REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made
and entered into as of December 8, 1999,among ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and the investors signatory hereto (each such
investor is a "Purchaser" and all such investors are, collectively, the
"Purchasers").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase
Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among the Company and the Purchasers
(the "Purchase Agreement").
In consideration of the mutual covenants contained in the Purchase Agreement and
in this Agreement, the Company and the Purchasers hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that
are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms
in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall
have the following meanings:
"Adjustable Warrants" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Purchase Agreement.
"Advice" shall have meaning set forth in Section 6(e).
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other
Person that directly or indirectly controls or is controlled by or under common
control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control," when
used with respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of
the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of
such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise; and the terms of "affiliated," "controlling" and "controlled" have
meanings correlative to the foregoing.
"Business Day" means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any
day which shall be a federal legal holiday or a day on which banking
institutions in the state of New York generally are authorized or required by
law or other governmental action to close.
"Closing Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Purchase Agreement.
"Closing Warrants" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Purchase Agreement.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Stock" means the Company's common stock, $.001 par
value per share and any other securities into which such stock shall hereafter
be redistributed or recapitalized.
"Effectiveness Date" means the 60th day following the Closing
Date.
"Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2(a).
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Filing Date" means the 10th Business Day following the
Closing Date.
"Holder" or "Holders" means the holder or holders, as the case
may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
"Indemnified Party" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5(c).
"Indemnifying Party" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5(c).
"Losses" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
"Person" means an individual or a corporation, partnership,
trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited
liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or political
subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
"Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or
proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial
proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
"Prospectus" means the prospectus included a Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any
information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective
registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the
Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with
respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable
Securities covered by such Registration Statement, and all other amendments and
supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all
material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in
such Prospectus.
"Registration Delay Payments" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 2(e).
"Registrable Securities" means (i) the Shares and (ii) the
shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.
"Registration Statement" means the registration statement and
any additional registration statement contemplated by Section 2(a), including
(in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration
statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all
exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
"Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission
pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission to replace such
Rule.
"Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission
pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission to replace such
Rule.
"Rule 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission
pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission to replace such
Rule.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
"Shares" means the shares of Common Stock issued to the
Purchasers on the Closing Date pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
"Special Counsel" means one special counsel to the Holders for
which the Holders will be reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Section 4.
"Transaction Documents" shall have the meaning set forth in
the Purchase Agreement.
"Underwritten Registration or Underwritten Offering" means a
registration in connection with which securities of the Company are sold to an
underwriter for reoffering to the public pursuant to an effective registration
statement.
"Vesting Period" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Adjustable Warrants.
"Warrants" means the Closing Warrants and the Adjustable
Warrants.
2. Shelf Registration
(a) On or prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall prepare
and file with the Commission a "Shelf" Registration Statement covering the
resale of all Registrable Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous
basis pursuant to Rule 415. The Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3
(except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the
Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on
another appropriate form in accordance herewith as the Holders may consent). The
Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be
declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as possible after the
filing thereof, but in any event prior to the Effectiveness Date, and shall use
its best efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective
under the Securities Act until the date which is two (2) years after the date
that such Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission or such
earlier date when all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration
Statement have been sold or may be sold without volume restrictions pursuant to
Rule 144(k) as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written
opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Company's
transfer agent
(the "Effectiveness Period"), provided, that the Company shall not be deemed to
have used its best efforts to keep the Registration Statement effective during
the Effectiveness Period if it voluntarily takes any action that would result in
the Holders not being able to sell the Registrable Securities covered by such
Registration Statement during the Effectiveness Period, unless such action is
required under applicable law or the Company has filed a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement and the Commission has not declared it
effective.
(b) In order to account for the fact that the number of shares
of Common Stock that are issuable upon exercise of the Adjustable Warrants is
determined in part upon the Per Share Market Value (as defined in the Adjustable
Warrants) on the Vesting Period, the initial Registration Statement to be filed
hereunder shall include (but not be limited to) a number of shares of Common
Stock equal to no less than the sum of (i) the number of shares issuable upon
exercise of the Adjustable Warrants, assuming, for the purposes of this
subsection (i), that the Adjustment Period Price (as defined in the Adjustable
Warrants) on the Vesting Period is 50% of the Per Share Market Value for the
Trading Day (as defined in the Adjustable Warrants) immediately preceding the
Closing Date, (ii) the number of shares issuable upon exercise in full of the
Closing Warrant and (iii) the number of Shares (the sum of (i), (ii) and (iii),
the "Initial Minimum").
(c) If the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities
then outstanding so elect, an offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a
Registration Statement may be effected in the form of an Underwritten Offering.
In such event, and, if the managing underwriters advise the Company and such
Holders in writing that in their opinion the amount of Registrable Securities
proposed to be sold in such Underwritten Offering exceeds the amount of
Registrable Securities which can be sold in such Underwritten Offering, there
shall be included in such Underwritten Offering the amount of such Registrable
Securities which in the opinion of such managing underwriters can be sold, and
such amount shall be allocated pro rata among the Holders proposing to sell
Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering.
(d) If any of the Registrable Securities are to be sold in an
Underwritten Offering, the investment banker that will administer the offering
will be selected by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities
included in such offering upon consultation with the Company. No Holder may
participate in any Underwritten Offering hereunder unless such Holder (i) agrees
to sell its Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting
agreements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such
arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of
attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required
under the terms of such arrangements.
(e) If (i) the initial Registration Statement is not filed on
or before the Filing Date (if the Company files such Registration Statement
without affording the Holder the opportunity to review and comment on the same
as required by Section 3(a) hereof, the Company shall not be deemed to have
satisfied this clause (i)), or (ii) the Company fails to file with the
Commission a request to accelerate in accordance with Rule 12d1-2 promulgated
under the Exchange Act within five (5) days of the date that the Company is
notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that a
Registration Statement will not be "reviewed" or is not subject to further
review, or (iii) the initial Registration Statement filed hereunder is not
declared effective by the Commission on or before the Effectiveness Date, or
(iv) after a Registration Statement has been declared effective by the
Commission, such
Registration Statement is either not effective as to all Registrable Securities
required to be covered thereby throughout the Effectiveness Period or the
Holders are not permitted for any reason to make sales thereunder during such
period, (v) an amendment to the Registration Statement is not filed by the
Company with the Commission within ten (10) days of the Commission's notifying
the Company that such amendment is required in order for a Registration
Statement to be declared effective, or (vi) trading in the Common Stock shall be
suspended from the NASDAQ (as defined herein) or a Subsequent Market (as defined
herein) for more than three (3) Business Days (which need not be consecutive
days) (any such failure or breach being referred to as an "Event," and for
purposes of clauses (i), (iii) and (iv) the date on which such Event occurs, or
for purposes of clause (ii) the date on which such five (5) day period is
exceeded, or for purposes of clause (v) the date on which such ten (10) day
period is exceeded, or for purposes of clause (vi) the date on which such three
(3) Business Day period is exceeded being referred to as "Event Date"), then, in
any such case, as partial relief for the damages suffered therefrom by the
Holder (which remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies available at
law or in equity), the Company, other than with respect to an Event caused by a
failure under clause (ii) above, shall on the Event Date and on each monthly
anniversary thereof until the triggering Event is cured, pay to the Holder an
amount in cash, as liquidated damages for the estimated cost to the Holders of
not having liquid securities in the time contemplated by the Transaction
Documents and not as a penalty, equal to 2% of the purchase price paid by such
Holder for its Shares pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. In the event that the
Company fails to request that a Registration Statement be declared effective not
later than the 5th day after it is notified by the Commission that the
Registration Statement is not subject to "a review" or no further "review", then
for each day after such 5th day that the Registration Statement has not been
declared effective by the Commission, the Company shall pay to the Holders as
liquidated damages, not as a penalty, the sum of $50,000. The payments to which
the Holders shall be entitled pursuant to this Section are referred to herein as
"Registration Delay Payments." Registration Delay Payments shall be calculated
on a cumulative basis and paid within five (5) Business Days of the Event Date
and each monthly anniversary thereof. If the Company fails to make Registration
Delay Payments in a timely manner, such Registration Delay Payments shall bear
interest at the rate of 2.0% per month (or the maximum rate permitted by law),
pro-rated for partial months, until paid in full.
3. Registration Procedures
In connection with the Company's registration obligations
hereunder, the Company shall:
(a) Prepare and file with the Commission on or prior to the
Filing Date, a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or if the Company is not then
eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 such
registration shall be on another appropriate form in accordance herewith, or, in
connection with an Underwritten Offering hereunder, such other form agreed to by
the Company and the Holders) which shall contain the "Plan of Distribution"
attached hereto as Annex A (except if otherwise directed by the Holders), and
cause the Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective as
provided herein; provided, however, that not less than five (5) Business Days
prior to the filing of a Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto (including any document that would be
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference), the Company
shall, (i) furnish to the Holders, their Special Counsel and any managing
underwriters, copies of all such
documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be subject to the review of such
Holders, their Special Counsel and such managing underwriters, and (ii) cause
its officers and directors, counsel and independent certified public accountants
to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of
respective counsel to such Holders and such underwriters, to conduct a
reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Company
shall not file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any
amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the
Registrable Securities, their Special Counsel, or any managing underwriters,
shall reasonably object on a timely basis.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments,
including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep the
Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable
Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission
such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under
the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related
Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement,
and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii)
respond as promptly as reasonably possible, and in any event within ten (10)
days, to any comments received from the Commission with respect to the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and as promptly as reasonably
possible provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from
and to the Commission relating to the Registration Statement; and (iv) comply in
all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the
intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the
Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) (i) File additional Registration Statements if the number
of Registrable Securities at any time exceeds 85% of the number of shares of
Common Stock then registered in a Registration Statement. The Company shall have
twenty (20) days to file such additional Registration Statements after its
receipt of notice of the requirement thereof which the Holders may give at any
time when the number of Registrable Securities exceeds 85% of the number of
shares of Common Stock then registered in a Registration Statement hereunder. In
such event, the Registration Statement required to be filed by the Company shall
include a number of shares of Common Stock equal to no less than the Initial
Minimum and any other Registrable Securities not then registered in a
Registration Statement.
(ii) File such supplements or attach "stickers" to
the Registration Statement or Prospectus as and when required by the Commission
to evidence a material amount of resales by a Holder pursuant to a Prospectus.
In connection therewith, if such supplements or "stickers" are periodically
required by the Commission, the Company shall, within four (4) Business Days,
file such supplements or attach such "stickers" whenever a Holder has sold 50%
of the Registrable Securities covered by the then outstanding Prospectus (as
last supplemented or "stickered") in order to cover 100% of the number of the
outstanding Registrable Securities.
(d) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold,
their Special Counsel and any managing underwriters as promptly as reasonably
possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than five (5) Business Days
(or, in the case of a supplement or "sticker"
required to be filed or attached pursuant to Section 3(c)(ii), within one (1)
Business Day) prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such Person)
confirm such notice in writing no later than one (1) Business Day following the
day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement is proposed to be filed; (B) when the
Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a "review" of such
Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such
Registration Statement (the Company shall provide true and complete copies
thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the Holders); and (C) with
respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the
same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other
Federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the
initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) if at any time any of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in any agreement
(including any underwriting agreement) contemplated hereby ceases to be true and
correct in all material respects; (v) of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption
from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such
purpose; and (vi) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes
the financial statements included in the Registration Statement ineligible for
inclusion therein or any statement made in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to the
Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(e) Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if
issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or
exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(f) If requested by any managing underwriter or the Holders of
a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities to be sold in connection
with an Underwritten Offering, (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement such
reasonable information as such managing underwriters and such Holders agree
should be included therein, and (ii) make all required filings of such
Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as practicable
after the Company has received notification of the matters to be incorporated in
such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; provided, however, that
the Company shall not be required to take any action pursuant to this Section
3(f) that would, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, violate applicable
law or be materially detrimental to the business prospects of the Company.
(g) Furnish to each Holder, their Special Counsel and any
managing underwriters, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each
Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits to the extent
requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated
by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission.
(h) Promptly deliver to each Holder, their Special Counsel,
and any underwriters, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or
Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each amendment or
supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably request; and the Company
hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement
thereto by each of the selling Holders and any underwriters in connection with
the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto.
(i) Prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities,
use its best efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling
Holders, any underwriters and their Special Counsel in connection with the
registration or qualification (or exemption from such registration or
qualification) of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as
any Holder or underwriter requests in writing, to keep each such registration or
qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period
and to do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the
disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by a
Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not
then so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to general service
of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or subject
the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so
subject.
(j) Cooperate with the Holders and any managing underwriters
to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing
Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to a
Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent
permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable
such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such
names as any such managing underwriters or Holders may request.
(k) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section
3(d)(vi), as promptly as reasonably possible, prepare a supplement or amendment,
including a post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a
supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so
that, as thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such
Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading.
(l) Use its best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities
relating to such Registration Statement to be listed on the Nasdaq National
Market ("NASDAQ") or on any other stock market or trading facility on which the
shares of Common Stock are traded, listed or quoted (each a "Subsequent Market")
as and when required pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
(m) Enter into such agreements (including an underwriting
agreement in form, scope and substance as is customary in Underwritten
Offerings) and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including
those reasonably requested by any managing underwriters and the Holders of a
majority of the Registrable Securities being sold) in order to expedite or
facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities, and whether or not an
underwriting agreement is entered into, (i) make such representations and
warranties to such Holders and such underwriters as are customarily made by
issuers to underwriters in underwritten public offerings (subject to the
scheduling of appropriate exceptions to insure such representations and
warranties are accurate), and confirm the same if and when requested; (ii) in
the case of an Underwritten Offering obtain and deliver copies thereof to each
Holder and the managing underwriters, if any, of opinions of counsel to the
Company and updates thereof addressed to each Holder and each such underwriter,
in form, scope and substance reasonably satisfactory to any such managing
underwriters and Special Counsel to the selling Holders covering the matters
customarily covered in opinions requested in Underwritten Offerings and such
other matters as may be reasonably requested by such Special Counsel and
underwriters; (iii) immediately prior to the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, and, in the case of an Underwritten Offering, at the time of delivery
of any Registrable Securities sold pursuant thereto, use its best reasonable
efforts to obtain and deliver copies to the Holders and the managing
underwriters, if any, of "cold comfort" letters and updates thereof from the
independent certified public accountants of the Company (and, if necessary, any
other independent certified public accountants of any subsidiary of the Company
or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial statements and
financial data is, or is required to be, included in the Registration
Statement), addressed to the Company in form and substance as are customary in
connection with Underwritten Offerings; (iv) if an underwriting agreement is
entered into, the same shall contain indemnification provisions and procedures
no less favorable to the selling Holders and the underwriters, if any, than
those set forth in Section 5 (or such other provisions and procedures acceptable
to the managing underwriters, if any, and holders of a majority of Registrable
Securities participating in such Underwritten Offering); and (v) deliver such
documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a
majority of the Registrable Securities being sold, their Special Counsel and any
managing underwriters to evidence the continued validity of the representations
and warranties made pursuant to Section 3(m)(i) above and to evidence compliance
with any customary conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other
agreement entered into by the Company.
(n) Make available for inspection by the selling Holders, any
representative of such Holders, any underwriter participating in any disposition
of Registrable Securities, and any attorney or accountant retained by such
selling Holders or underwriters, at the offices where normally kept, during
reasonable business hours, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate
documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, and cause the
officers, directors, agents and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries to
supply all information in each case reasonably requested by any such Holder,
representative, underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with the
Registration Statement; provided, however, that any information that is
determined in good faith by the Company in writing to be of a confidential
nature at the time of delivery of such information shall be kept confidential by
such Persons, unless (i) disclosure of such information is required by court or
administrative order or is necessary to respond to inquiries of regulatory
authorities; (ii) disclosure of such information, in the opinion of counsel to
such Person, is required by law; (iii) such information becomes generally
available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure or failure to
safeguard by
such Person; or (iv) such information becomes available to such Person from a
source other than the Company and such source is not known by such Person to be
bound by a confidentiality agreement with the Company.
(o) Comply in all material issues with all applicable rules
and regulations of the Commission.
(p) The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to
the Company such information regarding the distribution of such Registrable
Securities and the beneficial ownership of Common Stock held by such Holder as
is required by law to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, and the
Company may exclude from such registration the Registrable Securities of any
such Holder who unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a
reasonable time after receiving such request. If the Registration Statement
refers to any Holder by name or otherwise as the holder of any securities of the
Company, then such Holder shall have the right to require (if such reference to
such Holder by name or otherwise is not required by the Securities Act or any
similar Federal statute then in force) the deletion of the reference to such
Holder in any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement filed or
prepared subsequent to the time that such reference ceases to be required.
5. Registration Expenses
(a) All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or
compliance with this Agreement by the Company, except as and to the extent
specified in Section 4(b), shall be borne by the Company whether or not pursuant
to an Underwritten Offering and whether or not the Registration Statement is
filed or becomes effective and whether or not any Registrable Securities are
sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to
in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all
registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses
(A) with respect to filings required to be made with the NASDAQ and any
Subsequent Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (B)
in compliance with state securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without
limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Holders in connection with
Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities and
determination of the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for investment
under the laws of such jurisdictions as the managing underwriters, if any, or
the Holders of a majority of Registrable Securities may designate)), (ii)
printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing
certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the
printing of prospectuses is requested by the managing underwriters, if any, or
by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the
Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses of the
Company, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and Special
Counsel for the Holders at a sum not higher than $15,000, (v) Securities Act
liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and
expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition,
the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its
officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of
any annual audit, the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing
of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder.
(b) If the Holders require an Underwritten Offering pursuant
to the terms hereof, and there shall be at such time no effective Registration
Statement meeting the requirements hereof and covering all of the Registrable
Securities pursuant to which the Holders are both named Selling Security holders
thereunder and permitted to utilize the Prospectus thereunder to resell such
Registrable Securities held by them, then the Company shall be responsible for
all costs, fees and expenses in connection therewith, except for the fees and
disbursements of the Underwriters (including any underwriting commissions and
discounts) and their legal counsel and accountants. By way of illustration which
is not intended to diminish from the provisions of Section 4(a), the Holders
shall not be responsible for, and the Company shall be required to pay the fees
or disbursements incurred by the Company (including by its legal counsel and
accountants) in connection with, the preparation and filing of a Registration
Statement and related Prospectus for such offering, the maintenance of such
Registration Statement in accordance with the terms hereof, the listing of the
Registrable Securities in accordance with the requirements hereof, and printing
expenses incurred to comply with the requirements hereof. However, if the
Holders require an Underwritten Offering at a time when all of the circumstances
specified in the opening clause to the first sentence of this Section 4(b) are
present, then such Holders shall bear all costs associated with such
Underwritten Offering, including those costs specified in Section 4(a) above.
4. Indemnification
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall,
notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless
each Holder, the officers, directors, agents (including any underwriters
retained by such Holder in connection with the offer and sale of Registrable
Securities), brokers (including brokers who offer and sell Registrable
Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or any failure to perform under
a margin call of Common Stock), investment advisors and employees of each of
them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15
of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers,
directors, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, costs of preparation
and attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively, "Losses"), as incurred, arising
out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of
prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary
prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or
supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made)
not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (1) such
untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such
Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use
therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such
Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was
reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in
the Registration Statement or approved by Special Counsel, such Prospectus or
such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (2) in the
case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section
3(d)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus
after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is
outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice
contemplated in Section 6(e). The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of
the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Company is
aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally
and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors,
officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act),
and the directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to
the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses (as
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment not subject
to appeal or review) arising solely out of or based solely upon any untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arising solely out of or based solely upon any omission of a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue
statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by
such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in the Registration
Statement or such Prospectus or to the extent that such information relates to
such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable
Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of
Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto. In no event shall the
liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar
amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the
Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding
shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder
(an "Indemnified Party"), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the
Person from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party") in writing, and
the Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof, including the
employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the
payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof;
provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall
not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to
this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not
subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have proximately
and materially adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate
counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but
the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such
Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in
writing to pay such fees and expenses; or (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have
failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel
reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3)
the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties)
include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such
Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest
is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party
and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies
the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at
the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the
right to assume the defense thereof and such
counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying
Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected
without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the
Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of
which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
All fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including
reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with
investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not
inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as
incurred, within ten (10) Business Days of written notice thereof to the
Indemnifying Party (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an
Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder; provided, that
the Indemnifying Party may require such Indemnified Party to undertake to
reimburse all such fees and expenses to the extent it is finally judicially
determined that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification
hereunder).
(d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section
5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy
or otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such
Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and
Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that
resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question,
including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission
or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to
information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or
payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject
to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c), any reasonable attorneys' or other
reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any
Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or
expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to
such party in accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro
rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into
account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding
paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall
be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount
by which the proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the
Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any
damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this
Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have
to the Indemnified Parties.
5. Miscellaneous
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a
Holder, of any of their obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the
Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all
rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages,
will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The
Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate
compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the
provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any
action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the
defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or
any of its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any
agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the
provisions hereof. Except as and to the extent specified in Schedule 6(b)
hereto, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has previously entered
into any agreement granting any registration rights with respect to any of its
securities to any Person that have not been satisfied in full. Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, without the written consent of the Holders of a
majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities, the Company shall not
grant to any Person the right to request the Company to register any securities
of the Company under the Securities Act unless the rights so granted are subject
in all respects to the prior rights in full of the Holders set forth herein, and
are not otherwise in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of this
Agreement.
(c) No Piggyback on Registrations. Except as and to the extent
specified in Schedule 6(b) hereto, neither the Company nor any of its security
holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include
securities of the Company in the Registration Statement other than the
Registrable Securities, and the Company shall not after the date hereof enter
into any agreement providing any such right to any of its security holders.
(d) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will
comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as
applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to
the Registration Statement.
(e) Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder agrees by its
acquisition of such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from
the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Sections
3(d)(ii), 3(d)(iii), 3(d)(iv), 3(d)(v) or 3(d)(vi), such Holder will forthwith
discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration
Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented
Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement contemplated by Section 3(k),
or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice") by the Company that the use of
the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received
copies of any additional or supplemental filings that
are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or
Registration Statement. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to
enforce the provisions of this paragraph.
(f) Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time when there is not
an effective Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities
then outstanding and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the
Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account
or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity
securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the
Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be
issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or
equity securities issuable in connection with stock option or other employee
benefit plans, then the Company shall send to each Holder of Registrable
Securities written notice of such determination and, if within fifteen (15) days
after receipt of such notice, any such holder shall so request in writing, the
Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such
Registrable Securities such holder requests to be registered, provided such
Registrable Securities are not freely tradable without volume restrictions under
Rule 144k.
(g) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company
and the Holders of at least two-thirds of the then outstanding Registrable
Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from
the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the
rights of Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of
other Holders may be given by Holders of at least a majority of the Registrable
Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the
provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except
in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.
(h) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or
deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing
and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of
transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the
facsimile telephone number specified in this Section prior to 8:00 p.m. (New
York City time) on a Business Day, (ii) the Business Day after the date of
transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the
facsimile telephone number specified in the Purchase Agreement later than 8:00
p.m. (New York City time) on any date and earlier than 11:59 p.m. (New York City
time) on such date, (iii) the Business Day following the date of mailing, if
sent by nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual
receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address
for such notices and communications shall be as follows:
If to the Company: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attn: Chief Financial Officer
With copies to: ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attn: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
If to any other Person who is then the registered Holder:
To the address of such Holder
as it appears in the stock transfer books of the
Company or such other address as may be designated in
writing hereafter, in the same manner, by such
Person.
(i) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of
the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not
assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of
Holders of a majority of Registrable Securities then outstanding. Each Holder
may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as
permitted under this Agreement and the Purchase Agreement.
(j) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an
original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
Agreement. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile
transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the
party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with
the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original
thereof.
(k) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New
York without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party
hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and
federal courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan, for the
adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any
transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein and hereby irrevocably
waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim
that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that
such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably
waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any
such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the
address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such
service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice
thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right
to serve process in any manner permitted by law.
(l) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are
cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(m) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative
means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated
by such term, provision, covenant or restriction.
It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that
they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and
restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared
invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(n) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
(o) Shares Held by the Company and its Affiliates. Whenever
the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable
Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company or
its Affiliates (other than any Holder or transferees or successors or assigns
thereof if such Holder is deemed to be an Affiliate solely by reason of its
holdings of such Registrable Securities) shall not be counted in determining
whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required
percentage.
(p) Independent Nature of Purchasers' Obligations and Rights.
The obligations of each Purchaser hereunder is several and not joint with the
obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder, and neither Purchaser shall be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or
document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant
hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a
partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or
create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert with
respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Each Purchaser shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including
without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be
necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any
proceeding for such purpose.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGES TO FOLLOW]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights
Agreement as of the date first written above.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, INC.
By:_____________________________________
Name:
Title:
STRONG RIVER INVESTMENTS, INC.
By:_____________________________________
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Attorney-in-Fact
Address for Notice:
Strong River Investments, Inc.
c/o ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ (BVI) Limited
Wickhams Cay I, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇.▇. ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. BVI
With copies to:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attn: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq. and
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
MONTROSE INVESTMENTS LTD.
By:_____________________________________
Name:
Title:
Address for Notice:
Montrose Investments, Ltd.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attn: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
With copies to:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ and (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attn: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
Annex A
Plan of Distribution
The Selling Stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees and
successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares
of Common Stock on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the
shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or
negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholders may use any one or more of the
following methods when selling shares:
o ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the
broker-dealer solicits purchasers;
o block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares
as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as
principal to facilitate the transaction;
o purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the
broker-dealer for its account;
o an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable
exchange;
o privately negotiated transactions;
o short sales;
o broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a
specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;
o a combination of any such methods of sale; and
o any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the
Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.
The Selling Stockholders may also engage in short sales against the
box, puts and calls and other transactions in securities of the Company or
derivatives of Company securities and may sell or deliver shares in connection
with these trades. The Selling Stockholders may pledge their shares to their
brokers under the margin provisions of customer agreements. If a Selling
Stockholder defaults on a margin loan, the broker may, from time to time, offer
and sell the pledged shares.
Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for
other brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive
commissions or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer
acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be
negotiated. The Selling Stockholders do not expect these commissions and
discounts to exceed what is customary in the types of transactions involved.
The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are
involved in selling the shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the
meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any
commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the
resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting
commissions or discounts under the Securities Act.
The Company is required to pay all fees and expenses incident to the
registration of the shares, including fees and disbursements of counsel to the
Selling Stockholders. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling
Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act.