Healthy Fast Food, Inc. UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT dated _____________, 2010 Paulson Investment Company, Inc.
EXHIBIT 1.1
Healthy
Fast Food, Inc.
dated
_____________, 2010
Xxxxxxx
Investment Company, Inc.
January ,
2010
Xxxxxxx
Investment Company, Inc.
000 XX
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxx 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Introductory. Healthy
Fast Food, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), proposes
to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A (the “Underwriters”) an
aggregate of 3,700,000 Units, each Unit consisting of (i) one share of the
Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”), and
(ii) one Class C warrant, to purchase one share of Common Stock (each a “Class C Warrant”,
collectively, the “Class C
Warrants”). The Class C Warrants are to be issued under the
terms of a Warrant Agreement (the “Warrant Agreement”)
by and between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, as warrant agent
(the “Warrant
Agent”), substantially in the form most recently filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement (hereinafter defined). The 3,700,000 Units
to be sold by the Company are collectively called the “Firm
Units”. In addition, the Company has granted to the
Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 555,000 Units (the “Optional Units”), as
provided in Section 2. The Firm Units and, if and to the extent such
option is exercised, the Optional Units are collectively called the “Units”. Xxxxxxx
Investment Company, Inc. has agreed to act as representative for the several
Underwriters (in such capacity, the "Representative") in
connection with the offering and sale of the Units.
The Company confirms its agreement with
each Underwriter as follows:
Section
1. Representations and Warranties of
the Company.
The Company represents, warrants and
covenants to the Underwriter as follows:
(a) Filing of the Registration
Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a
registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333- ), which contains a form
of prospectus to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the
Units. Such registration statement, as amended, including the
financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, and the documents
incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the registration
statement at the time such registration statement became effective, in the form
in which it was declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder
(collectively, the “Securities Act”), and
including any required information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of
effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A, Rule 430B or Rule 430C under the Securities
Act, or pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and
regulations
promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), is
called the “Registration
Statement.” Any registration statement filed by the Company
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act is called the “Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement,” and from and after the date and time of filing of the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement the term “Registration
Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement. Such prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Securities Act after the date and time that this Agreement is
executed and delivered by the parties hereto (the “Execution Time”), or,
if no filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act is required, the
form of final prospectus relating to the Units included in the Registration
Statement at the effective date of the Registration Statement, is called the
“Prospectus.” All
references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, the Company’s preliminary prospectus included in the
Registration Statement (each a “preliminary
prospectus”), the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of
the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant
to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“XXXXX”). Any
reference herein to any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any
supplement or amendment to either thereof shall be deemed to refer to and
include any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such
reference.
(b) Compliance with Registration
Requirements. The Registration
Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities
Act. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with
all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental
information. No stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in
effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending
or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the
Commission.
Each
preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied or will comply in
all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic
transmission pursuant to XXXXX (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T
under the Securities Act), was identical in content to the copy thereof
delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of
the Units other than with respect to any artwork and graphics that were not
filed. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it
became effective and at all subsequent times until the expiration of the
prospectus delivery period required under Section 4(3) of the Securities Act,
complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and
did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus (including any
Prospectus wrapper), as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at all
subsequent times until the Underwriters have completed their distribution of the
offering of the Units, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in
the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or
omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any
amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by
the Representative expressly for use therein, it being understood and
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agreed
that the only such information furnished by the Representative consists of the
information described as such in Section 8 hereof. There are no
contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be
filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been described or
filed as required.
(c) Disclosure Package. The term
“Disclosure
Package” shall mean (i) the preliminary prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, (ii) the issuer free writing prospectuses as defined in Rule 433
of the Securities Act (each, an “Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus”), if any, identified in Schedule B hereto, (iii) the pricing
terms set forth in Schedule C to this Agreement, and (iv) any other free writing
prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to
treat as part of the Disclosure Package. As of 9:00 a.m. (Eastern
time) on the date of this Agreement (the “Initial Sale Time”),
the Disclosure Package did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or
omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter directly or through the
Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that
the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists
of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.
(d) Company Not Ineligible
Issuer. (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement
and (ii) as of the date of the execution and delivery of this Agreement (with
such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause
(ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule
405 of the Securities Act), without taking account of any determination by the
Commission pursuant to Rule 405 of the Securities Act that it is not necessary
that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer
(e) Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus includes any
information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration
Statement, including any document incorporated by reference therein that has not
been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to
statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon
and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter directly or through the Representative specifically for use therein,
it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any
Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8
hereof.
(f) Offering Materials Furnished to
Underwriters. The Company has
delivered to the Representative five complete manually signed copies of the
Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a
part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without
exhibits) and preliminary prospectuses and the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Representative has
reasonably requested.
(g) Distribution of Offering Material By
the Company. The Company has
not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of each Subsequent
Closing Date (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters'
distribution of the Units, any offering material in connection with the offering
and sale of the Units other than a preliminary prospectus, the
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Prospectus,
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the
Representative, and the Registration Statement.
(h) The Underwriting
Agreement. This Agreement
has been duly authorized (to the extent applicable), executed and delivered by,
and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder may be limited by
applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general
equitable principles.
(i) Authorization of the Common Stock; Validity of Warrants
and Warrant Agreement.
(i) The
Common Stock included in the Units to be purchased by the Underwriters from the
Company (including units purchasable on exercise of the Underwriters'
overallotment option described in Section 2(c) and the Representative's Warrants
described in Section 2(h)) has been duly authorized and reserved for issuance
and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, in the case of Common Stock issuable on
exercise of the Representative's Warrants, the terms thereof and, when so issued
and delivered by the Company, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(ii) The
Class C Warrants included in the Units to be purchased by the Underwriters from
the Company have been duly and validly authorized by all required corporate
actions and will, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this
Agreement, be validly executed and delivered by, and will be valid and binding
agreements of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except
as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the
rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable
principles.
(iii) The
Representative's Warrants have been duly and validly authorized by all required
corporate actions and will, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to
this Agreement, be validly executed and delivered by, and will be valid and
binding agreements of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms,
except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the
rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable
principles.
(iv) The
Common Stock issuable on exercise of the Class C Warrants has been duly
authorized and reserved for issuance and sale pursuant to their terms and, when
issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to such warrants, will be validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(v) The
Warrant Agreement has been duly and validly authorized by all required corporate
actions of the Company and will, when executed and delivered (and assuming due
and valid execution by the Warrant Agent) constitute a valid
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and
binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance
with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or
affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable
principles.
(vi) Each
of the Class C Warrants and the Representative's Warrants will, when issued,
possess rights, privileges, and characteristics as represented in the most
recent form of Warrant Agreement or Representative's Warrants, as the case may
be, filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
(j) No Applicable Registration or Other
Similar Rights. Except as fairly
and accurately described in the Registration Statement, there are no persons
with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities
registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering
contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly
waived.
(k) No Material Adverse
Change. Except as
otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package, subsequent to the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package: (i)
there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could
reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition,
financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, operations or prospects,
whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of
the Company (any such change is called a “Material Adverse
Change”); (ii) the Company has not incurred any material liability or
obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of
business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the
ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company in respect of its
capital stock.
(l) Independent Accountants. L.L. Bradford
& Company, LLC (the "Accountant") who has
expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as
used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the
Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public
accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act.
(m) Preparation of the Financial
Statements. Each of the
historical and pro-forma financial statements filed with the Commission as a
part of or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and included
or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
presents fairly the information provided as of and at the dates and for the
periods indicated. Such financial statements comply as to form with
the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been
prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on
a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly
stated in the related notes thereto. No other financial statements or
supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement. Each item of historical or pro-forma
financial data relating to the operations, assets or liabilities of the Company
set forth in summary form in each of the preliminary prospectus and the
5
Prospectus
fairly presents such information on a basis consistent with that of the complete
financial statements contained in the Registration Statement.
(n) Incorporation and Good
Standing;
Subsidiaries. The Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation and has corporate power and authority to own,
lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its
obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a
foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which such qualification is required except for such
jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would
not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse
Change. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly,
any corporation, association or other entity, other than U-Swirl International,
Inc.
(o) Capitalization and Other Capital
Stock Matters. The authorized,
issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the each
of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization”
(other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans
described in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or upon exercise
of outstanding options or warrants described in the Disclosure Package and
Prospectus, as the case may be). The Common
Stock conforms, and, when issued and delivered as provided in this
Agreement, the Class C Warrants and the Representative's Warrants will comply in
all material respects to the description thereof contained in the each of the
Disclosure Package and Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding
shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully
paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with federal and state
securities laws. None of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were
issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other
similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the
Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants,
preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or
equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for,
any capital stock of the Company other than those accurately described in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The description of the
Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and
the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth or incorporated by
reference in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus accurately and
fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans,
arrangements, options and rights.
(p) Quotation. The
Units, Common Stock and C Warrants have been approved for quotation on
the OTC Bulletin Board ("OTCBB") under the
symbols “____,” “HFFI” and “____,” respectively. The Company has taken no action
designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the quotation of
its Units, Common Stock or C Warrants on the OTCBB, nor has the Company
received any notification that OTCBB is contemplating terminating
such quotation.
(q) Non-Contravention of Existing
Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. The Company is
not in violation of its charter or bylaws or in default (or, with the giving of
notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any
indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract, franchise, lease
or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it or it may be bound
(including, without limitation, such agreements and
6
contracts
filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or to which any of the property
or assets of the Company is subject (each, an “Existing
Instrument”)), except for such Defaults as would not, individually or in
the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and by the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and
will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws of
the Company, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default
under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, or require
the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, except for such
conflicts, breaches, Defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change and (iii)
will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or
administrative or court decree applicable to the Company. No consent,
approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any
court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for
the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, except the registration or qualification of the
Units, Common Stock and Class C Warrants under the Securities Act and applicable
state securities or blue sky laws and from the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (the “FINRA”).
(r) No Material Actions or
Proceedings. Except as
otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no
legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the best of
the Company’s knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting the Company, (ii)
which have as the subject thereof any officer or director (in such capacities)
of, or property owned or leased by, the Company or (iii) relating to
environmental or discrimination matters, where in any such case (A) there is a
reasonable possibility that such action, suit or proceeding might be determined
adversely to the Company and (B) any such action, suit or proceeding, if so
determined adversely, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change or adversely affect the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. No material labor dispute with the
employees of the Company exists or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, is
threatened or imminent except for such disputes as would not, individually or in
the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
(s) Intellectual Property
Rights. The Company owns
or possesses sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights,
domain names, licenses, approvals, trade secrets and other similar rights
(collectively, “Intellectual Property
Rights”) reasonably necessary to conduct its businesses as now conducted;
and the expected expiration of any of such Intellectual Property Rights would
not result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company has not received
any notice of infringement or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property
Rights of others, which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, would result in a Material Adverse Change. The
Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with
respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that
are required to be set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and
are not described in all material respects. None of the technology
employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in
violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the
Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees or otherwise in
violation of the rights of any persons.
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(t) All Necessary Permits,
etc. Except
as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or except as
would not result in a Material Adverse Change, the Company possesses such valid
and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate
state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct its
businesses, and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating
to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such
certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could result in a
Material Adverse Change.
(u) Title to Properties. The Company has
good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned in
the financial statements referred to in Section 1(m) above (or elsewhere in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any
security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other
defects, except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such
property and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be
made of such property by the Company. The real property,
improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company
are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not
material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be
made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the
Company.
(v) Tax Law Compliance. The Company has
filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns
and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and, if due and payable, any
related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against it. The
Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable
financial statements referred to in Section 1(m) above in respect of all
federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to
which the tax liability of the Company has not been finally
determined.
(w) Company Not an “Investment
Company.” The Company has
been advised of the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the “Investment Company
Act”). The Company is not, and after receipt of payment for
the Units and the application of the proceeds thereof as contemplated under the
caption “Use of Proceeds” in each of the preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of the
Investment Company Act and will conduct its business in a manner so that it will
not become subject to the Investment Company Act.
(x) Insurance. The Company is
insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with
policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as
the Company reasonably believes are adequate and customary for its business
including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property
owned or leased by the Company against theft, damage, destruction, acts of
vandalism and earthquakes. The Company reasonably believes that it
will be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such
policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions
as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and
at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change. The
Company has not been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for
which it has applied.
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(y) No Price Stabilization or
Manipulation. The Company has
not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or
that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the
sale or resale of the Units or the underlying securities. The Company
acknowledges that the Underwriters may engage in passive market making
transactions in the Units on the OTCBB in accordance with Regulation M under the
Exchange Act.
(z) Related Party
Transactions. There are no
business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or
any other person required to be described in the preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus that have not been described as required.
(aa) Disclosure Controls and
Procedures. The Company has established and maintains
disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e)
under the Exchange Act), which (i) are designed to ensure that material
information relating to the Company is made known to the Company’s principal
executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those
entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required
under the Exchange Act are being prepared, (ii) will be evaluated for
effectiveness as of the end of each fiscal quarter and fiscal year of the
Company and (iii) are effective in all material respects to perform the
functions for which they were established. The Company is not aware
of (a) any significant deficiency in the design or operation of internal
controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process,
summarize and report financial data or any material weaknesses in internal
controls or (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal
controls.
(bb) Company’s Accounting
System. The Company maintains a system of accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed
in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(cc) No Unlawful Contributions or Other
Payments. Neither the
Company nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of
the Company has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or
candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or
of the character required to be disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(dd) Compliance with Environmental
Laws. Except as would
not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change (i)
the Company is not in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law or
regulation relating to pollution or protection of human health or the
environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water,
groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including without
limitation, laws and regulations relating to emissions, discharges, releases or
threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic
substances, hazardous substances, petroleum and
9
petroleum
products (collectively, “Materials of Environmental
Concern”), or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing,
distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of
Materials of Environment Concern (collectively, “Environmental Laws”),
which violation includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with any permits
or other governmental authorizations required for the operation of the business
of the Company under applicable Environmental Laws, or noncompliance with the
terms and conditions thereof, nor has the Company received any written
communication, whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee
or otherwise, that alleges that the Company is in violation of any Environmental
Law; (ii) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or
governmental authority, no investigation with respect to which the Company has
received written notice, and no written notice by any person or entity alleging
potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental
responses costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries,
attorneys’ fees or penalties arising out of, based on or resulting from the
presence, or release into the environment, of any Material of Environmental
Concern at any location owned, leased or operated by the Company, now or in the
past (collectively, “Environmental
Claims”), pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened
against the Company or any person or entity whose liability for any
Environmental Claim the Company has retained or assumed either contractually or
by operation of law; and (iii) to the best of the Company’s knowledge, there are
no past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or
incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge,
presence or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that reasonably
could result in a violation of any Environmental Law or form the basis of a
potential Environmental Claim against the Company or against any person or
entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company has retained or
assumed either contractually or by operation of law.
(ee) ERISA Compliance. The Company and
any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established
or maintained by the Company or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in
compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate”
means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations
described in Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder
(the “Code”) of
which the Company is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined
under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any
“employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its
ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or
maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee
benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit
liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company nor any of
its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability
under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from,
any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Section 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the
Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the
Company, or any of its ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under
Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by
action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such
qualification.
10
(ff) Compliance with Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act
of 2002. The Company and, to the best of its knowledge, its
officers and directors are in compliance with applicable provisions of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in
connection therewith (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”)
that are effective and are actively taking steps to ensure that they will be in
compliance with other applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act upon the
effectiveness of such provisions, including Section 402 related to loans and
Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(gg) Material Understandings,
Generally. Except as fairly described in the Prospectus and
the Disclosure Package, the Company has not made a determination to take any
action and is not a party to any understanding, whether or not legally binding,
with any other person with respect to the taking of any action that, if known to
prospective purchasers of the Units, would be likely to affect their assessment
of the value or prospects of the Company or their decision to invest in the
Units.
Any certificate signed by an officer of
the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the
Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company
to each Underwriter as to the matters set forth therein.
The
Company acknowledges that the Underwriters and, for purposes of the opinions to
be delivered pursuant to Section 5 hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to
the Underwriters, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing
representations and hereby consents to such reliance.
Section
2. Purchase,
Sale and Delivery of the Units.
(a) The Firm Units. Upon the terms
herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Firm Units to the
several Underwriters. On the basis of the representations, warranties
and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the
conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly,
to purchase the Firm Units from the Company. The purchase price per
Firm Unit to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be
$ per Unit.
(b) The First Closing Date. Delivery of the
Firm Units to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be
made at 7:30 a.m. (Pacific time)
on ,
2010 or such other time and date as the Representative shall designate by notice
to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the “First Closing
Date”). The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under
which the Representative may provide notice to postpone the First Closing Date
as originally scheduled include, but are in no way limited to, any determination
by the Company or the Representative to recirculate to the public copies of an
amended or supplemented Prospectus or Disclosure Package or a delay as
contemplated by the provisions of Section 10.
(c) The Optional Units; Each Subsequent
Closing Date. In addition, on
the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained,
and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company
hereby grants an option to the Underwriters to purchase up to an aggregate of
555,000 Optional Units from the Company at the purchase price
11
per Unit
to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Units. The option granted
hereunder may be exercised at any time and from time to time upon notice by the
Representative to the Company which notice may be given at any time within 45
days from the date of this Agreement. Such notice shall set forth (i)
the aggregate number of Optional Units as to which the Underwriters are
exercising the option, (ii) the names and denominations in which the Optional
Units are to be registered and (iii) the time, date and place at which such
Optional Units will be delivered (which time and date may be simultaneous with,
but not earlier than, the First Closing Date; and in such case the term “First
Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of delivery of the Firm Units and
the Optional Units). Each time and date of delivery, if subsequent to
the First Closing Date, is called the “Subsequent Closing
Date” and shall be determined by the Representative and shall not be
earlier than three nor later than five full business days after delivery of such
notice of exercise.
(d) Public Offering of the
Units. The
Representative hereby advises the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer
for sale to the public, as described in the Prospectus, the Units as soon after
this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been
declared effective as the Representative, in its sole judgment, has determined
is advisable and practicable.
(e) Payment for the Units. Payment for the
Units to be sold by the Company shall be made at the First Closing Date (and, if
applicable, at any Subsequent Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to the order of the Company. It is understood that
the Representative has been authorized, for its own account and the accounts of
the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make
payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Units and any Optional Units the
Underwriters have agreed to purchase. The Representative,
individually and not as the Representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall
not be obligated to) make payment for any Units to be purchased by any
Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representative by
the First Closing Date or any Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be, for
the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such
Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.
(f) Delivery of the Units. Delivery of the
Firm Units and the Optional Units shall be made through the facilities of The
Depository Trust Company unless the Representative shall otherwise
instruct. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and
place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of
the Underwriters.
(g) Delivery of Prospectus to the
Underwriters. Not later than
10:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on the second business day following the date the
Units are first released by the Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company
shall deliver or cause to be delivered, copies of the Prospectus in such
quantities and at such places as the Representative shall request.
(h) Representative's
Warrants. In addition to the sums payable to the
Representative as provided elsewhere herein, the Representative shall be
entitled to receive at the closing occurring on the First Closing Date, for
itself alone and not as Representative of the Underwriters, as additional
compensation for its services, Representative’s Warrants for the purchase of up
to 370,000 Units at a price of $ per Unit, upon the
terms and subject to
12
adjustment
and conversion as described in the form of Representative's Warrants filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.
Section
3. Covenants
of the Company.
The
Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriters as follows:
(a) Representative's Review of Proposed
Amendments and Supplements. During the
period beginning at the Initial Sale Time and ending on the later of the First
Closing Date or such date as, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters,
the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with
sales by an Underwriter or dealer, including under circumstances where such
requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act (the
“Prospectus Delivery
Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus, including any amendment or supplement through incorporation
by reference of any report filed under the Exchange Act, the Company shall
furnish to the Representative for review a copy of each such proposed amendment
or supplement, and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or
supplement to which the Representative reasonably object.
(b) Securities Act
Compliance. After the date
of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Representative in
writing (i) when the Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution
Time, shall have become effective, (ii) of the receipt of any comments of, or
requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (iii)
of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus, (iv) of the time and date that any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (v) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or of any order
or notice preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove,
suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Stock from any
securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or
designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings
for any of such purposes. The Company shall use its best efforts to
prevent the issuance of any such stop order or prevention or suspension of such
use. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order or order or
notice of prevention or suspension at any time, the Company will use its best
efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment, or
will file a new registration statement and use its best efforts to have such new
registration statement declared effective as soon as
practicable. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply
with the provisions of Rules 424(b) and 430A, as applicable, under the
Securities Act, including with respect to the timely filing of documents
thereunder, and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made
by the Company under such Rule 424(b) were received in a timely manner by the
Commission.
(c) Exchange Act
Compliance. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company
will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to
Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time
periods required by the Exchange Act.
13
(d) Amendments and Supplements to the
Registration Statement, Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If, during the
Prospectus Delivery Period, any event or development shall occur or condition
exist as a result of which the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as then
amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, as the
case may be, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement
the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to file under the Exchange Act any
document incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus,
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, as the case may be, not misleading, or if in the opinion
of the Representative it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to file
under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus, or to file a new registration statement containing
the Prospectus, in order to comply with law, including in connection with the
delivery of the Prospectus, the Company agrees to (i) notify the Representative
of any such event or condition (unless such event or condition was previously
brought to the Company’s attention by the Representative during the Prospectus
Delivery Period) and (ii) promptly prepare (subject to Sections 3(a) and 3(e)
hereof), file with the Commission (and use its best efforts to have any
amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement to be
declared effective) and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to
dealers, amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus, or any new registration statement, necessary in order
to make the statements in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as so amended
or supplemented, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
as the case may be, not misleading or so that the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply
with law.
(e) Permitted Free Writing
Prospectuses. The Company represents that it has not made, and
agrees that, (i) unless it obtains the prior written consent of the
Representative and (ii) is not an "ineligible issuer" (as defined in Rule 405 of
the Securities Act, it will not make, any offer relating to the Units that would
constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute
a “free writing
prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be
filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule
433 of the Securities Act. Any such free writing prospectus consented
to by the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing
Prospectus” and shall be included in Schedule B hereto. The
Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each
Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii)
has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules
164, 405 and 433 of the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing
Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending
and record keeping.
(f) Copies of any Amendments and
Supplements to the Prospectus. The Company
agrees to furnish the Representative, without charge, during the Prospectus
Delivery Period, as many copies of each of the preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus and the Disclosure Package and any amendments and supplements thereto
(including any documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference
therein) as the Representative may reasonably request.
14
(g) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company
shall cooperate with the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters to
qualify or register the Units, Common Stock and Class C Warrants for sale under
(or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky
laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Representative, shall comply with
such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions
in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Units, Common Stock
and Class C Warrants. The Company shall not be required to qualify as
a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general
service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified
or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign
corporation. The Company will advise the Representative promptly of
the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption
relating to) the Units, Common Stock and/or Class C Warrants for offering, sale
or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for
any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such
qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts
to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company
shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Units sold by it in the manner
described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(i) Transfer Agent. The Company
shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for
the Units, Common Stock and Class C Warrants.
(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as
practicable and in any event no later than 15 months after the effective date of
the Registration Statement, the Company will make generally available to its
security holders and to the Representative an earnings statement (which need not
be audited) covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the
effective date of the Registration Statement that satisfies the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities
Act.
(k) Periodic Reporting
Obligations. During the
Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the
Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange
Act. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from
the issuance of the Units as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities
Act.
(l) Company to Provide Interim Financial
Statements. Prior to the First Closing Date and, if
applicable, each Subsequent Closing Date, the Company will furnish the
Underwriters, as soon as they have been prepared by or are available to the
Company, a copy of any unaudited interim financial statements of the Company for
any period subsequent to the period covered by the most recent financial
statements appearing in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.
(m) Quotation. The
Company will use its best efforts to include, subject to notice of issuance, the
Units, Common Stock and the Class C Warrants on the OTCBB.
(n) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell
Additional Securities. During the period
commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 90th day
following the date of the Prospectus,
15
the
Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative (which
consent may be withheld at the Representative's sole discretion), directly or
indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer
or establish an open “put equivalent
position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or
otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any
registration statement under the Securities Act (except as contemplated by the
Prospectus) in respect of, any shares of Common Stock, options or warrants to
acquire shares of the Common Stock or securities exchangeable or exercisable for
or convertible into shares of Common Stock (other than as contemplated by this
Agreement with respect to the Units); provided, however, that the Company may
issue shares of its Common Stock or options to purchase its Common Stock, or
shares of Common Stock upon exercise of options, in each case, pursuant to any
stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan, arrangement or contractual
obligation described in the Prospectus.
(o) Warrant Solicitation
Fees. The Company hereby engages the Representative, on a
non-exclusive basis, as its agent for the solicitation of the exercise of the
Class C Warrants. The Company will (i) assist the Representative with
respect to the solicitation, if requested by the Representative, and (ii)
provide the Representative, and direct the Company's transfer and warrant agent
to provide to the Representative, at the Company’s cost, lists of the record
and, to the extent known, beneficial owners of the
Warrants. Commencing one year from the effective date of the
Registration Statement, the Company will pay the Representative a commission of
five percent (5%) of the exercise price of the Class C Warrants for each Class C
Warrant exercised, payable on the date of such exercise, on the terms provided
for in the Warrant Agreement, only if permitted under the rules and regulations
of the FINRA and only to the extent that a holder who exercises Class C Warrants
specifically designates, in writing, that the Representative solicited the
exercise. The Representative may engage sub-agents in its
solicitation efforts. The Company agrees to disclose the arrangement
to pay solicitation fees to the Representative in any prospectus used by the
Company in connection with the registration of the shares of Common Stock
underlying the Class C Warrants.
(p) Right of First
Refusal. For a period of 36 months from the effective date of
the Registration Statement, the Company grants the Representative the right of
first refusal to act as lead underwriter for any and all future public and
private equity and debt offerings of the Company, or any successor to or
subsidiary of the Company, excluding ordinary course of business financings such
as bank lines of credit, accounts receivable and factoring. The Representative
shall have thirty (30) days from receipt of written notice with regard to any
such offering to exercise its right of first refusal with respect
thereto.
(q) Future Reports to the Representative. During the
period of five years hereafter, the Company will furnish, if not otherwise
available on XXXXX, to the Representative at 000 XX Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxx 00000 Attention: Syndicate Department: (i) as soon
as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of
the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such
fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for
the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company’s independent public
or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing
thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the
Company with
16
the
Commission, the FINRA or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as
available, copies of any report or communication of the Company mailed generally
to holders of its capital stock.
(r) Investment Limitation. The Company
shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its
sale of the Units in such a manner as would require the Company to register as
an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
(s) No Manipulation of Price. The Company will
not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or
that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the
Company.
(t) Existing Lock-Up
Agreements. Except as
described in the Prospectus, there are no existing agreements between the
Company and its security holders that prohibit the sale, transfer, assignment,
pledge or hypothecation of any of the Company’s securities. The
Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon
the securities of the Company that are bound by such “lock-up” agreements for
the duration of the periods contemplated therein.
Section
4. Payment
of Expenses.
(a) The
Representative shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Company, for itself
alone and not as Representative of the Underwriters, to a non-accountable
expense allowance equal to 3% of the aggregate initial public offering price of
the Firm Units. The Representative shall be entitled to withhold this
allowance on the Closing Date related to the purchase of the Firm
Units.
(b) In
addition to the payment described in Paragraph (a) of this Section 4, the
Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with
the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses
incident to the issuance and delivery of the Units (including all printing and
engraving costs, if any), (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and
transfer agent of the Common Stock, (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and
other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Units to the
Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent
public or certified public accountants and other advisors, (v) all costs and
expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping
and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements,
exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and all
amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing fees,
attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in
connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the
qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Units for offer and
sale under the state securities or blue sky laws, and, if requested by the
Representative, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum, and
any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications,
registrations and exemptions, (vii) the filing fees incident to the FINRA’s
review and approval of the Underwriters' participation in the offering and
distribution of the Units, (viii) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to
in Item 25 of Part II of the Registration Statement, and (ix) all reasonable
out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Underwriters. Except
17
as
provided in this Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9 hereof, the
Underwriters shall pay its own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of
its counsel.
Section
5. Conditions of the Obligations of the
Underwriters. The obligations
of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Units as provided herein on
the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Units, each Subsequent
Closing Date, shall be subject to (1) the accuracy of the representations and
warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the
date hereof and as of the First Closing Date and each Subsequent Closing Date as
though then made; (2) the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and
other obligations hereunder; and (3) each of the following additional
conditions:
(a) Accountant's Comfort
Letter. On the date
hereof, the Underwriters shall have received from the Accountant, a letter dated
the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the
type ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters,
delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor
bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and
certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (and the Representative shall have received an additional four
conformed copies of such accountant's letter for the several
Underwriters).
(b) Effectiveness of Registration
Statement; Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order. For the period
from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing
Date and, with respect to the Optional Units, any Subsequent Closing
Date:
(i) the
Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the
information required by Rule 430A under the Securities Act) in the manner and
within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; or the
Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement containing the information required by such Rule 430A, and such
post-effective amendment shall have become effective; and
(ii) no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and
no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the
Commission.
(c) No Material Adverse
Change. For the period
from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date
and, with respect to the Optional Units, each Subsequent Closing Date, in the
judgment of the Representative there shall not have occurred any Material
Adverse Change.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the
Company. On each of the
First Closing Date and each Subsequent Closing Date the Representative shall
have received the opinion of Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, P.C.,
counsel for the Company, dated as of the First Closing Date or the Subsequent
Closing Date, as applicable, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A
(and
18
the
Representative shall have received an additional four conformed copies of such
opinion letter for the several Underwriters).
(e) Opinion of Counsel for the
Underwriters. On each of the
First Closing Date and each Subsequent Closing Date the Underwriters shall have
received the opinion of Holland & Knight LLP, counsel for the Underwriters,
dated as of the First Closing Date or the Subsequent Closing Date, as
applicable, in a form satisfactory to the Representative (and the Representative
shall have received an additional four conformed copies of such opinion letter
for the several Underwriters).
(f) Officers’ Certificate. On each of the
First Closing Date and each Subsequent Closing Date the Representative shall
have received a written certificate executed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief
Executive Officer or President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer or
Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, to the
effect that the signers of such certificate have reviewed the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and this
Agreement, to the effect set forth in subsection (b)(ii) of this Section 5, and
further to the effect that:
(i) for
the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to such Closing
Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;
(ii) the
representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in Section 1
of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though
expressly made on and as of such Closing Date; and
(iii) the
Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to
such Closing Date.
(g) Bring-down Comfort
Letter. On each of the
First Closing Date and each Subsequent Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have
received from the Accountant, a letter dated such date, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect that they reaffirm the
statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to subsection (a) of
this Section 5, except that the specified date referred to therein for the
carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to
the First Closing Date or Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be (and the
Representative shall have received an additional four conformed copies of such
accountant's letter for the several Underwriters).
(h) Lock-Up Agreement from Certain
Securityholders of the Company. On or prior to
the date hereof, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative an
agreement in the form of Exhibit B hereto from each of the Company's officers
and directors, and such agreement shall be in full force and effect on each of
the First Closing Date and each Subsequent Closing Date.
(i) Additional Documents. On or before
each of the First Closing Date and each Subsequent Closing Date, the
Representative and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such
information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the
19
purposes
of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Units as contemplated
herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and
warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein
contained.
If any
condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to
be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice
to the Company at any time on or prior to the First Closing Date and, with
respect to the Optional Units, at any time prior to each Subsequent Closing
Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to
any other party, except that Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9 shall
at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
Section
6. Reimbursement of Underwriters'
Expenses. If this
Agreement is terminated by the Representative pursuant to Section 5 or Section
11, or by the Company pursuant to Section 7, or if the sale to the Underwriters
of the Units on the First Closing Date or Subsequent Closing Date is not
consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the
Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof,
the Company agrees to reimburse the Representative and the other Underwriters
for such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with regard to
themselves, severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall
have been reasonably incurred by the Representative and the Underwriters in
connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Units,
including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing
expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges; provided,
however, that the Company shall only reimburse the Representative (and not any
of the other Underwriters) for fees and disbursements of counsel.
Section
7. Effectiveness of this
Agreement. This Agreement
shall not become effective until the later of (i) the execution of this
Agreement by the parties hereto and (ii) notification (including by way of oral
notification from the reviewer at the Commission) by the Commission to the
Company of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities
Act; provided that
Sections 4, 6, 8 and 9 shall at all times be effective.
Prior to
such effectiveness, this Agreement may be terminated by any party by notice to
each of the other parties hereto, and any such termination shall be without
liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that (solely
in the case where the Company has terminated this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 7) the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the
Representative and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 4 and 6 hereof, or (b)
any Underwriter to the Company except that the provisions of Section 8 and
Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such
termination.
Section
8. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of the
Underwriters.
(1) The
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and
employees, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such
controlling person may become subject,
20
under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or
regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any
litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the
Company), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions
in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information
deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A, Rule 430B and Rule 430C under
the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any inaccuracy in
the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iv) in
whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform its obligations
hereunder or under law; or (v) upon any act or failure to act or any alleged act
or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any
manner to, the Common Stock or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is
included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or
action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or (ii)
above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (v) to
the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a
final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted
directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken
by such Underwriter through its bad faith or willful misconduct; and to
reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person for any and all
expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the
Representative) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or
such controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling,
compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or
action; provided, however, that the
foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or
based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by the Representative expressly for use in
the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto). The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(a)(1)
shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise
have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its
Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter
agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration
Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director,
officer, or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at
common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such
settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as
such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as
contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Issuer
Free
21
Writing
Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the
extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration
Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Representative expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any
such director, officer, or controlling person for any legal and other expense
reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer, or
controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling,
compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or
action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information
that the Underwriters have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the
Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the
statements set forth in the table in the first paragraph and in the Section
entitled “Stabilization” under the caption “Underwriting” in the preliminary
prospectus and the Prospectus; and the Underwriters confirm that such statements
are correct. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(b)
shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise
have.
(c) Notifications and Other
Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after
receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission
so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which
it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under
the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 8 or to the extent it is not
prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such
action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks
or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party
will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect,
jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written
notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid
notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel
reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the
defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded
that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and
the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there
may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are
different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the
indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to
assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such
action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt
of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such
indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and
approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be
liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the
defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed
separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence
(it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not
22
be liable
for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local
counsel), approved by the indemnifying party (the Representative in the case of
Section 8(b) and Section 9), representing the indemnified parties who are
parties to such action) or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed
counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party
within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of
which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the
indemnifying party.
(d) Settlements. The indemnifying
party under this Section 8 shall not be liable for any settlement of any
proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such
consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense by reason of such settlement or
judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an
indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section
8(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any
settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such
settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying
party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have
reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the
date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the
prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement,
compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened
action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could
have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such
indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an
unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding.
Section
9. Contribution. If the
indemnification provided for in Section 8 is for any reason held to be
unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party
in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to
therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount
paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
indemnifying parties on the one hand, and the indemnified parties, on the other
hand, from the offering of the Units pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the
allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits
referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying
parties, on the one hand, and the indemnified parties, on the other hand, in
connection with the statements or omissions or inaccuracies in the
representations and warranties herein which resulted in such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the indemnifying
parties, on the one hand, and the indemnified parties, on the other hand, in
connection with the offering of the Units pursuant to this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from
the offering of the Units pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses)
received by the indemnifying parties, and the total underwriting discount
received by the indemnified parties, in each case as set forth on the front
cover page of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price
of the Units as set forth on such cover. The relative
23
fault of
the indemnifying parties, on the one hand, and the indemnified parties, on the
other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any
such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact or any such inaccurate or alleged
inaccurate representation or warranty relates to information supplied by
indemnifying parties, on the one hand, or the indemnified parties, on the other
hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The
amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages,
liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject
to the limitations set forth in Section 8(c), any legal or other fees or
expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or
defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section
8(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim
for contribution is to be made under this Section 9; provided, however, that no
additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice
has been given under Section 8(c) for purposes of indemnification.
The
Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation
or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to in this Section 9.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section
9, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the
Units underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters'
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several, and not joint,
in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite
their names in Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 9, each
officer and employee of any Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls
any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act
shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter; and each
director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration
Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company.
Section
10. Default
of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the First
Closing Date or each Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or
more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Units that it
or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number
of Units which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or
refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the Units to
be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally,
in the proportions that the number of Firm Units set forth opposite their
respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of Firm Units set
forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such
other proportions as may be specified by the Representative with the consent of
the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase the Units which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such
24
date. If,
on the First Closing Date or each Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be,
any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Units and
the aggregate number of Units with respect to which such default occurs exceeds
10% of the aggregate number of Units to be purchased on such date, and
arrangements satisfactory to the Representative and the Company for
the purchase of such Units are not made within 48 hours after such default, this
Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party
except that the provisions of Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9
shall at all times be effective and shall survive such
termination. In any such case either the Representative or the
Company shall have the right to postpone the First Closing Date or each
Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for longer than
seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be
effected.
Section
11. Termination of this
Agreement. Prior to the
First Closing Date and, with respect to Optional Units, each Subsequent Closing
Date, whether before or after notification by the Commission to the Company of
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act, this
Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice given to the Company
if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall
have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the OTCBB; (ii) a general
banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal, New York or
Nevada authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation
of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any
change in the United States or international financial markets, or any
substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in
United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions
that, in the judgment of the Representative is material and adverse and makes it
impracticable to market the Units in the manner and on the terms described in
the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; or (iv) in
the judgment of the Representative there shall have occurred any Material
Adverse Change (regardless of whether any loss associated with such Material
Adverse Change shall have been insured). Any termination pursuant to
this Section 11 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any
Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the
expenses of the Representative and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6
hereof, (b) any Underwriter to the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any
other party except that the provisions of Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all
times be effective and shall survive such termination.
Section
12. No
Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The Company acknowledges
and agrees that: (i) the purchase and sale of the Units pursuant to this
Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Units
and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial
transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters,
on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding
and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction
contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter
is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor,
agent or fiduciary of the Company or its affiliates, stockholders, creditors or
employees or any other party; (iii) no Underwriter has assumed and will not
assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company
with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process
leading thereto
25
(irrespective
of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on
other matters) and no Underwriter has an obligation to the Company with respect
to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth
in this Agreement; (iv) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be
engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from
those of the Company and that the several Underwriters have no obligation to
disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary
relationship; and (v) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting,
regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and
the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors
to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company hereby waives and
releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company
may have against the several Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged
breach of agency or fiduciary duty.
This
Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or
oral) between the Company and the several Underwriters, or any of them, with
respect to the subject matter hereof.
Section
13. Representations and Indemnities to
Survive Delivery. The respective
indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the
Company, of its officers, and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made
pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of
any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any
of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as
the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Units sold
hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
Section
14. Notices. All
communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered
or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:
If to the
Representative:
Xxxxxxx Investment Company, Inc.
000 XX Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Attention: Syndicate
Department
with
a copy to:
Holland & Knight LLP
000 XX Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
0000
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Attention: Xxxx X. xxx
Xxxxxx
If to the
Company:
Healthy
Fast Food, Inc.
26
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx X
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxxx
with
a copy to:
Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, P.C.
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
Attention: Xxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
Any party
hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written
notice to the others.
Section
15. Successors. This Agreement
will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including
any substitute Underwriters, pursuant to Section 10 hereof and to the benefit of
the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in
Section 8 and Section 9, and in each case their respective successors, and
personal representatives and no other person will have any right or obligation
hereunder. The term “successors” shall not
include any purchaser of the Units as such from any of the Underwriters merely
by reason of such purchase.
Section
16. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity
or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement
shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph
or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this
Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there
shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as
are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
Section
17. Governing Law Provisions. THIS AGREEMENT
SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN SUCH
STATE.
Section
18. Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit,
action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”)
may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located
in Portland, Oregon or the courts of the Oregon in each case located in
Portland, Oregon (collectively, the “Specified Courts”),
and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for
proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such
court (a “Related
Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such
courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any
process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth
above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other
proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and
unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action
or other proceeding in the Specified Courts
27
and
irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any
such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such
court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section
19. General Provisions. This Agreement
constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes
all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements,
understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter
hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts,
each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the
signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This
Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties
hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived
in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The
Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall
not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
Each of
the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who
was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the
provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions
of Section 8 and the contribution provisions of Section 9, and is fully informed
regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further
acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereto fairly allocate the
risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its
affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been
made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
The
respective indemnities, contribution agreements, representations, warranties and
other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters set forth in or
made pursuant to this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and
effect, regardless of (i) any investigation, or statement as to the results
thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the officers or employees of
any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, the
officers or employees of the Company, or any person controlling the Company,
(ii) acceptance of the Units and payment for them hereunder and (iii)
termination of this Agreement.
Except as
otherwise provided, this Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit
of and shall be binding upon the Company, the Underwriters, the Underwriters'
officers and employees, any controlling persons referred to herein, the
Company’s directors and the Company’s officers who sign the Registration
Statement and their respective successors and assigns, all as and to the
extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall acquire
or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term
“successors and
assigns” shall not include a purchaser of any of the Units from any of
the several Underwriters merely because of such purchase.
28
If the
foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign
and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument,
along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in
accordance with its terms.
Very
truly yours,
HEALTHY
FAST FOOD, INC.
By:
Name: Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxxxx
Title: President
The
foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the
Representative as of the date first above written.
XXXXXXX
INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC.
Acting as
the Representative of the Several
Underwriters
named in the attached Schedule A.
By:
Name:
Title:
#
9073595_v3
29
SCHEDULE
A
Underwriters
|
Number
of Firm Units to be Purchased
|
Xxxxxxx
Investment Company, Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
3,700,000
|
SCH.
A-1
SCHEDULE
B
Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus
SCH.
B-1
Schedule
C
Pricing
Terms
Price per
Unit to public: $____
Underwriting
discounts and commissions per Unit: $____
Offering
proceeds to the Company, before expenses: $____
Closing
Date: ,
2010
SCH.
C-1
EXHIBIT
A
Opinion
of counsel for the Company
to be delivered pursuant to
Section 5(d) of the Underwriting Agreement.
References
to the Prospectus in this Exhibit A include any supplements thereto at the First
Closing Date and, if applicable, each Subsequent Closing
Date. Capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall have the
meanings ascribed to them in the Underwriting Agreement.
(i) The
Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada.
(ii) The
Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under the
Underwriting Agreement.
(iii) The
Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is
in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is
required, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be
in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a
Material Adverse Change.
(iv) To
the best of such counsel’s knowledge, the Company does not own an equity
interest in any other entity.
(v) The
authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company (including the
Common Stock) conforms to the descriptions thereof set forth in the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus. All of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
nonassessable and, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, have been issued in
compliance with the registration and qualification requirements of federal and
state securities laws. The form of certificate used to evidence the
Common Stock complies with all applicable requirements of the charter and bylaws
of the Company and the Nevada Corporation Law of the State of
Nevada. The description of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus
and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted
and exercised thereunder, set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect
to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.
(vi) No
stockholder of the Company or any other person has any preemptive right, right
of first refusal or other similar right to subscribe for or purchase securities
of the Company arising (i) by operation of the charter or bylaws of the Company
or the Nevada Corporation Law of the State of Nevada or (ii) to the best
knowledge of such counsel, otherwise.
(vii) The
Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company.
(viii) The Common Stock
included in the Units to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company
(including units purchasable on exercise of the Underwriters' overallotment
option and the Representative’s Warrants) has been duly authorized and reserved
for issuance
EX.
A-1
and sale
pursuant to this Agreement and, in the case of Common Stock issuable on exercise
of the Representative’s Warrants, the terms thereof and, when so issued and
delivered by the Company, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable. The Class C Warrants included in the Units to be
purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly and validly
authorized by all required corporate actions and will, when issued and delivered
by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, be validly executed and delivered by,
and will be valid and binding agreements of, the Company, enforceable in
accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general
equitable principles. The Underwriter’s Warrants have been duly and
validly authorized by all required corporate actions and will, when issued and
delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, be validly executed and
delivered by, and will be valid and binding agreements of, the Company,
enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by
general equitable principles. The Common Stock issuable on exercise
of Class C Warrants has been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and sale
pursuant to the terms of such Class C Warrants and, when issued and delivered by
the Company pursuant to such Warrants, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(ix) The
Warrant Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company. When duly
executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as contemplated in the
Registration Statement and the Warrant Agreement, the Warrant Agreement will
constitute the legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against it
in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited
by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general
equitable principles.
(ix) The
Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has
been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities
Act. To the best knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of either of the Registration Statement or the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, if any, has been issued under the Securities Act and no
proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or are
contemplated or threatened by the Commission. Any required filing of
the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act has been made in the manner and within the
time period required by such Rule 424(b).
(x) The
Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, and each document deemed to be part of the Disclosure Package,
as of their respective effective or issue dates (other than the financial
statements and supporting schedules included therein or in exhibits to or
excluded from the Registration Statement, as to which no opinion need be
rendered) comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act.
(xi) The
Units, the Common Stock and the Class C Warrants have been approved for
quotation on the OTC Bulletin Board.
EX.
A-2
(xiv) The
statements (i) in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the
captions “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions,” “Description of
Securities” and “Shares Eligible for Future Sale”, (ii) under the caption
“Indemnification of Officers and Directors” in Item 24 of the Registration
Statement, (iii) under the caption “Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities" in
Item 26 of the Registration Statement, insofar as such statements constitute
matters of law, legal conclusions or summaries of legal matters or documents or
the Company’s charter or by-law provisions, have been reviewed by such counsel
and fairly present and summarize, in all material respects, the matters referred
to therein.
(xv) To
the best knowledge of such counsel, there are no legal or governmental actions,
suits or proceedings pending or threatened which are required to be disclosed in
the Registration Statement or the Disclosure Package, other than those disclosed
therein.
(xvi) To
the best knowledge of such counsel, there are no Existing Instruments required
to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or to be filed as
exhibits thereto other than those described or referred to therein or filed as
exhibits thereto; and the descriptions thereof and references thereto are
correct in all material respects.
(xvii) No
consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing
with, any court or other governmental authority or agency, is required for the
Company’s execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement and
consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby and by the Prospectus,
except as required under the Securities Act, the applicable laws of any foreign
jurisdiction, applicable state securities or blue sky laws and from the
FINRA.
(xviii) The
execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company and the
performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder (other than performance
by the Company of its obligations under the indemnification section of the
Underwriting Agreement, as to which no opinion need be rendered) (i) have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company;
(ii) will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws
of the Company; (iii) will not (A) constitute a breach of, or Default under any
Existing Instrument, or (B) result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, in
the case of each of clauses (A) and (B), any Existing Instrument filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement or, to the best knowledge of such counsel,
any other material Existing Instrument; or (iv) to the best knowledge of such
counsel, will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation
or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company.
(xix) The
Company is not, and after receipt of payment for the Units and the application
of the proceeds thereof as contemplated under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in
the Prospectus and in the Disclosure Package will not be, an “investment company”
within the meaning of Investment Company Act.
(xx) To
the best knowledge of such counsel, there are no persons with registration or
other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale
under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by the
Underwriting Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly
waived.
EX.
A-3
(xxi) To
the best knowledge of such counsel, the Company is not in violation of its
charter or bylaws or any law, administrative regulation or administrative or
court decree applicable to the Company or is in Default in the performance or
observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
material Existing Instrument, except in each such case for such violations or
Defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material
Adverse Change.
In
addition, such counsel shall state that they have participated in conferences
with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the
independent public or certified public accountants for the Company and with
representatives of the Underwriter at which the contents of the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and any supplements or amendments thereto, and
related matters were discussed and, although such counsel is not passing upon
and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference therein (other
than as specified above), and any supplements or amendments thereto, on the
basis of the foregoing, nothing has come to their attention which has caused
them to believe that (i) either the Registration Statement or any amendments
thereto, at the time the Registration Statement or such amendments became
effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading; (ii) the Prospectus, as of its date or at the
First Closing Date or each Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be,
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) the items
specified in Schedule I, consisting of those included in the Disclosure Package,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood
that such counsel need express no belief as to the financial statements or
schedules or other financial data derived therefrom, included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendments or
supplements thereto).
In
rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the
application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the Nevada Corporation Law of
the State of Nevada, or the federal law of the United States, to the extent they
deem proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion (which shall be
dated the First Closing Date or each Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may
be, shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriter, shall
expressly state that the Underwriter may rely on such opinion as if it were
addressed to it and shall be furnished to the Underwriter) of other counsel of
good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriter; provided, however, that such counsel shall further
state that they believe that they and the Underwriter are justified in relying
upon such opinion of other counsel, and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent
they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and
public officials.
EX.
A-4
Exhibit
B
Form
of Lock-Up Agreement
EX. B-1