Exhibit 10.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of December 31,
1997, by and between Softnet Systems, Inc., a New York corporation, with
headquarters located at 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, XX 00000 (the
"Company"), and the undersigned (together with its affiliates and any assignee
or transferee of all of its rights hereunder, the "Initial Investor").
WHEREAS:
A. In connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement by and among the
parties hereto of even date herewith (the "Securities Purchase Agreement"), the
Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained
therein, to issue and sell to the Initial Investor (i) 5,000 shares of its
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") that are
convertible into shares (the "Conversion Shares") of the Company's common stock,
par value $.01 per share, (the "Common Stock"), upon the terms and subject to
the limitations and conditions set forth in the Certificate of Designations,
Preferences and Rights with respect to such Preferred Stock (the "Certificate of
Designation") and (ii) warrants (the "Warrants") to acquire One Hundred Fifty
Thousand (150,000) shares of Common Stock (the "Warrant Shares"), upon the
terms and subject to the limitations and conditions set forth in the Warrants
dated of even date herewith; and
B. To induce the Initial Investor to execute and deliver the Securities
Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration
rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the
"1933 Act"), and applicable state securities laws;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants
contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Initial
Investor hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
a. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(i) "Investor" means the Initial Investor and any transferee or
assignee who agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in
accordance with Section 9 hereof.
(ii) "register," "registered," and "registration" refer to a
registration effected by preparing and filing a Registration Statement or
Statements in compliance with the 1933 Act and pursuant to Rule 415 under the
1933 Act or any successor rule providing for offering securities on a continuous
basis ("Rule 415"), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such
Registration Statement by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC").
(iii) "Registrable Securities" means the Conversion Shares
and the Warrant Shares (including any Conversion Shares issuable with respect to
Conversion Default Payments under the Certificate of Designation or in
redemption of any Preferred Stock and any Warrant Shares issuable with respect
to Exercise Default Payments under the Warrants) issued or issuable with respect
to the Warrants and the Preferred Stock and any shares of capital stock issued
or issuable, from time to time (with any adjustments), as a distribution on or
in exchange for or otherwise with respect to any of the foregoing. As to any
particular securities, such Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities
when they have been sold pursuant to an effective registration statement or in
compliance with Rule 144 or are eligible to be sold pursuant to Rule 144(k)
under the 1933 Act (or any similar rule then in force).
(iv) "Registration Statement" means a registration statement of
the Company under the 0000 Xxx.
b. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein
shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Securities Purchase
Agreement.
2. REGISTRATION.
a. Mandatory Registration. The Company shall prepare, and, on or
prior to the date which is twenty (20) business days after the date of the
Closing under the Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Closing Date"), file with
the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or, if Form S-3 is not then
available, on Form S-1 (at the time provided for in Section 2(e)), to effect a
registration of all of the Registrable Securities, subject to the consent of the
Initial Investor, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld) covering the
resale of the Registrable Securities underlying the Preferred Stock and Warrants
issued or issuable pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, which
Registration Statement, to the extent allowable under the 1933 Act and the Rules
promulgated thereunder (including Rule 416), shall state that such Registration
Statement also covers such indeterminate number of additional shares of Common
Stock as may become issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock and exercise
of the Warrants (i) to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock
dividends or similar transactions or (ii) by reason of changes in the Conversion
Price of the Preferred Stock in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of
Designation or the Exercise Price of the Warrants in accordance with the terms
thereof. The number of shares of Common Stock initially included in such
Registration Statement shall be no less than two (2) times the sum of the number
of Conversion Shares and Warrant Shares that are then issuable upon conversion
of the Preferred Stock or exercise of the Warrants without regard to any
limitation on the Investor's ability to convert the Preferred Stock or Warrants.
The Company shall use its best efforts to obtain effectiveness of the
Registration Statement as soon as practicable.
b. Underwritten Offering. If any offering pursuant to a Registration
Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof involves an underwritten offering, the
Investors who hold a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities subject
to such underwritten offering, with the consent of the Initial Investor, shall
have the right to select one legal counsel and an investment banker or bankers
and manager or managers to administer the offering, which investment banker or
bankers or manager or managers shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company.
c. Payments by the Company. The Company shall use its best efforts
to obtain effectiveness of the Registration Statement as soon as practicable.
If (i) the Registration Statement(s) covering the Registrable Securities
required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof is not
declared effective by the SEC within ninety (90) days after the Closing Date (or
one hundred twenty (120) days after the Closing Date if the Company is advised
by the SEC that it is not eligible to use Form S-3 and is thus required to use
Form S-1) or if, after the Registration Statement has been declared effective by
the SEC, sales cannot be made pursuant to the Registration Statement, or (ii)
the Common Stock is not listed or included for quotation on the Nasdaq National
Market ("Nasdaq"), the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") or the American
Stock Exchange (the "AMEX") after being so listed or included for quotation,
then the Company will make payments to the Investor in such amounts and at such
times as shall be determined pursuant to this Section 2(c) as partial relief for
the damages to the Investor by reason of any such delay in or reduction of their
ability to sell the Registrable Securities (which remedy shall not be exclusive
of any other remedies available at law or in equity). The Company shall pay to
each holder of the Preferred Stock or Registrable Securities an amount equal to
the outstanding principal amount of the Preferred Stock ("Aggregate Share
Price") multiplied by two hundredths (.020) times the sum of: (i) the number of
months (prorated for partial months) after the end of such 90-day (or 120-day)
period and prior to the date the Registration Statement is declared effective by
the SEC, provided, however, that there shall be excluded from such period any
delays which are solely attributable to changes required by the Investor in the
Registration Statement with respect to information relating to the Investor,
including, without limitation, changes to the plan of distribution, or to the
failure of the Investor to conduct their review of the Registration Statement
pursuant to Section 3(h) below in a reasonably prompt manner; (ii) exclusive of
Allowed Delays (as defined below), the number of months (prorated for partial
months) that sales cannot be made pursuant to the Registration Statement after
the Registration Statement has been declared effective (including, without
limitation, when sales cannot be made by reason of the Company's failure to
properly supplement or amend the prospectus included therein in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement or when such prospectus otherwise contains a
material misstatement or omission) and (iii) exclusive of Allowed Delays the
number of months (prorated for partial months) that the Common Stock is not
listed or included for quotation on the Nasdaq-NMS, NYSE or AMEX or that
trading thereon is halted after the Registration Statement has been declared
effective. (For example, if the Registration Statement becomes effective one (1)
month after the end of such 90-day (or 120 day) period, the Company would pay
$20,000 for each $1,000,000 of Purchase Price. If thereafter, sales could not
be made pursuant to the Registration Statement for an additional period of one
(1) month (exclusive of Allowed Delays), the Company would pay an additional
$20,000 for each $1,000,000 of Purchase Price. Such amounts shall be paid in
cash or, at each Investor's option, may be convertible into Common Stock at the
"Conversion Price" (as defined in the Certificate of Designation). Any shares
of Common Stock issued upon conversion of such amounts shall be Registrable
Securities. If the Investor desires to convert the amounts due hereunder into
Registrable Securities, it shall so notify the Company in writing within two (2)
business days of the date on which such amounts are first payable in cash and
such amounts shall be so convertible (pursuant to the mechanics set forth under
Article VI of the Certificate of Designation), beginning on the last day upon
which the cash amount would otherwise be due in accordance with the following
sentence. Payments of cash pursuant hereto shall be made within five (5) days
after the end of each period that gives rise to such obligation, provided that,
if any such period extends for more than thirty (30) days, interim payments
shall be made for each such thirty (30) day period. The term "Purchase Price"
means the purchase price paid by the Investor for the Preferred Stock.
If at any time during the Registration Period, counsel to the Company should
determine in good faith that the filing of the Registration Statement or the
compliance by the Company with its disclosure obligations in connection with the
Registration Statement may require the disclosure of information which the Board
of Directors of the Company has identified as material and which the Board of
Directors has determined that the Company has a bona fide business purpose for
preserving as confidential, the Company shall promptly, (i) notify the Investor
in writing of the existence of (but in no event, without the prior written
consent of an Investor, shall the Company disclose to such investor any of the
facts or circumstances regarding) material non-public information and (ii)
advise the Investors in writing to cease all sales under the Registration
Statement until such information is disclosed to the public or ceases to be
material. In such instance, the company's obligation to make payments under
this Section 2(c) shall be suspended for a period (an "Allowed Delay") expiring
upon the earlier to occur of (A) the date on which such material information is
disclosed to the public or ceases to be material or the Company is able to so
comply with its disclosure obligations or (B) 15 trading days after the Company
first notifies the Investor of such good faith determination. There shall not
be more than two (2) Allowed Delays in any twelve (12) month period nor more
than three (3) Allowed Delays in any twenty-four (24) month period.
d. Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time prior to the expiration
of the Registration Period (as hereinafter defined) the Company shall file with
the SEC a Registration Statement relating to an offering for its own account or
the account of others under the 1933 Act of any of its equity securities (other
than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or their then equivalents relating to equity
securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity
or business or equity securities issuable in connection with stock option, stock
purchase or other employee benefit plans), the Company shall send to each
Investor who is entitled to registration rights under this Section 2(d) written
notice of such determination and, if within fifteen (15) days after the
effective date of such notice, such Investor shall so request in writing, the
Company shall include in such Registration Statement all or any part of the
Registrable Securities such Investor requests to be registered, except that if,
in connection with any underwritten public offering for the account of the
Company the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall impose a limitation on the
number of shares of Common Stock which may be included in the Registration
Statement because, in such underwriter(s)' judgment, marketing or other factors
dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the
Company shall be obligated to include in such Registration Statement only such
limited portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which such
Investor has requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter shall permit;
provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities
unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of
which are not entitled to inclusion of such securities in such Registration
Statement; and provided, further, however, that, after giving effect to the
immediately preceding proviso, any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be
made pro rata with holders of other securities having the right to include such
securities in the Registration Statement other than holders of securities
entitled to inclusion of their securities in such Registration Statement by
reason of demand registration rights. No right to registration of Registrable
Securities under this Section 2(d) shall be construed to limit any registration
required under Section 2(a) hereof. If an offering in connection with which an
Investor is entitled to registration under this Section 2(d) is an underwritten
offering, then each Investor whose Registrable Securities are included in such
Registration Statement shall, unless otherwise agreed by the Company, offer and
sell such Registrable Securities in an underwritten offering using the same
underwriter or underwriters and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, on
the same terms and conditions as other shares of Common Stock included in such
underwritten offering.
e. Eligibility for Form S-3. The Company represents and warrants
that it meets the registrant eligibility and transaction requirements for the
use of Form S-3 for registration of the sale by the Initial Investor and any
other Investor of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall file all
reports required to be filed by the Company with the SEC in a timely manner so
as to maintain such eligibility for the use of Form S-3. In the event that the
Company is advised by the SEC that it is not eligible to use Form S-3 in
connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities, it shall file a
Registration Statement covering the Registrable Securities on Form S-1 as
promptly as practicable and not more than 20 business days after such advice
from the SEC, and the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain eligibility
to use Form S-3 as promptly as practicable thereafter and shall convert the Form
S-1 Registration Statement to a Form S-3 Registration Statement as soon as it is
permitted to do so thereafter.
f. Rule 416. The Company and the Investor each acknowledge that an
indeterminate number of Registrable Securities shall be registered pursuant to
Rule 416 under the Securities Act so as to include in such Registration
Statement any and all Registrable Securities which may become issuable (i) to
prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar
transactions and (ii) by reason of reductions in the Conversion Price of the
Preferred Stock in accordance with the terms thereof, including, but not limited
to, the terms which cause the Variable Conversion Price to decrease to the
extent the closing bid price of the Common Stock decreases (collectively, the
"Rule 416 Securities"). In this regard, the Company agrees to take all steps
necessary to ensure that all Registrable Securities are registered pursuant to
Rule 416 under the Securities Act in the Registration Statement and, absent
guidance from the SEC or other definitive authority to the contrary, the Company
shall affirmatively support and not take any action adverse to the position that
the Registration Statements filed hereunder cover all of the Rule 416
Securities. If the Company determines that the Registration Statements filed
hereunder do not cover all of the Rule 416 Securities, the Company shall
immediately provide to each Investor written notice (a "Rule 416 Notice")
setting forth the basis for the Company's position and the authority therefor.
3. OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY.
In connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities, the
Company shall have the following obligations:
a. Subject to Section 2(e) with respect to the possible
ineligibility of the Company to use Form S-3, the Company shall prepare and, on
or prior to the date which is twenty (20) business days after the Closing Date,
file with the SEC, a Registration Statement with respect to the number of
Registrable Securities provided in Section 2(a), and thereafter use its best
efforts to cause such Registration Statement relating to Registrable Securities
to become effective as soon as possible after such filing, and keep the
Registration Statement effective pursuant to Rule 415 at all times until such
date as is the earlier of (i) the date on which all of the Registrable
Securities have been sold and (ii) the date on which the Registrable Securities
(in the opinion of counsel to the Initial Investor) may be immediately sold
without restriction (including without limitation as to volume by each holder
thereof) without registration under the 1933 Act (the "Registration Period"),
which Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto
and prospectuses contained therein) shall 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.
b. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments
(including post-effective amendments) and supplements to the Registration
Statement and the prospectus used in connection with the Registration Statement
as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective at all times
during the Registration Period, and, during such period, comply with the
provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable
Securities of the Company covered by the Registration Statement until such time
as all of such Registrable Securities have been disposed of in accordance with
the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set
forth in the Registration Statement. In the event that Rule 416 is determined
by the SEC not to permit the registration of an indeterminate number of shares,
and the number of shares available under a Registration Statement filed pursuant
to this Agreement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities
issued or issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock or exercise of the
Warrants, the Company shall amend the Registration Statement, or file a new
Registration Statement (on the short form available therefore, if applicable),
or both, so as to cover all of the Registrable Securities, in each case, as soon
as practicable, but in any event within twenty (20) business days after the
necessity therefor arises (based on the market price of the Common Stock and
other relevant factors on which the Company reasonably elects to rely). The
Company shall use its best efforts to cause such amendment and/or new
Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable following the
filing thereof. The provisions of Section 2(c) above shall be applicable with
respect to such obligation, with the ninety (90) days (or one hundred twenty
(120) days) running from the day after the date on which the Company reasonably
first determines (or reasonably should have determined) the need therefor.
c. The Company shall furnish to each Investor whose Registrable
Securities are included in the Registration Statement and its legal counsel (i)
promptly after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed with the
SEC, or received by the Company, one copy of the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto, each preliminary prospectus and prospectus and each amendment
or supplement thereto, and, in the case of the Registration Statement referred
to in Section 2(a), each letter written by or on behalf of the Company to the
SEC or the staff of the SEC, and each item of correspondence from the SEC or the
staff of the SEC, in each case relating to such Registration Statement (other
than any portion of any thereof which contains information for which the Company
has sought confidential treatment), and (ii) such number of copies of a
prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, and all amendments and
supplements thereto and such other documents as such Investor may reasonably
request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities
owned by such Investor. The Company will immediately notify each Investor by
facsimile of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment. The Company will promptly respond to any and all
comments received from the SEC, with a view towards causing any Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto to be declared effective by the SEC as soon
as practicable and shall promptly file an acceleration request as soon as
practicable following the resolution or clearance of all SEC comments or, if
applicable, following notification by the SEC that the Registration Statement or
any amendment thereto will not be subject to review.
d. The Company shall use reasonable efforts to (i) register and
qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under
such other securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions in the United
States as the Investors who hold a majority-in-interest of the Registrable
Securities being offered reasonably request, (ii) prepare and file in those
jurisdictions such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and
supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to
maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take
such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and
qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv)
take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the
Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that
the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition
thereto to (a) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not
otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (b) subject itself
to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, (c) file a general consent to
service of process in any such jurisdiction, (d) provide any undertakings that
cause the Company undue expense or burden, or (e) make any change in its charter
or bylaws, which in each case the Board of Directors of the Company determines
to be contrary to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
e. In the event Investors who hold a majority-in-interest of the
Registrable Securities being offered in the offering (with the approval of the
Initial Investor) select underwriters for the offering, the Company shall enter
into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and
customary form, including, without limitation, customary indemnification and
contribution obligations, with the underwriters of such offering.
f. As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event,
the Company shall notify each Investor of the happening of any event, of which
the Company has knowledge, as a result of which the prospectus included in the
Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and use its best
efforts promptly to prepare a supplement or amendment to the Registration
Statement to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver such number
of copies of such supplement or amendment to each Investor as such Investor may
reasonably request.
g. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of a Registration Statement,
and, if such an order is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such order at the
earliest possible moment and to notify each Investor who holds Registrable
Securities being sold (or, in the event of an underwritten offering, the
managing underwriters) of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof.
h. The Company shall permit a single firm of counsel designated by
the Initial Investor to review the Registration Statement and all amendments and
supplements thereto (as well as all requests for acceleration or effectiveness
thereof) a reasonable period of time prior to their filing with the SEC, and not
file any document in a form to which such counsel reasonably objects and will
not request acceleration of the Registration Statement without prior notice to
such counsel. The sections of the Registration Statement covering information
with respect to the Investor, the Investor's beneficial ownership of securities
of the Company or the Investor's intended method of disposition of Registrable
Securities shall conform to the information provided to the Company by the
Investor.
i. The Company shall make generally available to its security
holders as soon as practical, but not later than ninety (90) days after the
close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying
with the provisions of Rule 158 under the 0000 Xxx) covering a twelve- month
period beginning not later than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter
next following the effective date of the Registration Statement.
j. At the request of any Investor, the Company shall furnish, on the
date that Registrable Securities are delivered to an underwriter, if any, for
sale in connection with the Registration Statement or, if such securities are
not being sold by an underwriter, on the date of effectiveness thereof (i) an
opinion, dated as of such date, from counsel representing the Company for
purposes of such Registration Statement, in form, scope and substance as is
customarily given in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the
underwriters, if any, and the Investors and (ii) a letter, dated such date, from
the Company's independent certified public accountants in form and substance as
is customarily given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters
in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and
the Investors.
k. The Company shall make available for inspection by (i) any
Investor, (ii) any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the
Registration Statement, (iii) one firm of attorneys and one firm of accountants
or other agents retained by the Initial Investor, (iv) one firm of attorneys and
one firm of accountants or other agents retained by all other Investors, and (v)
one firm of attorneys retained by all such underwriters (collectively, the
"Inspectors") all pertinent financial and other records, and pertinent corporate
documents and properties of the Company (collectively, the "Records"), as shall
be reasonably deemed necessary by each Inspector to enable each Inspector to
exercise its due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company's officers,
directors and employees to supply all information which any Inspector may
reasonably request for purposes of such due diligence; provided, however, that
each Inspector shall hold in confidence and shall not make any disclosure
(except to an Investor) of any Record or other information which the Company
determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination the
Inspectors are so notified, unless (a) the disclosure of such Records is
necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration
Statement, (b) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or
other order from a court or government body of competent jurisdiction, or (c)
the information in such Records has been made generally available to the public
other than by disclosure in violation of this or any other agreement. The
Company shall not be required to disclose any confidential information in such
Records to any Inspector until and unless such Inspector shall have entered into
confidentiality agreements (in form and substance satisfactory to the Company)
with the Company with respect thereto, substantially in the form of this Section
3(k). Each Investor agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such
Records is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt notice to the Company and allow
the Company, at its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent
disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, the Records deemed
confidential. Nothing herein (or in any other confidentiality agreement between
the Company and any Investor) shall be deemed to limit the Investor's ability to
sell Registrable Securities in a manner which is otherwise consistent with
applicable laws and regulations.
l. The Company shall hold in confidence and not make any disclosure
of information concerning an Investor provided to the Company unless (i)
disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state
securities laws, (ii) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid
or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement, (iii) the
release of such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order
from a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction, or (iv) such
information has been made generally available to the public other than by
disclosure in violation of this or any other agreement. The Company agrees that
it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such information concerning an
Investor is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt notice to such Investor prior
to making such disclosure, and allow the Investor, at its expense, to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order
for, such information.
m. The Company shall (i) cause all the Registrable Securities
covered by the Registration Statement to be listed on each national securities
exchange on which securities of the same class or series issued by the Company
are then listed, if any, if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then
permitted under the rules of such exchange, or (ii) secure the designation and
quotation, of all the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration
Statement on the AMEX or, if not eligible for the AMEX on the Nasdaq National
Market System or Nasdaq Small Cap and, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, to arrange for at least two market makers to register with the AMEX
as such with respect to such Registrable Securities.
n. The Company shall provide a transfer agent and registrar, which
may be a single entity, for the Registrable Securities not later than the
effective date of the Registration Statement.
o. The Company shall cooperate with the Investors who hold
Registrable Securities being offered and the managing underwriter or
underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates (not bearing any restrictive legends) representing Registrable
Securities to be offered pursuant to the Registration Statement and enable such
certificates to be in such denominations or amounts, as the case may be, as the
managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, or the Investors may reasonably
request and registered in such names as the managing underwriter or
underwriters, if any, or the Investors may request, and, within three (3)
business days after a Registration Statement which includes Registrable
Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the Company shall deliver and shall
cause legal counsel selected by the Company to deliver to the transfer agent for
the Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investors whose Registrable
Securities are included in such Registration Statement) an instruction in the
form attached hereto as Exhibit 1 and an opinion from such counsel and a letter
from the Company, which letter has been acknowledged by the Company's transfer
agent as sufficient to permit the issuance of unlegended Conversion Shares and
Warrant Shares which are not subject to a stop transfer notation in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit 2.
p. The Company shall take all other reasonable actions necessary to
expedite and facilitate disposition by the Investors of Registrable Securities
pursuant to the Registration Statement.
q. At the request of any Investor, the Company shall prepare and
file with the SEC such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and
supplements to a Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection
with the Registration Statement as may be necessary in order to change the plan
of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement.
r. The Company shall comply with all applicable laws related to a
Registration Statement and offering and sale of securities and all applicable
rules and regulations of governmental authorities in connection therewith
(including without limitation the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC.)
4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTORS.
In connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities, the
Investors shall have the following obligations:
a. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the
Company to complete the registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to
the Registrable Securities of a particular Investor that such Investor shall
furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable
Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable
Securities held by it as shall be reasonably required to effect the registration
of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection
with such registration as the Company may reasonably request. At least three
(3) business days prior to the first anticipated filing date of the Registration
Statement, the Company shall notify each Investor of the information the Company
requires from each such Investor.
b. Each Investor, by such Investor's acceptance of the Registrable
Securities, agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the
Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration
Statement hereunder, unless such Investor has notified the Company in writing of
such Investor's election to exclude all of such Investor's Registrable
Securities from the Registration Statement.
c. In the event Investors holding a majority-in-interest of the
Registrable Securities being registered (with the approval of the Initial
Investor) determine to engage the services of an underwriter, each Investor
agrees to enter into and perform such Investor's obligations under an
underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, including, without
limitation, customary indemnification and contribution obligations, with the
managing underwriter of such offering and take such other actions as are
reasonably required in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the
Registrable Securities, unless such Investor has notified the Company in writing
of such Investor's election to exclude all of such Investor's Registrable
Securities from the Registration Statement.
d. Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the
Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(f) or
3(g), such Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable
Securities until such Investor's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or
amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(f) or 3(g) and, if so directed by
the Company, such Investor shall deliver to the Company (at the expense of the
Company) or destroy (and deliver to the Company a certificate of destruction)
all copies in such Investor's possession, of the prospectus covering such
Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
e. No Investor may participate in any underwritten registration
hereunder unless such Investor (i) agrees to sell such Investor's Registrable
Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements in usual and
customary form entered into by the Company, (ii) completes and executes all
questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and
other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting
arrangements, and (iii) agrees to pay its pro rata share of all underwriting
discounts and commissions and any expenses in excess of those payable by the
Company pursuant to Section 5 below.
5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
All reasonable expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions,
incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to
Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all registration, listing and
qualification fees, printers and accounting fees, the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Company, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of one
counsel selected by the Initial Investor pursuant to Sections 2(b) and 3(h)
hereof shall be borne by the Company. In addition, the Company shall pay all of
the Investors' reasonable costs (including legal fees) incurred in connection
with the successful enforcement of the Investors' rights hereunder.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a Registration
Statement under this Agreement:
a. To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify, hold
harmless and defend (i) each Investor who holds such Registrable Securities,
(ii) the directors, officers, partners, employees, agents and each person who
controls any Investor within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), if any, (iii) any underwriter
(as defined in the 0000 Xxx) for the Investors, and (iv) the directors,
officers, partners, employees and each person who controls any such underwriter
within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, if any (each, an
"Indemnified Person"), against any joint or several losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses (collectively, together with actions, proceedings or
inquiries by any regulatory or self-regulatory organization, whether commenced
or threatened, in respect thereof, "Claims") to which any of them may become
subject insofar as such Claims arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in a Registration
Statement or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any preliminary prospectus if used prior to the effective date
of such Registration Statement, or contained in the final prospectus (as amended
or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any
material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the
circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading; or
(iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the
1934 Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any state securities
law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the
Registrable Securities (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii)
being, collectively, "Violations"). Subject to the restrictions set forth in
Section 6(c) with respect to the number of legal counsel, the Company shall
reimburse each Indemnified Person, promptly as such expenses are incurred and
are due and payable, for any reasonable legal fees or other reasonable expenses
incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification
agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (i) shall not apply to a Claim arising
out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Indemnified Person
or underwriter for such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with
the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company
pursuant to Section 3(c) hereof; (ii) shall not apply to amounts paid in
settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written
consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; and
(iii) with respect to any preliminary prospectus, shall not inure to the benefit
of any Indemnified Person if the untrue statement or omission of material fact
contained in the preliminary prospectus was corrected on a timely basis in the
prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, such corrected prospectus was
timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) hereof, and the
Indemnified Person was promptly advised in writing not to use the incorrect
prospectus prior to the use giving rise to a Violation and such Indemnified
Person, notwithstanding such advice, used it. Such indemnity shall remain in
full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of
the Indemnified Person and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable
Securities by the Investors pursuant to Section 9.
b. In connection with any Registration Statement in which an
Investor is participating, each such Investor agrees severally and not jointly
to indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the same
manner set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors, each of
its officers who signs the Registration Statement, each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, any
underwriter and any other stockholder selling securities pursuant to the
Registration Statement or any of its directors or officers or any person who
controls such stockholder or underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act or
the 1934 Act (collectively and together with an Indemnified Person, an
"Indemnified Party"), against any Claim to which any of them may become subject,
under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim arises out
of or is based upon any Violation by such Investor, in each case to the extent
(and only to the extent) that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Investor
expressly for use in connection with such Registration Statement; and subject to
Section 6(c) such Investor will reimburse any legal or other expenses (promptly
as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable) reasonably incurred by
them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided,
however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) shall not
apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected
without the prior written consent of such Investor, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld; provided, further, however, that the Investor shall be
liable under this Agreement (including this Section 6(b) and Section 7) for only
that amount as does not exceed the net proceeds to such Investor as a result of
the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.
Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party and shall survive
the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investors pursuant to Section
9. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the
indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(b) with respect to any
preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Indemnified Party
if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained in the
preliminary prospectus was corrected on a timely basis in the prospectus, as
then amended or supplemented.
c. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action
(including any governmental action), such Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any
indemnifying party under this Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a
written notice of the commencement thereof, and the indemnifying party shall
have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so
desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume
control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the
indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party, as the
case may be; provided, however, that such indemnifying party shall not be
entitled to assume such defense and an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party
shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses to be
paid by the indemnifying party, if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel
retained by the indemnifying party, the representation by such counsel of the
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party would be
inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such
counsel in such proceeding. The indemnifying party shall pay for only one
separate legal counsel for the Indemnified Persons or the Indemnified Parties,
as applicable, and such legal counsel shall be selected by Investors holding a
majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration
Statement to which the Claim relates (with the approval of the Initial
Investor), if the Investors are entitled to indemnification hereunder, or the
Company, if the Company is entitled to indemnification hereunder, as applicable.
The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a
reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such
indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is
actually prejudiced in its ability to defend such action. The indemnification
required by this Section 6 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount
thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as such expense,
loss, damage or liability is incurred and is due and payable.
7. CONTRIBUTION.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is prohibited or
limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum contribution
with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable under Section
6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that (i) no
contribution shall be made under circumstances where the maker would not have
been liable for indemnification under the fault standards set forth in Section
6, (ii) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be
entitled to contribution from any seller of Registrable Securities who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation, and (iii) contribution (together
with any indemnification or other obligations under this Agreement) by any
seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of
proceeds received by such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities.
8. REPORTS UNDER THE 1934 ACT.
With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule 144
promulgated under the 1933 Act or any other similar rule or regulation of the
SEC that may at any time permit the Investors to sell securities of the Company
to the public without registration ("Rule 144"), the Company agrees, for as long
as there shall be any Series A Preferred Stock, Warrants, Conversion Shares or
Warrant Shares held by an Investor, to:
a. make and keep public information available, as those terms are
understood and defined in Rule 144;
b. file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required of the Company under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act so long as
the Company remains subject to such requirements (it being understood that
nothing herein shall limit the Company's obligations under Section 4(c) of the
Securities Purchase Agreement) and the filing of such reports and other
documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and
c. furnish to each Investor so long as such Investor owns
Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the
Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, the
1933 Act and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly
report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the
Company, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to
permit the Investors to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without
registration.
9. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
The rights under this Agreement shall be automatically assignable by the
Investors to any transferee of all or a portion of Registrable Securities if:
(i) the Investor agrees in writing with the transferee or assignee to assign
such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company within a
reasonable time after such assignment, (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable
time after such transfer or assignment, furnished with written notice of (a) the
name and address of such transferee or assignee, and (b) the securities with
respect to which such registration rights are being transferred or assigned,
(iii) following such transfer or assignment, the further disposition of such
securities by the transferee or assignee is restricted under the 1933 Act and
applicable state securities laws, (iv) at or before the time the Company
receives the written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this sentence, the
transferee or assignee agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of
the provisions contained herein, (v) such transfer shall have been made in
accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Purchase
Agreement, and (vi) such transferee shall be an "accredited investor" as that
term defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the 1933 Act and
shall have made appropriate representations to that effect to the Company.
10. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
Provisions of this Agreement may be amended and the observance thereof may
be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively
or prospectively), only with written consent of the Company, the Initial
Investor (to the extent such Initial Investor still owns Registrable Securities)
and Investors who hold a majority interest of the Registrable Securities. Any
amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding
upon each Investor and the Company.
11. MISCELLANEOUS.
a. A person or entity is deemed to be a holder of Registrable
Securities whenever such person or entity owns of record such Registrable
Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or
elections from two or more persons or entities with respect to the same
Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions,
notice or election received from the registered owner of such Registrable
Securities.
b. Any notices required or permitted to be given under the terms
hereof shall be sent by certified or registered mail (return receipt requested)
or delivered personally or by courier (including a recognized overnight delivery
service) or by facsimile and shall be effective five days after being placed in
the mail, if mailed by regular U.S. mail, or upon receipt, if delivered
personally or by courier (including a recognized overnight delivery service) or
by facsimile, in each case addressed to a party. The addresses for such
communications shall be:
If to the Company:
SoftNet Systems, Inc.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Secretary
Phone: (000) 000-0000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
With copy to:
XxXxxxxxx, Will & Xxxxx
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxx Xxxx, Esq.
Phone: (000) 000-0000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
If to an Investor: to the address set forth immediately below such Investor's
name on the signature pages to the Securities Purchase Agreement.
c. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this
Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy,
shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
d. This Agreement shall be enforced, governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of New York applicable to agreements made and to be
performed entirely within such State. In the event that any provision of this
Agreement is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of
law, then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may
conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or
rule of law. Any provision hereof which may prove invalid or unenforceable
under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other
provision hereof. The parties hereto hereby submit to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the United States Federal Courts located in New York with
respect to any dispute arising under this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby.
e. This Agreement, the Securities Purchase Agreement (including all
schedules and exhibits thereto), and the Warrants constitute the entire
agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and
thereof. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other
than those set forth or referred to herein and therein. This Agreement, the
Securities Purchase Agreement and the Warrants supersede all prior agreements
and understandings among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter
hereof and thereof.
f. Subject to the requirements of Section 9 hereof, this Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of
each of the parties hereto.
g. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference
only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
h. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and
the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be delivered
to the other party hereto by facsimile transmission of a copy of this Agreement
bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.
i. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and
performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all
such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other
party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the
purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
j. Except as otherwise provided herein, all consents and other
determinations to be made by the Investors pursuant to this Agreement shall be
made by Investors holding a majority of the Registrable Securities, determined
as if the all of the shares of Preferred Stock and Warrants then outstanding
have been converted into or exercised for Registrable Securities.
k. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the
language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of
strict construction will be applied against any party.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the undersigned Initial Investor have
caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
SOFTNET SYSTEMS, INC.
By:
RGC International Investors, LDC
By: Xxxx Xxxx Capital Management, L.P.,
Investment Manager
By: RGC General Partner Corp.
By:
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
Managing Director
