Ordinary Shares in the Form of American Depositary Shares KINGTONE WIRELESSINFO SOLUTION HOLDING LTD Ordinary Shares in the Form of American Depositary Shares UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit
1.1
_________
Ordinary Shares in the Form of American Depositary Shares
Ordinary
Shares in the Form of American Depositary Shares
________,
2010
Xxxx
Capital Partners, LLC
00
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Kingtone Wirelessinfo Solution
Holding Ltd, a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin
Islands (the “Company”), proposes,
subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to Xxxx
Capital Partners, LLC (“Xxxx” or the “Underwriter”) an
aggregate of __________ authorized but unissued ordinary shares (the “Underwritten
Shares”), par value $0.001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), of
the Company, and to grant the Underwriter the option to purchase an aggregate of
up to ___________ additional Ordinary Shares (the “Additional Shares”)
as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the
offering. The Underwritten Shares and Additional Shares are
collectively referred to as the “Shares.”
The
Underwriter will take delivery of the Shares in the form of American Depositary
Shares (“ADSs”). The
ADSs are to be issued pursuant to a Deposit Agreement dated as of
_________________, 2010 (the “Deposit Agreement”)
among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon. as Depositary (the “Depositary”) and all
Holders and Owners (each as defined therein) from time to time of ADSs evidenced
by American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) issued by the
Depositary.
Each ADS
will initially represent the right to receive __________ Ordinary Shares
deposited pursuant to the Deposit Agreement.
The
Company and the Underwriter hereby confirm their agreement as
follows:
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1.
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Registration
Statement and Prospectus.
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(a) The
Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) a
registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-___________) relating to the
Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and
the rules and regulations (the “Rules and
Regulations”) of the Commission thereunder, and such amendments to such
registration statement (including post effective amendments) as may have been
required to the date of this Agreement. Such registration statement,
as amended (including any post effective amendments) has been declared effective
by the Commission. Such registration statement, including amendments
thereto (including post effective amendments thereto) at such time, the exhibits
and any schedules thereto at such time and the documents and information
otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by the Securities Act
or otherwise pursuant to the Rules and Regulations at such time, is herein
called the “Registration
Statement.” If the Company has filed or files an abbreviated
registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the
“Rule 462 Registration
Statement”), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement
shall include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.
The
Company is filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities
Act a final prospectus supplement relating to the Shares to a form of prospectus
included in the Registration Statement. Such prospectus in the form
in which it appears in the Registration Statement is hereinafter called the
“Base
Prospectus,” and such final prospectus supplement as filed, along with
the Base Prospectus, is hereinafter called the “Final
Prospectus.” Such Final Prospectus and any preliminary
prospectus supplement or “red xxxxxxx,” in the form in which they shall be filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (including
the Base Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called a “Prospectus.”
(b) The
Company and the Depositary have filed with the Commission a registration
statement, and amendments thereto, on Form F-6 (No. 333-_________) for the
registration under the Securities Act of the ADSs, which registration statement,
as so amended, has been declared effective by the Commission and copies of which
have heretofore been delivered to the Underwriters. Such registration
statement, as amended at the time it became effective is hereinafter referred to
as the “ADS
Registration Statement.”
(c) A
registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 000-*) in respect of the
registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act was filed with the Commission
on __________, 2010, such registration statement in the form thereof delivered
to the Underwriter was declared effective by the Commission in such form; no
other document with respect to such registration statement has theretofore been
filed with the Commission (the “Form 8-A Registration
Statement”).
For
purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the
Rule 462 Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Form 8-A
Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be
deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Interactive
Data Electronic Applications system. All references in this Agreement
to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462
Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Form 8-A
Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the subsequent filing of any
document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that
is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference therein or otherwise deemed by
the Rules and Regulations to be a part thereof.
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2.
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Representations
and Warranties of the Company Regarding the
Offering.
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(a) The
Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter, as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5(c) below),
except as otherwise indicated, as follows:
(i) At
each time of effectiveness, at the date hereof and at the Closing Date, the
Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Form 8-A
Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto complied or
will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act
and the Rules and Regulations 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 Base Prospectus, the Prospectus most recently
filed with the Commission before the time of this Agreement, including any
preliminary prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof (the “Time of Sale Disclosure
Package”) as of the date hereof and at the Closing Date, and the Final
Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, at the time of filing pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Securities Act and at the Closing Date, did not and will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two
immediately preceding sentences shall not apply to statements in or omissions
from the Registration Statement or any Prospectus in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. Each of the
Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement and the Form 8-A
Registration Statement contains all exhibits and schedules required to be filed
by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. No order
preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of the Registration Statement
or any Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been
instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated
or threatened by the Commission.
(ii) The
Company has not distributed any prospectus or other offering material in
connection with the offering and sale of the Shares or the ADSs other than the
Time of Sale Disclosure Package or other materials permitted by the Act to be
distributed by the Company. The Company has not made and will not
make any offer relating to the Shares or the ADSs that would constitute an
“issuer free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, or that
would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405
under the Act, required to be filed with the Commission.
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(iii) The
financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes, included
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus comply in all material respects with
the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and
fairly present the financial condition of the Company as of the dates indicated
and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods therein
specified in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied throughout the periods involved; and the supporting
schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information
required to be stated therein. No other financial statements, pro
forma financial information or schedules are required under the Securities Act
to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus. To the
Company’s knowledge, Xxxxxxxxx & Pinchuk LLP, which has expressed its
opinion with respect to the annual financial statements and schedules filed as a
part of the Registration Statement and included in the Registration Statement,
the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus is an independent
public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the
Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(iv) The
Company had a reasonable basis for, and made in good faith, each
“forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act or
Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final
Prospectus.
(v) All
statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final
Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably
believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written
consent to the use of such data from such sources, to the extent
required.
(vi) The
Ordinary Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act,
the ADSs are registered pursuant to the ADS Registration Statement and the
Company has applied to list the ADSs on the NASDAQ Capital Market. There is no
action pending by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, the NASDAQ Capital
Market to withdraw or deny the application to list the ADSs on the NASDAQ
Capital Market.
(vii) The
Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or
that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in
the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or the ADSs.
(viii) The
Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares,
will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(b) Any
certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the
Underwriter or to the Underwriter’s counsel shall be deemed a representation and
warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters covered
thereby.
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3.
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Representations
and Warranties Regarding the
Company.
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(a) The
Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter, as
follows:
(i) Each
of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated or organized and
is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its
jurisdiction of incorporation or organization. Each of the Company and its
subsidiaries has the corporate power and authority to own or lease its
properties and conduct its business as currently being carried on and as
described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus.
(ii) The
Company has the power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Deposit
Agreement and all other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments
required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement, to authorize, issue and
sell the Shares and the ADSs as contemplated by this Agreement. This
Agreement and the Deposit Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company, and constitute valid, legal and binding obligations of
the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective
terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or
state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of
creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity.
(iii) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement
and all other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments required to be
delivered pursuant to this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions
hereby and thereby contemplated will not (A) result in a breach or violation of
any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any law,
rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any
judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign to which the Company or any subsidiary is subject, or by which any
property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is bound or affected, (B)
conflict with, result in any violation or breach of, or constitute a default (or
an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default)
under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or
cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement,
lease, credit facility, debt, note, bond, mortgage, indenture or other
instrument (the “Contracts”) or
obligation or other understanding to which the Company or any subsidiary is a
party of by which any property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is
bound or affected, except to the extent that such conflict, default,
termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation right is not reasonably
likely to result in a material adverse effect upon the business, prospects,
properties, shareholders’ equity, operations, condition (financial or otherwise)
or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole,
or in its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Deposit
Agreement (“Material
Adverse Effect”), or (C) result in a breach or violation of any of the
terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Company’s memorandum
of association or articles of association.
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(iv) Neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (A) is in violation of its certificates,
licenses, permits or authorizations issued by competent governmental, regulatory
or judicial authorities or (B) is in violation, breach or default under its
memorandum of association, articles of association or other equivalent
organizational or governing documents, except, in each case, where the
violation, breach or default in the case of a subsidiary of the Company is not
reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) All
consents, approvals, orders, authorizations and filings required on the part of
the Company and its subsidiaries in connection with the execution, delivery or
performance of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement have been obtained or
made, other than such consents, approvals, orders and authorizations the failure
of which to make or obtain is not reasonably likely to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(vi) All
of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly
authorized and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and have been
issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and conform to the
description thereof in the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration
Statement, Form 8-A Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus. Except for the issuances of options or restricted
stock as contemplated by and described in the Registration Statement, the Time
of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the respective dates as of
which information is provided in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has not entered into or
granted any convertible or exchangeable securities, options, warrants,
agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from
the Company any shares of the capital stock of the Company. The
Shares, when issued, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities
laws, and will be free of preemptive, registration or similar rights other than
such rights as have been duly waived or satisfied.
(vii) The
ADSs, when issued by the Depositary against the deposit of Shares in respect
thereof in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, will be duly
authorized and validly issued and the persons in whose names such ADSs are
registered will be entitled to the rights of registered holders of ADSs
specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement.
(viii) The
Deposit Agreement, the ADSs and the ADRs conform to the descriptions thereof
contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus.
(ix) The
Shares and the ADSs are freely transferable by the Company to or for the account
of the several Underwriters and (to the extent described in the Prospectus) the
initial holders thereof; and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement,
the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no
restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Shares or the ADSs under the laws of
the British Virgin Islands, the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”) or the United
States.
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(x) Each
of the Company, Topsky Info Tech Holdings Pte Ltd., a Singapore company (the
“Singapore
Subsidiary”) and the PRC Entities (as defined in Section 4(a)(i) below)
has timely filed all foreign, federal, state and local returns (as hereinafter
defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof
or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. Each
of the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary and the PRC Entities has timely paid
all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed
and has timely paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company the
Singapore Subsidiary or the PRC Entities. The provisions for taxes
payable, if any, shown on the consolidated financial statements filed with or as
part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid
taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates
of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in
writing to the Underwriter, (A) no issues have been raised (and are currently
pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns of or
taxes asserted as due from the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or the PRC
Entities, and (B) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the
returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company,
the Singapore Subsidiary or the PRC Entities. The term “taxes” mean all
federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross
receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease,
service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance,
stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other
taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatever, together with any
interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect
thereto. The term “returns” means all
returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be
filed in respect to taxes.
(xi) Since
the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) neither
the Company nor the Singapore Subsidiary nor any of the PRC Entities has
incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or
entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of
business, (B) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any
distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; (C) there has not
been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
(other than a change in the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares due to the
issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or the issuance of restricted stock awards or
restricted stock units under the Company’s existing stock awards plan, or
any new grants thereof in the ordinary course of business), (D) there has not
been any material change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt, and (E)
there has not been the occurrence of any Material Adverse Effect.
(xii) There
is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, any action, suit
or proceeding to which the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or any of the PRC
Entities is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company, the
Singapore Subsidiary or any of the PRC Entities is the subject before or by any
court or governmental agency, authority or body, or any arbitrator or mediator,
which is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
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(xiii) The
Company, the Singapore Subsidiary and each of the PRC Entities holds, and is in
compliance with, all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits,
easements, consents, certificates and orders (“Permits”) of any
governmental or self-regulatory agency, authority or body required for the
conduct of its business, and all such Permits are in full force and effect, in
each case except where the failure to hold, or comply with, any of them is not
reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiv) The
Company, the Singapore Subsidiary and each of the PRC Entities have all
consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, qualifications,
licenses, filings and permits of, with and from all judicial, regulatory and
other legal or governmental agencies and all third parties, foreign and
domestic, to own, lease and operate all property (whether real or personal)
described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus as being owned by them that are material to the business of the
Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests,
other encumbrances or defects, except those that are not reasonably likely to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Although the Company has not consummated the title registration of the transfer
of the premises located at Xx. 00 Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xx’an (“Kingtone Center”)
with applicable PRC authorities, the Company represents that (x) to its knowledge, after due inquiry,
there is no third party lien or encumbrance attached to such property, and (y) the lack of title registration
of such property will not directly or indirectly result in a Material Adverse Effect.
The property described in the
Registration Statement, the time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
as held under lease or pursuant to house ownership certificate by the Company,
the Singapore Subsidiary or the PRC Entities is held by them under valid,
subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any
particular lease or pursuant to house ownership certificate, as the case may be,
as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of
the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or the PRC Entities. Neither
the Company nor the Singapore Subsidiary nor any of the PRC Entities has
received any notice of any claim adverse to its ownership of any real or
personal property or any claim against the continued possession of any real
property, whether owned or held under lease or sublease by the Company or any
subsidiary.
(xv) The
Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or the PRC Entities owns or possesses or has
valid right to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks,
trade names, trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights,
licenses, formulae, inventions, customer lists, know-how, trade
secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual
Property”) necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company, the
Singapore Subsidiary and each of the PRC Entities as currently carried on and as
described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by
the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or the PRC Entities will involve or give
rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual
Property of others, except where such action, use, license or fee is not
reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the
Company nor the Singapore Subsidiary nor any of the PRC Entities has received
any notice alleging any such infringement or fee. There is no pending
nor, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding by any
person challenging the rights of the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or the
PRC Entities in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware
of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such
claim.
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(xvi) The
Company, the Singapore Subsidiary and each of the PRC Entities have complied
with, are not in violation of, and have not received any notice of violation
relating to any law, rule or regulation relating to the conduct of its business,
or the ownership or operation of its property and assets, including, without
limitation, (A) the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as
amended, or any money laundering laws, rules or regulations, (B) any laws, rules
or regulations related to health, safety or the environment, including those
relating to the regulation of hazardous substances, (C) the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and (D) the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and the rules and regulations thereunder, in each
case except where the failure to be in compliance is not reasonably likely to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii) Neither
the Company nor the Singapore Subsidiary nor any of the PRC Entities nor, to the
knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, representative, agent
or affiliate of the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or any of the PRC Entities
is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign
Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the
Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the
Shares and the ADSs contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make
available such proceeds to any person or entity, for the purpose of financing
the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions
administered by OFAC.
(xviii) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus, the Company and each of the PRC Entities carry, or are
covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for
the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary
for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries in the
People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”).
(xix) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus, each of the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary and the PRC
Entities has complied in all material respects with all applicable employment
and labor laws with respect to its employees. No labor dispute with
the employees of the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or any of the PRC
Entities exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that is
reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xx) Neither
the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or any of the PRC Entities, nor to the
Company’s knowledge, any other party is in violation, breach or default of
any Contract that is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(xxi) No
supplier, customer, distributor or sales agent of the PRC Entities
has notified the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or any of the PRC
Entities that it intends to discontinue or decrease the rate of
business done with the Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or any of the
PRC Entities except where such decrease is not reasonably likely to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xxii) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, issuances, arrangements or
understandings for services in the nature of a finder’s, consulting or
origination fee with respect to the introduction of the Company to the
Underwriter or the sale of the Shares and the ADSs hereunder or any other
arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuances with respect to
the Company that may affect the Underwriter’s compensation, as determined by
FINRA.
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(xxiii) Except
as disclosed to the Underwriter in writing, the Company has not made any direct
or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to (A) any person, as a
finder’s fee, investing fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person
raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who
provided capital to the Company, (B) any FINRA member, or (C) any person or
entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA
member within the 12-month period prior to the date on which the Registration
Statement was filed with the Commission (“Filing Date”) or
thereafter.
(xxiv) None
of the net proceeds of the offering will be paid by the Company to any
participating FINRA member or any affiliate or associate of any participating
FINRA member, except as specifically authorized herein.
(xxv) To
the Company’s knowledge, no (A) officer or director of the Company, the
Singapore Subsidiary or any PRC Entity, (B) owner of 5% or more of the Company’s
securities or that of the Singapore Subsidiary or any PRC Entity or (C) owner of
any amount of the Company’s securities acquired within the 180-day period prior
to the Filing Date, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with
any FINRA member. The Company will advise the Underwriter and its
counsel if it becomes aware that any officer, director or stockholder of the
Company, the Singapore Subsidiary or any of the PRC Entities is or becomes an
affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the
offering.
(xxvi) Other
than the Underwriter, no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a
financial advisor to the Company in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby.
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4.
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Representations
and Warranties of the Company Regarding the
PRC.
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(a) The
Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter, as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as follows:
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(i) The
Company conducts substantially all of its operations and generates substantially
all of its revenue through (A) Xi’an Softech Co., Ltd., a wholly foreign-owned
enterprise formed under the laws of the PRC (“Softech”) and
(B) Xi’an Kingtone Information Technology Co., Ltd., a company formed under
the laws of the PRC(“Kingtone
Information”), which the Company controls, through contractual
arrangements among Softech and Kingtone Information and its
shareholders. Softech and Kingtone Information are collectively
referred to in this Agreement as the “PRC
Entities.”
(ii) Each
of the PRC Entities has been duly established, is validly existing as a company
under the laws of the PRC, has the corporate power and authority to own, lease
and operate its property and to conduct its business as described in the
Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
and is duly qualified to conduct its business operation, enforce its agreements
and transact business in the PRC and in each other jurisdiction in which the
conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such
qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified, to
conduct its normal business operation or enforce its agreements would not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Each PRC
Entity has applied for and obtained all requisite business licenses, clearance
and permits required under PRC law and regulations as necessary for the conduct
of its businesses, and each PRC Entity has complied in all material
respects with all applicable PRC laws and regulations in connection with foreign
exchange, including without limitation, carrying out all relevant filings,
registrations and applications for relevant permits with the relevant branch of
the PRC State Administration of Foreign Exchange and any other
relevant authorities, and all such permits are validly
subsisting. The registered capital of each PRC Entity has been fully
paid up in accordance with the schedule of payment stipulated in its respective
articles of association, approval document, certificate of approval and legal
person business license (hereinafter referred to as the “Establishment
Documents”) and in compliance with PRC laws and regulations, and there is
no outstanding capital contribution commitment for any PRC
Entity. The Establishment Documents of the PRC Entities have been
duly approved in accordance with the laws of the PRC and are valid and
enforceable. The business scope specified in the Establishment
Documents of each PRC Entity complies with the requirements of all relevant PRC
laws and regulations. None of the PRC Entities is carrying out or has
carried out any business activities that are beyond its business scope or the
scope of its Permits. The outstanding equity interests of each PRC
Entity is owned of record by the respective entities or individuals identified
as the registered holders thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of
Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Except for the PRC
Entities, the Company does not presently own, control or have, directly or
indirectly, any interest in any other corporation, partnership, trust, joint
venture, association, branch offices or other entity in the PRC.
(iii) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus, no consents, approvals, authorizations, orders,
registrations, clearances, certificates, franchises, licenses, permits or
qualifications of or with any PRC governmental agency are required for Softech’s
contractual arrangements and agreements with Kingtone Information and its
registered equity holders (the “VIE Structure”) or
the execution, delivery and performance of such contractual arrangements and
agreements (the “VIE
Structuring Documents”). None of the VIE Structuring Documents
has been revoked and no such revocation is pending or
threatened. Each of the VIE Structuring Documents has been entered
into prior to the date thereof in compliance with all applicable laws and
regulations and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement, enforceable
in accordance with its terms.
11
(iv) The
VIE Structure and the execution, delivery and performance of the VIE Structuring
Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby did not
and do not (A) conflict with, or result in a breach or violation of any of
the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to
which any PRC Entity is a party or by which any PRC Entity is bound or by which
any of the properties or assets of any PRC Entity is subject, (B) violate
or conflict with the Establishment Documents of any PRC Entity, or
(C) violate or conflict with any applicable laws, regulations, rules,
orders, decrees, guidelines, notices or other legislation of the
PRC.
(v) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus, the VIE Structure complies, and after the consummation of
the offering and sale of the Shares and the ADSs will comply, with all
applicable laws, regulations, rules, orders, decrees, guidelines, notices or
other legislation of the PRC; the VIE Structure has not been challenged by any
PRC governmental agency and there are no legal, arbitration, governmental or
other proceedings (including, without limitation, governmental investigations or
inquiries) pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened or
contemplated by any PRC governmental agency in respect of the VIE Structure; and
the Company reasonably believes that after the consummation of the offering and
sale of the Shares and the ADSs, the VIE Structure could not be successfully
challenged by any PRC governmental agency.
(vi) The
Company possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct, or cause the
direction of, the management and policies of Kingtone Information.
(vii) Softech
is not currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends
to the Company (or the Singapore Subsidiary), and Kingtone Information is not
currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any of its obligations
set forth in the VIE Structuring Documents. No PRC Entity is
prohibited, directly or indirectly, from making any other distribution on such
PRC Entity’s equity capital, or from repaying to the Company or any of its
direct or indirect subsidiaries any loans or advances to such PRC Entity from
the Company or any of the Company’s subsidiaries.
(viii) None
of the PRC Entities nor any of their properties, assets or revenues are entitled
to any right of immunity on the grounds of sovereignty from any legal action,
suit or proceeding, from set-off or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any
court, from services of process, from attachment prior to or in aid of execution
of judgment, or from any other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any
relief or for the enforcement of any judgment.
12
(ix) It
is not necessary that this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of
Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any other document be filed or
recorded with any governmental agency, court or other authority in the
PRC.
(x) No
transaction, stamp, capital or other issuance, registration, transaction,
transfer, income, capital gains, withholding or other taxes or duties are
payable by or on behalf of the Underwriter to the government of the PRC or to
any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection
with (A) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (B) the issuance,
sale and delivery of the Shares and the ADSs by the Company and the delivery of
the Shares and the ADSs to or for the account of the Underwriter, (C) the
purchase from the Company and the initial sale and delivery by the Underwriter
of the Shares and the ADSs to purchasers thereof, or (D) the consummation
of any other transaction contemplated in this Agreement.
(xi) The
Company has taken all necessary steps to comply with, and to require compliance
by all of the Company’s direct or indirect shareholders and option holders who
are PRC residents with, any applicable rules and regulations of the PRC,
including the regulations issued by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange
of the PRC (the “SAFE
Rules and Regulations”), including, without limitation, using its
reasonable best efforts to require each shareholder and option holder that is,
or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident to complete
any registration and other procedures required under applicable SAFE Rules and
Regulations.
(xii) The
Company is aware of, and has been advised as to, the content of the Rules on
Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, as in
effect on the date hereof, jointly promulgated on August 8, 2006 by the PRC
Ministry of Commerce, the PRC State Assets Supervision and Administration
Commission, the PRC State Administration of Taxation, the PRC State
Administration of Industry and Commerce, the China Securities Regulatory
Commission (the “CSRC”) and the PRC
State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC and amended Rules on Mergers
and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors promulgated on
June 22, 2009 by the PRC Ministry of Commerce (the “M&A Rules”), in
particular the relevant provisions thereof that purport to require offshore
special purpose vehicles controlled directly or indirectly by PRC-incorporated
companies or PRC residents and established for the purpose of obtaining a stock
exchange listing outside of the PRC to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to
the listing and trading of their securities on any stock exchange located
outside of the PRC. The Company has received legal advice
specifically with respect to the M&A Rules from its PRC counsel and the
Company understands such legal advice. In addition, the Company has
communicated such legal advice in full to each of its directors that signed the
Registration Statement and each such director has confirmed that he or she
understands such legal advice.
(xiii) The
issuance and sale of the Shares, the listing and trading of the ADSs on the
NASADAQ Capital Market and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of
Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are not as of the date hereof and
will not be, on the Closing Date, subject to or otherwise materially affected by
the M&A Rules or any official clarifications, guidance, interpretations or
implementation rules in connection with or related to the M&A Rules,
including the guidance and notices issued by the CSRC on September 8 and
September 21, 2006 (together with the M&A Rules, the “M&A Rules and Related
Clarifications”).
13
(xiv) The
Company has used its reasonable best efforts to require compliance by each of
its shareholders, option holders, directors, officers and employees that is, or
is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or citizen with
any applicable rules and regulations of the relevant PRC government agencies
(including but not limited to the PRC Ministry of Commerce, the PRC National
Development and Reform Commission and the PRC State Administration of Foreign
Exchange) relating to overseas investment by PRC residents and citizens (the
“PRC Overseas
Investment and Listing Regulations”), including, requesting each
shareholder, option holder, director, officer, employee and participant that is,
or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or citizen
to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable PRC
Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations.
(xv) As
of the date hereof, the M&A Rules and Related Clarifications do not require
the Company to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the issuance and sale of
the Shares and the ADSs, the listing and trading of the ADSs on the NASDAQ
Capital Market, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus.
(xvi) Each
of the PRC Entities is in compliance with all requirements under all applicable
PRC laws and regulations to qualify for an exemption from enterprise income tax
or other income tax benefits (the “Tax Benefits”) as
described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, and the actual operations and business activities of each such
PRC Entity are sufficient to meet the qualifications for the Tax
Benefits. No submissions made to any PRC government authority in
connection with obtaining the Tax Benefits contained any misstatement or
omission that to the Company’s knowledge would have affected the granting of the
Tax Benefits. No PRC Entity has received notice of any deficiency in
its respective applications for the Tax Benefits, and the Company is not aware
of any reason why any such PRC Entity might not qualify for, or be in compliance
with the requirements for, the Tax Benefits.
(xvii) All
local and national PRC governmental tax holidays, exemptions, waivers, financial
subsidies, and other local and national PRC tax relief, concessions and
preferential treatment enjoyed by any PRC Entity as described in the
Registration Statement, the Time of Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are
valid, binding and enforceable and do not violate any laws, regulations, rules,
orders, decrees, guidelines, judicial interpretations, notices or other
legislation of the PRC.
14
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5.
|
Purchase,
Sale and Delivery of Shares and
ADSs.
|
(a) On
the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained,
but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to
issue and sell the Underwritten Shares, in the form of ADSs, to the Underwriter,
and the Underwriter agrees to purchase the Underwritten Shares. The
purchase price for each Underwritten Share shall be $_______ per share (the
“Per Share
Price”).
(b) The
Company hereby grants to the Underwriter the option to purchase some or all of
the Additional Shares, in the form of ADSs, and, upon the basis of the
warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein
set forth, the Underwriter shall have the right to purchase all or any portion
of the Additional Shares at the Per Share Price as may be necessary to cover
over-allotments made in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereby. This option may be exercised by the Underwriter at any time
(but not more than once) on or before the thirtieth day following the date
hereof, by written notice to the Company (the “Option
Notice”). The Option Notice shall set forth the aggregate
number of Additional Shares and ADSs as to which the option is being exercised,
and the date and time when the Additional Shares are to be delivered (such date
and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing
Date”); provided, however, that the Option
Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Closing Date (as defined below) nor
earlier than the first business day after the date on which the option shall
have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on
which the option shall have been exercised unless the Company and the
Underwriter otherwise agree.
Payment of the purchase price for and
delivery of the Additional Shares shall be made at the Option Closing Date in
the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Underwritten
Shares as set forth
in subparagraph (c) below. For the purpose of expediting the checking
of the certificate for the Additional Shares by the Underwriter, the Company
agrees to make a form of such certificate available to the Underwriter for such
purpose at least one full business day preceding the Option Closing
Date.
(c) The
Underwritten Shares, in the form of ADSs, will be delivered by the Company to
the Underwriter against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer
of same day funds payable to the order of the Company at the offices of Xxxx
Capital Partners, LLC, 00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000, or such
other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 6:00 a.m. PST, on the third (or
if the Underwritten Shares are priced, as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) under
the Exchange Act, after 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, the fourth) full business day
following the date hereof, or at such other time and date as the Underwriter and
the Company determine pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, or, in
the case of the Additional Shares, at such date and time set forth in the Option
Notice. The time and date of delivery of the Underwritten Shares or
the Additional Shares, as applicable, is referred to herein as the “Closing
Date.” If the Underwriter so elects, delivery of the
Underwritten Shares and Additional Shares, each in the form of ADSs, may be made
by credit through full fast transfer to the account at The Depository Trust
Company designated by the Underwriter. Certificates representing the
ADSs, in definitive form and in such denominations and registered in such names
as the Underwriter may request upon at least two business days’ prior notice to
the Company, will be made available for checking and packaging not later than
10:30 a.m. PDT on the business day next preceding the Closing Date at the above
addresses, or such other location as may be mutually
acceptable.
15
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6.
|
Covenants.
|
(a) The
Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriter as follows:
(i) During
the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the Closing
Date or such date as determined by the Underwriter the Prospectus is no longer
required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an underwriter or
dealer (the “Prospectus Delivery
Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement,
including any Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Underwriter for
review and comment a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the
Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the
Underwriter reasonably objects.
(ii) From
the date of this Agreement until the end of the Prospectus Delivery Period, the
Company shall promptly advise the Underwriter in writing (A) of the receipt of
any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from,
the Commission, (B) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the
Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (C) of the time and date that
any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and
(D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or
suspending its use or the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package , 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. If the Commission shall enter
any such stop order at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the
Company will use its reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at
the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that
it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A and 430B, as
applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to
confirm that any filings made by the Company under Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were
received in a timely manner by the Commission (without reliance on Rule
424(b)(8) or Rule 164(b) of the Securities Act).
(iii) During
the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements
imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as now and hereafter amended, and by the
Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, and by the Exchange Act,
as now and hereafter amended, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of
sales of or dealings in the Shares as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the
Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus. If during such period any event occurs the result of
which the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective
purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package ) would include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not
misleading, or if during such period it is necessary or appropriate in the
opinion of the Company or its counsel or the Underwriter or its counsel to amend
the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is
not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package
) to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the
Underwriter and will amend the Registration Statement or supplement the
Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers,
the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) so as to correct such statement or omission
or effect such compliance.
16
(iv) The
Company shall take or cause to be taken all necessary action to cause the ADSs
to be listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market and to qualify the ADSs for sale under
the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter reasonably
designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for
the distribution of the ADSs, except that the Company shall not be required in
connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in
securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified, to execute a
general consent to service of process in any state or to subject itself to
taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not
otherwise subject.
(v) The
Company will furnish to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter copies
of the Registration Statement, each Prospectus, the ADS Registration Statement,
the Deposit Agreement and the Form 8-A Registration Statement and all amendments
and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such
quantities as the Underwriter may from time to time reasonably
request.
(vi) The
Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the
Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement (which need not be
audited) covering a 12-month period that shall satisfy the provisions of Section
11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and
Regulations.
(vii) The
Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated
or this Agreement is terminated, will pay or cause to be paid (A) all
expenses (including transfer taxes allocated to the respective transferees)
incurred in connection with the delivery of the Shares to the Underwriter, (B)
all expenses and fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the
Company’s counsel) in connection with the preparation, printing, filing,
delivery, and shipping of the Registration Statement (including the financial
statements therein and all amendments, schedules, and exhibits thereto), the
Shares, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, and any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto, (C) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent
or registrar, (D) NASDAQ Capital Market listing fees and (E) all other costs and
expenses incident to the performance of the Company’s obligations
hereunder that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein; provided,
however, that the Company shall have no obligation to pay any of the expenses of
the Underwriter, including the following, each of which shall be paid by the
Underwriter: (i) all filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of the
Underwriter’s counsel incurred in connection with the qualification of the
Shares for offering and sale by the Underwriter or by dealers under the
securities or blue sky laws of the states and other jurisdictions that the
Underwriter shall designate, (ii) the filing fees and fees of counsel incident
to any required review and approval by FINRA, of the terms of the sale of the
Shares, and (iii) all out-of-pocket disbursements (including but not limited to,
reasonable fees and disbursements (including, but not limited to, reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and
telephone charges) incurred by the Underwriter in connection with its
investigation, preparing to market and marketing the Shares or in contemplation
of performing its obligations hereunder. In addition to the
foregoing, the Company will pay the Underwriter, on the Closing Date, an amount
equal to 5% of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the
Underwritten Shares and the Additional Shares, as applicable, as an underwriting
discount.
17
(viii) The
Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares to be sold by it
hereunder for the purposes set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and
in the Final Prospectus.
(ix) The
Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, during the
Prospectus Delivery Period, any action designed to or which might reasonably be
expected to cause or result in, or that has constituted, the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale
or resale of the Shares.
(x) The
Company represents and agrees that it has not made and will not make any offer
relating to the Shares that would constitute an “issuer free writing
prospectus”, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, or that would otherwise
constitute a “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the
Act.
(xi) The
Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the
Underwriter, it will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date
hereof (“Lock-Up
Period”), (A) offer, pledge, issue, sell, contract to sell, purchase,
contract to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or
indirectly, any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for or representing the right to receive Ordinary
Shares, including ADSs; or (B) enter into any swap or other arrangement that
transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of
ownership of Ordinary Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause
(A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of Ordinary Shares or such other
securities, in cash or otherwise; or (C) file any registration statement with
the Commission relating to the offering of any Ordinary Shares or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for or representing the right to
receive Ordinary Shares, including ADSs. The restrictions contained
in the preceding sentence shall not apply to (1) the Shares and ADSs to be sold
hereunder, (2) the issuance of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of options or
warrants disclosed as outstanding in the Registration Statement (excluding
exhibits thereto) or the Prospectus, and (3) the issuance of employee stock
options not exercisable during the Lock-Up Period and the grant of restricted
stock awards or restricted stock units pursuant to equity incentive plans
described in the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto) and the
Prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) the Company issues
an earnings release or material news, or a material event relating to the
Company occurs, during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, or (y) prior to
the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release
earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the
Lock-Up Period, the restrictions imposed by this clause shall continue to apply
until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the
earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event,
unless the Underwriter waives such extension in writing.
18
(xii) The Company hereby agrees that for a
period of six months after the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall have
the first right to provide
investment banking services to the Company on an exclusive basis in all matters
for which investment banking services are sought by the
Company on the terms contained in this Section (such right, the “Right of
First Refusal”). For these
purposes, investment banking services shall include, without limitation, (i) acting
as lead, book-running manager for any underwritten public offering; (ii) acting as exclusive
placement agent or financial advisor in connection with any private offering of securities of the
Company; and (iii) acting as financial advisor in connection with any sale or other transfer by the
Company, directly or indirectly, of a majority or controlling portion of its
respective capital stock or assets to another entity, any purchase or other
transfer by another
entity, directly or indirectly, of a majority or controlling portion of the
capital stock or assets of
the Company, and any merger or consolidation of the Company with another entity.
In the event the Company
determines to undertake a transaction of the type described in (i), (ii) or
(iii) above, it shall
promptly send notice thereof to the Underwriter, the Underwriter may exercise
the Right of First Refusal
by sending written notice to the Company of its desire to serve as the Company's
investment banking firm in
connection with such transaction not later than 15 calendar days following its receipt of the Company's
notice. Any decision by the Underwriter to act in any such capacity shall he contained in separate
agreements, which agreements would contain, among other matters, provisions for customary fees
for transactions of similar size and nature, as may be mutually agreed upon, and
indemnification of the Underwriter and its affiliates and shall be subject to
general market conditions. If the Underwriter declines or otherwise fails to
exercise the Right of First Refusal within the prescribed period
(which it may do in its sole and absolute discretion), the Company shall have the right
to retain any other person
or persons to provide such services on terms and conditions which are not
materially more favorable (taken as a whole) to such other person or persons than the terms
offered to the Underwriter.
(xiii) On or prior to May 20, 2010, the Company shall
pay or cause to be paid all transfer taxes and other fees and expenses required by all relevant PRC governmental agencies or authorities in order to consummate the title registration of the transfer of Kingtone Center to the Company.
(b) The
Underwriter covenants and agrees with the Company as follows:
(i) The
Underwriter represents and agrees that it has not made and will not make any
offer relating to the Shares or the ADSs that would constitute an “issuer free
writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, or that would
otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under
the Act.
19
7. Conditions of the
Underwriter’s Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter
hereunder to purchase the Shares and the ADSs are subject to the accuracy, as of
the date hereof and at the Closing Date (as if made at the Closing Date), of and
compliance with all representations, warranties and agreements of the
Company contained
herein, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the
following additional conditions:
(a) If
filing of the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, is required
under the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations, the Company shall have
filed the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement) with the Commission in
the manner and within the time period so required (without reliance on Rule
424(b)(8) or Rule 164(b) under the Securities Act); the Registration Statement
shall remain effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof, any Rule 462 Registration Statement,
or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of
Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings
for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened; any
request of the Commission or the Underwriter for additional information (to be
included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the Underwriter’s
satisfaction.
(b) FINRA
shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the
underwriting terms and arrangements.
(c) The
Underwriter shall not have reasonably determined,
and advised the Company, that the Registration Statement, the Time of
Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the
Underwriter’s reasonable opinion, is material, or omits to state a fact which,
in the Underwriter’s reasonable opinion, is material and is required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(d) On
or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating
accorded any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized
statistical organization,” as that term is defined by the Commission for
purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, and (ii) no such
organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or
review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s
securities.
(e) On
the Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriter the opinion
of Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriter,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter, to the effect
set forth in Schedule I.
(f)
On the Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriter
the opinion of the Company’s BVI counsel, dated the Closing Date and addressed
to the Underwriter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Underwriter, to the effect set forth in Schedule II.
20
(g) On
the Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriter the opinion
of the Company’s China counsel, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the
Underwriter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter,
to the effect set forth in Schedule III.
(h) On
the Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriter the opinion
of the Company’s Singapore counsel, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the
Underwriter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter,
to the effect set forth in Schedule IV.
(i)
The Underwriter shall have received a letter from
Xxxxxxxxx & Pinchuk LLP, on the date hereof and on the Closing Date
addressed to the Underwriter, confirming that they are independent public
accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with
the applicable requirements relating to the qualifications of accountants under
Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and confirming, as of the date of
each such letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments
since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given
in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, as of a date not prior to the date
hereof or more than five days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions
and findings of said firm with respect to the financial information and other
matters required by the Underwriter.
(j)
On or before the date hereof, the Underwriter shall have
received duly executed “lock-up” agreements, in the form set forth on Schedule VI, between the
Underwriter and those persons set forth on Schedule V.
(k) On
the Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriter a
certificate, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriter, signed by
the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company, in
their capacity as officers of the Company, to the effect that:
(i) The
representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and
correct, in all material respects, as if made at and as of the Closing Date, and
the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing
Date;
(ii) No
stop order or other order (A) suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof, the ADS Registration
Statement, or any part thereof or any amendment thereto or the Form 8-A
Registration Statement, or any part thereof or any amendment thereto, (B)
suspending the qualification of the Shares or the ADSs for offering or sale, or
(C) suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus, has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been
instituted or, to their knowledge, is contemplated by the Commission or any
state or regulatory body; and
(iii) There
has been no occurrence of any event resulting or reasonably likely to result in
a Material Adverse Effect during the period from and after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Closing Date.
21
(l)
At the Closing Date,
the ADSs shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital
Market.
(m) The
Depositary shall have delivered to the Company at such Closing Date certificates
satisfactory to the Underwriter evidencing the deposit with the Depositary or
its nominee of the Shares being so deposited against issuance of ADRs evidencing
the ADSs to be delivered by the Company at the Closing Date, and the execution,
countersignature (if applicable), issuance and delivery of ADRs evidencing such
ADSs pursuant to the Deposit Agreement.
(n) The
Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter
such additional documents, certificates and evidence as the Underwriter or
counsel for the Underwriter may have reasonably requested.
If any condition specified in this
Section 7 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled,
this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice to the Company at
any time at or prior to the Closing Date and such termination shall be without
liability of any party to any other party, except that Section 6(a)(vii),
Section 8 and Section 9 shall survive any such termination and remain in full
force and effect.
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8.
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Indemnification
and Contribution.
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(a) The
Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Underwriter,
its affiliates, directors and officers and employees, and each
person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Underwriter or such person
may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in
settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the written
consent of the Company), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
(or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, including the information deemed to be a part of the
Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time
pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Rules and Regulations, the Time of Sale
Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, the ADS Registration Statement, the Form 8-A
Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any
documents filed under the Exchange Act and deemed to be incorporated by
reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus), or arise out of or
are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (ii) in
whole or in part, any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the
Company contained herein, or (iii) in whole or in part, any failure of the
Company to perform its obligations hereunder or under law, and will reimburse
the Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in
connection with evaluating, investigating or defending against such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in
the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus,
or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for
use in the preparation thereof.
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(b) The
Underwriter will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its
affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Securities Act or
otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is
effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or
are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure
Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of
or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was
made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter
specifically for use in the preparation thereof, and will reimburse the Company
for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection
with evaluating, investigating or defending against any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action.
(c) Promptly
after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a
claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such
subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement
thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the
indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party
except to the extent such indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by
such failure. In case any such action shall be brought against any
indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying
party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party’s election so to
assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such
indemnified party under such subsection for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof; provided,
however, that if (i)
the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that
there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that
are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party,
(ii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the
indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in
which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense
of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), or (iii) the indemnifying
party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time
after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, the indemnified party
shall have the right to employ a single counsel to represent it in any claim in
respect of which indemnity may be sought under subsection (a) or (b) of this
Section 8, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate
counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party or parties and reimbursed to
the indemnified party as incurred.
23
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. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in
any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any
indemnified party is a party or could be named and indemnity was or would be
sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise
or consent (a) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from
all liability for claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or
proceeding and (b) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified
party.
(d) If
the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b)
above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i) in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on
the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, from the offering and sale
of the Shares or
(ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other hand in connection
with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriter on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriter, in each case as set forth in the table
on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. The relative fault shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the
Underwriter and the parties’ relevant intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or
omission. The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were to be
determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does
not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first
sentence of this subsection (d). The amount paid by an indemnified
party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in
the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection
with investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject
of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (d), the
Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount of the Underwriter’s commissions referenced in Section 6(a)(vii) of this
Agreement actually received by the Underwriter pursuant to this
Agreement. 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.
24
(e) The
obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any
liability that the Company may otherwise have and the benefits of such
obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if
any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriter under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability that the
Underwriter may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall
extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the Company, and officers,
directors and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section
15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.
(f) For
purposes of this Agreement, the Underwriter confirms, and the Company
acknowledges, that there is no information concerning the Underwriter furnished
in writing to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for preparation of or
inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package,
the Prospectus, other than the statements set forth in the last paragraph on the
cover page of the Prospectus and the statements set forth in the “Underwriting”
section of the Prospectus and Time of Sale Disclosure Package, only insofar as
such statements relate to the amount of selling concession and re-allowance or
to over-allotment and related activities that may be undertaken by the
Underwriter.
9. Representations
and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations,
warranties, and agreements of the Company herein or in certificates delivered
pursuant hereto, including, but not limited to, the agreements of the
Underwriter and the Company contained in Section 6(a)(vii) and Section 8 hereof,
shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or any controlling person
thereof, or the Company or any of its officers, directors, or controlling
persons, and shall survive delivery of, and payment for, the Shares to and by
the Underwriter hereunder.
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10.
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Termination
of this Agreement.
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(a) The
Underwriter shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice to
the Company as hereinafter specified at any time at or prior to the Closing
Date, if (i) trading in the Company’s ADSs shall have been suspended by the
Commission or the NASDAQ Capital Market or trading in securities generally on
the NASDAQ Capital Market, New York Stock Exchange or NYSE Amex shall have been
suspended, (ii) minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or
maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on the NASDAQ
Capital Market, New York Stock Exchange or NYSE Amex, by such exchange or by
order of the Commission or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction,
(iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal, state or the PRC
authorities, (iv) there shall have occurred any attack on, outbreak or material
escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States or the
PRC, any declaration by the United States or the PRC of a national emergency or
war, any substantial adverse change in financial markets, any substantial
adverse change or development involving a prospective substantial adverse change
in the political, financial or economic conditions in the United States or the
PRC or any other calamity or crisis, or (v) the Company suffers any material
loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity, whether or
not covered by insurance, the effect of which, in each case described in this
subsection (a), in the Underwriter’s reasonable judgment is material and adverse
and makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the
sale of and payment for the Shares. Any such termination shall be
without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of
Section 6(a)(vii) and Section 8 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall
survive such termination.
25
(b) If
the Underwriter elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section,
the Company shall be notified promptly by the Underwriter by telephone,
confirmed by letter.
11. Notices. Except
as otherwise provided herein, all communications hereunder shall be in writing
and, if to Xxxx, shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied to Xxxx Capital
Partners, LLC, 00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000, telecopy number:
(000) 000-0000, Attention: Managing Director; and if to the Company,
shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied to it at 0xx Xxxxx,
Xxxxxxx X, Xxxxx A No. B1, South Taibai Road, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, People’x
Xxxxxxxx xx Xxxxx 000000, telecopy number: 00-00-00000000, Attention: Xxxx
Xxxxx; or in each case to such other address as the person to be notified may
have requested in writing. Any party to this Agreement may change
such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written
notice of a new address for such purpose.
12. Persons Entitled
to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective
successors and assigns and the controlling persons, officers and directors
referred to in Section 8. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or
shall be construed to give to any other person, firm or corporation any legal or
equitable remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision
herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” as herein used
shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the Shares or ADSs
from the Underwriter.
13. Absence of
Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees
that: (a) the Underwriter has been retained solely to act as underwriter in
connection with the sale of the Shares and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency
relationship between the Company and the Underwriter has been created in respect
of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of
whether the Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;
(b) the price and other terms of the Shares set forth in this Agreement were
established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations
with the Underwriter 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; (c) it has been advised that the Underwriter and
its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions that may involve
interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Underwriter has no
obligation to disclose such interest and transactions to the Company by virtue
of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; (d) it has been advised that
the Underwriter is acting, in respect of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, solely for the benefit of the Underwriter, and not on behalf of the
Company.
26
14. Amendments and
Waivers. No supplement, modification or waiver of this
Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the party to be bound
thereby. The failure of a party to exercise any right or remedy shall
not be deemed or constitute a waiver of such right or remedy in the
future. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be
deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (regardless of
whether similar), nor shall any such waiver be deemed or constitute a continuing
waiver unless otherwise expressly provided.
15. Partial
Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph, clause or
provision.
16. Governing
Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
17. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission or
electronic mail attaching a portable document file (.pdf)) in one or more
counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed
counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original and all such counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
27
Please
sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this letter whereupon
this letter will become a binding agreement between the Company and the
Underwriter in accordance with its terms.
Very
truly yours,
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KINGTONE
WIRELESSINFO SOLUTION
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HOLDING
LTD
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Confirmed
as of the date first above-
mentioned
by the Underwriter.
XXXX
CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC
By:
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Name:
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Title:
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[Signature
page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE
I
Company
Opinions
SCHEDULE
III
PRC
Opinion
SCHEDULE
IV
Singapore
Opinion
SCHEDULE
V
Persons
Subject to Lock-Up Agreements
SCHEDULE
VI
Form
of Lock-Up Agreement
___________
__, 2010
Xxxx
Capital Partners, LLC
00
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
The
undersigned understands that Xxxx Capital Partners, LLC (the “RCP” or “Underwriter”) proposes to
enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with
Kingtone Wirelessinfo Solution Holding Ltd, a company incorporated under the
laws of the British Virgin Islands, (the “Company”), providing for the
public offering (the “Public
Offering”) by the Underwriter of ordinary shares, par value $0.001 per
share (the “Ordinary Shares”), of the
Company. The Underwriter will take delivery of the Ordinary Shares in
the form of American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”). Each ADS
will initially represent the right to receive __________ Ordinary Shares
deposited pursuant to the Deposit Agreement dated as of _________________, 2010
among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon N.A. as Depositary (the “Depositary”) and all Holders
and Beneficial Owners (each as defined therein) from time to time of ADSs
evidenced by American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) issued by the
Depositary..
To induce
the underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their
efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees
that, without the prior written consent of RCP, he will not, during the period
commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the final
prospectus supplement relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”) (the “Lock-Up Period”), (1) offer,
pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase,
purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to
purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any
Ordinary Shares, ADSs, or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or ADSs, or (2) enter into any swap or other
arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic
consequences of ownership of the Ordinary Shares or ADSs, whether any such
transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of
Ordinary Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The
foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to Ordinary
Shares, ADSs or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the
completion of the Public Offering, , or (b) transfers of
Ordinary Shares, ADSs or any security convertible into Ordinary Shares or ADSs
as a bona fide gift, by will or intestacy or to a family member or trust for the
benefit of a family member; provided that in the case of
any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (b), each donee
or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form
of this letter . In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without
the prior written consent of RCP, it will not, during the period commencing on
the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, make any
demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any
Ordinary Shares, ADSs or any security convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or ADSs. The undersigned also agrees
and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s
transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s Ordinary
Shares and ADSs except in compliance with the foregoing
restrictions.
If (i)
the Company issues an earnings release or material news, or a material event
relating to the Company occurs, during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period,
or (ii) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces
that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the
last day of the Lock-Up Period, the restrictions imposed by this agreement shall
continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the
issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or
material event, unless RCP waives such extension.
No
provision in this agreement shall be deemed to restrict or prohibit the exercise
or exchange by the undersigned of any option or warrant to acquire Ordinary
Shares, ADSs, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into
Ordinary Shares or ADSs, provided that the undersigned
does not transfer the Ordinary Shares or ADSs acquired on such exercise or
exchange during the Lock-Up Period, unless otherwise permitted pursuant to the
terms of this agreement. In addition, no provision herein shall be
deemed to restrict or prohibit the entry into or modification of a so-called
“10b5-1” plan at any time (other than the entry into or modification of such a
plan in such a manner as to cause the sale of any Ordinary Shares or ADSs or any
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares
or ADSs within the Lock-Up Period).
The
undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriter are relying upon
this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public
Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is
irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal
representatives, successors and assigns.
The
undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement is not executed by
_________, 2010, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions
thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to
payment for and delivery of the Ordinary Shares and ADSs to be sold thereunder,
the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this letter
agreement.
Whether
or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors,
including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made
pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to
negotiation between the Company and the Underwriter.
Very
truly yours,
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(Name)
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(Address)
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