NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF HAVE BEEN
REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT")
OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM THE
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER SECURITIES LAWS.
NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF MAY BE SOLD,
PLEDGED, TRANSFERRED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR IN A TRANSACTION
WHICH IS EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
To Purchase 300,000 Shares of Common Stock of
AQUIS COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
THIS CERTIFIES that, for value received, Ladenburg Xxxxxxxx & Co. Inc.,
(the "Holder"), is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after May 3, 2000 (the "Issuance Date")
and on or prior to the close of business on May 3, 2003 (the "Termination Date")
but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Aquis Communications
Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), up to three hundred
thousand (300,000) shares (the "Warrant Shares") of Common Stock, $0.01 par
value, of the Company (the "Common Stock"). The purchase price of one share of
Common Stock (the "Exercise Price") under this Warrant shall be $2.30. The
Exercise Price and the number of shares for which the Warrant is exercisable
shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event of any conflict
between the terms of this Warrant and the Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated
April 9, 2000 pursuant to which this Warrant has been issued (the "Purchase
Agreement"), the Purchase Agreement shall control. Capitalized terms used and
not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth for such terms in
the Purchase Agreement.
1. Title to Warrant. Prior to the Termination Date hereof and subject to
compliance with applicable laws, this Warrant and all rights hereunder are
transferable, in whole or in part, at the office or agency of the Company by the
holder hereof in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this
Warrant together with the Assignment Form annexed hereto properly endorsed.
2. Authorization of Shares. The Company covenants that all shares of Common
Stock which may be issued upon the exercise of rights represented by this
Warrant will, upon exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant, be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all
taxes, liens and charges in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in
respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).
3. Exercise of Warrant. Except as provided in Section 4 herein, exercise of
the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made at any time or times
on or after the Issuance Date hereof, and before the close of business on the
Termination Date hereof. Exercise of this Warrant or any part hereof shall be
effected by the surrender of this Warrant and the Notice of Exercise Form
annexed hereto duly executed, at the office of the Company (or such other office
or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the
registered holder hereof at the address of such holder appearing on the books of
the Company) and upon payment of the Exercise Price of the shares thereby
purchased by wire transfer or cashier's check drawn on a United States bank, the
holder of this Warrant shall be entitled to receive a certificate for the number
of shares of Common Stock so purchased. Certificates for shares purchased
hereunder shall be delivered to the holder hereof within three (3) Trading Days
after the date on which this Warrant shall have been exercised as aforesaid.
This Warrant shall be deemed to have been exercised and such certificate or
certificates shall be deemed to have been issued, and Holder or any other person
so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of
record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the Warrant has been
exercised by payment to the Company of the Exercise Price and all taxes required
to be paid by Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 5 prior to the issuance of
such shares, have been paid. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part,
the Company shall, at the time of delivery of the certificate or certificates
representing Warrant Shares, deliver to Holder a new Warrant evidencing the
rights of Holder to purchase the unpurchased shares of Common Stock called for
by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with
this Warrant. If a registration statement permitting the resale of the Shares
issuable upon exercise of this Warrant is not then effective, this Warrant may
also be exercised by means of a "cashless exercise" in which the holder shall be
entitled to receive a certificate for the number of shares equal to the quotient
obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
(A) = the average of the high and low trading prices per share of Common Stock
on the Trading Day preceding the date of such election;
(B) = the Exercise Price of the Warrants; and
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(X) = the number of shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants in accordance
with the terms of this Warrant.
4. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip
representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this
Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which Holder would otherwise be entitled
to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall pay a cash adjustment in
respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to the Exercise Price.
5. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of certificates for shares of
Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to
the holder hereof for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in
respect of the issuance of such certificate, all of which taxes and expenses
shall be paid by the Company, and such certificates shall be issued in the name
of the holder of this Warrant or in such name or names as may be directed by the
holder of this Warrant; provided, however, that in the event certificates for
shares of Common Stock are to be issued in a name other than the name of the
holder of this Warrant, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be
accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the holder
hereof; and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a
sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto.
6. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its shareholder books or
records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant.
7. Transfer, Division and Combination. (a) Subject to compliance with any
applicable securities laws, transfer of this Warrant and all rights hereunder,
in whole or in part, shall be registered on the books of the Company to be
maintained for such purpose, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal
office of the Company, together with a written assignment of this Warrant
substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by Holder or its agent
or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the
making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the
Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the
assignee or assignees and in the denomination or denominations specified in such
instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant
evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall
promptly be cancelled. A Warrant, if properly assigned, may be exercised by a
new holder for the purchase of shares of Common Stock without having a new
Warrant issued.
(b) This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon
presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a
written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are
to be issued, signed by Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance
with Section 7(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or
combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in
exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance
with such notice.
(c) The Company shall prepare, issue and deliver at its own expense
(other than transfer taxes) the new Warrant or Warrants under this Section 7.
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(d) The Company agrees to maintain, at its aforesaid office, books for
the registration and the registration of transfer of the Warrants.
8. No Rights as Shareholder until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle
the holder hereof to any voting rights or other rights as a shareholder of the
Company prior to the exercise hereof. Upon the surrender of this Warrant and the
payment of the aggregate Exercise Price, the Warrant Shares so purchased shall
be and be deemed to be issued to such holder as the record owner of such shares
as of the close of business on the later of the date of such surrender or
payment.
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9. Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants
that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant certificate or any
stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or
destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which shall
not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of
such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and
deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such
cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.
10. Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the
taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein
shall be a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, then such action may be taken or
such right may be exercised on the next succeeding day not a Saturday, Sunday or
legal holiday.
11. Adjustments of Exercise Price and Number of Warrant Shares. (a) Stock
Splits, etc. The number and kind of securities purchasable upon the exercise of
this Warrant and the Exercise Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time upon the happening of any of the following. In case the Company shall (i)
pay a dividend in shares of Common Stock or make a distribution in shares of
Common Stock to holders of its outstanding Common Stock, (ii) subdivide its
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares of Common
Stock, (iii) combine its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares of Common Stock or (iv) issue any shares of its capital stock
in a reclassification of the Common Stock, then the number of Warrant Shares
purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately prior thereto shall be
adjusted so that the holder of this Warrant shall be entitled to receive the
kind and number of Warrant Shares or other securities of the Company which he
would have owned or have been entitled to receive had such Warrant been
exercised in advance thereof. Upon each such adjustment of the kind and number
of Warrant Shares or other securities of the Company which are purchasable
hereunder, the holder of this Warrant shall thereafter be entitled to purchase
the number of Warrant Shares or other securities resulting from such adjustment
at an Exercise Price per Warrant Share or other security obtained by multiplying
the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment by the number
of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant hereto immediately prior to such
adjustment and dividing by the number of Warrant Shares or other securities of
the Company resulting from such adjustment. An adjustment made pursuant to this
paragraph shall become effective immediately after the effective date of such
event retroactive to the record date, if any, for such event.
(b) Reorganization, Reclassification, Merger, Consolidation or
Disposition of Assets. In case the Company shall reorganize its capital,
reclassify its capital stock, consolidate or merge with or into another
corporation (where the Company is not the surviving corporation or where there
is a change in or distribution with respect to the Common Stock of the Company),
or sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all its property,
assets or business to another corporation and, pursuant to the terms of such
reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or disposition of
assets, shares of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation, or any
cash, shares of stock or other securities or property of any nature whatsoever
(including warrants or other subscription or purchase rights) in addition to or
in lieu of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation ("Other
Property"), are to be received by or distributed to the holders of Common Stock
of the Company, then Holder shall
5
have the right thereafter to receive, upon exercise of this Warrant, the number
of shares of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the
Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and Other Property receivable upon
or as a result of such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation
or disposition of assets by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for
which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such event. In case of
any such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or disposition
of assets, the successor or acquiring corporation (if other than the Company)
shall expressly assume the due and punctual observance and performance of each
and every covenant and condition of this Warrant to be performed and observed by
the Company and all the obligations and liabilities hereunder, subject to such
modifications as may be deemed appropriate (as determined in good faith by
resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company) in order to provide for
adjustments of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable
which shall be as nearly equivalent as practicable to the adjustments provided
for in this Section 11. For purposes of this Section 11, "common stock of the
successor or acquiring corporation" shall include stock of such corporation of
any class which is not preferred as to dividends or assets over any other class
of stock of such corporation and which is not subject to redemption and shall
also include any evidences of indebtedness, shares of stock or other securities
which are convertible into or exchangeable for any such stock, either
immediately or upon the arrival of a specified date or the happening of a
specified event and any warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase
any such stock. The foregoing provisions of this Section 11 shall similarly
apply to successive reorganizations, reclassifications, mergers, consolidations
or disposition of assets.
12. Voluntary Adjustment by the Company. The Company may at any time during
the tern of this Warrant, reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount
and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the
Company.
13. Notice of Adjustment. Whenever the number of Warrant Shares or number
or kind of securities or other property purchasable upon the exercise of this
Warrant or the Exercise Price is adjusted, as herein provided, the Company shall
promptly mail by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the
holder of this Warrant notice of such adjustment or adjustments setting forth
the number of Warrant Shares (and other securities or property) purchasable upon
the exercise of this Warrant and the Exercise Price of such Warrant Shares (and
other securities or property) after such adjustment, setting forth a brief
statement of the facts requiring such adjustment and setting forth the
computation by which such adjustment was made. Such notice, in the absence of
manifest error, shall be conclusive evidence of the correctness of such
adjustment.
14. Notice of Corporate Action. If at any time:
(a) the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Common Stock
for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or other distribution,
or any right to subscribe for or purchase any evidences of its indebtedness, any
shares of stock of any class or any other securities or property, or to receive
any other right, or
(b) there shall be any capital reorganization of the Company, any
reclassification or recapitalization of the capital stock of the Company or any
consolidation or
6
merger of the Company with, or any sale, transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all the property, assets or business of the Company to, another
corporation or,
(c) there shall be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation
or winding up of the Company;
then, in any one or more of such cases, the Company shall give to Holder (i) at
least 30 days' prior written notice of the date on which a record date shall be
selected for such dividend, distribution or right or for determining rights to
vote in respect of any such reorganization, reclassification, merger,
consolidation, sale, transfer, disposition, liquidation or winding up, and (ii)
in the case of any such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation,
sale, transfer, disposition, dissolution, liquidation or winding up, at least 30
days' prior written notice of the date when the same shall take place. Such
notice in accordance with the foregoing clause also shall specify (i) the date
on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend,
distribution or right, the date on which the holders of Common Stock shall be
entitled to any such dividend, distribution or right, and the amount and
character thereof, and (ii) the date an which any such reorganization,
reclassification, merger, consolidation, sale, transfer, disposition,
dissolution, liquidation or winding up is to take place and the time, if any
such time is to be fixed, as of which the holders of Common Stock shall be
entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities or other
property deliverable upon such disposition, dissolution, liquidation or winding
up. Each such written notice shall be sufficiently given if addressed to Holder
at the last address of Holder appearing on the books of the Company and
delivered in accordance with Section 16(d).
15. Authorized Shares. The Company covenants that during the period the
Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common
Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant
Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company
further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full
authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of executing stock
certificates to execute and issue the necessary certificates for the Warrant
Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company
will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such
Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any
applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Principal Market
upon which the Common Stock may be listed.
The Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation,
amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization,
transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of
securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance
or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in
good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all
such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder
against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Company will (a) not increase the par value of any shares of Common Stock
receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the amount payable therefor
upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (b) take all
such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock
upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (c) use all commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or
7
consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof as may be
necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.
Upon the request of Holder, the Company will at any time during the
period this Warrant is outstanding acknowledge in writing, in form reasonably
satisfactory to Holder, the continuing validity of this Warrant and the
obligations of the Company hereunder.
Before taking any action which would cause an adjustment reducing the
current Exercise Price below the then par value, if any, of the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, the Company shall take any
corporate action which may be necessary in order that the Company may validly
and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable shares of such Common Stock at
such adjusted Exercise Price.
Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the
number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the
Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions
thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory
body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.
16. Miscellaneous.
(a) Jurisdiction. This Warrant shall be binding upon any successors or
assigns of the Company. This Warrant shall constitute a contract under the laws
of New York without regard to its conflict of law principles or rules, and be
subject to arbitration pursuant to the terms set forth in the Purchase
Agreement.
(b) Restrictions. The holder hereof acknowledges that the Warrant Shares
acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, will have
restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.
(c) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure
to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver
of such right or otherwise prejudice Holder's rights, powers or remedies,
notwithstanding all rights hereunder terminate on the Termination Date hereof.
If the Company willfully fails to comply with any material provision of this
Warrant, the Company shall pay to Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to
cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable
attorneys' fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by Holder in
collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its
rights, powers or remedies hereunder.
(d) Notices. Any notice, request or other document required or permitted
to be given or delivered to the holder hereof by the Company shall be delivered
in accordance with the notice provisions of the Purchase Agreement.
(e) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of
affirmative action by Holder to purchase shares of Common Stock, and no
enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of Holder hereof, shall give rise
to any liability of Holder for the purchase
8
price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such
liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.
(f) Remedies. Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all
rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to
specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that
monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by
reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to
waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law
would be adequate.
(g) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this
Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors of the Company and the successors
and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to
be for the benefit of all Holders from time to time of this Warrant and shall be
enforceable by any such Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.
(h) Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
Holder from and against any liabilities, obligations, losses, damages,
penalties, actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs, attorneys' fees, expenses
and disbursements of any kind which may be imposed upon, incurred by or asserted
against Holder in any manner relating to or arising out of any failure by the
Company to perform or observe in any material respect any of its covenants,
agreements, undertakings or obligations set forth in this Warrant; provided,
however, that the Company will not be liable hereunder to the extent that any
liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits,
claims, costs, attorneys' fees, expenses or disbursements are found in a final
non-appealable judgment by a court to have resulted from Holder's negligence,
bad faith or willful misconduct in its capacity as a stockholder or warrant
holder of the Company.
(i) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions
hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.
(j) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant
shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under
applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or
invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent
of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such
provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.
(k) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience
of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this
Warrant.
9
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed
by its officer thereunto duty authorized.
Date: April 9, 2000
AQUIS COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
--------------------------------
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, President & CEO
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NOTICE OF EXERCISE
To: Aquis Communications Group, Inc.
(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ______ shares of Common
Stock (the "Common Stock"), of Aquis Communications Group, Inc. pursuant to the
terms of the attached Warrant, and tenders herewith payment of the exercise
price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2) Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said shares
of Common Stock in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is
specified below:
-------------------------------
(Name)
-------------------------------
(Address)
-------------------------------
Dated:
-------------------------------
Signature
ASSIGNMENT FORM
(To assign the foregoing warrant, execute
this form and supply required information.
Do not use this form to exercise the warrant.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced
thereby are hereby assigned to
______________________________________________________________ whose address is
_______________________________________________________________________________.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Dated:_____________________
Holder's Signature: _____________________________
Holder's Address: _____________________________
_____________________________
Signature Guaranteed:______________________________________________
NOTE: The signature to this Assignment Form must correspond with the name as it
appears on the face the Warrant, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a ba or trust company. Officers of
corporations and those acting in an fiduciary or other representative capacity
should file proper evidence of authority to assign the foregoing Warrant.
