensation plan of the Company (the “Company Stock
Plan”), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as
an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 , as amended (the “Code”), so
qualified, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no
later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by
its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”)
by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable,
approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly
constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required
stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written
consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was
duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such
grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock
Plan and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or
requirements, except where the failure to comply with such laws,
regulatory rules or requirements would not result in a Material
Adverse Effect, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for
in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the
related notes) of the Company included in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to
the extent required under GAAP to be accounted for in such
financial statements.
(xiv)
Authorization of
Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company.
(xv)
Authorization and
Description of Securities. The Securities to be purchased by
the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for
issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement
and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this
Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein,
will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the
issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or
other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The
capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to
all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. No
holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability solely
by reason of being such a holder.
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(xvi)
Registration
Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or
other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale
pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for
sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this
Agreement, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus and have been waived or satisfied.
(xvii)
Absence of Violations,
Defaults and Conflicts. The Company and each of its
subsidiaries is not (A) in violation of its charter or by-laws
(or analogous governing instruments, if applicable), (B) in
default in the performance or observance of any obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note,
lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it may be bound or to
which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Agreements and
Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not
reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a
Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law,
statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body,
administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having
jurisdiction over the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of
its properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental
Entity”), except for such violations that would not
reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a
Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and
sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of
the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of
Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations
hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving
of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a
breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under,
or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments
(except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events
or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not reasonably be
expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material
Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of
(i) the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries or (ii) any law, statute, rule,
regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental
Entity, except with respect to clause (ii), such violations as
would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate,
result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a
“Repayment
Event” means any event or condition which gives the
holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or
any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to
require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion
of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries.
(xviii)
Absence of Labor
Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is imminent, and the Company has no knowledge of any
existing or imminent labor dispute by the employees of any of its
principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or
contractors.
(xix)
Absence of
Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there
is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or
brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge
of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected to, singly or in
the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would
reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, materially
and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions
contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of
its obligations hereunder.
(xx)
Accuracy of
Exhibits. There are no material contracts or documents which
are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so
described and filed as required.
(xxi)
Absence of Further
Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval,
consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of,
any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the
performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in
connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities
hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may
be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934
Act, the 1934 Act Regulations, the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market
LLC, state securities laws or the rules of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). No
consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing,
notification or registration with, the NASDAQ Capital Market is
required for the listing and trading of the shares of Common Stock
on the NASDAQ Capital Market, except such as will have been
obtained or made on or prior to the Closing Date.
(xxii)
Possession of Licenses and
Permits. The Company and each of its subsidiaries possesses
such permits, licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances,
consents and other authorizations (collectively,
“Governmental
Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental
Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them,
except where the failure so to possess would not reasonably be
expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material
Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its subsidiaries is in
compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental
Licenses and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has
occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would
allow, revocation or termination thereof or result in any other
material impairment of the rights of the holder of any Government
License, except where the failure so to comply would not reasonably
be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material
Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in
full force and effect. Neither the Company or any of its
subsidiaries (a) has received notice of any ongoing claim, action,
suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration
or other action from any U.S. or non-U.S. Governmental Entity or
third party alleging that any product, operation or activity is in
violation of any Governmental Licenses and has no knowledge that
any such Governmental Entity or third party is considering any such
claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or
proceeding; (b) has received notice that any Governmental Entity
has taken, is taking or intends to take regulatory action, and has
no knowledge that any Governmental Entity is considering such
action; or (c) is a party to any corporate integrity agreement,
deferred prosecution agreement, monitoring agreement, consent
decree, settlement order, or similar agreements, or has any
reporting obligations pursuant to any such agreement, plan or
correction or other remedial measure entered into with any
Governmental Entity.
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(xxvi) Title to Property. The Company
and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all
real property owned by it and good title or valid leases to all
personal property owned by it, in each case, free and clear of all
mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions
or encumbrances (except for customary easements and rights of way)
of any kind except such as (A) are described in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate,
materially affect the value of such property and do not materially
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such
property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and all of the leases
and subleases material to the business of the Company and that of
its subsidiaries and under which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in
full force and effect, and neither the Company or any of its
subsidiaries has received any written notice of any material claim
of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any of the leases
or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the
rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to the continued
possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease
or sublease.
(xxvii)
Possession of Intellectual
Property. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and each of its
subsidiaries owns all right, title and interest in or otherwise
have the right to use all patents, inventions, copyrights, know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures),
trademarks, service marks, trade names and other intellectual
property rights (collectively, “Intellectual
Property”) that is necessary for, used or held for use
in, or otherwise exploited in connection with, the conduct of the
business now operated by them and as proposed to be operated, and
(ii) to the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries is infringing, misappropriating, diluting
or otherwise violating the Intellectual Property of any third
party. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect,
(i) no action, suit, claim, or other proceeding is pending, or
to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened, alleging that the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is infringing, misappropriating,
diluting, or otherwise violating the Intellectual Property of any
third party in any respect, (ii) to the Company’s
knowledge, no third party is infringing, misappropriating,
diluting, or otherwise violating the Intellectual Property of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries in any respect, and
(iii) no action, suit, claim, or other proceeding is pending,
or to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened, challenging the
validity, enforceability, scope, registration, ownership or use of
any Intellectual Property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
that is, singly or in the aggregate, necessary to its business
(with the exception of office actions in connection with
applications for the registration or issuance of such Intellectual
Property).
(xxviii)
Environmental Laws.
Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any
of its subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, rule,
regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or
any court, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or
toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of
the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances
(collectively, “Environmental
Laws”), operates any real property contaminated with
any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable
for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any
Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any
Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or
claim would individually or in the aggregate have a Material
Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending
investigation which might lead to such a claim.
(xxix)
Disclosure
Controls. Except as described in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company
maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and
procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange
Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and
that has been designed to ensure that information required to be
disclosed by the Company in 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 controls and procedures designed to ensure
that such information is accumulated and communicated to the
Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions
regarding required disclosure.
(xxx)
Accounting
Controls. Except as described in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company
maintains effective internal control over financial reporting (as
defined under Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 of the 1934 Act Regulations)
and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide
reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific
authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP
and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to
assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect
to any differences and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible
Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all
material respects and is prepared in accordance with the
Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except
as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s
most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no
material weakness in the Company’s internal control over
financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) 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.
6
(xxxi)
Payment of Taxes.
All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and
each of its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been
filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed,
which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments
against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to
which adequate reserves have been provided other than as would not
reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its subsidiaries
has filed all other tax returns that are required to have been
filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other
law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not
result in a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes due
pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by
the Company or any such subsidiary, except for such taxes, if any,
as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate
reserves have been established by the Company or any such
subsidiary, other than as would not reasonably be expected to,
singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, the charges, accruals and reserves on
the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation
tax liability for any years not finally determined are believed to
be adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for
additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except
to the extent of any inadequacy that would not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxii)
Insurance. The
Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance, with
reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is
reasonably prudent and customary in the businesses in which it is
engaged, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The
Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able
(A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such
policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from
similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct
its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result
in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not been denied the
issuance of any material insurance policies which it has sought or
for which it has applied in the prior three years, except for any
applications still pending.
(xxxiii)
Investment Company
Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and
sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application
of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will
not be required, to register as an “investment company”
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
“1940
Act”).
(xxxiv)
Absence of
Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the
Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take,
directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would
reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which
constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities.
(xxxv)
No Integration. The
Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be
integrated with the offering of the Common Stock contemplated by
this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the rules and
regulations thereunder or the interpretations thereof by the
Commission.
(xxxvi)
ERISA; Labor. Other
than as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and except as
disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, (i) each “employee benefit
plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), for which
the Company would have any liability (whether absolute
or contingent) (each a
“Plan”) is in
compliance in all respects with applicable law, including, without
limitation, ERISA and the Code; and (ii) other than in the
ordinary course, neither the Company nor any trade or business,
whether or not incorporated, that, together with the Company, would
be deemed to be a “single employer” within the meaning
of Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA or Section 414(b), 414(c),
414(m) or 414(o) of the Code has incurred or reasonably expects to
incur any liability with respect to any Plan (A) under Title
IV of ERISA or (B) in respect of any post-employment health,
medical or life insurance benefits for former, current or future
employees of the Company, except as required to avoid excise tax
under Section 4980B of the Code and except, on a case by case
basis, limited extensions of health insurance benefits (for a
period of no more than 18 months post-employment) to former
employees receiving severance payments from the Company. The
Company is not, nor at any time during the last three years has the
Company been, a party to any collective bargaining agreement or
other labor agreement with respect to employees of the Company.
There are no pending, or, to the Company’s knowledge,
threatened, activities or proceedings by any labor union or similar
entity to organize any employees of the Company. No labor dispute
with, or labor strike, work stoppage or other material labor
disturbance by, the employees of the Company exists or to the
Company’s knowledge is imminent.
(xxxvii)
Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act. Neither the Company, any of its subsidiaries nor, to
the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent,
employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company
has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in
a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of
1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the
“FCPA”),
including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means
or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance
of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the
payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or
authorization of the giving of anything of value to any
“foreign official” (as such term is defined in the
FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any
candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the
FCPA and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the
Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in
compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies
and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably
expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance
therewith.
(xxxviii)
Money Laundering
Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are
and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with
applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of
the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as
amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable
jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related
or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered
or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the
“Money
Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding
by or before any Governmental Entity 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.
7
(xxxix)
OFAC. Neither the
Company, any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the
Company, its directors, officers, agents, employees, affiliates or
representatives (each, a “Person” ) are
currently the subject of sanctions administered or enforced by the
United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S.
Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
(“OFAC”), the
United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her
Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority
applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively,
“Sanctions”),
nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or
resident in a country or territory that is the subject of
Sanctions; and the Company does not intend to, directly or
indirectly, use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or
lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any
subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any
activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or
territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of
Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by
any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction,
whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of
Sanctions.
(xl)
Lending
Relationship. Except as disclosed in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, the Company (A) does not have any material
lending or other relationship with any banking or lending affiliate
of any Underwriter and (B) does not intend to use any of the
proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding
debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.
(xli)
Statistical and
Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data
included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that
the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and
accurate in all material respects.
(xlii)
Accuracy of
Descriptions. The statements set forth in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under
the caption “Description of Common Stock,” insofar as
they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common is
an accurate, complete and fair summary.
(xliii)
Stock Exchange
Listing. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section
12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is listed on the NASDAQ
Capital Market; the Company has taken no action designed to, or
likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the
Common Stock under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Stock
from the NASDAQ Capital Market; the Company has not received any
notice that it is out of compliance with the listing or maintenance
requirements of the NASDAQ Capital Market and the Company is in
material compliance with all such listing and maintenance
requirements; and the Company has not received any notification
that the Commission or the NASDAQ Capital Market is contemplating
terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange
Act or delisting the Common Stock from the NASDAQ Capital
Market.
(xliv)
Maintenance of
Rating. The Company does not have any securities rated by
any “nationally recognized statistical rating
organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under
the 1933 Act).
(xlv)
Related Party
Transactions. There are no business relationships or
related-party transactions involving the Company, any of its
subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus
and the General Disclosure
Package which have not been described as required. The General
Disclosure Package contains in all material respects the same
description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence
contained in the Prospectus.
(xlvi)
Brokers. Except for
the underwriting discounts and commissions payable to the
Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no broker,
finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company
any brokerage or finder’s fee or other fee or commission as a
result of any transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(xlvii)
No Stabilization.
The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result
in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the
Securities.
(xliii)
Margin Rules. The
application of the proceeds received by the Company from the
issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities as described in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus will not 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.
(xlix)
Forward-Looking
Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act) contained in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has
been made or reaffirmed by the Company without a reasonable basis
or has been disclosed by the Company other than in good
faith.
8
(l)
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
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 provision of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the
rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith,
including Section 402 related to loans.
(li)
FINRA Affiliations.
There are no affiliations or associations between any member of
FINRA and any of the Company’s officers or directors or, the
Company’s knowledge, 5% or greater
securityholders.
(b)
Officer’s
Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the
Company delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the
Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the
Company (and not by such officer in his or her personal capacity)
to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION
2. Purchase of the
Securities by the Underwriters.
(a)
Initial Securities. On the
basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and
each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase
from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A hereto, that number
of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the
name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial
Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase
pursuant to the provisions of Section 10
hereof.
(b)
Option Securities. In
addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein
contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth,
the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally
and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 115,500 shares of
Common Stock solely to cover over-allotments, if any, at the price
per share set forth in Schedule A hereto, less an
amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared
by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not
payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will
expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in
whole or in part at any time upon notice by the Representative to
the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to
which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and
the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option
Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a
“Date of
Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representative,
but shall not be later than seven full business days after the
exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing
Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the
Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and
not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of
Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial
Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the
name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial
Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the
Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any
sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(c)
Payment. Payment of the
purchase price for, and delivery of, the Initial Securities shall
be made at the offices of Xxxxxxx Procter LLP, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon
by the Representative and the Company, at 10:00 A.M. (New York City
time) on March 11, 2019 (such date, the “Closing Date”)
(unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof), or
such other time not later than ten business days after such date as
shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such
time and of payment and delivery on the Closing Date being herein
called “Closing
Time”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made
through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company
(“DTC”) unless
the Representative shall otherwise instruct.
In
addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are
purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for,
and delivery of, such Option Securities shall be made at the
above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed
upon by the Representative and the Company, on each Date of
Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representative to the
Company.
Payment
shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to bank accounts designated by the Company against
delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the
Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them. It is
understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative,
for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make
payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the
Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. The
Representative, individually and not as representative of the
Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of
the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option
Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds
have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of
Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve
such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(d)
Denominations;
Registration. The Initial Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered
in such names as the Representative may request in writing at least
one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date
of Delivery, as the case may be.
9
SECTION
3. Covenants of the
Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as
follows:
(a)
Compliance with Securities
Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to
Section 3(b)
hereof, will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will
notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in
writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement shall have been filed or been declared
effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been filed or
distributed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the
Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any
amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated
by reference therein, or for additional information, including, but
not limited to, any request for information concerning any oral or
written communication with potential investors and undertaken in
reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act, (iv) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant
to Section 8(d) or
8(e) of the 1933
Act concerning the Registration Statement, (v) of the occurrence of
any event or development at any time when a prospectus relating to
the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172
of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”),
would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection
with sales of the Securities (the “Prospectus Delivery
Period”) as a result of which the Prospectus, the
General Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as
then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
existing when the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, any
such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser,
not misleading; and (vi) if the Company becomes the subject of
a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection
with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all
filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the
time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule
424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to
ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for
filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission
and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such
prospectus. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to
prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of
any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or suspending any such
qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued,
will use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain as soon as
possible the withdrawal thereof.
(b)
Continued Compliance with
Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations during the Prospectus Delivery Period
so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the
Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus. If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period
any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which
it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or
for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in
order that the Registration Statement will not
include 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, (ii) amend or
supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in
order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the
case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser
or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or
supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the
case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933
Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly
(A) give the Representative notice of such event,
(B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to
correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply
with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to
any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies
of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the
Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not
file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the
Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably
object unless the Company reasonably believes that the failure to
file or use such amendment or supplement would constitute a
violation of law or subject it to liability. The Company will
furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment
or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The
Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made
pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours
prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the
Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from
the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the
Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable
amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be,
and will not file or use any such document to which the
Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably
object unless the Company reasonably believes that the failure to
file or use such amendment or supplement would constitute a
violation of law or subject it to liability.
(c)
Delivery of Registration
Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the
Representative and to counsel for the Underwriters, upon request,
without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as
originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits
filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates
of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, upon
request, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration
Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without
exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the
Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the
Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted
copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except
to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
10
(d)
Delivery of Prospectuses.
The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as
many copies of each preliminary prospectus as the Representative
has reasonably requested on behalf of the Underwriters, and the
Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes
permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each
Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus
relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded
by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act,
such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or
supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the
Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted
copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except
to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e)
Blue Sky Qualifications.
The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, in
cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for
offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such
states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the
Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in
effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the
Securities; provided,
however, that the Company
shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of
process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in
securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or
to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any
jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
(f)
Rule 158. The Company will
timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary
in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon
as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to
provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last
paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(g)
Use of Proceeds. The
Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of
the Securities in the manner specified in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under
“Use of Proceeds.”
(h)
Listing. The Company will
use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Securities to
be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, subject to notice of
issuance, and to maintain the listing of the Common Stock
(including the Securities) on the NASDAQ Stock Market
LLC.
(i)
Restriction on Sale of
Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the
Prospectus (the “Lock-Up
Period”), the Company will not, without the prior
written consent of the Representative, (i) directly or
indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option
or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell,
grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise
transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of
Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act
with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any
swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in
whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence
of ownership of shares of Common Stock, whether any such swap or
transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be
settled by delivery of shares of Common Stock or such other
securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not
apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any
shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of
an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on
the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) shares of Common
Stock issued by the Company as a result of anti-dilution provisions
in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of
incorporation as then in effect, or (D) any shares of Common
Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant
to employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus; provided that, in each case, the recipient of such
shares of Common Stock or other securities is subject to
substantially the same restrictions as those contained in this
Section 3(i).
(j)
Reporting Requirements. The
Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the
Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172,
would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file
all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to
the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and
1934 Act Regulations.
(k)
Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the
prior written consent of the Representative, it will not make any
offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a
“free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof,
required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained
by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative will
be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
listed on Schedule
B-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written
communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that
has been reviewed by the Representative. The Company represents
that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free
writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the
Representative as an “issuer free writing prospectus,”
as defined in Rule 433. The Company represents that it has complied
and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with
respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where
required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following
issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or
occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the
information contained in the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at
that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly
notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at
its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate
or correct such conflict, untrue statement or
omission.
11
SECTION
4. Payment of
Expenses.
(a)
Expenses. The Company will
pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of
its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the
preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement
(including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed
and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and
delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary
prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus
and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated
with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the
Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and
delivery of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including
any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties
payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to
the Underwriters or the sale of the Securities by the Underwriters,
(iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s
counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification
of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the
provisions of Section 3(e) hereof,
including filing fees and the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the
preparation of a blue sky survey and any supplement thereto,
(vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar
for the Securities, (vii) the reasonable out-of-pocket costs
and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations or
any “road show” undertaken in connection with the
marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses
associated with the production of road show slides and graphics,
fees and expenses of any consultants engaged by the Company in
connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging
expenses of the representatives and employees of the Company and
any such consultants, (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in
connection with the listing of the Securities on the NASDAQ Stock
Market LLC, (ix) the costs and expenses (including, without
limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with
legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of
any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters
caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third
sentence of Section 1(a)(ii), and (x) all other reasonable and
documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Underwriters in
connection with the offering of the Securities, including travel,
document production and distribution and database and research
expenses and the reasonable fees and disbursements of the
Underwriters’ outside legal counsel documented in writing,
provided however that such
expenses, fees and disbursements reimbursable to the Underwriters
(including reasonable fees and disbursements of the
Underwriters’ outside legal counsel) shall not exceed $75,000
in the aggregate. It is
understood and agreed that except as otherwise provided in this
Section 4(a), the Underwriters shall pay all of their costs and
expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock
transfer taxes payable on their resale of any of the Securities,
travel and lodging costs and expenses of the Representative related
to the road show and any advertising expenses connected with any
offers made.
(b)
Termination of Agreement.
If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance
with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i),
9(a)(iii) or
Section 11
hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for their
documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
SECTION
5. Conditions of
Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the
several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or
in certificates of any officer of the Company delivered pursuant to
the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of the
covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following
further conditions:
(a)
Effectiveness of Registration
Statement; Rule 430B Information. The Registration
Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has
been declared effective and, at the Closing Time, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933
Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for
any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to
the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has
complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for
additional information to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to
the Company and counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus
containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been filed with the
Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule
424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or a post-effective
amendment providing such information shall have been filed with,
and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the
requirements of Rule 430B.
(b)
Opinion of Counsel for
Company. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have
received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time and
relating to the Initial Securities, of Xxxxxxx & Xxxx, S.C.,
counsel for the Company, in the form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Representative.
(c)
Opinion of Counsel for
Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall
have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of
Xxxxxxx Procter LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with
signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other
Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Representative, and such counsel shall have received such papers
and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to
pass upon such matters.
12
(d)
Officers’
Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been,
since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect,
and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the
Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the
chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated
the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no
such Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the representations and
warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct
with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as
of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all
agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed
or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or
suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus
has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have
been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge,
contemplated.
(e)
Accountant’s Comfort
Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the
Representative shall have received from Cherry Bekaert LLP a
letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such
letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and
information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’
“comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the
financial statements and certain financial information contained in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(f)
Bring-down Comfort Letter.
At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from
Cherry Bekaert LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the
effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter
furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 5, except that the
specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three
business days prior to the Closing Time.
(g)
Lock-up Agreements. At the
date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received an
agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by
the persons listed on Schedule C hereto.
(h)
Conditions to Purchase of Option
Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise
their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to
purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the
representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and
the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company
hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery
and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representative shall
have received:
(i)
Officers’
Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of
the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of
the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company
confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time
pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof
remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii)
Opinion of Counsel for
Company. If requested by the Representative, the favorable
opinion of Xxxxxxx & Xxxx, S.C., counsel for the Company, dated
such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be
purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect
as the opinion required by Section 5(b)
hereof.
(iii)
Opinion of Counsel for
Underwriters. If requested by the Representative, the
favorable opinion of Xxxxxxx Procter LLP, counsel for the
Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option
Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise
to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c)
hereof.
(v)
Bring-down Comfort
Letter. If requested by the Representative, a letter from
Cherry Bekaert LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representative and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in
the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the
Representative pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof,
except that the “specified date” in the letter
furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than
three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(i)
Additional Documents. At
the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any), the
Representative and counsel for the Underwriters shall have been
furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably
require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance
and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to
evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties,
or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and
all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be
reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative
and counsel for the Underwriters.
13
(j)
Termination of Agreement.
If any condition specified in this Section 5 shall not have
been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this
Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of
Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing
Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the
relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representative
by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing
Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 hereof and
except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 15 and 16 shall survive any such
termination and remain in full force and effect.
(k)
Delivery of Prospectuses.
The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 3(d) hereof with
respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the business day next
succeeding the date hereof.
(l)
Approval of Listing. At the
Closing Time, the Securities shall be eligible for listing on the
NASDAQ Capital Market, subject only to official notice of
issuance.
SECTION
6. Indemnification.
(a)
Indemnification of
Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined
in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)),
its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i)
against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the
Rule 430B Information, 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 (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or
(B) in any materials or information provided to investors by,
or with the prior written approval of, the Company in connection
with the marketing of the offering of the Securities
(“Marketing
Materials”), including any roadshow or investor
presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person
or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any
preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the
General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or in any Marketing
Materials 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, 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 (subject to
Section 6(d)
below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of
the Company;
(iii) against
any and all documented out-of-pocket expense whatsoever, as
incurred (including the fees and disbursements of one counsel (in
addition to any relevant local counsel) chosen by the
Representative), 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 in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, any preliminary
prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the
Underwriter Information.
(b)
Indemnification of Company,
Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally and not
jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its
directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration
Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20
of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection
(a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to
untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or
omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, any preliminary
prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the
Underwriter Information.
14
(c)
Actions against Parties;
Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as
promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of
any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may
be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party
shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability
hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result
thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability
which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Sections 6(a)
above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the
Representative, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 6(b)
above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the
Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense
in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the
indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the
indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no
event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and
expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any relevant
local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified
parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar
or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties,
settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by
any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or
contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether
or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties
thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent
(i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified
party from all liability arising out of such litigation,
investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) 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.
(d)
Settlement without Consent if
Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party
shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel in accordance
with Section 6(a)
above, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for
any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) hereof
effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying
party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall
have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30
days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such
indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party
in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement.
SECTION
7. Contribution. If
the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for
any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims,
damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying
party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such
indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand,
from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or
(ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in
clause
(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company,
on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations.
The
relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the
Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of
the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in
the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the
offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and
the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on
the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the
Prospectus, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the
Securities as set forth on the cover of the
Prospectus.
The
relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the
Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference
to, among other things, whether any such 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 by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct
or prevent such statement or omission.
The
Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined
by pro rata allocation
(even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this
Section 7. The
aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and
expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in
this Section 7
shall be deemed to include any documented out-of-pocket legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party 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 or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission.
Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection
with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the
public.
No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
15
For
purposes of this Section 7, each person, if
any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall
have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each
director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in
proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite
their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not
joint.
SECTION
8. Representations,
Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations,
warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in
certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto,
shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of
(i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or
its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any
Underwriter, its officers and directors, or any person controlling
the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the
Securities.
SECTION
9. Termination of
Agreement.
(a)
Termination. The
Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the
Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if
there has been, in the judgment of the Representative, since the
time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates
as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, a Material Adverse
Effect, or (ii) 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 judgment of
the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with
the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale
of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of
the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the
Commission or the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, or (iv) if trading
generally on the New York Stock Exchange or on the NASDAQ Stock
Market LLC has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or
maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for
prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of
the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a
material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or
securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or
with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or
(vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either
federal or New York authorities.
(b)
Liabilities. If this
Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section 9, such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and
provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 9(b), 11, 15 and 16 shall survive such
termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION
10. Default by One or More
of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters
shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase
the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under
this Agreement (the “Defaulted
Securities”), the Representative shall have the right,
within 24 hours thereafter, make arrangements for one or more
of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to purchase all, but not
less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may
be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however,
the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements
within such 24-hour period, then:
(i) if
the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the
number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not
jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions
that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to
the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters,
or
(ii) if
the number of Defaulted Securities equals or exceeds 10% of the
number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement
or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the
Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and
the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold
on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the
part of any non-defaulting Underwriter. Any termination of this
Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on
the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to
be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 4 hereof and provided
further that Sections
1, 6,
7, 8, 9(b), 11, 15 and 16 shall survive such
termination and remain in full force and effect.
No
action taken pursuant to this Section 10 shall relieve
any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its
default.
In the
event of any such default which does not result in a termination of
this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after
the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the
obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell
the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either
(i) the Representative or (ii) the Company shall have the
right to postpone the Closing Time or the relevant Date of
Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days
in order to effect any required changes in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in
any other documents or arrangements.
16
SECTION
11. Default by the
Company. If the Company shall fail at the Closing Time or a
Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell the number of
Securities that it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this
Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any
nondefaulting party; provided, however, that the provisions of
Sections 1,
4, 6, 7, 8, 9(b), 11, 15 and 16 shall remain in full force
and effect. No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve
the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such
default.
SECTION
12. Notices. All
notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by
any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters
shall be directed to the Representative at Canaccord Genuity LLC,
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx, 00000, Attention: General
Counsel; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at
SharpSpring, Inc., 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX
00000, Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
In
accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III
of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the
Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information
that identifies their respective clients, including the Company,
which information may include the name and address of their
respective clients, as well as other information that will allow
the Underwriters to properly identify their respective
clients.
SECTION
13. No Advisory or
Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees
that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to
this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering
price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions,
is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the
Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the
other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the
Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and
has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or
fiduciary of the Company or its respective stockholders, creditors,
employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed
or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of
the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities or the
process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter
has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters)
and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect
to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly
set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their
respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of
transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the
Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal,
accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering
of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective
legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it
deemed appropriate.
SECTION
14. Parties. This
Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon
the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors.
Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or
shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other
than the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors
and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to
in Sections 6
and 7 and their
heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any
provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive
benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and their respective
successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors
and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of
no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities
from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason
merely of such purchase. In all dealings hereunder, the
Representatives, acting jointly, shall act on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and
rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of
any Underwriter made or given by the Representative, acting
jointly.
SECTION
15. Trial by Jury.
The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by
applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and
each of the Underwriters 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.
SECTION
16. GOVERNING LAW.
THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER
OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD
TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.
SECTION
17. TIME. TIME
SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET
FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY
TIME.
17
SECTION
18. Partial
Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect
the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or
provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this
Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or
unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes
(and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and
enforceable.
SECTION
19. Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same
Agreement.
SECTION
20. Effect of
Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience
only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION
21. Entire
Agreement. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements
and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company
and the Underwriters with respect to the subject matter
hereof.
[Remainder
of the page intentionally left blank; signature page
follows]
18
If the
foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart
hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts,
will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the
Company in accordance with its terms.
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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 Financial Officer
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CONFIRMED
AND ACCEPTED,
as
of the date first above written:
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CANACCORD
GENUITY LLC
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By:
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/s/
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
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Authorized
Signatory
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Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx,
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Xx.
Managing Director
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For
itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in
Schedule A
hereto.
19
Schedule A
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Name of Underwriter
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Number of Initial Securities
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Canaccord
Genuity LLC
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577,500
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Xxxxx-Xxxxxx
Capital Group LLC
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96,250
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Lake
Street Capital Markets, LLC
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96,250
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Total
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770,000
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Price per
share:
$12.22
20
Schedule B-1
PRICING TERMS
Issuer:
SharpSpring, Inc. (NASDAQ: SHSP) (the
“Company”)
Shares
offered by the Company: 770,000
Shares
offered by the Company included in Underwriters’ option to
purchase additional shares: 115,500
Price
to Public: $13.00
21
Schedule B-2
FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES
None.
22
Schedule C
LIST OF PERSONS AND ENTITIES SUBJECT TO LOCK-UP
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
Evercel,
Inc.
23
Schedule D
SUBSIDIARIES
SharpSpring
Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation
InterInbox
Sa, a Swiss corporation
InterCloud
Limited, a Gibraltar limited company
ERNEPH
2012A (Pty) Ltd. dba ISMS, a South African limited
company
ERNEPH
2012B (Pty) Ltd. dba GraphicMail South Africa, a South African
limited company
24
Exhibit A
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
_______________,
2019
Canaccord
Genuity LLC
As
Representative of the Several Underwriters
00
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
This
agreement is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed
underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”),
between SharpSpring, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), and you, as representative (the
“Representative”) of the several underwriters named
therein (the “Underwriters”), relating to an
underwritten public offering (the “Offering”) of common
stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the
“Common Stock”).
In
order to induce the Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting
Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written
consent of the Representative, offer, sell, contract to sell,
pledge or otherwise transfer or dispose of (or enter into any
transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected
to, result in the disposition of (whether by actual disposition or
effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise)
by the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned or any
person in privity with the undersigned or any affiliate of the
undersigned), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or
participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the
Securities and Exchange Commission in respect of, or establish or
increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call
equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated
thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) with respect to, any
shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or publicly announce
an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period from the
date hereof until, and including the date that is, 90 days after
the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock-Up
Period”). The restrictions described in the foregoing
sentence shall not apply to:
a. the transfer of
shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (i) to the spouse,
domestic partner, parent, sibling, child or grandchild of the
undersigned or any other person with whom the undersigned has a
relationship by blood, marriage or adoption not more remote than
first cousin (each, an “immediate family member”) or to
a trust, or other entity formed for estate planning purposes,
formed for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or of
an immediate family member of the undersigned; (ii) by bona fide
gift, will or intestacy; (iii) if the undersigned is a corporation,
partnership, limited liability company or other business entity (A)
to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company or
other business entity that controls, is controlled by or is under
common control with the undersigned or (B) as part of a
disposition, transfer or distribution by the undersigned to its
members, limited partners or equity holders; or (iv) if the
undersigned is a trust, to a trustor or beneficiary of the trust;
provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant
to this clause (a), (1) each transferee, trustee, donee or
distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up agreement
substantially in the form of this agreement for the balance of the
Lock-Up Period, and (2) no filing under the Exchange Act shall be
required or shall be voluntarily made during the Lock-Up
Period;
b. the receipt by the
undersigned from the Company of shares of Common Stock (the
“Plan Shares”) upon the vesting of restricted stock
awards or exercise of options to purchase the Company’s
securities issued pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive
plans or the transfer of shares of Common Stock or any securities
convertible into Common Stock to the Company upon a vesting event
of the Company’s securities or upon the exercise of options
or warrants to purchase the Company’s securities, in each
case on a “cashless” or “net exercise”
basis or to cover tax obligations of the undersigned in connection
with such vesting or exercise, provided that any filing under the
Exchange Act shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that
the filing relates to such exercise, vesting, or sale or transfer
to cover tax withholding obligations and provided further, that the
Plan Shares shall be subject to the terms of this
agreement;
c. the transfer of
shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock to the Company,
pursuant to agreements under which the Company may (either with or
without the prior consent of the undersigned) repurchase, repay or
otherwise redeem such shares or securities or exercise a right of
first refusal with respect to transfers of such shares or
securities;
d. the establishment
of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act
for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such
plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the
Lock-Up Period and (ii) no public announcement or filing under the
Exchange Act is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of
the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such
plan; or
e. the transfer of
shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock that occurs by
operation of law including pursuant to a qualified domestic order
or in connection with a divorce settlement, provided that the
transferee signs and delivers a lock-up agreement substantially in
the form of this agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up
Period.
In
addition, the undersigned hereby waives any rights the undersigned
may have to require registration of Common Stock in connection with
the filing of a registration statement relating to the Offering.
The undersigned further agrees that, for the Lock-Up Period, the
undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the
Representative, make any demand for, or exercise any right with
respect to, the registration of Common Stock or any other
securities of the Company that are substantially similar to Common
Stock (including any securities that derive value therefrom), or
any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock, or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock
or any such other securities. In addition, the undersigned hereby
waives any and all preemptive rights, participation rights, resale
rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights that the
undersigned may have in connection with the Offering or with any
issuance or sale by the Company of any equity or other securities
before the Offering.
In
furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed
transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities
described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any
transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a
violation or breach of this agreement.
The
undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has
full power and authority to enter into this agreement. All
authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred shall survive
the death or incapacity of the undersigned and any obligations of
the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns,
heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
If for
any reason the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated prior to
the Closing Date (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement), the
agreement set forth above shall likewise be
terminated.
Yours
very truly,
Name:____________________________________
By:___________
25