REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT
10.65
This
Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”)
is
made and entered into as of February 29, 2008, by and among Hoku Scientific,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
and
the several purchasers signatory hereto (each a “Purchaser”
and
collectively, the “Purchasers”).
This
Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of
February 25, 2008 between the Company and each Purchaser (the “Purchase
Agreement”).
NOW,
THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement,
and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of
which
are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each of the Purchasers agree as
follows:
1. Definitions.
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in
the
Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase
Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
“Advice”
shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 6(f).
“Affiliate”
means,
with respect to any person, any other person which directly or indirectly
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such
person.
“Business
Day”
means
a
day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which banks in New York City are open
for the general transaction of business.
“Closing”
has
the
meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
“Closing
Date”
has
the
meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
“Commission”
means
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“common
stock”
means
the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any securities
into which such common stock may hereinafter be reclassified.
“Effective
Date”
means
the date that the Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) is
first
declared effective by the Commission.
“Effectiveness
Deadline”
means,
with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or the New Registration
Statement, the earlier of: (i) the thirtieth (30th)calendar
day following the Closing Date; provided,
that,
if the Commission reviews and has written comments to a filed Registration
Statement, then the Effectiveness Deadline under this clause (i) shall be the
sixtieth (60th)calendar
day following the Closing Date, and (ii) the fifth (5th)
Trading
Day following the date on which the Company is notified by the Commission that
the Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to
further review and comments and the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
may be accelerated; provided,
however,
that if
the Effectiveness Deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day that the
Commission is closed for business, the Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended
to the next Business Day on which the Commission is open for business.
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“Effectiveness
Period”
shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
“Event”
shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Event
Date”
shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Exchange
Act”
means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
“Filing
Deadline”
means,
with respect to the Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to
Section 2(a), the tenth (10th)calendar
day following the Closing Date, provided,
however,
that if
the Filing Deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day that the Commission
is closed for business, the Filing Deadline shall be extended to the next
business day on which the Commission is open for business.
“Holder”
or
“Holders”
means
the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable
Securities.
“Indemnified
Party”
shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Indemnifying
Party”
shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Losses”
shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
“New
York Courts”
means
the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of
Manhattan.
“Person”
means
an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated
association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company,
government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any
kind.
“Placement
Agent”
means
Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. and any permitted assigns.
“Principal
Market”
means
the Trading Market on which the common stock is primarily listed on and quoted
for trading, which, as of the Closing Date, shall be the Nasdaq Global
Market.
“Proceeding”
means
an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without
limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition),
whether commenced or threatened.
“Prospectus”
means
the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without
limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from
a
prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance
upon
Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented
by
any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any
portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement,
and
all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective
amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
“Register,”
“registered”
and
“registration”
refer
to a registration made by preparing and filing a Registration Statement or
similar document in compliance with the Securities Act and pursuant to Rule
415,
and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such Registration Statement
or document.
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“Registrable
Securities”
means
all of (i) the Shares and (ii) any securities issued or issuable upon any stock
split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with
respect to the foregoing, provided,
that
the Holder has completed and delivered to the Company a Selling Stockholder
Questionnaire; and provided,
further,
that
Shares shall cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur
of
the following: (A) sale pursuant to a Registration Statement or Rule 144 under
the Securities Act (in which case, only such security sold shall cease to be
a
Registrable Security); or (B) becoming eligible for sale by the Holder pursuant
to the last sentence of Rule 144(b)(1)(i).
“Registration
Statements”
means
any one or more registration statements of the Company filed under the
Securities Act that covers the resale of any of the Registrable Securities
pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation
the
Initial Registration Statement, the New Registration Statement and any Remainder
Registration Statements), amendments and supplements to such Registration
Statements, including post-effective amendments, all exhibits and all material
incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such
Registration Statements.
“Rule
144”
means
Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such
Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation
hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as
such
Rule.
“Rule
415”
means
Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such
Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation
hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as
such
Rule.
“Rule
424”
means
Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such
Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation
hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as
such
Rule.
"SEC
Guidance"
means
(i) any publicly-available written or oral guidance, comments, requirements
or
requests of the Commission staff and (ii) the Securities Act.
“Securities
Act”
means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
“Selling
Stockholder Questionnaire”
means
a
questionnaire in the form attached as Annex
B
hereto,
or such other form of questionnaire as may reasonably be adopted by the Company
from time to time.
“Shares”
means
the shares of common stock issued or issuable to the Purchasers pursuant to
the
Purchase Agreement.
“Special
Registration Statement”
shall
mean a registration statement relating to any employee benefit plan under Form
S-8 or similar form or with respect to any corporate reorganization or other
transaction under Rule 145 of the Securities Act.
“Trading
Day”
means
(i) a day on which the common stock is listed or quoted and traded on its
Principal Market (other than the OTC Bulletin Board), or (ii) if the common
stock is not listed on a Trading Market (other than the OTC Bulletin Board),
a
day on which the common stock is traded in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by the OTC Bulletin Board, or (iii) if the common stock is not quoted
on any Trading Market, a day on which the common stock is quoted in the
over-the-counter market as reported in the “pink sheets” by Pink Sheets LLC (or
any similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting
prices); provided,
that in
the event that the common stock is not listed or quoted as set forth in (i),
(ii) and (iii) hereof, then Trading Day shall mean a Business Day.
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“Trading
Market”
means
whichever of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the
NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market, the NASDAQ Capital Market
or OTC Bulletin Board on which the common stock is listed or quoted for trading
on the date in question.
2. Registration.
(a) On
or
prior to the Filing Deadline, the Company shall prepare and file with the
Commission a “Shelf” Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the
Registrable Securities not already covered by an existing and effective
Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant
to Rule 415 under which no Holder will be deemed an underwriter of the
Registrable Securities registered therein, or, if Rule 415 is not available
for
offers and sales of the Registrable Securities, by such other means of
distribution of Registrable Securities as the Holders may reasonably specify
(the “Initial
Registration Statement”).
The
Initial Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 (except if the Company
is
then ineligible to register for resale of the Registrable Securities on Form
S-3, in which case such registration shall be on such other form available
to
register for resale of the Registrable Securities as a secondary offering)
subject to the provisions of Section 2(f) and shall contain (except if otherwise
required pursuant to written comments received from the Commission upon a review
of such Registration Statement) the “Plan of Distribution” section attached
hereto as Annex
A.
Notwithstanding the registration obligations set forth in this subsection (a)
and subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this Section 2, in the event the
Commission informs the Company that all of the Registrable Securities cannot,
as
a result of the application of Rule 415, be registered for resale as a secondary
offering on a single registration statement, or that registration of all the
Registrable Securities on a single registration statement would cause any Holder
to be deemed an underwriter with respect to such Registrable Securities, the
Company agrees to promptly (i) inform each of the holders thereof and use its
commercially reasonable efforts to file amendments to the Initial Registration
Statement as required by the Commission and/or (ii) withdraw the Initial
Registration Statement and file a new registration statement (a “New
Registration Statement”),
in
either case covering the maximum number of Registrable Securities permitted
to
be registered by the Commission, on Form S-3 or such other form available to
register for resale the Registrable Securities as a secondary
offering;
provided, however,
that
prior to filing such amendment or New Registration Statement, the Company shall
be obligated to use its commercially reasonable efforts to advocate with the
Commission for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in
accordance with the SEC Guidance, including without limitation, the Manual
of
Publicly Available Telephone Interpretations D.29. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement and subject to the payment of liquidated damages
in
Section 2(c), if any SEC Guidance sets forth a limitation of the number of
Registrable Securities permitted to be registered on a particular Registration
Statement as a secondary offering (and notwithstanding that the Company used
diligent efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all
or
a greater number of Registrable Securities), unless otherwise directed in
writing by a Holder as to its Registrable Securities, the number of Registrable
Securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will first be reduced
by Registrable Securities not acquired pursuant to the Purchase Agreement
(whether pursuant to registration rights or otherwise), second by Registrable
Securities represented by Shares (applied, in the case that some Shares may
be
registered, to the Holders on a pro rata basis based on the total number of
unregistered Shares held by such Holders, subject to a determination by the
Commission that certain Holders must be reduced first based on the number of
Shares held by such Holders). In the event the Company amends the Initial
Registration Statement or files a New Registration Statement, as the case may
be, under clauses (i) or (ii) above, the Company will use its commercially
reasonable efforts to file with the Commission, as promptly as allowed by
Commission or staff guidance provided to the Company or to registrants of
securities in general, one or more registration statements on Form S-3 or such
other form available to register for resale those Registrable Securities that
were not registered for resale on the Initial Registration Statement, as
amended, or the New Registration Statement (the “Remainder
Registration Statements”).
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(b) The
Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause each Registration
Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable
and,
with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or the New Registration
Statement, as applicable, no later than the Effectiveness Deadline (including
filing with the Commission a request for acceleration of effectiveness in
accordance with Rule 461 promulgated under the Securities Act within five (5)
Business Days after the date that the Company is notified by the Commission
that
such Registration Statement will not be “reviewed,” or not be subject to further
review and the effectiveness of such Registration Statement may be accelerated)
and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep each Registration
Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the earlier
of
(i) such time as all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration
Statement have been publicly sold by the Holders or (ii) the date that all
Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement may be sold by
non-affiliates without volume restrictions pursuant to the last sentence of
Rule
144(b)(1)(i) as determined by counsel to the Company pursuant to a written
opinion letter to such effect, addressed and reasonably acceptable to the
Company's transfer agent (the “Effectiveness
Period”).
Each
Registration Statement shall also cover, to the extent allowable under the
Securities Act and the rules promulgated thereunder (including Rule 416), such
indeterminate number of additional shares of common stock resulting from stock
splits, stock dividends or similar transactions with respect to the Registrable
Securities. The Company shall promptly notify the Holders via facsimile or
e-mail of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement within one (1) Business
Day of the Effective Date. The Company shall, by 9:30 am Eastern Time on the
first Trading Day after the Effective Date, file a Rule 424(b) prospectus with
the Commission. Failure to so notify the Holders on or before the second Trading
Day after such notification or effectiveness or failure to file a final
Prospectus as aforesaid shall be deemed an Event under Section
2(c).
(c) If:
(i)
the Initial Registration Statement is not filed with the Commission on or prior
to the Filing Deadline, (ii) the Initial Registration Statement or the New
Registration Statement, as applicable, is not declared effective by the
Commission (or otherwise does not become effective) for any reason on or prior
to the Effectiveness Deadline, or less than all of the Registrable Securities
are included in the Initial Registration Statement for any reason, including
without limitation, the reasons described in Section 2(a) above, or (iii) after
its Effective Date, (A) such Registration Statement ceases for any reason
(including without limitation by reason of a stop order, or the Company’s
failure to update the Registration Statement), but excluding the inability
of
any Holder to sell the Registrable Securities covered thereby due to market
conditions, to remain continuously effective as to all Registrable Securities
for which it is required to be effective or (B) the Holders are not permitted
to
utilize the Prospectus therein to resell such Registrable Securities, in the
case of (A) and (B), for an aggregate of more than ten (10) consecutive Trading
Days or for more than an aggregate of thirty (30) Trading Days in any 12-month
period (which need not be consecutive), other than as a result of a breach
of
this Agreement by a Holder or a Holder’s failure to return a Selling Stockholder
Questionnaire within the time period provided by Section 2(e) hereof or as
a
result of Section 6(e) hereof (any such failure or breach in clauses (i) through
(iii) above being referred to as an “Event,”
and,
for purposes of clauses (i) or (ii), the date on which such Event occurs, or
for
purposes of clause (iii), the date on which such 10 consecutive or 30 Trading
Day period (as applicable) is exceeded, being referred to as “Event
Date”),
then
in lieu of any other rights available to the Holders hereunder or under
applicable law: (x) within five (5) Business Days after each such Event Date,
the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated
damages and not as a penalty, equal to two percent (2.0%) of the aggregate
purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement for any
Registrable Securities held by such Holder on the Event Date (which remedy
shall
be in addition to any other remedies available under this Agreement or under
applicable law); and (y) on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date
(if
the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the
applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in
cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to two percent
(2.0%) of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement for any Registrable Securities then held by such Holder
(which remedy shall be in addition to any other remedies available under this
Agreement or under applicable law). The parties agree that the maximum aggregate
liquidated damages payable to a Holder under this Agreement shall be eighteen
percent (18%) of the aggregate Subscription Amount paid by such Holder pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement; provided,
however,
that
such cap shall not limit the other remedies and rights that Holders may have
hereunder or under applicable law. If the Company fails to pay any liquidated
damages pursuant to this Section in full within five (5) Business Days after
the
date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of one and
one-half percent (1.5%) per month (or such lesser maximum amount that is
permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from
the
date such liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest
thereon, are paid in full. The liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof
shall apply on a daily pro-rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the
cure of an Event, except in the case of the first Event Date.
In the
event that the Company registers some but not all of the Registrable Securities,
the 2.0% of partial liquidated damages referred to above for any monthly period
shall be reduced to equal the percentage determined by multiplying 2.0% by
a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Registrable Securities
for which there is not an effective Registration Statement at such time and
the
denominator of which shall be the number of Registrable Securities at such
time.
The
Effectiveness Deadline for a Registration Statement shall be extended without
default or liquidated damages hereunder in the event that the Company’s failure
to obtain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement on a timely basis
results from the failure of a Purchaser to timely provide the Company with
information requested by the Company and necessary to complete the Registration
Statement in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act (in which
the Effectiveness Deadline would be extended with respect to Registrable
Securities held by such Purchaser).
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(d) Each
Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed Questionnaire in the form
attached to this Agreement as Annex
B
(a
“Selling
Stockholder Questionnaire”)
not
more than ten (10) Trading Days following the date of this Agreement. At least
ten (10) Trading Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of a
Registration Statement for any registration under this Agreement, the Company
will notify each Holder of the information the Company requires from that Holder
other than the information contained in the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire,
if any, which shall be completed and delivered to the Company promptly upon
request and, in any event, within three (3) Trading Days prior to the applicable
anticipated filing date. Each Holder further agrees that it shall not be
entitled to be named as a selling securityholder in a Registration Statement
or
use the Prospectus for offers and resales of Registrable Securities at any
time,
unless such Holder has returned to the Company a completed and signed Selling
Stockholder Questionnaire and a response to any requests for further information
as described in the previous sentence. If a Holder of Registrable Securities
returns a Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or a request for further
information, in either case, after its respective deadline, the Company shall
use its commercially reasonable efforts to take such actions as are required
to
name such Holder as a selling security holder in the Registration Statement
or
any pre-effective or post-effective amendment thereto and to include (to the
extent not theretofore included) in the Registration Statement the Registrable
Securities identified in such late Questionnaire or request for further
information. Each Holder acknowledges and agrees that the information in the
Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or request for further information as
described in this Section 2(e) will be used by the Company in the preparation
of
the Registration Statement and hereby consents to the inclusion of such
information in the Registration Statement.
(e) In
the
event that Form S-3 is not available for the registration of the resale of
Registrable Securities hereunder, the Company shall
(i)
register the resale of the Registrable Securities on another appropriate form
reasonably acceptable to the Holders and (ii) undertake to register the
Registrable Securities on Form S-3 as soon as such form is available,
provided
that the
Company shall maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then
in
effect until such time as a Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the
Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the
Commission.
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3. Registration
Procedures.
In
connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the Company
shall:
(a) Not
less
than five (5) Trading Days prior to the filing of a Registration Statement
and
not less than one (1) Trading Day prior to the filing of any related Prospectus
or any amendment or supplement thereto (except
for Annual Reports on Form 10-K, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current
Reports on Form 8-K and any similar or successor reports),
the
Company shall furnish to the Holder copies of such Registration Statement,
Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, as proposed to be filed, which
documents will be subject to the review of such Holder (it being acknowledged
and agreed that if a Holder does not object to or comment on the aforementioned
documents within such five (5) Trading Day or one (1) Trading Day period, as
the
case may be, then the Holder shall be deemed to have consented to and approved
the use of such documents). The Company shall not file
any
Registration Statement or amendment or supplement thereto in a form to which
a
Holder reasonably objects
in good
faith, provided that, the Company is notified of such objection in writing
within the five (5) Trading Day or one (1) Trading Day period described above,
as applicable.
(b) (i)
Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments (including post-effective
amendments) and supplements to each Registration Statement and the Prospectus
used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration
Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities
for
its Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such
additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the
Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related
Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement
(subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended,
to
be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably
practicable to any comments received from the Commission with respect to each
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and, as promptly as reasonably
possible, provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence
from and to the Commission relating to such Registration Statement that pertains
to the Holders as “Selling Stockholders” but not any comments that would result
in the disclosure to the Holders of material and non-public information
concerning the Company; and (iv) comply with the provisions of the Securities
Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable
Securities covered by a Registration Statement until such time as all of such
Registrable Securities shall have been disposed of (subject to the terms of
this
Agreement) in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders
thereof as set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such
Prospectus as so supplemented; provided,
however,
that
each Purchaser shall be responsible for the delivery of the Prospectus to the
Persons to whom such Purchaser sells any of the Shares (including in accordance
with Rule 172 under the Securities Act), and each Purchaser agrees to dispose
of
Registrable Securities in compliance with the plan of distribution described
in
the Registration Statement and otherwise in compliance with applicable federal
and state securities laws.
In the
case of amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement which are
required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement (including pursuant to this
Section 3(b)) by reason of the Company filing a report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q
or Form 8-K or any analogous report under the Exchange Act, the Company shall
have incorporated such report by reference into such Registration Statement,
if
applicable, or shall file such amendments or supplements with the Commission
on
the same day on which the Exchange Act report which created the requirement
for
the Company to amend or supplement such Registration Statement was
filed.
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(c) Notify
the Holders (which notice shall, pursuant to clauses (iii) through (vi) hereof,
be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until
the
requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably possible (and,
in
the case of (i)(A) below, not less than three Trading Days prior to such filing,
in the case of (iii) and (iv) below, not more than one Trading Day after such
issuance or receipt, in the case of (v) below, not less than one Trading Day
after a determination by the Company that the financial statements in any
Registration Statement have become ineligible for inclusion therein and, in
the
case of (vi) below, not more than one Trading Day after the occurrence or
existence of such development) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm
such notice in writing no later than one Trading Day following the day (i)(A)
when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment
to a
Registration Statement is proposed to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies
the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and
whenever the Commission comments in writing on any Registration Statement (in
which case the Company shall provide to each of the Holders true and complete
copies of all comments that pertain to the Holders as a “Selling Stockholder” or
to the “Plan of Distribution” and all written responses thereto, but not
information that the Company believes would constitute material and non-public
information); and (C) with respect to each Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any
request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority
for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or
for
additional information that pertains to the Holders as “Selling Stockholders” or
the “Plan of Distribution”; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other
federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of a Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable
Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the
receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of
the
qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of
any
Proceeding for such purpose; (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage
of
time that makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement
ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in such Registration
Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that
requires any revisions to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or other
documents so that, in the case of such Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material
fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to
make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, form of prospectus
or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made), not misleading; and (vi) the occurrence or existence of any pending
development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may be
material and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the
best
interest of the Company to allow continued availability of a Registration
Statement or Prospectus, provided
that any
and all of such information shall remain confidential to each Holder until
such
information otherwise becomes public, unless disclosure by a Holder is required
by law; provided,
further,
that
notwithstanding each Holder’s agreement to keep such information confidential,
the Holders make no acknowledgement that any such information is material,
non-public information.
(d) Use
best
efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i)
any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii)
any
suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of
the
Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, as soon as
practicable.
(e) If
requested by a Holder, furnish to such Holder, without charge, at least one
conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto and
all
exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously
furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such
documents with the Commission; provided,
that
the Company shall have no obligation to provide any document pursuant to this
clause that is available on the Commission’s XXXXX system.
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(f) [reserved]
(g) Prior
to
any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially
reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders
in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the
registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale
by
the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within
the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each
registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the
Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably
necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable
Securities covered by each Registration Statement; provided,
that
the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any
material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or file
a
general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
(h) If
requested by the Holders, cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities
to
be delivered to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement, which
certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement
and under law, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable
Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any
such
Holders may reasonably request.
(i) Following
the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c) as promptly as
reasonably practicable (taking into account the Company’s good faith assessment
of any adverse consequences to the Company and its stockholders of the premature
disclosure of such event), prepare a supplement or amendment, including a
post-effective amendment, to the affected Registration Statements or a
supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed
to
be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document
so
that, as thereafter delivered, no Registration Statement nor any Prospectus
will
contain an 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 case of any Prospectus, form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading.
(j) (i)
In
the time and manner required by the Principal Market, prepare and file with
such
Trading Market an additional shares listing application covering all of the
Registrable Securities, (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to take all
steps necessary to cause such Registrable Securities to be approved for listing
on the Principal Market as soon as possible thereafter, (iii) if requested
by
any Holder, provide such Holder evidence of such listing, and (iv) during the
Effectiveness Period, use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the
listing of such Registrable Securities on the Principal Market.
(k) In
order
to enable the Holders to sell Shares under Rule 144, for a period of two years
from the Closing, the Company covenants to use commercially reasonable efforts
to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the
applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after
the date hereof pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. During
such two year period, if the Company is not required to file reports pursuant
to
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to
the
Holders and make publicly available in accordance with Rule 144(c) promulgated
under the Securities Act annual and quarterly financial statements, together
with a discussion and analysis of such financial statements in form and
substance substantially similar to those that would otherwise be required to
be
included in reports required by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act,
as
well as any other information required thereby, in the time period that such
filings would have been required to have been made under the Exchange Act.
The
Company further covenants that it will use commercially reasonable efforts
to
take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent
required from time to time to enable such Person to sell Shares without
registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions
provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, including compliance
with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement relating to the transfer of the
Shares.
9
(l) The
Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified
statement as to (i) the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned
by
such Holder and any Affiliate thereof, (ii) any Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (“FINRA”)
affiliations, (iii) any natural persons who have the power to vote or dispose
of
the common stock and (iv) any other information as may be requested by the
Commission, the NASD or any state securities commission. During any periods
that
the Company is unable to meet its obligations hereunder with respect to the
registration of Registrable Securities because any Holder fails to furnish
such
information within three (3) Trading Days of the Company’s request, any
liquidated damages that are accruing at such time as to such Holder only shall
be tolled and any Event that may otherwise occur solely because of such delay
shall be suspended as to such Holder only, until such information is delivered
to the Company.
(m) The
Company shall cooperate with the placement agent and any registered broker
dealer that is required to make a filing with FINRA pursuant to NASD Rule 2710
in connection with the resale of any Registrable Securities by any Holder and
pay the filing fee required for the first such filing.
4. Registration
Expenses.
All fees
and expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with its
obligations under this Agreement (excluding any underwriting discounts and
selling commissions and all legal fees and expenses of legal counsel for any
Holder) shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities
are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred
to
in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all
registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses
(A) with respect to filings required to be made with any Trading Market on
which
the common stock is then listed for trading, (B) with respect to compliance
with
applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without limitation,
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky
qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities and determination
of
the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for investment under the laws
of
such jurisdictions as requested by the Holders) and (C) with respect to any
filing that may be required to be made by any broker through which a Holder
intends to make sales of Registrable Securities with FINRA pursuant to the
NASD
Rule 2710, so long as the broker is receiving no more than a customary brokerage
commission in connection with such sale, (ii) printing expenses (including,
without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities
and of printing prospectuses if the printing of prospectuses is reasonably
requested by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included
in
the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses,
(iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act
liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees
and
expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition,
the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred
in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its
officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense
of
any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required
hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any underwriting,
broker or similar fees or commissions of any Holder or, except to the extent
provided for in the Transaction Documents, any legal fees or other costs of
the
Holders.
10
5. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification
by the Company.
The
Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify
and
hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, agents, partners, members,
managers, stockholders, Affiliates and employees of each of them, each Person
who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities
Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, partners,
members, managers, stockholders, agents and employees of each such controlling
Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against
any
and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without
limitation, reasonable costs of preparation and investigation and reasonable,
documented attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”),
as
incurred, that arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any
Prospectus or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto
(it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex
A
hereto
for this purpose) or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or
relating to any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case
of
any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (ii) any violation
or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, Exchange Act or
any
state securities law or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with
the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent,
but only to the extent, that (A) such untrue statements, alleged untrue
statements, omissions or alleged omissions are based solely upon information
regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder
expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to
such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable
Securities and was reviewed and approved by such Holder expressly for use in
the
Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that each Holder has
approved Annex
A
hereto
for this purpose), (B) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type
specified in Section 3(c)(iii)-(vi), related to the use by a Holder of an
outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder
in
writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt
by
such Holder of the Advice contemplated and defined in Section 6(f) below, but
only if and to the extent that following the receipt of the Advice the
misstatement or omission giving rise to such Loss would have been corrected
or
(C) any such Losses arise out of the Purchaser’s (or any other indemnified
Person’s) failure to send or give a copy of the Prospectus or supplement (as
then amended or supplemented) to the Persons asserting an untrue statement
or
alleged untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of Registrable
Securities to such Person if such statement or omission was corrected in such
Prospectus or supplement, but only to the extent that such failure constitutes
a
violation of the Securities Act. The Company shall notify the Holders promptly
of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding arising from or in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of which the
Company is aware. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of an Indemnified Party
(as
defined in Section 5(c)) and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable
Securities by the Holders.
(b) Indemnification
by Holders.
Each
Holder shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, severally
and
not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers,
agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and
the
directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as
incurred, arising out of or are based upon any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any
Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission
or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, or
any
form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made) not misleading (i) to the extent, but only to the extent
that, such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information
regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder
expressly for use therein, (ii) to the extent that such information relates
to
such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable
Securities and was reviewed and approved by such Holder expressly for use in
the
Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved
Annex
A
hereto
for this purpose), such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto or (iii) in the case of an occurrence of an
event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(iii)-(vi), to the extent related
to
the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company
has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective
and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section
6(f). In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater
in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder
upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification
obligation.
11
(c) Conduct
of Indemnification Proceedings.
If any
Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity
hereunder (an “Indemnified
Party”),
such
Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought
(the “Indemnifying
Party”)
in
writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense
thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Indemnified Party and the payment of all reasonable, documented fees and
expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided,
that
the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve
the
Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement,
except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court
of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or
further review) that such failure shall have proximately and materially
adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
An
Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such
Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses
of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties
unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and
expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the
defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to
such
Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such
Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified
Party
and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been advised
in the reasonable opinion of such separate counsel, a material conflict on
any
material issue between the position of the Indemnifying Party and the position
of such Indemnified Party, in which case the Indemnifying Party shall be
responsible for the reasonable, documented fees and expenses of no more than
one
such separate counsel. The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. No
Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified
Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which
any
Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional
release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the
subject matter of such Proceeding.
(d) Contribution.
If a
claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an
Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each
Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result
of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the
actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying
Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material
fact,
has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such
Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result
of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth
in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys' or other reasonable fees or
expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent
such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the
indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in
accordance with its terms.
12
The
parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by
any
other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable
considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), (A) no Holder shall be
required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount
by
which the net proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the
Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any
damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission and (B)
no
contribution will be made under circumstances where the maker of such
contribution would not have been required to indemnify the Indemnified Party
under the fault standards set forth in this Section 5. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition
to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified
Parties and are not in diminution or limitation of the indemnification
provisions under the Purchase Agreement.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies.
In the
event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their obligations
under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in
addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under
this
Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific
performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each Holder
agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any
losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this
Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for
specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense
that
a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No
Piggyback on Registrations.
Except
and to the extent specified in Schedule 3.1(y) to the Purchase Agreement,
neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other than the Holders
in
such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the Company in a
Registration Statement other than the Registrable Securities, and the Company
shall not prior to the Effective Date enter into any agreement providing any
such right to any of its security holders. The Company shall not, from the
date
hereof until the date that is thirty (30) days after the Effective Date of
the
Registration Statement, prepare and file with the Commission a registration
statement relating to an offering for its own account (or, except as set forth
on Schedule 6(b) hereto, for the account of any other person or entity) under
the Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than a registration
statement on Form S-8 or, in connection with an acquisition, on Form S-4. For
the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall, except as set forth on Schedule
6(b)
hereto, be prohibited from preparing and filing with the Commission a
registration statement relating to an offering of Common Stock by existing
stockholders of the Company under the Securities Act pursuant to the terms
of
registration rights held by such stockholder, or from filing amendments to
registration statements filed prior to the date of this Agreement or a Special
Registration Statement.
13
(c) Entire
Agreement.
This
Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement
and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and
understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained
herein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings
between the parties with respect to such subject matter, except for, and as
provided in the Transaction Documents.
(d) Compliance.
Each
Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it (unless an exemption
therefrom is available) in connection with sales of Registrable Securities
pursuant to the Registration Statement and shall sell the Registrable Securities
only in accordance with a method of distribution described in the Registration
Statement.
(e) Suspension
of Trading.
At any
time after the Registrable Securities are covered by an effective Registration
Statement, the Company may deliver to the Holders of such Registrable Securities
a certificate (the “Suspension
Certificate”)
approved by the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer of the
Company and signed by an officer of the Company stating that the effectiveness
of and sales of Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement would:
(i) materially
interfere with any transaction that would require the Company to prepare
financial statements under the Securities Act that the Company would otherwise
not be required to prepare in order to comply with its obligations under the
Exchange Act, or
(ii) require
public disclosure of a material transaction or event prior to the time such
disclosure might otherwise be required.
Upon
receipt of a Suspension Certificate by Holders of Registrable Securities, such
Holders of Registrable Securities shall refrain from selling or otherwise
transferring or disposing of any Registrable Securities then held by such
Holders for a specified period of time (a “Suspension
Period”)
that
is customary under the circumstances (not to exceed twenty (20) days).
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Company shall be permitted to cause
Holders of Registrable Securities to so refrain from selling or otherwise
transferring or disposing of any Registrable Securities on only two (2)
occasions during each twelve (12) consecutive month period that the Registration
Statement remains effective with no less than twenty (20) calendar days in
between Suspension Periods. The Company may impose stop transfer instructions
to
enforce any required agreement of the Holders under this Section 6(e).
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 6(b) to the contrary, the declaration
by the Company of a Suspension Period shall constitute an “Event” within the
meaning of Section 2(c)(iii)(B) of this Agreement, and shall give rise to
partial liquidated damages pursuant to Section 2(c) upon the terms and
conditions set forth therein, even if the Suspension Period is otherwise
permissible under this Section 6(b).
(f) Discontinued
Disposition.
Each
Holder further agrees by its acquisition of such Registrable Securities that,
upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of
the
kind described in Section 3(c)(iii)-(vi), such Holder will forthwith discontinue
disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement
until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”)
by the
Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been
supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company may provide appropriate
stop orders to enforce the provisions of this paragraph. The Company agrees
and
acknowledges that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue
the disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to
the
provisions of Section 2(c) as qualified by Section 3(a).
14
(g) Amendments
and Waivers.
The
provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may
not
be amended, modified, supplemented or waived unless the same shall be in writing
and signed by the Company and Holders holding a majority of the then outstanding
Registrable Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent
to
depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates
exclusively to the rights of Holders and that does not directly or indirectly
affect the rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of all of the
Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided,
however,
that
the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified or supplemented
except in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.
(h) Term.
The
registration rights provided to the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder,
and the Company’s obligation to keep the Registration Statements effective,
shall terminate at such time as there are no Registrable Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Section 2(c), Section 4, Xxxxxxx 0, Xxxxxxx
0(x),
Xxxxxxx 0(x), Section 6(m), Section 6(n), Section 6(o), Section 6(p) and Section
6(q) shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
(i) Notices.
Any and
all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to
be
provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
(j) Successors
and Assigns.
This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors
and
permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of
each
Holder. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer
upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors
and
assigns any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities under or by reason
of
this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. The Company
may
not assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent
of all the Holders of the then outstanding Registrable Securities (other than
by
merger or consolidation or to an entity which acquires the Company including
by
way of acquiring all or substantially all of the Company’s assets). The rights
of the Holders hereunder, including the right to have the Company register
Registrable Securities pursuant to this Agreement, may be assigned by each
Holder to transferees or assignees of all or any portion of the Registrable
Securities, but only if (i) the Holder agrees in writing with the transferee
or
assignee to assign such rights and related obligations under this Agreement,
and
for the transferee or assignee to assume such obligations, and a copy of such
agreement is furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such
assignment, (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer
or
assignment, furnished with written notice of the name and address of such
transferee or assignee and the securities with respect to which such
registration rights are being transferred or assigned, (iii) at or before the
time the Company received the written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of
this
sentence, the transferee or assignee agrees in writing with the Company to
be
bound by all of the provisions contained herein and (iv) the transferee is
an
“accredited investor,” as that term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation
D.
(k) Execution
and Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when
so
executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together
shall constitute one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when
counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party,
it
being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the
event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail
delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and
binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature
is
executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf”
signature were the original thereof.
15
(l) Governing
Law.
All
questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation
of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of
the
Purchase Agreement.
(m) Cumulative
Remedies.
The
remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies
provided by law.
(n) Severability.
If any
term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court
of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein
shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to
find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the
same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or
restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the
parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants
and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared
invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(o) Headings.
The
headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall
not
limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(p) Independent
Nature of Purchasers' Obligations and Rights.
The
obligations of each Purchaser under this Agreement are several and not joint
with the obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder, and no Purchaser shall
be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser hereunder. The decision of each Purchaser to purchase the Shares
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement has been made independently of any other
Purchaser. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document
delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto
or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership,
an
association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a
presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert with respect
to
such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each
Purchaser acknowledges that no other Purchaser has acted as agent for such
Purchaser in connection with making its investment hereunder and that no
Purchaser will be acting as agent of such Purchaser in connection with
monitoring its investment in the Shares or enforcing its rights under the
Purchase Agreement. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to protect and enforce
its
rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement,
and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an
additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. The Company acknowledges
that each of the Purchasers has been provided with the same Registration Rights
Agreement for the purpose of closing a transaction with multiple Purchasers
and
not because it was required or requested to do so by any Purchaser.
(q) Currency.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all dollar amounts referred to in this Agreement are in
United States Dollars. All amounts owing under this Agreement are in United
States Dollars. All amounts denominated in other currencies shall be converted
in the United States Dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the applicable
exchange rate in effect on the date of calculation.
(r) Further
Assurances.
The
parties shall execute and deliver all such further instruments and documents
and
take all such other actions as may reasonably be required to carry out the
transactions contemplated hereby and to evidence the fulfillment of the
agreements herein contained.
[REMAINDER
OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK,
SIGNATURE
PAGES TO FOLLOW]
16
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement
as
of the date first written above.
HOKU
SCIENTIFIC, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
|
Name:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President and Chief Executive
Officer
|
[REMAINDER
OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK,
SIGNATURE
PAGES OF HOLDERS TO FOLLOW]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement
as
of the date first written above.
NAME
OF INVESTING ENTITY
|
||
Suntech
Power International Ltd.
|
||
AUTHORIZED
SIGNATORY
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxxxxx Xxx
|
|
Name:
Xx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxx
|
||
Title:
Director
|
||
ADDRESS
FOR NOTICE
|
||
c/o:
|
Suntech
America
|
|
Street:
|
188
The Embarcadero, 80th
Fl
|
|
City/State/Zip:
|
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
|
Attention
|
:
Xxxxxx
Xxxx
|
|
Tel:
|
000-000-0000
|
|
Fax:
|
000-000-0000
|
|
Email:
|
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement
as
of the date first written above.
NAME
OF INVESTING ENTITY
|
||
Investcorp
Interlachen Multi-Strategy Master Fund
|
||
Limited
|
||
By:
|
Interlachen
Capital Group LP
|
|
Authorized
Signatory
|
||
AUTHORIZED
SIGNATORY
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Authorized Signatory
|
||
ADDRESS
FOR NOTICE
|
||
c/o:
|
||
Street:
|
000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 0000
|
|
Xxxx/Xxxxx/Xxx:
|
Xxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
|
|
Attention:
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx / Legal
|
|
Tel:
|
000-000-0000
|
|
Fax:
|
000-000-0000
|
|
Email:
|
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement
as
of the date first written above.
NAME
OF INVESTING ENTITY
|
||
Capital
Ventures International
|
||
By:
|
Hieghts
Capital Management, Inc.
|
|
its
authorized agent
|
||
AUTHORIZED
SIGNATORY
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Investment Manager
|
||
ADDRESS
FOR NOTICE
|
||
c/o:
|
Heights
Capital Management
|
|
Street:
|
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
|
|
Xxxx/Xxxxx/Xxx:
|
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
|
Attention:
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
|
|
Tel:
|
000-000-0000
|
|
Fax:
|
000-000-0000
|
|
Email:
|
Annex
A
PLAN
OF DISTRIBUTION
We
are
registering the shares of common stock issued to the selling stockholders to
permit the resale of these shares of common stock by the holders of the shares
of common stock from time to time after the date of this prospectus. We will
not
receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the selling stockholders of the
shares of common stock. We will bear all fees and expenses incident to our
obligation to register the shares of common stock.
The
selling stockholders may sell all or a portion of the shares of common stock
beneficially owned by them and offered hereby from time to time directly or
through one or more underwriters, broker-dealers or agents. If the shares of
common stock are sold through underwriters or broker-dealers, the selling
stockholders will be responsible for underwriting discounts or commissions
or
agent's commissions. The shares of common stock may be sold on any national
securities exchange or quotation service on which the securities may be listed
or quoted at the time of sale, in the over-the-counter market or in transactions
otherwise than on these exchanges or systems or in the over-the-counter market
and in one or more transactions at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices
at
the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or
at
negotiated prices. These sales may be effected in transactions, which may
involve crosses or block transactions. The selling stockholders may use any
one
or more of the following methods when selling shares:
·
|
ordinary
brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer
solicits purchasers;
|
·
|
block
trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares
as agent
but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to
facilitate the transaction;
|
·
|
purchases
by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for
its
account;
|
·
|
an
exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable
exchange;
|
·
|
privately
negotiated transactions;
|
·
|
settlement
of short sales entered into after the effective date of the registration
statement of which this prospectus is a
part;
|
·
|
broker-dealers
may agree with the selling stockholders to sell a specified number
of such
shares at a stipulated price per
share;
|
·
|
through
the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions,
whether such options are listed on an options exchange or
otherwise;
|
·
|
a
combination of any such methods of sale;
and
|
·
|
any
other method permitted pursuant to applicable
law.
|
The
selling stockholders also may resell all or a portion of the shares in open
market transactions in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as
permitted by that rule, or Section 4(1) under the Securities Act, if available,
rather than under this prospectus, provided that they meet the criteria and
conform to the requirements of those provisions.
Broker-dealers
engaged by the selling stockholders may arrange for other broker-dealers to
participate in sales. If the selling stockholders effect such transactions
by
selling shares of common stock to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or
agents, such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions
in
the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders
or commissions from purchasers of the shares of common stock for whom they
may
act as agent or to whom they may sell as principal. Such commissions will be
in
amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this
Prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction will not be in excess of a
customary brokerage commission in compliance with NASD Rule 2440; and in the
case of a principal transaction a markup or markdown in compliance with NASD
IM-2440.
In
connection with sales of the shares of common stock or otherwise, the selling
stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other
financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the shares
of
common stock in the course of hedging in positions they assume. The selling
stockholders may also sell shares of common stock short and if such short sale
shall take place after the date that this Registration Statement is declared
effective by the Commission, the selling stockholders may deliver shares of
common stock covered by this prospectus to close out short positions and to
return borrowed shares in connection with such short sales. The selling
stockholders may also loan or pledge shares of common stock to broker-dealers
that in turn may sell such shares, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
The selling stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with
broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more
derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other
financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such
broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this
prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the selling stockholders have been advised that
they may not use shares registered on this registration statement to cover
short
sales of our common stock made prior to the date the registration statement,
of
which this prospectus forms a part, has been declared effective by the
SEC.
The
selling stockholders may, from time to time, pledge or grant a security interest
in some or all of [the warrants or ]shares of common stock owned by them and,
if
they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees
or
secured parties may offer and sell the shares of common stock from time to
time
pursuant to this prospectus or any amendment to this prospectus under Rule
424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, amending, if necessary, the list of selling stockholders to include
the
pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as selling stockholders
under this prospectus. The selling stockholders also may transfer and donate
the
shares of common stock in other circumstances in which case the transferees,
donees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial
owners for purposes of this prospectus.
The
selling stockholders and any broker-dealer or agents participating in the
distribution of the shares of common stock may be deemed to be “underwriters”
within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act in connection with
such sales. In such event, any commissions paid, or any discounts or concessions
allowed to, any such broker-dealer or agent and any profit on the resale of
the
shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or
discounts under the Securities Act. Selling Stockholders who are "underwriters"
within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act will be subject to
the
prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act and may be subject to
certain statutory liabilities of, including but not limited to, Sections 11,
12
and 17 of the Securities Act and Rule 10b-5 under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.
Each
selling stockholder has informed the Company that it is not a registered
broker-dealer and does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding,
directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the common stock. Upon
the
Company being notified in writing by a selling stockholder that any material
arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of common
stock through a block trade, special offering, exchange distribution or
secondary distribution or a purchase by a broker or dealer, a supplement to
this
prospectus will be filed, if required, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
Securities Act, disclosing (i) the name of each such selling stockholder and
of
the participating broker-dealer(s), (ii) the number of shares involved, (iii)
the price at which such the shares of common stock were sold, (iv) the
commissions paid or discounts or concessions allowed to such broker-dealer(s),
where applicable, (v) that such broker-dealer(s) did not conduct any
investigation to verify the information set out or incorporated by reference
in
this prospectus, and (vi) other facts material to the transaction. In no event
shall any broker-dealer receive fees, commissions and markups, which, in the
aggregate, would exceed eight percent (8%).
Under
the
securities laws of some states, the shares of common stock may be sold in such
states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition,
in
some states the shares of common stock may not be sold unless such shares have
been registered or qualified for sale in such state or an exemption from
registration or qualification is available and is complied with.
There
can
be no assurance that any selling stockholder will sell any or all of the shares
of common stock registered pursuant to the shelf registration statement, of
which this prospectus forms a part.
Each
selling stockholder and any other person participating in such distribution
will
be subject to applicable provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as
amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without
limitation, Regulation M of the Exchange Act, which may limit the timing of
purchases and sales of any of the shares of common stock by the selling
stockholder and any other participating person. Regulation M may also restrict
the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the shares of common
stock to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares of common
stock. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares of common
stock and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making
activities with respect to the shares of common stock.
We
will
pay all expenses of the registration of the shares of common stock pursuant
to
the registration rights agreement, including, without limitation, Securities
and
Exchange Commission filing fees and expenses of compliance with state securities
or “blue sky” laws; provided,
however,
that
each selling stockholder will pay all underwriting discounts and selling
commissions, if any, and any legal expenses incurred by it. We will indemnify
the selling stockholders against certain liabilities, including some liabilities
under the Securities Act, in accordance with a registration rights agreement,
or
the selling stockholders will be entitled to contribution. We may be indemnified
by the selling stockholders against civil liabilities, including liabilities
under the Securities Act, that may arise from any written information furnished
to us by the selling stockholders specifically for use in this prospectus,
in
accordance with the related registration rights agreements, or we may be
entitled to contribution.
Annex
B
HOKU
SCIENTIFIC, INC.
SELLING
STOCKHOLDER NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE
The
undersigned holder of shares of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share,
of
Hoku Scientific, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
issued pursuant to a certain Securities Purchase Agreement by and among the
Company and the Purchasers named therein, dated as of [MM/DD], 2008 (the
“Agreement”),
understands that the Company intends to file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Resale
Registration Statement”)
for
the registration and the resale under Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933,
as
amended (the “Securities
Act”),
of
the Registrable Securities in accordance with the terms of the Agreement. All
capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed
thereto in the Agreement.
In
order
to sell or otherwise dispose of any Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Resale Registration Statement, a holder of Registrable Securities generally
will
be required to be named as a selling stockholder in the related prospectus
or a
supplement thereto (as so supplemented, the “Prospectus”),
deliver the Prospectus to purchasers of Registrable Securities (including
pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) and be bound by the provisions
of
the Agreement (including certain indemnification provisions, as described
below). Holders must complete and deliver this Notice and Questionnaire in
order
to be named as selling stockholders in the Prospectus. Holders
of Registrable Securities who do not complete, execute and return this Notice
and Questionnaire within ten (10) Trading Days following the date of the
Agreement (1) will not be named as selling stockholders in the Resale
Registration Statement or the Prospectus and (2) may not use the Prospectus
for
resales of Registrable Securities.
Certain
legal consequences arise from being named as a selling stockholder in the Resale
Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Holders of Registrable Securities
are
advised to consult their own securities law counsel regarding the consequences
of being named or not named as a selling stockholder in the Resale Registration
Statement and the Prospectus.
NOTICE
The
undersigned holder (the “Selling
Stockholder”)
of
Registrable Securities hereby gives notice to the Company of its intention
to
sell or otherwise dispose of Registrable Securities owned by it and listed
below
in Item (3), unless otherwise specified in Item (3), pursuant to the Resale
Registration Statement. The undersigned, by signing and returning this Notice
and Questionnaire, understands and agrees that it will be bound by the terms
and
conditions of this Notice and Questionnaire and the Agreement.
The
undersigned hereby provides the following information to the Company and
represents and warrants that such information is accurate and complete:
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. |
Name.
|
(a)
|
Full
Legal Name of Selling Stockholder:
|
(b)
|
Full
Legal Name of Registered Holder (if not the same as (a) above) through
which Registrable Securities Listed in Item 3 below are
held:
|
(c)
|
Full
Legal Name of Natural Control Person (which means a natural person
who
directly or indirectly alone or with others has power to vote or
dispose
of the securities covered by the
questionnaire):
|
2. |
Address
for Notices to Selling
Stockholder:
|
Telephone:
|
Fax:
|
Contact
Person:
|
E-mail
address of Contact Person:
|
|
3. |
Beneficial
Ownership of Registrable Securities Issuable Pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement:
|
(a)
|
Type
and Number of Registrable Securities beneficially owned and issued
pursuant to the Agreement:
|
(b)
|
Number
of shares of common stock to be registered pursuant to this Notice
for
resale:
|
4.
Broker-Dealer Status:
(a)
|
Are
you a broker-dealer?
|
Yes
མ No
མ
(b)
|
If
“yes” to Section 4(a), did you receive your Registrable Securities as
compensation for investment banking services to the
Company?
|
Yes
མ No
མ
Note:
|
If
no, the Commission’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as
an underwriter in the Registration
Statement.
|
(c) Are
you
an affiliate of a broker-dealer?
Yes
མ No
མ
Note:
|
If
yes, provide a narrative explanation
below:
|
(c)
|
If
you are an affiliate of a broker-dealer, do you certify that you
bought
the Registrable Securities in the ordinary course of business, and
at the
time of the purchase of the Registrable Securities to be resold,
you had
no agreements or understandings, directly or indirectly, with any
person
to distribute the Registrable
Securities?
|
Yes
མ No
མ
Note:
|
If
no, the Commission’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as
an underwriter in the Registration
Statement.
|
5. |
Beneficial
Ownership of Other Securities of the Company Owned by the Selling
Stockholder.
|
Except
as set forth below in this Item 5, the undersigned is not the beneficial or
registered owner of any securities of the Company other than the Registrable
Securities listed above in Item 3.
(a)
|
Type
and amount of other securities beneficially
owned:
|
|
6. |
Relationships
with the Company:
|
Except
as set forth below, neither the undersigned nor any of its affiliates, officers,
directors or principal equity holders (owners of 5% of more of the equity
securities of the undersigned) has held any position or office or has had any
other material relationship with the Company (or its predecessors or affiliates)
during the past three years.
State
any
exceptions here:
7. |
Plan
of Distribution:
|
The
undersigned has reviewed the form of Plan of Distribution attached as Annex
A to
the Registration Rights Agreement, and hereby confirms that, except as set
forth
below, the information contained therein regarding the undersigned and its
plan
of distribution is correct and complete.
State
any
exceptions here:
***********
The
undersigned agrees to promptly notify the Company of any inaccuracies or changes
in the information provided herein that may occur subsequent to the date hereof
and prior to the effective date of any applicable Resale Registration Statement.
All notices hereunder and pursuant to the Agreement shall be made in writing,
by
hand delivery, confirmed or facsimile transmission, first-class mail or air
courier guaranteeing overnight delivery at the address set forth below. In
the
absence of any such notification, the Company shall be entitled to continue
to
rely on the accuracy of the information in this Notice and
Questionnaire.
By
signing below, the undersigned consents to the disclosure of the information
contained herein in its answers to Items (1) through (7) above and the inclusion
of such information in the Resale Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
The
undersigned understands that such information will be relied upon by the Company
in connection with the preparation or amendment of any such Registration
Statement and the Prospectus.
By
signing below, the undersigned acknowledges that it understands its obligation
to comply, and agrees that it will comply, with the provisions of the Exchange
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, particularly Regulation M in
connection with any offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Resale
Registration Statement. The undersigned also acknowledges that it understands
that the answers to this Questionnaire are furnished for use in connection
with
Registration Statements filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement
and
any amendments or supplements thereto filed with the Commission pursuant to
the
Securities Act.
The
undersigned hereby acknowledges and is advised of the following Interpretation
A.65 of the July 1997 SEC Manual of Publicly Available Telephone Interpretations
regarding short selling:
“An
Issuer filed a Form S-3 registration statement for a secondary offering of
common stock which is not yet effective. One of the selling stockholders wanted
to do a short sale of common stock “against the box” and cover the short sale
with registered shares after the effective date. The issuer was advised that
the
short sale could not be made before the registration statement become effective,
because the shares underlying the short sale are deemed to be sold at the time
such sale is made. There would, therefore, be a violation of Section 5 if the
shares were effectively sold prior to the effective date.”
By
returning this Questionnaire, the undersigned will be deemed to be aware of
the
foregoing interpretation.
I
confirm
that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the foregoing statements
(including without limitation the answers to this Questionnaire) are
correct.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this
Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or by its duly
authorized agent.
Dated:
________________________
|
Beneficial
Owner:
|
By:
|
||
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
PLEASE
FAX A COPY OF THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE, AND RETURN
THE ORIGINAL BY OVERNIGHT MAIL, TO:
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
|
|
New
York, NY [ ]
|
|
Tel:
|
|
Fax:
|
|
Email:
|
Schedule
6(b)
PERMITTED
REGISTRATIONS