SKYCORP SOLAR GROUP LIMITED UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
SKYCORP SOLAR GROUP LIMITED
[●], 2024
Cathay Securities, Inc.
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
New York, NY 10005
As Representative of the Underwriters
named on Schedule A hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, Skycorp Solar Group Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (collectively with its subsidiaries and affiliates, including, without limitation, all entities disclosed or described in the Registration Statement (as defined below) as being its subsidiaries or affiliates, the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with several underwriters (such underwriters, including the Representative (as defined below), the “Underwriters”) named on Schedule A hereto for which Cathay Securities, LLC shall act as the representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”) to issue and sell an aggregate of [*] ordinary shares (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”). The Company has also granted to the Representative an option to purchase up to [*] additional Ordinary Shares, on the terms and for the purposes set forth in Section 2(c) hereof (the “Additional Shares”). The Firm Shares and any Additional Shares purchased pursuant to this Agreement are herein collectively referred to as the “Offered Securities.” The offering and sale of the Offered Securities contemplated by this Agreement is referred to herein as the “Offering.”
The Company confirms its agreement with the Underwriters as follows:
Section 1 Representations and Warranties of the Company.
The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as follows with the understanding that the same may be relied upon by the Underwriters in this offering, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as defined below):
(a) Filing of the Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-*), which contains a form of prospectus to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Offered Securities. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules contained in the registration statement at the time such registration statement became effective in the form in which it was declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), including any required information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, or pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”), is called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act is called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,” and from and after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Such prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act after the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto, or, if no filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act is required, the form of final prospectus relating to the Offered Securities included in the Registration Statement at the effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Effective Date”), is called the “Prospectus.” All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement (each, a “preliminary prospectus”), the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“XXXXX”). The preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below) is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” Any reference to the “most recent preliminary prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest preliminary prospectus included in the registration statement. Any reference herein to any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment to either thereof shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such reference.
(b) “Applicable Time” means [●], Eastern Time, on the date of this Agreement.
(c) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations on [●], 2024. The Company has complied, to the Commission’s satisfaction, with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information. No stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission or any other regulatory authority in any other jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the China Securities Regulatory Commission of the People’s Republic of China.
Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied or will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to XXXXX (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical in content to the copy thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the Offering, other than with respect to any artwork and graphics that were not filed. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment to either the Registration Statement or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, at the time it became effective and at all subsequent times until the expiration of the prospectus delivery period required under Section 4(3) of the Securities Act, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and did 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 not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent times until the Underwriters have completed the placement of the offering of the Offered Securities, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to either the Registration Statement or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or in the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Underwriters furnished to the Company in writing expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished on behalf of any of the Underwriters consists of (i) the name of the Underwriters contained on the cover page of the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus and (ii) the information under the sub-sections titled “Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids,” “Electronic Distribution,” and “Other Relationships,” in the Prospectus (the “Underwriters Information”). There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been fairly and accurately described in all material respects or filed as required.
(d) Disclosure Package. The term “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Pricing Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, (ii) each issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (each, an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), if any, identified on Schedule B hereto, (iii) the pricing terms set forth on Schedule C to this Agreement, and (iv) any other free writing prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, the Disclosure Package did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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.
(e) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) as of the date of the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), without taking account any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.
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(f) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus includes any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated by reference therein that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with the Underwriters Information.
(g) Offering Materials Furnished to the Underwriters. The Company has delivered to the Underwriters a copy of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a part thereof, and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Underwriters have reasonably requested in writing.
(h) Distribution of Offering Material by the Company. The Company has not distributed or authorized the distribution of, and will not distribute, prior to the completion of the Underwriters’ purchase of the Offered Securities, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities other than a preliminary prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Underwriters, and the Registration Statement.
(i) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
(j) Authorization of the Offered Securities and Underwriter’s Securities. The Offered Securities to be sold by the Company through the Underwriters have been duly and validly authorized by all required corporate action and have been reserved for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when so issued and delivered by the Company, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of all Liens (as defined in Section1(r)). The Company has sufficient Ordinary Shares for the issuance of the maximum number of Offered Securities issuable pursuant to the Offering as described in the Prospectus.
(k) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any securities of the Company registered for sale under the Registration Statement and included in the Offering.
(l) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business prospects or operations, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company (any such change, a “Material Adverse Change”; and any resulting effect, a “Material Adverse Effect”); (ii) the Company has not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company in respect of its shares.
(m) Independent Accountant. Pan-China Singapore PAC (the “Accountant”), which has expressed its opinions with respect to the audited financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) of the Company filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
(n) Preparation of the Financial Statements. Each of the historical financial statements of the Company, respectively, filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, presents fairly the information provided as of and at the dates and for the periods indicated. Such financial statements comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles of the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. Each item of historical financial data relating to the operations, assets or liabilities of the Company set forth in summary form in each of the preliminary prospectuses and the Prospectus fairly presents such information on a basis consistent with that of the complete financial statements contained in the Registration Statement.
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(o) Incorporation and Good Standing. The Company has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing and in good standing as a company limited by shares under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. As of the Closing Date, the Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity that is not otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus.
(p) Capitalization and Other Share Capital Matters. The authorized, issued, and outstanding share capital of the Company is as set forth in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or upon exercise of outstanding options or warrants described in the Disclosure Package and Prospectus, as the case may be). The Ordinary Shares conform, and, when issued and delivered as provided in this Agreement, the Offered Securities will conform, in all material respects, to the description thereof contained in each of the Disclosure Package and Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and have been issued in compliance with applicable laws. None of the outstanding Ordinary Shares were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. The Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”) has authorized the Ordinary Shares for delivery through its full fast transfer facilities. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any shares of the Company other than those described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The description of the Company’s share option and other share plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options, and rights. No further approval from the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) or authorization of any regulatory authority or governmental body, shareholder, the Company’s board of directors (the “Board of Directors”), or others, is required for the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no shareholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s Ordinary Shares to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s shareholders.
(q) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. The Company is not in violation of its amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract, franchise, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it may be bound (including, without limitation, any agreement or contract filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or to which any of the property or assets of the Company are subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”)), except for such Defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of its amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation, or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company, except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent such conflict, breach, Default or violation could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except the registration or qualification of the Offered Securities under the Securities Act and applicable state securities, the applicable PRC Oversea Investment and Listing Rules and Regulations, M&A Rules, Trial Measures, Confidentiality Provisions or blue sky laws and from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Company has obtained all required consents all applicable PRC Oversea Investment and Listing Rules and Regulations, M&A Rules, Trial Measures, Confidentiality Provisions.
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(r) Subsidiaries. Each of the Company’s direct and indirect subsidiaries (each a “Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been identified on Schedule E hereto. Each of the Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated or organized, is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, as the case may be, has full power and authority (corporate or otherwise) to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Change on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. All of the equity interests of each Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, are fully paid in accordance with their respective constitutive or organizational documents and non-assessable and are free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims (“Liens”). None of the outstanding share capital or equity interest in any Subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such Subsidiary. All of the constitutive or organizational documents of each of the Subsidiaries comply with the requirements of applicable laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and are in full force and effect. Apart from the Subsidiaries, the Company has no direct or indirect subsidiaries or any other company over which it has direct or indirect effective control. Other than the Subsidiaries, the Company does not directly or indirectly control any entity through contractual arrangements or otherwise such that the entity would be deemed a consolidated affiliated entity whose financial results would be consolidated under U.S. GAAP with the financial results of the Company on the consolidated financial statements of the Company, regardless of whether the Company directly or indirectly owns less than a majority of the equity interests of such person.
(s) No Material Actions or Proceedings. There are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (collectively, “Actions”) pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened (i) against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) which have as the subject thereof any officer or director (in such capacities) of, or property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, where in any such case (A) there is a reasonable possibility that such Action might be determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (B) any such Action, if so determined adversely, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change or adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No material labor disputes with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or with the employees of any principal supplier, manufacturer, customer or contractor of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened or imminent. To the Company’s knowledge, none of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. No executive officer, to the knowledge of the Company, is in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries have been and are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director or officer thereof, is or has within the last 10 years been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company.
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(t) Intellectual Property Rights. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries owns, possesses or has obtained valid and legally enforceable licenses for, and otherwise has legally enforceable rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trade names, copyrights, domain names, licenses, approvals and trade secrets (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary to conduct its business as now conducted or, otherwise, as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except to the extent such failure to own, possess or have other rights to use such Intellectual Property would not be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any written notice of infringement or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and not described in all material respects; None of the technology employed by the Company or any Subsidiary has been obtained or is being used by the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, to the knowledge of the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, in violation of the rights of any persons. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is subject to any judgment, order, writ, injunction or decree of any court or any governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, or any arbitrator, nor has it entered into nor is it a party to any agreement made in settlement of any pending or threatened litigation, which materially restricts or impairs its use of any Intellectual Property Rights.
(u) All Necessary Permits, etc. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries possesses such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the applicable regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct its business, and has made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate national, regional, local or other governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or assets or the conduct of their respective business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where lack of the licenses would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such licenses and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company has no reason to believe that such licenses will not be renewed in the ordinary course of their respective business that, if determined adversely to the Company, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect. Such licenses are valid and in full force and effect and contain no materially burdensome restrictions or conditions not described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus.
(v) Title to Properties. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned by it in the financial statements referred to in Section 1(n) above (or elsewhere in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, lien, encumbrance, equity, adverse claim or other defect, except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company. The real property, improvements, equipment, and personal property held under lease by the Company and its Subsidiaries are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(w) Tax Law Compliance. (i) The Company and its Subsidiaries have each filed all necessary tax returns required to be filed or have timely and properly filed requested extensions thereof and have paid all taxes required to be paid by them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them in all material respects; (ii) no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that has had (nor does the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its Subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) the Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(n) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company has not been finally determined; and (iv) all governmental tax credit, exemptions, waivers, financial subsidies, and tax relief, concessions and preferential treatment enjoyed by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are valid, binding and enforceable and do not violate any laws, regulations, rules, orders, decrees, guidelines, judicial interpretations, notices or other legislation of the applicable jurisdictions, including without limitation, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“Hong Kong”) of the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”), the British Virgin Islands (“BVI”) and the PRC (excluding Hong Kong).
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(x) Company Not an “Investment Company”. The Company is not, and after giving effect to payment for the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds as contemplated under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(y) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
(z) FINRA Matters. To the Company’s knowledge, no officer, director or any beneficial owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Company’s unregistered securities has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Participating Member (as defined under FINRA rules). The Company will advise the Representative and its counsel, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Li LLC, if it learns that any officer, director, or owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Company’s outstanding Ordinary Shares is or becomes an affiliate or registered person of a Participating Member. All of the information provided to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters by the Company, and to the Company’s knowledge, its counsel, its officers and directors and the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares is true, complete, correct and compliant in all material respects with FINRA’s rules.
(aa) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions, directly or indirectly, involving the Company, its Subsidiaries, or any other person, required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus, that have not been described as required.
(bb) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act Regulations) designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms. The Company is not aware of (a) any significant deficiency in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data or any material weaknesses in internal controls or (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls.
(cc) Company’s Accounting System. The Company has established and maintains a system of accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with the applicable generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(dd) Money Laundering Law Compliance. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the United States Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct business, and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any competent governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering 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 of its Subsidiaries with respect to any Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
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(ee) OFAC.
(i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, or affiliate of the Company, of any other person authorized to act on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, is an individual or entity of any kind(“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:
(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), His Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor
(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria).
(ii) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary or affiliated entity, joint venture partner or other Person:
(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or
(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).
(ff) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee or affiliate of the Company, any Subsidiary or any other person authorized to act on behalf of the Company has, directly or indirectly, taken any action that (i) would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”) or otherwise subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding; (ii) if done in the past, might reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (iii) if continued in the future, might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the assets, business, or operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The foregoing includes, without limitation, giving or agreeing to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that might subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding.
(gg) Internal Control and Compliance with Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002. The Company is in full compliance with any provision applicable to it of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including, without limitation, Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. and all applicable rules of the listing exchanges. The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting, an internal audit function and legal and regulatory compliance controls that comply with all applicable laws and regulations including without limitation the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act, the rules and regulations of the Commission, and the rules of the listing exchanges.
(hh) Exchange Act Filing. A registration statement in respect of the Ordinary Shares has been filed on Form 8-A (the “Form 8-A Registration Statement”) pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, which registration statement complies in all material respects with the Exchange Act. The Form 8-A Registration Statement is effective and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
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(ii) Foreign Private Issuer Status. The Company is a “foreign private issuer” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
(jj) Earning Statements. The Company will make generally available (which includes filings pursuant to the Exchange Act made publicly through the XXXXX system) to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than sixteen (16) months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal year, an earnings statement (which needs not be audited) covering a twelve (12)-month period that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.
(kk) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission, all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Ordinary Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act.
(ll) Valid Title. The Company or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, has legal and valid title to all of its properties and assets, free and clear of all liens, charges, encumbrances, equities, claims, options and restrictions except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by such entity; each lease agreement to which it is a party is duly executed and legally binding; its leasehold interests are set forth in and governed by the terms of the applicable lease agreements, and, to the knowledge of the Company, such agreements are valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with their respective terms and the applicable law; and except as described in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, none of the Company of any of its Subsidiaries owns, operates, manages or has any other right or interest in any other material real property of any kind.
(mm) Foreign Tax Compliance. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to the best of our knowledge, no transaction, stamp, capital or other issuance, registration, transaction, transfer or withholding taxes or duties are payable in the PRC, Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands or the Cayman Islands to any taxing authority in connection with the issuance, sale and delivery of the Offered Securities, and the delivery of the Offered Securities to or for the account of the Underwriters.
(nn) Compliance with PRC Oversea Investment and Listing Rules and Regulations. Except as otherwise disclosed in Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has complied with the filing procedures as set out in the relevant laws and regulations, including, among others, the Trial Administrative Measures for Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, and has taken reasonable steps to cause the Company’s direct or indirect principal shareholders who are PRC residents to comply with any applicable rules and regulations of relevant PRC government agencies (including but not limited to the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”) and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”) relating to overseas investment by PRC residents and citizens (all of the foregoing laws, rules, and regulations, collectively, the “PRC Oversea Investment and Listing Rules and Regulations”), including, without limitation, requiring each such person that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or citizen to complete any registration, to timely report material changes, and other procedures required under any applicable PRC Oversea Investment and Listing Rules and Regulations.
(oo) M&A Rules. The Company is aware of and has been advised as to the content of the Rules on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors jointly promulgated by the Ministry of Commerce, the State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the State Tax Administration, the State Administration of Industry and Commerce, the CSRC and SAFE on August 8, 2006 (the “M&A Rules”), in particular, the relevant provisions thereof that purport to require offshore special purpose vehicles formed for the purpose of obtaining a stock exchange listing outside of the PRC and controlled directly or indirectly by companies or natural persons of the PRC, to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of their securities on a stock exchange located outside of the PRC; the Company has received legal advice specifically with respect to the M&A Rules from its PRC counsel and based on such legal advice, the Company confirms with the Underwriters:
(i) Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities, the listing and trading of the Offered Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are not and will not be, as of the date hereof or at the Closing Date, materially affected by the M&A Rules or any official clarifications, guidance, interpretations or implementation rules in connection with or related to the M&A Rules as amended as of the date hereof (collectively, the “M&A Rules and Related Clarifications”).
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(ii) Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of the date hereof, the M&A Rules and Related Classifications did not and do not require the Company to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market, the listing and trading of the Offered Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(pp) Securities Offering and Listing Rules. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters that this Offering or the listing of the Company’s securities on Nasdaq have fully complied with the requirements of the Trial Administrative Measures of the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Trial Measures”) and related regulations, rules or guidelines, including but not limited to the Provisions on Strengthening the Confidentiality and Archive Management Work Relating to the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing (the “Confidentiality Provisions”).
(qq) Choice of Law. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, the choice of law provision set forth in this Agreement constitutes a legal and valid choice of law under the laws of the Cayman Islands and will be recognized and given effect to in any action brought before a court of competent jurisdiction in the Cayman Islands, except for those laws (A) which such court considers to be procedural in nature, (B) which are revenue or penal laws, or (C) the application of which would be inconsistent with public policy, as such term is interpreted under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and subject to compliance with relevant civil procedural requirements (that do not involve a re-examination of the merits of the claim) in the Cayman Islands. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 17 of this Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and submitted, to the personal jurisdiction of each of the New York Courts, and the Company has the power to designate, appoint and authorize, and pursuant to Section 17 of this Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably designated, appointed an authorized agent for service of process in any action arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the Securities in any New York Court, and service of process effected on such authorized agent will be effective to confer valid personal jurisdiction over the Company as provided in Section 13 of this Agreement.
(rr) D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers prior to the Offering (the “Insiders”) as well as in the Lock-Up Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A provided to the Representative is true and correct in all respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires completed by each Insider to become inaccurate and incorrect.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Representative shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters set forth therein. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 5 hereof, counsel to the Company, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.
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(ss) Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of each Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities hereunder, the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, are sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from each Closing Date. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus set forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $100,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $100,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.
(tt) Regulation M Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has, and, to its knowledge, no one authorized to act on their behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Offered Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Offered Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Underwriters in connection with the Offering.
(uu) EGC Status and Testing-the-Waters Communications. From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company”, as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (“Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (a) has alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representative with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (b) has authorized anyone other than the Underwriters to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Underwriters has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule F hereto. “Written Testing the Waters Communication” means any Testing the Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. As of the time of each sale of the Offered Securities in connection with the Offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, no individual Written Testing the Waters Communications, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(vv) Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity securities of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the Federal Reserve Board. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary controls (as such term is defined under Section 2 of the BHCA) a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation promulgated thereunder by the Federal Reserve Board.
(ww) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon the Underwriters’ request.
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(xx) Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board, and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Offered Securities to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board.
(yy) Integration. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act.
(zz) No Accounting Issues. The Company has not received any notice, oral or written, from its Board of Directors or Audit Committee (as defined below) stating that it is reviewing or investigating, and neither the Company’s independent auditors nor its internal auditors have recommended that the Board of Directors or Audit Committee review or investigate, (i) any matter that may add to, delete, change the application of, or change the Company’s disclosure with respect to, any of the Company’s material accounting policies; or (ii) any matter which could result in a restatement of the Company’s financial statements for any annual or interim period during the current or prior two (2) fiscal years.
(aaa) Forward-looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus, or shall be contain in any amendments and supplements thereof, has been made or reaffirmed, or will be made, without a reasonable basis, or has been disclosed or will be disclosed other than in good faith.
(bbb) Insurance. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries do not maintain insurance.
(ccc) No Finder’s Fee. There are no contracts, agreements, or understandings between the Company or its Subsidiaries and any other person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or its Subsidiaries or any underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this Offering, or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments, or issuance with respect to the Company, or its Subsidiaries, or to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective officers, directors, shareholders, partners, employees or related parties that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation as determined by FINRA.
(ddd) Operating and Other Data. All operating and other data pertaining to the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are true and accurate in all material respects.
(eee) Third-party Data. Any statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes to be reliable and accurate, and such data agrees with the sources from which it is derived, and the Company has obtained the written consent for the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.
(fff) Compliance with Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries are (a) in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (b) have received and are in compliance with the requirements for maintaining, all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (c) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not cause a Material Adverse Change.
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(ggg) Compliance with Law, Constitutive Documents and Contracts. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is (a) in breach or violation of any provision of applicable law (including, but not limited to, any applicable law concerning information collection and user privacy protection), (b) in breach or violation of its respective constitutive or organizational documents, or (c) in default under (nor has any event occurred that, with notice, lapse of time or both, would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) any agreement or other instrument that is binding upon the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, except in the cases of (a) and (c) above, where any such breach, violation or default would not cause a Material Adverse Change
(hhh) No Unlawful Influence. The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, Ordinary Shares to any person or entity with the intention of unlawfully influencing: (a) a customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or such affiliate, or (b) a journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any such affiliate.
(iii) Scheme or Arrangement with Shareholders. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, to the Company’s knowledge, is a party to any scheme or arrangement through which shareholders or potential shareholders are being loaned, given or otherwise having money made available for the purchase of shares whether before, in or after the Offering. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates is aware of any such scheme or arrangement, regardless of whether it is a party to a formal agreement.
(jjj) Reliance on Representations. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters and counsel to the Representative and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 5 hereof, counsel to the Company, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.
Section 2 Firm Shares; Additional Shares.
(a) Purchase of Firm Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriters, and the Underwriters agree to purchase from the Company, an aggregate of [*] Ordinary Shares (“Firm Shares”) at the purchase price (net of discounts)1 of $[●] per share.
(b) Delivery of and Payment for Firm Shares. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 10:00 A.M., Eastern time, on the second (2nd) business day following the Applicable Time, or at such time as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriters and the Company, at the offices of the Underwriters’ counsel or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriters and the Company. The hour and date of delivery of and payment for the Firm Shares is called the “Closing Date.” The closing of the payment of the purchase price for and delivery of the Firm Shares through the facilities of DTC for the accounts of the Underwriters is referred to herein as the “Closing.” Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds upon delivery to the Underwriters of certificates (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Shares (or if uncertificated through the full fast transfer facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Underwriters may request in writing at least one (1) business day prior to the Closing Date. If certificated, the Company will permit the Underwriters to examine and package the Firm Shares for delivery at least one (1) full business day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Shares except upon tender of payment by the Underwriters for all the Firm Shares.
(c) Additional Shares. The Company hereby grants to the Representative an option (the “Over-allotment Option”), exercisable for 45 days after the Closing, to purchase up to an additional [*] Ordinary Shares, representing fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Shares sold in the Offering, in each case solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments of such securities, if any. The Over-allotment Option is, at the Representative’s sole discretion, for Additional Shares.
| 1 | 7% |
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(d) Exercise of Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof may be exercised by the Representative on or within 45 days after the Closing. The purchase price to be paid per Additional Shares shall be equal to the price per Firm Share in Section 2(a). The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any Additional Shares prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised upon oral notice, which shall be confirmed in writing via overnight mail or facsimile or other electronic transmission, given at least two (2) full business days prior to the exercise to the Company from the Representative setting forth the number of Additional Shares to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Additional Shares (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than five (5) full business days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of the Representative’s counsel or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Additional Shares does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or any portion of the Additional Shares, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters the number of Additional Shares specified in such notice and (ii) the Underwriters shall purchase that portion of the total number of Additional Shares specified in such notice.
(e) Delivery and Payment of Additional Shares. Payment for the Additional Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, upon delivery to the Representative of the Additional Shares through the facilities of DTC for the account of the Underwriters. The Additional Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least one (1) full business day prior to the Option Closing Date, if any. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Additional Shares except upon tender of payment by the Underwriters for applicable Additional Shares. The Option Closing Date, if any, may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the Closing Date; and in the event that such time and date are simultaneous with the Closing Date, the term “Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of delivery of the Firm Shares and Additional Shares.
(f) Underwriting Discount. In consideration of the services to be provided for hereunder, the Company shall pay to the Underwriters, with respect to any Offered Securities sold to the Underwriters in this Offering, a seven percent (7%) underwriting discount.
Section 3 Covenants of the Company
The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriters as follows:
(a) Underwriters’ Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. During the period beginning at the Applicable Time and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date as, in the opinion of the Representative’s counsel, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by the Underwriters or selected dealers, including under circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any amendment or supplement through incorporation by reference of any report filed under the Exchange Act, the Company shall furnish to the Underwriters for review a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Underwriters reasonably objects.
(b) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall promptly advise the Underwriters in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or of any order or notice preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Offered Securities from any securities exchange upon which they are 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 or order or notice of prevention or suspension at any time, the Company will use its best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment or will file a new registration statement and use its best efforts to have such new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b) and 430A, as applicable, under the Securities Act, including with respect to the timely filing of documents thereunder and will confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) were received in a timely manner by the Commission.
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(c) Exchange Act Compliance. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, to the extent the Company becomes subject to reporting obligation under the Exchange Act, the Company will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act.
(d) Amendments and Supplements to the Registration Statement, Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event or development shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, as the case may be, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, as the case may be, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Underwriters it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to file a new registration statement containing the Prospectus, in order to comply with law, including in connection with the delivery of the Prospectus, the Company agrees to (i) notify the Underwriters of any such event or condition (unless such event or condition was previously brought to the Company’s attention by the Underwriters during the Prospectus Delivery Period) and (ii) promptly prepare (subject to Section 3(a) and Section 3(f) hereof), file with the Commission (and use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement to be declared effective) and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to dealers, amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any new registration statement, necessary in order to make the statements in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, as the case may be, not misleading or so that the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.
(e) Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents that it has not made, and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Underwriters, it will not make, any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 under the Securities Act; provided that the prior written consent of the Underwriters hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of each free writing prospectuses listed on Schedule B hereto. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Underwriters is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
(f) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The Company agrees to furnish the Underwriters, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, as many copies of each of the preliminary prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package and any amendments and supplements thereto (including any documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein) as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
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(h) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Offered Securities.
(i) Internal Controls. The Company will maintain a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The internal controls, upon consummation of the offering of the Offered Securities, will be overseen by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Audit Committee”) in accordance with the rules of Nasdaq.
(j) Exchange Listing. The Ordinary Shares have been duly authorized for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, subject to official notice of issuance. The Company is in material compliance with the provisions of the rules and regulations promulgated by Nasdaq and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements (to the extent applicable to the Company as of the date hereof or the Closing Date; and subject to all exemptions and exceptions from the requirements thereof as are set forth therein, to the extent applicable to the Company). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and subject to the qualifications above: (i) all members of the Company’s Board of Directors who are required to be “independent” (as that term is defined under applicable laws, rules and regulations), including, without limitation, all members of each of the Audit Committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee of the Company’s Board of Directors, meet the qualifications of independence as set forth under such laws, rules and regulations, (ii) the Audit Committee has at least one (1) member who is an “audit committee financial expert” (as that term is defined under such laws, rules and regulations), and (iii) that, based on discussions with Nasdaq, the Company meets all requirements for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
(k) Future Reports to the Underwriters. For one (1) year after the date of this Agreement, the Company will furnish, if not otherwise available on EDGAR, to the Representative at Cathay Securities, Inc., 00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000, Attn:, Xxxxxx Xx, CEO: (i) as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such fiscal year and statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company’s independent public or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 20-F, six-month financial statements using a Form 6-K or other report filed by the Company with the Commission; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its shares.
(l) No Manipulation of Price. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company.
(m) Existing Lock-Up Agreements. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no existing agreements between the Company and its securityholders that prohibit the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation of any of the Company’s securities. The Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon the securities of the Company that are bound by such “lock-up” agreements for the duration of the periods contemplated therein.
(n) Company Lock-Up.
(i) The Company on behalf of itself and any successor entity agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, for a period of six (6) months following the Closing (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, contract to sell, or sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Ordinary Shares or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Ordinary Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, except to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement. The Company agrees not to accelerate the vesting of any option or warrant or the lapse of any repurchase right prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period.
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(ii) Restrictions contained in Section 3(n)(i) hereof shall not apply to: (A) the Offered Securities, (B) any Ordinary Shares issued under any share plans of or warrants issued by the Company, as applicable, and in each case, described as outstanding in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (C) any options and other awards granted under any share plan of the Company or Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to an employee share purchase plan, as applicable, and in each case, as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or (D) Ordinary Shares or other securities issued in connection with a transaction with an unaffiliated third party that includes a bona fide commercial relationship (including joint ventures, marketing or distribution arrangements, collaboration agreements or intellectual property license agreements) or any acquisition of assets or acquisition of not less than a majority or controlling portion of the equity of another entity; provided that (x) the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to clause (D) shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the total number of outstanding Ordinary Shares immediately following the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities pursuant hereto and (y) the recipient of any such Ordinary Shares or other securities issued or granted pursuant to clause (D) during the Lock-Up Period shall enter into an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
(o) [RESERVED]
(p) Right of First Refusal. The Company and the Representative agree that for a period of twelve (12) months after the Closing, the Company grants the Representative the right of first refusal (provided the Offering is completed) to provide investment banking services to the Company on an exclusive basis and on terms that are the same or more favorable to the Company comparing to terms offered to the Company by other underwriters/placement agents (such right, the “Right of First Refusal”), which right is exercisable in the Representative’s sole discretion. For these purposes, investment banking services shall include, without limitation, (i) acting as lead manager for any underwritten public offering; and (ii) acting as placement agent or initial purchaser in connection with any private offering of securities of the Company. The Right of First Refusal shall be subject to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(5), including that it may be terminated by the Company for Cause, which shall mean a material breach by the Representative of this Agreement. The Representative shall notify the Company of its intention to exercise the Right of First Refusal within fifteen (15) business days following notice in writing by the Company. Any decision by the Representative to act in any such capacity shall be contained in separate agreements, which agreements would contain, among other matters, provisions for customary fees for transactions of similar size and nature, as may be mutually agreed upon, and indemnification of the Representative and shall be subject to general market conditions. If the Representative declines to exercise the Right of First Refusal, the Company shall have the right to retain any other person or persons to provide such services on terms and conditions which are not more favorable to such other person or persons than the terms declined by the Representative. The services provided by the Representative is solely for the benefit of the Company and are not intended to confer any rights upon any persons or entities not a party hereto (including without limitation, securityholders, employees or creditors of the Company) as against the Representative or its directors, officers, agents, and employees.
(q) Tail Financing. The Representative shall be entitled to compensation commensurate to what is set forth in Section 2(f) above and Section 4(b) and Section 4(c) below if the Company completes an offering with an investor actually introduced to the Company by the Representative and not-known to the Company before such introduction, regarding an offering prior to the termination or expiration of the engagement letter, dated September 20, 2024 (the “Engagement Letter”), with the Representative (collectively, the “Identified Party”) during the six (6) month period following the termination of such engagement letter. The Representative shall provide the Company with a list of the Identified Party and proof of such communication in connection with this offering. The Tail Financing shall be subject to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(5), including that it may be terminated by the Company for Cause, and any such termination for Cause shall eliminate any obligation of the Company to pay compensation under Section 2(f) and Section 4(b) pursuant to this Section 3(q).
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(r) Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental or regulatory agency or body or any court) is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and issuance and sale of the Offered Securities, except for such as have been obtained, or made on or prior to the Closing Date, and are, or on the Closing Date will be, in full force and effect. No authorization, consent, approval, license, qualification or order of, or filing or registration with any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) in any foreign jurisdiction is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the Offering, issuance and sale of the Offered Securities under the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction, except for such as have been obtained or made.
Section 4 Payment of Fees and Expenses.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees with Representative that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Offered Securities under the Securities Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing this Agreement, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Offered Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Offered Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey if any; (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Offered Securities on Nasdaq; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Offered Securities; provided, that the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates, if applicable; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Offered Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants if any incurred; and (ix) all other costs and expenses incurred by it in the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section.
(b) The Company also agrees to pay to the Representative a non-accountable expense allowance of one percent (1.0%) of the gross proceeds of the Offering.
(c) The Company will also reimburse the Representative up to a maximum of $150,000 for out-of-pocket accountable expenses, including, but not limited to travel, due diligence expenses, reasonable fees and expenses of its legal counsel, roadshow and background check on the Company's principals, in connection with the performance of its services hereunder. The Company has paid an advance of $[50,000] to the Representative for its anticipated out-of-pocket expenses; any advance will be returned to the Company to the extent the Representative’s out-of-pocket accountable expenses are not actually incurred in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A). It is understood and agreed that the Company shall be responsible for the Representative’s external counsel legal costs, any due diligence costs and any other accountable out-of-pocket fees and expenses in connection with the Offering irrespective of whether the Offering is consummated or not, subject to a maximum of $100,000 in the event that there is not a Closing.
Section 5 Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters.
The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Offered Securities as provided herein on the Closing Date shall be subject to (i) the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though then made; (ii) the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder; (iii) no objections from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement; and (iv) each of the following additional conditions:
(a) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Representative shall have received from the Accountant, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Representative, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
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(b) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order. During the period from and after the execution of this Agreement to and including the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, as applicable:
(i) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430A under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information required by such Rule 430A, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective; and
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement to and including the Closing Date and/or each Option Closing Date, as applicable, in the reasonable judgment of the Representative there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change.
(d) CFO Certificate. On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, as applicable, the Representative shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of such date, on behalf of the Company, with respect to certain financial data contained in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, providing “management comfort” with respect to such information, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
(e) Officers’ Certificate. On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, as applicable, the Representative shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of such date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have reviewed the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and this Agreement, to the effect that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, as if made on and as of such Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, as applicable, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened under the Securities Act; no order having the effect of ceasing or suspending the distribution of the Offered Securities or any other securities of the Company has been issued by any securities commission, securities regulatory authority or stock exchange in the United States and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any securities commission, securities regulatory authority or stock exchange in the United States; and
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(iii) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been: (a) any Material Adverse Change; (b) any transaction that is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business; (c) any obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business; (d) any material change in the share capital (except changes thereto resulting from the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or conversion of outstanding indebtedness into Ordinary Shares of the Company) or outstanding indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary (except for the conversion of such indebtedness into Ordinary Shares of the Company); (e) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on Ordinary Shares of the Company; or (f) any loss or damage (whether or not insured) to the property of the Company or any Subsidiary which has been sustained or will have been sustained which has a Material Adverse Effect.
(f) Secretary’s Certificate. On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, as applicable, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary or the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated such Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable, certifying: (i) that each of the Company’s certificate of incorporation and amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as applicable, attached to such certificate is true and complete, has not been modified, and is in full force and effect; (ii) that each of the Subsidiaries’ constitutive and organizational documents attached to such certificate is true and complete, has not been modified, and is in full force and effect; (iii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering attached to such certificate are in full force and effect and have not been modified; and (iv) the good standing of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries (except in such jurisdictions where the concept of good standing is not applicable). The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, as applicable, the Representative shall have received from the Accountant, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect that the Accountant reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished by it pursuant to Section 6(a), except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than two (2) business days prior to the Closing Date.
(h) Lock-Up Agreements. On or prior to the date hereof, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto from each of the Company’s officers, directors, securityholders of more than five percent (5%) (not including 5%) of the Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable for the Ordinary Shares listed on Schedule D hereto.
(i) Exchange Listing. The Offered Securities to be delivered on the Closing Date shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, subject to official notice of issuance.
(j) Company Counsel Opinions. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received:
(i) the favorable opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx LLP, U.S. securities counsel to the Company, dated as of such date, addressed to the Representative, including a negative assurance letter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative;
(ii) the favorable opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Law Firm, PRC counsel to the Company, addressed to the Company with a copy to the Representative; and
(iii) the favorable opinion of Xxxxx, Cayman Islands counsel to the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
The Underwriters shall rely on the opinions of the Company’s Cayman Islands counsel, Xxxxx, filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement, as to the due incorporation, validity of the Offered Securities, and due authorization, execution and delivery of the Agreement.
(k) Additional Documents. On or before the Closing Date, the Representative and counsel for the Representative shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
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If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by written notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4 (with respect to the reimbursement of out-of-pocket accountable, bona fide expenses actually incurred by the Representative) and Section 7 (with respect to indemnification and contribution obligations) shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
Section 6 Effectiveness of this Agreement.
This Agreement shall not become effective until the later of (i) the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto and (ii) notification (including by way of oral notification from the reviewer at the Commission) by the Commission to the Company of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act.
Section 7 Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters, their respective affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers, members, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriters within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each a “Underwriter Indemnified Party”) from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the prior written consent of the Company) arising out of (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 Securities Act 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (ii) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any other materials used in connection with the Offering, 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall reimburse such Underwriter Indemnified Party for any legal or other 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, expense or liability arises out of or is based upon (i) an untrue statement in, or omission from any preliminary prospectus, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any other materials used in connection with the Offering made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information. The indemnification obligations under this Section 7(a) are not exclusive and will be in addition to any liability, which the Underwriters might otherwise have and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available at law or in equity to each Underwriter Indemnified Party.
(b) Indemnification by the Underwriters. The Underwriters shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Company’s affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents 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 (collectively the “Company Indemnified Parties” and each a “Company Indemnified Party”) from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the prior written consent of the Underwriters) arising out (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act Regulations, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission to state in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act Regulations, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, 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, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriters Information and shall reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, investigation or proceeding, as such fees and expenses are incurred. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7(b), in no event shall any indemnity by the Underwriters under this Section 7(b) exceed the total discounts received by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering. The indemnification obligations under this Section 7(b) are not exclusive and will be in addition to any liability, which the Company might otherwise have and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available at law or in equity to each Company Indemnified Party.
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(c) Procedure. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify such indemnifying party in writing of the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 7 except to the extent it has been materially adversely prejudiced by such failure; and, provided, further, that the failure to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 7. If any such action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense of such action with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party (which counsel shall not, except with the written consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party). After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such action, except as provided herein, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under Section 7(a) or 7(b), as applicable, for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense of such action other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that any indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and to participate in the defense of such action but the fees and expenses of such counsel (other than reasonable costs of investigation) shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized in writing by the Company in the case of a claim for indemnification under Section 7(a), (ii) such indemnified party shall have been advised by its counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, or (iii) the indemnifying party has failed to assume the defense of such action and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of the commencement of the action or the indemnifying party does not diligently defend the action after assumption of the defense, in which case, if such indemnified party notifies the indemnifying party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of (or, in the case of a failure to diligently defend the action after assumption of the defense, to continue to defend) such action on behalf of such indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall be responsible for legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense of such action; provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time any such indemnified party (in addition to any local counsel), which firm shall be designated in writing by the Underwriters if the indemnified party under this Section 7 is an Underwriter Indemnified Party or by the Company if an indemnified party under this Section 7 is a Company Indemnified Party. Subject to this Section 7(c), the amount payable by an indemnifying party under Section 7 shall include, but not be limited to, (x) reasonable legal fees and expenses of counsel to the indemnified party and any other expenses in investigating, or preparing to defend or defending against, or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any action, investigation, proceeding or claim, and (y) all amounts paid in settlement of any of the foregoing. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to any pending or threatened action or any claim whatsoever, in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 7 (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. Subject to the provisions of the following sentence, no indemnifying party shall be liable for settlement of any pending or threatened action or any claim whatsoever that is effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), but if settled with its written consent, if its consent has been unreasonably withheld or delayed or if there be a judgment for the plaintiff in any such matter, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested that an indemnifying party reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated herein effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than forty-five (45) days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the request for reimbursement, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least thirty (30) days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
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(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 7(a) or Section 7(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid, payable or otherwise incurred by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof), as incurred, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified parry or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Offered Securities, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) of this Section 7(d) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) of this Section 7(d) but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other with respect to the statements, omissions, acts or failures to act which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof) 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 with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from the offering of the Offered Securities purchased by investors as contemplated by this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts received by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other 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 on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement, omission, act or failure to act; provided that the parties hereto agree that the written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriters for use in any preliminary prospectus, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, consists solely of the Underwriters’ Information. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 7(d) be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding referred to above in this Section 7(d) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 7(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding. However, the indemnified party may not be required to cover legal fees of more than one counsel for multiple parties unless it is determined that conflicts of interest necessitate the employment of separate counsel for such parties. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7(d), an underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the total discounts received in cash by such underwriter in connection with the Offering less the amount of any damages that such underwriter has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission, act or alleged act or failure to act or alleged failure to act by such underwriter. 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.
Section 8 Termination of this Agreement.
Prior to the Closing Date, whether before or after notification by the Commission to the Company of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act, this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriters by written notice given to the Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by Nasdaq; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any U.S. federal or Cayman Islands authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions that, in the reasonable judgment of the Underwriters, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Offered Securities in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in the Representative’s opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Offered Securities, (v) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder, or (vi) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions or prospects of the Company, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representative’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Securities or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Offered Securities. Any termination pursuant to this Section 8 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any of the Underwriters, except that the Company shall be, subject to demand by the Underwriters, obligated to reimburse the Representative for only those out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel, and expenses associated with a due diligence report), actually incurred by the Representative in connection herewith as allowed under FINRA Rule 5110, less any amounts previously paid by the Company; provided, however, that all such expenses shall not exceed $100,000 in the aggregate, (b) the Underwriters to the Company, or (c) any party hereto to any other party except that the provisions of Section 4 (with respect to the reimbursement of out-of-pocket accountable, bona fide expenses actually incurred by the Representative) and Section 7 (with respect to indemnification and contribution obligations) shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination
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Section 9 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.
The Company hereby acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting solely as underwriters in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities. The Company further acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a contractual relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an arm’s-length basis and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Company, its management, shareholders, creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the offering of the Offered Securities, either before or after the date hereof. The Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations to the Company, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions and the Company hereby confirms its understanding and agreement to that effect. The Company hereby further confirms its understanding that no Underwriters has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the Offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including, without limitation, any negotiation related to the pricing of the Offered Securities; and the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate in connection with this Agreement and the Offering. The Company and the Underwriters agree that they are each responsible for making their own independent judgments with respect to any such transactions, and that any opinions or views expressed by the Underwriters to the Company regarding such transactions, including but not limited to any opinions or views with respect to the price or market for the Company’s securities, do not constitute advice or recommendations to the Company. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary or similar duty to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may have financial interests in the success of the Offering that are not limited to the difference between the price to the public and the purchase price paid to the Company by the Underwriters for the Offered Securities, and the Underwriters have no obligation to disclose, or account to the Company for, any of such additional financial interests.
Section 10 Underwriter Default.
(a) If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligation to purchase the Firm Shares, and if the Firm Shares with respect to which such default relates (the “Default Securities”) do not (after giving effect to arrangements, if any, made by the Representative pursuant to subsection (b) below) exceed in the aggregate ten percent (10%) of the number of Firm Shares, each non-defaulting Underwriter, acting severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company that number of Default Securities that bears the same proportion to the total number of Default Securities then being purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A hereto bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of the non-defaulting Underwriters; subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make.
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(b) In the event that the aggregate number of Default Securities exceeds ten percent (10%) of the number of Firm Shares, the Representative may in its discretion arrange for itself or for another party or parties (including any non-defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters who so agree) to purchase the Default Securities on the terms contained herein. In the event that within five (5) calendar days after such a default the Representative does not arrange for the purchase of the Default Securities as provided in this Section 10, this Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of the Company with respect thereto (except in each case as provided in Sections 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11) or the Underwriters, but nothing in this Agreement shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters of their liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and the Company for damages related to its or their default hereunder.
(c) In the event that any Default Securities are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a period, not exceeding five (5) business days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which, in the reasonable opinion of Underwriters’ counsel, may be necessary or advisable. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 10 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Default Securities.
Section 11 Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery.
The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers, and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
Section 12 Taxes.
(a) If any sum payable by the Company under this Agreement is subject to tax in the hands of an Underwriter or Representative (each a “Taxable Entity”) or taken into account as a receipt in computing the taxable income of that Taxable Entity (excluding net income taxes on underwriting commissions payable hereunder), the Company shall pay such additional amount as will ensure that the Taxable Entities shall be left with the sum it would have had in the absence of such tax.
(b) All sums payable by the Company under this Agreement shall be paid free and clear of and without deductions or withholdings of any present or future taxes or duties, unless the deduction or withholding is required by law, in which case the Company shall pay such additional amount as will result in the receipt by each Taxable Entity of the full amount that would have been received had no deduction or withholding been made.
(c) All sums payable to a Taxable Entity shall be considered exclusive of any value added or similar taxes. Where the Company is obliged to pay value added or similar tax on any amount payable hereunder to a Taxable Entity, the Company shall in addition to the sum payable hereunder pay an amount equal to any applicable value added or similar tax.
(d) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, if a Taxable Entity is required by any government authority to pay any taxes imposed by the Hong Kong, PRC or BVI governments or any administrative subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein (“Foreign Taxes”) as a result of this Agreement, the Company will pay an additional amount to such Taxable Entity so that the full amount of such payments as agreed herein to be paid to the such Taxable Entity is received by the such Taxable Entity and will further, if requested by such Taxable Entity, use commercially reasonable efforts to give such assistance as such Taxable Entity may reasonably request to assist such Taxable Entity in discharging its obligations in respect of such Foreign Taxes, including by making filings and submissions on such basis and such terms as such Taxable Entity may reasonably request, promptly making available to such Taxable Entity notices received from any Hong Kong governmental authority and, subject to the receipt of funds from such Taxable Entity, by making payment of such funds on behalf of such Taxable Entity to the relevant foreign government authority in settlement of such Foreign Taxes. In the event the Company must pay any such Foreign Taxes to a relevant taxing authority, the Company shall forward to such Taxable Entity an official receipt or a copy of the official receipt issued by the taxing authority or other document evidencing such payment.
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Section 13 Notices.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered, or emailed to the parties hereto as follows:
|
To the Underwriters at: |
Cathay Securities, Inc. 00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 Attn:, Xxxxxx Xx, CEO Email: xxxxx.xx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
| With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: | Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Li LLC 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 Attn: Xxxx Xx, Esq; Xxxxxxxxx xx Xxxxxxxx, Esq. Email: xxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx; xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
|
| To the Company at: | Skycorp Solar Group Limited Xxxx 000, Xxxxx X, Xx.000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx 000000 Attn: Xxxxx Xxxxx, CEO Email:xxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
|
| With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: | Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 Attn: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxx.; Xxxxxx “Xxxxx” Xx, Esq. Email: xxx@xxxxx.xxxxx; xxx@xxxxx.xxxxx |
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.
Section 14 Successors.
This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Offered Securities as such merely by reason of such purchase.
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Section 15 Partial Unenforceability.
The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph, or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph, or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
Section 16 Governing Law Provisions.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof.
Section 17 Consent to Jurisdiction.
No legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (each, a “Related Proceeding”) may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts (collectively, the “Specified Courts”) shall have jurisdiction over the adjudication of any Related Proceeding, and the parties to this Agreement hereby irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction the Specified Courts and personal service of process with respect thereto. The parties to this Agreement hereby irrevocably waive any objection to the laying of venue of any Related Proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably waive and agree not to plead or claim in any Specified Court that any Related Proceeding brought in any Specified Court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section 18 General Provisions.
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the Offering, except for those specific provisions of the Engagement Letter between the Company and the Representative, dated as of September 20, 2024, that are not related to the Offering, each of which provisions shall remain in full force and effect for the term of the Engagement Letter. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification and contribution provisions of Section 7, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Section 7 hereto fairly allocate the risks in the light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
The respective indemnities, contribution agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the officers or employees of the Underwriters, any person controlling any of the Underwriters, the Company, the officers or employees of the Company, or any person controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of the Offered Securities and payment for them as contemplated hereby and (iii) termination of this Agreement.
Except as otherwise provided, this Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Company, the Underwriters, the Underwriters’ officers and employees, any controlling persons referred to herein, the Company’s directors and the Company’s officers who sign the Registration Statement and their respective successors and assigns, all as and to the extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser of any of the Offered Securities from the Underwriters merely because of such purchase.
[signature page follows]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of the Agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| SKYCORP SOLAR GROUP LIMITED | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
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The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Underwriters as of the date first above written.
For itself and on behalf of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule A hereto
| CATHAY SECURITES, INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
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SCHEDULE A
Underwriters
|
Name |
Number of Firm Shares | |
| Cathay Securities, INC. | [●] | |
| [●] | [●] | |
| Total |
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SCHEDULE B
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es)
[*]
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SCHEDULE C
Pricing Information
Number of Firm Shares: [*] shares
Public Offering Price per Share: $*
Underwriting Discount per Share: $*
Proceeds to Company per Share (before expenses): $*
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SCHEDULE D
Lock-Up Parties
|
Name |
Position With Company | |
| Xxxxx Xxxxx | Director, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer | |
| Xxxxxxxx Xxx | Chief Financial Officer | |
| Xxxx Xx | Director and Chief Information Officer | |
| Xxxxxx Xxxxx | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Xxxxxx Xx | Chief Technology Officer | |
| Xxxx Xxxx | Independent Director nominee | |
| Xxxxxxxx Xxxx | Independent Director nominee | |
| Baosong Li | Independent Director nominee | |
| Skyline Tech Limited | 5% or greater shareholder | |
| Baili Group Limited | 5% or greater shareholder |
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SCHEDULE E
Subsidiaries
|
Name of Subsidiary |
Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization | |
| Skycorp Digital Limited | BVI | |
| GreenHash Limited | Hong Kong | |
| Ningbo eZsolar Co., Ltd. | PRC | |
| Guangzhou Skycorp Consulting Co., Ltd. | PRC | |
| Ningbo Skycorp Solar Co., Ltd. | PRC | |
| Ningbo Pntech New Energy Co., Ltd. | PRC | |
| Zhejiang Pntech Technology Co., Ltd. | PRC | |
| Zhejiang Skycorp New Energy Co. Ltd. | PRC | |
| Ningbo Dcloud Information Technology Co., Ltd. | PRC | |
| Huangshan Qiyu New Energy Co., Ltd. | PRC | |
| Pntech Technology (Shaoxing) Co., Ltd. | PRC |
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SCHEDULE F
Written Testing the Waters Communication
[*]
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EXHIBIT A
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
[●], 2024
Cathay Securities, Inc.
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
New York, NY 10005
As Representative of the several Underwriters
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that Cathay Securities, Inc., the representative (the “Representative”) of the underwriters (the “Underwriters”), propose to enter into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Skycorp Solar Group Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), in connection to the initial public offering (the “Offering”) of the Company’s ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Shares”).
To induce the Underwriters to continue its efforts in connection with the Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending six (6) months from the effective date of the registration statement associated with the Offering (the “Lock-Up Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for the Shares (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”); (2) 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 Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of the Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to the Shares or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Offering, or (b) transfers of the Lock-Up Securities as a bona fide gift, by will or intestacy or to a family member or trust for the benefit of a family member (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “family member” means any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (b), each donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement; (c) transfers of Lock-Up Securities to a charity or educational institution; (d) if the undersigned, directly or indirectly, controls a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, any transfers of Lock-Up Securities to any shareholder, partner or member of, or owner of similar equity interests in, the undersigned, as the case may be; (e) if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustee or beneficiary of the trust; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to the foregoing clauses (b), (c) or (d), (i) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (ii) each transferee shall sign and deliver to the Representative a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement, (iii) no filing under Section 13 of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) or other filing or public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made, (f) the receipt by the undersigned from the Company of ordinary shares upon the vesting of restricted share awards or share units or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s ordinary shares issued under an equity incentive plan of the Company or an employment arrangement described in the Pricing Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) (the “Plan Shares”) or the transfer of ordinary shares or any securities convertible into ordinary shares to the Company upon a vesting event of the Company’s securities or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s securities, in each case on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis or to cover tax obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise, but only to the extent such right expires during the Lock-up Period, provided that no filing under Section 13 of the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made within 90 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement, and after such 90th day, if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of ordinary shares during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such schedule or report to the effect that the purpose of such transfer was to cover tax withholding obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise and, provided, further, that the Plan Shares shall be subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement; (g) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities during the Lock-Up Period and (ii) no public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act will be voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan; and (h) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities that occurs by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement, provided that the transferee agrees to sign and deliver a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up Period, and provided further, that any filing under Section 13 of the Exchange Act that is required to be made during the Lock-Up Period as a result of such transfer shall include a statement that such transfer has occurred by operation of law (collectively, “Permitted Transfers”). 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. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent against the transfer of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
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No provision in this lock-up agreement shall be deemed to restrict or prohibit (i) the adoption of an equity incentive plan and the grant of awards or equity pursuant to any equity incentive plan, and the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8; provided, however, that any sales by parties to this lock-up agreement shall be subject to this lock-up agreement, (ii) the issuance of ordinary shares in connection with the exercise of outstanding warrants of the Company; provided that this lock-up agreement shall apply to any of the undersigned’s shares issued upon such exercise, or (iii) the issuance of securities in connection with an acquisition or a strategic relationship which may include the sale of equity securities; provided, that none of such shares shall be saleable in the public market until the expiration of the 6-month period described above.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any securities that the undersigned may purchase in the Offering; and (ii) the Representative agrees that, at least three (3) business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Lock-Up Securities, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two (2) business days after the release or waiver. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer of Lock-Up Securities not for consideration or in connection with any other Permitted Transfer and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this lock-up agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of such transfer.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Representative are relying upon this lock- up agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Offering. The undersigned further understands that this lock-up agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representative, successors and assigns.
The undersigned understands that, if (i) the Underwriting Agreement is not executed by [●], 2024, or (ii) the Company notifies the Representative in writing that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, or (iii) 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, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this lock-up agreement.
Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters. The undersigned acknowledges that no assurances are given by the Company or the Underwriters that any Offering will be consummated. This lock-up agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York.
[Signature Page Follows]
37
| Very truly yours, | ||
| (Signature) | ||
| Address: | ||
| Email: | ||
| Date: | ||
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