AMERICAN OIL & GAS, INC. 6,001,390 Shares Common Stock ($0.001 Par Value) PLACEMENT AGENCY AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
AMERICAN OIL & GAS, INC.
6,001,390 Shares
Common Stock
($0.001 Par Value)
April 11, 2007
X.X. XXXXXXX & SONS, INC.
X. X. XXXXXX & COMPANY
c/o X.X. Xxxxxxx & Sons, Inc.
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
X. X. XXXXXX & COMPANY
c/o X.X. Xxxxxxx & Sons, Inc.
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
The undersigned, American Oil & Gas, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”),
desires to engage X.X. Xxxxxxx & Sons, Inc. (“X.X. Xxxxxxx”) as lead placement agent, and
X.X. Xxxxxx & Company (“X.X. Xxxxxx” and together with X.X. Xxxxxxx, the “Placement
Agents”) as co-placement agent, as set forth herein. X.X. Xxxxxxx is acting as representative
of the Placement Agents (the “Representative”). The Company hereby addresses you and
confirms its agreement with you as follows:
1. Description of Shares. The Company proposes, subject to the terms and conditions
stated herein, to issue and sell up to an aggregate of 6,001,390 shares (the “Shares”) of
the Company’s common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), to certain
investors (each an “Investor” and, collectively, the “Investors”), in a public
offering under its Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-120987). The Company
desires to engage the Placement Agents as its placement agents in connection with such issuance and
sale. The Shares are more fully described in the Prospectus hereinafter defined.
2. Agreement to Act as Placement Agents; Delivery and Payment. On the basis of the
representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, the Placement Agents agree to act as the Company’s exclusive placement
agents to assist the Company, on a best efforts basis, in connection with the proposed issuance and
sale by the Company of the Shares to the Investors. The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees
that this Agreement does not in any way constitute a commitment by the Placement Agents to purchase
any of the Shares and does not ensure successful placement of the Shares or any portion thereof.
The Company shall pay to the Placement Agents concurrently with the Closing (as defined below) 5.7%
of the gross purchase price of the Shares (the “Placement Fee”); 3.8% of such gross
proceeds shall be paid to X.X. Xxxxxxx and 1.9% of such gross proceeds shall be paid to X.X.
Xxxxxx.
Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 5 hereof, the closing of the sale and
issuance of the Shares (the “Closing”) shall occur at the offices of Xxxxxx Xxxxx LLP, 0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, or at such other place as may be agreed upon
between the Representative and the Company (the “Place of Closing”), at 10:00 a.m., Eastern
Daylight Time, on April 17, 2007, or at such other time and date as the Representative and the
Company may agree, such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the “Closing
Date.”
Concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company, the Placement
Agents and Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx PC, as escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent”), shall enter into an
escrow agreement (the “Escrow Agreement”), pursuant to which an escrow account (the
“Escrow Account”) will be established for the benefit of the Company and the Investors who
elect to settle purchases of the Shares through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company’s
DWAC system. Prior to the Closing Date, such Investors shall deposit into the Escrow Account an
amount equal to the product of (x) the number of Shares such Investor has agreed to purchase and
(y) the purchase price per Share as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (the
“Purchase Amount”). The aggregate of all such Purchase Amounts is herein referred to as
the “Escrow Funds.” On the Closing Date, upon satisfaction or waiver of all the conditions
to Closing, the Escrow Agent will disburse the Escrow Funds from the Escrow Account to the Company
and the Placement Agents as provided in the Escrow Agreement, and the Company shall cause the
Shares to be delivered to such Investors, which, with respect to such Shares, shall be made through
the facilities of The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC system.
Any Investor not settling its purchase of Shares pursuant to the paragraph above shall deposit
its respective Purchase Amount into an account or accounts established with its prime broker for
purposes of settling the Shares through the Placement Agents by delivery versus payment. On the
Closing Date, the Placement Agents shall, with respect to each such Investor, cause the Purchase
Amount for such Shares to be wired to an account designated by the Company in exchange for the
release of such Investor’s Shares.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agents shall act as independent
contractors, and not as fiduciaries, and any duties of the Placement Agents with respect to
investment banking services to the Company, including the offering of the Shares contemplated
hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering), shall be contractual
in nature, as expressly set forth herein, and shall be owed solely to the Company. Each party
disclaims any intention to impose any fiduciary or similar duty on the other. Additionally, the
Placement Agents have not advised, nor are advising, the Company or any other person as to any
legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such
matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and the Placement Agents shall have no responsibility or
liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Placement Agents of the Company,
the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions has been and
will be performed solely for the benefit of the Placement Agents and has not been and shall not be
on behalf of the Company or any other person. It is understood that the Placement Agents have not
and will not be rendering an opinion to the Company as to the fairness of the terms of the
offering. Notwithstanding anything in this
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Agreement to the contrary, the Company acknowledges that the Placement Agents may have
financial interests in the success of the offering contemplated hereby that are not limited to the
Placement Fee. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any
claims that the Company may have against the Placement Agents with respect to any breach or alleged
breach of fiduciary duty.
It is understood that the Company proposes to offer the Shares to the Investors upon the terms
and conditions set forth in the Registration Statement (hereinafter defined).
3. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with the Placement Agents as of the date
hereof and as of the Closing Date and any other date specified below, that:
(i) At the time of filing the Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 on Form S-3 to Form SB-2
Registration Statement (File. No. 333-120987), the Company met the requirements for use of
Form S-3 under the 1933 Act for a primary offering. The Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 on
Form S-3 to Form SB-2 Registration Statement (File. No. 333-120987) with respect to the
Shares, including a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), and such amendments to
such registration statement as may have been required to the date of this Agreement, has
been carefully prepared by the Company pursuant to and in conformity with the requirements
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and
regulations thereunder (the “1933 Act Rules and Regulations”) of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and has been filed with the SEC under the 1933 Act.
Such registration statement has been declared effective by the SEC. Copies of such
registration statement, including any amendments thereto, each related preliminary
prospectus (meeting the requirements of Rule 430, 430A or 430B of the 1933 Act Rules and
Regulations) contained therein, and the exhibits, financial statements and schedules thereto
have heretofore been delivered by the Company to the Placement Agents. A final prospectus
supplement containing information permitted to be omitted at the time of effectiveness by
Rule 430A or 430B of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations will be filed promptly by the
Company with the SEC in accordance with Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations.
The term “Registration Statement” as used herein means the registration statement as
amended at the time it became effective by the SEC under the 1933 Act (the “Effective
Date”), including financial statements, all exhibits and all documents incorporated by
reference therein and, if applicable, the information deemed to be included by Rule 430A or
430B of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations. If an abbreviated registration statement is
prepared and filed with the SEC in accordance with Rule 462(b) under the 1933 Act (an
“Abbreviated Registration Statement”), the term “Registration Statement” as
used in this Agreement includes the Abbreviated Registration Statement. The term
“Prospectus” as used herein means, together with the Base Prospectus, (i) the final
prospectus supplement as first filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act
Rules and Regulations, or (ii) if no such filing is required, the form of final prospectus
included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date, including, in each case, the
documents incorporated by reference therein. The term “Preliminary Prospectus” as
used herein shall mean a preliminary prospectus as contemplated by Rule 430, 430A or 430B of
the
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1933 Act Rules and Regulations included at any time in the Registration Statement,
including the Base Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus supplement, and including in
each case the documents incorporated by reference therein. The term “Disclosure
Package” as used herein shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus as most recently
amended or supplemented prior to the Initial Time of Sale (as defined below) and (ii) the
information included on Schedule I hereto (which information the Placement Agents
hereby agree to convey orally to prospective purchasers at or prior to confirming sales of
the shares in the offering). The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the
Placement Agents for use in connection with the offering of the Shares has been and will be
identical to the respective versions thereof transmitted to the SEC for filing via the
Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System (“XXXXX”), except to the
extent permitted by Regulation S-T. For purposes of this Agreement, the words “amend,”
“amendment,” “amended,” “supplement” or “supplemented” with respect to the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, or the Disclosure Package shall mean amendments or supplements to
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or the Disclosure Package, as the case may be,
as well as documents filed after the date of this Agreement and prior to the completion of
the distribution of the Shares and incorporated by reference therein as described above.
(ii) Neither the SEC nor any state or other jurisdiction or other regulatory body has
issued, and neither is, to the knowledge of the Company, threatening to issue, any stop
order under the 1933 Act or other order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement (as amended or supplemented) or preventing or suspending the use of the
Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending the
qualification or registration of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction nor
instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to institute proceedings for any
such purpose. The Preliminary Prospectus at its date of issue and as of 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time on the date hereof (the “Initial Time of Sale”), the Registration
Statement at its effective date and the Initial Time of Sale, and the Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto or to the Registration Statement when they are filed with
the SEC or become effective, as the case may be, contain or will contain, as the case may
be, all statements that are required to be stated therein by, and in all material respects
conform or will conform, as the case may be, to the requirements of, the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Rules and Regulations. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment
thereto, as of the applicable effective date, contains or will contain, as the case may be,
any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading.
Neither the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus nor any supplement thereto contains or
will contain, as the case may be, any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will
omit to state any 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. Neither the Disclosure Package nor any supplement thereto, at the Initial Time
of Sale, contains or will contain, as the case may be, any untrue statement of a material
fact or omits or will omit to state any 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no
representation or warranty as to information contained
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in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
written information furnished to the Company relating to the Placement Agents by or on
behalf of the Placement Agents expressly for use in the preparation thereof (as provided in
Section 12 hereof). There is no contract, agreement, understanding or arrangement, whether
written or oral, or document required to be described in the Registration Statement,
Disclosure Package or Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement
that is not described or filed as required. The documents incorporated by reference in the
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus at the time they were filed with the SEC, complied in
all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “1934 Act”), and the rules and regulations adopted by the SEC
thereunder (the “1934 Act Rules and Regulations”). Any future documents
incorporated by reference so filed, when they are filed, will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Rules and Regulations; no
such incorporated document contained or will 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; and, when read together and with the other information in
each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement
became effective, at the Initial Time of Sale and at the Closing Date, each such
incorporated document did not or will not, as the case may be, 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 not misleading.
(iii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company
and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company enforceable against
the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar
laws relating to or affecting creditors’ and contracting parties’ rights generally and by
general principles of equity, regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law (the “Exceptions”).
(iv) The Company and its Subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing
as corporations in good standing under the laws of the states or other jurisdictions in
which they are incorporated, with full power and authority (corporate and other) to own,
lease and operate their properties and conduct their businesses as described in each of the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, with respect to the Company, to execute and
deliver, and perform the Company’s obligations under, this Agreement; the Company and its
Subsidiaries are duly qualified to do business as foreign corporations in good standing in
each state or other jurisdiction in which their ownership or leasing of property or conduct
of business legally requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so
qualified, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The
term “Material Adverse Effect” as used herein means any material adverse effect on
the condition (financial or other), net worth, business, affairs, management, prospects,
results of operations or cash flow of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
The Company has no significant subsidiaries (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of
Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission) other than those Subsidiaries listed on
Schedule II hereto (the “Subsidiaries”).
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(v) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the
latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure
Package any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth in each of the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus and, since the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Disclosure Package, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term
debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Material Adverse Change, or any
development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change, otherwise than as set forth in
each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The term “Material Adverse
Change” as used herein means any change that has a Material Adverse Effect.
(vi) The issuance and sale of the Shares and the execution, delivery and performance by
the Company of this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated,
will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions
of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties or
assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, except to such extent as,
individually or in the aggregate, does not have a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such
action result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s certificate of
incorporation or bylaws or any statute, rule, regulation or other law, or any order or
judgment, of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties; and no consent, approval,
authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or
governmental agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, except such as have been, or will be prior to the Closing Date,
obtained under the 1933 Act or as may be required by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”) and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws
in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares to the Investors.
(vii) The Company has duly and validly authorized capital stock as set forth in each of
the Disclosure Package and Prospectus; all outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company
and the Shares conform, or when issued will conform, to the description thereof in the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and have been, or, when issued and paid for in the
manner described herein will be, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable; and the issuance of the Shares to be purchased from the Company hereunder is
not subject to preemptive or other similar rights, or any restriction upon the voting or
transfer thereof pursuant to applicable law or the Company’s certificate of incorporation,
by-laws or governing documents or any agreement to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of
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them may be bound. All corporate action required to be taken by the Company for the
authorization, issuance and sale of the Shares has been duly and validly taken. Except as
disclosed in each of the Disclosure Package and Prospectus, there are no outstanding
subscriptions, rights, warrants, options, calls, convertible securities, commitments of sale
or rights related to or entitling any person to purchase or otherwise to acquire any shares
of, or any security convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, the capital stock
of, or other ownership interest in, the Company, except for such options or rights as may
have been granted by the Company to employees or directors pursuant to its stock option or
stock purchase plans. The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company’s Subsidiaries
have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are
owned by the Company free and clear of any mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, charge or
adverse claim and are not the subject of any agreement or understanding with any person and
were not issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights; and there are no
outstanding subscriptions, rights, warrants, options, calls, convertible securities,
commitments of sale or instruments related to or entitling any person to purchase or
otherwise acquire any shares of, or any security convertible into or exchangeable or
exercisable for, the capital stock of, or other ownership interest in any of the
Subsidiaries.
(viii) The statements set forth in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
describing the Shares and this Agreement, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions
of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair.
(ix) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is in possession of and is operating in
compliance with all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, certificates, permits,
easements, consents, orders and approvals (“Permits”) from all state, federal,
foreign and other regulatory authorities, and has satisfied the requirements imposed by
regulatory bodies, administrative agencies or other governmental bodies, agencies or
officials, that are required for the Company and its Subsidiaries lawfully to own, lease and
operate their properties and conduct their businesses as described in each of the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, and each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is conducting its
business in compliance with all of the laws, rules and regulations of each jurisdiction in
which it conducts its business, in each case with such exceptions, individually or in the
aggregate, as would not have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and its
Subsidiaries has filed all notices, reports, documents or other information
(“Notices”) required to be filed under applicable laws, rules and regulations, in
each case, with such exceptions, individually or in the aggregate, as would not have a
Material Adverse Effect; and, except as otherwise specifically described in each of the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
received any notification from any court or governmental body, authority or agency, relating
to the revocation or modification of any such Permit or to the effect that any additional
authorization, approval, order, consent, license, certificate, permit, registration or
qualification (“Approvals”) from such regulatory authority is needed to be obtained
by any of them, in any case where it could be reasonably expected that obtaining such
Approvals or the failure to obtain such Approvals, individually or in the aggregate, would
have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(x) The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state and
foreign income and franchise tax returns and paid all taxes shown as due thereon; all such
tax returns are complete and correct in all material respects; all tax liabilities are
adequately provided for on the books of the Company and its Subsidiaries except to such
extent as would not have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its Subsidiaries have
made all necessary payroll tax payments; and the Company and its Subsidiaries have no
knowledge of any tax proceeding or action pending or threatened against the Company or its
Subsidiaries that, individually or in the aggregate, might have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xi) Except as described in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the
Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate
patents, patent licenses, trademarks, service marks and trade names necessary to conduct the
business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with
respect to any patents, patent licenses, trademarks, service marks or trade names that,
individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xii) The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all items of
real property (except oil and gas real property) and good and marketable title to all
personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
restrictions and defects except such as are described in each of the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus or do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property; and any such property held under
lease or sublease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is held under valid, subsisting
and enforceable leases or subleases with such exceptions as are not material and do not
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its
Subsidiaries; and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any notice or
knowledge of any material claim of any sort that has been, or may be, asserted by anyone
adverse to the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries rights as lessee or sublessee under any
lease or sublease described above, or affecting or questioning the Company’s or any of its
Subsidiaries’ rights to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under
any such lease or sublease in conflict with the terms thereof.
As to items of oil and gas real property (including, for example, fee mineral
interests, oil and gas leasehold interests and other operating interests, as well as
overriding royalties and other nonoperating interests), the Company and its Subsidiaries
have (i) good and defensible title to their interest in all such producing property and (ii)
such title to their interest in all such nonproducing property as would be consistent with
customary industry practices for newly acquired exploratory properties that are held in
inventory and are not scheduled for drilling in the foreseeable future, in both cases
subject to liens, encumbrances, restrictions and defects (x) that are described in the
Prospectus or (y) that do not materially affect the value of such property and do not
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property.
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(xiii) Except as described in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there
is no pending action, suit or other proceeding involving the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their material assets for any failure of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, or any predecessor thereof, to comply with any requirements of federal, state
or local regulation relating to air, water, solid waste management, hazardous or toxic
substances, or the protection of health, safety or the environment. Except as described in
each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the property owned or leased by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is, to the best knowledge of the Company,
contaminated with any waste or hazardous or toxic substances, and neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries may be deemed an “owner or operator” of a “facility” or “vessel”
that owns, possesses, transports, generates or disposes of a “hazardous substance” as those
terms are defined in §9601 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. §9601 et seq.
(xiv) No labor disturbance exists with the employees of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or is imminent that, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material
Adverse Effect. None of the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
represented by a union and, to the best knowledge of the Company and its Subsidiaries, no
union organizing activities are taking place. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has violated any federal, state or local law or foreign law relating to
discrimination in hiring, promotion or pay of employees, nor any applicable wage or hour
laws, or the rules and regulations thereunder, or analogous foreign laws and regulations,
that might, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xv) The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with
all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder
(“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to
any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company and its Subsidiaries would
have any liability; the Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred and do not expect to
incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal
from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the
“Code”); and each “pension plan” for which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code
is so qualified in all material respects, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by
failure to act, that would cause the loss of such qualification.
(xvi) The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain insurance of the types and in the
amounts generally deemed adequate for its business, including, but not limited to,
directors’ and officers’ insurance, insurance covering real and personal property owned or
leased by the Company and its Subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of
vandalism and all other risks customarily insured against, all of which insurance is in full
force and effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been refused
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any insurance coverage sought or applied for, and the Company has no reason to believe
that it and its Subsidiaries will not be able to renew their existing insurance coverage as
and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be
necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or with the giving of notice
or lapse of time or both would be, in default or violation with respect to its certificate
of incorporation or by-laws. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or with
the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would be, in default in the performance or
observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
material indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or
instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties or assets of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, or in violation of any statutes, laws,
ordinances or governmental rules or regulations or any orders or decrees to which it is
subject, including, without limitation, Section 13 of the 1934 Act, which default or
violation, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has, at any time during the past five years, (A)
made any unlawful contributions to any candidate for any political office, or failed fully
to disclose any contribution in violation of law, or (B) made any payment to any state,
federal or foreign government official, or other person charged with similar public or
quasi-public duty (other than payment required or permitted by applicable law).
(xviii) Other than as set forth in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is the subject that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect or that would
materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or
that is required to be disclosed in each of the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus; to the
best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated.
(xix) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the
Shares, will not be a “holding company,” or a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,”
or an “affiliate” of a “holding company” or of a “subsidiary company,” as such terms are
defined in the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended (the “1935
Act”).
(xx) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the
Shares, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment
company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
“1940 Act”).
10
(xxi) Xxxx & Associates, LLP, the accounting firm that has certified the financial
statements filed with or incorporated by reference in and as a part of the Registration
Statement, is an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the
1933 Act and the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) of the United States. The Company and
each of its Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to
provide reasonable assurance that: (1) transactions are executed in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (3) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (4)
the recorded accounts for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable
intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect thereto. The consolidated financial
statements and schedules of the Company, including the notes thereto, filed with (or
incorporated by reference) and as a part of the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package
or Prospectus, are accurate in all material respects and present fairly the financial
condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates thereof and the
consolidated results of operations and changes in financial position and consolidated
statements of cash flow for the respective periods covered thereby, all in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the
periods involved except as otherwise disclosed therein. All adjustments necessary for a
fair presentation of results for such periods have been made. The selected financial data
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and
Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis
consistent with that of the audited financial statements. Any operating or other
statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,
Disclosure Package and Prospectus comply in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Rules and Regulations and present fairly the information shown therein and are
based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are
reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
All non-GAAP financial information included (or incorporated by reference) in the
Registration Statement, Disclosure Package or Prospectus complies with the requirements of
Regulation G and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the 0000 Xxx.
(xxii) Except as disclosed in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no
holder of any security of the Company has any right to require registration of shares of
Common Stock or any other security of the Company because of the filing of the Registration
Statement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and, except as
disclosed in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no person has the right to
require registration under the 1933 Act of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of
the Company. No person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to
permit such person to underwrite the sale of any of the Shares. Except for this Agreement
and as set forth on Schedule III, there are no contracts, agreements or
understandings between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any person that would give
rise to a valid claim against the Company, its Subsidiaries or any
11
Placement Agent for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection
with the issuance, purchase and sale of the Shares.
(xxiii) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of (A) the
Closing Date and (B) completion of the distribution of the Shares, will not distribute any
offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus.
(xxiv) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or
manipulation of the price of the Company’s Common Stock, and the Company is not aware of any
such action taken or to be taken by affiliates of the Company.
(xxv) There is not currently and has not in the past been a failure on the part of the
Company to comply with any applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002
(“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx”) and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection
therewith, including Sections 302, 402 and 906, and the statements contained in any
certification pursuant to such Act and related rules and regulations are complete and
correct.
(xxvi) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures and
internal control over financial reporting as are currently required (as such terms are
defined in Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act); the Company’s disclosure controls and
procedures (i) are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the
Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is accumulated and
communicated to management, including the principal executive and principal financial
officer of the Company, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow
timely decisions regarding required disclosure, and that such information is recorded,
processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the 1934 Act Rules
and Regulations; (ii) have been evaluated for effectiveness; and (iii) are effective in all
material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.
(xxvii) Except as discussed with the Company’s auditors and audit committee and as
disclosed in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there are no significant
deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over
financial reporting that are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to
record, process, summarize, and report financial data and (ii) there is, and there has been,
no fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a
role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(xxviii) Since the date of the end of the last fiscal year for which audited financial
statements are included or incorporated by reference in each of the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, there have been no significant changes in internal control
12
over financial reporting or in other factors that could significantly affect internal
control over financial reporting, including any corrective actions with regard to
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
(xxix) The Company has received no written comments from the SEC staff regarding its
periodic or current reports under the 1934 Act that remain unresolved and have not been
disclosed in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and Prospectus.
(xxx) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company and any
director, officer or stockholder of the Company, or any member of his or her immediate
family, or any customers or suppliers that is required to be described in the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and that is not so described and
described as required in material compliance with such requirement. There are no
outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary
course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of
any of the officers or directors of the Company or any member of their respective immediate
families, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(xxxi) The minute books of each of the Company and its Subsidiaries have been made
available to the Placement Agents and contain a complete summary of all meetings and other
actions of the directors and shareholders of each such entity in all material respects, and
reflect all transactions referred to in such minutes accurately in all material respects.
(xxxii) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the knowledge of the
Company any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on
behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, used any
corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense
relating to political activity; made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign
or domestic government official or employee or to foreign or domestic political parties or
campaigns from corporate funds; violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment,
kickback or other unlawful payment.
(xxxiii) The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted
at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping
and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970,
as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations
thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered
or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”)
and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority
or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to
the Money Laundering Laws is pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
13
(xxxiv) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the
Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries 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, or lend, contribute or
otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other
person or entity that, to the Company’s knowledge, will use such proceeds, for the purpose
of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions
administered by OFAC.
(xxxv) To enable the Placement Agents to rely on Rule 2710(b)(7)(C)(i) of the NASD, the
Company represents that the Company (i) has a non-affiliate, public common equity float of
at least $150 million or a non-affiliate, public common equity float of at least $100
million and annual trading volume of at least three million shares and (ii) has been subject
to the 1934 Act reporting requirements for a period of at least 36 months.
(xxxvi) No customer of or supplier to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has ceased
purchases or shipments of merchandise to the Company or indicated, to the Company’s
knowledge, an interest in decreasing or ceasing its purchases from the Company or otherwise
modifying its relationship with the Company, other than in the normal and ordinary course of
business consistent with past practices in a manner which would not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered
to the Placement Agents or to counsel for the Placement Agents shall be
deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Placement Agents
as to the matters covered thereby.
4. Additional Covenants. The Company covenants and agrees with the Placement Agents
that:
(a) The Company will timely transmit copies of the Prospectus, and any
amendments or supplements thereto, to the SEC for filing pursuant to Rule
424(b) of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations.
(b) The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Placement Agents
and to counsel for the Placement Agents (i) such number of signed copies of
the Registration Statement as originally filed, including copies of exhibits
thereto (other than any exhibits incorporated by reference therein), and any
amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement (including all
documents incorporated by reference therein), as may be reasonably requested
by the Placement Agents or counsel for the Placement Agents and (ii) a
signed copy of each consent and certificate included or incorporated by
reference in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement as so
amended or supplemented; the Company will deliver to the Placement Agents as
soon as practicable after
14
the date of this Agreement as many copies of the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein)
as the Placement Agents may reasonably request for the purposes contemplated
by the 1933 Act; the Company will promptly advise the Placement Agents of
any request of the SEC for amendment of the Registration Statement or for
supplement to the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or for any additional
information, and of the issuance by the SEC or any state or other
jurisdiction or other regulatory body of any stop order under the 1933 Act
or other order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
(as amended or supplemented) or preventing or suspending the use of the
Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or
suspending the qualification or registration of the Shares for offering or
sale in any jurisdiction, and of the institution or threat of any
proceedings therefor, of which the Company shall have received notice or
otherwise have knowledge prior to the completion of the distribution of the
Shares; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any such stop order or other order and, if issued, to secure the prompt
removal thereof.
(c) If the Disclosure Package is being used to solicit offers to buy
the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective
purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which
it is necessary to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package in writing in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for
the Placement Agents, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Disclosure
Package to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the
SEC and furnish, at its own expense, to the Placement Agents and to any
dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Disclosure
Package so that statements in the Disclosure Package as so amended or
supplemented will not, in light of the circumstances when delivered to a
prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Disclosure Package, as
amended or supplemented, will comply with law.
(d) The Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any other
prospectus relating to the Shares filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933
Act Rules and Regulations that differs from the Prospectus as filed pursuant
to such Rule 424(b)) and will not file any document under the 1934 Act
before the termination of the offering of the Shares by the Company if the
document would be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus, of which
the Placement Agents shall not previously have been advised and furnished
with a copy or to which the Representative shall have reasonably objected or
which is not in compliance with the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations; and the
Company
15
will promptly notify the Placement Agents after it shall have received
notice thereof of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement
becomes effective or when any supplement to, the Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus has been filed.
(e) During the period when a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice
contemplated by Rule 173(a) of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations) relating
to any of the Shares is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act by any
Placement Agent or dealer, the Company will comply, at its own expense, with
all requirements imposed by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Rules and
Regulations, as now and hereafter amended, and by the rules and regulations
of the SEC thereunder, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to
permit the continuance of sales of or dealing in the Shares during such
period in accordance with the provisions hereof and as contemplated by the
Prospectus.
(f) If, during the period when a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the
notice contemplated by Rule 173(a) of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations)
relating to any of the Shares is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act
by any Placement Agent or dealer, (i) any event relating to or affecting the
Company or of which the Company shall be advised in writing by the
Representative shall occur as a result of which, in the opinion of the
Company or the Placement Agents, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as
then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, or (ii) it shall be necessary to amend or
supplement the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus to comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations,
the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Rules and Regulations, the Company will
forthwith at its expense prepare and file with the SEC, and furnish to the
Placement Agents a reasonable number of copies of, such amendment or
supplement or other filing that will correct such statement or omission or
effect such compliance.
(g) During the period when a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice
contemplated by Rule 173(a) of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations) relating
to any of the Shares is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act by any
Placement Agent or dealer, the Company will furnish such proper information
as may be lawfully required and otherwise cooperate in qualifying the Shares
for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate and will file
and make in each year such statements or reports as are or may be reasonably
required by the laws of such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the
Company shall not (i) be required to qualify as a foreign corporation, (ii)
be required to qualify as a dealer in securities or
16
(iii) be required to file a general consent to service of process under
the laws of any jurisdiction.
(h) In accordance with Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and Rule 158 of
the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations, the Company will make generally
available to its security holders and to holders of the Shares, as soon as
practicable, an earning statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable
detail covering the 12 months beginning not later than the first day of the
month next succeeding the month in which occurred the effective date (within
the meaning of Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(i) The Company will apply the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as
set forth in the description under “Use of Proceeds” in the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, which description complies in all
respects with the requirements of Item 504 of Regulation S-K.
(j) The Company will promptly provide the Placement Agents with copies
of all correspondence to and from, and all documents issued to and by, the
SEC in connection with the registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act or
relating to any documents incorporated by reference into the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
(k) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will furnish to the
Placement Agents, as soon as they have been prepared, copies of any
unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company and its
Subsidiaries for any periods subsequent to the periods covered by the
financial statements appearing in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus or incorporated therein by reference.
(l) The Company will use its best efforts to obtain approval for, and
maintain the listing of the Shares on, the American Stock Exchange.
(m) The Company will cause its directors and officers to furnish to the
Placement Agents, on or prior to the date of this Agreement, a letter or
letters, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Placement
Agents, pursuant to which each such person shall agree not to, and the
Company will not, and will not publicly announce any intention to, during
the period ending 60 days after the date of the Prospectus, without the
prior written consent of the Placement Agents, directly or indirectly, (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 shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into
or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock; (2) enter into any swap or
other arrangement that transfers to another, in
17
whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the
Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in
clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such
other securities, in cash or otherwise; or (3) file any registration
statement with the SEC relating to the offering of any shares of Common
Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock, except for that certain Registration Statement on Form S-3
(No. 333-139648) relating to the resale of shares of Common Stock held by
the selling stockholders of the Company identified therein. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, such restrictions shall not apply to sales under 10b5-1 Plans
in effect as of the date hereof.
(n) The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not
apply to (a) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the
exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding
on the date hereof of which the Placement Agents have been advised in
writing or the granting or exercise of options or stock purchase rights
pursuant to the Company’s stock option and stock purchase plans, whenever
granted; provided that the underlying shares of Common Stock issued to any
person who has delivered a lock-up agreement pursuant to this Section 4(p)
hereto shall continue to be subject to the restrictions contained in the
immediately preceding paragraph or such lock-up agreement, as applicable;
(b) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock or options to
purchase shares of Common Stock to, or the repurchase by the Company of
unvested shares of Common Stock upon termination of service from, an
employee, director, consultant other service provider, pursuant to the
Company’s stock option or stock purchase plans in effect on the date hereof
or approved by the stockholders before the date hereof; provided that
the shares of Common Stock or options to purchase shares of Common Stock issued
to the Company’s directors and executive officers shall be subject to the
restrictions contained in the lock-up agreements delivered pursuant to this
Section 4(p); and (c) the filing by the Company of any registration
statement with the Commission on Form S-8 relating to the offering of
securities pursuant to the terms of a stock option or stock purchase plan of
the Company in effect on the date hereof or approved by the stockholders
before the date hereof.
(o) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of
the 60-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or
material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2)
prior to the expiration of the 60-day restricted period, the Company
announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period
beginning on the last day of the 60-day 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
18
occurrence of the material news or material event. The Company shall
promptly notify the Placement Agents of any earnings release, news or event
that may give rise to an extension of the initial 60-day restricted period.
(p) During any period in which a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, a
notice contemplated by Rule 173(a) of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations) is
required by law to be delivered by the Placement Agents or a dealer, the
Company and its Subsidiaries will maintain and keep accurate books and
records reflecting their assets and maintain internal accounting controls
that provide reasonable assurance that (1) transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (2)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of the
Company’s consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for the assets
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (3) access to the assets of the Company
and its Subsidiaries is permitted only in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorization, and (4) the recorded accounts of the
assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries are compared with existing assets
at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(q) During any period in which a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, a
notice contemplated by Rule 173(a) of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations) is
required by law to be delivered by the Placement Agents or a dealer, the
Company will promptly file all documents required to be filed with the SEC
pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act. The Company will
furnish to its security holders annual reports containing financial
statements audited by independent public accountants and quarterly reports
containing financial statements and financial information, which may be
unaudited. The Company will deliver to the Placement Agents similar reports
with respect to any significant Subsidiaries, as that term is defined in the
1933 Act Rules and Regulations, that are not consolidated in the Company’s
financial statements. Any report, document or other information required to
be furnished under this paragraph (s) shall be furnished as soon as
practicable after such report, document or information becomes available.
(r) During any period in which a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, a
notice contemplated by Rule 173(a) of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations) is
required by law to be delivered by the Placement Agents or a dealer, the
Company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable
laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, and will use its best efforts to cause the
Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply
with such laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the
provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002.
19
(s) Except as required by law, prior to the Closing Date, the Company
will issue no press release or other communication, directly or indirectly,
and will hold no press conferences with respect to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, the financial condition, results of operations, business,
properties, assets or liabilities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
or the offering of the Shares, without the Representative’s prior written
consent. In the event that any such disclosure is required by law, the
Company will promptly notify the Placement Agents of such required
disclosure prior to issuing any press release or other communication or
holding any press conference, and, to the extent reasonably practicable, the
Company will permit the Placement Agents to comment on any press release or
other communication.
(t) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b) under the 1933 Act,
the Company shall both file an Abbreviated Registration Statement with the
SEC in compliance with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in accordance
with Rule 111 of the 1933 Act by the earlier of (i) 10:00 p.m., Eastern
Daylight time, on the date of this Agreement, and (ii) the time that
confirmations are given or sent, as specified by Rule 462(b)(2).
5. Conditions of Closing. The Closing shall be subject to the accuracy, as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company
contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and obligations hereunder, and
to the following additional conditions, and the Company shall not issue or sell the Shares unless
and until all of the conditions of this Section 5 shall have been satisfied or waived by the
Representative:
(a) The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC
and the offering of the Shares by the Company complies with Rule 415 of the
1933 Act Rules and Regulations. All filings required by Rule 424, Rule
430A, Rule 430B and Rule 433(d) of the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations will
be promptly made. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall have been issued
and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the
knowledge of the Company or the Placement Agents, threatened or contemplated
by the SEC, and any request of the SEC for additional information (to be
included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Representative.
(b) The Placement Agents shall not have advised the Company on or prior
to the Closing Date, that the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package
or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue
statement of fact that, in the opinion of counsel to the Placement Agents,
is material, or omits to state a fact that, in the
20
opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated
therein or is necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) On the Closing Date, the Placement Agents shall have received the
opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, addressed to the
Placement Agents and the Investors and dated the Closing Date, in form and
substance as set forth on Exhibit A hereto. Such counsel shall also
have furnished to the Placement Agents a written statement, addressed to the
Placement Agents and dated the Closing Date, in form and substance as set
forth on Exhibit B hereto.
(d) On the Closing Date, the Placement Agents shall have received the
opinion of Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx PC, counsel to the Placement Agents, addressed
to the Placement Agents and dated the Closing Date, with respect to such
matters as the Representative may reasonably require; and the Company shall
have furnished to such counsel such documents as it may reasonably request
for the purposes of enabling it to review or pass on such matters.
(e) On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, the
Placement Agents shall have received from Xxxx & Associates, LLP, a letter
or letters, dated the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date,
respectively, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and
counsel for the Placement Agents, confirming that they are independent
registered public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning
of the 1933 Act and the published Rules and Regulations and the rules and
regulations of the PCAOB, and stating the conclusions and findings of such
firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily
covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to placement agents in connection
with registered public offerings.
(f) Except as contemplated in each of the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included
or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree; and (ii)
subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have incurred any liability or
obligation, direct or contingent, or entered into any transactions, and
there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or short-term or
long-term debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any change, or any
development involving or which might reasonably be expected to involve a
prospective
21
change in the condition (financial or other), net worth, business,
affairs, management, prospects, results of operations or cash flow of the
Company or its Subsidiaries, the effect of which, in any such case described
in clause (i) or (ii), is in your judgment so material or adverse as to make
it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Shares being delivered on such Closing Date on the terms and
in the manner contemplated in each of the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(g) There shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a
suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the
New York Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq Global Market or the American Stock
Exchange or the establishing on such exchanges or market by the SEC or by
such exchanges or markets of minimum or maximum prices that are not in force
and effect on the date hereof; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in
trading in the Company’s securities on the American Stock Exchange or the
establishing on such market by the SEC or by such market of minimum or
maximum prices that are not in force and effect on the date hereof; (iii) a
general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either
federal or any state authorities; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of
hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United
States of a national emergency or war, which in your judgment makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Shares in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus; or (v)
any calamity or crisis, change in national, international or world affairs,
act of God, change in the international or domestic markets, or change in
the existing financial, political or economic conditions in the United
States or elsewhere, that in your judgment makes it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the
Shares in the manner contemplated in each of the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(h) The Placement Agents shall have received certificates, dated the
Closing Date and signed by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief
Financial Officer of the Company, in their capacities as such, stating that:
(i) the condition set forth in Section 5(a) has been fully satisfied;
(ii) they have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and all documents incorporated by reference
therein and nothing has come to their attention that would lead them to believe that any of
the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto or any documents incorporated by reference therein as of their respective
effective, issue or filing dates, contained, and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
and all documents incorporated by reference
22
therein and when read together with the documents incorporated by reference therein, at
such Closing Date, contains any untrue statement of a material fact, or omits to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(iii) since the Effective Date, no event has come to their attention that would be
required to be set forth in an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which has not been so set forth; and there has been no
document required to be filed under the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Rules and Regulations that
upon such filing would be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Disclosure Package
or the Prospectus that has not been so filed;
(iv) all representations and warranties made herein by the Company are true and correct
at such Closing Date, with the same effect as if made on and as of such Closing Date, and
all agreements herein to be performed or complied with by the Company on or prior to such
Closing Date have been duly performed and complied with by the Company;
(v) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the
latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each of the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business
from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from
any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree;
(vi) except as disclosed in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement, each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, other
than in the ordinary course of business, or entered into any transactions not in the
ordinary course of business, which in either case are material to the Company or such
Subsidiary; and there has not been any change in the capital stock or material increase in
the short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
material adverse change or any development involving or that may reasonably be expected to
involve a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other), net
worth, business, affairs, management, prospects, results of operations or cash flow of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and there has been no dividend or
distribution of any kind, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock; and
(vii) covering such other matters as the Representative may reasonably request.
(i) The Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agents at the
Closing Date such further information, opinions, certificates, letters and
documents as the Placement Agents may have reasonably requested.
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(j) The Shares shall have been approved for trading upon official
notice of issuance on the American Stock Exchange.
(k) The Placement Agents shall have received duly and validly executed
letter agreements referred to in Section 4(o) hereof.
(l) All such opinions, certificates, letters and documents will be in
compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are satisfactory in form
and substance to the Representative and to Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx PC, counsel
for the Placement Agents. The Company will furnish the Placement Agents
with such signed and conformed copies of such opinions, certificates,
letters and documents as the Placement Agents may request.
(m) If any of the conditions specified above in this Section 5 shall
not have been satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date or waived by the
Representative in writing, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Representative on notice to the Company, whereupon the Company shall not
issue or sell the Shares.
6. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Placement Agents from and against any
losses, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Placement Agents may become subject,
under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, damages or liabilities (or actions or
claims in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained (A) in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus or any other prospectus relating to the Shares, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or (B) in any blue sky application or other document executed by the Company
or based on any information furnished in writing by the Company, filed in any state or other
jurisdiction in order to qualify any or all of the Shares under the securities laws thereof (the
“Blue Sky Application”), (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any other prospectus relating to the
Shares, or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Blue Sky Application a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (iii)
any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by the Placement Agents in
connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and
that is included as part of or referred to in any loss, damage or liabilities (or actions or claims
in respect thereof) arising out of or based upon matters covered by clause (i) or (ii) above
(provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (iii) to the extent that it is
determined in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction that such loss, damage or
liabilities (or actions or claims in respect thereof) resulted directly from any such acts or
failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by the Placement Agents through their gross
negligence or willful misconduct), and will reimburse the Placement Agents promptly upon demand for
any legal or other expenses incurred by the Placement Agents in connection with investigating,
preparing, pursuing or defending against or appearing as a third party witness in connection with
any such loss, damage, liability or action or claim, including, without limitation,
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any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened,
including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the indemnified party, as such expenses
are incurred (including such losses, damages, liabilities or expenses to the extent of the
aggregate amount paid in settlement of any such action or claim, provided that (subject to Section
6(d) hereof) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company); provided,
however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent, but only to the
extent, that any such loss, damage or liability 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
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any other prospectus relating to the Shares, or any such
amendment or supplement, or in any Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information relating to the Placement Agents furnished to the Company by the Placement
Agents expressly for use in the preparation thereof (as provided in Section 12 hereof).
(b) Each Placement Agent, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the
Company from and against any losses, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become
subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, damages or liabilities (or
actions or claims 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 Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus or any other prospectus relating to the Shares, 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 Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any other prospectus relating to the Shares, or any
such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating
to the Placement Agents furnished to the Company by the Placement Agents, expressly for use in the
preparation thereof (as provided in Section 12 hereof). The Placement Agents will reimburse the
Company promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses incurred by the Company in connection
with investigating preparing, pursuing or defending against or appearing as a third party witness
in connection with any such loss, damage, liability or action or claim, including, without
limitation, any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the indemnified party, as such
expenses are incurred (including such losses, damages, liabilities or expenses to the extent of the
aggregate amount paid in settlement of any such action or claim, provided that (subject to Section
6(c) hereof) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Representative).
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(b), in no event shall any indemnity by any
Placement Agent under this Section 6(b) exceed the total compensation received by such Placement
Agent in accordance with this Agreement.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under Section 6(a) or 6(b) hereof of notice
of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is
to be made against an indemnifying party under Section 6(a) or 6(b) hereof, notify each such
indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the failure so to notify such
indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability except to the
extent that it has been prejudiced in any material respect by such failure or from
25
any liability that it may have to any such indemnified party otherwise than under Section 6(a)
or 6(b) hereof. In case any such action shall be brought against any such indemnified party and it
shall notify each indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, each such indemnifying party
shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any
other indemnifying party under Section 6(a) or 6(b) hereof similarly notified, to assume the
defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with
the consent of such indemnified party, be counsel to such indemnifying party), and, after notice
from such indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense
thereof, such indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under Section 6(a)
or 6(b) hereof for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation. The indemnified party shall have the right to employ its own
counsel in any such action, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of
such indemnified party unless (i) the employment of counsel by such indemnified party at the
expense of the indemnifying party has been authorized by the indemnifying party, (ii) the
indemnified party shall have been advised by such counsel that there may be a conflict of interest
between the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in the conduct of the defense, or certain
aspects of the defense, of such action (in which case the indemnifying party shall not have the
right to direct the defense of such action with respect to those matters or aspects of the defense
on which a conflict exists or may exist on behalf of the indemnified party) or (iii) the
indemnifying party shall not in fact have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
indemnified party to assume the defense of such action, in any of which events such fees and
expenses to the extent applicable shall be borne, and shall be paid as incurred, by the
indemnifying party. If at any time such indemnified party shall have requested such indemnifying
party under Section 6(a) or 6(b) hereof to reimburse such indemnified party for fees and expenses
of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature
contemplated by Section 6(a) or 6(b) hereof effected without its written consent if (I) such
settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of such
request for reimbursement, (II) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of
such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (III) such
indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request
for reimbursement prior to the date of such settlement. No such indemnifying party shall (1)
without the written consent of such indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action, claim or
proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or
not such indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action, claim or proceeding)
unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (A) includes an unconditional release of such
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action, claim 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 such indemnified party or (2) be liable for any settlement or any such action
effected without its written consent, but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or
if there be a final judgment of the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason
of such settlement or judgment. In no event shall such indemnifying parties be liable for the fees
and expenses of more than one counsel, in addition to any local counsel, for all such indemnified
parties in
26
connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is by its terms due and owing but is
unavailable or insufficient to indemnify or hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 6(a)
or 6(b) hereof in respect of any losses, damages or liabilities (or actions or claims in respect
thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under Section 6(a) or 6(b) hereof shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses,
damages or liabilities (or actions or claims in respect thereof) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the
Placement Agents, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation
provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the
indemnified party failed to give the notice required under Section 6(c) hereof and such
indemnifying party was prejudiced in a material respect by such failure, then each such
indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault, as applicable, of the Company, on the one hand, and the Placement Agents, on the other hand,
in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, damages or liabilities
(or actions or claims in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by, as applicable, the Company, on the one hand, and the Placement
Agents, on the other hand, shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds
from such offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the portion of the
total Placement Fee received by the Placement Agents. The relative fault, as applicable, of the
Company, on the one hand, and the Placement Agents, on the other hand, 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, on the one hand, or the Placement Agents, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The Company and the Placement Agents agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other
method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above
in this Section 6(d). The amount paid or payable by such an indemnified party as a result of the
losses, damages or liabilities (or actions or claims in respect thereof) referred to above in this
Section 6(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 6(d), the Placement Agents shall not be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares were sold to the
Investors exceeds the amount of any damages that the Placement Agents have otherwise been required
to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Placement Agents’ obligations in this Section 6(d) to contribute are
several in proportion to the compensation received by each of the Placement Agents and not
joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 6 shall be in addition to any
liability that the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and
27
conditions, to each officer, director, employee, agent or other representative and to each
person, if any, who controls the Placement Agents within the meaning of the 1933 Act; and the
obligations of the Placement Agents under this Section 6 shall be in addition to any liability that
the Placement Agents may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to
each officer and director of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and to each person,
if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act.
(f) The parties to this Agreement hereby acknowledge that they are sophisticated business
persons who were represented by counsel during the negotiations regarding the provisions hereof,
including, without limitation, the provisions of this Section 6, and are fully informed regarding
such provisions. They further acknowledge that the provisions of this Section 6 fairly allocate
the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company and its business in
order to assure that adequate disclosure is made in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure
Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, and any supplement or amendment thereof, as
required by the 1933 Act.
7. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The respective
representations, warranties, agreements and statements of the Company and the Placement Agents, as
set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this
Agreement, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation (or
any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of the Placement Agents or any
controlling person of the Placement Agents, the Company or any of its officers, directors or any
controlling persons, and shall survive the Closing for a period of two years therefrom.
8. [Reserved].
9. Effective Date and Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by the
Representative at any time at or prior to the Closing Date (by telephone, facsimile or telegram,
confirmed by letter) if any condition specified in Section 5 hereof shall not have been satisfied
on or prior to the Closing Date; provided, however, that the provisions of this Section 9 and of
Section 6 and Section 10 hereof shall at all times be effective. Any such termination shall be
without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 6 or Section 10
hereof.
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10. Costs and Expenses. The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated
hereby are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, will bear and pay the costs and expenses
incident to the registration of the Shares and offering thereof, including, without limitation, (a)
all expenses (including stock transfer taxes) incurred in connection with the delivery to the
several Investors of the Shares, the filing fees of the SEC, and the fees and expenses of the
Company’s counsel and accountants, (b) the preparation, printing, filing, delivery and shipping of
the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and
any amendments or supplements thereto and the printing, delivery and shipping of this Agreement and
other offering documents, including the Blue Sky Memoranda, and any instruments or documents
related to any of the foregoing, (c) the furnishing of copies of such documents to the Placement
Agents, (d) the registration or qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under the
securities laws of the various states and other jurisdictions, (e) the filing fees of the NASD (if
any), (f) the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Placement Agents relating to the Shares and
the offering thereof, including, without limitation, relating to any review of the offering by the
NASD, (g) all printing and engraving costs related to preparation of the certificates for the
Shares, including transfer agent and registrar fees, (h) all fees and expenses relating to the
authorization of the Shares for trading on the American Stock Exchange, (i) the costs and expenses
relating to any investor presentations or any “road show” undertaken in connection with the
marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with
the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in
connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and
officers or representatives of the Company or the Placement Agents and any such consultants, and
the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show and (j) all of the other costs
and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of the registration and offering of the
Shares; provided, that the Placement Agents will bear and pay any advertising costs and expenses
incurred by the Placement Agents incident to the offering of the Shares. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in no event shall the Company be obligated to reimburse the Placement Agents for fees
and expenses in excess of $75,000 in the aggregate. The Company shall reimburse the Placement
Agents within 10 days of receiving an invoice (and such other supporting documentation as may be
reasonably requested by the Company) from the Placement Agents for such costs and expenses,
provided that any such invoice submitted to the Company at least one business day prior to the
Closing Date shall be paid by the Company at Closing.
11. Notices. All notices or communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise
specifically provided, shall be in writing and, if sent to the Placement Agents, shall be mailed,
delivered, sent by facsimile transmission, or telegraphed and confirmed, to the Representative as
follows: X.X. Xxxxxxx & Sons, Inc., Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, III, facsimile number (000) 000-0000, with a copy (which shall not
constitute notice) to: Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx PC, 0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq., facsimile number (000) 000-0000; or if sent to the
Company, shall be mailed, delivered, sent by facsimile transmission, or telegraphed and confirmed
to American Oil & Gas Inc., 0000 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: President, facsimile number (000) 000-0000, with a copy (which shall not constitute
notice) to: Xxxxxx Xxxxx LLP, 0000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq., facsimile number (000) 000-0000.
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12. Information Furnished by Placement Agents. The statements set forth in the sixth
and seventh paragraphs under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus and the
Disclosure Package, solely to the extent included in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information related to the Placement Agents furnished to the Company by the Placement Agents,
expressly for use in the preparation thereof, constitute the only information furnished by or on
behalf of the Placement Agents as such information is referred to herein.
13. Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
Placement Agents, the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 6 and 7, the officers and
directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or the Placement Agents and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, and successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in
this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, corporation or other entity
any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any
provision herein contained; this Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being intended
to be and being for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors and said controlling persons and with respect to said Sections 6 and 7 said officers and
directors, and for the benefit of no other person, corporation or other entity.
14. Entire Agreement; Amendments and Waivers. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement between the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all
prior agreements, understandings, negotiations and discussions, whether oral or written, of the
parties, and there are no warranties, representations or other agreements among the parties in
connection with the subject matter hereof except as set forth specifically herein or contemplated
hereby. 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 constitute a continuing
waiver unless otherwise expressly provided.
15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties
hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
16. Pronouns. Whenever a pronoun of any gender or number is used herein, it shall,
where appropriate, be deemed to include any other gender and number.
17. Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.
18. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and
are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
19. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the choice of law or conflict of
laws principles thereof.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please so indicate in the space
provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between
the Company and the Placement Agents.
AMERICAN OIL & GAS, INC. | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||||||
Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||||||
Title: | President | |||||||
Accepted as of the date first above written. |
||||||||
X.X. XXXXXXX & SONS, INC. | ||||||||
By: |
/s/ Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||||||
Name: |
Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||||||
Title: |
Managing Director | |||||||
X. X. XXXXXX & COMPANY | ||||||||
By: |
/s/ Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||||||
Name: |
Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||||||
Title: |
Managing Director |
31