Exhibit 10.23
Toscana Group, Inc.-Class A Warrant
NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF HAVE BEEN
REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT")
OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM
THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR
THE SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF MAY BE SOLD, PLEDGED, TRANSFERRED,
ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR IN A TRANSACTION WHICH IS EXEMPT FROM
REGISTRATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY APPLICABLE STATE
LAWS.
STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
To Purchase 200,000 Shares of Common Stock of
AMERICANA PUBLISHING, INC.
THIS CERTIFIES that, for value received, TOSCANA GROUP, INC. (the
"Holder"), is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on
exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the
date hereof (the "Initial Exercise Date") and on or prior to the close of
business on March __, 2009 (the "Termination Date") but not thereafter, to
subscribe for and purchase from AMERICANA PUBLISHING, INC., a corporation
incorporated in the State of Colorado (the "Company"), 200,000 shares of the
Company's common stock, $.001 par value (the "Common Stock" and/or "Warrant
Shares"). The purchase price of one share of Common Stock (the "Exercise Price")
under this Warrant shall be the lesser of (i) the average of the lowest 3
trading prices during the 30 trading days immediately prior to the date hereof
discounted by 50% or (ii) the average of the lowest 3 trading days immediately
prior to the exercise date discounted by 50%. The Exercise Price and the number
of shares for which the Warrant is exercisable shall be subject to adjustment as
provided herein. The shares underlying this Warrant shall have registration
rights as set forth in a Registration Rights Agreement of even date herewith.
1.Title to Warrant. Prior to the Termination Date and subject to
compliance with applicable laws, this Warrant and all rights hereunder are
transferable, in whole or in part, at the office or agency of the Company by the
Holder hereof in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this
Warrant together with the Assignment Form annexed hereto properly endorsed.
2.Authorization of Shares. The Company covenants that all shares of
Common Stock which may be issued upon the exercise of rights represented by this
Warrant will, upon exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant, be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all
taxes, liens and charges in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in
respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).
3.Exercise of Warrant.
1. Except as provided in Section 4 herein, exercise of the purchase
rights represented by this Warrant may be made at any time or times on or
after the Initial Exercise Date, and before the close of business on the
Termination Date by the surrender of this Warrant and the Notice of
Exercise Form annexed hereto duly executed, at the office of the Company
(or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by
notice in writing to the registered holder hereof at the address of such
holder appearing on the books of the Company) and upon payment of the
Exercise Price of the shares thereby purchased by wire transfer or
cashier's check drawn on a United States bank, the holder of this Warrant
shall be entitled to receive a certificate for the number of shares of
Common Stock so purchased. Certificates for shares purchased hereunder
shall be delivered to the holder hereof within three (3) trading days after
the date on which this Warrant shall have been exercised as aforesaid. This
Warrant shall be deemed to have been exercised and such certificate or
certificates shall be deemed to have been issued, and Holder or any other
person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a
holder of record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the
Warrant has been exercised by payment to the Company of the Exercise Price
and all taxes required to be paid by Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 5
prior to the issuance of such shares.
2. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company
shall, at the time of delivery of the certificate or certificates
representing Warrant Shares, deliver to Holder a new Warrant evidencing the
rights of Holder to purchase the unpurchased shares of Common Stock called
for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be
identical with this Warrant.
3. This Warrant shall also be exercisable by means of a "cashless
exercise" in which the holder shall be entitled to receive a certificate
for the number of shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B)
(X)] by (A), where:
(A) = the average of the high and low trading prices per share of
Common Stock on the trading day preceding the date of such election on
the Nasdaq Stock Market, or if the Common Stock is not traded on the
Nasdaq Stock Market, then the principal market in terms of volume, and
converted into US Dollars;
(B) = the Exercise Price of the Warrants; and
(X) = the number of shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants
in accordance with the terms of this Warrant.
4. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip
representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this
Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which Holder would otherwise be entitled
to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its option, pay a cash
adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to the Exercise
Price or round such amount up to the next whole share.
5. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of certificates for shares of
Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to
the Holder hereof for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in
respect of the issuance of such certificate, all of which taxes and expenses
shall be paid by the Company, and such certificates shall be issued in the name
of the Holder of this Warrant or in such name or names as may be directed by the
Holder of this Warrant; provided, however, that in the event certificates for
shares of Common Stock are to be issued in a name other than the name of the
Holder of this Warrant, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be
accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder
hereof, and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a
sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto.
6. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its shareholder books or
records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant.
7. Transfer, Division and Combination. (a) Subject to compliance with any
applicable securities laws, transfer of this Warrant and all rights hereunder,
in whole or in part, shall be registered on the books of the Company to be
maintained for such purpose, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal
office of the Company, together with a written assignment of this Warrant
substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by Holder or its agent
or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the
making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the
Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the
assignee or assignees and in the denomination or denominations specified in such
instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant
evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall
promptly be cancelled. A Warrant, if properly assigned, may be exercised by a
new holder for the purchase of shares of Common Stock without having a new
Warrant issued.
(b) This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon
presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a
written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants
are to be issued, signed by Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to
compliance with Section 7(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in
such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new
Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided
or combined in accordance with such notice.
(c) The Company shall prepare, issue and deliver at its own expense
(other than transfer taxes) the new Warrant or Warrants under this Section
7.
(d) The Company agrees to maintain, at its aforesaid office, books for
the registration and the registration of transfer of the Warrants.
8. No Rights as Shareholder until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle
the Holder hereof to any voting rights or other rights as a shareholder of the
Company prior to the exercise hereof. Upon the surrender of this Warrant and the
payment of the aggregate Exercise Price, the Warrant Shares so purchased shall
be and be deemed to be issued to such holder as the record owner of such shares
as of the close of business on the later of the date of such surrender or
payment.
9. Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants
that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant certificate or any
stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or
destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which shall
not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of
such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and
deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such
cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.
10. Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the
taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein
shall be a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, then such action may be taken or
such right may be exercised until 5:00 P.M. New York Time on the next succeeding
day not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
11. Adjustments of Exercise Price and Number of Warrant Shares. (a) Stock
Splits, etc. The number and kind of securities purchasable upon the exercise of
this Warrant and the Exercise Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time upon the happening of any of the following. In case the Company shall (i)
pay a dividend in shares of Common Stock or make a distribution in shares of
Common Stock to holders of its outstanding Common Stock, (ii) subdivide its
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares of Common
Stock, (iii) combine its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares of Common Stock or (iv) issue any shares of its capital stock
in a reclassification of the Common Stock, then the number of Warrant Shares
purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately prior thereto shall be
adjusted so that the holder of this Warrant shall be entitled to receive the
kind and number of Warrant Shares or other securities of the Company which it
would have owned or have been entitled to receive had such Warrant been
exercised in advance thereof. Upon each such adjustment of the kind and number
of Warrant Shares or other securities of the Company which are purchasable
hereunder, the holder of this Warrant shall thereafter be entitled to purchase
the number of Warrant Shares or other securities resulting from such adjustment
at an Exercise Price per Warrant Share or other security obtained by multiplying
the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment by the number
of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant hereto immediately prior to such
adjustment and dividing by the number of Warrant Shares or other securities of
the Company resulting from such adjustment. An adjustment made pursuant to this
paragraph shall become effective immediately after the effective date of such
event retroactive to the record date, if any, for such event.
12. Reorganization, Reclassification, Merger, Consolidation or Disposition
of Assets. In case the Company shall reorganize its capital, reclassify its
capital stock, consolidate or merge with or into another corporation (where the
Company is not the surviving corporation or where there is a change in or
distribution with respect to the Common Stock of the Company), or sell, transfer
or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all its property, assets or
business to another corporation and, pursuant to the terms of such
reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or disposition of
assets, shares of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation, or any
cash, shares of stock or other securities or property of any nature whatsoever
(including warrants or other subscription or purchase rights) in addition to or
in lieu of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation ("Other
Property"), are to be received by or distributed to the holders of Common Stock
of the Company, then Holder shall have the right thereafter to receive, upon
exercise of this Warrant, the number of shares of common stock of the successor
or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation,
and Other Property receivable upon or as a result of such reorganization,
reclassification, merger, consolidation or disposition of assets by a holder of
the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable
immediately prior to such event. In case of any such reorganization,
reclassification, merger, consolidation or disposition of assets, the successor
or acquiring corporation (if other than the Company) shall expressly assume the
due and punctual observance and performance of each and every covenant and
condition of this Warrant to be performed and observed by the Company and all
the obligations and liabilities hereunder, subject to such modifications as may
be deemed appropriate (as determined in good faith by resolution of the Board of
Directors of the Company) in order to provide for adjustments of shares of
Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable which shall be as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Section 12.
For purposes of this Section 12, "common stock of the successor or acquiring
corporation" shall include stock of such corporation of any class which is not
preferred as to dividends or assets over any other class of stock of such
corporation and which is not subject to redemption and shall also include any
evidences of indebtedness, shares of stock or other securities which are
convertible into or exchangeable for any such stock, either immediately or upon
the arrival of a specified date or the happening of a specified event and any
warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any such stock. The
foregoing provisions of this Section 12 shall similarly apply to successive
reorganizations, reclassifications, mergers, consolidations or disposition of
assets.
13. Voluntary Adjustment by the Company. The Company may at any time during
the term of this Warrant, reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount
and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
Company.
14. Notice of Adjustment. Whenever the number of Warrant Shares or number
or kind of securities or other property purchasable upon the exercise of this
Warrant or the Exercise Price is adjusted, as herein provided, the Company shall
promptly mail by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the
holder of this Warrant notice of such adjustment or adjustments setting forth
the number of Warrant Shares (and other securities or property) purchasable upon
the exercise of this Warrant and the Exercise Price of such Warrant Shares (and
other securities or property) after such adjustment, setting forth a brief
statement of the facts requiring such adjustment and setting forth the
computation by which such adjustment was made. Such notice, in the absence of
manifest error, shall be conclusive evidence of the correctness of such
adjustment.
15. Notice of Corporate Action. If at any time:
(a) the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Common Stock
for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or other
distribution, or any right to subscribe for or purchase any evidences of
its indebtedness, any shares of stock of any class or any other securities
or property, or to receive any other right, or
(b) there shall be any capital reorganization of the Company, any
reclassification or recapitalization of the capital stock of the Company or
any consolidation or merger of the Company with, or any sale, transfer or
other disposition of all or substantially all the property, assets or
business of the Company to, another corporation or,
(c) there shall be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation
or winding up of the Company;
then, in any one or more of such cases, the Company shall give to
Holder (i) at least 30 days' prior written notice of the date on which
a record date shall be selected for such dividend, distribution or
right or for determining rights to vote in respect of any such
reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation, sale,
transfer, disposition, liquidation or winding up, and (ii) in the case
of any such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation,
sale, transfer, disposition, dissolution, liquidation or winding up,
at least 30 days' prior written notice of the date when the same shall
take place. Such notice in accordance with the foregoing clause also
shall specify (i) the date on which any such record is to be taken for
the purpose of such dividend, distribution or right, the date on which
the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to any such dividend,
distribution or right, and the amount and character thereof, and (ii)
the date on which any such reorganization, reclassification, merger,
consolidation, sale, transfer, disposition, dissolution, liquidation
or winding up is to take place and the time, if any such time is to be
fixed, as of which the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to
exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities or other property
deliverable upon such disposition, dissolution, liquidation or winding
up. Each such written notice shall be sufficiently given if addressed
to Holder at the last address of Holder appearing on the books of the
Company.
16. Authorized Shares. The Company covenants that during the period
the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued
Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the
Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The
Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute
full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of executing stock
certificates to execute and issue the necessary certificates for the Warrant
Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company
will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such
Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any
applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the principal market
upon which the Common Stock may be listed.
The Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation,
amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization,
transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of
securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance
or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in
good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all
such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder
against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Company will (a) not increase the par value of any shares of Common Stock
receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the amount payable therefor
upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (b) take all
such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock
upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (c) use commercially reasonable efforts
to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public
regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof as may be necessary to enable the
Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.
Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number
of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the
Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions
thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory
body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.
17. Miscellaneous.
(a) Jurisdiction. This Warrant shall be binding upon any successors or
assigns of the Company. This Warrant shall constitute a contract under the
laws of New York, without regard to its conflict of law, principles or
rules, and be subject to arbitration in the city of New York pursuant to
the rules of the American Arbitration Association.
4. Restrictions. The Holder hereof acknowledges that
the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not
registered, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and
federal securities laws.
5. Non-waiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any
delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder
shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice
Holder's rights, powers or remedies, notwithstanding all rights
hereunder terminate on the Termination Date. If the Company willfully
fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, the Company shall
pay to Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs
and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys'
fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by Holder in
collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing
any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.
6.Notices. Any notice, request or other document required
or permitted to be given or delivered to the Holder hereof by the
Company shall be delivered to the address of the Holder set forth in
the Finders Agreement between the Holder and the Company.
7.Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the
absence of affirmative action by Holder to purchase shares of Common
Stock, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of Holder
hereof, shall give rise to any liability of Holder for the purchase
price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether
such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the
Company.
8.Remedies. Holder, in addition to being entitled to
exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages,
will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this
Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be
adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by
it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive the
defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law
would be adequate.
9.Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities
laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby
shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors of
the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The
provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of all
holders from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by
any such Holder or any other holder of Warrant Shares.
10.Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless Holder from and against any liabilities, obligations,
losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs,
attorneys' fees, expenses and disbursements of any kind which may be
imposed upon, incurred by or asserted against Holder in any manner
relating to or arising out of any failure by the Company to perform or
observe in any material respect any of its covenants, agreements,
undertakings or obligations set forth in this Warrant; provided,
however, that the Company will not be liable hereunder to the extent
that any liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties,
actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs, attorneys' fees, expenses or
disbursements are found in a final non-appealable judgment by a court
to have resulted from Holder's negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct in its capacity as a stockholder or warrantholder of the
Company.
11.Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or
the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company
and the Holder.
12.Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this
Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and
valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall
be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall
be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity,
without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining
provisions of this Warrant.
13.Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the
convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be
deemed a part of this Warrant.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by
its officer thereunto duly authorized.
Dated: March __, 2002
AMERICAN PUBLISHING, INC
By:_____________________________
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, President
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
To: Americana Publishing, Inc.
4. The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ shares of Common
Stock (the "Common Stock") of Americana Publishing, Inc. pursuant to the terms
of the attached Warrant, and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in
full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
5. Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said shares of
Common Stock in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is
specified below:
_______________________________
(Name)
_______________________________
(Address)
_______________________________
Dated:
______________________________
Signature
NY:98185.1
ASSIGNMENT FORM
(To assign the foregoing warrant, execute this form and supply required
information. Do not use this form to exercise the warrant.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby
are hereby assigned to
______________________________ whose address is
______________________________.
______________________________
Dated: ______________, _______
Holder's Signature:_____________________________
Holder's Address: _____________________________
_____________________________
Signature Guaranteed: _______________________________
NOTE: The signature to this Assignment Form must correspond with the name
as it appears on the face of the Warrant, without alteration or enlargement or
any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank or trust company.
Officers of corporations and those acting in an fiduciary or other
representative capacity should file proper evidence of authority to assign the
foregoing Warrant.
