REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of March 14,
2000, by and among DIGS, INC., a Delaware corporation, with headquarters located
at 00000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx. Xxxxx 000, XX 00000 (the "Company"), and May Xxxxx Group,
Inc. (the "Buyer").
WHEREAS:
A. In connection with the Placement Agent Agreement of even date herewith
(the "Placement Agent Agreement"), the Company has agreed, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions of the Placement Agent Agreement, to issue and sell to
the Buyers warrants (the "Warrants") to purchase 200,000 shares of the Company's
common stock, $.001 par value (the "Common Stock") ( "Warrant Shares").
B. To induce the Buyers to execute and deliver the Placement Agent
Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the "1933 Act"), and
applicable state securities laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants
contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Buyers hereby
agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
a. "Investor" means a Buyer and any transferee or assignee thereof to
whom a Buyer assigns its rights under this Agreement and who agrees to become
bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9.
b. "Person" means a corporation, a limited liability company, an
association, a partnership, an organization, a business, an individual, a
governmental or political subdivision thereof or a governmental agency.
c. "Register," "registered," and "registration" refer to a
registration effected by preparing and filing one or more Registration
Statements (as defined below) in compliance with the 1933 Act and pursuant to
Rule 415 under the 1933 Act or any successor rule providing for offering
securities on a continuous or delayed basis (ARule 415"), and the declaration or
ordering of effectiveness of such Registration Statement(s) by the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
d. "Registrable Securities" means the Warrant Shares issued or
issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants and any shares of capital stock
issued or issuable with respect to the Warrant Shares or the Warrant as a result
of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event
or otherwise, without regard to any limitations on exercises of the Warrant.
e. "Registration Statement" means registration statement under the
1933 Act covers the Registrable Securities.
2. REGISTRATION.
a. Mandatory Registration.
(i) The Company shall prepare, and, as soon as practicable but in
no event later than 60 days from the date hereof (the "Filing Deadline"), file
with the SEC an Initial Registration Statement or Initial Registration
Statements (as necessary) on Form S-3 covering the resale of all of the
Registrable Securities. In the event that Form S-3 is unavailable for such a
registration, the Company shall use such other form as is available for such a
registration, subject to the provisions of Section 2(d). Any initial
Registration Statement prepared pursuant hereto shall register for resale at
least that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Warrant
Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (without regard to any limitations
on exercise) as of a date immediately preceding the date the Registration
Statement is filed with the SEC, subject to adjustment as provided in Section
2(f). The Company shall use its best efforts to cause such Initial Registration
Statement to be declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable, but in no
event later than 90 days after the date hereof (the "Effectiveness Deadline").
b. Allocation of Registrable Securities. The initial number of
Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement and each increase
in the number of Registrable Securities included therein shall be allocated pro
rata among the Investors based on the number of Registrable Securities held by
each Investor at the time the Registration Statement covering such initial
number of Registrable Securities or increase thereof is declared effective by
the SEC. In the event that an Investor sells or otherwise transfers any of such
Person's Registrable Securities, each transferee shall be allocated a pro rata
portion of the then remaining number of Registrable Securities included in such
Registration Statement for such transferor. Any shares of Common Stock included
in a Registration Statement and which remain allocated to any Person which
ceases to hold any Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement
shall be allocated to the remaining Investors, pro rata based on the number of
Registrable Securities then held by such Investors which are covered by such
Registration Statement.
c. Legal Counsel. Subject to Section 5 hereof, the Buyer shall have
the right to select one legal counsel to review and oversee any offering
pursuant to this Section 2 ("Legal Counsel") at the expense of the Company,
which expense shall not exceed $3,000. The Company shall reasonably cooperate
with Legal Counsel in performing the Company's obligations under this Agreement.
d. Ineligibility for Form S-3. In the event that Form S-3 is not
available for any registration of Registrable Securities hereunder, the Company
shall (i) register the sale of the Registrable Securities on another appropriate
form reasonably acceptable to the holders of a majority of the Registrable
Securities and (ii) undertake to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3
as soon as such form is available, provided that the Company shall maintain the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect until such time as a
Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the Registrable Securities has been
declared effective by the SEC.
e. Effect of Failure to File and Obtain and Maintain Effectiveness of
Registration Statement. If (i) a Registration Statement covering all the
Registrable Securities and required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this
Agreement is not (A) filed with the SEC on or before the Filing Deadline or (B)
declared effective by the SEC on or before the applicable Effectiveness Deadline
or (ii) on any day after the Registration Statement has been declared effective
by the SEC, sales of all the Registrable Securities required to be included on
such Registration Statement cannot be made pursuant to the Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, because of a failure to keep the
Registration Statement effective, to disclose such information as is necessary
for sales to be made pursuant to the Registration Statement, to register
sufficient shares of Common Stock), then, as partial relief for the damages to
any holder by reason of any such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell
the underlying shares of Common Stock (which remedy shall not be exclusive of
any other remedies available at law or in equity), the Company shall pay to each
holder of Warrants or Warrant Shares an amount in cash per Warrant or Warrant
Shares held equal to the product of the closing bid price of the Common Stock on
the date of the Effectiveness Deadline multiplied by (I) .00067 multiplied by
the sum of (x) the number of days after the Filing Deadline that such
Registration Statement is not filed with the SEC, plus (y) the number of days
after the Effectiveness Deadline that the Registration Statement is not declared
effective by the SEC, plus (z) the number of days after the Registration
Statement has been declared effective by the SEC that such Registration
Statement is not available for the sale of at least all the Registrable
Securities required to be included on such Registration Statement. The payments
to which a holder shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 2(e) are referred
to herein as "Registration Delay Payments." Registration Delay Payments shall be
paid on the third business day after the last day of the calendar month during
which such Registration Delay Payments are incurred. In the event the Company
fails to make Registration Delay Payments in a timely manner, such Registration
Delay Payments shall bear interest at the rate of 2.0% per month (prorated for
partial months) until paid in full.
f. Sufficient Number of Shares Registered. In the event the number of
shares available under a Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a)
is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities which such
Registration Statement is required to cover or an Investor's allocated portion
of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(b), the Company shall amend
the Registration Statement, or file a new Registration Statement (on the short
form available therefor, if applicable), or both, so as to cover all of such
Registrable Securities (based on the market price of the Common Stock on the
trading day immediately preceding the date of filing of such amendment or new
Registration Statement), in each case, as soon as practicable, but in any event
not later than fifteen (15) days after the necessity therefor arises. The
Company shall use it best efforts to cause such amendment and/or new
Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable following the
filing thereof.
3. RELATED OBLIGATIONS.
At such time as the Company is obligated to file a Registration Statement
with the SEC pursuant to Sections 2(a) or 2(f), the Company will use its best
efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance
with the intended method of disposition thereof and, pursuant thereto, the
Company shall have the following obligations:
a. The Company shall promptly prepare and file with the SEC a
Registration Statement with respect to the applicable Registrable Securities (as
soon as practicable but in no event later than the applicable Filing Deadline)
and use its best efforts to cause such Registration Statement relating to the
Registrable Securities to become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing (but in no event later than the applicable Effectiveness Deadline). The
Company shall keep each Registration Statement effective pursuant to Rule 415 at
all times until the earlier of (i) the date as of which the Investors may sell
all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement without
restriction pursuant to Rule 144(k) promulgated under the 1933 Act (or successor
thereto) or (ii) the date on which the Investors shall have sold all the
Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement (the "Registration
Period"), which Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements
thereto and prospectuses contained therein) shall not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances in which they were made, not misleading. The term "best efforts"
shall mean, among other things, that the Company shall submit to the SEC, within
three business days after the Company learns that no review of a particular
Registration Statement will be made by the staff of the SEC or that the staff
has no further comments on the Registration Statement, as the case may be, a
request for acceleration of effectiveness of such Registration Statement to a
time and date not later than 48 hours after the submission of such request.
b. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments
(including post-effective amendments) and supplements to a Registration
Statement and the prospectus used in connection with such Registration
Statement, which prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated
under the 1933 Act, as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement
effective at all times during the Registration Period, and, during such period,
comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the disposition of
all Registrable Securities of the Company covered by such Registration Statement
until such time as all of such Registrable Securities shall have been disposed
of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or
sellers thereof as set forth in such Registration Statement. In the case of
amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement which are required to be
filed pursuant to this Agreement (including pursuant to this Section 3(b)) by
reason of the Company filing a report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K or any
analogous report under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"1934 Act"), the Company shall have incorporated such report by reference into
the Registration Statement, if applicable, or shall file such amendments or
supplements with the SEC on the same day on which the 1934 Act report is filed
which created the requirement for the Company to amend or supplement the
Registration Statement.
c. The Company shall (a) permit Legal Counsel to review and comment
upon (i) the Initial Registration Statement and the Additional Registration
Statement at least seven (7) days prior to its filing with the SEC and (ii) all
other Registration Statements and all amendments and supplements to all such
Registration Statements (except for Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K and any similar or
successor reports) within a reasonable number of days prior to the their filing
with the SEC and (b) not file any document in a form to which Legal Counsel
reasonably objects. The Company shall not submit a request for acceleration of
the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement
thereto without the prior approval of Legal Counsel, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld. The Company shall furnish to Legal Counsel, without
charge, (i) any correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC to the
Company or its representatives relating to any Registration Statement, (ii)
promptly after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, one copy of any
Registration Statement and any amendment(s) thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference and
all exhibits and (iii) upon the effectiveness of any Registration Statement, one
copy of the prospectus included in such Registration Statement and all
amendments and supplements thereto. The Company shall reasonably cooperate with
Legal Counsel in performing the Company's obligations pursuant to this Section
3.
d. The Company shall furnish to each Investor whose Registrable
Securities are included in any Registration Statement, without charge, (i)
promptly after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, at least one copy of
such Registration Statement and any amendment(s) thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference, all
exhibits and each preliminary prospectus, (ii) upon the effectiveness of any
such Registration Statement, ten (10) copies of the prospectus
included in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements
thereto (or such other number of copies as such Investor may reasonably request)
and (iii) such other documents, including copies of any preliminary or final
prospectus, as such Investor may reasonably request from time to time in order
to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such
Investor.
e. The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) register and qualify
the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement under such other
securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as any
Investor reasonably requests, (ii) prepare and file in those jurisdictions, such
amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such
registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to maintain the
effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take such other
actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and qualifications in
effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv) take all other
actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the Registrable Securities
for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (w) make any
change to its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, (x) qualify to do
business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify
but for this Section 3(e), (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such
jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such
jurisdiction. The Company shall promptly notify Legal Counsel and each Investor
who holds Registrable Securities of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the registration or qualification
of any of the Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or "blue sky"
laws of any jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of actual notice of
the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
f. As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event or
development, the Company shall notify Legal Counsel and each Investor in writing
of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in a
Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading (provided that in no event shall such
notice contain any material, nonpublic information), and promptly prepare a
supplement or amendment to such Registration Statement to correct such untrue
statement or omission, and deliver ten (10) copies of such supplement or
amendment to Legal Counsel and each Investor (or such other number of copies as
Legal Counsel or such Investor may reasonably request). The Company shall also
promptly notify Legal Counsel and each Investor in writing (i) when a prospectus
or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and
when a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment has become
effective (notification of such effectiveness shall be delivered to Legal
Counsel and each Investor by facsimile on the same day of such effectiveness),
(ii) of any request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to a Registration
Statement or related prospectus or related information, and (iii) of the
Company's reasonable determination that a post-effective amendment to a
Registration Statement would be appropriate.
g. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of a Registration Statement,
or the suspension of the qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for
sale in any jurisdiction within the United States of America and, if such an
order or suspension is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such order or
suspension at the earliest possible moment and to notify Legal Counsel and each
Investor who holds Registrable Securities being sold of the issuance of such
order and the resolution thereof or its receipt of actual notice of the
initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
h. At the reasonable request of any Investor, the Company shall
furnish to such Investor, on the date of the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement and thereafter from time to time on such dates as an Investor may
reasonably request (i) a letter, dated such date, from the Company's independent
certified public accountants in form and substance as is customarily given by
independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten
public offering, and (ii) an opinion, dated as of such date, of counsel
representing the Company for purposes of such Registration Statement, in form,
scope and substance as is customarily given in an underwritten public offering,
addressed to the Investors.
i. The Company shall make available for inspection by (i) any
Investor, (ii) Legal Counsel and (iii) one firm of accountants or other agents
retained by the Investors (collectively, the "Inspectors") all pertinent
financial and other records, and pertinent corporate documents and properties of
the Company (collectively, the "Records"), as shall be reasonably deemed
necessary by each Inspector, and cause the Company's officers, directors and
employees to supply all information which any Inspector may reasonably request;
provided, however, that each Inspector shall agree, and each Investor hereby
agrees, to hold in strict confidence and shall not make any disclosure (except
to an Investor) or use of any Record or other information which the Company
determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination the
Inspectors are so notified, unless (a) the disclosure of such Records is
necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration
Statement or is otherwise required under the 1933 Act, (b) the release of such
Records is ordered pursuant to a final, non-appealable subpoena or order from a
court or government body of competent jurisdiction, or (c) the information in
such Records has been made generally available to the public other than by
disclosure in violation of this or any other agreement of which the Inspector
and the Investor has knowledge. Each Investor agrees that it shall, upon
learning that disclosure of such Records is sought in or by a court or
governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt
notice to the Company and allow the Company, at its expense, to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order
for, the Records deemed confidential.
j. The Company shall hold in confidence and not make any disclosure of
information concerning an Investor provided to the Company unless (i) disclosure
of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state securities
laws, (ii) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid or correct a
misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement, (iii) the release of
such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other final,
non-appealable order from a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction, or (iv) such information has been made generally available to the
public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement or any other
agreement. The Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of
such information concerning an Investor is sought in or by a court or
governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt
written notice to such Investor and allow such Investor, at the Investor's
expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain
a protective order for, such information.
k. The Company shall use its best efforts either to cause all the
Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be listed on each
securities exchange on which securities of the same class or series issued by
the Company are then listed, if any, if the listing of such Registrable
Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange or (ii) secure
designation and quotation of all the Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement on the Nasdaq National Market or, if, despite the
Company's best efforts to satisfy the preceding clause (i) or (ii), the Company
is unsuccessful in satisfying the preceding clause (i) or (ii), to secure the
inclusion for quotation on The Nasdaq SmallCap Market for such Registrable
Securities and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to arrange for
at least two market makers to register with the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") as such with respect to such Registrable
Securities. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with
satisfying its obligation under this Section 3(k).
l. The Company shall cooperate with the Investors who hold Registrable
Securities being offered and, to the extent applicable, to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any restrictive legend)
representing the Registrable Securities to be offered pursuant to a Registration
Statement and enable such certificates to be in such denominations or amounts,
as the case may be, as the Investors may reasonably request and registered in
such names as the Investors may request.
m. Intentionally Left Blank
n. If requested by an Investor, the Company shall (i) as soon as
practicable incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment
such information as an Investor requests to be included therein relating to the
sale and distribution of Registrable Securities, including, without limitation,
information with respect to the number of Registrable Securities offered or
sold, the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering
of the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering; (ii) as soon as
practicable make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment after being notified of the matters to be incorporated
in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; and (iii) supplement
or make amendments to any Registration Statement if reasonably requested by an
Investor of such Registrable Securities.
o. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registrable
Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement to be registered
with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be
necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
p. The Company shall make generally available to its security holders
as soon as practical, but not later than 90 days after the close of the period
covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying with the provisions of
Rule 158 under the 0000 Xxx) covering a twelve-month period beginning not later
than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter next following the effective
date of the Registration Statement.
q. The Company shall otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all
applicable rules and regulations of the SEC in connection with any registration
hereunder.
r. Within two (2) business days after a Registration Statement which
covers applicable Registrable Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the
Company shall deliver, and shall cause legal counsel for the Company to deliver,
to the transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to the
Investors whose Registrable Securities are included in such Registration
Statement) confirmation that such Registration Statement has been declared
effective by the SEC in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
s. The Company shall take all other reasonable actions necessary to
expedite and facilitate disposition by the Investors of Registrable Securities
pursuant to a Registration Statement.
t. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 3(f), at any
time after the applicable Registration Statement has been declared effective by
the SEC, the Company may delay the disclosure of material non-public information
concerning the Company, the disclosure of which at the time is not, in the good
faith opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company and its counsel, in the
best interest of the Company and, in the opinion of counsel to the Company,
otherwise required (a "Grace Period"); provided, that the Company shall promptly
(i) notify the Investors in writing of the existence of material non-public
information giving rise to a Grace Period (provided that in each notice the
Company will not disclose the content of such material non-public information to
the Investors) and the date on which the Grace Period will begin, and (ii)
notify the Investors in writing of the date on which the Grace Period ends; and,
provided further, that no Grace Period shall exceed 15 consecutive days and
during any 365 day period such Grace Periods shall not exceed an aggregate of 30
days (an "Allowable Grace Period"). For purposes of determining the length of a
Grace Period above, the Grace Period shall begin on and include the date the
holders receive the notice referred to in clause (i) above and shall end on and
include the later of the date the holders receive the notice referred to in
clause (ii) and the date referred to in such notice. The provisions of Section
3(g) hereof shall not be applicable during the period of any Allowable Grace
Period. Upon expiration of the Grace Period, the Company shall again be bound by
the first sentence of Section 3(g) with respect to the information giving rise
thereto unless such material non-public information is no longer applicable.
4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTORS.
a. At least seven (7) days prior to the first anticipated filing date
of the Registration Statement, the Company shall notify each Investor in writing
of the information the Company reasonably requires from each such Investor if
such Investor elects to have any of such Investor's Registrable Securities
included in such Registration Statement. It shall be a condition precedent to
the obligations of the Company to complete the registration pursuant to this
Agreement with respect to the Registrable Securities of a particular Investor
that such Investor shall furnish to the Company such information regarding
itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of
disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it as shall be reasonably
required to effect the registration of such Registrable Securities and shall
execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may
reasonably request.
b. Each Investor by such Investor's acceptance of the Registrable
Securities agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the
Company in connection with the preparation and filing of any Registration
Statement hereunder, unless such Investor has notified the Company in writing of
such Investor's election to exclude all of such Investor's Registrable
Securities from such Registration Statement, the Effectiveness Deadline shall be
extended to the extent of any delay caused solely by the Investor's failure to
corporate with the Company.
c. Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the
Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(g),
3(t) or the first sentence of 3(f), such Investor will immediately discontinue
disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration
Statement(s) covering such Registrable Securities until such Investor's receipt
of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section
3(g) or the first sentence of 3(f) or receipt of notice that no supplement or
amendment is required or that a Grace Period has ended. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary, the Company shall cause its transfer agent to deliver
unlegended shares of Common Stock to a transferee of an Investor in accordance
with the terms of the Placement Agent Agreement in connection with any sale of
Registrable Securities with respect to which an Investor has entered into a
contract for sale prior to the Investor's receipt of a notice from the Company
of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(g), 3(t) or the
first sentence of 3(f) and for which the Investor has not yet settled.
5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
All reasonable expenses, other than underwriting discounts and
commissions, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or
qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all
registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees
shall be paid by the Company. In addition, the Company shall reimburse the
Investors for the reasonable fees and disbursements of Legal Counsel in
connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Section 2
and 3 of this Agreement.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a
Registration Statement under this Agreement:
a. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will, and
hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend each Investor, the directors,
officers, partners, employees, agents, representatives of, and each Person, if
any, who controls any Investor within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act") (each, an
"Indemnified Person"), against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities,
judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs, reasonable attorneys' fees, amounts
paid in settlement or expenses, joint or several, (collectively, "Claims")
incurred in investigating, preparing or defending any action, claim, suit,
inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the foregoing by or
before any court or governmental, administrative or other regulatory agency,
body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened, whether or not an indemnified
party is or may be a party thereto ("Indemnified Damages"), to which any of them
may become subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether
commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i)
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in a
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in any filing
made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities
or other "blue sky" laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are
offered ("Blue Sky Filing"), or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus if used prior to the
effective date of such Registration Statement, or contained in the final
prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission
to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were
made, not misleading or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company
of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any
state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer
or sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement (the
matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) being, collectively,
"Violations"). The Company shall reimburse the Investors and each such
underwriter or controlling person, promptly as such expenses are incurred and
are due and payable, for any legal fees or disbursements or other reasonable
expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such
Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the
indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (i) shall not apply to
a Claim by an Indemnified Person arising out of or based upon a Violation which
occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing
to the Company by such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with
the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or
supplement thereto; (ii) shall not be available to the extent such Claim is
based on a failure of the Investor to deliver or to cause to be delivered the
prospectus made available by the Company, if such prospectus was timely made
available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(d); and (iii) shall not apply to
amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without
the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person
and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investors
pursuant to Section 9.
b. In connection with any Registration Statement in which an Investor
is participating, each such Investor agrees to severally and not jointly
indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the same manner
as is set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors, each of its
officers who signs the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act (each an
"Indemnified Party"), against any Claim or Indemnified Damages to which any of
them may become subject, under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, insofar
as such Claim or Indemnified Damages arise out of or are based upon any
Violation, in each case to the extent, and only to the extent, that such
Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by such Investor expressly for use in connection with
such Registration Statement; and, subject to Section 6(d), such Investor will
reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection
with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however, that the
indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) and the agreement with
respect to contribution contained in Section 7 shall not apply to amounts paid
in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior
written consent of such Investor, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld; provided, further, however, that the Investor shall be liable under
this Section 6(b) for only that amount of a Claim or Indemnified Damages as does
not exceed the net proceeds to such Investor as a result of the sale of
Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. Such indemnity
shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or
on behalf of such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of the
Registrable Securities by the Investors pursuant to Section 9. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement
contained in this Section 6(b) with respect to any prospectus shall not inure to
the benefit of any Indemnified Party if the untrue statement or omission of
material fact contained in the prospectus was corrected and such new prospectus
was delivered to each Investor prior to such Investor's use of the prospectus to
which the Claim relates.
c. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action or
proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving a Claim,
such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall, if a Claim in respect
thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 6,
deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof,
and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the
extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel
mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or
the Indemnified Party, as the case may be; provided, however, that an
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own
counsel with the fees and expenses of not more than one counsel for such
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party to be paid by the indemnifying party,
if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel retained by the indemnifying party, the
representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party
and the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any
other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. In the case of an
Indemnified Person, legal counsel referred to in the immediately preceding
sentence shall be selected by the Investors holding a majority in interest of
the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement to which the
Claim relates. The Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person shall cooperate fully
with the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any
such action or claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the
indemnifying party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party
or Indemnified Person which relates to such action or claim. The indemnifying
party shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person fully apprised at
all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with
respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any
action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent,
provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold,
delay or condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior
written consent of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person, consent to entry
of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not
include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff
to such Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person of a release from all liability
in respect to such claim or litigation. Following indemnification as provided
for hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person with respect to all third parties, firms
or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made.
The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a
reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such
indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is
prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
d. The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by
periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation
or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified Damages are incurred.
e. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to
(i) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified
Person against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the
indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
7. CONTRIBUTION.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is prohibited or
limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum contribution
with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable under Section
6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that: (i) no seller
of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from
any seller of Registrable Securities who was not guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation; and (ii) contribution by any seller of Registrable Securities
shall be limited in amount to the net amount of proceeds received by such seller
from the sale of such Registrable Securities.
8. REPORTS UNDER THE 1934 ACT.
With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule 144
promulgated under the 1933 Act or any other similar rule or regulation of the
SEC that may at any time permit the Investors to sell securities of the Company
to the public without registration (ARule 144"), the Company agrees to:
a. make and keep public information available, as those terms are
understood and defined in Rule 144;
b. file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required of the Company under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act so long as
the Company remains subject to such requirements and the filing of such reports
and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and
c. furnish to each Investor so long as such Investor owns Registrable
Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the Company that
it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, the 1933 Act and
the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the
Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company, and (iii)
such other information as may be reasonably requested to permit the Investors to
sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration.
9. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
The rights under this Agreement shall be automatically assignable by the
Investors to any transferee of all or any portion of Registrable Securities if:
(i) the Investor agrees in writing with the transferee or assignee to assign
such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company within a
reasonable time after such assignment; (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable
time after such transfer or assignment, furnished with written notice of (a) the
name and address of such transferee or assignee, and (b) the securities with
respect to which such registration rights are being transferred or assigned;
(iii) immediately following such transfer or assignment the further disposition
of such securities by the transferee or assignee is restricted under the 1933
Act and applicable state securities laws; (iv) at or before the time the Company
receives the written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this sentence the
transferee or assignee agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of
the provisions contained herein; and (v) such transfer shall have been made in
accordance with the applicable requirements of the Placement Agent Agreement.
10. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
Provisions of this Agreement may be amended and the observance thereof may
be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively
or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company and Investors
who then hold at least two-thirds (b) of the Registrable Securities. Any
amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding
upon each Investor and the Company. No such amendment shall be effective to the
extent that it applies to less than all of the holders of the Registrable
Securities. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or
consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of this Agreement
unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to this
Agreement. 11. MISCELLANEOUS.
a. A Person is deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities
whenever such Person owns or is deemed to own of record such Registrable
Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or
elections from two or more Persons with respect to the same Registrable
Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or
election received from the registered owner of such Registrable Securities.
b. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or
permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and
will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered
personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of
transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the
sending party); or (iii) one business day after deposit with a nationally
recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the
party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such
communications shall be:
If to the Buyer:
May Xxxxx Group, Inc.
0 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
If to the Company:
DIGS, Inc.
00000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx. Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Telephone: ( 000) 000-0000
Facsimile: ( 000) 000-0000
Attention: President
If to Legal Counsel:
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx, P.C.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq.
Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice,
consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically
generated by the sender's facsimile machine containing the time, date, recipient
facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C)
provided by a courier or overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence
of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from a nationally
recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or
(iii) above, respectively.
c. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this
Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy,
shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
d. The corporate laws of the State of Delaware shall govern all issues
concerning the relative rights of the Company and the Buyers as its
stockholders. All other questions concerning the construction, validity,
enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the
internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of
law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or
any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any
jurisdiction other than the State of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably
submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts
sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of
any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction
contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and
agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not
personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action
or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such
suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives
personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such
suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the
address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such
service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice
thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right
to serve process in any manner permitted by law. If any provision of this
Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity
or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the
remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or
enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO
REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN
CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
e. This Agreement, the Placement Agent Agreement and the Warrants
constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the
subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no restrictions, promises,
warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein and
therein. This Agreement, the Placement Agent Agreement, the Warrants and the
Certificate of Designations supersede all prior agreements and understandings
among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
f. Subject to the requirements of Section 9, this Agreement shall
inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the permitted successors and assigns
of each of the parties hereto.
g. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference
only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
h. This Agreement may be executed in identical counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the
same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be delivered to
the other party hereto by facsimile transmission of a copy of this Agreement
bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.
i. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed,
all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other
agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may
reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes
of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
j. All consents and other determinations to be made by the Investors
pursuant to this Agreement shall be made, unless otherwise specified in this
Agreement, by Investors holding a majority of the Registrable Securities,
determined as if all of the Warrants then outstanding have been exercised for
Registrable Securities without regard to any limitation on exercises of the
Warrants.
k. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the
language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rules of
strict construction will be applied against any party.
l. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto
and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the
benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
* * * * * *
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Registration Rights
Agreement to be duly executed as of day and year first above written.
COMPANY: BUYER:
DIGS, INC. MAY XXXXX GROUP, INC.
By:/s/ XXXXX X. XXXX By:/s/ XXXXXXX XXXXXX
--------------- -------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxx Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: President Title: Managing Director
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF NOTICE OF EFFECTIVENESS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
[TRANSFER AGENT]
Attn:
Re: Digs, Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are counsel to Digs, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
and have represented the Company in connection with that certain Placement Agent
Agreement (the "Placement Agent Agreement") entered into by and among the
Company (the "Holder") pursuant to which the Company issued to the Holder and
warrants to purchase 200,000 shares of the Company's common stock, $.01 par
value (the "Common Stock") (the "Warrants"). Pursuant to the Placement Agent
Agreement, the Company also has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement
with the Holders (the "Registration Rights Agreement") pursuant to which the
Company agreed, among other things, to register the Registrable Securities (as
defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), including the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). In connection with the Company's obligations
under the Registration Rights Agreement, on ____________ ____, the Company filed
a Registration Statement on Form ________ (File No. 333-_____________) (the
"Registration Statement") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") relating to the Registrable Securities which names each of the Holders as
a selling stockholder thereunder.
In connection with the foregoing, we advise you that a member of the
SEC's staff has advised us by telephone that the SEC has entered an order
declaring the Registration Statement effective under the 1933 Act at [ENTER TIME
OF EFFECTIVENESS] on [ENTER DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS] and we have no knowledge,
after telephonic inquiry of a member of the SEC's staff, that any stop order
suspending its effectiveness has been issued or that any proceedings for that
purpose are pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and the Registrable
Securities are available for resale under the 1933 Act pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
[ISSUER'S COUNSEL]
By:
cc: MAY XXXXX GROUP, INC.
