Exhibit 1.01
HI-Q ▇▇▇▇▇, INC.
1,100,000 Shares of Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
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________________, 1999
Nutmeg Securities, Ltd.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Gentlemen:
HI-Q ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the British
Virgin Islands (the "Company"), hereby confirms its agreement with Nutmeg
Securities, Ltd. ("Nutmeg"), as representative (the "Representative") of the
several underwriters listed on Schedule 1 annexed hereto (the "Underwriters"),
as set forth below.
The Company proposes to issue and sell to the Underwriters 1,100,000 shares
of the Company's common stock, [$___] par value (the "Common Stock"). The shares
of Common Stock being sold by the Company are referred to as the "Firm Shares."
In addition, for the sole purpose of covering over-allotments from the sale
of the Firm Shares the Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option
to purchase an additional 165,000 shares of Common Stock (the "Firm Option
Shares" or the "Option Shares"), all as provided in Section 2(c) of this
agreement (the "Agreement") and to issue to you the Representative's Warrant (as
defined in Section 2 hereof) to purchase certain further additional shares of
Common Stock. The Firm Shares and the Option Shares are collectively referred to
herein as either the "Shares" or the "Securities."
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents
and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter that:
(a) A registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-78899), with
respect to the Securities and the Representative's Warrant Securities (as
hereinafter defined), including a prospectus subject to completion, has been
filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act "), and one
or more amendments to that registration statement may have been so filed. Copies
of such registration statement and of each amendment heretofore filed by the
Company with the Commission have been delivered to the Underwriters. After the
execution of this Agreement, the Company will file with the Commission either
(i) if the registration statement, as it may have been amended, has been
declared by the Commission to be effective under the Act, a prospectus in the
form most recently included in that registration statement (or, if an amendment
thereto shall have been filed, in such amendment), with such changes or
insertions as are required by Rule 430A under the Act or permitted by Rule
424(b) under the Act and as have been provided to and approved by the
Underwriters prior to the execution of this Agreement, or (ii) if that
registration statement, as it may have been amended, has not been declared by
the Commission to be effective under the Act, an amendment to that registration
statement, including a form of prospectus, a copy of which amendment has been
furnished to and approved by the Underwriters prior to the execution of this
Agreement. The Company also may file a related registration statement with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act for purposes of registering
certain additional Securities, which registration statement shall become
effective upon filing with the Commission (the "Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement"). As used in this Agreement, the term "Registration Statement" means
that registration statement, as amended at the time it was or is declared
effective, and any amendment thereto that was or is thereafter declared
effective, including all financial schedules and exhibits thereto and any
information omitted therefrom pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act and included
in the Prospectus (as hereinafter defined), together with any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement; the term "Preliminary Prospectus" means each prospectus
subject to completion filed with the Registration Statement (including the
prospectus subject to completion, if any, included in the Registration Statement
at the time it was or is declared effective); and the term "Prospectus" means
the prospectus first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
Act or, if no prospectus is so filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), the prospectus
included in the Registration Statement. The Company has caused to be delivered
to the Underwriters copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and has consented to
the use of those copies for the purposes permitted by the Act. If the Company
has elected to rely on Rule 462(b) and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
has not been declared effective, then (i) the Company has filed a Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement in compliance with and that is effective upon filing
pursuant to Rule 462(b) and has received confirmation of its receipt and (ii)
the Company has given irrevocable instructions for transmission of the
applicable filing fee in connection with the filing of the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, in compliance with Rule 111 promulgated under the Act or
the Commission has received payment of such filing fee.
(b) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending
the use of any Preliminary Prospectus. When each Preliminary Prospectus and each
amendment and each supplement thereto was filed with the Commission it (i)
contained all statements required to be stated therein, in accordance with, and
complied with the requirements of, the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder and (ii) did not include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. When the Registration Statement was or is declared
effective, it (i) contained or will contain all statements required to be stated
therein in accordance with, and complied or will comply with the requirements
of, the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii)
did not or will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
When the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto is filed
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with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (or, if the Prospectus or such
amendment or supplement is not required so to be filed, when the Registration
Statement containing such Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto was or
is declared effective) and on the Firm Closing Date and any Option Closing Date
(as each such term is hereinafter defined), the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented at any such time, (i) contained or will contain all statements
required to be stated therein in accordance with, and complied or will comply
with the requirements of, the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder and (ii) did not or will not include any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. The foregoing provisions of this paragraph (b) do not
apply to statements or omissions made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by the Underwriters specifically for use therein.
(c) The Company and HI-Q ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc., incorporated under the Company
Law of the Republic of China (Taiwan) ("HI-Q Taiwan"), the Company's
wholly-owned subsidiary, are each duly incorporated and are validly existing as
corporations in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions
of incorporation, and are duly qualified or authorized to transact business as
foreign corporations and are in good standing in each jurisdiction where the
ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its businesses require
such qualification or authorization. Other than HI-Q Taiwan, the Company has no
subsidiaries.
(d) The Company and HI-Q Taiwan have full corporate power and
authority, and all necessary material authorizations, approvals, orders,
licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory
authorities, to own or lease its property and conduct its business as now being
conducted and as proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(e) Except for HI-Q Taiwan, the Company does not own, directly or
indirectly, an interest in any corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, joint venture, trust or other business entity.
(f) The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus). All of the issued shares of
capital stock of the Company, have been duly authorized and validly issued and
are fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. There are no
outstanding options, warrants or other rights granted by the Company to purchase
shares of its Common Stock or other securities, other than as described in the
Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus). The Firm Shares have been duly authorized, by all
necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and, when the Firm Shares
are issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriter pursuant to this
Agreement, the Firm Shares will be validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and
free of preemptive rights and will conform to the description thereof in the
Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
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Preliminary Prospectus). No holder of outstanding securities of the Company is
entitled as such to any preemptive or other right to subscribe for any of the
Securities, and no person is entitled to have securities registered by the
Company under the Registration Statement or otherwise under the Act other than
as described in the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(g) The capital stock of the Company conforms to the description
thereof contained in the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in existence,
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(h) All issuances of securities of the Company have been effected
pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Act. Except
as previously disclosed in writing to the Representative, no compensation was
paid to or on behalf of any member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"), or any affiliate or employee thereof, in connection with
any such issuance.
(i) The financial statements of the Company included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) fairly present the financial
position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of operations
of the Company for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in effect
in the United States of America, consistently applied, except to the extent that
certain footnote disclosures regarding unaudited interim periods may have been
omitted in accordance with the applicable rules of the Commission under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"). The financial data
set forth under the caption "Summary Financial Information" in the Prospectus
(and, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus) fairly present, on the basis stated in the Prospectus (or such
Preliminary Prospectus), the information included therein.
(j) KPMG Certified Public Accountants, which has audited certain
financial statements of the Company and HI-Q Taiwan and delivered its report
with respect to the financial statements included in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus), is an independent public accountant with respect to the
Company as required by the Act and the applicable rules and regulations
thereunder.
(k) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), (i) except as otherwise
contemplated therein, there has been no material adverse change in the business,
operations, condition (financial or otherwise), earnings or prospects of the
Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) except
as otherwise stated therein, there have been no transactions entered into by the
Company and no commitments made by the Company that, individually or in the
aggregate, are material with respect to the Company, (iii) there has not been
any change in the capital stock or indebtedness of the Company, and (iv) there
has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the
Company in respect of any class of its capital stock.
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(l) The Company has full corporate power and authority to
enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the
Representative's Warrant Agreement (as hereinafter defined). The execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and
this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement have each been duly
executed and delivered by the Company and each is a valid and binding agreement
of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium and other similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and by general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law), and except as rights to indemnity and contribution under this Agreement
may be limited by applicable law. The issuance, offering and sale by the Company
to the Underwriters of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or the
Representative's Securities pursuant to the Representative's Warrant Agreement,
the compliance by the Company with the provisions of this Agreement and the
Representative's Warrant Agreement, and the consummation of the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant
Agreement do not (i) require the consent, approval, authorization, registration
or qualification of or with any court or governmental or regulatory authority,
except such as have been obtained or may be required under state securities or
blue sky laws and, if the Registration Statement filed with respect to the
Securities (as amended) is not effective under the Act as of the time of
execution hereof, such as may be required (and shall be obtained as provided in
this Agreement) under the Act, or (ii) conflict with or result in a breach or
violation of, or constitute a default under, any material contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, note, lease or other material agreement
or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company or any of
its property is bound or subject, or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws
of the Company, or any statute or any rule, regulation, judgment, decree or
order of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or any
arbitrator applicable to the Company.
(m) No legal or governmental proceedings are pending to which the
Company is a party or to which the property of the Company is subject, and no
such proceedings have been threatened against the Company or with respect to any
of its property, except such as are described in the Prospectus (and, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus). No
contract or other document is required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement that is not described therein (and, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) or filed as required.
(n) The Company is not in (i) violation of its certificate of
incorporation, by-laws or other governing documents, (ii) violation in any
material respect of any law, statute, regulation, ordinance, rule, order,
judgment or decree of any court or any governmental or regulatory authority
applicable to it, or (iii) default in any material respect in the performance or
observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
material contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, note,
lease or other material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by
which it or any of its property may be bound or subject, and no event has
occurred which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute such a
default.
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(o) The Company currently owns or possesses adequate rights to use all
intellectual property, including all trademarks, service marks, trade names,
copyrights, inventions, know-how, trade secrets, proprietary technologies,
processes and substances, or applications or licenses therefor, that are
described in the Prospectus (and if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus), and any other rights or interests in items of
intellectual property as are necessary for the conduct of the business now
conducted or proposed to be conducted by them as described in the Prospectus
(or, such Preliminary Prospectus), and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus
(and such Preliminary Prospectus), the Company is not aware of the granting of
any patent rights to, or the filing of applications therefor by, others, nor is
the Company aware of, nor has the Company received notice of, infringement of or
conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing.
All such intellectual property rights and interests are (i) valid and
enforceable and (ii) to the best knowledge of the Company, not being infringed
by any third parties.
(p) The Company possesses adequate licenses, orders, authorizations,
approvals, certificates or permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or
foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct its business as
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), and,
except as disclosed in the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), there are no pending or, to
the best knowledge of the Company, threatened, proceedings relating to the
revocation or modification of any such license, order, authorization, approval,
certificate or permit.
(q) The Company has good and marketable title to all of the properties
and assets reflected in the Company's financial statements or as described in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), subject to no lien,
mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind, except those reflected in
such financial statements or as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (and such Preliminary Prospectus). Except as disclosed in the
Prospectus, the Company occupies its leased properties under valid and
enforceable leases conforming to the description thereof set forth in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and such Preliminary Prospectus).
(r) The Company is not and does not intend to conduct its business in
a manner in which it would be an "investment company" as defined in Section 3(a)
of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Investment Company Act").
(s) The Company has obtained and delivered to the Representative the
agreements (the "Lock-up Agreements") with the officers, directors and certain
other security holders owning shares of Common Stock substantially to the effect
that, among other things, each such person will not, commencing on the date that
the Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission (the
"Effective Date") and continuing for a period of twelve (12) months thereafter,
without the prior written consent of the Representative, directly or indirectly,
publicly sell, offer or contract to sell or grant any option to purchase,
transfer, assign or pledge, or otherwise encumber, or dispose of any shares of
Common Stock now or hereafter owned by such person and
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that the purchaser or transferee in any private sale agrees to be bound by the
Lock-up Agreement.
(t) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists, is
threatened or, to the best of the Company's knowledge, is imminent that could
result in a material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise),
business, prospects, net worth or results of operations of the Company, except
as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not
in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(u) The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent
and customary in the businesses in which it is engaged; the Company has not been
refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company has no
reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance
coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from
similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that
would not materially and adversely affect the condition (financial or
otherwise), business, prospects, net worth or results of operations of the
Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (and, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(v) The Representative's Warrant (as hereinafter defined) will conform
to the description thereof in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus
(and, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus) and, when sold to and paid for by the Representative in accordance
with the Representative's Warrant Agreement, will have been duly authorized and
validly issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company
entitled to the benefits of the Representative's Warrant Agreement. The shares
of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative's Warrant (the
"Representative's Warrant Shares") have been duly authorized and reserved for
issuance upon exercise of the Representative's Warrant by all necessary
corporate action on the part of the Company and, when issued and delivered and
paid for upon such exercise in accordance with the terms of the Representative's
Warrant Agreement and the Representative's Warrant, respectively, will be
validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights and will
conform to the description thereof in the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(w) No person has acted as a finder in connection with, or is entitled
to any commission, fee or other compensation or payment for services as a finder
for or for originating, or introducing the parties to, the transactions
contemplated herein and the Company will indemnify the Underwriter with respect
to any claim for finder's fees in connection herewith. Except as set forth in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), the Company has no
management or financial consulting agreement with anyone. No promoter, officer,
director or stockholder of the Company is, directly or indirectly, affiliated or
associated with an NASD member and no securities of the Company have been
acquired by an NASD member, except as previously disclosed in writing to the
Representative.
(x) The Company has filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax
returns which are required to be filed through the date hereof, or has received
extensions thereof, and has paid all taxes shown on such returns and all
assessments received by it to the extent that the same are material and have
become due.
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(y) Neither the Company nor any director, officer, agent, employee or
other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company has, directly or
indirectly; used any corporate funds for unlawful contributions, gifts,
entertainment, or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; made
any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or
to foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds;
violated any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended;
or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback, or other
unlawful payment. No transaction has occurred between or among the Company and
any of its officers or directors or any affiliates of any such officer or
director, that is required to be described in and is not described in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(z) Neither the Company nor any of its officers, directors or
affiliates (as defined in the Regulations), has taken or will take, directly or
indirectly, prior to the completion of the Offering, any action designed to
stabilize or manipulate the price of any security of the Company, or which has
caused or resulted in, or which might in the future reasonably be expected to
cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security
of the Company, to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities or the
Option Securities.
2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities and the Representative's
Warrants.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties, agreements and
covenants herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each Underwriter, and each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, the
number of Firm Shares as set forth opposite its name on Schedule 1 annexed
hereto, at a purchase price of [$_____] per share.
(b) Certificates in definitive form for the Firm Securities that the
Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, and in such denomination or
denominations and registered in such name or names as the Underwriters request
upon notice to the Company at least 48 hours prior to the Firm Closing Date,
shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Underwriters, against
payment by or on behalf of the Underwriters of the purchase prices therefor by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account specified by the
Company. Such delivery of the Firm Securities shall be made at the offices of
Counsel for the Underwriters, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ at 9:30
A.M., New York City time on _________, 1999, or at such other place, time or
date as the Underwriters and the Company may agree upon, such time and date of
delivery against payment being herein referred to as the "Firm Closing Date."
The Company will make such certificates for the Firm Securities available for
checking and packaging by the Underwriters, at such offices as may be designated
by the Representative, at least 24 hours prior to the Firm Closing Date. In lieu
of physical delivery, the closing may occur by "DTC" delivery.
(c) For the purpose of covering any over-allotments in connection with
the distribution and sale of the Firm Securities as contemplated by the
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Prospectus, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriter an option to purchase
any or all of the Option Shares, which options are exercisable by the
Representative on behalf of and for the account of the Underwriters. The
purchase price to be paid for any of the Option Shares shall be the same price
per share for the Firm Securities set forth above in paragraph (a) of this
Section 2. The option granted hereby may be exercised as to all or any part of
the Option Shares from time to time within 45 calendar days after the Firm
Closing Date. The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any
of the Option Shares prior to the exercise of such option. The Representative
may from time to time exercise the option granted hereby on behalf of the
Underwriters by giving notice in writing or by telephone (confirmed in writing)
to the Company setting forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which
the Underwriters are then exercising the option and the date and time for
delivery of and payment for such Option Shares. Any such date of delivery shall
be determined by the Underwriters but shall not be earlier than two business
days or later than three business days after such exercise of the option and, in
any event, shall not be earlier than the Firm Closing Date. The time and date
set forth in such notice, or such other time on such other date as the
Representative and the Company may agree upon, is herein called the "Option
Closing Date" with respect to such Option Shares. Upon exercise of the option as
provided herein, the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters,
and, subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each Underwriter
shall become obligated to purchase from the Company, the Option Shares as to
which the Underwriter is then exercising its option. If the option is exercised
as to all or any portion of the Option Shares, certificates in definitive form
for such Option Shares, and payment therefor, shall be delivered on the related
Option Closing Date in the manner, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth
in paragraph (b) of this Section 2, except that reference therein to the Firm
Securities and the Firm Closing Date shall be deemed, for purposes of this
paragraph (c), to refer to such Option Shares and Option Closing Date,
respectively.
(d) On the Firm Closing Date, the Company will further issue and sell
to the Representative or, at the direction of the Representative, to bona fide
officers of the Underwriters, for an aggregate purchase price of $100, warrants
to purchase Common Stock (the "Representative's Warrant") entitling the holders
thereof to purchase an aggregate of 110,000 shares of Common Stock for a period
of four years, such period to commence on the first anniversary of the Effective
Date. The Representative's Warrant shall be exercisable at a price equal to 120%
of the public offering price of the Common Stock, and shall contain terms and
provisions more fully described herein below and as set forth more particularly
in the warrant agreement relating to the Representative's Warrant to be executed
by the Company on the Effective Date (the "Representative's Warrant Agreement"),
including, but not limited to, (i) customary anti-dilution provisions in the
event of stock dividends, split mergers, sales of all or substantially all of
the Company's assets, sales of stock below then prevailing market or exercise
prices and other events, and (ii) prohibitions of mergers, consolidations or
other reorganizations of or by the Company or the taking by the Company of other
action during the five-year period following the Effective Date unless adequate
provision is made to preserve, in substance, the rights and powers incidental to
the Representative's Warrant. As provided in the Representative's Warrant
Agreement, the Representative may designate that the Representative's Warrant be
issued in varying amounts directly to bona fide officers of the Underwriters. As
further provided, no sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation of the
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Representative's Warrant shall be made for a period of 12 months from the
Effective Date, except (i) by operation of law or reorganization of the Company,
or (ii) to the Underwriters and bona fide partners, officers of the Underwriters
and selling group members.
3. Offering by the Underwriters. The Underwriters propose to offer the Firm
Securities for sale to the public upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus
(the "Offering").
4. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the
Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement, if not effective at the time of execution of this Agreement, to
become effective as promptly as possible. If required, the Company will file the
Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto with the Commission in the
manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Act. During
any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be
delivered under the Act, the Company (i) will comply with all requirements
imposed upon it by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder to the extent necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or
dealings in the Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and of the
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, and (ii) will not file with the
Commission any prospectus or amendment referred to in the first sentence of
section (a) (i) hereof, any amendment or supplement to such prospectus or any
amendment to the Registration Statement as to which the Underwriters shall not
previously have been advised and furnished with a copy for a reasonable period
of time prior to the proposed filing and as to which filing the Underwriters
shall not have given their consent. The Company will prepare and file with the
Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission,
promptly upon request by the Underwriters or counsel to the Underwriters, any
amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the
Prospectus that may be necessary or advisable in connection with the
distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, and will use its best
efforts to cause any such amendment to the Registration Statement to be declared
effective by the Commission as promptly as possible. The Company will advise the
Underwriters, promptly after receiving notice thereof, of the time when the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed or declared
effective or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been
filed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Underwriters of each such
filing or effectiveness.
(b) The Company will advise the Underwriters, promptly after receiving
notice or obtaining knowledge thereof, of (i) the issuance by the Commission of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the suspension of the
qualification of any Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, (iii)
the institution, threat or contemplation of any proceeding for any such purpose,
or (iv) any request made by the Commission for amending the Registration
Statement, for amending or supplementing the Prospectus or for additional
information. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any such stop order and, if any such stop order is issued, to obtain the
withdrawal thereof as promptly as possible.
10
(c) The Company will, in cooperation with counsel to the Underwriters,
arrange for the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under the
blue sky or securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may
designate and will continue such qualifications in effect for as long as may be
necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities.
(d) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is
required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result of which
the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading, or if for any other reason it is necessary at
any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the
rules or regulations of the Commission thereunder, the Company will promptly
notify the Underwriters thereof and, subject to Section 4(a) hereof, will
prepare and file with the Commission, at the Company's expense, an amendment to
the Registration Statement or an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus that
corrects such statement or omission or effects such compliance.
(e) Intentionally left blank.
(f) The Company will, without charge, provide to the Underwriters and
to counsel for the Underwriters (i) as many signed copies of the Registration
Statement originally filed with respect to the Securities and each amendment
thereto (in each case including exhibits thereto) as the Underwriters may
reasonably request, (ii) as many conformed copies of such Registration Statement
and each amendment thereto (in each case without exhibits thereto) as the
Underwriters may reasonably request, and (iii) so long as a prospectus relating
to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, as many copies of
each Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(g) The Company, as soon as practicable, will make generally available
to its security holders and to the Underwriters an earnings statement of the
Company that satisfies the provisions of Section 11 (a) of the Act and Rule 158
thereunder.
(h) The Company will reserve and keep available for issuance that
maximum number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock which are
issuable upon exercise of any outstanding warrants and the Representative's
Warrant (including the underlying securities) outstanding from time to time.
(i) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Securities being sold by it as set forth under "Use of Proceeds" in the
Prospectus.
(j) Intentionally left blank.
(k) Prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date (if any), the
Company will not, directly or indirectly, without prior written consent of the
Representative, issue any press release or other public announcement or hold any
press conference with respect to the Company or its activities with respect
11
to the Offering (other than trade releases issued in the ordinary course of the
Company's business consistent with past practices with respect to the Company's
operations).
(l) If, at the time that the Registration Statement becomes effective,
any information shall have been omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A
under the Act, then immediately following the execution of this Agreement, the
Company will prepare, and file or transmit for filing with the Commission in
accordance with Rule 430A and Rule 424(b) under the Act, copies of the
Prospectus including the information omitted in reliance on Rule 430A, or, if
required by such Rule 430A, a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement (including an amended Prospectus), containing all information so
omitted.
(m) The Company will cause the Securities to be included in The Nasdaq
SmallCap Market on the Effective Date and to maintain such listing thereafter.
The Company will file with The Nasdaq SmallCap Market all documents and notices
that are required by companies with securities that are traded on The Nasdaq
SmallCap Market.
(n) During the period of five years from the Firm Closing Date, the
Company will, as promptly as possible, not to exceed 135 days, after each annual
fiscal period render and distribute reports to its stockholders which will
include audited statements of its operations and changes of financial position
during such period and its audited balance sheet as of the end of such period,
as to which statements the Company's independent certified public accountants
shall have rendered an opinion and shall timely file all reports required to be
filed under the securities laws.
(o) During a period of three years commencing with the Firm Closing
Date, the Company will furnish to the Representative, at the Company's expense,
copies of all periodic and special reports furnished to stockholders of the
Company and of all information, documents and reports filed with the Commission.
(p) The Company has appointed Corporate Stock Transfer, Inc. as
transfer agent for the Common Stock, subject to the Closing. The Company will
not change or terminate such appointment for a period of three years from the
Firm Closing Date without first obtaining the written consent of the
Representative. For a period of three years after the Effective Date, the
Company shall cause the transfer agent to deliver promptly to the Underwriters a
duplicate copy of the daily transfer sheets relating to trading of the
Securities. The Company shall also provide to the Representative, on a weekly
basis, copies of the DTC special securities positions listing report.
(q) During the period of 180 days after the date of this Agreement,
the Company will not at any time, directly or indirectly, take any action
designed to or that will constitute, or that might reasonably be expected to
cause or result in, the stabilization of the price of the Common Stock to
facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities.
(r) The Company will not take any action to facilitate the sale of any
shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act if any such sale would
violate any of the terms of the Lock-up Agreements.
12
(s) Prior to the 120th day after the Firm Closing Date, the Company
will provide the Underwriters and their designees with three bound volumes of
the transaction documents relating to the Registration Statement and the
closing(s) hereunder, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Representative.
(t) The Company shall consult with the Representative prior to the
distribution to third parties of any financial information news releases or
other publicity regarding the Company, its business, or any terms of this
offering and the Underwriters will consult with the Company prior to the
issuance of any research report or recommendation concerning the Company's
securities. Copies of all documents that the Company or its public relations
firm intend to distribute will be provided to the Representative for review
prior to such distribution.
(u) The Company and the Underwriters will advise each other
immediately in writing as to any investigation, proceeding, order, event or
other circumstance, or any threat thereof, by or relating to the Commission or
any other governmental authority, that could impair or prevent the Offering.
Except as required by law or as otherwise mutually agreed in writing, neither
the Company nor the Underwriters will acquiesce in such circumstances and each
will actively defend any proceedings or orders in that connection.
(v) The Company shall first submit to the Representative certificates
representing the Securities for approval prior to printing, and shall, as
promptly as possible, after filing the Registration Statement with the
Commission, obtain CUSIP numbers for the Securities.
(w) The Company will prepare and file a registration statement with
the Commission pursuant to section 12 of the 1934 Act, and will use its best
efforts to have such registration statement declared effective by the Commission
on an accelerated basis on the day after the Effective Date. For this purpose
the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a General Form of
Registration of Securities (Form 8-A or Form 10).
(x) For so long as the Securities are registered under the 1934 Act,
the Company will hold an annual meeting of stockholders for the election of
directors within 180 days after the end of each of the Company's fiscal years
and within 135 days after the end of each of the Company's fiscal years will
provide the Company's stockholders with the audited financial statements of the
Company as of the end of the fiscal year just completed prior thereto. Such
financial statements shall be those required by Rule 14a-3 under the 1934 Act
and shall be included in an annual report pursuant to the requirements of such
Rule.
(y) The Company will engage a financial public relations firm
reasonably satisfactory to the Representative on or before the Firm Closing
Date, and continuously engage such firm, or a substitute firm reasonably
acceptable to the Representative, for a period of twelve (12) months following
the Firm Closing Date.
(z) The Company will take all necessary and appropriate actions to be
included in Standard and Poor's Corporation Descriptions or other equivalent
manual and to maintain its listing therein for a period of five (5) years from
13
the Effective Date. Such application shall be made on an accelerated basis no
more than two days following the Effective Date.
(aa) On or prior to the Effective Date, the Company will give written
instructions to the transfer agent for the Common Stock directing said transfer
agent to place stop-order restrictions against, and appropriate legends advising
of the Lock-up Agreements on, the certificates representing the securities of
the Company owned by the persons who have entered into the Lock-up Agreements.
(bb) During the twelve month period commencing on the later of the
Effective Date and the Closing Date, and provided that the Representative agrees
to a complete or partial release of the restrictions contained in a Lock-up
Agreement, the Company shall grant the Representative the right to sell, within
seven business days of the effective date of such release, for the account of
any person who was a shareholder of the Company prior to the Offering and who
owns at least five percent (5%) of the Company's Common Stock after the
Offering, any securities sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act, provided that
such sale is made in accordance with the applicable shareholder's instructions.
(cc) During the twelve month period commencing on the later of the
Effective Date or the Firm Closing Date, the Company and each of shareholders
owning 5% or more of the Company's Common Stock immediately preceding the
Effective Date, shall grant the Representative the right of first offer to act
as lead manager, placement agent, or investment banker with respect to any
proposed underwritten public distribution or private placement of the Company's
securities having an aggregate value of $5,000,000 or more, or any merger,
acquisition or disposition of assets of the Company and any fairness opinions or
valuations. Accordingly, if during such period, the Company intends to make such
a transaction, the Company shall notify the Representative in writing of such
intention and of the proposed terms of the transaction. The Representative shall
notify the Company within seven (7) days of the receipt of such notice of
intention, of the Representative's election to exercise its right to act as lead
manager, placement agent or investment banker, with respect to such transaction.
If such right is not exercised by the Representative and the terms of the
applicable transaction are subsequently modified, the Company shall resubmit
such modified transaction to the Representative. The Representative's election
not to exercise its rights in any particular instance shall not affect in any
way such right with respect to any subsequent transaction by the Company.
(dd) Prior to the Effective Date, the Company will have taken all
necessary and appropriate action to have at least two persons be elected to the
Company's Board of Directors who are deemed to be independent of the Company's
management.
(ff) Prior to the Effective Date, the Company will have entered into
employment agreements with ________________.
(gg) Prior to the Effective Date, the Company will have obtained "Key
Man" life insurance, for an amount equal to at least $1,000,000, on the lives of
each of ___________.
14
4. Expenses
(a) The Company shall pay all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereby are consummated or this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 10 hereof, including all costs and expenses incident to (i)
the preparation, printing and filing or other production of documents with
respect to the transactions, including any costs of printing the Registration
Statement originally filed with respect to the Securities and any amendment
thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto, this Agreement, the selected dealer agreement and the other
agreements and documents governing the underwriting arrangements and any blue
sky memoranda, (ii) all reasonable and necessary arrangements relating to the
delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the foregoing documents, and the costs
and expenses of the Underwriters in mailing or otherwise distributing the same
including telephone charges, duplications and other accountable expenses, (iii)
the fees and disbursements of the counsel, the accountants and any other experts
or advisors retained by the Company, (iv) the preparation, issuance and delivery
to the Underwriters of any certificates evidencing the Securities, including
transfer agent's, warrant agent's and registrar's fees or any transfer or other
taxes payable thereon, (v) the qualification of the Securities under state blue
sky or securities laws, including filing fees and fees and disbursements, (vi)
the filing fees of the Commission and the NASD relating to the Securities, (vii)
the inclusion of the Securities on The Nasdaq SmallCap Market and in the
Standard and Poor's Corporation Descriptions Manual, (viii) any "road shows" or
other meetings with prospective investors in the Securities, including
transportation, accommodation, meal, conference room, audio-visual presentation
and similar expenses, but not including such expenses for the Underwriters or
their representatives or designees in excess of $15,000 and (ix) the publication
of "tombstone advertisements" in The Wall Street Journal and/or Investor's
Business Daily to be selected by the Representative, and the manufacture of
prospectus memorabilia. In addition to the foregoing, the Company, shall
reimburse the Representative for its expenses on the basis of a non-accountable
expense allowance in the amount of 3.00% of the gross offering proceeds to be
received by the Company. The non-accountable expense allowance, based on the
gross proceeds from the sale of the Firm Securities, shall be deducted from the
funds to be paid by the Representative in payment for the Firm Securities,
pursuant to Section 2 of this Agreement, on the Firm Closing Date. To the extent
any Option Shares are sold, any remaining non-accountable expense allowance
based on the gross proceeds from the sale of the Option Shares shall be deducted
from the funds to be paid by the Representative in payment for the Option
Shares, pursuant to Section 2 of this Agreement, on the Option Closing Date. The
Company warrants, represents and agrees that all such payments and
reimbursements will be promptly and fully made.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if the
Offering is terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 or Section
10(a)(i), the Company agrees that, in addition to the Company paying its own
expenses as described in subparagraph (a) above, the Company shall reimburse the
Representative for its actual accountable out-of-pocket expenses net of the
[$_______] which has previously been advanced to the Representative, up to a
maximum of $100,000. Such expenses shall include, but are not to be limited to,
fees for the services and time of counsel for the Underwriters to the extent not
covered by clause (a) above, plus any additional
15
expenses and fees, including, but not limited to, travel expenses, postage
expenses, duplication expenses, long-distance telephone expenses, and other
expenses incurred by the Representative in connection with the proposed
offering.
5. Intentionally left blank.
6. Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Shares shall be subject, in the
Underwriters' sole discretion, to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of the Company contained herein as of the date hereof and as of the
Firm Closing Date as if made on and as of the Firm Closing Date, to the accuracy
of the statements of the Company's officers made pursuant to the provisions
hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and agreements
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) If the Registration Statement, as heretofore amended, has not been
declared effective as of the time of execution hereof, the Registration
Statement, as heretofore amended or as amended by an amendment thereto to be
filed prior to the Firm Closing Date, shall have been declared effective not
later than 5:30 P.M., New York City time, on the date on which the amendment to
such Registration Statement containing information regarding the initial public
offering price of the Securities has been filed with the Commission, or such
later time and date as shall have been consented to by the Underwriters; if
required, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto shall have been
filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by
Rule 424(b) under the Act, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued, and no proceedings for that
purpose shall have been instituted or threatened or, to the knowledge of the
Company or the Underwriters, shall be contemplated by the Commission; and the
Company shall have complied with any request of the Commission for additional
information (to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or
otherwise).
(b) The Underwriters shall have received an opinion, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Westwood & Riegels, counsel to the Company, as to
British Virgin Islands law, substantially to the effect that:
(1) the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
its organization and is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in
which its ownership or leasing of any properties or the conduct of its business
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be in good standing or
so qualify would not have a materially adverse effect upon the Company;
(2) the Company has full corporate power and authority to own or
lease its property and conduct its business as it is now being conducted and as
it is proposed to be conducted, as described in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, and the Company has full corporate power and authority to enter
into this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement and to carry out
all the terms and provisions hereof and thereof to be carried out by it;
16
(3) to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding
options, warrants or other rights granted by the Company to purchase shares of
its Common Stock, preferred stock or other securities other than as described in
the Prospectus; the Shares have been duly authorized and the Representative's
Warrant Shares have been duly reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Company and the Shares when issued and delivered to
and paid for by the Representative, pursuant to this Agreement, the
Representative's Warrant when issued and delivered and paid for in accordance
with this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement by the
Underwriters, and the Representative's Warrant Shares when issued upon payment
of the exercise price specified in the Representative's Warrant, will be validly
issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights and will conform
to the description thereof in the Prospectus; to the knowledge of such counsel,
no holder of outstanding securities of the Company is entitled as such to any
preemptive or other right to subscribe for any of the Shares or the
Representative's Warrant Shares; and to the knowledge of such counsel, no person
is entitled to have securities registered by the Company under the Registration
Statement or otherwise under the Act other than as described in the Prospectus;
(4) the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
Representative's Warrant Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action on the part of the Company and this Agreement and the
Representative's Warrant Agreement have been duly executed and delivered by the
Company, and each is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may
be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance,
moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by
general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law) and except as rights to indemnity and
contribution under this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement may
be limited by applicable securities laws and the public policy underlying such
laws;
(5) the Representative's Warrant is duly authorized and upon
payment of the purchase price therefore specified in Section 2(d) of this
Agreement will be validly issued and constitute valid and binding obligations of
the Company; and the certificates representing the Securities are in due and
proper form under law;
(6) the statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Securities" insofar as those statements purport to summarize the
terms of the capital stock and warrants of the Company, provide a fair summary
of such terms; to the knowledge of such counsel, the statements set forth in the
Prospectus describing statutes and regulations and the descriptions of the
consequences to the Company under such statutes and regulations are fair
summaries of the information set forth therein and are accurate in all material
respects; to the knowledge of such counsel, the statements in the Prospectus,
insofar as those statements constitute summaries of the contracts, instruments,
leases or licenses referred to therein, constitute a fair summary in all
material respects of those contracts, instruments, leases or licenses and
include all material terms thereof, as applicable;
17
(7) none of (A) the execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the Representative's Warrant Agreement, (B) the issuance, offering and sale by
the Company to the Underwriters of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement and
the Representative's Warrant Shares pursuant to the Representative's Warrant
Agreement, or (C) the compliance by the Company with the other provisions of
this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement and the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, to the knowledge of such
counsel (1) requires the consent, approval, authorization, registration or
qualification of or with any court or governmental authority known to us, except
such as have been obtained and such as may be required under state blue sky or
securities laws as to which we express no opinion or (2) conflicts with or
results in a breach or violation of, or constitutes a default under, any
material contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, note,
lease or other material agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which
the Company is a party or by which the Company or any of its property is bound
or subject, or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, or
any material statute or any judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation of any
court or other governmental or regulatory authority known to us applicable to
the Company;
(8) to the knowledge of such counsel, (A) no legal or
governmental proceedings are pending to which the Company is a party or to which
the property of the Company is subject except those arising in the ordinary
course of business and fully covered by insurance and (B) no contract or other
document is required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that is
not described therein or filed as required;
(9) to the knowledge of such counsel, the Company possesses
adequate licenses, orders, authorizations, approvals, certificates or permits
issued by the appropriate federal, state or local regulatory agencies or bodies
necessary to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, and, there are no pending or threatened proceedings relating to
the revocation or modification of any such license, order, authorization,
approval, certificate or permit, except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, which would have a material adverse effect on the
Company;
(10) The Company is not in violation or breach of, or in default
with respect to, any term of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, and to
the knowledge of such counsel, the Company is not in (i) violation in any
material respect of any law, statute, regulation, ordinance, rule, order,
judgment or decree of any court or any governmental or regulatory authority
applicable to it, or (ii) default in any material respect in the performance or
observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
material contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, note,
lease or other material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by
which it or any of its property may be bound or subject, and no event has
occurred which with notice, lapse of time or both would constitute such a
default.
(c) The Underwriters shall have received an opinion, dated the date of
the Firm Closing of ▇▇▇▇ ▇. Agron, Esq., counsel to the Company, substantially
to the effect that:
18
(1) the Shares have been approved for inclusion on The Nasdaq
SmallCap Market;
(2) the Registration Statement is effective under the Act; any
required filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the
manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and to our knowledge,
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
amendment thereto has been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or threatened or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, are
contemplated by the Commission;
(3) the Registration Statement originally filed with respect to
the Securities and each amendment thereto and the Prospectus (in each case,
other than the financial statements, the notes, schedules and other financial
and statistical information contained therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder; and
(4) the Company is not an "investment company" as defined in
Section 3(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and, if the Company conducts
its business as set forth in the Prospectus, it will not become an "investment
company" and will not be required to register under the Investment Company.
Such counsel also shall state in its opinion that it has participated in
the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that
nothing has come to its attention that has caused it to believe that the
Registration Statement, at the time it became effective (including the
information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of
effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A(b), if applicable), contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or
that the Prospectus, as of its date or as of the Firm Closing Date, contained an
untrue statement of material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading.
In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of
fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials, copies of which certificates will
be provided to the Underwriters, and, as to matters of the laws of certain
jurisdictions, on the opinions of other counsel to the Company, which opinions
shall also be delivered to the Underwriters, in form and substance acceptable to
the Underwriters, if such other counsel expressly authorize such reliance and
counsel to the Company expressly states in their opinion that such counsel's and
the Underwriters' reliance upon such opinion is justified.
(d) A. At the time this Agreement is executed, the Representative
shall have received a letter, dated such date, addressed to the Underwriters in
form and substance satisfactory (including the non-material nature of the
changes or decreases, if any, referred to in clause (iii) below) in all respects
to the Representative and Representative's counsel, from KPMG Certified Public
Accountants:
19
(i) confirming that it is a independent certified public
accountant with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable Rules and Regulations;
(ii) stating that it is their opinion that the financial
statements of the Company and HI-Q Taiwan included in the Registration Statement
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations thereunder and that the
Representative may rely upon the opinion of KPMG Certified Public Accountants
with respect to the financial statements included in the Registration Statement;
(iii) stating that, on the basis of a limited review which
included a reading of the latest available unaudited interim financial
statements of the Company, a reading of the latest available minutes of the
stockholders and board of directors and the various committees of the boards of
directors of the Company, consultations with officers and other employees of the
Company responsible for financial and accounting matters and other specified
procedures and inquiries (which, as to the interim financial statements included
in the Registration Statement, shall constitute a review as described in SAS No.
71, Interim Financial Statements), nothing has come to KPMG Certified Public
Accountants' attention which would lead them to believe that (A) the unaudited
financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement do
not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations or are not fairly
presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on
a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited financial statements
of the Company included in the Registration Statement, or (B) at a specified
date not more than five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, there has been any
change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any decrease in
the stockholders' equity or net current assets or net assets of the Company as
compared with amounts shown in the December 31, 1998 balance sheet included in
the Registration Statement, other than as set forth in or contemplated by the
Registration Statement, or, if there was any change or decrease, setting forth
the amount of such change or decrease, and (C) during the period from December
31, 1998 to a specified date not more than five (5) days prior to the Effective
Date, there was any decrease (increase) in net revenues, net income (loss) or in
net earnings (loss) per common share of the Company, in each case as compared
with the corresponding period December 31, 1997 beginning, other than as set
forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there was any
such decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease (increase);
(iv) setting forth, at a date not later than five (5) days prior
to the Effective Date, the amount of liabilities of the Company;
(v) stating that they have compared specific dollar amounts,
numbers of shares, percentages of revenues and earnings, statements and other
financial information pertaining to the Company set forth in the Prospectus in
each case to the extent that such amounts, numbers, percentages, statements and
information may be derived from the general accounting records, including work
sheets, of the Company and excluding any questions requiring an interpretation
by legal counsel, with the results obtained from the application of specified
readings, inquiries and other appropriate procedures (which procedures do not
constitute an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards) set forth in the letter and found them to be in agreement; and
20
(vi) statements as to such other matters incident to the
transaction contemplated hereby as the Representative may request.
B. At the Firm Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the
Representative shall have received from KPMG Certified Public Accountants, a
letter, dated as of the Firm Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, to the effect that it reaffirms that statements made in the letter
furnished pursuant to subsection A of this Section 6(e), except that the
specified date referred to shall be a date not more than five (5) days prior to
the Firm Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and, if
the Company has elected to rely on Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, to
the further effect that they have carried out procedures as specified in clause
(v) of subsection A of this Section 6(e) with respect to certain amounts,
percentages and financial information as specified by the Representative and
deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A(b) and
have found such amounts, percentages and financial information to be in
agreement with the records specified in such clause (v).
(e) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in
this Agreement shall be true and correct as if made on and as of the Firm
Closing Date; the Registration Statement shall not include any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and the
Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of the Firm Closing Date, shall not
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company shall
have performed all covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions on its
part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Firm Closing Date.
(f) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto shall have been issued, and no proceedings
for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened or contemplated by the
Commission.
(g) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there shall not have
been any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective
material adverse change, in the business, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings or prospects of the Company, except in each case as
described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or
supplement thereto).
(h) The Underwriters shall have received a certificate, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of the Chief Executive Officer and the Secretary of the Company to
the effect set forth in subparagraphs (d) through (f) above.
(i) The Common Stock shall be qualified in such jurisdictions as the
Underwriters may reasonably request pursuant to Section 4(c), and each such
qualification shall be in effect and not subject to any stop order or other
proceeding on the Firm Closing Date.
21
(j) The Company shall have executed and delivered to the Underwriters
the Representative's Warrant Agreement and a certificate or certificates
evidencing the Representative's Warrant, in each case in a form acceptable to
the Underwriters.
(k) The Underwriters shall have received Lock-up Agreements executed
by the persons listed on Schedule 2 annexed hereto.
(l) On or before the Firm Closing Date, the Underwriters and counsel
for the Underwriters shall have received such further certificates, documents,
letters or other information as they may have reasonably requested from the
Company and other security holders of the Company.
All opinions, certificates, letters and documents delivered pursuant to
this Agreement will comply with the provisions hereof only if they are
reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the Underwriters and counsel
for the Underwriters. The Company shall furnish to the Underwriters such
conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents in such
quantities as the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably
request.
The obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for any Option
Shares shall be subject, in its discretion, to each of the foregoing conditions,
except that all references to the Firm Securities and the Firm Closing Date
shall be deemed to refer to such Option Shares and the related Option Closing
Date, respectively.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters
and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriters within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any losses, claims,
damages, or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Underwriters, or such
controlling person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon:
(1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in (A) the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or (B) any application or other document, or any amendment
or supplement thereto, executed by the Company or based upon written information
furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any jurisdiction in order to
qualify the Securities under the Blue Sky or securities laws thereof or filed
with the Commission or any securities association or securities exchange (each
an "Application"), or
(2) the omission or alleged omission to state in such
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or
22
the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and will reimburse, as incurred, the Underwriters and
such controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
the Underwriters or such controlling person in connection with investigating or
defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, investigation,
litigation or proceeding; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable
in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement or any
amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto, or any Application in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriters,
specifically for use therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to
any liability which the Company may otherwise have. The Company will not,
without the prior written consent of the Underwriters, or controlling person,
settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or
threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification
may be sought hereunder (whether or not the Underwriters or any person who
controls the Underwriters or within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act is a party to such claim, action, suit or
proceeding), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an
unconditional release of the Underwriters and each such controlling person from
all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
(b) The Underwriters will indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration
Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against, any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or any such director,
officer, or controlling person may become subject under the Act or otherwise,
but only insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application, or (ii) the omission
or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any
Application, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each
case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Underwriters specifically for use therein; and, subject to the limitation set
forth immediately preceding this clause, will reimburse, as incurred, any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director,
officer, or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending
against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action investigation,
litigation or proceedings, in respect thereof. This indemnity agreement will be
in addition to any liability which the Underwriters may otherwise have.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section
7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a
claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
23
Section 7, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the
omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 7. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and
it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may
wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party;
provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action include both the
indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall
have reasonably concluded that there may be one or more legal defenses available
to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to
those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have
the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties and such indemnified party or parties shall have the right to
select separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties. After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified
party of its election so to assume the defense thereof and approval by such
indemnified party of counsel appointed to defend such action, the indemnifying
party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 7 for any
legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation,
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof, unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel
in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence or (ii) the
indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified
party at the expense of the indemnifying party. After such notice from the
indemnifying party to such indemnified party, the indemnifying party will not be
liable for the costs and expenses of any settlement of such action effected by
such indemnified party without the consent of the indemnifying party.
(d) In circumstances in which the indemnity obligation provided for in
the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to
hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), each indemnifying party, in order
to provide for just and equitable contribution, shall contribute to the amount
paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the indemnifying
party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other from the
offering of the Securities, or (ii) if the allocation provided by the foregoing
clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, not only such relative benefits
but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand
and the indemnified party on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions or alleged statements or omissions that resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof). The relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from
the Offering (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting
expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault of the parties
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission
to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the
Underwriters, the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission, and the other
24
equitable considerations appropriate in the circumstances. The Company and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be equitable if the amount of such
contribution were determined by pro rata or per capita allocation or by any
other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable
considerations referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph (d).
Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph (d), the Underwriters
shall not be obligated to make contributions hereunder that in the aggregate
exceeding the total public offering price of the Securities purchased by the
Underwriters under this Agreement, less the aggregate amount of any damages that
the Underwriters have otherwise been required to pay in respect of the same or
any substantially similar claim, and no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11 (f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who is not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. For purposes of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who
controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the
Underwriters, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who
signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the 1934
Act, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
8. Substitution of Underwriters.
If any Underwriter shall for any reason not permitted hereunder cancel its
obligations to purchase the Firm Securities hereunder, or shall fail to take up
and pay for the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite names in Schedule 1
hereto upon tender of such Firm Securities in accordance with the terms hereof,
then:
(a) If the aggregate number of Firm Securities which such Underwriter
or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total
number of Firm Securities, the other Underwriters shall be obligated to purchase
the Firm Securities which such defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to
purchase.
(b) If any Underwriter so defaults and the agreed number of Firm
Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occurs is more than
10% of the total number of Firm Securities, the remaining Underwriters shall
have the right to take up and pay for the Firm Securities which the defaulting
Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase. If such remaining Underwriters do
not, at the Firm Closing Date, take up and pay for the Firm Securities which the
defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase, the time for delivery of
the Firm Securities shall be extended to the next business day to allow the
remaining Underwriters the privilege of substituting within twenty-four hours
(including nonbusiness hours) another underwriter or underwriters satisfactory
to the Company. If no such underwriter or underwriters shall have been
substituted as aforesaid, within such twenty-four hour period, the time of
delivery of the Firm Securities may, at the option of the Company, be again
extended to the next following business day, if necessary, to allow the Company
the privilege of finding within twenty-four hours (including nonbusiness hours)
another underwriter or underwriters to purchase the Firm Securities which the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase. If it
shall be arranged for the remaining Underwriter or substituted Underwriters to
take up the Firm Securities of the defaulting Underwriter
25
as provided in this section, (i) the Company or the Underwriters shall have the
right to postpone the time of delivery for a period of not more than seven
business days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other document or
arrangements, and the Company agrees promptly to file any amendments to the
Registration Statement or supplements to the Prospectus which may thereby be
made necessary, and (ii) the respective numbers of Firm Securities to be
purchased by the remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters shall be
taken as the basis of the underwriting obligation for all purposes of this
agreement.
If in the event of a default by any Underwriter and the remaining
Underwriters shall not take up and pay for all the Firm Securities agreed to be
purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or substitute another underwriter or
underwriters as aforesaid, the Company shall not find or shall not elect to seek
another underwriter or underwriters for such Firm Securities as aforesaid, then
this Agreement shall terminate.
If, following exercise of the option provided in Section 2(c) hereof, any
Underwriter or Underwriters shall for any reason not permitted hereunder cancel
their obligations to purchase Option Shares at the Option Closing Date, or shall
fail to take up and pay for the number of Option Shares, which it became
obligated to purchase at the Option Closing Date upon tender of such Option
Shares in accordance with the terms hereof, then the remaining Underwriters or
substituted Underwriters may take up and pay for the Option Shares of the
defaulting Underwriters in the manner provided in Section 8(b) hereof. If the
remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters shall not take up and pay for
all such Option Shares, the Underwriters shall be entitled to purchase the
number of Option Shares for which there is no default or, at their election, the
option shall terminate, the exercise thereof shall be of no effect.
As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" includes any person
substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. In the event of termination,
there shall be no liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter to the
Company, provided that the provisions of this Section 8 shall not in any event
affect the liability of any defaulting Underwriter to the Company arising out of
such default.
9. Survival. The respective representations, warranties, agreements,
covenants, indemnities and other statements of the Company, any of its officers
or directors and the Underwriter set forth in this Agreement or made by or on
behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of
the Company, any of its officers or directors, the Underwriter or any
controlling person referred to in Section 7 hereof, and (ii) delivery of and
payment for the Securities. The respective agreements, covenants, indemnities
and other statements set forth in Sections 4 and 7 hereof shall remain in full
force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this
Agreement.
10. Termination.
(a) This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Firm
Securities or any Option Shares in the sole discretion of the Representative
26
by notice to the Company given prior to the Firm Closing Date or the related
Option Closing Date, respectively, in the event that the Company shall have
failed, refused or been unable to perform all obligations and satisfy all
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied under Section 6 hereunder at
or prior thereto or if at or prior to the Firm Closing Date or such Option
Closing Date, respectively:
(1) the Company sustains a loss by reason of explosion, fire,
flood, accident or other calamity, which, in the opinion of the Underwriter,
substantially affects the value of the properties of the Company or which
materially interferes with the operation of the business of the Company
regardless of whether such loss shall have been insured; there shall have been
any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material
adverse change (including, without limitation, a change in management or control
of the Company), in the business, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings or prospects of the Company, except in each case as
described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or
supplement thereto);
(2) any action, suit or proceeding shall be threatened,
instituted or pending, at law or in equity, against the Company, by any person
or by any federal, state, foreign or other governmental or regulatory
commission, board or agency wherein any unfavorable result or decision could
materially adversely affect the business, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings or prospects of the Company;
(3) trading in the Common Stock shall have been suspended by the
Commission, the NASD or on Nasdaq, or trading in securities generally on the New
York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or minimum or maximum prices shall
have been established on either such exchange or quotation system;
(4) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by New York or
United States authorities;
(5) there shall have been (A) an outbreak of hostilities between
the United States and any foreign power (or, in the case of any ongoing
hostilities, a material escalation thereof), (B) an outbreak of any other
insurrection or armed conflict involving the United States or (C) any other
calamity or crisis or material change in financial, political or economic
conditions, having an effect on the financial markets that, in any case referred
to in this clause (5), in the sole judgment of the Underwriter makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery
of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement; and
(6) termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10
shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except as provided
in Section 5(b) and Section 7 hereof.
11. Information Supplied by the Underwriter. The statements set forth in
the "Underwriting Section" in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
27
constitute the only information furnished by the Underwriter to the Company for
the purposes of Section 7(b) hereof. The Underwriter confirms that such
statements (to such extent) are correct.
12. Notices. All notice hereunder to or upon either party hereto shall be
deemed to have been duly given for all purposes if in writing and (i) delivered
in person or by messenger or an overnight courier service against receipt, or
(ii) send by certified or registered mail, postage paid, return receipt
requested, or (iii) sent by telegram, facsimile, telex or similar means,
provided that a written copy thereof is sent on the same day by postage paid
first-class mail, to such party at the following address:
To the Company: HI-Q ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ of China
Attn: Chief Executive Officer
Fax: (___) ___-____
and a copy to:
▇▇▇▇ ▇. Agron, Esq.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Fax: (___) ___-____
To the Representative: Nutmeg Securities, Ltd.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attn: Managing Director - Corporate Finance
Department
Fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
and a copy to:
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Savage & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, LLP
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
or such other address as either party hereto may at any time, or from time to
time, direct by notice given to the other party in accordance with this section.
The date of giving of any such notice shall be, in the case of clause (i), the
date of the receipt; in the case of clause (ii), five business days after such
notice or demand is sent; and, in the case of clause (iii), the business day
next following the date such notice is sent.
28
13. Amendment. Except as otherwise provided herein, no amendment of this
Agreement shall be valid or effective, unless in writing and signed by or on
behalf of the parties hereto.
14. Waiver. No course of dealing or omission or delay on the part of either
party hereto in asserting or exercising any right hereunder shall constitute or
operate as a waiver of any such right. No waiver of any provision hereof shall
be effective, unless in writing and signed by or on behalf of the party to be
charged therewith. No waiver shall be deemed a continuing waiver or waiver in
respect of any other or subsequent breach or default, unless expressly so stated
in writing.
15. Applicable Law. This agreement shall be governed by, and interpreted
and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without
regard to principles of choice of law or conflict of laws.
16. Jurisdiction. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably consents
and submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of
New York and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New
York in connection with any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, waives any
objection to venue in the County of New York, State of New York, or such
District and agrees that service of any summons, complaint, notice or other
process relating to such suit, action or other proceeding may be effected in the
manner provided by clause (ii) of Section 12.
17. Remedies. In the event of any actual or prospective breach or default
by either party hereto, the other party shall be entitled to equitable relief,
including remedies in the nature of rescission, injunction and specific
performance. All remedies hereunder are cumulative and not exclusive, and
nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit or limit either party from pursuing
any other remedy or relief available at law or in equity for such actual or
prospective breach or default, including the recovery of damages.
18. Attorneys' Fees. The prevailing party in any suit, action or other
proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby, shall be entitled to recover its costs and reasonable
attorneys' fees.
19. Severability. The provisions hereof are severable and in the event that
any provision of this Agreement shall be determined to be invalid or
unenforceable in any respect by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining
provisions hereof shall not be affected, but shall, subject to the discretion of
such court, remain in full force and effect, and any invalid or unenforceable
provision shall be deemed, without further action on the part of the parties
hereto, amended and limited to the extent necessary to render the same valid and
enforceable.
20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original and which together shall constitute one and
the same agreement.
21. Successors. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the Underwriter, the Company and their respective successors and assigns.
Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be
29
construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under or in respect of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained, this
Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and
being for the sole and exclusive benefit of such persons and for the benefit of
no other person except that (i) the indemnities of the Company contained in
Section 7 of this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of any person or
persons who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act
or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and (ii) the indemnities of the Underwriter
contained in Section 7 of this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of the
directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who have signed the
Registration Statement and any person or persons who control the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act. No purchaser
of Securities from the Underwriter shall be deemed a successor because of such
purchase.
22. Titles and Captions. The titles and captions of the articles and
sections of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and do not in
any way define or interpret the intent of the parties or modify or otherwise
affect any of the provisions hereof.
23. Grammatical Conventions. Whenever the context so requires, each pronoun
or verb used herein shall be construed in the singular or the plural sense and
each capitalized term defined herein and each pronoun used herein shall be
construed in the masculine, feminine or neuter sense.
24. References. The terms "herein," "hereto," "hereof," "hereby," and
"hereafter," and other terms of similar import, refer to this Agreement as a
whole, and not to any Article, Section or other part hereof.
25. Entire Agreement. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement of the
parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any
prior agreement, commitment or arrangement relating thereto.
[Signatures on following page]
30
If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please indicate
your acceptance thereof in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon
this letter shall constitute an agreement binding the Company, and the
Underwriter.
Very truly yours,
HI-Q ▇▇▇▇▇, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title: Chief Executive Officer
The foregoing agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first
above written.
NUTMEG SECURITIES, LTD.
as representative of the several underwriters listed
on Schedule l annexed hereto
By:
-----------------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Director Investment Banking
31
Schedule 1
Underwriter Number of Shares
----------- ----------------
32
SCHEDULE 2
SHAREHOLDER LOCK UP PERIOD
.............................................. 12 months
.............................................. 12 months
.............................................. 12 months
.............................................. 12 months
.............................................. 12 months
.............................................. 12 months
33