FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT among American Oriental Bioengineering, Inc. and The Purchasers listed on the signature pages hereto
Exhibit 4.2
FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
among
American Oriental Bioengineering, Inc.
and
The Purchasers listed on the signature pages hereto
Dated: July , 2008
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THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into this day of July , 2008, among American Oriental Bioengineering, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and the purchasers listed on the signature pages hereto (collectively, the “Purchasers”).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), dated July 9, 2008, among the Company and the Purchasers, which provides for the sale by the Company to the Purchasers of $115,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2015 (the “Notes” and together with the shares of Common Stock of the Company into which the Notes are convertible, the “Securities”). In order to induce the Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide to the Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement.
In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms shall have the following meanings:
“1933 Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
“1934 Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
“1939 Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time.
“Additional Interest” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4 herein.
“Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Closing Date” shall mean the Closing Time as such term is defined in the Purchase Agreement.
“Common Stock” shall mean any shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company and any other shares of common stock as may constitute “Common Stock” for purposes of the Indenture.
“Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall also include the Company’s successors.
“Depositary” shall mean The Depository Trust Company, or any other depositary appointed by the Company; provided, however, that such depositary must have an address in the Borough of Manhattan, in the City of New York.
“Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) herein.
“FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (successor to the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.).
“Freely Tradeable” means, with respect to a Security, a Security that at any time of determination (i) may be sold to the public in accordance with Rule 144 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 144”) by a person that is not an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of the Company where no conditions of Rule 144 are then applicable (other than the holding period requirement of
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paragraph (d) of Rule 144 so long as such holding period requirement is satisfied at such time of determination) and (ii) it does not bear any restrictive legends relating to the 1933 Act.
“Holder” shall mean the Purchasers, for so long as they own any Registrable Securities, and their successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become owners, beneficial or otherwise, of Registrable Securities under the Indenture.
“Indenture” shall mean the Indenture relating to the Securities, dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Bank, N.A., as Trustee, as the same may be amended, supplemented, waived or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(f) herein.
“Majority Holders” shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that, for purposes of this definition, (1) a Holder of shares of Common Stock that constitute Registrable Securities which were issued upon conversion of the Notes shall be deemed to hold an aggregate principal amount at maturity of Registrable Securities (in addition to the principal amount at maturity of any Registrable Securities held by such Holder) equal to the principal amount at maturity of Registrable Securities which were converted into such shares of Common Stock and (2) such Registrable Securities which were converted into such shares of Common Stock shall be deemed to be outstanding; provided further, that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company or any Affiliate (as defined in the Indenture) of the Company shall be disregarded in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage amount.
“Notes” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Person” shall mean an individual, partnership (general or limited), corporation, limited liability company, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Private Placement Memorandum” shall mean the private placement memorandum of the Company, dated July 9, 2008, related to the Securities.
“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in a Shelf Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including any such prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to a prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and in each case including all materials incorporated by reference therein.
“Public Information Failure” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(b).
“Public Information Failure Payments” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(b).
“Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Purchasers” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Questionnaire” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(d) herein.
“Registrable Securities” shall mean all or any of the Securities; provided, however, that any such Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities at the earliest of when (i) a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to such Securities shall have been declared effective or otherwise become effective under the 1933 Act and such Securities shall have been disposed of pursuant to such Shelf
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Registration Statement, (ii) such Securities are Freely Tradeable, or (iii) such Securities shall have ceased to be outstanding.
“Registration Default” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4 herein.
“Registration Expenses” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, whether or not a Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or FINRA registration and filing fees, including, if applicable, the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of any “qualified independent underwriter” (and its counsel) that is required to be retained by any holder of Registrable Securities in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws and compliance with the rules of FINRA (including reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for any underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any of the Registrable Securities and any filings with FINRA), (iii) all expenses of the Company in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Shelf Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendments or supplements thereto, any securities sales agreements and other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the listing, if any, of any of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange or exchanges, (v) all rating agency fees incurred by the Company, if any, (vi) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of the independent public accountants of the Company, including the expenses of any special audits or “comfort” letters required by or incident to such performance and compliance, (vii) the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of the Trustee, and any escrow agent or custodian, (viii) the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of a single counsel to the Holders (the “Holders’ Counsel”) in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement up to a maximum amount of $40,000, and (ix) any fees and expenses of any special experts retained by the Company in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement, but excluding any underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder and the fees and expenses of any counsel to the Holders, except as provided for in clause (viii) above.
“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency or government body performing the functions currently performed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof.
“Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement (which may be an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act, if the Company is a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer) of the Company filed pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.1 of this Agreement which covers all of the Registrable Securities on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the 1933 Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all materials incorporated by reference therein.
“Suspension Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5 herein.
“Trustee” shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities under the Indenture.
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“Underwriter” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) herein.
“Well-Known Seasoned Issuer” shall have the meaning given to such term under Section 405 of the 1933 Act.
2. Registration Under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
2.1 Shelf Registration.
(a) To the extent the Securities are not Freely Tradeable as of the 366th day after the Closing Date, the Company shall, at its cost, use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be declared effective as promptly as practicable but no later than 60 days after making such filing, a Shelf Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities by the Holders that have provided the information pursuant to Section 2.1(d).
(b) The Company shall, at its cost, use its commercially reasonable efforts, subject to Section 2.5, to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the Prospectus forming part thereof to be usable by Holders for the period beginning upon the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement until the earliest of (i) the sale pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement of the Registrable Securities, or (ii) the date which the Securities are Freely Tradeable (the “Effectiveness Period”).
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that (i) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and any Prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, 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 not misleading and (iii) any Prospectus forming part of any Shelf Registration Statement, and any supplement to such Prospectus (as amended or supplemented from time to time), does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, no Holder of Registrable Securities may include any of its Registrable Securities in the Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless the Holder furnishes to the Company a fully completed notice and questionnaire in the form attached as Annex A to the Private Placement Memorandum (the “Questionnaire”) and such other information in writing as the Company may reasonably request in writing for use in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus included therein and in any application to be filed with or under state securities laws. At least 30 days prior to the filing of the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company will provide notice to the Holders of its intention to file the Shelf Registration Statement. In order to be named as a selling securityholder in the Prospectus at the time of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder must, before the filing of the Shelf Registration Statement and no later than the 20th day after being notified of the Company’s intention to file, furnish the completed Questionnaire and such other information that the Company may reasonably request in writing, if any, to the Company in writing and the Company will include the information from the completed Questionnaire and such other information, if any, in the Shelf Registration Statement and the Prospectus in a manner so that upon effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement the Holder will be permitted to deliver the Prospectus to purchasers of the Holder’s Registrable Securities. From and after the date that the Shelf Registration Statement is first declared effective by the SEC or otherwise becomes effective, upon receipt of a completed Questionnaire and such other information that the Company may
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reasonably request in writing, if any, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file (i) within 20 business days any amendments or supplements to the Shelf Registration Statement or (ii) within 10 business days any report with the SEC under the 1934 Act, if the Company is permitted to do so pursuant to the 1933 Act and the regulations thereunder, necessary for such Holder to be named as a selling securityholder in the Prospectus contained therein to permit such Holder to deliver the Prospectus to purchasers of the Holder’s Registrable Securities (subject to the Company’s right to suspend the Shelf Registration Statement as described in Section 2.5 below); provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to file more than one such amendment or supplement to the Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph (d) in any calendar quarter for all such Holders. Holders that do not deliver a completed written Questionnaire and such other information, as provided for in this Section 2.1(d), will not be named as selling securityholders in the Prospectus. Each Holder named as a selling securityholder in the Prospectus agrees to promptly furnish to the Company all information required to be disclosed in order to make information previously furnished to the Company by the Holder not materially misleading and any other information regarding such Holder and the distribution of such Holder’s Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.
(e) During the Effectiveness Period, each Holder agrees not to sell any Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement without delivering, or causing to be delivered, a Prospectus to the purchaser thereof.
(f) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of a majority of the Registrable Securities that are registered under the Shelf Registration Statement at such time or the approval of Holders’ counsel or the consent of the managing underwriter in connection with any underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, and each Holder represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and any such underwriter, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities (which, for the avoidance of doubt, will not include any shares of Common Stock which are not Securities within the meaning of this Agreement) that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the 1933 Act (an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act, required to be filed with the SEC. The Company represents that any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus will not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus and that any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when taken together with the information in the Shelf Registration Statement and the Prospectus, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
The Company will not permit any securities other than Registrable Securities to be included in the Shelf Registration Statement. The Company agrees to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company if required by the 1933 Act, or to the extent the Company does not reasonably object, as reasonably requested in writing by any Holder with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities that are covered under such Shelf Registration Statement copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC in such amounts as they may reasonably request.
2.2 Expenses. The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with the registration pursuant to Section 2.1. Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, and the fees and expenses of such Holder’s counsel relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement other than those fees of Holder’s counsel included in Registration Expenses.
2.3 Effectiveness. (a) The Company will be deemed not to have used its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Shelf Registration Statement to become, or to remain, effective during the requisite period (subject
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to Section 2.5) if the Company voluntarily takes any action that would, or voluntarily omits to take any action which omission would, result in any such Shelf Registration Statement not being declared effective or in the Holders of Registrable Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Registrable Securities during that period as and to the extent contemplated hereby, unless such action or omission is required by applicable law.
(b) A Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC or has become automatically effective under the 1933 Act; provided, however, that if, after it has been declared or become effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court, such Shelf Registration Statement will be deemed not to have become effective during the period of such interference, until the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement may legally resume.
2.4 Interest. In the event that (a) the Shelf Registration Statement has not been filed with the SEC by the 366th day after the Closing Date and the Securities are not Freely Tradeable, (b) a Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective or otherwise becomes effective on or prior to the 60th calendar day following the making of such filing, (c) after effectiveness, subject to Section 2.5, the Shelf Registration Statement ceases to be effective or fails to be usable by the Holders without being succeeded within seven business days by a post-effective amendment or a report filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act that cures the failure to be effective or usable, or (d) the Prospectus is unusable by the Holders for any reason, and the Suspension Period (as defined in Section 2.5 hereof) exceeds the number of days set forth in Section 2.5 (each such event being a “Registration Default”), additional interest (“Additional Interest”) will accrue at a rate per annum of one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) of the principal amount of the Notes for the first 90-day period from the day following the Registration Default, and thereafter at a rate per annum of one-half of one percent (0.50%) of the principal amount of the Notes; provided that in no event shall Additional Interest accrue at a rate per annum exceeding one half of one percent (0.50%) of the issue price of the Notes. Upon the cure of all Registration Defaults then continuing, the accrual of Additional Interest will automatically cease and the interest rate borne by the Notes will revert to the original interest rate at such time. Additional Interest shall be computed based on the actual number of days elapsed in each 90-day period in which the Shelf Registration Statement or the Prospectus is not effective or is unusable. Holders who have converted Notes into Common Stock will not be entitled to receive any Additional Interest with respect to such Common Stock or the issue price of the Notes converted.
The Company shall notify the Trustee within five business days after each and every date on which an event occurs in respect of which Additional Interest is required to be paid. Additional Interest shall be paid by depositing with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of Registrable Securities, on or before the applicable semiannual interest payment date, in immediately available funds in sums sufficient to pay the Additional Interest then due. The Additional Interest due shall be payable in arrears on each interest payment date to the record Holder of Registrable Securities entitled to receive the interest payment to be paid on such date as set forth in the Indenture. Each obligation to pay Additional Interest shall be deemed to accrue from and including the day following the Registration Default to but excluding the day on which the Registration Default is cured.
A Registration Default under clause (a) above shall be cured on the date that the Shelf Registration Statement is filed with the SEC. A Registration Default under clause (b) above shall be cured on the date that the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC or deemed to become automatically effective under the 1933 Act. A Registration Default under clauses (c) or (d) above shall be cured on the date an amended Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC or deemed to become automatically effective under the 1933 Act, or the Company otherwise declares the Shelf Registration Statement and the Prospectus useable, as
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applicable. The Company will have no liabilities for monetary damages other than Additional Interest with respect to any Registration Default.
2.5 Suspension. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof (other than Section 5.1), the Company may suspend the use of any Prospectus, without incurring or accruing any obligation to pay Additional Interest pursuant to Section 2.4 hereof or being deemed in violation of any other provision hereof, for a period or periods not to exceed 45 calendar days in any three-month period, or an aggregate of 180 calendar days in any twelve-month period (each, a “Suspension Period”), if management of the Company shall have determined in good faith that because of valid business reasons (not including avoidance of the Company’s obligations hereunder), including without limitation proposed or pending corporate developments and similar events or because of filings with the SEC, it is in the best interests of the Company to suspend such use, and prior to suspending such use the Company provides the Holders with written notice of such suspension, which notice need not specify the nature of the event giving rise to such suspension. Each Holder shall keep confidential any communications received by it from the Company regarding the suspension of the use of the Prospectus, except as required by applicable law.
3. Registration Procedures.
In connection with the obligations of the Company with respect to the Shelf Registration, and, during the Effectiveness Period, subject to the rights of the Company to invoke and maintain a Suspension Period in accordance with Section 2.5 without being in violation of any of the provisions hereunder, the Company shall:
(a) prepare and file with the SEC a Shelf Registration Statement, within the relevant time period specified in Section 2 hereof, on the appropriate form under the 1933 Act, which form (i) shall be selected by the Company, (ii) shall be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the selling Holders thereof, (iii) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include or incorporate by reference all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein, and (iv) shall comply in all respects with the applicable requirements of Regulation S-T under the 1933 Act, if any, and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective in accordance with Section 2 hereof;
(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Shelf Registration Statement as may be necessary under applicable law to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective for the Effectiveness Period, subject to Section 2.5; and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (or any similar provision then in force) under the 1933 Act and comply during the Effectiveness Period with the provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder required to enable the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the selling Holders thereof;
(c) (i) notify each Holder of Registrable Securities of the filing of a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to the Registrable Securities; (ii) furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities that has provided the information required by Section 2.1(d) and to each underwriter of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, electronic copies of each Prospectus, including each preliminary Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto and such other documents as such Holder or underwriter may reasonably request, including financial statements and schedules and, if the Holder so requests, all exhibits in order to facilitate the unrestricted sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities; and (iii) subject to Section 2.5 hereof and to any notice by the Company in accordance with Section 3(e) hereof of the existence of any fact of the kind described in Sections 3(e)(ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) hereof, hereby consent to the use of the Prospectus or any amendment or
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supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of Registrable Securities that has provided the information required by Section 2.1(d) in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities;
(d) use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities for exemptions under all applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement and each underwriter of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities shall reasonably request, and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each such Holder and underwriter to consummate the disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), or (ii) take any action which would subject it to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;
(e) notify promptly each Holder of Registrable Securities under a Shelf Registration Statement that has provided the information required by Section 2.1(d) and, if requested by such Holder, confirm such advice in writing promptly (i) when a Shelf Registration Statement has become effective and when any post-effective amendments thereto have become effective, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for post-effective amendments and supplements to a Shelf Registration Statement and Prospectus or for additional information relating thereto after the Shelf Registration Statement has become effective, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) of the happening of any event or the discovery of any facts during the period a Shelf Registration Statement is effective which makes any statement made in such Shelf Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material respect or which requires the making of any changes in such Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and (vi) of any determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement would be appropriate, other than a post-effective amendment solely to add selling Holders;
(f) furnish to Holders’ counsel on behalf of the Holders of Registrable Securities (i) copies of any comment letters received from the SEC with respect to a Shelf Registration Statement, and, if requested, with respect to any documents incorporated therein and (ii) any other request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments or supplements to a Shelf Registration Statement and Prospectus or for additional information with respect to the Shelf Registration Statement and Prospectus;
(g) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement at the earliest practicable moment and provide prompt notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of such order;
(h) furnish, upon request, to each Holder of Registrable Securities that has provided the information required by Section 2.1(d), and each underwriter, if any, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules (without documents incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits thereto, unless requested);
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(i) if electronic global certificates for the Registrable Securities are not then available, cooperate with the selling Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends (other than as required by applicable law); and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) and registered in such names as the selling Holders or the underwriters, if any, may reasonably request at least three business days prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;
(j) upon the occurrence of any event or the discovery of any facts, each as contemplated by Sections 3(e)(ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) hereof, as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus will not contain at the time of such delivery any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. At such time as such public disclosure is otherwise made or the Company determines that such disclosure is not necessary, in each case to correct any misstatement of a material fact or to include any omitted material fact, the Company agrees promptly to notify each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement of such determination and to furnish each Holder such number of copies of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, as such Holder may reasonably request;
(k) no less than three business days after the filing of any Shelf Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendment to a Shelf Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus (other than amendments and supplements that do nothing more than name Holders and provide information with respect thereto), provide copies of such document to the Trustee on behalf of such Holders, and make representatives of the Company, as shall be reasonably requested by the Holders’ counsel, available for discussion of such document;
(l) obtain CUSIP numbers for all Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement and provide the Trustee with printed certificates for the Registrable Securities in a form eligible for deposit with the Depositary;
(m) (i) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the 1939 Act in connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities, (ii) cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the 1939 Act, and (iii) execute, and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes, and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;
(n) subject to the last paragraph of this Section 3(n), enter into such customary agreements (including, if requested, an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all other customary and appropriate actions, if any, as the Majority Holders shall reasonably request in writing in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities, including, but not limited to:
(i) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and updates thereof addressed to each selling Holder and the underwriters, if any, covering the matters set forth in the opinions of such counsel delivered at the Closing Date as are customarily covered in legal opinions in connection with an underwritten offering of securities;
(ii) obtain “comfort” letters and updates thereof from the Company’s independent certified public accountants (and, if necessary, any other independent certified public accountants of the subsidiary of the Company or of any business acquired by the Company for
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which financial statements are, or are required to be, included in the Shelf Registration Statement) addressed to the underwriters, if any, and use reasonable efforts to have such letter addressed to the selling Holders of Registrable Securities (to the extent consistent with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 72 of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts);
(iii) if an underwriting agreement is entered into, cause the same to set forth indemnification provisions and procedures substantially equivalent to the indemnification provisions and procedures set forth in Section 4 hereof with respect to the underwriters and all other parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section or, at the request of any underwriters, in the form customarily provided to such underwriters in similar types of transactions; and
(iv) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested and as are customarily delivered in similar offerings to the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold and the managing underwriters, if any.
The above shall be done only in connection with a single firmly-underwritten offering of not less than one-half of the Registrable Securities using such Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to an underwriting or similar agreement as and to the extent required thereunder, and as reasonably requested by the Majority Holders thereto. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company will not be required to pay the costs and expenses of, or to participate in the marketing or “road show” presentations of, more than one underwritten offering of Registrable Securities every 12 months commencing on the Closing Date. The Company will not be required to pay the costs and expenses of, or to participate in the marketing or “road show” presentations of, an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities unless requested by the Majority Holders;
(o) if reasonably requested by the Majority Holders in connection with a disposition of Registrable Securities and reasonably necessary to complete such disposition, upon reasonable advance notice, make available for inspection during business hours by representatives of the Holders of the Registrable Securities, any underwriters participating in any disposition pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement and any counsel or accountant retained by any of the foregoing, all appropriate financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company reasonably requested in writing by any such persons, and cause the respective officers, directors, employees, and any other agents of the Company to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, underwriter, special counsel or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement, and make such representatives of the Company available for discussion of such documents as shall be reasonably requested by the Purchasers, in each case as is customary for “due diligence” investigations; provided that, to the extent the Company, in its reasonable discretion, agrees to disclose material non-public information, such persons shall first agree in writing with the Company that any such non-public information shall be kept confidential by such persons and shall be used solely for the purposes of exercising rights under this Agreement and such person shall not engage in trading any securities of the Company until such material non-public information becomes properly publicly available, 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 is required by law (including any disclosure requirements pursuant to federal securities laws in connection with the filing of any Shelf Registration Statement or the use of any Prospectus referred to in this Agreement upon a customary opinion of counsel for such persons delivered and reasonably satisfactory to the Company), (iii) such information becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure or failure to safeguard by any such person, (iv) such information becomes available to any such person from a source other than the Company and such source is not bound by a confidentiality agreement, or (v) such non-public information ceases to be material; provided further, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall, to the greatest extent possible, be coordinated on behalf of all the Holders and the other parties entitled thereto by Holders’ counsel;
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(p) if requested in writing by any selling Holder of Registrable Securities that has provided the information required by Section 2.1(d), a reasonable time prior to filing the Shelf Registration Statement, any Prospectus forming a part thereof, any amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to such Prospectus (other than amendments and supplements that do nothing more than name Holders and provide information with respect thereto), (i) provide copies of such document to the Holders of Registrable Securities that have provided the information required by Section 2.1(d), to Holders’ counsel and to the underwriter or underwriters of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any, (ii) make such changes in any such document prior to the filing thereof as Holders’ counsel or the underwriter or underwriters reasonably agree should be included therein and provide to the Company in writing for inclusion therein within three business days of delivery of such copies, (iii) if requested by any selling Holder of Registrable Securities that has provided the information required by Section 2.1(d), not file any such document in a form (A) to which the Majority Holders, Holders’ counsel or any underwriter shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy of or (B) to which the Majority Holders, Holders’ Counsel or any underwriter shall reasonably object within three business days of delivery of such copies, and (iv) make the representatives of the Company available for discussion of such document as shall be reasonably requested in writing by the Holders of Registrable Securities, Holders’ counsel or any underwriter; provided, however, that the foregoing discussion shall be coordinated on behalf of the parties entitled thereto by the Holders’ counsel;
(q) if requested by any selling Holder or the underwriters, if any, incorporate in the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus, pursuant to a supplement or post-effective amendment if necessary, such information as such selling Holder or underwriter, if any, may reasonably request in writing to have included therein with respect to the name or names of such selling Holder, the number of shares of Common Stock or principal amount of Securities owned by such Holder, the plan of distribution of the Registrable Securities (as required by Item 508 of Regulation S-K), the principal amount of Securities or number of shares of Common Stock being sold, the purchase price being paid therefor, and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering;
(r) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities to be listed on any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which similar debt securities issued by the Company are then listed if requested by the Majority Holders, or if requested by the underwriter or underwriters of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any;
(s) otherwise comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering at least 12 months which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and Rule 158 thereunder; and
(t) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with FINRA and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter and its counsel (including any “qualified independent underwriter” that is required to be retained in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
Without limiting the provisions of Section 2.1(d), the Company may (as a condition to such Holder’s participation in the Shelf Registration) require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information regarding the Holder and the proposed distribution by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.
Each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event or the discovery of any facts, each of the kind described in Section 3(e)(ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Prospectus included in the Shelf Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended
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Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(j) hereof or written notice from the Company that the Shelf Registration Statement is again effective and no amendment or supplement is needed, and, if so directed by the Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at its expense) all copies in such Holder’s possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
If any of the Registrable Securities covered by any Shelf Registration Statement are to be sold in an underwritten offering, the underwriter or underwriters and manager or managers that will manage such offering will be selected by the Majority Holders of such Registrable Securities included in such offering and shall be acceptable to the Company. No Holder of Registrable Securities may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder’s Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
4. Indemnification; Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, each Holder who has provided information to the Company in accordance with Section 2.1(d) hereof, each Person who participates as an underwriter, if any (any such Person being an “Underwriter”) and each Person, if any, who controls any such Holder or Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act in connection with sale of Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement under the terms of this Agreement during the Effectiveness Period as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Shelf Registration Statement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) pursuant to which Registrable Securities were registered under the 1933 Act, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 4(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and
(iii) against any and all expenses whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by any indemnified party), reasonably incurred and documented in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under subparagraph (i) or (ii) above;
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provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of (A) any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Holder or Underwriter, if any, expressly for use in a Shelf Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), (B) use of a Prospectus during a Suspension Period, provided that such Holder has received prior notice of such suspension, (C) failure of such Holder to deliver a prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, as required by applicable laws, provided that the Company shall have delivered to such Holder such Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, or (D) the gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of any such party seeking indemnification.
(b) Each Holder who has provided information to the Company in accordance with Section 2.1(d) hereof, severally, but not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and each of its directors and officers, and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 4(a) hereof, as incurred and documented, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Shelf Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus included therein (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information with respect to such Holder furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in the Shelf Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any issuer Free Writing Prospectus; provided, however, that no such Holder shall be liable for any claims hereunder (i) in excess of the amount of net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement or (ii) to the extent arising out of the gross negligence, willful misconduct or the bad faith of the Company.
(c) Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action or proceeding commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In case any such action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding shall be brought against any indemnified party and the indemnified party shall notify the Company of the commencement thereof, the Company shall be entitled to participate therein and to assume the defense thereof; provided, however, that in the event that any such action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding includes both an indemnified party and the Company, and such indemnified party reasonably concludes that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the Company, or if the Company fails to assume the defense of the action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding, in either case in a timely manner, then such indemnified party may employ separate counsel to represent or defend it in any such action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding and the Company will pay the reasonable fees and disbursements of such counsel; provided, further, that the Company will not be required to pay the fees and disbursements of more than one separate counsel for all indemnified parties (and one separate counsel local counsel). In any action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding the defense of which the Company assumes, the indemnified party will have the right to participate in such litigation and to retain its own counsel at such indemnified party’s own expense. No indemnifying party shall (i) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 4 (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or
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consent (A) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (B) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party or (ii) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld).
(d) Notwithstanding clause (ii) of Section 4(c), if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 4(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into, and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 4 is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Holders on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Holders on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, or by the Holders and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Holders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 4. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred and documented by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 4 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any 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 ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 4, each Person, if any, who controls any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Holder, and each director of the Company, and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The obligations of the Company and the Holders pursuant to this Section 4 shall be in addition to any liability that such party may otherwise have.
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5. Miscellaneous.
5.1 Rule 144 and Rule 144A.
(a) During the Effectiveness Period, for so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act, the Company covenants that it will file the reports required to be filed by it under Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the SEC thereunder. If during the Effectiveness Period the Company ceases to be so required to file such reports, the Company covenants that it will upon the request of any Holder of Registrable Securities (a) make publicly available such information as is necessary to permit sales pursuant to Rule 144 under the 1933 Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, (b) deliver such information to a prospective purchaser as is necessary to permit sales pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, and it will take such further action as any Holder of Registrable Securities may reasonably request for such purpose, and (c) take such further action that is reasonable in the circumstances, in each case, to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell its Registrable Securities without registration under the 1933 Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (i) Rule 144 under the 1933 Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, (ii) Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or (iii) any similar rules or regulations hereafter adopted by the SEC. During the Effectiveness Period, upon the request of any Holder of Registrable Securities, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
(b) At any time during the period commencing from the six month anniversary of the Closing Date and ending at such time that all of the Securities, if a registration statement is not available for the resale of all of the Securities, may be sold without restriction or limitation pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement to be in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1), if the Company shall fail for any reason to satisfy the current public information requirement under Rule 144(c) (a “Public Information Failure”) then, as partial relief for the damages to any Holder of Securities by reason of any such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell the Securities (which remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies available at law or in equity), the Company shall pay to each such Holder an amount in cash equal to one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the aggregate Purchase Price of such Holder’s Securities on the day of a Public Information Failure and on every 30th day (pro rated for periods totaling less than 30 days) thereafter until the earlier of (i) the date such Public Information Failure is cured and (ii) such time that such public information is no longer required pursuant to Rule 144. The payments to which a holder shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 5.1(b) are referred to herein as “Public Information Failure Payments.” Public Information Failure Payments shall be paid on the earlier of (i) the last day of the calendar month during which such Public Information Failure Payments are incurred and (ii) the third business day after the event or failure giving rise to the Public Information Failure Payments is cured. In the event the Company fails to make Public Information Failure Payments in a timely manner, such Public Information Failure Payments shall bear interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full.
5.2 No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not entered into and the Company will not after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement which is inconsistent in any material respect with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not and will not for the term of this Agreement in any way conflict with the rights granted to the holders of any of the Company’s other issued and outstanding securities under any such agreements.
5.3 No Adverse Actions Affecting Registration Rights. Subject to the rights of the Company expressly set forth in this Agreement, including the right to invoke and maintain a Suspension Period, the Company shall not, directly or indirectly, intentionally take any action with respect to the Registrable Securities as a class that would adversely affect the ability of the Holders of Registrable Securities to include such Registrable Securities in a registration undertaken pursuant to this Agreement.
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5.4 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 Company has obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities (with Holders of Securities deemed to be the Holders, for purposes of this Section 5.4, of the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock into which such Registrable Securities are or could be convertible on the date that consent would be required) affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or departure. Each Holder of Registrable Securities outstanding at the time of any amendment, modification, waiver or consent pursuant to this Section 5.4, shall be bound by such amendment, modification, waiver or consent, whether or not any notice or writing indicating such amendment, modification, waiver or consent is delivered to such Holder.
5.5 Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, registered first-class mail, facsimile, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (a) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company in a Questionnaire or by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5.5, which address initially is the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement with respect to the Purchasers; and (b) if to the Company, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Purchase Agreement, and thereafter at such other address of which notice is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5.5.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; two business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged, if sent by facsimile; and on the next business day if timely delivered to an overnight courier.
Copies of all such notices, demands, or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the person giving the same to the Trustee under the Indenture, at the address specified in such Indenture.
5.6 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement, including the restrictions on resale set forth in this Agreement and, if applicable, the Purchase Agreement, and such person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof.
5.7 Third Party Beneficiaries. Each Holder of Registrable Securities shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights hereunder.
5.8 Specific Enforcement. Without limiting the remedies available to the Purchasers and the Holders, the Company acknowledges that any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 2.1 hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Purchasers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it may not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Purchasers or any Holder may seek such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company’s obligations under Section 2.1 hereof.
5.9 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate 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.
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5.10 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
5.11 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. The Company hereby submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company and the Purchasers irrevocably agree to waive trial by jury in any action, proceeding, claim or counterclaim brought by or on behalf of either party related to or arising out of this Agreement.
5.12 Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
5.13 Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein with respect to the registration rights granted by the Company with respect to the Registrable Securities. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
AMERICAN ORIENTAL BIOENGINEERING, INC.
| By: |
/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ | |
| Name: |
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ | |
| Title: |
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
Confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written:
[PURCHASER]
| BY: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: |
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