Green Circle Decarbonize Technology Limited UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
Green Circle Decarbonize Technology Limited
__, 2024
Spartan Capital Securities LLC
00 Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx,
New York, NY 10006
Dominari Securities LLC
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
New York, NY 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Green Circle Decarbonize Technology Limited, a Cayman Islands company limited by shares (collectively with its subsidiaries and affiliates, including, without limitation, all entities disclosed or described in the Registration Statement (as hereafter defined) as being subsidiaries or affiliates of the Company, the “Company”), on the one hand, and Spartan Capital Securities LLC (the “Representative”) and with the other underwriters, if any, named on Schedule C hereto for which the Representative is acting as representative (the Representative and such other underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”), on the other hand, pursuant to which the Underwriters shall serve as the underwriters for the Company in connection with the proposed offering (the “Offering”) by the Company of the Underwritten Units (as defined below) on a “Firm Commitment” basis.
The Company proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to sell to the Underwriters an aggregate of 2,500,000 Units (the “Underwritten Units”), with each Underwritten Unit consisting of one of our ordinary shares, with $0.001 par value (“Ordinary Shares”) and one warrant (“Warrant”) to purchase one of our Ordinary Shares and to grant the Underwriters the option to purchase an aggregate of up to 375,000 additional Units (the “Additional Units ”) as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the Offering.
The Underwritten Units and Additional Units are collectively referred to as the “Offered Securities.” The Offered Securities and the Underwriters’ Warrant (as defined below) are herein collectively referred to as the “Securities.”
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the Underwriters as follows:
Section 1. Agreement to Act as Underwriters.
(a) Underwriting Discount; Expenses.
(i) Underwriting Discount. An underwriting discount equal to five percent (5.0%) of the aggregate public sales price of the Offered Securities sold on a Closing Date, which will be paid to and allocated by the Underwriters among the selling syndicate and soliciting dealers in its sole discretion, if applicable. Additionally, in the event any Warrant is exercised, Company agrees to pay the Underwriters five percent (5.0%) of all exercise proceeds forthwith, and in case no less than two (2) business days of receipt of the same.
(ii) Underwriters’ Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue to the Underwriters (and/or its designees) on a Closing Date, as defined in Section 3(c) herein, a warrant to purchase a number of Ordinary Shares equal to 5% of the Underwritten Units (including the over-allotment option) on Closing Date (“Underwriters’ Warrant”). The Underwriterss Warrant, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing nine (9) months from the date of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and and expiring on the third anniversary from the exercisable date at an initial exercise price equal to 100% of the Per Unit Price (as defined below) of the Offered Securities. The Underwriters’ Warrant shall include a “cashless” exercise feature. The Underwriters understand and agree that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Underwriters’ Warrant and the underlying Ordinary Shares during the one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of effectiveness or commencement of sales of the Offering and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that they will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Underwriters’ Warrant, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the following the date of effectiveness or commencement of sales of the Offering to anyone other than the circumstances listed under FINRA Rule 5110(g)(2).
Delivery of the Underwriters’ Warrants shall be made on a Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Underwriters may request.
(iii) Non-Accountable Expenses. [Intentionally Omitted]
(iv) Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Statement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company hereby agrees to pay all costs and expenses incident to the Offering, including the following:
| A. | all expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, formatting for XXXXX and filing of the Registration Statement, and any and all amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; | |
| B. | all fees and expenses in connection with filings with FINRA’s Public Offering System; | |
| C. | all fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Offered Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the Offering; | |
| D. | all reasonable expenses in connection with the qualifications of the Securities for offering and sale under state or blue-sky laws, when applicable; | |
| E. | all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Securities on the NYSE Amex or Nasdaq (a “Senior Exchange”); | |
| F. | any stock transfer taxes incurred in connection with this Agreement or the Offering; | |
| G. | the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities; | |
| H. | the Underwriters’ counsel’s fees and expenses of up to $115,000;
Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company has paid to the Underwriters $[ ]. Any advances made by the Company have been (and shall be) made for reasonably anticipated out-of-pocket accountable expenses in connection with the Offering, and any unused portion will be returned to the Company to the extent not actually incurred. |
In the event that this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, or subsequent to a Material Adverse Change (as defined herein), the Company will pay all documented out-of-pocket and unreimbursed expenses of the Underwriters (including but not limited to fees and disbursements of Underwriters’ counsel, expenses associated with a due diligence report and reasonable travel specified in Sections 1(a)(iv)(H) incurred in connection herewith which shall be limited to expenses which are actually incurred as allowed under FINRA Rule 5110 and in any event, the aggregate amount of such expenses to be paid or reimbursed by the Company directly or indirectly to or on behalf of the Underwriters shall not exceed $200,000.
(b) Exclusivity. The term of the Underwriters’ exclusive engagement (the “Exclusive Term”) will be until the termination of the engagement agreement by and between the Company and the Underwriters dated September 7, 2023, as amended (the “Engagement Letter”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the provisions concerning confidentiality, indemnification and contribution contained herein will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement, and the Company’s obligation to pay fees actually earned and payable and to reimburse expenses actually incurred and reimbursable pursuant to Section 1 hereof and which are permitted to be reimbursed under FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A), will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to limit the ability of the Underwriters or their Affiliates to pursue, investigate, analyze, invest in, or engage in investment banking, financial advisory or any other business relationship with Persons (as defined below) other than the Company. As used herein (i) “Persons” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind and (ii) “Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act. If during the Exclusive Term, or within twelve (12) months after the date of termination or expiration of the Engagement Letter, no Closing has occurred, the Company sells securities to investors introduced to the Company by the Underwriters or their Affiliates prior to such termination or expiration, then the Company shall pay to the Underwriters, at the time of each such sale, the compensation, set forth in Section 1(a) above, with respect to any such sale.
Section 2. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company. The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Underwriters, as of the date hereof, and as of each Closing Date, except as set out in the Registration Statement and the Singaporean legal opinion:
(a) Securities Law Filings. The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form F-1 (Registration File No.[ ]) under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Commission promulgated thereunder. At the time of the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Registration Statement and amendments will materially meet the requirements of Form F-1 under the Securities Act. The Company will file with the Commission pursuant to Rules 430A and 424(b) under the Securities Act, a final prospectus included in such registration statement relating to the Offering and the underwriting thereof (the “Final Prospectus”) and has advised the Underwriters of all further information (financial and other) with respect to the Company required to be set forth therein. Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, as amended at the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement”; such prospectus in the form in which it appears in the Registration Statement as amended at the date of this Agreement is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included,” “described,” “referenced,” “set forth” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be. The Registration Statement has been declared effective on the date hereof. The Company shall, prior to the initial Closing Date, file with the Commission a Form 8-A providing for the registration under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the Ordinary Shares.
(b) Assurances. The Registration Statement (and any further documents to be filed with the Commission) contains all exhibits and schedules as required by the Securities Act. Each of (i) the Registration Statement at the time it became effective, (ii) the Prospectus at the time the Registration Statement became effective, (iii) any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement at the time it becomes effective and (iv) and the Final Prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) at the time of such filing, and at all other subsequent times at each Closing Date, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading (provided, however, that the preceding representations and warranties contained in this sentence shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriters expressly for use therein (the “Underwriter Information”). All post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement reflecting facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein have been so filed with the Commission. There are no documents required to be filed with the Commission in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby that (x) have not been filed as required pursuant to the Securities Act or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time period. There are no material contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus (or the Final Prospectus) or filed as exhibits or schedules to the Registration Statement that have not been (or will not be) described or filed as required. The Company is eligible to use free writing prospectuses in connection with the Offering pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations. The Company will not, without the prior consent of the Underwriters, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus. Except as set out on Schedule A, there are no free writing prospectuses in connection with this offering.
(c) Offering Materials. The Company has delivered, or will as promptly as practicable deliver, to the Underwriters complete conformed copies of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts, as applicable, filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits) and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented (including the Final Prospectus), in such quantities and at such places as the Underwriters reasonably request. Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed and none of them will distribute, prior to any Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, the Registration Statement, and any other materials permitted by the Securities Act (collectively, the “Offering Materials”).
(d) Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company (the “Subsidiaries”) are described in the Registration Statement to the extent necessary. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of its capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any liens, charges, security interests, encumbrances, rights of first refusal, preemptive rights or other restrictions (collectively, “Liens”), and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.
(e) Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing (where applicable) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any other agreement entered into between the Company and the Underwriters (“Transaction Documents”), (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects (as such prospects are described in the Prospectus) or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under this Agreement or the Offering (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and to the best knowledge of the Company, no action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened (“Proceeding”) has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.
(f) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and the Offering and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and each of the other Transaction Documents and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) or the Company’s shareholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals (as defined below). This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
(g) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, to the Company’s best knowledge, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), such conflict, default or violation could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(h) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the transactions contemplated hereby, other than: (i) the filing with the Commission of the Final Prospectus as required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act, (ii) application to a Senior Exchange (the “Trading Market”), for the listing of the Securities for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby and (iii) if applicable, such filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities laws (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).
(i) Issuance of the Securities; Registration. The Offered Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, and the terms of the Offering as described in the Prospectus, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Ordinary Shares underlying the Underwriters’ Warrants (the “Underlying Shares”) are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance the terms of the Underwriters’ Warrants, as applicable, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company has sufficient Ordinary Shares for the issuance of the maximum number of Securities and Underlying Shares issuable pursuant to the Offering as described in the Prospectus.
(j) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company as of the date hereof is as set forth in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus. The Company has not issued any Ordinary Shares since the date of this Agreement, other than pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans, the issuance of Ordinary Shares to employees, directors or consultants pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire Ordinary Shares at any time, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred shares, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive (“Ordinary Shares Equivalents”). No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Offering Materials. Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities or as disclosed in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any Ordinary Shares or the capital stock of any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Shares Equivalents or capital stock of any Subsidiary. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to issue Ordinary Shares or other securities to any Person (other than the Underwriters) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities. There are no securities of the Company or any Subsidiary that have any anti-dilution or similar adjustment rights (other than adjustments for stock splits, recapitalizations, and the like) to the exercise or conversion price, have any exchange rights, or reset rights. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. The Company does not have any share appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance in all material respects with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding Ordinary Shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any shareholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. Except for the operating agreement of the Company, 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.
(k) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Registration Statement, except as specifically disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to the International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its shareholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any Ordinary Shares of the Company and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans, if any. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by the Prospectus or disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, prospects (as such prospects are described in the Prospectus), properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one trading day prior to the date that this representation is made.
(l) Litigation. Except for such matter disclosed in the Offering Materials, there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (an “Action”) which is required to be set forth in the Offering Materials pursuant to the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any of the Transaction Documents, the Offering or the Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor 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.
(m) Labor Relations. No material labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. 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, or is now expected to be, 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. To the Company’s actual knowledge, the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) Compliance. Except as set forth in the Offering Materials, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or governmental body or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) Regulatory Permits. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Offering Materials, the Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.
(p) Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not own any real property. Except as disclosed in the Offering Materials, any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.
(q) [Intentionally Omitted].
(r) Transactions with Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, none of the officers or directors of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.
(s) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx; Internal Accounting Controls. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus, the Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure its compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 that are effective and applicable to the Company as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of each Closing Date. Except as set forth in the Offering Materials, the Company and the Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS and to maintain asset accountability, (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 the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures 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.
(t) Certain Fees, FINRA Affiliation. Except as set forth herein and in the Prospectus, contemplated by this Agreement, or a separate agreement regarding the Offering with a soliciting dealer in the sole discretion of the Underwriters, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, there are no other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its stockholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA. The Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, investing fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who provided capital to the Company, (ii) any FINRA member, or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member within the 12-month period prior to the date on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (the “Filing Date”) or thereafter. To the Company’s knowledge, no (i) officer or director of the Company or its subsidiaries, (ii) owner of 5% or more of the Company’s unregistered securities or that of its subsidiaries or (iii) owner of any amount of the Company’s unregistered securities acquired within the 180-day period prior to the Filing Date, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member. The Company will advise the Underwriters if it becomes aware that any officer, director or stockholder of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or becomes an Affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering.
(u) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(v) Registration Rights. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company.
(w) Registration. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and a current Prospectus relating thereto for as long as the Securities remain outstanding.
(x) 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 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 sets 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 $50,000 (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 $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with 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.
(y) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each Subsidiary (i) has made or filed all income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim.
(z) Accountants. ZH CPA, LLC (“ZH”) is the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm (i) is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements of the Company for the years ended March 31, 2024 and 2023.
(aa) Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”).
(bb) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement relating to the Securities and (ii) as of the date of the execution and delivery of this Agreement (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company met all the requirements set forth in General Instruction I of Form F-1.
(cc) Emerging Growth Company. From the time of the 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 Communications) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “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.
(dd) Certificates. Any certificate signed by an authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters set forth therein.
(ee) Reliance. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and warranties and hereby consents to such reliance.
(ff) 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 either the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(gg) Statistical or Market-Related Data. Any statistical, industry-related and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes to be reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
(hh) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Ordinary Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, 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 Securities under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. Except as disclosed in the Offering Materials, the Company is, 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. The Ordinary Shares are currently eligible for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees to the Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of a Senior Exchange.
(ii) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(jj) Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its 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 Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the 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.
(kk) Testing the Waters Communications. The Company (a) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Underwriters 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 not authorized anyone other than the Underwriters to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Underwriters have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications.
(ll) Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.
(mm) Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company believes are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.
(nn) 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”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or 25 percent or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
(oo) 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.
(pp) Senior Exchange Listing. The Ordinary Shares has been approved for listing on a Senior Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the Ordinary Shares from the Senior Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Senior Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing.
(qq) D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors, officers and 5% shareholders immediately prior to the Offering (the “Insiders”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Company’s directors, officers and principal shareholders as described in the Offering Materials, provided to the Underwriters, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate and incorrect.
(rr) Electronic Road Show. The Company has made available a “bona fide electronic road show” in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) of the Securities Act Regulations such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h) of the Securities Act Regulations) is required in connection with the Offering.
(ss) Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (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 Securities to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
(tt) Export and Import Laws. The Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, each of its Affiliates, and any director, officer, agent or employee of, or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company, has acted at all times in compliance with applicable Export and Import Laws (as defined below) and there are no claims, complaints, charges, investigations or Proceedings pending or expected or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened between the Company or any of its subsidiaries and any governmental authority under any Export or Import Laws. The term “Export and Import Laws” means the Arms Export Control Act, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended, the Export Administration Regulations, and all other laws and regulations of the United States government regulating the provision of services to non-U.S. parties or the export and import of articles or information from and to the United States of America, and all similar laws and regulations of any foreign government regulating the provision of services to parties not of the foreign country or the export and import of articles and information from and to the foreign country to parties not of the foreign country.
(uu) 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.
(vv) No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their Affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its Affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. 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 Per Unit Price to the public and the purchase price paid to the Company by the Underwriter for the Offered Securities and the Underwriter has no obligation to disclose, or account to the Company for, any of such additional financial interests. 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 fiduciary duty.
Section 3. Delivery and Payment.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Offered Securities to the Underwriters, and the Underwriters agree to purchase the Offered Securities. The purchase price for each Underwritten Share shall be $[ ] (the “Per Unit Price”).
(b) The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the option to purchase some or all of the Additional Units, and, upon the basis of the warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all or any portion of the Additional Units at the Per Unit Price as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. This option may be exercised by the Underwriters at any time (but not more than once) on or before the forty-fifth (45th) day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Company (the “Option Notice”). The Option Notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Additional Units as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Additional Units are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Closing Date (as defined below) nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised (or third business day if the Option Notice is given after 4.30pm Eastern Time) nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised unless the Company and the Underwriters otherwise agree. Payment of the purchase price for and delivery of the Additional Units shall be made at the Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Underwritten Shares as set forth in subparagraph (c) below.
(c) The Offered Securities will be delivered by the Company to the Underwriters against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of same day funds payable to the order of the Company’s offices, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time, on the second (or if the Offered Securities are priced, as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) under the Exchange Act, after 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, the third) full business day following the date hereof, or at such other time and date as the Underwriters and the Company determine pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act. The time and date of delivery of the Offered Securities is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”. If the Underwriters so elect, delivery of the Offered Securities may be made by credit through full fast transfer to the account at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Underwriters.
Section 4. Covenants and Agreements of the Company. The Company further covenants and agrees with the Underwriters as follows:
(a) Registration Statement Matters. The Registration Statement and any amendments thereto have been declared effective, and if Rule 430A is used or the filing of the Prospectus is otherwise required under Rule 424(b), the Company will file the Prospectus (properly completed if Rule 430A has been used) pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the prescribed time period and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Underwriters of such timely filing. The Company will advise the Underwriters promptly after they receive notice thereof of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement or amendment to the Prospectus has been filed and will furnish the Underwriters with copies thereof. The Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the Offering. The Company will advise the Underwriters, promptly after it receives notice thereof (i) of any request by the Commission to amend the Registration Statement or to amend or supplement the Prospectus or for additional information, and (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the institution or threatened institution of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or prevention or suspension of such use. 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 commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment, or will file a new registration statement and use its commercially reasonable 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), 430A, 430B and 430C, as applicable, under the Securities Act, including with respect to the timely filing of documents thereunder, and will use its commercially reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) are received in a timely manner by the Commission.
(b) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters in endeavoring to qualify the Securities for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions (United States and foreign) as the Underwriters may reasonably request and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file such a consent, and provided further that the Company shall not be required to produce any new disclosure document other than the Prospectus. The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such statements, reports and other documents as are or may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the Underwriters may reasonably request for distribution of the Securities. The Company will advise the Underwriters promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Securities for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(c) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Matters. The Company will comply with the Rules and Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with the distribution of Securities contemplated by the Prospectus (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), any event shall occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the opinion of the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement 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 it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to dealers, an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that is necessary in order to make the statements in 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 or the Prospectus, as so amended or supplemented, will comply with law. Before amending the Registration Statement or supplementing the Prospectus in connection with the Offering, the Company will furnish the Underwriters with a copy of such proposed amendment or supplement and will not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter reasonably objects; the Underwriters, and their counsel shall have at least one (1) business day to review and return any comments to the Company.
(d) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The Company will furnish the Underwriters, without charge, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the final Closing Date of the Offering, as many copies of the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(e) Free Writing Prospectus. The Company covenants that it will not, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Underwriters, make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a Company Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act. In the event that the Underwriters expressly consents in writing to any such free writing prospectus (a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”), the Company covenants that it shall (i) treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as a Company Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) comply with the requirements of Rule 164 and 433 of the Securities Act applicable to such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping. “Company Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the public securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the public securities or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
(f) Transfer Agent. The Company will maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for its Ordinary Shares for so long as the Ordinary Shares are publicly traded.
(g) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable and in accordance with applicable requirements under the Securities Act, but in any event not later than 18 months after the last Closing Date, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Underwriters an earnings statement, covering a period of at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the last Closing Date, that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.
(h) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will duly file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act within the time periods and in the manner required by the Exchange Act.
(i) Additional Documents. The Company will enter into any subscription, purchase or other customary agreements as the Underwriters deem necessary or appropriate to consummate the Offering, all of which will be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Company and the Underwriters.
(j) 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.
(k) Company Lock-Up.
(i) The Company will not, except for customary exempt issuances, without the prior written consent of the Underwriters, from the date of execution of this Agreement and continuing for a period of 180 days from the date on which the trading of the Ordinary Shares on a Senior Exchange commences (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) 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 of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company (except in the ordinary course to employees, directors and other service providers); (ii) file or caused to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company (except a S-8 registration statement); (iii) complete any offering of debt securities of the Company, other than entering into a line of credit with a traditional bank or (iv) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.
(ii) The restrictions contained in Section 4(k)(i) hereof shall not apply to: (A) the Offered Securities, (B) Ordinary Shares underlying the Underwriters’ Warrants, (C) any security issued or proposed to be issued under an employee stock purchase plan, (which shall be no more than 10% of the Company’s then issued and outstanding shares)in each case, and (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 Securities pursuant to this Agreement and (y) the recipient of any such Ordinary Shares or other securities issued or granted pursuant to clauses (B), (C) and (D) during the Lock-Up Period shall enter into an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
(l) Acknowledgment. The Company acknowledges that any advice given by the Underwriters to the Company is solely for the benefit and use of the Board of Directors of the Company and may not be used, reproduced, disseminated, quoted or referred to, without such Underwriters’ prior written consent.
(m) Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Securities on a Senior Exchange for five (5) years after the date of this Agreement.
(n) Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering of the Securities received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Final Prospectus.
(o) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.
(p) Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Underwriters) has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(q) Internal Controls. The Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient 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 IFRS 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.
(r) Accountants. The Company shall retain an independent registered public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Underwriters (it being understood that ZH is an independent registered public accounting firm that is reasonably acceptable to the Underwriters), and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least five (5) years after the date of this Agreement.
(s) FINRA. The Company shall advise the Underwriters (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180 days immediately preceding the original filing of the Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
(t) Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as Board members and the overall composition of the Board comply with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules promulgated thereunder and with the listing requirements of the Senior Exchange and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Board qualifies as a “financial expert” as such term is defined under the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules promulgated thereunder.
Section 5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 2 hereof, in each case as of the date hereof and as of each Closing Date as though then made, to the timely performance by each of the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder on and as of such dates, and to each of the following additional conditions:
(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Underwriters shall have received, and the Company shall have caused to be delivered to the Underwriters, a letter from ZH addressed to the Underwriters, dated as of the date hereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters. The letter shall not disclose any change in the condition (financial or other), earnings, operations, business or prospects of the Company from that set forth in the Prospectus, which, in the Underwriters’ reasonable judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the Underwriters’ reasonable judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering of the Securities as contemplated by the Prospectus.
(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection from the FINRA. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and all necessary regulatory and listing approvals shall have been received not later than 5:30 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement, or at such later time and date as shall have been consented to in writing by the Underwriters. The Prospectus (in accordance with Rule 424(b)) and “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act), if any, shall have been duly filed with the Commission in a timely fashion in accordance with the terms thereof. At or prior to each Closing Date and the actual time of the Closing, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; no order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; no order having the effect of ceasing or suspending the distribution of the Securities or any other securities of the Company shall have been issued by any securities commission, securities regulatory authority or stock exchange and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any securities commission, securities regulatory authority or stock exchange; all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with; and the FINRA shall have raised no objections to the fairness and reasonableness of the placement terms and arrangements. On the Closing Date, the Company’s Ordinary Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Senior Exchange.
(c) Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters in connection with this Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the registration, sale and delivery of the Securities, shall have been completed or resolved in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters’ counsel.
(d) No Material Adverse Effect. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to each Closing Date, in the Underwriters’ reasonable judgment after consultation with the Company, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Opinions of Counsel for the Company. The Underwriters shall have received on each Closing Date
(i) the favorable opinion of Xxxxx LPC, Company securities counsel, dated as of such Closing Date, including, without limitation, a customary negative assurance letter, addressed to the Underwriters in customary form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter;
(ii) the favorable opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx, Company Cayman Islands counsel, dated as of such Closing Date, including, without limitation, a customary negative assurance letter for applicable sections, addressed to the Underwriters in customary form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters;
(iii) the favorable opinion of Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Low & Kong, Company Hong Kong counsel, dated as of such Closing Date, including, without limitation, a customary negative assurance letter, addressed to the Underwriters in customary form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.
The Underwriters shall rely on the opinions of (i) the Company’s Cayman Islands counsel, Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx, 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 and (ii) the Company’s Hong Kong counsel, filed as Exhibit 5.2 to the Registration Statement.
(f) Officers’ Certificate. The Underwriters shall have received on each Closing Date a certificate of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that, and the Underwriters shall be satisfied that, the signers of such certificate have reviewed the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and this Agreement and to the further 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 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;
(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 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;
(iii) When the Registration Statement became effective, at the time of sale, and at all times subsequent thereto up to the delivery of such certificate, the Registration Statement, when it became effective, contained all material information required to be included therein by the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, as the case may be, and in all material respects conformed to the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, as the case may be, and the Registration Statement, did not and does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (provided, however, that the preceding representations and warranties contained in this paragraph (iii) shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information) and, since the effective date of the Registration Statement, there has occurred no event required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder to be set forth in the Registration Statement which has not been so set forth; and
(iv) 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 Effect; (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 capital stock (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.
(g) Secretary’s Certificate. As of each Closing Date the Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary or, if the Company does not have a Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated such Closing Date, certifying: (i) that each of the Company’s Articles of Association and Memorandum of Association 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’ Articles of Association, Memorandum of Association or charter 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. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
(h) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received from ZH, or such other independent registered public accounting firm engaged by the Company at such time, a letter dated as of such Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 5, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date.
(i) Additional Documents. On or before each Closing Date, the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such customary information and documents as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the 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. 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 Underwriters by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to such Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 6 (Payment of Expenses), Section 7 (Indemnification and Contribution) and Section 8 (Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery) shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
(j) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company (other than as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus) or any change or development involving a change, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, in the business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company, taken as a whole, including but not limited to the occurrence of any fire, flood, storm, explosion, accident, act of war or terrorism or other calamity, the effect of which, in any such case described above, is, in the reasonable judgment of the Underwriters, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale of Securities or Offering as contemplated hereby.
(k) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and up to each Closing Date, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on a Senior Exchange or any Trading Market shall not have commenced, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities in which it is not currently engaged, the subject of an act of terrorism, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States, or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred any other calamity or crisis or any change in general economic, political or financial conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event in clause (ii) or (iv) makes it, in the reasonable judgment of the Underwriters, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Prospectus.
(l) The Underwriters shall have received a lock-up agreement from each Lock-Up Party set forth on Schedule B, duly executed by the applicable Lock-Up Party, in each case substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A.
(m) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of any Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of such Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement, or if any of the certificates, opinions, written statements or letters furnished to the Underwriters or to Underwriters’ counsel pursuant to this Section 5 shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriters and to Underwriters’ counsel, all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled by the Underwriters at, or at any time prior to, the consummation of the Offering. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or orally. Any such oral notice shall be confirmed promptly thereafter in writing.
Section 6. Payment of Company Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation: (i) all expenses incident to the issuance, delivery and qualification of the Securities (including all printing and engraving costs); (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Securities; (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors; (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement; (vi) all filing fees, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Securities for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the securities laws of any other country, and, if reasonably requested by the Underwriters, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey,” an “International Blue Sky Survey” or other memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising any of the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions; (vii) if applicable, the filing fees incident to the review and approval by the FINRA of the Underwriters’ participation in the offering and distribution of the Securities; (viii) the fees and expenses associated with including the Ordinary Shares on the Trading Market; and (ix) all costs and expenses incident to the travel and accommodation of the Company’s employees on the “roadshow,” as described in Section 1(a)(iii) of this Agreement.
Section 7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Underwriters, its Affiliates, directors and officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriters within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each an “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 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and will 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, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or, 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 Company 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) The Underwriters will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its Affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each a “Company Indemnified Party”), from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Company Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Underwriters), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information, and will reimburse such Company Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Underwriters shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Underwriter sby the Company. The indemnification obligations under this Section 7(b) 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 Company Indemnified Party.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent such indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by such failure. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof; provided, however, that if (i) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (ii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), or (iii) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ a single counsel to represent it in any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 7, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party or parties and reimbursed to the indemnified party as incurred.
(d) The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party or could be named and indemnity was or would be sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability for claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel pursuant to Section 7(c), such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering and sale of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the Offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total cash compensation received by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relevant intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (e) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e). The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject of this subsection (e). 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.
(f) For purposes of this Agreement, the Underwriters confirm, and the Company acknowledges, that there is no information concerning the Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriters specifically for preparation of or inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus other than the Underwriter Information.
Section 8. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or any person controlling 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, 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 Securities sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement. A successor to the Underwriters, or to the Company, its directors or officers or any person controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Agreement.
Section 9. Termination.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective upon the later of: (i) receipt by the Underwriters and the Company of notification of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or (ii) the execution of this Agreement. The Underwriters shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time upon 15 days written notice to the Company, or as practical as possible prior to any Closing Date if: (i) any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, the market for the Company’s securities or securities in general; or (ii) trading on a Senior Exchange has been rejected by such Senior Exchange or made subject to material limitations, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities have been required, on the Senior Exchange or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) a banking moratorium has been declared by any state or federal authority or any material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services has occurred; or (iv) (A) there has occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or acts of terrorism involving the United States or Hong Kong or there is a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States or Hong Kong or (B) there has been any other calamity or crisis or any change in political, financial or economic conditions, if the effect of any such event in (A) or (B), in the reasonable judgment of the Underwriters, is so material and adverse that such event makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering, sale and delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Prospectus.
(b) The Company shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date for “Cause.” “Cause,” for the purpose of this Agreement, shall mean, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, willful misconduct, gross negligence or a material breach of the Agreement by the Underwriters. In the event that the Company believes that the Underwriters have engaged conduct constituting Cause, it must first notify the Underwriters in writing of the facts and circumstances supporting such an assertion(s) and allow the Underwriters ten (10) days to cure such alleged conduct.
(c) Any notice of termination pursuant to this Section 9 shall be in writing.
(d) If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to any of the provisions hereof, or if the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth herein is not satisfied or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof, the Company will, subject to demand by the Underwriter, reimburse the Underwriters 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 Underwriters in connection herewith as allowed under FINRA Rule 5110, less any amounts previously paid by the Company, subject to the cap on expenses set forth in Section 1(a)(iii) hereof. To the extent that the Underwriters’ out-of-pocket expenses are less than the sums already advanced by the Company to the Underwriters (“Advances”), the Underwriters will return to the Company that portion of the Advances not offset by actual expenses.
Section 10. Right of First Refusal. The Company agrees that it shall provide the Underwriters an irrevocable right of first refusal for one (1) year from the consummation of the Offering, to act as sole investment banker, sole book-runner, sole financial advisor, and/or sole placement agent, at the Underwriters’ sole discretion, for each and every transaction as set forth in Section A5 of that certain engagement letter between the Company and Representative dated as of September 7, 2023, as amended (the “Engagement Letter”) (a “Transaction”), including future public and private equity and/or debt offerings, including all equity linked financings, mergers, business combinations, recapitalizations or sale of some or all of the equity or assets of the Company, whether in conjunction with another advisor, or broker-dealer, or on the Company’s own volition, (collectively, “Future Services”). The Underwriters shall have the sole right to determine whether or not any other financial advisor or broker dealer shall have the right to participate in any such Transaction and the economic terms of any such participation. Further, the Company shall immediately notify the Underwriter sof a proposed Transaction and shall direct all third-party inquiries regarding a Transaction to the Underwriters within three (3) business days of receipt of such inquiry. If the Underwriters or one of their affiliates decide(s) to accept engagement in such Transaction, the Underwriters will be compensated consistent with Section A of the Engagement Letter for any Transaction during the Future Services period. The Underwriters shall be entitled to compensation under Section A of the Engagement Letter in the event the Company conducts a Transaction and does not provide notice to the Underwriters of such Transaction pursuant to the Engagement Letter.
The Right of First Refusal granted hereunder may be terminated by the Company for “Cause,” which shall mean a material breach by the Underwriters of the Engagement Letter, in which such material breach is not cured. The services provided by the Underwriters pursuant to the Engagement Letter are solely for the benefit of the Company and are not intended to confer any rights upon any persons or entities not a party thereto (including, without limitation, securityholders, employees or creditors of the Company) as against the Underwriters or their directors, officers, agents and employees.
Section 11. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered, delivered by reputable overnight courier (i.e., Federal Express) or delivered by facsimile or e-mail transmission to the parties hereto as follows:
If to the Representative/Underwriters, then to:
Spartan Capital Securities LLC
00 Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx,
New York, NY 10006
| Attn: | ||
| Email: |
Dominari Securities LLC
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
New York, NY 10022
Attn:
Email:
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx Carmel LLP
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
New York, NY 10036
| Attn: | Xxxxxxxx Xxx, Esq. | |
| Email: | xxxx@xxxx.xxx |
If to the Company:
Green Circle Decarbonize Technology Limited
Xxxx 0000, Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 0 Xxxxx Xxx Xx.
Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Hong Kong
| Attn: | ||
| Email: |
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxx LPC
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000,
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
| Attn: | Xxxxx Xxxxx, Esq. | |
| Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Esq. | ||
| Email: | xxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx | |
| xxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx |
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.
Section 12. 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 hereof, and to their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
Section 13. 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 14. Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be deemed to have been made and delivered in New York and both this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed as to validity, interpretation, construction, effect and in all other respects by the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof. Each of the Underwriters and the Company: (i) agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and/or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted exclusively in New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, (ii) waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding, and (iii) irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in any such suit, action or proceeding. Each of the Underwriters and the Company further agrees to accept and acknowledge service of any and all process which may be served in any such suit, action or proceeding in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and agrees that service of process upon the Company mailed by certified mail to the Company’s address shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company, in any such suit, action or proceeding, and service of process upon the Underwriters mailed by certified mail to the Underwriter address(es) shall be deemed in every respect effective service process upon the Underwriters, in any such suit, action or proceeding.
Section 15. General Provisions.
(a) 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 solely with respect to the subject matters hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, it is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that all other terms and conditions of the Engagement Letter shall remain in full force and effect. 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 and signed 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. Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the Offering of the Offered Securities: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s length, is not an agent of, and owes no fiduciary duties to the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the Offering of the Offered Shares.
[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign below whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| Green Circle Decarbonize Technology Limited | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and agreed to of the date first above written.
| Spartan Capital Securities LLC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| DOMINARI Securities LLC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Schedule A
Free Writing Prospectuses
Schedule B
Lock-up Party
| Locked-up Parties | Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned |
Lock Up Period | ||
Schedule C
Underwriters
1. Spartan Capital Securities LLC
2. Dominari Securities LLC
Exhibit A
Form of Lock-up Agreement
[_____________], 2024
Spartan Capital Securities LLC
00 Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx,
New York, NY 10006
Dominari Securities LLC
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
New York, NY 10022
Re: Proposed Public Offering by Green Circle Decarbonize Technology Limited
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, a stockholder, director or officer of Green Circle Decarbonize Technology Limited, a Cayman Islands company limited by shares (the “Company”), understands that Spartan Capital Securities LLC and RBW Capital Partners LLC (a DBA of its broker-dealer Dominari Securities LLC) (the “Underwriters”) will act as underwriters to carry out an offering (the “Offering”) of the Company’s units (the “Units”), with each unit consisting of one ordinary share (“Ordinary Share”), $0.001 par value, and one warrant (“Warrant”) to purchase one of our Ordinary Shares. In recognition of the benefit that the Offering will confer upon the undersigned, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with the Underwriters that, without the prior written consent of the Underwriters, during a period of up to 180 days from the date on which the trading of the Ordinary Shares on the Senior Exchange commences (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriters, directly or indirectly(i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any securities of the Company (including the issuance of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of options) (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”), whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of the Lock-Up Securities or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iii) enter into any swap or other agreement, arrangement, hedge or transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our Ordinary Shares or other capital stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our Ordinary Shares or other capital stock; or (iv) conduct any offerings conducted through other broker-dealers or at the Company’s own volition or (v) re-price or change the terms of existing options and warrants.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Underwriters as follows, provided that (1) the Underwriters receive a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up Period from each donee, trustee or transferee, as the case may be, (2) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) such transfers are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or otherwise and (4) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers:
(i) as a bona fide gift or gifts (including but not limited to charitable gifts); or
(ii) to any member of the immediate family of the undersigned or to a trust or other entity for the direct or indirect benefit of, or wholly-owned by, the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); or
(iii) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity (1) transfers to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or (2) distributions of Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable for Ordinary Shares to limited partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of the undersigned; or
(iv) if the undersigned is a trust, transfers to the beneficiary of such trust; or
(v) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession; or
(vi) by operation of law pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement.; or
(vii) pursuant to a trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act.
The undersigned further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement during the Lock-Up Period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period has expired.
The undersigned understands that, if (i) the Offering shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities, (ii) the Underwriters and the Company determined not to proceed with the Offering, or (iii) the Registration Statement is withdrawn, or (iv) the Offering has not closed by the termination date of the Offering or such other date as may be agreed as the final date of the Offering if the Company and the Underwriters extend the Offering, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations set forth herein.
The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
The undersigned, whether or not participating in the Offering, understands that the Underwriters are proceeding with the Offering in reliance upon this lock-up agreement.
This lock-up agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
[Signature page follows]
| Very truly yours, | |
| (Name - Please Print) | |
| (Signature) |
Exhibit B
Form of Warrant
