SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This
Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”)
is
dated as of March 8, 2007, among Akeena Solar, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the
“Company”),
and
each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its
successors and assigns, a “Purchaser”
and
collectively the “Purchasers”).
WHEREAS,
subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant
to
Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”)
and
Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to each
Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase
from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this
Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement,
and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which
are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as
follows:
ARTICLE
I.
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions.
In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes
of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this
Section 1.1:
“Action”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(j).
“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 144 under the Securities Act. With
respect to a Purchaser, any investment fund or managed account that is managed
on a discretionary basis by the same investment manager as such Purchaser will
be deemed to be an Affiliate of such Purchaser.
“Business
Day”
means
any day except Saturday, Sunday, any day which shall be a federal legal holiday
in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State
of
New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to
close.
“Class
A Warrants”
shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(iv).
“Class
B Warrants”
shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(v).
“Closing”
means
the closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to Section
2.1.
“Closing
Date”
means
the Trading Day when all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and
delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to
(i)
the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the
Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities have been satisfied or
waived.
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“Closing
Price”
means
on any particular date (a) the last reported closing bid price per share of
Common Stock on such date on the Trading Market (as reported by Bloomberg L.P.
at 4:15 PM (New York time)), or (b) if there is no such price on such date,
then
the closing bid price on the Trading Market on the date nearest preceding such
date (as reported by Bloomberg L.P. at 4:15 PM (New York time)), or (c) if
the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted on the Trading Market and if
prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “pink sheets” published by
Pink Sheets LLC (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions
of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock
so
reported, or (d) if the shares of Common Stock are not then publicly traded
the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an appraiser
selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Shares
then outstanding.
“Commission”
means
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common
Stock”
means
the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any other
class
of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or
changed into.
“Common
Stock Equivalents”
means
any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder
thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation,
any
debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is
at
any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise
entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
“Company
Counsel”
means
Xxxxxx and Xxxxx, LLP with offices located at 000 Xxxx 00xx
Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
“Disclosure
Schedules”
means
the Disclosure Schedules of the Company delivered concurrently
herewith.
“Effective
Date”
means
the date that the initial Registration Statement filed by the Company pursuant
to the Registration Rights Agreement is first declared effective by the
Commission.
“Empire
Financial”
shall
mean Empire Financial Group, Inc.
“Evaluation
Date”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(r).
“Exchange
Act”
means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
“Exempt
Issuance”
means
the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock or options to employees, officers
or
directors of the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan duly adopted
by a
majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors of the Company
or
a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established
for such purpose, (b) securities (including shares of Common Stock) upon the
exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder and/or
other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares
of
Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided
that
such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to
increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise, exchange
or
conversion price of such securities, (c) securities issued pursuant to
acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the
disinterested directors of the Company, provided that any such issuance shall
only be to a Person which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating
company in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and in which
the Company receives benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall
not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily
for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is
investing in securities and (d) for purposes of Sections 4.13 and 4.14 only
and
with the prior written consent of the Placement Agents, up to an amount of
Common Stock and warrants equal to the difference between $6,000,000 and the
aggregate Subscription Amounts hereunder, on substantially the same terms and
conditions hereunder, which investors shall execute definitive agreements for
the purchase of such securities and such transactions shall have closed on
or
before the earlier of (i) the Filing Date (as defined in the Registration Rights
Agreement) or (ii) the date the initial Registration Statement is first filed
with the Commission.
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“GAAP”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).
“Indebtedness”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(aa).
“Intellectual
Property Rights”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(o).
“Legend
Removal Date”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.1(c).
“Liens”
means
a
lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive
right or other restriction.
“Material
Adverse Effect”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(b).
“Material
Permits”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(m).
“Participation
Maximum”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13.
“Per
Share Purchase Price”
equals
$1.97, subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock
dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common
Stock
that occur after the date of this Agreement.
“Person”
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.
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“Placement
Agent”
means
Empire Financial.
“Pre-Notice”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13.
“Proceeding”
means
an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without
limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition),
whether commenced or threatened.
“Purchaser
Party”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.9.
“Registration
Rights Agreement”
means
the Registration Rights Agreement, dated the date hereof, among the Company
and
the Purchasers, in the form of Exhibit
A
attached
hereto.
“Registration
Statement”
means
a
registration statement meeting the requirements set forth in the Registration
Rights Agreement and covering the resale by the Purchasers of the Shares and
the
Warrant Shares.
“Required
Approvals”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).
“Rule
144”
means
Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such
Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation
hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as
such
Rule.
“SEC
Reports”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).
“Securities”
means
the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares.
“Securities
Act”
means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
“Shares”
means
the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to each Purchaser pursuant to
this
Agreement.
“Short
Sales”
means
all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange
Act (but
shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation of borrowable
shares of Common Stock).
“SRFF”
means
Sichenzia Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP with offices at 0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
“Subscription
Amount”
means,
as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for Shares and Warrants
purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature
page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount”, in United
States dollars and in immediately available funds. Except with the consent
of
Empire Financial, in no event shall a Purchaser’s Subscription Amount be less
than $50,000.
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“Subsequent
Financing”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13.
“Subsequent
Financing Notice”
shall
have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13.
“Subsidiary”
means
any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule
3.1(a).
“Trading
Day”
means
a
day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.
“Trading
Market”
means
the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted
for trading on the date in question: the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq
Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market,
the
New York Stock Exchange or the OTC Bulletin Board.
“Transaction
Documents”
means
this Agreement, the Warrants, the Registration Rights Agreement and any other
documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereunder.
“Transfer
Agent”
means
Empire Stock Transfer Inc., with a mailing address of 0000 Xx. Xxxx Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx 00000 and a facsimile number of (000) 000-0000,
and
any successor transfer agent of the Company.
“Warrants”
means
collectively the Common Stock purchase warrants delivered to the Purchasers
at
the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof, which Warrants shall
be
exercisable immediately and have a term of exercise equal to three years, in
the
form of Exhibit
C
attached
hereto.
“Warrant
Shares”
means
the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Warrants.
ARTICLE
II.
PURCHASE
AND SALE
2.1 Closing.
On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
herein, substantially concurrent with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the parties hereto, the Company agrees to sell, and each Purchaser
agrees to purchase in the aggregate, severally and not jointly, up to $6,000,000
of Shares and Warrants. Each Purchaser shall deliver to the Company , via wire
transfer (in accordance with the wiring instructions set forth on Exhibit D
attached hereto) or a certified check, immediately available funds equal to
its
Subscription Amount and the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser its
respective Shares and a Warrants as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a),
and
the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in
Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the conditions
set
forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur at the offices of SRFF,
or such other location as the parties shall mutually agree.
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2.2 Deliveries.
(a) On
or
prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered
to
each Purchaser the following:
(i) this
Agreement duly executed by the Company;
(ii) a
legal
opinion of Company Counsel, in the form of Exhibit
B
attached
hereto;
(iii) a
copy of
the irrevocable instructions to the Transfer Agent instructing the Transfer
Agent to deliver, on an expedited basis, a certificate evidencing a number
of
Shares equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by the Per Share
Purchase Price, registered in the name of such Purchaser; provided that in
the
event the funds delivered by a Purchaser are not evenly divisible by the
Per Share Purchase Price, the Company may round down to the nearest whole number
the number of Shares to be sold to such Purchaser and the Company shall be
entitled to retain any additional funds remaining due to such
rounding;
(iv) a
Warrant, designated as the Company’s Class A Common Stock Purchase Warrant (a
“Class
A Warrant(s)”),
registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares
of
Common Stock equal to 10% of the Shares purchased by such Purchaser hereunder,
with an exercise price equal to $2.75 per share, subject to adjustment
therein;
(v) a
Warrant, designated as the Company’s Class B Common Stock Purchase Warrant (a
“Class
B Warrant(s)”),
registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares
of
Common Stock equal to 10% of the Shares purchased by such Purchaser hereunder,
with an exercise price equal to $3.00 per share, subject to adjustment therein;
and
(vi) the
Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by the Company.
(b) On
or
prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered
to the Company the following:
(i) this
Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser;
(ii) such
Purchaser’s Subscription Amount by wire transfer or certified check;
and
6
(iii) the
Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser.
2.3 Closing
Conditions.
(a) The
obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject
to the following conditions being met:
(i) the
accuracy in all material respects when made and on the Closing Date of the
representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein;
(ii) all
obligations, covenants and agreements of the Purchasers required to be performed
at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;
and
(iii) the
delivery by the Purchasers of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this
Agreement.
(b) The
respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with the
Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:
(i) the
accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date of the representations
and
warranties of the Company contained herein;
(ii) all
obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed
at
or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;
(iii) the
delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this
Agreement;
(iv) there
shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since
the
date hereof; and
(v) from
the
date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Common Stock shall not have
been
suspended by the Commission or the Company’s principal Trading Market (except
for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company,
which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Closing), and, at any time
prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by
Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices
shall
not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such
service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been
declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall
there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other
national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any
material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the
reasonable judgment of each Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable
to
purchase the Shares at the Closing.
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ARTICLE
III.
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
3.1 Representations
and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth under the corresponding
section of the Disclosure Schedules which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed
a
part hereof and to qualify any representation or warranty otherwise made herein
to the extent of such disclosure, the Company hereby makes the following
representations and warranties to each Purchaser:
(a) Subsidiaries.
All of
the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on
Schedule
3.1(a).
The
Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity
interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any 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. If the Company has no subsidiaries, then
all other references to the Subsidiaries or any of them in the Transaction
Documents shall be disregarded.
(b) Organization
and Qualification.
The
Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), 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
have or reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on
the
legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a
material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business,
prospects 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 any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a
“Material
Adverse Effect”)
and no
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.
(c) Authorization;
Enforcement.
The
Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to
consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction Documents
and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The
execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company
and
the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
have
been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and
no
further action is required by the Company, its board of directors or its
stockholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the Required
Approvals. Each Transaction Document has been (or upon delivery will have been)
duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms
hereof and thereof, 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.
8
(d) No
Conflicts.
The
execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company,
the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation by the Company of
the
other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby 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,
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 (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) 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 the
Transaction Documents, other than (i) filings required pursuant to Section
4.4
of this Agreement, (ii) the filing with the Commission of the Registration
Statement, (iii) application(s) to each applicable Trading Market for the
listing of the Securities for trading thereon in the time and manner required
thereby and (iv) the filing of Form D with the Commission and such filings
as
are required to be made under applicable state securities laws (collectively,
the “Required
Approvals”).
(f) Issuance
of the Securities.
The
Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance
with
the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company
other
than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents. The
Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number
of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement and the
Warrants.
9
(g) Capitalization.
The
capitalization of the Company is as set forth on Schedule
3.1(g).
Except
as set forth on Schedule
3.1(g),
(i) the
Company has not issued any capital stock since its most
recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other
than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s
stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant
to the Company’s stock incentive plan and pursuant to the conversion or exercise
of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently
filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, (ii) 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 Transaction Documents,
(iii)
except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities, there are no
outstanding options, warrants, script 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 shares of Common Stock, or
contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company
or
any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common
Stock
or Common Stock Equivalents and (iv) the issuance and sale of the Securities
will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other
securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers) 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. All of the outstanding
shares of capital stock of the Company are validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state
securities laws, and none of such outstanding 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 stockholder, the Board of Directors
of the Company or others is required for the issuance and sale of the
Securities. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other
similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the
Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any
of
the Company’s stockholders.
(h) SEC
Reports; Financial Statements.
Except
as set forth in Schedule 3.1(h), the Company has filed all reports, schedules,
forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a)
or
15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter
period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material)
(the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents
incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as
the
“SEC
Reports”)
on a
timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has
filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As
of
their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with
the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable,
and
none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The financial
statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material
respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations
of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing.
Such
financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during
the periods involved (“GAAP”),
except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes
thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all
footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the
financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of and
for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the
periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal,
immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.
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(i) Material
Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments.
Since
the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC
Reports, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent SEC Report filed
prior
to the date hereof, (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
GAAP 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 stockholders or
purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares
of
its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities
to
any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock
incentive plans. 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 this Agreement or as set forth on Schedule
3.1(i),
no
event, liability or development has occurred or exists with respect to the
Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, operations
or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company
under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made that
has not been publicly disclosed at least 1 Trading Day prior to the date that
this representation is made.
(j) Litigation.
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) (collectively, an “Action”)
which
(i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability
of
any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) could, if there
were
an unfavorable decision, have or 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 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. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order
suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company
or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.
11
(k) 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, and neither the Company or 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, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does
not
subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect
to
any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance
with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign 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.
(l) Compliance.
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 order of any court,
arbitrator or governmental body, or (iii) is or has been in violation of any
statute, rule or regulation of any governmental authority, including without
limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws applicable to its business
and all such laws that affect the environment, except in each case as could
not
have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(m) Regulatory
Permits.
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
SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not have
or
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.
(n) Title
to Assets.
Except
as set forth in Schedule
3.1(n),
the
Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to
all
real property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company
and
the Subsidiaries and good and marketable title in all personal property owned
by
them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries,
in
each case free and clear of all Liens, except for Liens as do not materially
affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the
use
made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the
Subsidiaries and Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, the
payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. 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.
12
(o) Patents
and Trademarks.
The
Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent
applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names,
trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property
rights and similar rights necessary or material for use in connection with
their
respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the failure
to
so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual
Property Rights”).
Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or
otherwise) that the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or any
Subsidiary violates or infringes upon the rights of any Person. To the knowledge
of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there
is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual
Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security
measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their
intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually
or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(p) Insurance.
The
Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent
and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are
engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance
coverage equal to $5,000,000. 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.
(q) Transactions
With Affiliates and Employees.
Except
as set forth in the SEC Reports, 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 $60,000
other than (i) for payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered,
(ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii)
for
other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock
option plan of the Company.
13
(r) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx;
Internal Accounting Controls.
Except
as set forth on Schedule 3.1(r), the Company is in material compliance with
all
provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, which are applicable to it as
of
the Closing Date. The
Company and the Subsidiaries maintain 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 GAAP 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 has established disclosure
controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and
15d-15(e)) for the Company 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. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the
effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end
of the period covered by the Company’s most recently filed periodic report under
the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation
Date”).
The
Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange
Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the
disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the
Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in
the Exchange Act) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting.
(s) Certain
Fees.
All
brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions payable by the Company 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 are as set forth on Schedule 3.1(s). The Purchasers shall
have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made
by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section
that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the
Transaction Documents.
(t) Private
Placement.
Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers representations and warranties set
forth
in Section 3.2, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the
offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as
contemplated hereby. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does
not
contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.
(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
subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
14
(v) Registration
Rights.
Except
as set forth on Schedule
3.1(v),
other
than each of the Purchasers, no Person has any right to cause the Company to
effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the
Company.
(w) Listing
and Maintenance Requirements.
The
Company’s Common Stock is 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
Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any
notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice
from any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is or has been listed or
quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing
or
maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. 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.
(x) Application
of Takeover Protections.
The
Company and its Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any,
in
order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business
combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement)
or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of
incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a result
of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising
their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation
as a
result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers’ ownership
of the Securities.
(y) Disclosure.
Except
to a Purchaser who has entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the Company
and except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither
it
nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers
or
their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or
might constitute material, non-public information. The Company understands
and
confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in
effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All disclosure furnished
by
or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its
business and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure
Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the
Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken
as a
whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when
made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser
makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in
Section 3.2 hereof.
15
(z) No
Integrated Offering.
Assuming
the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in
Section 3.2, 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 this offering of the Securities to be integrated
with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act in a
manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the
sale
of the Securities to the Purchasers or any applicable shareholder approval
provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company
are listed or designated.
(aa) Solvency.
Based
on the financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving
effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the
Securities hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets
exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the
Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent
liabilities) as they mature; (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute
unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as
proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the
particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, and
projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof; and (iii)
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, would be 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). 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 the Closing Date. Schedule 3.1(aa) sets forth 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”
shall
mean (a) 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),
(b) 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 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 (c) the present value
of
any lease payments
in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance
with GAAP. Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any
Indebtedness.
(bb) Tax
Status.
Except
for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each
Subsidiary has filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and
franchise tax returns and has paid or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon,
and the Company has no knowledge of a tax deficiency which has been asserted
or
threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary.
16
(cc) No
General Solicitation.
Neither
the Company nor any person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold
any of the Securities by any form of general solicitation or general
advertising. The Company has offered the Securities for sale only to the
Purchasers and certain other “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule
501 under the Securities Act.
(dd) 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.
(ee) Accountants.
The
Company’s accountants are set forth on Schedule
3.1(ee)
of the
Disclosure Schedule. To the knowledge of the Company, such accountants, who
the
Company expects will express their opinion with respect to the financial
statements to be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the
year ending December 31, 2006, are a registered public accounting firm as
required by the Exchange Act.
(ff) No
Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers. Except
as
set forth on Schedule
3.1(ff),
there
are no disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated
by the Company to arise, between the Company and the accountants and lawyers
formerly or presently employed by the Company and the Company is current with
respect to any fees owed to its accountants and lawyers.
(gg) Acknowledgment
Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities.
To the
Company’s knowledge, each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of
an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the
transactions contemplated thereby. The Company acknowledges that no Purchaser
is
acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar
capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions
contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their
respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction
Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to
the
Purchasers’ purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each
Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of
the
transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its
representatives.
(hh) Acknowledgement
Regarding Purchaser’s Trading Activity.
Anything
in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding (except
for Sections 3.2(f) and 4.15), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company
(i) that none of the Purchasers have been asked to agree, nor has any Purchaser
agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities
of
the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the
Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term; (ii) that past or
future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, including Short
Sales, and specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or
“derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private
placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s
publicly-traded securities; (iii) that any Purchaser, and counter-parties in
“derivative” transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or
indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock, and (iv)
that each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control
over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction.
The
Company further understands and acknowledges that (a) one or more Purchasers
may
engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the
Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods
that the value of the Warrant Shares deliverable with respect to Securities
are
being determined and (b) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the
value
of the existing stockholders' equity interests in the Company at and after
the
time that the hedging activities are being conducted. The Company
acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute
a
breach of any of the Transaction Documents.
17
(ii) 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 Company’s
placement agent in connection with the placement of the Securities.
3.2 Representations
and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser hereby, for itself and for
no other Purchaser, represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of
the
Closing Date to the Company as follows:
(a) Organization;
Authority.
If such
Purchaser is an entity, such Purchaser is an entity duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
organization with full right, corporate or partnership power and authority
to
enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
The execution, delivery and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized by any necessary
corporate or similar action on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction
Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and
when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will
constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser,
enforceable against it 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.
18
(b) Own
Account.
Such
Purchaser understands that the Securities are “restricted securities” and have
not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities
law and is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and not
with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part
thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities
law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in
violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and
has
no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons
to
distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities (this representation
and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant
to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal
and state securities laws) in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable
state securities law. If such Purchasr is not an individual, such Purchaser
is
acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.
If
such Purchaser is an individual, such Purchaser must fill out an individual
investor questionnaire provided by Empire Financial and deliver such
questionnaire if requested by Empire Financial.
(c) Purchaser
Status.
At the
time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and at the date hereof
it is, and on each date on which it exercises any Warrants, it will be either:
(i) an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act
or (ii) a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the
Securities Act. Such Purchaser is not required to be registered as a
broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.
(d) Experience
of Such Purchaser.
Such
Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such
knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters
so as
to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment
in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment.
Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the
Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such
investment.
(e) General
Solicitation.
Such
Purchaser is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement,
article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in
any
newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio
or
presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general
advertisement.
(f) Short
Sales and Confidentiality Prior To The Date Hereof.
Other
than the transaction contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not, nor has
any
Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser,
directly or indirectly executed any transaction, including Short Sales, in
the securities of the Company during the period commencing from
the time
that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the
Company or any other Person setting forth the material terms of the transactions
contemplated hereunder until the date hereof (“Discussion
Time”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a
multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage
separate portions of such Purchaser's assets and the portfolio managers have
no
direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers
managing other portions of such Purchaser's assets, the representation set
forth
above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the
portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities
covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement,
such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to
it
in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this
transaction).
19
(g) Information
on Company.
Such
Purchaser has been furnished with or has had access at the XXXXX Website of
the
Commission to the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Commission. In
addition, the Purchaser has received in writing from the Company such other
information concerning its operations, financial condition and other matters
as
the Purchaser has requested, and considered all factors such Purchaser deems
material in deciding on the advisability of investing in the
Securities.
(h) Fees.
Such
Purchaser is not required to pay fees to any broker or finder with respect
to
the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
ARTICLE
IV.
OTHER
AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES
4.1 Transfer
Restrictions.
(a) The
Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal
securities laws. In connection with any transfer of Securities other than
pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, to the Company
or
to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated
in
Section 4.1(b), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to
the
Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably
acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does
not require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities
Act. As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing
to
be bound by the terms of this Agreement and shall have the rights of a Purchaser
under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
(b) The
Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section
4.1,
of a legend on any of the Securities in the following form:
THIS
SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
OR
THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM
REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES
ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN
AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE
SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR
TO
SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE
COMPANY. THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN
ACCOUNT WITH A REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER OR OTHER LOAN WITH A FINANCIAL
INSTITUTION THAT IS AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.
20
The
Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time to time pledge
pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or
grant a security interest in some or all of the Securities to a financial
institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the
Securities Act and who agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement
and the Registration Rights Agreement and, if required under the terms of such
arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Securities to the
pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject
to
approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee,
secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith. Further,
no
notice shall be required of such pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser’s expense,
the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee
or secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a
pledge or transfer of the Securities, including, if the Securities are subject
to registration pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the preparation
and filing of any required prospectus supplement under Rule 424(b)(3) under
the
Securities Act or other applicable provision of the Securities Act to
appropriately amend the list of Selling Stockholders thereunder.
(c) Certificates
evidencing the Shares and Warrant Shares shall not contain any legend (including
the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b)), (i) while a registration statement
(including the Registration Statement) covering the resale of such security
is
effective under the Securities Act, or (ii) following any sale of such Shares
or
Warrant Shares pursuant to Rule 144, or (iii) if such Shares or Warrant Shares
are eligible for sale under Rule 144(k), or (iv) if such legend is not required
under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial
interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission).
The
Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion to the Transfer Agent
promptly after the Effective Date if required by the Transfer Agent to effect
the removal of the legend hereunder. If all or any portion of a Warrant is
exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover
the resale of the Warrant Shares, such Warrant Shares shall be issued free
of
all legends. The Company agrees that following the Effective Date or at such
time as such legend is no longer required under this Section 4.1(c), it will,
no
later than three Trading Days following the delivery by a Purchaser to the
Company or the Transfer Agent of a certificate representing Shares or Warrant
Shares, as the case may be, issued with a restrictive legend (such third Trading
Day, the “Legend
Removal Date”),
deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing
such shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company
may
not make any notation on its records or give instructions to any Transfer Agent
of the Company that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this
Section. Certificates for Securities subject to legend removal hereunder shall
be transmitted by the Transfer Agent of the Company to the Purchasers by
crediting the account of the Purchaser’s prime broker with the Depository Trust
Company System.
21
(d) In
addition to such Purchaser’s other available remedies, the Company shall pay to
a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for
each $1,000 of Shares or Warrant Shares (based on the Closing Price of the
Common Stock on the date such Securities are submitted to the Transfer Agent)
delivered for removal of the restrictive legend and subject to Section 4.1(c),
$10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day five (5) Trading Days
after such damages have begun to accrue) for each Trading Day after the Legend
Removal Date until such certificate is delivered without a legend. Nothing
herein shall limit such Purchaser’s right to pursue actual damages for the
Company’s failure to deliver certificates representing any Securities as
required by the Transaction Documents, and such Purchaser shall have the right
to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without
limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive
relief.
(e) Each
Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, agrees that
the
removal of the restrictive legend from certificates representing Securities
as
set forth in this Section 4.1 is predicated upon the Company’s reliance that the
Purchaser will sell any Securities pursuant to either the registration
requirements of the Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery
requirements, or an exemption therefrom, and that if Securities are sold
pursuant to a Registration Statement, they will be sold in compliance with
the
plan of distribution set forth therein.
4.2 Furnishing
of Information. As long as any Purchaser owns Securities, the Company
covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file
within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the
Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act. As long as any
Purchaser owns Securities, if the Company is not required to file reports
pursuant to the Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Purchasers
and
make publicly available in accordance with Rule 144(c) such information as
is
required for the Purchasers to sell the Securities under Rule 144. The Company
further covenants that it will take such further action as any holder of
Securities may reasonably request, to the extent required from time to time
to
enable such Person to sell such Securities without registration under the
Securities Act within the requirements of the exemption provided by Rule
144.
4.3 Integration.
The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise
negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities
Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities in a
manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the
sale
of the Securities to the Purchasers or that would be integrated with the offer
or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any
Trading Market such that it would require shareholder approval prior to the
closing of such other transaction unless shareholder approval is obtained before
the closing of such subsequent transaction.
22
4.4 Securities
Laws Disclosure; Publicity. The Company shall, by 8:30 a.m. New York City
time on the Trading Day immediately following the date hereof, issue a press
release, disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby,
and file a Current Report on Form 8-K disclosing the same and filing the
Transaction Documents as exhibits thereto within the time period required by
law. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing
any
other press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby,
and
neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release or
otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the
Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the
prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the
Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except
if
such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall
promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement
or
communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly
disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in
any
filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without
the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except (i) as required by federal
securities law in connection with (A) any registration statement contemplated
by
the Registration Rights Agreement and (B) the filing of final Transaction
Documents (including signature pages thereto) with the Commission and (ii)
to
the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations,
in
which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such
disclosure permitted under this subclause (ii).
4.5 Shareholder
Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the
consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring
Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill
(including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover
plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that
any
Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or
arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents
or under any other agreement between the Company and the
Purchasers.
4.6 Non-Public
Information. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company covenants
and agrees that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf will
provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that the
Company believes constitutes material non-public information, unless prior
thereto such Purchaser shall have executed a written agreement regarding the
confidentiality and use of such information. The Company understands and
confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing representations
in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.
4.7 Use
of
Proceeds. The use of proceeds is set forth on Schedule 4.7 attached hereto.
Except as set forth on Schedule 4.7 attached hereto, the Company shall use
the
net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder for working capital
purposes and not for the satisfaction of any portion of the Company’s debt
(other than payment of trade payables in the ordinary course of the Company’s
business and prior practices), to redeem any Common Stock or Common Stock
Equivalents or to settle any outstanding litigation.
23
4.8 [Reserved].
4.9 Indemnification
of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.9, the Company
will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers,
shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons
with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles
notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who
controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities
Act
and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, shareholders,
agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a
functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding
a
lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a
“Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations,
claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments,
amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and
costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as
a
result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or
in
the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against a
Purchaser, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder
of
the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser, with respect to any
of
the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action
is based upon a breach of such Purchaser’s representations, warranties or
covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings
such Purchaser may have with any such stockholder or any violations by the
Purchaser of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser
which constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance).
If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall
promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right
to
assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably
acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right
to
employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense
thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense
of
such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has
been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has
failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ
counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of such
separate counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position
of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the
Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more
than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser
Party under this Agreement (i) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected
without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed; or (ii) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss,
claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of
any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such
Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction
Documents.
4.10 Reservation
of Common Stock.
As of
the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to
reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient
number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to
issue Shares pursuant to this Agreement and Warrant Shares pursuant to any
exercise of the Warrants.
24
4.11 Listing
of Common Stock. The
Company hereby agrees to use best efforts to maintain the listing of the Common
Stock on a Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then quoted for trading
on
the OTC Bulletin Board, the eligibility for such quotation), and as soon as
reasonably practicable following the Closing (but not later than the earlier
of
the Effective Date and the first anniversary of the Closing Date) to list (or
to
have included for quotation on the OTC Bulletin Board) all of the Shares and
Warrant Shares on such Trading Market. The Company further agrees, if the
Company applies to have the Common Stock traded on any other Trading Market,
it
will include in such application all of the Shares and Warrant Shares, and
will
take such other action as is necessary to cause all of the Shares and Warrant
Shares to be listed on such other Trading Market as promptly as possible. The
Company will take all action reasonably necessary to continue the listing and
trading of its Common Stock on a Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is
then
quoted for trading on the OTC Bulletin Board, the eligibility for such
quotation) and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing
and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading
Market.
4.12 Equal
Treatment of Purchasers. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any
Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of
any
of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration is also offered
to
all of the parties to the Transaction Documents. For clarification purposes,
this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser by the
Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended to treat
for the Company the Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be construed
as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase,
disposition or voting of Securities or otherwise.
4.13 Participation
in Future Financing.
(a) From
the
date hereof until the date that is the 12 month anniversary of the Effective
Date, upon any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Common
Stock or Common Stock Equivalents for cash consideration (a “Subsequent
Financing”),
each
Purchaser shall have the right to participate in up to an amount of the
Subsequent Financing equal to 100% of the Subsequent Financing (the
“Participation
Maximum”)
on the
same terms, conditions and price provided for in the Subsequent
Financing.
(b) At
least
5 Trading Days prior to the closing of the Subsequent Financing, the Company
shall deliver to each Purchaser a written notice of its intention to effect
a
Subsequent Financing (“Pre-Notice”),
which
Pre-Notice shall ask such Purchaser if it wants to review the details of such
financing (such additional notice, a “Subsequent
Financing Notice”).
Upon the request of a Purchaser, and only upon a request by such Purchaser,
for
a Subsequent Financing Notice, the Company shall promptly, but no later than
1
Trading Day after such request, deliver a Subsequent Financing Notice to such
Purchaser. The Subsequent Financing Notice shall describe in reasonable
detail the proposed terms of such Subsequent Financing, the amount of proceeds
intended to be raised thereunder, the Person or Persons through or with whom
such Subsequent Financing is proposed to be effected, and attached to which
shall be a term sheet or similar document relating
thereto.
25
(c) Any
Purchaser desiring to participate in such Subsequent Financing must provide
written notice to the Company by not later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time)
on the 5th
Trading
Day after all of the Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice that the Purchaser
is willing to participate in the Subsequent Financing, the amount of the
Purchaser’s participation, and that the Purchaser has such funds ready, willing,
and available for investment on the terms set forth in the Subsequent Financing
Notice. If the Company receives no notice from a Purchaser as of such
5th
Trading
Day, such Purchaser shall be deemed to have notified the Company that it does
not elect to participate.
(d) If
by
5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the 5th
Trading
Day after all of the Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice, notifications
by
the Purchasers of their willingness to participate in the Subsequent Financing
(or to cause their designees to participate) is, in the aggregate, less than
the
total amount of the Subsequent Financing, each Purchasers shall be deemed to
have notified the Company that it does not elect to participate and the Company
may effect the Subsequent Financing on the terms and with the Persons set forth
in the Subsequent Financing Notice.
(e) If
by
5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the 5th
Trading
Day after all of the Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice, the Company
receives responses to a Subsequent Financing Notice from Purchasers seeking
to
purchase more than the aggregate amount of the Participation Maximum, each
such
Purchaser shall have the right to purchase the greater of (a) their Pro Rata
Portion (as defined below) of the Participation Maximum and (b) the difference
between the Participation Maximum and the aggregate amount of participation
by
all other Purchasers. “Pro
Rata Portion”
is
the
ratio of (x) the Subscription Amount of Securities purchased on the Closing
Date
by a Purchaser participating under this Section 4.13 and (y) the sum of the
aggregate Subscription Amounts of Securities purchased on the Closing Date
by
all Purchasers participating under this Section 4.13.
(f) The
Company must provide the Purchasers with a second Subsequent Financing Notice,
and the Purchasers will again have the right of participation set forth above
in
this Section 4.13, if the Subsequent Financing subject to the initial Subsequent
Financing Notice is not consummated for any reason on the terms set forth in
such Subsequent Financing Notice within 60 Trading Days after the date of the
initial Subsequent Financing Notice.
(g) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, this Section 4.13 shall not apply in respect of (i)
an
Exempt
Issuance
or (ii)
an underwritten public offering of Common Stock.
4.14 Subsequent
Equity Sales.
(a) From
the
date hereof until 90 days after the Effective Date, neither the Company nor
any
Subsidiary shall issue shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents;
provided,
however,
the 90
day period set forth in this Section 4.14 shall be extended for the number
of
Trading Days during such period in which (i) trading in the Common Stock is
suspended by any Trading Market, or (ii) following the Effective Date, the
Registration Statement is not effective or the prospectus included in the
Registration Statement may not be used by the Purchasers for the resale of
the
Shares and Warrant Shares.
26
(b) From
the
date hereof until the one-year anniversary of the date hereof, neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary shall issue shares of Common Stock or Common Stock
Equivalents for an effective per share of Common Stock purchase price (including
conversion, exercise or other price) less than the Per Share Purchase Price.
(c) From
the
date hereof until 180 days following the Effective Date, the Company shall
be
prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any Subsequent
Financing involving a “Variable Rate Transaction”. The term “Variable
Rate Transaction”
shall
mean a transaction in which the Company issues or sells (i) any debt or equity
securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or
include the right to receive additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at
a
conversion, exercise or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or
varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock
at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities, or
(B)
with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset
at
some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security
or
upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly
related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock or
(ii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line
of
credit, whereby the Company may sell securities at a future determined price.
Any Purchaser shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company
to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right
to
collect damages.
(d) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, this Section 4.14 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt
Issuance, except that no Variable Rate Transaction shall be an Exempt
Issuance.
4.15 Short
Sales and Confidentiality After The Date Hereof. Each Purchaser, severally
and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as
the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the
Company as described in Section 4.4, such Purchaser will maintain the
confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this
transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Each
Purchaser understands and acknowledges, severally and not jointly with any
other
Purchaser, that the Commission currently takes the position that coverage of
short sales of shares of the Common Stock “against the box” prior to the
Effective Date of the Registration Statement with the Securities is a violation
of Section 5 of the Securities Act, as set forth in Item 65, Section A, of
the
Manual of Publicly Available Telephone Interpretations, dated July 1997,
compiled by the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Corporation Finance.
4.16 Form
D; Blue Sky Filings. The Company agrees to timely file a Form D with respect
to the Securities as required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof,
promptly upon request of any Purchaser. The Company shall take such action
as
the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an
exemption for, or to qualify the Securities for, sale to the Purchasers at
the
Closing under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the
United States, and shall provide evidence of such actions promptly upon request
of any Purchaser.
27
4.17 Capital
Changes. Until the one year anniversary of the Effective Date, the Company
shall not undertake a reverse or forward stock split or reclassification of
the
Common Stock without the prior written consent of the Purchasers holding a
majority in interest of the Shares.
ARTICLE
V.
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Termination.
This Agreement may be terminated by any Purchaser, as to such Purchaser’s
obligations hereunder only and without any effect whatsoever on the obligations
between the Company and the other Purchasers, by written notice to the other
parties, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before March 19, 2007,
provided that such date may be extended by the mutual, written consent of the
Company and Empire Financial but in no event beyond March 26, 2007; provided,
however, that no such termination will affect the right of any party to xxx
for
any breach by the other party (or parties).
5.2 Fees
and Expenses. At the Closing, in addition to the fees and expenses payable
to Empire Financial as set forth on Schedule 3.1(s) attached hereto, the Company
has agreed to reimburse Empire Financial the sum of $25,000, for its legal
fees
and expenses. Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to
the
contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel,
accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such
party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees,
stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery
of
any Securities to the Purchasers.
5.3 Entire
Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and
schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties
acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and
schedules.
5.4 Notices.
Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted
to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and
effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or
communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth
on
the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time)
on a
Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such
notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number
set
forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading
Day
or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the
2nd
Trading
Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized
overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom
such
notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications
shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.
28
5.5 Amendments;
Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived or amended except in a
written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and
Purchasers then holding at least 67% of the Securities or, in the case of a
waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision
is
sought. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or
requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in
the
future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision,
condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party
to
exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such
right.
5.6 Headings.
The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this
Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions
hereof.
5.7 Successors
and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit
of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may
not
assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior
written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may
assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom
such
Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided such transferee agrees
in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the
provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the
“Purchasers.”
5.8 No
Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the
parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is
not
for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other
Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.9.
5.9 Governing
Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and
interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed
and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York,
without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees
that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and
defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other
Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective
affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be
commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of
New
York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of
the
state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan
for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or
with
any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect
to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably
waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim
that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that
such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for
such
proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process
and
consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by
mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery
(with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices
to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good
and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein
shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other
manner permitted by law. The parties hereby waive all rights to a trial by
jury.
If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions
of the Transaction Documents, then the prevailing party in such action or
proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorneys’
fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation
and prosecution of such action or proceeding.
29
5.10 Survival.
The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing
and the delivery of the Shares and Warrant Shares for two years following the
Closing Date.
5.11 Execution.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when
taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become
effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to
the
other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same
counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile
transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature
shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose
behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such
facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.
5.12 Severability.
If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by
a
court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable,
the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth
herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially
reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same
or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision,
covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the
intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may
be
hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
5.13 Rescission
and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
(and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction
Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option
under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related
obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind
or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to
the
Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without
prejudice to its future actions and rights; provided, however, in the case
of a
rescission of an exercise of a Warrant, the Purchaser shall be required to
return any shares of Common Stock delivered in connection with any such
rescinded exercise notice.
5.14 Replacement
of Securities. If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is
mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be
issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the
case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate
or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to
the
Company of such loss, theft or destruction. The applicant for a new certificate
or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party
costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such
replacement Securities.
30
5.15 Remedies.
In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted
by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company
will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The
parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any
loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the
Transaction Documents and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert in any action
for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at
law
would be adequate.
5.16 Payment
Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any
Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or
exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds
of
such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated,
declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged
by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company,
a trustee, receiver or any other person under any law (including, without
limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable
cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation
or
part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued
in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such
enforcement or setoff had not occurred.
5.17 Independent
Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each
Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the
obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in
any
way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any
other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant
thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an
association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a
presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group
with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the
Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect
and enforce its rights, including without limitation, the rights arising out
of
this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not
be
necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any
proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own
separate legal counsel in their review and negotiation of the Transaction
Documents. For reasons of administrative convenience only, Purchasers and their
respective counsel have chosen to communicate with the Company through SRFF.
SRFF does not represent all of the Purchasers but only Empire Financial. The
Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and
Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it
was
required or requested to do so by the Purchasers.
5.18 Liquidated
Damages. The Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or
other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation
of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated
damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the
instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or
other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.
5.19 Construction.
The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel has reviewed
and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore,
the
normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be
resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation
of the Transaction Documents or any amendments hereto.
(Signature
Pages Follow)
31
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase
Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as
of
the date first indicated above.
Address
for Notice:
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
|
|
By:
Name:
Title:
|
Attn:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Fax:
e-mail:
xxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
Tel:
|
With
a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Xxxxxx
and Xxxxx, LLP
000
Xxxx 00xx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Esq.
|
[REMAINDER
OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE
PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]
32
[PURCHASER
SIGNATURE PAGES TO AKNS SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement
to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date
first indicated above.
Name
of
Purchaser: ________________________________________________________
Signature
of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:
__________________________________
Name
of
Authorized Signatory:
____________________________________________________
Title
of
Authorized Signatory:
_____________________________________________________
Email
Address of
Purchaser:________________________________________________
Fax
Number of Purchaser:
________________________________________________
Address
for Notice of Purchaser:
Address
for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as above):
Subscription
Amount (not less than $50,000):
$:
Shares:
#:
Class
A
Warrant Shares:
#:
Class
B
Warrant Shares:
#:
[SIGNATURE
PAGES CONTINUE]
33