Exhibit 10.23
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and
entered into as of September 30, 2004, by and between Rush Financial
Technologies, Inc., a Texas corporation (the "Company"), and Bonanza Master
Fund, Ltd. (the "Purchaser").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, dated as
of the date hereof, by and between the Purchaser and the Company (the
"Subscription Agreement"), and pursuant to the Warrants referred to therein.
The Company and the Purchaser hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined
herein that are defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement shall have the
meanings given such terms in the Securities Purchase Agreement. As used in this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Stock" means shares of the Company's common stock, par value
$.01 per share.
"Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2(a).
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and any successor statute.
"Filing Date" means, with respect to the Registration Statement
required to be filed hereunder, a date no later than thirty (30) days following
the Closing Date.
"Holder" or "Holders" means the Purchaser or any of its affiliates or
transferees to the extent any of them hold Registrable Securities.
"Indemnified Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
"Indemnifying Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
"Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding
(including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as
a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
"Prospectus" means the prospectus included in the Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any
information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective
registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the
Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with
respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable
Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all other amendments and
supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all
material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in
such Prospectus.
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"Registrable Securities" means the shares of Common Stock issued upon
the execution hereof and issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.
"Registration Statement" means each registration statement required to
be filed hereunder, including the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such
registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective
amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
"Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar
rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the
same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar
rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the
same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar
rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the
same effect as such Rule.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any
successor statute.
"Trading Market" means any of the NASD OTC Bulletin Board, NASDAQ
SmallCap Market, the Nasdaq National Market, the American Stock Exchange or the
New York Stock Exchange.
"Warrants" means the Common Stock purchase warrants issued pursuant to
the Subscription Agreement.
2. Registration. On or prior to the Filing Date the Company shall
prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering the
Registrable Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant
to Rule 415. The Registration Statement shall be on Form SB-2 (except if the
Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities
on Form SB-2, in which case such registration shall be on another appropriate
form in accordance herewith). The Company shall cause the Registration Statement
to become effective and remain effective as provided herein. The Company shall
use its reasonable commercial efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be
declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as possible after the
filing thereof. The Company shall use its reasonable commercial efforts to keep
the Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until
the date which is the earlier date of when (i) all Registrable Securities have
been sold or (ii) all Registrable Securities may be sold immediately without
registration under the Securities Act and without volume restrictions pursuant
to Rule 144(k), as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a
written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Company's
transfer agent and the affected Holders (the "Effectiveness Period").
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3. Registration Procedures. If and whenever the Company is
required by the provisions hereof to effect the registration of any Registrable
Securities under the Securities Act, the Company will, as expeditiously as
possible:
(a) prepare and file with the Commission the Registration Statement
with respect to such Registrable Securities, respond as promptly as possible to
any comments received from the Commission, and use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become and remain effective for the Effectiveness
Period with respect thereto, and promptly provide to the Purchaser copies of all
filings and Commission letters of comment relating thereto;
(b) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and
supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection
therewith as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities
Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement and to keep such Registration Statement effective until
the expiration of the Effectiveness Period;
(c) furnish to the Purchaser such number of copies of the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus included therein (including each preliminary
Prospectus) as the Purchaser reasonably may request to facilitate the public
sale or disposition of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration
Statement;
(d) use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the
Purchaser's Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under
the securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions within the United States
as the Purchaser may reasonably request, provided, however, that the Company
shall not for any such purpose be required to qualify generally to transact
business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction where it is not so
qualified or to consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction;
(e) list the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration
Statement with any securities exchange on which the Common Stock of the Company
is then listed;
(f) immediately notify the Purchaser at any time when a Prospectus
relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the
happening of any event of which the Company has knowledge as a result of which
the Prospectus contained in such Registration Statement, as then in effect,
includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing; and
(g) make available for inspection by the Purchaser and any attorney,
accountant or other agent retained by the Purchaser, all publicly available,
non-confidential financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and
properties of the Company, and cause the Company's officers, directors and
employees to supply all publicly available, non-confidential information
reasonably requested by the attorney, accountant or agent of the Purchaser.
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4. Registration Expenses. All expenses relating to the Company's
compliance with Sections 2 and 3 hereof, including, without limitation, all
registration and filing fees, printing expenses, fees and disbursements of
counsel and independent public accountants for the Company, fees and expenses
(including reasonable counsel fees) incurred in connection with complying with
state securities or "blue sky" laws, fees of the NASD, transfer taxes, fees of
transfer agents and registrars, reasonable fees of, and disbursements incurred
by, one counsel for the Holders, are called "Registration Expenses." All selling
commissions applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities, including any fees
and disbursements of any special counsel to the Holders beyond those included in
Registration Expenses, are called "Selling Expenses." The Company shall only be
responsible for all Registration Expenses.
5. Indemnification.
(a) In the event of a registration of any Registrable Securities under
the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will indemnify and
hold harmless the Purchaser, and its officers, directors and each other person,
if any, who controls the Purchaser within the meaning of the Securities Act,
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
the Purchaser, or such persons may become subject under the Securities Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement
under which such Registrable Securities were registered under the Securities Act
pursuant to this Agreement, any preliminary Prospectus or final Prospectus
contained therein, or any amendment or supplement thereof, or arise out of or
are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, and will reimburse the Purchaser, and each such person for any
reasonable legal or other expenses incurred by them in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action;
provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case if and
to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is
based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission so made in conformity with information furnished by or on
behalf of the Purchaser or any such person in writing specifically for use in
any such document.
(b) In the event of a registration of the Registrable Securities under
the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, the Purchaser will indemnify and
hold harmless the Company, and its officers, directors and each other person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, against
all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the
Company or such persons may become subject under the Securities Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact which was furnished in writing by the
Purchaser to the Company expressly for use in (and such information is contained
in) the Registration Statement under which such Registrable Securities were
registered under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, any preliminary
Prospectus or final Prospectus contained therein, or any amendment or supplement
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thereof, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Company and each
such person for any reasonable legal or other expenses incurred by them in
connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action, provided, however, that the Purchaser will be liable in any
such case if and only to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission so made in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Purchaser
specifically for use in any such document. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this paragraph, the Purchaser shall not be required to indemnify any person or
entity in excess of the amount of the aggregate net proceeds received by the
Purchaser in respect of Registrable Securities in connection with any such
registration under the Securities Act.
(c) Promptly after receipt by a party entitled to claim indemnification
hereunder (an "Indemnified Party") of notice of the commencement of any action,
such Indemnified Party shall, if a claim for indemnification in respect thereof
is to be made against a party hereto obligated to indemnify such Indemnified
Party (an "Indemnifying Party"), notify the Indemnifying Party in writing
thereof, but the omission so to notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve
it from any liability which it may have to such Indemnified Party other than
under this Section 5(c) and shall only relieve it from any liability which it
may have to such Indemnified Party under this Section 5(c) if and to the extent
the Indemnifying Party is prejudiced by such omission. In case any such action
shall be brought against any Indemnified Party and it shall notify the
Indemnifying Party of the commencement thereof, the Indemnifying Party shall be
entitled to participate in and, to the extent it shall wish, to assume and
undertake the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to such Indemnified
Party, and, after notice from the Indemnifying Party to such Indemnified Party
of its election so to assume and undertake the defense thereof, the Indemnifying
Party shall not be liable to such Indemnified Party under this Section 5(c) for
any legal expenses subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection
with the defense thereof; if the Indemnified Party retains its own counsel, then
the Indemnified Party shall pay all fees, costs and expenses of such counsel,
provided, however, that, 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 there may be reasonable defenses available to it
which are different from or additional to those available to the Indemnifying
Party or if the interests of the Indemnified Party reasonably may be deemed to
conflict with the interests of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnified Party
shall have the right to select one separate counsel and to assume such legal
defenses and otherwise to participate in the defense of such action, with the
reasonable expenses and fees of such separate counsel and other expenses related
to such participation to be reimbursed by the Indemnifying Party as incurred. In
order to provide for just and equitable contribution in the event of joint
liability under the Securities Act in any case in which either (i) the
Purchaser, or any officer, director or controlling person of the Purchaser,
makes a claim for indemnification pursuant to this Section 5 but it is
judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of
competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the
last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case
notwithstanding the fact that this Section 5 provides for indemnification in
such case, or (ii) contribution under the Securities Act may be required on the
part of the Purchaser or such officer, director or controlling person of the
Purchaser in circumstances for which indemnification is provided under this
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Section 5; then, and in each such case, the Company and the Purchaser will
contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which they
may be subject (after contribution from others) in such proportion so that the
Purchaser is responsible only for the portion represented by the percentage that
the public offering price of its securities offered by the Registration
Statement bears to the public offering price of all securities offered by such
Registration Statement, provided, however, that, in any such case, (A) the
Purchaser will not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the public
offering price of all such securities offered by it pursuant to such
Registration Statement; and (B) no person or entity guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 10(f) of the Act) will be
entitled to contribution from any person or entity who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation.
6. Representations and Warranties.
(a) The Company files reports pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange
Act and, except with respect to certain matters which the Company has disclosed
to the Purchaser on Schedule 4.21 to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the
Company has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other
documents required to be filed by it under the Exchange Act. The Company has
filed (i) its Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2003 and (ii) its Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the fiscal quarters
ended March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 (collectively, the "SEC Reports"). Each
SEC Report was, at the time of its filing, in substantial compliance with the
requirements of its respective form and none of the SEC Reports, nor the
financial statements (and the notes thereto) included in the SEC Reports, as of
their respective filing dates, contained any 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, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included in
the SEC Reports comply as to form in all material respects with applicable
accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the
Commission or other applicable rules and regulations with respect thereto. Such
financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis during the periods
involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements
or the notes thereto or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the
extent they may not include footnotes or may be condensed) and fairly present in
all material respects the financial condition, the results of operations and the
cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, as of,
and for, the periods presented in each such SEC Report.
(b) The Common Stock is listed for trading on the NASD Over the Counter
Bulletin Board and satisfies all requirements for the continuation of such
listing. The Company has not received any notice that its Common Stock will be
delisted from the NASD Over the Counter Bulletin Board or that the Common Stock
does not meet all requirements for the continuation of such listing.
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7. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder,
of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the
Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all
rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages,
will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement.
(b) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply
with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to
it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
(c) Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition of
such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of
the occurrence of a Discontinuation Event (as defined below), such Holder will
forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the
applicable Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of
the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement or until it is
advised in writing (the "Advice") by the Company that the use of the applicable
Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any
additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement. The
Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this
paragraph. For purposes of this Section 7(d), a "Discontinuation Event" shall
mean (i) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a
"review" of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in
writing on such Registration Statement (the Company shall provide true and
complete copies thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the
Holders); (ii) any request by the Commission or any other Federal or state
governmental authority for amendments or supplements to such Registration
Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration
Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of
any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption
from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such
purpose; and/or (v) the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes
the financial statements included in such Registration Statement ineligible for
inclusion therein or any statement made in such Registration Statement or
Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to such
Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of
such Registration Statement or Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time during the Effectiveness
Period there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the
Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with
the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own
account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity
securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the
Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be
issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or
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equity securities issuable in connection with stock option or other employee
benefit plans, then the Company shall send to each Holder written notice of such
determination and, if within fifteen days after receipt of such notice, any such
Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such
registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such
holder requests to be registered to the extent the Company may do so without
violating registration rights of others which exist as of the date of this
Agreement, subject to customary underwriter cutbacks applicable to all holders
of registration rights and subject to obtaining any required the consent of any
selling stockholder(s) to such inclusion under such registration statement.
(e) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including
the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented,
and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be
given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the
Holders of the then outstanding Registrable Securities. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect
to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of certain Holders and that
does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given
by Holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities to which such
waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the provisions of this
sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with
the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.
(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the
parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not
assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of
each Holder. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder with the
prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld.
(g) Execution and Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an
original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
Agreement. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile
transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the
party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with
the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original
thereof.
(h) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity,
enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and
construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of
Texas, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party
agrees that all Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and
defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be commenced
exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City and County of
Dallas Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City and County of
Dallas for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith
or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby
irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Proceeding, any claim that
it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such
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Proceeding is improper. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal
service of process and consents to process being served in any such Proceeding
by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery
(with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices
to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good
and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein
shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner
permitted by law.
(i) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative
and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(j) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of
this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative
means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated
by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and
declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the
remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of
such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(k) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
[Balance of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights
Agreement as of the date first written above.
RUSH FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By: /s/ X. X. Xxxxx, Xx.
---------------------
Name: X. X. Xxxxx, Xx.
Title: Chief Executive Officer
BONANZA MASTER FUND, LTD.
By: /s/ Bernay Box
---------------
Name: Bernay Box
Title: Managing Partner
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