EXHIBIT 10.4
1 REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and
entered into as of August 31, 2004, by and among Systems Evolution Inc., an
Idaho corporation (the "Company"), and the purchasers listed on Schedule I
hereto (the "Purchasers").
This Agreement is being entered into pursuant to the Note and Warrant
Purchase Agreement dated as of the date hereof among the Company and the
Purchasers (the "Purchase Agreement").
The Company and the Purchasers hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall
have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Advice" shall have meaning set forth in Section 3(m).
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other
Person that directly or indirectly controls or is controlled by or under common
control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control," when
used with respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of
the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of
such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise; and the terms of "affiliated," "controlling" and "controlled" have
meanings correlative to the foregoing.
"Board" shall have meaning set forth in Section 3(n).
"Business Day" means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any
day which shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the
state of New York generally are authorized or required by law or other
government actions to close.
"Closing Date" means the date of the initial closing of the
purchase and sale of the Notes and Warrants pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Stock" means the Company's Common Stock, no par value
per share.
"Effectiveness Date" means with respect to the Registration
Statement the earlier of the ninetieth (90th) day following the Closing Date or
the date which is within three (3) business days of the date on which the
Commission informs the Company that the Commission (i) will not review the
Registration Statement or (ii) that the Company may request the acceleration of
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and the Company makes such
request.
89
"Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.
"Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(e).
"Event Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(e).
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Filing Date" means the thirtieth (30th) 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 in the Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any
information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective
registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the
Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with
respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable
Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all other amendments and
supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all
material incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
"Registrable Securities means the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon conversion of the Notes and the shares of Common Stock issuable
upon exercise of the Warrants.
"Registration Statement" means the registration statements and
any additional registration statements contemplated by Section 2, including (in
each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration
statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all
exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference in such
registration statement.
"Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission
pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
90
"Rule 158" means Rule 158 promulgated by the Commission
pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission
pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Special Counsel" means Jenkens & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP,
for which the Holders will be reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Section 4.
2. Resale Registration.
On or prior to the Filing Date the Company shall prepare and
file with the Commission a "resale" Registration Statement covering all
Registrable Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant
to Rule 415. The Registration Statement shall be on Form SB-2 (except if the
Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities
on Form SB-2, in which case such registration shall be on another appropriate
form in accordance herewith). The Company shall (i) not permit any securities
other than the Registrable Securities and the securities listed on Schedule II
hereto to be included in the Registration Statement and (ii) 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 to keep such Registration Statement
continuously effective under the Securities Act until such date as is the
earlier of (x) the date when all Registrable Securities covered by such
Registration Statement have been sold or (y) the date on which the Registrable
Securities may be sold without any restriction pursuant to Rule 144 as
determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter,
addressed to the Company's transfer agent to such effect (the "Effectiveness
Period"). If at any time and for any reason, an additional Registration
Statement is required to be filed because at such time the actual number of
shares of Common Stock into which the Notes are convertible and the Warrants are
exercisable exceeds the number of shares of Registrable Securities remaining
under the Registration Statement, the Company shall have twenty (20) Business
Days to file such additional Registration Statement, and the Company shall use
its best efforts to cause such additional Registration Statement to be declared
effective by the Commission as soon as possible, but in no event later than
sixty (60) days after filing.
3. Registration Procedures.
In connection with the Company's registration obligations
hereunder, the Company shall:
91
(a) Prepare and file with the Commission, on or prior to the Filing
Date, a Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (or if the Company is not then
eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form SB-2 such
registration shall be on another appropriate form in accordance herewith) in
accordance with the method or methods of distribution thereof as specified by
the Holders (except if otherwise directed by the Holders) and in accordance with
applicable law, and cause the Registration Statement to become effective and
remain effective as provided herein; provided, however, that not less than three
(3) Business Days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement or any
related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, the Company shall (i)
furnish to the Holders and any Special Counsel, copies of all such documents
proposed to be filed, which documents will be subject to the review of such
Holders and such Special Counsel, 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 Special Counsel,
to conduct a reasonable review of such documents. The Company shall not file the
Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements
thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities or any
Special Counsel shall reasonably object in writing within three (3) Business
Days of their receipt thereof.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including
post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement as may be necessary to
keep the Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable
Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with
the Commission such additional Registration Statements in order to register for
resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause
the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus
supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424
(or any similar provisions then in force) promulgated under the Securities Act;
(iii) respond as promptly as possible, but in no event later than ten (10)
Business Days, to any comments received from the Commission with respect to the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and as promptly as possible
provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to
the Commission relating to the Registration Statement to the extent that such
correspondence does not disclose, discuss or concern material non-public
information concerning the Company; 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 Effectiveness Period in accordance with the intended
methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the Registration
Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities and any Special
Counsel as promptly as possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than
three (3) days prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such Person)
confirm such notice in writing no later than two (2) Business Days following the
day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement is filed; (B) when the Commission
notifies the Company whether there will be a "review" of such Registration
Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such Registration
Statement and (C) with respect to the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any
request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority
for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or
92
all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation or threatening of any
Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) if at any time any of the representations and
warranties of the Company contained in any agreement contemplated hereby ceases
to be true and correct in all material respects; (v) of the receipt by the
Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification
or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction, or the initiation of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (vi)
of the occurrence of any event that makes any statement made in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that
requires any revisions to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other
documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
(d) Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued,
obtain the withdrawal of, as promptly as possible, (i) any order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or (ii) any suspension of the
qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction.
(e) If requested by the Holders of a majority in interest of the
Registrable Securities, (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement such information as the
Company reasonably agrees should be included therein and (ii) make all required
filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon
as practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be
incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment.
(f) If requested by any Holder, furnish to such Holder and any Special
Counsel, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration
Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and
schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including
those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the
filing of such documents with the Commission.
(g) Promptly deliver to each Holder and any Special Counsel, without
charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of
prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons may
reasonably request; and subject to the provisions of Sections 3(m) and 3(n), the
Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or
supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the
offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and
any amendment or supplement thereto.
(h) Prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its
best efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders and
any 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 requests in writing, to
keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective
93
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.
(i) Cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and
delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant
to a Registration Statement, which certificates, to the extent permitted by the
Purchase Agreement and applicable federal and state securities laws, shall be
free of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be
in such denominations and registered in such names as any Holder may request in
connection with any sale of Registrable Securities.
(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c)(vi),
as promptly as possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a
post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the
related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as
thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus
will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(k) Use its best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities relating
to the Registration Statement to be listed on the OTC Bulletin Board or any
other securities exchange, quotation system or market, if any, on which similar
securities issued by the Company are then listed as and when required pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement.
(l) Comply in all material respects with all applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission and make generally available to its security
holders all documents filed or required to be filed with the Commission.
(m) The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the
Company information regarding such Holder and the distribution of such
Registrable Securities as is required by law to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement, Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Company
may exclude from such registration the Registrable Securities of any such Holder
who unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time
after receiving such request.
Each Holder covenants and agrees that (i) it will not sell any
Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until it has received
copies of the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented as contemplated in
Section 3(g) and notice from the Company that such Registration Statement and
any post-effective amendments thereto have become effective as contemplated by
Section 3(c) and (ii) it and its officers, directors or Affiliates, if any, will
comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as
applicable to them in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant
to the Registration Statement.
94
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 Section 3(c)(ii), 3(c)(iii), 3(c)(iv), 3(c)(v),
3(c)(vi) or 3(n), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such
Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until such Holder's
receipt of the copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration
Statement contemplated by Section 3(j), or until it is advised in writing (the
"Advice") by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be
resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any additional or
supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement.
(n) If (i) there is material non-public information regarding the
Company which the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") reasonably
determines not to be in the Company's best interest to disclose and which the
Company is not otherwise required to disclose, or (ii) there is a significant
business opportunity (including, but not limited to, the acquisition or
disposition of assets (other than in the ordinary course of business) or any
merger, consolidation, tender offer or other similar transaction) available to
the Company which the Board reasonably determines not to be in the Company's
best interest to disclose, then the Company may postpone or suspend filing or
effectiveness of a registration statement for a period not to exceed 20
consecutive days, provided that the Company may not postpone or suspend its
obligation under this Section 3(n) for more than 45 days in the aggregate during
any 12 month period; provided, however, that no such postponement or suspension
shall be permitted for consecutive 20 day periods, arising out of the same set
of facts, circumstances or transactions.
4. Registration Expenses.
All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or
compliance with this Agreement by the Company, except as and to the extent
specified in Section 4, shall be borne by the Company whether or not the
Registration Statement is filed or becomes effective and whether or not any
Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees
and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without
limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation,
fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with each
securities exchange or market on which Registrable Securities are required
hereunder to be listed, (B) with respect to filing fees required to be paid by
the Company to the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and the NASD
Regulation, Inc. and (C) in compliance with state securities or Blue Sky laws
(including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Holders in connection with Blue Sky qualifications of the Registrable Securities
and determination of the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for
investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Holders of a majority of
Registrable Securities may designate)), (ii) printing expenses (including,
without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities
and of printing prospectuses if the printing of prospectuses is requested by the
holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration
Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Company and Special Counsel for the Holders, in
the case of the Special Counsel, to a maximum amount of $5,000, (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
95
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the Company's independent public accountants (including the
expenses of any comfort letters or costs associated with the delivery by
independent public accountants of a comfort letter or comfort letters). In
addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses
incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its
officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of
any annual audit, the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing
of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder.
5. 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, 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 based upon 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 based upon 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that such
untrue statements or omissions arise out of or are based upon information
regarding the Holders or such other Indemnified Party furnished in writing to
the Company by a Holder or its counsel expressly for use therein, which
information was reasonably relied on by the Company for use therein or to the
extent that such information relates to a Holder or such Holder's proposed
method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly
approved in writing by a Holder or its counsel expressly for use in the
Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto; provided, that with respect to any statement or
omission made in any such Registration Statement, Prospectus or any form of
prospectus, or amendment or supplement thereto, the indemnity agreement
contained in this paragraph shall not inure to the benefit of any such Holder
indemnitee to the extent that any such Losses of such Holder indemnitee result
from the fact that a copy of the final prospectus was not sent or given to the
purchaser of Registrable Securities at or prior to the written confirmation of
the sale of such Registrable Securities as required by the Securities Act; and
provided further, that with respect to any statement or omission made in any
preliminary prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph
shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder to the extent that (x) any such
Losses result from the fact that a copy of the final prospectus was not sent or
given at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Registrable
Securities to the purchaser of Registrable Securities as required by the
Securities Act, and (y) such untrue statement or omission has been corrected in
the final prospectus. 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.
96
(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
incurred, arising out of or based upon 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 based upon 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue
statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by
such Holder, its counsel or other Indemnified Party to the Company expressly for
use therein and that such information was reasonably relied upon by the Company
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 or its counsel
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto; provided, that with respect
to any statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus, the indemnity
agreement contained in this paragraph shall not inure to the benefit of the
Company to the extent that (x) a copy of the final prospectus was sent or given
at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Registrable
Securities to the purchaser of Registrable Securities as required by the
Securities Act, and (y) such untrue statement or omission has been corrected in
the final prospectus. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
the Holders shall be liable under this Section 5(b) for only that amount as does
not exceed the net proceeds to such Holder as a result of the sale of
Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be
brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an
"Indemnified Party"), such Indemnified Party promptly shall notify the Person
from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party) in writing, and the
Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, including
the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and
the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense
thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice
shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities
pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be
finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is
not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have
proximately and materially adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
97
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in
any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or
Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such
fees and expenses; or (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to
assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named
parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both
such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such parties shall have
been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the
same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party
(in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in
writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the
Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume
the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying
Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any
such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior
written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending
or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party
and indemnity has been sought hereunder, unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
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 Indemnified Party shall reimburse
all such fees and expenses to the extent it is finally judicially determined
that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder).
(d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or
5(b) is due but unavailable to an Indemnified Party because of a failure or
refusal of a governmental authority to enforce such indemnification in
accordance with its terms (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each
Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result
of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
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.
98
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.
No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are
in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the
Indemnified Parties pursuant to the law.
6. Rule 144.
As long as any Holder owns Notes, Conversion Shares, Warrants or
Warrant Shares, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in
respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports
required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As long as any Holder owns Notes, Conversion
Shares, Warrants or Warrant Shares, if the Company is not required to file
reports pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, it will prepare
and furnish to the Holders and make publicly available in accordance with Rule
144(c) promulgated under the Securities Act annual and quarterly financial
statements, together with a discussion and analysis of such financial statements
in form and substance substantially similar to those that would otherwise be
required to be included in reports required by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act, as well as any other information required thereby, in the time
period that such filings would have been required to have been made under the
Exchange Act. The Company further covenants that it will take such further
action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from
time to time to enable such Person to sell Conversion Shares and Warrant Shares
without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the
exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, including
providing any legal opinions relating to such sale pursuant to Rule 144. Upon
the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written
certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with
such requirements.
7. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder,
of any of their obligations under this Agreement, such Holder or the Company, as
the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by
law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to
specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and 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.
99
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has, as of the date hereof entered into and currently in effect,
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 disclosed in Schedule
2.1(c) of the Purchase Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has previously entered into any agreement currently in effect
granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any
Person. 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 with the
provisions of this Agreement.
(c) No Piggyback on Registrations. Neither the Company nor any of its
security holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto or as
disclosed in Schedule 2.1(c) of the Purchase Agreement or Schedule II hereto)
may include securities of the Company in the Registration Statement, and the
Company shall not after the date hereof enter into any agreement providing such
right to any of its securityholders, unless the right so granted is subject in
all respects to the prior rights in full of the Holders set forth herein, and is
not otherwise in conflict with the provisions of this Agreement.
(d) Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time when there is not an
effective Registration Statement covering (i) Conversion Shares or (ii) Warrant
Shares, 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, the Company shall send to each holder of Registrable Securities written
notice of such determination and, if within thirty (30) days after receipt of
such notice, or within such shorter period of time as may be specified by the
Company in such written notice as may be necessary for the Company to comply
with its obligations with respect to the timing of the filing of such
registration statement, any such holder shall so request in writing, (which
request shall specify the Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by
the Purchasers), the Company will cause the registration under the Securities
Act of all Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested to
register by the holder, to the extent requisite to permit the disposition of the
Registrable Securities so to be registered, provided that if at any time after
giving written notice of its intention to register any securities and prior to
the effective date of the registration statement filed in connection with such
registration, the Company shall determine for any reason not to register or to
delay registration of such securities, the Company may, at its election, give
written notice of such determination to such holder and, thereupon, (i) in the
case of a determination not to register, shall be relieved of its obligation to
register any Registrable Securities in connection with such registration (but
not from its obligation to pay expenses in accordance with Section 4 hereof),
and (ii) in the case of a determination to delay registering, shall be permitted
to delay registering any Registrable Securities being registered pursuant to
this Section 7(d) for the same period as the delay in registering such other
100
securities. The Company shall include in such registration statement all or any
part of such Registrable Securities such holder requests to be registered;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to register any
Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 7(d) that are eligible for sale
pursuant to Rule 144(k) of the Securities Act. In the case of an underwritten
public offering, if the managing underwriter(s) or underwriter(s) should
reasonably object to the inclusion of the Registrable Securities in such
registration statement, then if the Company after consultation with the managing
underwriter should reasonably determine that the inclusion of such Registrable
Securities would materially adversely affect the offering contemplated in such
registration statement, and based on such determination recommends inclusion in
such registration statement of fewer or none of the Registrable Securities of
the Holders, then (x) the number of Registrable Securities of the Holders
included in such registration statement shall be reduced pro-rata among such
Holders (based upon the number of Registrable Securities requested to be
included in the registration), if the Company after consultation with the
underwriter(s) recommends the inclusion of fewer Registrable Securities, or (y)
none of the Registrable Securities of the Holders shall be included in such
registration statement, if the Company after consultation with the
underwriter(s) recommends the inclusion of none of such Registrable Securities;
provided, however, that if securities are being offered for the account of other
persons or entities as well as the Company, such reduction shall not represent a
greater fraction of the number of Registrable securities intended to be offered
by the Holders than the fraction of similar reductions imposed on such other
persons or entities (other than the Company).
(e) Failure to File Registration Statement and Other Events. The
Company and the Purchasers agree that the Holders will suffer damages if the
Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to the Filing Date and not
maintained in the manner contemplated herein during the Effectiveness Period or
if certain other events occur. The Company and the Holders further agree that it
would not be feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages with precision.
Accordingly, if, except as set forth in Section 3(n), (A) the Registration
Statement is not filed on or prior to the Filing Date, or (B) the Registration
Statement is not declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the one
hundred fiftieth (150th) day following the Closing Date (or in the event an
additional Registration Statement is filed because the actual number of shares
of Common Stock into which the Notes are convertible and the Warrants are
exercisable exceeds the number of shares of Common Stock initially registered is
not filed and declared effective with the time periods set forth in Section 2),
or (C) the Company fails to file with the Commission a request for acceleration
in accordance with Rule 461 promulgated under the Securities Act within three
(3) business 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 (D) the
Registration Statement is filed with and declared effective by the Commission
but thereafter ceases to be effective as to all Registrable Securities at any
time prior to the expiration of the Effectiveness Period, without being
succeeded immediately by a subsequent Registration Statement filed with and
declared effective by the Commission in accordance with Section 2 hereof or (E)
the Company has breached Section 3(n), or (F) trading in the Common Stock shall
be suspended or if the Common Stock is delisted from the OTC Bulletin Board (or
other principal exchange on which the Common Stock is traded) for any reason for
more than three Business Days in the aggregate without subsequent listing on
101
another exchange (any such failure or breach being referred to as an "Event,"
and for purposes of clauses (A) and (B) the date on which such Event occurs, or
for purposes of clause (C) the date on which such five Business Day period is
exceeded, or for purposes of clause (D) after more than twenty Business Days, or
for purposes of clause (F) the date on which such three Business Day period is
exceeded, being referred to as "Event Date"), the Company shall pay an amount as
liquidated damages to each Holder, payable in cash or registered shares of
Common Stock at the Company's option, equal to two percent (2.0%) for the first
calendar month (prorated for shorter periods) and one percent (1.0%) per
calendar month thereafter (prorated for shorter periods) of the principal amount
of the Notes held by such Holder from the Event Date (provided that, with
respect to the Event described in clause (B), the "first calendar month" shall
be deemed to commence on the sixtieth (60th) day prior to the applicable Event
Date), less any principal amount of the Notes that has been converted and sold
by such Holder, until the applicable Event is cured. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary in this paragraph (e), if (I) any of the Events described in
clauses (A), (B) or (C) shall have occurred, (II) on or prior to the applicable
Event Date, the Company shall have exercised its rights under Section 3(n)
hereof and (III) the postponement or suspension permitted pursuant to such
Section 3(n) shall remain effective as of such applicable Event Date, then the
applicable Event Date shall be deemed instead to occur on the second Business
Day following the termination of such postponement or suspension. If the Company
elects to pay liquidated damages in registered shares of Common Stock, the
number of such shares of Common Stock to be issued to the Holders pursuant to
this Section 7(e) shall be based on the liquidated damage amount divided by the
average of the closing bid price of the Common Stock for the five (5) trading
days preceding the date that such liquidated damages are due and payable, and
shall be issuable promptly upon receipt by the Company of a written demand from
a Holder made on or after the Event Date.
(f) 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 seventy-five percent (75%) of the Registrable Securities outstanding.
(g) 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 earlier of (i) the date of transmission, if
such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile
telephone number specified for notice prior to 5:00 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 for notice later than 5:00 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 overnight delivery by
nationally recognized overnight courier service or (iv) actual receipt by the
party to whom such notice is required to be given. The addresses for such
communications shall be with respect to each Holder at its address set forth
under its name on Schedule I attached hereto, or with respect to the Company,
addressed to:
Systems Evolution Inc.
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Tel. No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Fax No.: (281) ___-____
102
or to such other address or addresses or facsimile number or numbers as any such
party may most recently have designated in writing to the other parties hereto
by such notice. Copies of notices to the Company shall be sent to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, P.C., ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇., ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇,
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Telephone No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Facsimile No.: (202)
457-1678. Copies of notices to the Holder shall be sent to Jenkens & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Telephone No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Facsimile No.: (212)
704-6288.
(h) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns
and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder and its successors and assigns.
The Company may not assign this Agreement or any of its rights or obligations
hereunder without the prior written consent of each Holder. Each Purchaser may
assign its rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under
the Purchase Agreement.
(i) Assignment of Registration Rights. The rights of each Holder
hereunder, including the right to have the Company register for resale
Registrable Securities in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, shall be
automatically assignable by each Holder to any Affiliate of such Holder or any
other Holder or Affiliate of any other Holder of all or a portion of the Notes
or the Registrable Securities if: (i) the Holder agrees in writing with the
transferee or assignee to assign such rights, and a copy of such agreement is
furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such assignment, (ii)
the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or assignment,
furnished with written notice of (a) the name and address of such transferee or
assignee, and (b) the securities with respect to which such registration rights
are being transferred or assigned, (iii) following such transfer or assignment
the further disposition of such securities by the transferee or assignees is
restricted under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, (iv)
at or before the time the Company receives the written notice contemplated by
clause (ii) of this Section, the transferee or assignee agrees in writing with
the Company to be bound by all of the provisions of this Agreement, and (v) such
transfer shall have been made in accordance with the applicable requirements of
the Purchase Agreement. In addition, each Holder shall have the right to assign
its rights hereunder to any other Person with the prior written consent of the
Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The rights to
assignment shall apply to the Holders (and to subsequent) successors and
assigns.
(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 in
accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving
effect to any of the conflicts of law principles which would result in the
application of the substantive law of another jurisdiction. This Agreement shall
not be interpreted or construed with any presumption against the party causing
this Agreement to be drafted.
103
(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 to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable in any
respect, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set
forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be
affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their
reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same
or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision,
covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the
intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be
hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(n) Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not
constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect
any of the provisions hereof.
(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. The Company acknowledges that the
obligations of each Purchaser under the Transaction Documents are several and
not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser under the Transaction Documents. The Company acknowledges that the
decision of each Purchaser to purchase securities pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement has been made by such Purchaser independently of any other purchase
and independently of any information, materials, statements or opinions as to
the business, affairs, operations, assets, properties, liabilities, results of
operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or of
its Subsidiaries which may have made or given by any other Purchaser or by any
agent or employee of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser or any of its agents
or employees shall have any liability to any Purchaser (or any other person)
relating to or arising from any such information, materials, statements or
opinions. The Company acknowledges that nothing contained herein, or in any
Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or
thereto (including, but not limited to, the (i) inclusion of a Purchaser in the
Registration Statement and (ii) review by, and consent to, such Registration
Statement by a Purchaser) shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a
partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or
create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as
a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the
104
Transaction Documents. The Company acknowledges that each Purchaser shall be
entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without
limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other
Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to
be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. The Company
acknowledges that for reasons of administrative convenience only, the
Transaction Documents have been prepared by counsel for one of the Purchasers
and such counsel does not represent all of the Purchasers but only such
Purchaser and the other Purchasers have retained their own individual counsel
with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company acknowledges
that it has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and
Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was
required or requested to do so by the Purchasers. The Company acknowledges that
such procedure with respect to the Transaction Documents in no way creates a
presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group
with respect to the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
105
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Registration
Rights Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized persons as
of the date first indicated above.
SYSTEMS EVOLUTION INC.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Chief Executive Officer
PURCHASER:
By:
----------------------------
Name:
Title:
106
Schedule I
ii Purchasers
107
Schedule II
iii Other Securities to be Included on the Registration Statement
108