REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT
10.3
Exhibit
D
This
Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made
and entered into as of January 29, 2010, by and among Gulfstream International
Group, Inc. (the “Company”), and the purchaser set forth on the signature page
annexed hereto (the "Purchaser").
Introduction
This
Agreement is being entered into pursuant to a unit purchase agreement, dated as
of January 29, 2010, among the Company and the Purchaser signatory hereto as
well as other purchasers of Units of securities of the Company (individually and
collectively, the "Purchase
Agreement").
The
Company and the Purchaser do hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
Capitalized
terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given such
terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the
following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Advice" shall have
meaning set forth in Section 3(m).
"Affiliate" means,
with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly
controls or is controlled by or under common control with such
Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control," when used
with respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such
Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise; and the terms of "affiliated," "controlling" and
"controlled"
have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
"Board" shall have
meaning set forth in Section 3(n).
"Business Day" means
any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a legal holiday or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of New York generally are
authorized or required by law or other government actions to close.
"Closing Date" means
the date of the closing of the purchase and sale of the Units pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement by the above-referenced Purchaser who has executed this
Agreement.
"Commission" means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
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"Common Stock" means
the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share.
"Effectiveness Date"
means with respect to the Registration Statement under Section 2(a), the earlier
of (A) the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day
following the Filing Date (or in the event the Registration Statement receives a
“full review” by the Commission, the one hundred and eightieth (180th) day
following the Filing Date) or (B) the date which is within three (3) Business
Days after the date on which the Commission informs the Company (i) that the
Commission will not review the Registration Statement or (ii) that the Company may
request the acceleration of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement;
provided, however,that, if the
Effectiveness Date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or any other day which shall be a
legal holiday or a day on which the Commission is authorized or required by law
or other government actions to close, the Effectiveness Date shall be the
following Business Day.
"Effectiveness Period"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
"Event" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 7(e).
"Event Date" shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 7(e).
"Exchange Act" means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Filing Date" means
with respect to a Registration Statement under Section 2(a), the date that is on
or before April 1, 2010, but in no event later than April 15, 2010 if the
Company files an extension to file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2009; provided, however that if the
Filing Date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or any other day which shall be a legal
holiday or a day on which the Commission is authorized or required by law or
other government actions to close, the Filing Date shall be the following
Business Day.
"Holder" or "Holders" means the
collective reference to the Purchaser and any subsequent record holder or
holders, from time to time, of Registrable Securities.
"Indemnified Party"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(c).
"Indemnifying Party"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(c).
"Losses" shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).
"Person" means an
individual or a corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated
association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company,
government (or an agency or political subdivision thereof) or other entity of
any kind.
"Proceeding" means an
action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation,
an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced
or threatened.
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"Prospectus" means the
prospectus included in the Registration Statement (including, without
limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a
prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon
Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by
any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any
portion of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and
all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective
amendments, and all material incorporated by reference in such
Prospectus.
“Public Offering”
shall mean an offering of the Company’s capital stock for which a registration
statement has been filed with the Commission and underwritten by a licensed
FINRA (NASD) member firm
"Registrable
Securities” means the collective reference to (i) those specific shares
of Common Stock included in the Units sold pursuant to the Purchase Agreement;
(ii) the Warrant included in the Units sold pursuant to the Purchase Agreement,
(iii) the Warrant Shares; and (iv) any securities issued or issuable upon any
stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event
with respect to the foregoing.
"Registration
Statement" means the registration statements and any additional
registration statements contemplated by Section 2, including (in each case) the
Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement or
Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto,
and all material incorporated by reference in such registration
statement.
"Rule 144" means Rule
144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule
may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter
adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such
Rule.
"Rule 158" means Rule
158 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule
may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter
adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such
Rule.
"Rule 415" means Rule
415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule
may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter
adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such
Rule.
“Rule 416” means Rule
416 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule
may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter
adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such
Rule.
"Rule 424" means Rule
424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule
may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter
adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such
Rule.
"Securities Act" means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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“Shares” means the
collective reference to those specific shares of Common Stock included in the
Units sold pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and the Warrant
Shares.
"Warrant" means the
warrant to purchase shares of Common Stock issued to the Purchasers pursuant to
the Purchase Agreement.
“Warrant Shares” means
the shares of Common Stock of the Company that are issuable upon exercise of the
Warrant.
“Units” means the
units of securities of the Company to purchase Common Stock and Warrants of the
Company that are described in, and have been sold pursuant to, the Purchase
Agreement.
2. Resale
Registration.
(a) Resale
Registration. Subject at all times to the provisions of Section 3(b) of this
Agreement, on or prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file
with the Commission a "resale" Registration Statement providing for the resale
of all Registrable Securities by means of an offering to be made on a continuous
basis pursuant to Rule 415. The Registration Statement shall be on
Form S-3 (except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the
Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on
another appropriate form in accordance herewith and the Securities Act and the
rules promulgated thereunder). The Company shall use its best efforts
to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the
Securities Act as promptly as possible after the filing thereof, but in any
event on or prior to the Effectiveness Date, and to keep such Registration
Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until such date as is
the earlier of (x) the date when all Registrable Securities covered by such
Registration Statement have been sold or (y) the date on which the Registrable
Securities may be sold without any restriction pursuant to Rule 144 as
determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter,
addressed to the Company's transfer agent to such effect (the "Effectiveness
Period"). The Company shall request that the effective time of
the Registration Statement be 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the Effectiveness
Date. If at any time and for any reason, an additional Registration
Statement is required to be filed because at such time the actual number of
Registrable Securities exceeds the number of Registrable Securities remaining
under the Registration Statement, the Company shall have twenty (20) Business
Days to file such additional Registration Statement, and the Company shall use
its best efforts to cause such additional Registration Statement to be declared
effective by the Commission as soon as possible, but in no event later than
sixty (60) days after such filing.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in this Section 2, in the event the
Commission does not permit the Company to register all of the Registrable
Securities in the Registration Statement because of the Commission’s application
of Rule 415, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on such
Registration Statement will be reduced in the following order (i) the
Registrable Securities represented by the total number of shares of Common Stock
included in the Units that were sold under the Purchase Agreement, applied on a
pro-rata basis, as among the Holders thereof, and (ii) the Registrable
Securities represented by the total number of Warrant Shares owned by the
Holders, applied on a pro rata basis. The Company shall use its best
efforts to file subsequent Registration Statements to register the Registrable
Securities that were not registered in the initial Registration Statement as
promptly as possible and in a manner permitted by the Commission. For
purposes of this Section 2(b), “Filing Date” means
with respect to each subsequent Registration Statement filed pursuant hereto,
the later of (i) sixty (60) days following the sale of substantially all of the
Registrable Securities included in the initial Registration Statement or any
subsequent Registration Statement and (ii) six (6) months following the
effective date of the initial Registration Statement or any subsequent
Registration Statement, as applicable, or such earlier date as permitted by the
Commission.
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(c) For
purposes of this Section 2, “Effectiveness Date”
means with respect to each subsequent Registration Statement filed pursuant
hereto, the earlier of (A) the one hundred and fiftieth (150th) day
following the filing date of such Registration Statement (or in the event such
Registration Statement receives a “full review” by the Commission, the one
hundred eightieth (180th) day
following such filing date) or (B) the date which is within five (5) Business
Days after the date on which the Commission informs the Company (i) that the
Commission will not review such Registration Statement or (ii) that the Company may
request the acceleration of the effectiveness of such Registration Statement;
providedthat, if the
Effectiveness Date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or any other day which shall be a
legal holiday or a day on which the Commission is authorized or required by law
or other government actions to close, the Effectiveness Date shall be the
following Business Day.
3. Piggyback
Registration.
(a) Notwithstanding
the provisions of Section 2 above, in
the event that, prior to the Filing Date, the Company elects to files a
Registration Statement for a Public Offering (the “Public Offering Registration
Statement”), in lieu of the requirements of filing a resale Registration
Statement pursuant to Section 2, the
Company shall include all of the Registrable Securities then owned by the Holder
in the Public Offering Registration Statement; provided, that, following the
effectiveness of such Public Offering Registration Statement, the Common Stock
and Warrant Shares included in the Registrable Securities may be resold in a
public distribution only as follows:
(i) the
entire Warrant may be resold by the Purchaser at any time from after the
effective date of the Public Offering Registration Statement;
(ii) fifty
percent (50%) of the Registrable Securities, consisting of the shares of Common
Stock included in the Units and the Warrant Shares, may be resold by the
Purchaser at any time commencing on a date ninety (90) days after the effective
date of such Public Offering Registration Statement; and
(iii) the
remaining fifty percent (50%) of the Registrable Securities constituting shares
of Common Stock included in the Units and the Warrant Shares may be resold at
any time commencing on a date which shall be one hundred and eighty (180) days
after the effective date of the Public Offering Registration
Statement.
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(b) The
obligation of the Company to file a resale Registration Statement pursuant to
Section 2
above, shall be suspended for a period not to exceed June 30, 2010, so long as
the Company has in effect prior to such date a Public Offering Registration that
complies with the provisions of this Section 3. In addition, the
Company shall not be required to register any Registrable Securities pursuant to
this Section 3 that are then eligible for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act.
(c) The Public
Offering Registration Statement, to the extent allowable under the 1933 Act and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder shall state that such Public
Offering Registration Statement also covers such indeterminate number of
additional shares of Common Stock as may become issuable upon exercise of or
otherwise pursuant to the Warrants to prevent dilution resulting from stock
splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
(d) The Company
acknowledges that the number of shares of Common Stock initially included in
such Registration Statement represents a good faith estimate of the maximum
number of Warrant Shares and shall be amended, or another registration statement
filed, if not sufficient.
(e) In
connection with any underwritten Public Offering for the account of the Company,
if the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall impose a limitation on the number
of shares of Common Stock or number of Warrant Shares which may be included in
the Public Offering Registration Statement because, in such underwriter(s)'
judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to
facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated pursuant to
this Section 3 to include in such Registration Statement only such limited
portion of the Registrable Securities as to which the underwriter(s) shall
permit.
(f) Any
exclusion of Registrable Securities under Section 3(e) shall be made pro rata
with holders of other Registrable Securities, if any, having the
contractual right to include such securities in the Registration Statement. No
right to piggyback registration of Registrable Securities under this
Section 3 shall be construed to limit any demand resale registration
required under Section 2 hereof.
4. Registration
Procedures.
In
connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the Company
shall:
(a) Prepare and
file with the Commission, on or prior to the Filing Date, a Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (or if the Company is not then eligible to register for
resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 such registration shall be on
another appropriate form in accordance herewith and the Securities Act and the
rules promulgated thereunder) in accordance with the plan of distribution as set
forth on Exhibit
A hereto and in accordance with applicable law, and cause the
Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective as provided
herein; provided, however, that not
less than five (5) Business Days prior to the filing of the Registration
Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, the
Company shall (i) furnish to the Holders copies of all such documents proposed
to be filed, which documents will be subject to the review of such Holders, and
(ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent certified public
accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary to conduct a
reasonable review of such documents. The Company shall not file the
Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements
thereto to which the Purchasers shall reasonably object in writing within three
(3) Business Days of their receipt thereof.
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(b) (i) Prepare
and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective
amendments, to the Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the
Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable
Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission
such additional Registration Statements as necessary in order to register for
resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause
the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus
supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424
(or any similar provisions then in force) promulgated under the Securities Act;
(iii) respond as promptly as possible, but in no event later than twenty (20)
Business Days, to any comments received from the Commission with respect to the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and as promptly as possible
provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to
the Commission relating to the Registration Statement; (iv) file the final
prospectus pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act no later than two (2)
Business Days following the date the Registration Statement is declared
effective by the Commission; and (v) comply in all material respects with the
provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the
disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement
during the Effectiveness Period in accordance with the intended methods of
disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the Registration Statement as so
amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) Notify the
Holders of Registrable Securities as promptly as possible (and, in the case of
(i)(A) below, not less than three (3) Business Days prior to such filing, and in
the case of (iii) below, on the same day of receipt by the Company of such
notice from the Commission) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such
notice in writing no later than one (1) Business Day following the
day: (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is filed; (B) when the
Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a "review" of such
Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such
Registration Statement and (C) with respect to the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any
request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority
for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or
all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation or threatening of any
Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) if at any time any of the representations and
warranties of the Company contained in any agreement contemplated hereby ceases
to be true and correct in all material respects; (v) of the receipt by the
Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification
or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such
purpose; and (vi) of the occurrence of any event that makes any statement made
in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or
that requires any revisions to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other
documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
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(d) Use its
best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of,
as promptly as possible, (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption
from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction.
(e) If
requested by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Registrable
Securities, (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement such information as the
Company reasonably agrees should be included therein and (ii) make all required
filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon
as practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be
incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment.
(f) If
requested by any Holder, furnish to such Holder, without charge, at least one
conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto,
including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits to the extent
requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated
by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the
Commission.
(g) Promptly
deliver to the Holder, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or
Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each amendment or
supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably request; and subject to the
provisions of Sections 4(m) and 4(n), the Company hereby consents to the use of
such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling
Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities
covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.
(h) Prior to
any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to register
or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the
registration or qualification (or exemption from such registration or
qualification) of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as
any Holder requests in writing, to keep each such registration or qualification
(or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any
and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in
such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration
Statement; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would
subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is
not then so subject or subject the Company to any material tax in any such
jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
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(i) Cooperate
with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to a
Registration Statement, which certificates, to the extent permitted by the
Purchase Agreement and applicable federal and state securities laws, shall be
free of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be
in such denominations and registered in such names as any Holder may request in
connection with any sale of Registrable Securities.
(j) Upon the
occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 4(c)(vi), as promptly as
possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective
amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related
Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter
delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(k) Use its
best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities relating to the Registration
Statement, to continued to be quoted or listed on a securities
exchange, quotation system or market, if any, on which similar securities issued
by the Company are then listed or traded as and when required pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement.
(l) Comply in
all material respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission and make generally available to its security holders all documents
filed or required to be filed with the Commission, including, but not limited,
to, earning statements satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the
Securities Act and Rule 158 not later than 45 days after the end of any 12-month
period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month period if such period is a
fiscal year) commencing on the first day of the first fiscal quarter of the
Company after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which statement
shall conform to the requirements of Rule 158.
(m) The Company
may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company information regarding
such Holder and the distribution of such Registrable Securities as is required
by law to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, and the Company may exclude from such
registration the Registrable Securities of any such Holder who unreasonably
fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such
request.
(n) If the
Registration Statement refers to any Holder by name or otherwise as the holder
of any securities of the Company, then such Holder shall have the right to
require (if such reference to such Holder by name or otherwise is not required
by the Securities Act or any similar federal statute then in force) the deletion
of the reference to such Holder in any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement filed or prepared subsequent to the time that such
reference ceases to be required.
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(o) The Holder
covenants and agrees that it will not sell any Registrable Securities under the
Registration Statement until the Company has electronically filed the Prospectus
as then amended or supplemented as contemplated in Section 3(g) and notice from
the Company that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments
thereto have become effective as contemplated by Section
3(c).
(p) The Holder
agrees by its acquisition of such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a
notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in
Section 4(c)(ii), 4(c)(iii), 4(c)(iv), 4(c)(v), 4(c)(vi) or 4(n), such Holder
will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the
Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the
supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement contemplated by
Section 4(j), or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice") by the
Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either
case, has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or
Registration Statement.
(q) If (i)
there is material non-public information regarding the Company which the
Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") determines
not to be in the Company's best interest to disclose and which the Company is
not otherwise required to disclose, (ii) there is a significant business
opportunity (including, but not limited to, the acquisition or disposition of
assets (other than in the ordinary course of business) or any merger,
consolidation, tender offer or other similar transaction) available to the
Company which the Board determines not to be in the Company's best interest to
disclose, or (iii) the Company is required to file a post-effective amendment to
the Registration Statement to incorporate the Company’s quarterly and annual
reports and audited financial statements on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, , then the
Company may (x) postpone or suspend filing of a registration statement for a
period not to exceed forty-five (45) consecutive days or (y) postpone or suspend
effectiveness of a registration statement for a period not to exceed forty-five
(45) consecutive days; provided that the Company may not postpone or suspend
effectiveness of a registration statement under this Section 3(n) for more than
ninety (90) days in the aggregate during any three hundred sixty (360) day
period; provided, however, that no such
postponement or suspension shall be permitted for consecutive twenty (20) day
periods arising out of the same set of facts, circumstances or
transactions.
5. Registration
Expenses.
All fees
and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement by
the Company, except as and to the extent specified in this Section 4, shall be
borne by the Company whether or not the Registration Statement is filed or
becomes effective and whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold
pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses
referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all
registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses
(A) with respect to filings required to be made with any securities
exchange or market on which Registrable Securities are required hereunder to be
listed, if any (B) with respect to filing fees required to be paid to the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (including, without limitation,
pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110) and (C) in compliance with state securities or Blue
Sky laws (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Holders in connection with Blue Sky qualifications of the Registrable
Securities and determination of the eligibility of the Registrable Securities
for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Holders of a majority
of Registrable Securities may designate)), (ii)
printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing
certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the
printing of prospectuses is requested by the holders of a majority of the
Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger,
telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) Securities Act liability insurance, if the
Company so desires such insurance, and (v) fees and expenses of all other
Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the
Company's independent public accountants (including the expenses of any comfort
letters or costs associated with the delivery by independent public accountants
of a comfort letter or comfort letters). In addition, the Company
shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection
with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
(including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and
employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual
audit, the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the
Registrable Securities on any securities exchange if required
hereunder. The Company shall not be responsible for any discounts,
commissions, transfer taxes or other similar fees incurred by the Holders in
connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities.
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6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the
Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of
this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless the Holder, the officers, directors,
managers, partners, members, shareholders, agents, brokers, investment advisors
and employees of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act) and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling
Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any
and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without
limitation, costs of preparation and attorneys' fees) and expenses
(collectively, "Losses"), as
incurred, arising out of or relating to any violation of securities laws or
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement,
any
Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission
of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or
supplement thereto, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that such
untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such
Holder or such other Indemnified Party furnished in writing to the Company by
such Holder for use therein. The Company shall notify the Holders
promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the
Company is aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(b) Indemnification by
Holders. The Holder shall, severally and not jointly,
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, agents and
employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section
15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors,
officers, agents and employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred,
arising solely out of or based solely upon any untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any form of
prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising solely out of
or based solely upon any omission of a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any
Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, to the extent, but
only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any
information so furnished in writing by such Holder or other Indemnifying Party
to the Company specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or such
Prospectus. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, the Holder shall be liable under this Section 6(b) only for the lesser
of (a) the actual damages incurred or (b) that amount as does not exceed the
gross proceeds to such Holder as a result of the sale of his/her/its Registrable
Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification
Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted
against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an "Indemnified Party"),
such Indemnified Party promptly shall promptly notify the Person from whom
indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party”)
in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to assume the defense
thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in
connection with defense thereof; provided that the failure of any Indemnified
Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its
obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the
extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction
(which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such
failure shall have proximately and materially adversely prejudiced the
Indemnifying Party.
An
Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such
Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses
of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties
unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and
expenses; or (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the
defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such
Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party
and the Indemnifying Party, and such parties shall have been advised by counsel
that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to
represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if
such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects
to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the
Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and
such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The
Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding
effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior
written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending
or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party
and indemnity has been sought hereunder, unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
11
All
indemnifiable fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable
fees and expenses incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to
defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be
paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten (10) Business Days of
written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party (regardless of whether it is
ultimately determined that an Indemnified Party is not entitled to
indemnification hereunder; provided, that the
Indemnified Party shall reimburse all such fees and expenses to the extent it is
finally judicially determined that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to
indemnification hereunder).
(d) Contribution. If a
claim for indemnification under Section 6(a) or 6(b) is due but unavailable to
an Indemnified Party because of a failure or refusal of a governmental authority
to enforce such indemnification in accordance with its terms (by reason of
public policy or otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of
indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Indemnifying
Party on the one hand and the Indemnified Party on the other from the offering
of the Common Stock and Warrants. If, but only if, the allocation
provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the
allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but
also the relative fault, as applicable, of the Indemnifying Party and
Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that
resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and
Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether any action in question, including any untrue statement of a material
fact or omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to
information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and
the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or
payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject
to the limitations set forth in Section 6(c), any reasonable attorneys' or other
reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any
Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or
expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to
such party in accordance with its terms. In no event shall any
selling Holder be required to contribute an amount under this Section 6(d) in
excess of the gross proceeds received by such Holder upon sale of such Holder’s
Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement giving rise to
such contribution obligation.
The parties hereto 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 into account the equitable
considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. No
Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in
addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the
Indemnified Parties pursuant to the law.
12
7. Rule
144.
As long as any Holder
owns Warrants or other Registrable Securities, the Company covenants to timely
file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable
grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date
hereof pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As
long as any Holder owns Common Stock, Warrant Shares or a Warrant, if the
Company is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
the Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Holders and make publicly
available in accordance with Rule 144(c) promulgated under the Securities Act
annual and quarterly financial statements, together with a discussion and
analysis of such financial statements in form and substance substantially
similar to those that would otherwise be required to be included in reports
required by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as any other
information required thereby, in the time period that such filings would have
been required to have been made under the Exchange Act. The Company
further covenants that it will take such further action as any Holder may
reasonably request, all to the extent reasonably required from time to time to
enable such Person to sell Conversion Shares and Warrant Shares without
registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions
provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, including providing
any legal opinions relating to such sale pursuant to Rule 144. Upon
the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written
certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with
such requirements.
8. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. In
the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder, of any of their obligations
under this Agreement, such Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in
addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this
Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific
performance of its rights under this Agreement. The
Company and the Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation
for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of
this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for
specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that
a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent
Agreements. The Company has not entered into and shall not
enter into on or after the date of this Agreement, any agreement with respect to
its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in
this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.
(c) Amendments and
Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the
provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and
waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given,
unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holder of
the Registrable Securities.
(d) Notices. Any
notice, demand, request, waiver or other communication required or permitted to
be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be effective (a) upon hand
delivery, telecopy or facsimile at the address or number designated below (if
delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to
be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered
other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is
to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing
by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon
actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur. The
addresses for such communications shall be as set forth in the Purchase
Agreement. Any party hereto may from time to time change its address
for notices by giving at least ten (10) days written notice of such changed
address to the other party hereto.
13
(e) Successors and
Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns and shall
inure to the benefit of the Holder and his, her or its successors and
assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any of its
rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the
Holder. Each Purchaser may assign its rights hereunder in the manner
and to the Persons as permitted under the Purchase Agreement.
(f) Assignment of Registration
Rights. The rights of the Holder hereunder, including the
right to have the Company register for resale Registrable Securities in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, shall be automatically assignable
by the Holder to any Person who acquires all or a portion of the Common Stock, the
Warrant Shares, or the Warrant if: (i) the Holder 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) following such transfer or assignment
the further disposition of such securities by the transferee or assignees is
restricted under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws unless
such securities are registered in a Registration Statement under this Agreement
(in which case the Company shall be obligated to amend such Registration
Statement to reflect such transfer or assignment) or are otherwise exempt from
registration, (iv) at or before the time the Company receives the written notice
contemplated by clause (ii) of this Section, the transferee or assignee agrees
in writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions of this
Agreement, and (v) such transfer shall have been made in accordance with the
applicable requirements of the Purchase Agreement. The rights to
assignment shall apply to the Holders (and to subsequent) successors and
assigns.
(g) Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so
executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together
shall constitute one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when
counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other parties
hereto, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same
counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by
facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation
of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same
with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original
thereof.
(h) Governing Law;
Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without
giving effect to any of the conflicts of law principles which would result in
the application of the substantive law of another
jurisdiction.
14
This
Agreement shall not be interpreted or construed with any presumption against the
party causing this Agreement to be drafted. The Company and the
Holders agree that venue for any dispute arising under this Agreement will lie
exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New York County, New York,
and the parties irrevocably waive any right to raise forum non conveniens or any
other argument that New York is not the proper venue. The Company and
the Holders irrevocably consent to personal jurisdiction in the state and
federal courts of the state of New York. The Company and the Holder
consent to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by
mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices to it
under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and
sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing in this
Section 7(k) shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other
manner permitted by law. The Company and the Holder hereby agree that
the prevailing party in any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the Purchase Agreement, shall be entitled to
reimbursement for reasonable legal fees from the non-prevailing
party. The parties hereby waive all rights to a trial by
jury.
(i) Cumulative
Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not
exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(j) Severability. If any
term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held to be
invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable in any respect, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated,
and the parties hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an
alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that
contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is
hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of
the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter
declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(k) Headings. The
headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this
Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions
hereof.
(l) Independent Nature of
Purchasers. The Company acknowledges that the obligations of
each Purchaser under the Transaction Documents are several and not joint with
the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in
any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under the
Transaction Documents. The Company acknowledges that the decision of
each Purchaser to purchase Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement has
been made by such Purchaser independently of any other Purchaser and
independently of any information, materials, statements or opinions as to the
business, affairs, operations, assets, properties, liabilities, results of
operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or of
its Subsidiaries which may have been made or given by any other Purchaser or by
any agent or employee of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser or any of its
agents or employees shall have any liability to any Purchaser (or any other
person) relating to or arising from any such information, materials, statements
or opinions. The Company acknowledges that nothing contained herein,
or in any Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant
hereto or thereto (including, but not limited to, the (i) inclusion of a
Purchaser in the Registration Statement and (ii) review by, and consent to, such
Registration Statement by a Purchaser) shall be deemed to constitute the
Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind
of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in
concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Company acknowledges
that each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its
rights, including without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement
or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any
other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such
purpose.
15
The
Company acknowledges that it has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same
terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not
because it was required or requested to do so by the Purchasers. The
Company acknowledges that such procedure with respect to the Transaction
Documents in no way creates a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way
acting in concert or as a group with respect to the Transaction Documents or the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
[this
page intentionally left blank – signature page follows]
16
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Registration Rights
Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized persons as of the
date first indicated above.
GULFSTREAM INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC. | |||
Date
|
By:
|
||
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Title: President | |||
|
|||
PURCHASER: | |||
By: | |||
Name: | |||
Title: | |||
Address:
____________________________________
Tel
No: _____________________________________
Fax
No: _____________________________________
Email:
_____________________________________
|
[Signature
Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
Exhibit
A
Plan of
Distribution
The
selling security holders and any of their pledgees, donees, assignees and
successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares
of common stock being offered under this prospectus on any stock exchange,
market or trading facility on which shares of our common stock are traded or in
private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated
prices. The selling security holders may use any one or more of the
following methods when disposing of shares:
● | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
● | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
● | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resales by the broker-dealer for its account; |
● | an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
● |
privately
negotiated transactions;
|
● |
to
cover short sales made after the date that the registration statement of
which this prospectus is a part is declared effective by the
Commission;
|
● | broker-dealers may agree with the selling security holders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share; |
● | a combination of any of these methods of sale; and |
● | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
The
shares may also be sold under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (“Securities Act”), if available, rather than under this
prospectus. The selling security holders have the sole and absolute
discretion not to accept any purchase offer or make any sale of shares if they
deem the purchase price to be unsatisfactory at any particular
time.
The
selling security holders may pledge their shares to their brokers under the
margin provisions of customer agreements. If a selling security
holder defaults on a margin loan, the broker may, from time to time, offer and
sell the pledged shares.
Broker-dealers
engaged by the selling security holders may arrange for other broker-dealers to
participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from
the selling security holders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the
purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, which
commissions as to a particular broker or dealer may be in excess of customary
commissions to the extent permitted by applicable law.
If sales
of shares offered under this prospectus are made to broker-dealers as
principals, we would be required to file a post-effective amendment to the
registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. In the
post-effective amendment, we would be required to disclose the names of any
participating broker-dealers and the compensation arrangements relating to such
sales.
The
selling security holders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in
selling the shares offered under this prospectus may be deemed to be
“underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with these
sales. Commissions received by these broker-dealers or agents and any
profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be
underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Any
broker-dealers or agents that are deemed to be underwriters may not sell shares
offered under this prospectus unless and until we set forth the names of the
underwriters and the material details of their underwriting arrangements in a
supplement to this prospectus or, if required, in a replacement prospectus
included in a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which
this prospectus is a part.
The
selling security holders and any other persons participating in the sale or
distribution of the shares offered under this prospectus will be subject to
applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations under
that act, including Regulation M. These provisions may restrict
activities of, and limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares
by, the selling security holders or any other person. Furthermore,
under Regulation M, persons engaged in a distribution of securities are
prohibited from simultaneously engaging in market making and other activities
with respect to those securities for a specified period of time prior to the
commencement of such distributions, subject to specified exceptions or
exemptions. All of these limitations may affect the marketability of
the shares.
If any of
the shares of common stock offered for sale pursuant to this prospectus are
transferred other than pursuant to a sale under this prospectus, then subsequent
holders could not use this prospectus until a post-effective amendment or
prospectus supplement is filed, naming such holders. We offer no
assurance as to whether any of the selling security holders will sell all or any
portion of the shares offered under this prospectus.
We have
agreed to pay all fees and expenses we incur incident to the registration of the
shares being offered under this prospectus. However, each selling
security holder and purchaser is responsible for paying any discounts,
commissions and similar selling expenses they incur.
We and
the selling security holders have agreed to indemnify one another against
certain losses, damages and liabilities arising in connection with this
prospectus, including liabilities under the Securities Act.