QUEST RESOURCE HOLDING CORPORATION 6,890,000 Shares of Common Stock 3,445,000 Warrants to Purchase 3,445,000 Shares of Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.2
QUEST RESOURCE HOLDING CORPORATION
6,890,000 Shares of Common Stock
3,445,000 Warrants to Purchase 3,445,000 Shares of Common Stock
March 24, 2016
Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC
000 Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
As Representative of the Several Underwriters
Named on Schedule I hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Quest Resource Holding Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters,” or each, an “Underwriter”), for whom Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC is acting as representative (the “Representative”), an aggregate of 6,890,000 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company. The Company shall issue and sell to the Underwriters one warrant to purchase one (1) share of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.485 per share (each, a “Warrant”), or an aggregate of 3,445,000 Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 3,445,000 shares of Common Stock, which represents fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate amount of Firm Shares issued and sold by the Company (the “Firm Warrants”). The Company has granted the Underwriters the option to purchase an aggregate of up to 1,033,500 additional shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares”) and/or up to 516,750 warrants to purchase an additional 516,750 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.485 per share (the “Option Warrants”) as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the offering. The Firm Shares, the Firm Warrants, the Option Shares and the Option Warrants are collectively referred to as the “Securities”.
The Company and the several Underwriters hereby confirm their agreement as follows:
1. Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-198373) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”), and such amendments to such registration statement (including post effective amendments) as may have been required to the date of this Agreement and a preliminary prospectus supplement or “red xxxxxxx” pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. Such registration statement, as amended (including any post effective amendments), has been declared effective by the Commission. Such registration statement, including amendments thereto (including post effective amendments thereto) as of the latest time of effectiveness thereof (the “Effective Time”), the exhibits and any schedules thereto, the documents and information otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by the Securities Act or otherwise pursuant to the Rules and Regulations, including Rule 430, and the Prospectus, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” If the Company has filed or files an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.
The Company is filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities to the Base Prospectus. The form of prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective, as it may have been amended, modified or supplemented and filed with the Commission after such effective date and prior to the date hereof pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3), including particularly as modified on March 23, 2016, is hereinafter called the “Base Prospectus,” and such final prospectus supplement, as filed, along with the Base Prospectus, is hereinafter called the “Final Prospectus.” Such Final Prospectus and the preliminary prospectus supplement or “red xxxxxxx” relating to the Securities filed on March 23, 2016 with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called a “Prospectus.”
For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Final 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. All references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the subsequent filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference therein or otherwise deemed by the Rules and Regulations to be a part thereof.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company Regarding the Offering.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(c) below) and as of the Option Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(b) below), except as otherwise indicated, as follows:
(i) At each time of effectiveness, at the date hereof and at the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, if any, the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not, does not and will not, as the case may be, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Time of Sale Disclosure Package (as defined in Section 2(a)(iii)(A)(1) below) as of the date hereof, at the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, if any, and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date, at the time of filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and at the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, if any, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or any Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by
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any Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f). The Registration Statement contains all exhibits and schedules required to be filed by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. No order preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of the Registration Statement or any Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.
(ii) The Company has not distributed any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the roadshow or investor presentations delivered to and approved by the Representative for use in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (the “Marketing Materials”).
(iii) (A) The Company has provided a copy to the Underwriters of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) used in the sale of the Securities. The Company has filed all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses required to be so filed with the Commission, and no order preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission. When taken together with the rest of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, no Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities, has, does or will include (1) any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (2) information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus. The representations and warranties set forth in the immediately preceding sentence shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof. As used in this paragraph and elsewhere in this Agreement:
(1) “Time of Sale Disclosure Package” means the Base Prospectus, the preliminary prospectus supplement or “red xxxxxxx” relating to the Securities filed on March 23, 2016 with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented), each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and the description of the transaction provided by the Underwriters included on Schedule II.
(2) “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to the Securities that (A) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, or (B) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) or (d)(8) under the Securities Act, 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
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Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall not include any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that was prepared by any Underwriter or provided to any person by any Underwriter without the knowledge and consent of the Company.
(B) At the time of filing of the Registration Statement and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act or an “excluded issuer” as defined in Rule 164 under the Securities Act. The Company meets the requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Company has filed in a timely manner all reports required to be filed pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(e), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof.
(C) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus satisfied, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below in Section 4(a)(i)), all other conditions as may be applicable to its use as set forth in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act, including any legend, record-keeping or other requirements.
(iv) The financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes and schedules, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods therein specified in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved except, in the case of the Company’s quarterly financial statements, the absence of footnotes and normal year-end adjustments; and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. No other financial statements, pro forma financial information or schedules are required under the Securities Act to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus.
(v) To the Company’s knowledge, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, is an independent public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(vi) The Company had a reasonable basis for, and made in good faith, each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or the Marketing Materials, in each case at the time such “forward-looking statement” was made.
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(vii) All statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, or included in the Marketing Materials, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate.
(viii) The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, there is no action pending by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, by the NASDAQ Capital Market to delist the Common Stock from the NASDAQ Capital Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the NASDAQ Capital Market is currently contemplating terminating such listing. The Company has submitted a Notification Form: Listing of Additional Shares with the NASDAQ Capital Market with respect to the Securities.
(ix) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(x) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the net proceeds thereof, will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(b) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or to the Underwriters’ counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
3. Representations and Warranties Regarding the Company.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with, the several Underwriters, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(c) below) and as of the Option Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(b) below), except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as follows:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other entity in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. The Company has the corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or other entity in good standing in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary and in which the failure to so qualify would have or is reasonably likely to result in a material adverse effect upon the business, prospects, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries as set forth in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015
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(collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) taken as a whole, or in their ability to perform their obligations under this Agreement (“Material Adverse Effect”).
(ii) The Company has the corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the Warrants and to authorize, issue and sell the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrants. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and constitutes a valid, legal and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity.
(iii) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not (A) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any law, order, rule or regulation to which the Company or any Subsidiary is subject, or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound, except to the extent such breach, violation or default is not reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, (B) conflict with, result in any violation or breach of, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) (a “Default Acceleration Event”) of, any agreement, lease, credit facility, debt, note, bond, mortgage, indenture or other instrument (the “Contracts”) or obligation or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, except to the extent that such conflict, default or Default Acceleration Event is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or by-laws, as amended.
(iv) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation, breach or default under its Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, by-laws, as amended, or other equivalent organizational or governing documents.
(v) No consents, approvals, orders, authorizations or filings are required on the part of the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement and the issue and sale of the Securities, except (A) the registration under the Securities Act of the Securities, (B) such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws and the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the several Underwriters, (C) the necessary filings and approvals from the NASDAQ Capital Market to list the Securities and (D) such consents, approvals, orders, authorizations and filings the failure of which to make or obtain is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(vi) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and conform in all material respects to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Except for the issuances of options or restricted stock units in the ordinary course of business, since the respective dates as of which information is provided in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has not entered into or granted any convertible or exchangeable securities, options, warrants, agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company any shares of the capital stock of the Company. The Securities, when issued and paid for as provided herein, will be duly authorized and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable, will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and will be free of preemptive, registration or similar rights and will conform to the description of the capital stock of the Company contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Securities, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(vii) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has (A) filed all foreign, federal, state and local returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof and (B) paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due and payable on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or any Subsidiary, as applicable, except, in all cases, for any such amounts that the Company or any Subsidiary, as applicable, is contesting in good faith and except in any case in which the failure to so file or pay would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
(viii) Since the respective dates as of which information is given (including by incorporation by reference) in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its
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capital stock, (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or the issuance of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units under the Company’s existing stock awards plan, or any new grants thereof in the ordinary course of business), (d) there has not been any material change in the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s long-term or short-term debt, and (e) there has not been the occurrence of any Material Adverse Effect.
(ix) There is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened, any action, suit or proceeding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is the subject before or by any court or governmental agency, authority or body, or any arbitrator or mediator, which is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect or adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Warrants.
(x) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries holds, and is in compliance with, all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders (“Permits”) of any governmental or self-regulatory agency, authority or body required for the conduct of its business, and all such Permits are in full force and effect, in each case except where the failure to hold, or comply with, any of them is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xi) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all property (whether real or personal) described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being owned by it that is material to the business of the Company and each Subsidiary, in each case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests, other encumbrances or defects, except those that are not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The property held under lease by the Company or any Subsidiary is held by it under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any particular lease as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
(xii) The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess sufficient rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (“Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted, in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and the conduct of their respective businesses will not conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others, and all Intellectual Property owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries is free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, defects or other restrictions (other than non-exclusive licenses granted in the ordinary course), except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim
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of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any rights of others in Intellectual Property in connection with the conduct of its business which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any basis for a finding that any Intellectual Property that is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries is invalid or unenforceable, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(xiii) The Company has complied with, is not in violation of, and has not received any notice of violation relating to any law, rule or regulation relating to the conduct of its business, or the ownership or operation of its property and assets, including, without limitation, (A) the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, or any money laundering laws, rules or regulations, (B) any laws, rules or regulations related to health, safety or the environment, including those relating to the regulation of hazardous substances, (C) the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (D) the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and the rules and regulations thereunder, and (E) the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the rules and regulations thereunder, in each case except where the failure to be in compliance is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiv) Neither the Company nor, to the actual knowledge of the Company without any independent investigation, any director, officer, employee, representative, agent or affiliate of the Company is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(xv) The Company carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for similarly sized companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.
(xvi) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, that is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation, breach or default of any Contract, which violation, breach or default is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) No supplier, customer, distributor or sales agent of the Company or any Subsidiary has notified the Company or any Subsidiary that it intends to discontinue or decrease the rate of business done with the Company or any Subsidiary,
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except where such discontinuance or decrease is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xix) There are no claims, payments, issuances, arrangements or understandings for services in the nature of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee with respect to the introduction of the Company to any Underwriter or the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuances with respect to the Company that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
(xx) Except as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, investing fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who provided capital to the Company, (ii) any FINRA member, or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member within the 12-month period prior to the date on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (“Filing Date”) or thereafter.
(xxi) None of the net proceeds of the offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or any affiliate or associate of any participating FINRA member, except as specifically authorized herein.
(xxii) Except as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to the Company’s actual knowledge without any independent investigation, no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) owner of 5% or more of the Company’s unregistered securities or (iii) owner of any amount of the Company’s unregistered securities acquired within the 180-day period prior to the Filing Date, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member. The Company will advise the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters if the Company becomes aware that any officer, director or stockholder of the Company is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the offering.
(xxiii) Other than the Underwriters, no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
(xxiv) The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein are accurate, complete and fair and insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, are accurate, complete and fair.
(xxv) Except as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there
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are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right (other than rights which have been waived in writing or otherwise satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.
(xxvi) Except as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not sold or issued any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date of the Prospectus, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulations D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.
(xxvii) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) is in compliance with all, and has not violated any, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including, without limitation, any international, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources, or to hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (including, without limitation, all health and safety laws) (“Environmental Laws”) applicable to such entity, which compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining, maintaining and complying with all permits and authorizations and approvals required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to comply would not, singularly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) has not received written notice of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any potential liability for or other obligation concerning the presence, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants.
(A) | There are no proceedings that are pending, or known to the Company or any Subsidiary to be contemplated, against the Company or any Subsidiary under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a party. |
(B) | Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is aware of any existing liabilities concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. |
(C) | To the knowledge of the Company and each Subsidiary, no property which is or has been owned, leased, used, operated or occupied by the Company or any Subsidiary has been designated |
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as a Superfund site pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation of Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Section 9601, et. seq.), or otherwise designated as a contaminated site under applicable state or local law. |
(xxviii) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting.
(xxix) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(xxx) The operations of the Company and each Subsidiary are being conducted in material compliance with applicable employment laws, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Employee Benefit Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Employee Benefit Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened that if determined against the Company or any Subsidiary would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxi) Neither the Company or any Subsidiary, nor to the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s knowledge (A) any director, officer, or employee, or (B) any of its affiliates, or (C) any agent or representative of the Company, any Subsidiary, or of any of its affiliates, has taken any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company, each Subsidiary and affiliates conduct their businesses in compliance in all material respects with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance in all material respects with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.
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4. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Securities.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Firm Shares and/or the Firm Warrants to the several Underwriters, and the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase the respective numbers of Firm Shares and/or Firm Warrants set forth opposite the names of the Underwriters in Schedule I hereto. The purchase price for each Firm Share and Firm Warrant shall be $0.45105 per share and Warrant (the “Purchase Price”).
(b) The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the option to purchase some or all of the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants and, upon the basis of the warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all or any portion of the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants at their respective Purchase Price as may be necessary to cover short positions created by the Underwriters in connection with over-sales to customers. This option may be exercised by the Underwriters in whole or in part (i) at any time prior to the Closing Date and (ii) after the Closing Date, at any time on or before the thirtieth (30th) day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Company (the “Option Notice”). The Option Notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants, as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants, as the case may be, are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Closing Date (as defined below) nor, in the case of an option exercise occurring after the Closing Date, earlier than the first business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised unless the Company and the Underwriters otherwise agree in writing. Such Option Shares and/or Option Warrants shall be purchased, severally and not jointly, from the Company for the account of each Underwriter in the same proportion as the number of shares of Firm Shares and/or Firm Warrants set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name on Schedule I bears to the total number of shares of Firm Shares and/or Firm Warrants (subject to adjustment by the Underwriters to eliminate fractions).
Payment of the purchase price for and delivery of the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants shall be made on the Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Firm Shares and the Firm Warrants as set forth in subparagraph (c) below.
(c) The Firm Shares and/or the Firm Warrants will be delivered by the Company to the Representative, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of same day funds payable to the order of the Company at the offices of Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC, 000 Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 6:00 a.m. PDT, on the third (or if the Firm Shares and/or the Firm Warrants are priced, as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) under the Exchange Act, after 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, the fourth) full business day following the date hereof, or at such other time and date as the Representative and the Company determine pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, or, in the case of the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants, at such date and time set forth in the Option Notice. The time and date of delivery of the Firm Shares and/or the Firm Warrants is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” On the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, the Company shall deliver the Firm Shares, the Firm Warrants, the Option Shares or the Option Warrants, as applicable, which shall be registered in the name or names and shall be in such denominations as the Representative may request at least one (1) business day before the Closing
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Date, to the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, which delivery shall be made through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC system.
5. Covenants.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters as follows:
(i) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Securities Act.
(ii) During the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the date that the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an underwriter or dealer (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, including any Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representative for review and comment a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.
(iii) From the date of this Agreement until the end of the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall promptly advise the Representative in writing (A) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (B) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (C) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending its use or the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Stock from any securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that during the Prospectus Delivery Period it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A and 430B, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or 164(b) of the Securities Act).
(iv) (A) During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as now and hereafter
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amended, and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, and by the Exchange Act, as now and hereafter amended, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. If, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event occurs the result of which would cause the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) to include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which such statement was made, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary or appropriate in the opinion of the Company or its counsel or the Representative or counsel to the Underwriters to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) to comply with the Securities Act, or to file under the Exchange Act any document that would be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will promptly notify the Representative, allow the Representative the opportunity to provide reasonable comments on such amendment, prospectus supplement or document, and will amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) or file such document (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.
(B) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period there occurred or occurs an event or development the result of which is that such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or any Prospectus or included or would include, when taken together with the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, 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 prevailing 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.
(v) The Company shall take or cause to be taken all necessary action to qualify the Securities for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities, except that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified, to execute a general consent to service of process in any state or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise subject.
(vi) The Company will furnish to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, each Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request.
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(vii) The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a 12-month period that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.
(viii) The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, will pay or cause to be paid (A) all expenses (including transfer taxes allocated to the respective transferees) incurred in connection with the delivery to the Underwriters of the Securities, (B) all expenses and fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel) in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, delivery, and shipping of the Registration Statement (including the financial statements therein and all amendments, schedules, and exhibits thereto), the Securities, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, (C) all reasonable filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of the Underwriters’ counsel incurred in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale by the Underwriters or by dealers under the securities or blue sky laws of the states and other jurisdictions that the Representative shall designate, (D) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (E) the reasonable filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of Underwriters’ counsel incident to any required review and approval by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (F) listing fees, if any, and (G) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein. The Company will reimburse the Representative for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including its legal fees and disbursements, in connection with the purchase and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby up to an aggregate of $50,000 (including pursuant to clause (C) and (E) above) (the “Cap”). If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 or Section 9, the Company will reimburse the Representative for all out-of-pocket fees and disbursements (including, but not limited to, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges) incurred by the Representative in connection with its investigation, preparing to market and marketing the Securities or in contemplation of performing its obligations hereunder up to an aggregate amount equal to the Cap.
(ix) The Company hereby agrees to issue to the Representative (and/or its designees) on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, an option (the “Representative’s Warrant”) for the purchase of shares of Common Stock representing seven percent (7%) of the Securities purchased by the Underwriters on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable. The Representative’s Warrant shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, at an initial exercise price per share of $0.485, which is equal to 100% of the initial public offering price of the Securities. The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Representative’s Warrant and the underlying shares of Common Stock during the one hundred eighty (180) days after the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative’s Warrant, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any
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hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representative or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions. Delivery of the Representative’s Warrant shall be made on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.
(x) The Company intends to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities to be sold by it hereunder for the purposes set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Final Prospectus.
(xi) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any action designed to or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or that has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(xii) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses included in Schedule III. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Underwriters is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied or will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record-keeping.
(xiii) The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date hereof (“Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, 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, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Common Stock or any securities convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive Common Stock (including, without limitation, securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant); or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to preclude the Company from engaging in any hedging or other transaction that is designed to or that reasonably could be expected to
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lead to or result in a sale or disposition of Common Stock even if such Common Stock would be disposed of by someone other than the Company. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include, without limitation, any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including, without limitation, any put or call option) with respect to any Common Stock or with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from Common Stock. The restrictions contained in the first two sentences shall not apply to (1) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (2) the issuance of Common Stock upon the vesting of restricted stock units or awards and exercise of options, warrants or other exchange rights as disclosed as outstanding in the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto), the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or (3) the issuance of employee stock options not exercisable during the Lock-Up Period and the grant, redemption, forfeiture or distribution of restricted stock awards, restricted stock units or shares of Common Stock pursuant to equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(xiv) To engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Stock.
(xv) To use its reasonable best efforts to list the Securities on the NASDAQ Capital Market.
(xvi) To not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
6. Conditions of the Underwriters’ Obligations. The respective obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder to purchase the Securities are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof, at the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date (as if made on the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as applicable), of and compliance in all material respects with all representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained herein, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the following additional conditions:
(a) If filing of the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, is required under the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations, the Company shall have filed the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement) or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus with the Commission in the manner and within the time period so required (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or 164(b) under the Securities Act); the Registration Statement shall remain effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof, any Rule 462 Registration Statement, or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; any request of the Commission or the Representative for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus,
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any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the Representative’s reasonable satisfaction.
(b) The Securities shall be qualified for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market, subject to notice of official issuance.
(c) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(d) None of the Underwriters shall have reasonably determined, and advised the Company, that the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, contains an untrue statement of fact that, in the Underwriter’s legal counsel’s reasonable opinion, is material, or omits to state a fact which, in such Underwriter’s reasonable opinion, is material and is required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(e) On the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriters the opinion and negative assurance letter of Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, LLP, corporate counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and addressed to the Representative, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
(f) On the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriters the negative assurance letter of Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, and addressed to the Representative, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
(g) The Underwriters shall have received a letter of Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, LLP on the date hereof and on the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative, as representative of the Underwriters, at the request of the Company, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Prospectus. The letter shall also confirm that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualifications of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and confirming, as of the date of each such letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, as of a date not prior to the date hereof or more than five days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions and findings of said firm with respect to the financial information and other matters required by the Underwriters.
(h) On the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriters a certificate, dated the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, and addressed to the Representative, signed by the chief executive officer and the chief
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accounting officer of the Company, in their capacity as officers of the Company, to the effect that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement that are qualified by materiality or by reference to any Material Adverse Effect are true and correct in all respects, and all other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, in all material respects, as if made at and as of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part required to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable;
(ii) No stop order or other order (A) suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof, (B) suspending the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale, or (C) suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to their knowledge, is contemplated by the Commission or any state or regulatory body; and
(iii) There has been no occurrence of any event resulting or reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect during the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable.
(i) On or before the date hereof, the Representative shall have received duly executed “lock-up” agreements, in the form set forth on Schedule IV, among the Representative and each of the parties specified in Schedule V.
(j) The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters and their counsel such additional documents, certificates and evidence as the Underwriters or their counsel may have reasonably requested.
If any condition specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled in all material respects and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by written notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that Section 5(a)(viii), Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter or such person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
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arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Rules and Regulations, or arise out of or are based upon the omission from the Registration Statement, or alleged omission to state therein, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any documents filed under the Exchange Act and deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Marketing Materials or in any other materials prepared by the Company used in connection with the offering of the Securities, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with evaluating, investigating or defending against such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action (or any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the evaluation, investigation or defense thereof) arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f).
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or such person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f), and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with evaluating, investigating and defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action.
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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent such indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by such failure. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof; provided, however, that if (i) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (ii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), or (iii) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, the indemnified party together with all other indemnified parties shall have the right to employ a single counsel to represent it in any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 7, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party or parties and reimbursed to the indemnified party as incurred.
The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party or could be named and indemnity was or would be sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (a) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability for claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (b) 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) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (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 from the offering and sale of the Securities or (ii) if
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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 the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, 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 shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relevant intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and each Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d). The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount of such Underwriter’s commissions referenced in Section 4(a) actually received by such Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act; and the several obligations of each Underwriter under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that such Underwriter may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the Company, and its officers, directors and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.
(f) For purposes of this Agreement, each Underwriter severally confirms, and the Company acknowledges, that there is no information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for preparation of or inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, other than the statements set forth in the last paragraph on the cover page of the Prospectus, the marketing and legal names of each Underwriter, and the statements set forth in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus and Time of Sale Disclosure Package, only
23
insofar as such statements relate to the amount of selling concession and re-allowance or to overallotment, stabilization and related activities that may be undertaken by such Underwriter.
8. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations, warranties, and agreements of the Company contained herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto, including, but not limited to, the agreements of the several Underwriters and the Company contained in Section 5(a)(viii) and Section 7 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the several Underwriters or any controlling person thereof, or the Company or any of its officers, directors, or controlling persons, and shall survive delivery of, and payment for, the Securities to and by the Underwriters hereunder.
9. Termination of this Agreement.
(a) The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice to the Company as hereinafter specified at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date (as to the Option Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date only), if in the reasonable discretion of the Representative, (i) there has occurred any material adverse change in the securities markets or any event, act or occurrence that has materially disrupted, or in the reasonable opinion of the Representative, will in the future materially disrupt, the securities markets or there shall be such a material adverse change in general financial, political or economic conditions or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States is such as to make it, in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, inadvisable or impracticable to market the Securities or enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, (ii) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission, the NASDAQ Capital Market or trading in securities generally on the NASDAQ Capital Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE MKT shall have been suspended, (iii) minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on the NASDAQ Global Market, the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE MKT, by such exchange or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction, (iv) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or New York or California state authorities, (v) there shall have occurred any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States or international political, financial or economic conditions or any other calamity or crisis which, in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, makes it inadvisable or impracticable to market the Securities or enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, (vi) the Company suffers any loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance which would result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (vii) in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the assets, properties, condition, financial or otherwise, or in the results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 5(a)(viii) and Section 7 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
24
(b) If the Representative elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section, the Company and the other Underwriters shall be notified promptly by the Representative by telephone, confirmed by letter.
10. Substitution of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase Securities hereunder on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date and the aggregate number of Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total number of Securities to be purchased by all Underwriters on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall so default and the aggregate number of Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur is more than ten percent (10%) of the total number of Securities to be purchased by all Underwriters on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to the remaining Underwriters and the Company for the purchase of such shares by other persons are not made within forty-eight (48) hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate.
If the remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters are required hereby or agree to take up all or part of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date as provided in this Section 10, (i) the Company shall have the right to postpone such Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a period of not more than five (5) full business days in order to permit the Company to effect whatever changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, which may thereby be made necessary, and the Company agrees to promptly file any amendments to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which may thereby be made necessary, and (ii) the respective numbers of Securities to be purchased by the remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters shall be taken as the basis of their underwriting obligation for all purposes of this Agreement. Nothing herein contained shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability to the Company or any other Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company, except that the representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities, agreements and other statements set forth in Section 2 and 3, and the provisions of Section 5(a)(viii) and Section 7 and Sections 11 through 18, inclusive, shall not terminate and shall remain in full force and effect.
11. Notices. Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications hereunder shall be in writing and, (i) if to the Underwriters, shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied to Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC, 000 Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000, telecopy number: (000) 000-0000, Attention: Managing Director, and (ii) if to the Company, shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied to Quest Resource Holding Corporation, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx, XX 00000, telecopy number: (000) 000-0000, Attention: Chief Financial Officer; with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, LLP, 0000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000, telecopy number: (000) 000-0000, Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx, Esq., or in each case to such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing.
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Any party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.
12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and the controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 7. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” as herein used shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the Securities from any Underwriter.
13. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (a) each Underwriter has been retained solely to act as underwriter in connection with the sale of the Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and any Underwriter has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrants, irrespective of whether any Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters; (b) the price and other terms of the Securities set forth in this Agreement were established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriters and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrants; (c) it has been advised that each Underwriter and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions that may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that no Underwriter has any obligation to disclose such interest and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; (d) it has been advised that each Underwriter is acting, in respect of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrants, solely for the benefit of such Underwriter, and not on behalf of the Company.
14. Amendments and Waivers. No supplement, modification or waiver of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the party to be bound thereby. The failure of a party to exercise any right or remedy shall not be deemed or constitute a waiver of such right or remedy in the future. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (regardless of whether similar), nor shall any such waiver be deemed or constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly provided.
15. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph, clause or provision.
16. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
17. Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company irrevocably (a) submits to the jurisdiction of any court of the State of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement, or any of the agreements or transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Warrants, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (each, a “Proceeding”), (b) agrees that all claims in respect of any Proceeding may be
26
heard and determined in any such court, (c) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any immunity from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process therein, (d) agrees not to commence any Proceeding other than in such courts, and (e) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim that such Proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum. THE COMPANY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS RESPECTIVE EQUITY HOLDERS AND CREDITORS) HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND THE WARRANTS AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE WARRANTS, THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE TIME OF SALE DISCLOSURE PACKAGE AND THE PROSPECTUS.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission and electronic mail) in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
[Signature Page Follows]
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Please sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this letter whereupon this letter will become a binding agreement between the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||
QUEST RESOURCE HOLDING CORPORATION | ||
By: | /s/ S. Xxx Xxxxx | |
Name: | S. Xxx Xxxxx | |
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
Confirmed as of the date first above-
mentioned by the Representative of the several Underwriters.
XXXX CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |
Title: | Head of Equity Capital Markets |
[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
Name |
Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased |
Number of Firm Warrants to be Purchased |
Number of Option Shares available to be Purchased |
Number of Option Warrants available to be Purchased |
||||||||||||
Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC |
6,890,000 | 3,445,000 | 1,033,500 | 516,750 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total |
6,890,000 | 3,445,000 | 1,033,500 | 516,750 |
SCHEDULE II
Final Term Sheet
Issuer: | Quest Resource Holding Corporation (the “Company”) | |
Symbol: | QRHC | |
Security: | 6,890,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company and 3,445,000 warrants to purchase an aggregate of 3,445,000 shares of Common Stock (“Warrants”) | |
Over-allotment option: | Up to 1,033,500 shares of Common Stock and/or up to 516,750 Warrants to purchase an additional 516,750 shares of Common Stock | |
Public offering price: | $0.485 per share of Common Stock and Warrant | |
Underwriting discount | $0.03395 per share of Common Stock and Warrant | |
Net proceeds (excluding the over-allotment): | Approximately $3,107,735 (after deducting the underwriting discount) | |
Trade date: | Xxxxx 00, 0000 | |
Xxxxxxxxxx date: | March 30, 2016 | |
Underwriters: | Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC |
SCHEDULE III
Free Writing Prospectus
None
SCHEDULE IV
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
, 2016
XXXX CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC
000 Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
Re: | Quest Resource Holding Corporation |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
As an inducement to Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC, as representative of the underwriters (the “Representative”) to execute an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) providing for a public offering (the “Offering”) of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”), of Quest Resource Holding Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), the undersigned hereby agrees that without, in each case, the prior written consent of the Representative, during the period specified in the second succeeding paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, 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, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Shares or any securities convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive Shares (including, without limitation, Shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities that may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) whether now owned or hereafter acquired (the “Undersigned’s Securities”) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Undersigned’s Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to preclude the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction that is designed to or that reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of the Undersigned’s Securities even if such Undersigned’s Securities would be disposed of by someone other than the undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include, without limitation, any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including, without limitation, any put or call option) with respect to any of the Undersigned’s Securities or with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from such Undersigned’s Securities.
In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, during the Lock-Up Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares other than as contemplated in the registration statement relating to
the Offering, including the documents incorporated by reference therein (the “Registration Statement”).
The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Lock-Up Agreement and continue and include the date 90 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless the Representative waives, in writing, such extension, except that such extension will not apply if, within three business days prior to the 15th calendar day before the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the Company delivers a certificate, signed by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certifying on behalf of the Company that, as of such date, (i) the Shares are “actively traded securities” (as defined in Regulation M), (ii) the Company meets the applicable requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 139 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in the manner contemplated by FINRA Conduct Rule 2711(f)(4), and (iii) the provisions of FINRA Conduct Rule 2711(f)(4) are not applicable to any research reports relating to the Company published or distributed by the underwriters during the 15 days before or after the last day of the Lock-Up Period (before giving effect to such extension).
The undersigned hereby acknowledges that the Company will be requested to agree in the Underwriting Agreement to provide written notice to the undersigned of any event that would result in an extension of the Lock-Up Period pursuant to the previous paragraph and agrees that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have been given to, and received by, the undersigned. The undersigned further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement during the period from the date of this Lock-Up Agreement to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period (as may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Securities (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (ii) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary, or a member of the immediate family of the undersigned and (iii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned in a transaction not involving the disposition for value, or (2) if the undersigned is a corporation, company, business trust, association, limited liability company, partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability limited partnership or other entity (collectively, the “Entities” or, individually, the “Entity”), the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Securities to any person or Entity that controls, is directly or indirectly controlled by, or is under common control with the undersigned and, if the undersigned is a partnership or limited liability company, it may transfer the Undersigned’s Securities to its partners, former partners or an affiliated partnership (or members, former members or an affiliated limited liability
company) managed by the same manager or managing partner (or managing member, as the case may be) or management company, or managed by an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, such manager or managing partner (or managing member) or management company, in a transaction not involving the disposition for value; provided, in each case of transfer pursuant to clause (1) or (2), that (x) the transferee agrees in writing with the Representative to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement for the remainder of the Lock-Up Period, and (y) no filing by any party in any public report or filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period). For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
In addition, the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (i) the exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans; provided, that it shall apply to any of the Undersigned’s Securities issued upon such exercise, or (ii) the establishment of any contract, instruction or plan (a “Plan”) that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B) under the Exchange Act; provided, that no sales of the Undersigned’s Securities shall be made pursuant to such a Plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as such may have been extended pursuant to the provisions hereof), and such a Plan may only be established if no public announcement of the establishment or existence thereof and no filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory authority in respect thereof or transactions thereunder or contemplated thereby, by the undersigned, the Company or any other person, shall be required, and no such announcement or filing is made voluntarily, by the undersigned, the Company or any other person, prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as such may have been extended pursuant to the provisions hereof).
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent and registrar are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of Shares if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Agreement.
The undersigned understands that the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Lock-Up Agreement if (i) the Company or the Representative informs the other that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, (ii) if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares to be sold thereunder, or (iii) the Offering is not completed by April 4, 2016.
The undersigned understands that the Representative is entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Offering in reliance upon this Lock-Up Agreement.
This Lock-Up Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation among the parties thereto.
[Signature Page Follows]
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
Very truly yours, | ||
| ||
Printed Name of Holder | ||
By: |
| |
Signature | ||
| ||
Printed Name of Person Signing (and indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an entity) |
SCHEDULE V
Parties to Lock-Up Agreement
S. Xxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx.
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
I. Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Stockbridge Enterprises, LP
Southwest Green Investments, LLC