UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT between AUREUS GREENWAY HOLDINGS INC., and DOMINARI SECURITIES LLC, as Representative of the Several Underwriters AUREUS GREENWAY HOLDINGS INC. UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
between
AUREUS GREENWAY HOLDINGS INC.,
and
DOMINARI SECURITIES LLC,
as Representative of the Several Underwriters
| 1 |
[●], 2024
Dominari Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇.
New York, Ny 10022
As Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 attached hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, AUREUS GREENWAY HOLDINGS INC., a corporation formed under the laws of Nevada (the “Company”) and [●], stockholders of the Company (the “Selling Stockholders”), hereby confirm their agreement (this “Agreement”) with several underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto (such underwriters, including the Representative (as defined below), the “Underwriters” and each an “Underwriter”) for which Dominari Securities LLC is acting as representative to the several underwriters (in such capacity, the “Representative”) as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Shares.
1.1 Firm Shares.
1.1.1. Nature and Purchase of Firm Shares.
(i) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell and the Selling Stockholders agree to sell to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of [●] and [●] (“Firm Shares”) of the Company’s shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), respectively and each Underwriter agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, at the Closing, an aggregate of the Firm Shares. The offering and sale of the Firm Shares is herein referred to as the “Offering.”
(ii) The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company and the Selling Stockholders the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof at a purchase price of $[●] per Firm Share (93.00% of the per Firm Share public offering price) (the “Purchase Price”). The Firm Shares are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof).
1.1.2. Firm Shares Payment and Delivery.
(i) Delivery and payment for the Shares (as hereinafter defined) shall be made no later than 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the commencement of trading of the Shares, or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Carmel LLP, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (“Representatives’ Counsel”), or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmissions) as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Shares is called the “Closing Date.”
(ii) Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, as the case may be, upon delivery of the certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Shares (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the Firm Shares. The term “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday, or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York, New York.
| 2 |
1.2. [Omitted.]
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date as follows:
2.1. Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1. Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ( the “Commission”), a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. [●]), including any related prospectus or prospectuses for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”) and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits, and all other documents filed as a part thereof and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b). The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
Each prospectus used prior to the Registration Statement being declared effective by the Commission, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after being declared effective and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion, dated February 9, 2024 that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.
“Applicable Time” means 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Shares or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2-B hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
“Pricing Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus, and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.
2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. A registration statement in respect of the Common Stock has been filed on Form 8-A pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, which registration statement complies in all material respects with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
| 3 |
2.2. Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares of Common Stock have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market (the “Exchange”), subject only to official notice of issuance, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting of the Shares of Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.3. No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
2.4. Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.4.1. Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.
(i) Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to the Commission’s “Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval” filing system (“▇▇▇▇▇”), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T promulgated under the Securities Act (“Regulation S-T”).
(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will 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; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriters’ Information (as defined herein).
(iii) The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date, did not, does not and will 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did 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; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the following disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus: (i) the table showing the number of securities to be purchased by each Underwriter and the name(s) of the underwriters on the cover page, (ii) the third and fourth full paragraphs, (iii) the second, third, and fourth sentences of the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting Discounts and Expenses” and (iv), the sub-sections titled “Selling Restrictions,” “Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids,” and “Electronic Offer, Sale, and Distribution of Common stock” (the “Underwriters’ Information”).
| 4 |
(iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and at the Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information.
2.4.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined below) taken as a whole, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company and/or its Subsidiaries, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and/or its Subsidiaries and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company and/or its Subsidiaries, and neither the Company and/or its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder except for such defaults or events that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined in Section 2.5.1 below). To the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company and/or its Subsidiaries of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental or regulatory agency, authority, body, entity or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company and/or its Subsidiaries or any of their/its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations, that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change as defined in Section 2.5.1 below.
2.4.3. Prior Securities Transactions. No securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Preliminary Prospectus.
2.4.4. Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign laws, rules and regulations relating to the Offering and the Company’s business as currently conducted or contemplated are, to the Company’s knowledge, correct and complete in all material respects and no other such laws, rules or regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.
2.4.5. No Other Distribution of Offering Materials. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other than any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the Securities Act and consistent with Section 3.2 below, prior to the completion of the Underwriters’ purchase of the Firm Shares.
| 5 |
2.5 Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.
2.5.1. No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein or in accordance with its ordinary business operations: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, nor to the Company’s knowledge any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change or a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; and (iii) no executive officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company.
2.5.2. Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.
2.6 Disclosures in Commission Filings. None of the Company’s filings as of the Effective Date, or other documents furnished to, the Commission contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
2.7 Independent Accountants. To the knowledge of the Company, WWC, P.C., the “Auditor”), whose report is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.8 Financial Statements, etc. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods stated therein; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP); and the supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information and the related notes, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and present fairly the information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) since the date of the last balance sheet included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including each entity disclosed or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being a subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its Shares of Common Stock or other capital stock (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than in the ordinary course of business, or pursuant to any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt. The Company represents that it has no direct or indirect subsidiaries other than those listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.
| 6 |
2.9 Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capital as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date, there will be no stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued Shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible or exercisable into Shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell Shares of Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
2.10 Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.
2.10.1. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no contractual rights of rescission or the ability to force the Company to repurchase such securities with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or rights of participation of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized Shares of Common Stock conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding Shares of Common Stock, were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such Shares of Common Stock, exempt from such registration requirements.
2.10.2. Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Shares are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Shares has been duly and validly taken. The Shares conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
| 7 |
2.11 Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any options, warrants, rights or other securities exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in the Registration Statement or any other registration statement to be filed by the Company.
2.12 Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement has been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.13 No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and all ancillary documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a material breach of, or conflict with, any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or as to which any property of the Company is a party except breaches, conflicts or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s articles of incorporation (as may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”); or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties or business as constituted as of the date hereof, except in the case of clause (iii) above, for such violations which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.14 No Defaults; Violations. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no material default exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject except for any such default that would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not (i) in violation of any term or provision of its Charter, or (ii) in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity, except in the case of clause (ii) above, for such violations which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.15 Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.15.1. Conduct of Business. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary consents, authorizations, approvals, licenses, certificates, clearances, permits and orders and supplements and amendments thereto (collectively, “Authorizations”) of and from all Governmental Entities that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
| 8 |
2.15.2. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all Authorizations required in connection therewith have been obtained. No Authorization of, and no filing with, any Governmental Entity, the Exchange or another body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Firm Shares and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state securities or blue-sky laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
2.16 D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors, officers and principal equity owners or control persons prior to the Offering (the “Insiders”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Company’s directors and officers and principal shareholders as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as well as in the Lock-Up Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24 below), provided to the Underwriters, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate and incorrect.
2.17 Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director of the Company, or in connection with the Company’s listing application for the listing of the Shares on the Exchange, which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is required to be disclosed therein.
2.18 Good Standing. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of the state of Nevada as of the date hereof, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.19 Insurance. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance, with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are adequate, and as are customary for companies of its size and to the Company’s knowledge all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.20 Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.
2.20.1. Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Shares hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.20.2. Payments Within Twelve (12) Months. Except as disclosed in writing to the Representative or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments in connection with the Offering (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve (12) months prior to the Effective Date, other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.
| 9 |
2.20.3. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.
2.20.4. FINRA Affiliation. There is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, beneficial owner of 10% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities who acquired any equity securities of the Company during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
2.20.5. Information. All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to Representative Counsel specifically for use by Representative Counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.
2.21 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of, and with authority from, the Company and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any Governmental Entity (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
2.22 Compliance with OFAC. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries, the Company and its Subsidiaries, is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), and the Company will not knowingly, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
2.23 Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in all material respects in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
2.24 Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to Representative Counsel on the Closing Date shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.25 Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors of the Company’s outstanding Shares of Common Stock (or securities convertible or exercisable into Shares of Common Stock) (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), simultaneously with or prior to the execution of this Agreement.
| 10 |
2.26 Subsidiaries. All direct and indirect Subsidiaries of the Company are duly organized and in good standing under the laws of the place of organization or incorporation, and each Subsidiary is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the assets, business or operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole. The Company’s ownership and control of each Subsidiary is as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.27 Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required by the rules and regulations of the Commission to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.
2.28 Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company will on the Effective Date be comprised of the persons set forth under the section of the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus titled “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply with the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act , the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act”) applicable to the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent,” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.
2.29 ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Compliance.
2.29.1. Disclosure Controls. The Company has developed and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures that will comply with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act , and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company’s Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure documents.
2.29.2. Compliance. The Company is or at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act.
2.30 Accounting Controls. The Company and its Subsidiaries shall maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act ) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal controls over financial reporting. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
| 11 |
2.31 No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
2.32 No Labor Disputes. To the knowledge of the Company: (i) no labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, , is imminent, and (ii) no key employee or significant group of employees of the Company plans to terminate employment with the Company.
2.33 Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, registered trademarks, trademark applications, registered service marks, registered trade names, trade secrets, inventions, registered copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights necessary for use, or currently used in connection with their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and which the failure to so have would have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received written notice that any of the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any person. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.34 Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are, sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriters, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales , use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
2.35 ERISA Compliance. The Company and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) (if any are applicable and subject to ERISA) established or maintained by the Company or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
| 12 |
2.36 Compliance with Laws. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the business of the Company as currently conducted (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any Governmental Entity alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any Authorizations; (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Governmental Entity or third party alleging that any activity conducted by the Company is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received notice that any Governmental Entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity is considering such action; and (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission).
2.37 Emerging Growth Company. From the time of the initial submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly in or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act. The Company has not (i) alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the written consent of the Representative and with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) authorized anyone other than the Representative to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company confirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications.
2.38 Environmental Laws. The Company is in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety or the environment which are applicable to their businesses (“Environmental Laws”), except where the failure to comply would not, singularly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or liability which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such violations and liabilities, a Material Adverse Change; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company has knowledge, except for any such disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such discharges and other releases, a Material Adverse Change. In the ordinary course of business, the Company conducts periodic reviews of the effect of Environmental Laws on its business and assets, in the course of which they identify and evaluate associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or governmental permits issued thereunder, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such reviews, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.
| 13 |
2.39 Title to Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that singly or in the aggregate, would materially affect the value of such property and interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
2.40 Contracts Affecting Capital. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ liquidity or the availability of or requirements for their capital resources required to be described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described or incorporated by reference as required.
2.41 Loans to Directors or Officers. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.42 Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the Effective Date and at the time of any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Shares and at the Effective Date, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
2.43 [Omitted]
2.44 Industry Data; Forward Looking Statements. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.
| 14 |
2.45 Electronic Road Show. The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) of the Securities Act Regulations such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h) of the Securities Act Regulations) is required in connection with the Offering.
2.46 Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Shares of Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
2.47 Dividends and Distributions. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock (in each case, to the extent that any such prohibition or restriction on dividends and/or distributions would have a material effect to the Company), from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.
2.48 Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
2.49 Integration. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act.
2.50 Confidentiality and Non-Competitions. To the Company’s knowledge, no director, officer, key employee or consultant of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer (other than the Company) or prior employer that could materially affect his or her ability to be and act in his or her respective capacity of the Company or such Subsidiary or be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.51 Corporate Records. The minute books of the Company have been made available to the Representative and Representative Counsel and such books (i) contain minutes of all material meetings and actions of the Board of Directors (including each board committee) and shareholders of the Company, and (ii) reflect all material transactions referred to in such minutes.
2.52 Diligence Materials. The Company has provided to the Representative and Representative Counsel all materials required or necessary to respond in all material respects to the diligence request submitted to the Company by the Representative.
2.53 Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or stockholders (without the consent of the Representative) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
| 15 |
2A. Each of the Selling Stockholders further represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriters, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as follows:
2A.1 All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholders of this Agreement, and for the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholders (the “Stockholder Shares”) hereunder, have been obtained, except for the registration under the Securities Act of the Stockholder Shares or approval for listing on the Nasdaq and such consents, approvals, authorizations and orders (x) as may be required under federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws or the rules and regulations of FINRA or (y) that have already been obtained; and such Selling Stockholders have full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Stockholder Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholders hereunder.
2A.2 The sale of the Stockholder Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholders hereunder and the compliance by such Selling Stockholders with this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholders are a party or by which such Selling Stockholders are bound or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Stockholders are subject, except as would not reasonably be expected to affect the validity of the Stockholder Shares being sold by such Selling Stockholders or impact the ability of such Selling Stockholders to perform their obligations under this Agreement; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental body or agency is required for the performance by such Selling Stockholders of their obligations under this Agreement and the consummation by such Selling Stockholders of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the Stockholder Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholders hereunder, except the registration under the Securities Act of the Stockholder Shares or approval for listing on Nasdaq and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws or the rules and regulations of FINRA in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Stockholder Shares by the Underwriters.
2A.3 Such Selling Stockholders have, and immediately prior to the time of delivery such Selling Stockholders will have, good and valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code in respect of, the Stockholder Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholders hereunder at such time of delivery, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or adverse claims; and, upon delivery of such Stockholder Shares and payment therefor pursuant hereto, good and valid title to such Stockholder Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or adverse claims, will pass to the Underwriters.
2A.4 On or prior to the date of the Prospectus, such Selling Stockholders have executed and delivered to the Underwriters a Lock-Up Agreement.
2A.5 Such Selling Stockholders have not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Stockholder Shares.
2A.6 To the extent that any statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto are made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Stockholders expressly for use therein (it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Selling Stockholder consists of the following information furnished on behalf of such Selling Stockholder: the legal name, address and the number of securities owned by such Selling Stockholder before and after the offering contemplated hereby and the other information with respect to such Selling Stockholder (other than percentages) that appears in the table and corresponding footnotes under the caption “Principal and Selling Stockholders” in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, such statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement and Preliminary Prospectus did, and such statements or omissions made in the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will, when they become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, 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 not misleading.
| 16 |
2A.7 In order to facilitate the Underwriters’ documentation of their compliance with the reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 with respect to the transactions herein contemplated, such Selling Stockholders will deliver to the Representatives prior to or at the first time of delivery a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).
2A.8 The obligations of the Selling Stockholders hereunder shall not be terminated by operation of law, or in the case of a partnership or corporation, by the dissolution of such partnership, limited liability company or corporation, or by the occurrence of any other event; if any such partnership, limited liability company or corporation should be dissolved, or if any other such event should occur, before the delivery of the Stockholder Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholders hereunder, certificates or book entry securities entitlements representing the Stockholder Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholders hereunder shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
2A.9 Such Selling Stockholders will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Stockholder Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, including, without limitation, the OFAC, of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person,” the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury, the United Nations Security Council, or other relevant sanctions authority, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions, or (ii) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-money laundering laws, including, but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended by the USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001, the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, Russian Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On Combating the Legalization (Laundering) of Criminally Obtained Income and Funding of Terrorism” dated August 7, 2001, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the anti-money laundering laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business or any anti-corruption laws.
2A.10 Such Selling Stockholders are not prompted by any material information concerning the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is not disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus to sell their Stockholder Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Representative, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.
| 17 |
3.2 Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1. Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed; (ii) of its receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Shares. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
3.2.2. Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of Representative Counsel or Company Counsel, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include 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; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or Representative’s Counsel shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within two (2) Business Days prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the Closing Date and will furnish the Representative with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or Representative’s Counsel shall reasonably object.
3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Representative, at or prior to the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws relating to the Offering or sale of the Shares of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for so long as required for the distribution thereof. For a period of two (2) years after the date of this Agreement, (i) the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the registration of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act, and (ii) the Company shall not deregister any of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Representative.
| 18 |
3.2.4. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it shall not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus set forth in Schedule 2-B, if any. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representative as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
3.2.5 Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations (a “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication”) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify the Representative and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
3.3 Delivery to the Underwriters of Registration Statements. The Company shall upon written request from the Representative deliver or make available to the Representative and Representative Counsel, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith), and will also deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) upon receipt of a written request therefor from such Underwriter. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.4 Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.5 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the Applicable Time, and shall notify the Representative promptly and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii)of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
| 19 |
3.6 Future Reports to the Underwriters. For two full years after the date of this Agreement, the Company will furnish, if not otherwise available on ▇▇▇▇▇, to the Representative (i) as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company’s independent public or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly financial statements using a Form 8-K or other report filed by the Company with the Commission; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its share capital.
3.5 Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Shares of Common Stock on the Exchange for at least three (3) years from the date of this Agreement.
3.6 Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and registrar acceptable to the Representative (the “Transfer Agent”) and , for a period of one (1) year from the anniversary of the Closing Date, the Company shall furnish to the Representative at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Representative may reasonably request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. VStock Transfer, LLC is acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the Shares of Common Stock.
3.7 Trading Reports. During such time as the Shares are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Representative, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by the Exchange relating to price trading of the Shares, as the Representative shall reasonably request.
3.8 Payment of Expenses
3.8.1. General Expenses Related to the Offering The Company hereby agrees to pay on the Closing Date, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses related to the Offering or otherwise incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Shares to be sold in the Offering with the Commission; (b) all Public Filing System filing fees and expenses relating to the listing of such Shares on the Exchange and such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Representative together determine or associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Shares under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, opinion in all jurisdictions of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Company’s “blue sky” counsel, which will be the Representative’s counsel) unless such filings are not required in connection with the Company’s proposed listing on a national exchange, if applicable; (d) the costs of all mailing and printing of documents in connection with the Offering; (e) transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; and (f) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; and (g) a maximum of $300,000 for all accountable fees and expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering, including “road show,” diligence including directors’ and officers’ background check and reasonable legal fees and disbursements for Representative’s counsel, travel, preparation and other professional services and other out-of-pocket expenses. The parties acknowledge that the Company has paid an expense advance to the Representative of $ 30,000(together, the “Advance”) towards the foregoing accountable expense allowance and other expenses from time to time which shall be calculated at Closing. For the sake of clarity, it is understood and agreed that the Company shall be responsible for the Representative’s external legal counsel costs and other actually incurred expenses detailed in this section irrespective of whether the Offering is consummated or not and any unearned portions of advances shall be refunded. The Advance shall be applied towards out-of-pocket accountable expenses set forth herein and pursuant to Section 8.3 and any portion of the Advance shall be returned back to the Company to the extent not actually incurred. The Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters. The Company further agrees that, in addition to the aforementioned accountable expenses, it shall pay to the Representative, by deduction from the net proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to one percent (1%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Shares.
| 20 |
3.9 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
3.10 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company shall make generally available (within the meaning of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth (15th) full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by an independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.
3.11 Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or stockholders has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
3.12 Internal Controls. For a period of one (1) year after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
3.13 Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has retained an independent registered public accounting firm, as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, reasonably acceptable to the Representative, and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement. The Representative acknowledges that the Auditor is acceptable to the Representative.
3.14 FINRA. For a period of 60 days from the Closing Date, the Company shall advise the Representative (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 10% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the one hundred and eighty (180) days immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
3.15 No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
| 21 |
3.16 Company Lock-Up. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, for a period of 180 days after the date the Offering is completed (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, change the terms of, or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; or (iii) enters into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.
The restrictions contained in this Section 3.16 shall not apply to (i) the Shares of Common Stock to be sold hereunder, (ii) the issuance (but not registration) by the Company of Shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an outstanding stock option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof, of which the Representative has been advised in writing and, (iii) the issuance by the Company of any security under any equity compensation plan of the Company, or (iv) any issuance of securities disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
3.17 Release of D&O Lock-up Period. If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements described in Section 2.25 hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
3.18 Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
3.19 Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.
3.20 Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company shall promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) fifteen (15) days following the completion of the Lock-Up Period.
3.21 Press Releases. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall not issue any press release or other communication directly or indirectly or hold any press conference with respect to the Company, its condition, financial or otherwise, or earnings, business affairs or business prospects (except for routine oral marketing communications in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the past practices of the Company and of which the Representative is notified), without the prior written consent of the Representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless in the judgment of the Company and its counsel, and after notification to the Representative, such press release or communication is in the ordinary course of business, required by law or requirement of Nasdaq.
| 22 |
3.22 ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇. For a period of one (1) year after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall at all times comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act in effect from time to time.
3.23 IRS Forms. If requested by the Representative, the Company shall deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8, as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form.
4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy in all material respects of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:
4.1 Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement has become effective not later than 5:30 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by the Representative, and, at the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A under the Securities Act Regulations.
4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3. Exchange Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
4.2 Company Counsel Matters.
4.2.1. Closing Date Opinion of Counsels. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received:
(i) the favorable opinion and written statement providing for certain “10b-5” negative assurances of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP (“Company Counsel”), U.S. securities counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, and
(ii) the favorable opinion of[●], British Virgin Islands counsel to the Company and the Selling Stockholders (“BVI Counsel”), dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
| 23 |
The Representative shall rely on the (i) opinions of the Company’s Company Counsel, filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement as to the due incorporation, validity of the Shares offered in the Offering and due authorization, execution and delivery of this or any other agreement relating to said offering and issuance.
4.3 Comfort Letters.
4.3.1. Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed the Representative shall have received a cold comfort letter from the Auditor containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Representative and to Representative’s Counsel from the Auditor, dated as of the date of this Agreement.
4.3.2. Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received from the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the Auditor reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing.
4.4 Officers’ Certificates.
4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of its Chief Executive Officer or President, and its Chief Financial Officer stating on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto after the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date, the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties qualified as to materiality, which shall be true and correct in all respects and except for those representations and warranties which refer to facts existing at a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such date) and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, a Material Adverse Change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company, or any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, involves a Material Adverse Change in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company, except as set forth in the Prospectus.
| 24 |
4.4.2. Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. At the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity: (i) that the Charter is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; and (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.5 No Material Changes. Prior to and on the Closing Date: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.6 No Material Misstatement or Omission. The Underwriters shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the reasonable opinion of Representative Counsel, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the reasonable opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or that the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the reasonable opinion of Representative Counsel, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the reasonable opinion of Representative Counsel, is material and is necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.7 Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of this Agreement, the Shares, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to Representative Counsel, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
| 25 |
4.8 Delivery of Agreements.
4.8.1. Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements from each of the persons listed in Schedule 3 hereto.
4.9 Additional Documents. At the Closing Date, Representative and Representative’s Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling Representative’s Counsel to deliver an opinion to the Underwriters, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and Representative’s Counsel.
4.10 Delivery of Shares. On the Closing Date, (i) the Company shall deliver or cause the Firm Shares to be delivered by the Company, and (ii) the Selling Stockholders shall deliver or cause the Stockholder Shares to be delivered by the Selling Stockholders to the Representative, which shares shall be delivered via DTC’s “Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian” system for the accounts of the several Underwriters.
4.11 Selling Stockholders’ Certificate. On the Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, duly executed by the Selling Stockholders, to the effect that the Selling Stockholders have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus, any free writing prospectus and this Agreement and that the representations and warranties of the Selling Stockholders in this Agreement are true and correct as if made at and as of such Closing Date in customary form reasonably acceptable to the Representative.
5. Indemnification.
5.1 Indemnification of the Underwriters.
5.1.1. General. The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders shall indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives, partners, shareholders, affiliates, counsel and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any and all loss, liability (or actions, including shareholder actions, in respect thereof), claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties, the Selling Stockholders and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company and/or the Selling Stockholders or based upon written information furnished by the Company and/or the Selling Stockholders in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Shares under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of 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, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5.1.1 shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter Indemnified Party to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Shares to such person as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.3 hereof. The Company and/or the Selling Stockholders will not be liable to any Underwriter Indemnified Party under the foregoing indemnification and reimbursement provisions: (i) for any settlement by an Underwriter Indemnified Party effected without the Company’s and/or the Selling Stockholders’ prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld); or (ii) to the extent that any loss, claim, damage or liability is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the Underwriter Indemnified Party’s bad faith, willful misconduct, or gross negligence. The Company and the Selling Stockholders also agree that no Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company and/or the Selling Stockholders or their security holders or creditors related to or arising out of the engagement of the Underwriters pursuant to, or the performance by the Underwriters of the services contemplated by, this Agreement except to the extent that any loss, claim, damage or liability is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Underwriter Indemnified Party’s bad faith, willful misconduct, or gross negligence.
| 26 |
5.1.2. Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company and the Selling Stockholders pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company and the Selling Stockholders in writing of the institution of such action and the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that they wish, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party) and payment of actual expenses. Any failure or delay by an Underwriter Indemnified Party to give the notice referred to herein shall not affect such Underwriter Indemnified Party’s right to be indemnified hereunder, except to the extent that such failure or delay causes actual material harm to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, or materially prejudices their ability to defend such action, suit or proceeding on behalf of such Indemnified Party. If any such action is brought against any Underwriter Indemnified Party and such Underwriter Indemnified Party notifies the Company and the Selling Stockholders of the commencement thereof, the Company and the Selling Stockholders may elect to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter Indemnified Party. After notice from the Company and the Selling Stockholders to the Underwriter Indemnified Party of their election to assume the defense of such action, the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall not be liable to the Underwriter Indemnified Party under Section 5.1.1 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with the defense of such action other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ its, or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party unless (i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company and the Selling Stockholders in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter Indemnified Party to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the action, suit, or proceeding, or (iii) such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have reasonably concluded (based upon advice of counsel to such indemnified party) that there may be legal defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, or that there exists a conflict or potential conflict of interest (based upon advice of counsel to such indemnified party) between such Underwriter Indemnified Party and the Company and the Selling Stockholders that makes it impossible or inadvisable for counsel to the Company and the Selling Stockholders to conduct the defense of the Underwriter Indemnified Party (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the Underwriter Indemnified Party), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter Indemnified Parties who are party to such action (in addition to local counsel) shall be borne by the Company and the Selling Stockholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any Underwriter Indemnified Party shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall not be liable for settlement of any pending or threatened action or any claim whatsoever that is effected without their written consent; provided, however, that if the Company and the Selling Stockholders do not consent, and the Underwriter Indemnified Party does not settle as a result of such withholding of consent, then the Company and the Selling Stockholders agree unconditionally to assume any liabilities that are incurred as related to such rejection of settlement or withholding of consent.
5.2 Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Selling Stockholders, their directors, their officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company and the Selling Stockholders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company and the Selling Stockholders to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses (or actions in respect thereof) which arise out of or are based upon untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company and the Selling Stockholders or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, and the Company, the Selling Stockholders and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the Underwriter Indemnified Parties by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company and the Selling Stockholders agree promptly to notify the Representative of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company and the Selling Stockholders or any of their officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company and the Selling Stockholders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication.
5.3 Contribution.
5.3.1. Contribution Rights. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 5.1 or 5.2 in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and each of the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the Offering, or (ii) if, but only if, the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds actually received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders from the Offering of the Shares purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions actually received by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and/or the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement, omission, act or failure to act; provided that the parties hereto agree that the written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, consists solely of the Underwriters’ Information. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3.1 were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding referred to above in this Section 5.3.1 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 5.3.1, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1, no Underwriters shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the total discount and commission received by such Underwriter in connection with the Offering (excluding reimbursable expenses) less the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise paid or becomes liable to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission, act or alleged act or failure to act or alleged failure to act. 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.
| 27 |
5.3.2. Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen (15) days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section 5.3.2 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 5.3 are several and in proportion to their respective underwriting obligation, and not joint.
5.4. Survival & Third-Party Beneficiaries. The advancement, reimbursement, indemnity and contribution obligations set forth in this Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any termination of, or the completion of any Underwriter Indemnified Party’s services under or in connection with, this Agreement. Each Underwriter Indemnified Party’s is an intended third-party beneficiary of this Section 5, and has the right to enforce the provisions of Section 5 as if he/she/it was a party to this Agreement.
6. Default by an Underwriter.
6.1. Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Shares and if the number of the Firm Shares with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Shares that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Shares to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.
| 28 |
6.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the Firm Shares, the Representative may in its discretion arrange for itself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Shares to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Shares, the Representative does not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties reasonably satisfactory to the Representative to purchase said Firm Shares on such terms. In the event that neither the Representative nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Shares to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by the Representative or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
6.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Shares to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in the opinion of Representative Counsel may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Firm Shares.
7. Additional Covenants.
7.1 Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as members of the Board of Directors and the overall composition of the Board of Directors comply with the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act, the Exchange Act and the listing rules of the Exchange or any other national securities exchange, as the case may be, in the event the Company seeks to have its Shares listed on another exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system, and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange.
7.2 Prohibition on Press Releases and Public Announcements. For a period ending at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the first (1st) Business Day following the fortieth (40th) day after the Closing Date, the Company shall not issue press releases or engage in any other than publicity without the Representative’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided that the Representative’s consent shall not be required with regard to any press release or other public disclosure that is required by law or any other than normal and customary press release or any other publicity issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
| 29 |
7.3 Right of First Refusal. Provided that the Firm Shares are sold in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Representative shall have an irrevocable right of first refusal (the “Right of First Refusal”), for a period of nine (9) months after the date the Effective Date of the Registration Statement, to act as lead managing underwriter, placement agent, or in any other similar capacity, at the Representative’s sole discretion, for each and every future public offering for capital raising purposes registered with the Commission, or private financing including all equity linked financings (each, a “Subject Transaction”), during such nine (9) month period, of the Company, or any successor to or subsidiary of the Company, on terms and conditions that are the same or more favorable to the Company comparing to terms and conditions offered to the Company by other underwriters/placement agents. For the avoidance of any doubt, neither the Company nor any subsidiary shall retain, engage or solicit any additional investment banker, book-runner, underwriter and/or placement agent in a Subject Transaction during the nine (9) month period referred to above without the express written consent of the Representative. The Company shall notify the Representative of its or its subsidiary’s intention to pursue a Subject Transaction, including the material terms thereof, by providing written notice thereof by electronic mail or overnight courier service addressed to the Representative. If the Representative declines the terms of such Subject Transaction or fails to notify the Company of its intent to exercise its Right of First Refusal with respect to any Subject Transaction within ten (10) Business Days after the mailing of such written notice, then the Representative shall have no further claim or right with respect to the Subject Transaction. If the Representative declines to exercise the Right of First Refusal or is unable to provide same or more favorable terms to the Company under reasonable standard, the Company shall have the right to retain any other person or persons to provide such services on terms and conditions which are not more favorable to such other person or persons than the terms presented to and declined by the Representative. The Representative may elect, in its sole and absolute discretion, not to exercise its Right of First Refusal with respect to any Subject Transaction; provided that any such election, rejection, waiver or failure to respond or act, by the Representative shall not adversely affect the Representative’s Right of First Refusal with respect to any other Subject Transaction during the nine (9) month period agreed to above.
The terms and conditions of any such engagements shall be set forth in separate agreements and may be subject to, among other things, satisfactory completion of due diligence by the Representative, market conditions, the absence of a material adverse change to the Company’s business, financial condition and prospects, approval of the Representative’s internal committee and any other conditions that the Representative may deem appropriate for transactions of such nature.
8. Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination Thereof.
8.1 Effective Date of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Representative have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.
8.2 Termination. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the Representative’s reasonable opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in the Representative’s reasonably opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Shares; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a Material Adverse Change, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representative’s reasonable judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Shares or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Shares.
8.3 Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6.1 and Section 6.2 above, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of Representative Counsel of up to $170,000) plus up to $30,000, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters; provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Representative will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
| 30 |
8.4 Survival of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
8.5 Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Shares.
9. Miscellaneous.
9.1 Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), personally delivered, or sent by electronic mail transmission, return receipt requested and shall be deemed given (i) if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing, (ii), if personally delivered, when so delivered, or (iii) if sent by electronic mail transmission, upon the sending party’s receipt of a confirmation email (including read receipt or other automatic delivery confirmation) from the receiving party.
If to the Representative:
Dominari Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attn: [●]
Email: [●]
Phone: [●]
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, Esq.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Carmel LLP
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
New York, NY 10036
Phone: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Email: ▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇
If to the Company and/or the Selling Stockholders:
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Kissimmee, Florida 34744
Tel: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
Attn:
Email:
Or to its agent for service pursuant to Section 9.6 below,
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
Mengyi “▇▇▇▇▇” Ye, Esq.
Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
New York, NY 10017
▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ – telephone
Email:
| 31 |
9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
9.3 Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.
9.4 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
9.5 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the Underwriters.
9.6 Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby agree that any action, proceeding or claim against them arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction which shall be exclusive. The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company and the Selling Stockholders in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company and the Selling Stockholders agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company, the Underwriters and Selling Stockholders agree that any final judgment after exhaustion of all appeals or the expiration of time to appeal in any such action or proceeding arising out of the sale of the Shares or this Agreement rendered by any such Federal court or state court shall be conclusive and may be enforced in any other jurisdiction by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall affect or limit the right of the Company, the Underwriters, the Selling Stockholders or any person controlling an Underwriter to serve any process or notice of motion or other application in any other manner permitted by law or limit or affect the right of the Company, the Underwriters, the Selling Stockholders or any person controlling an Underwriter to bring any action or proceeding against the other party or any of its properties in the courts of any other jurisdiction. The Company and Selling Stockholders further agree to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of all such instruments and documents, as may be necessary to continue such designations and appointments or such substitute designations and appointments in full force and effect. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Supreme Court, County of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in connection with any action or proceeding arising from the sale of the Shares or this Agreement brought by the Company, the Underwriters, the Selling Stockholder s or any person controlling an Underwriter. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
| 32 |
9.6.3. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that in any suit (whether in a court in the United States or elsewhere) seeking enforcement of this Agreement or provisions of this Agreement, if the plaintiffs therein seek a judgment in either United States dollars, they will not interpose any defense or objection to or otherwise oppose judgment, if any, being awarded in such currencies. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that they will not initiate or seek to initiate any action, suit or proceeding, in any other jurisdiction other than in the United States, seeking damages in respect of or for the purpose of obtaining any injunction or declaratory judgment against the enforcement of, or a declaratory judgment concerning any alleged breach by the Company (or the Selling Stockholders or Underwriters) or other claim by the Underwriters (or by the Company or the Selling Stockholders), or any person controlling an Underwriter in respect of this Agreement or any of the Underwriters’ rights under this Agreement, including without limitation any action, suit or proceeding challenging the enforceability of or seeking to invalidate in any respect the submission by the Company (or the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters) hereunder to the jurisdiction of the courts or the designation of the laws as the law applicable to this Agreement, in each case as set forth herein.
9.6.4. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor.
9.7 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
9.8 Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 33 |
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters, the Selling Stockholders, and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| Aureus Greenway Holdings Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS:
ACE CHAMPION INVESTMENTS LIMITED
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
TRENDY VIEW ASSETS MANAGEMENT
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Confirmed as of the date first written above mentioned, on behalf of itself and as Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto:
| DOMINARI SECURITIES LLC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | [●], | |
| Title: | [●], | |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE 1
| Underwriter | Total Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased | |||
| Dominari Securities LLC | ||||
| TOTAL | ||||
SCHEDULE 2-A
Pricing Information
| Number of Firm Shares: | ||
| Public Offering Price per Firm Share: | $ | |
| Underwriting Discount per Firm Share(7%): | $ | |
| Accountable Expense Allowance (Total): | $300,000 | |
| Non-accountable Expense Allowance per Firm Share (1%): | $ | |
| Proceeds to Company per Firm Share: $ (before expenses): | $ |
SCHEDULE 2-B
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses
N/A
SCHEDULE 3
List of Lock-Up Parties
| Lock-up Parties | ||||
EXHIBIT A
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
Lock-Up Agreement
[●], 2024
Dominari Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
As the Representative named on Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement
| Re: | Aureus Greenway Holdings Inc. |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that Dominari Securities LLC (the “Representative”) proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Aureus Greenway Holdings Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the Nevada (the “Company”) and certain stockholders of the Company (the “Selling Stockholders”), providing for the public offering shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”), of the Company (the “Public Offering”) in an amount and at a price to be finalized prior to consummation of the Public Offering.
To induce the Representative to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, and in light of the benefits that the Public Offering will confer upon the undersigned in its capacity as a securityholder and/or an officer, director or employee of the Company, and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending one hundred and eighty (180) days after the date the Public Offering is completed (the “Lock-Up Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell contract to sell, grant, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”); (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise; (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities; or (4) publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement relating to any Lock-Up Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representative in connection with (a) transactions relating to Lock-Up Securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering; (b) transfers of Lock-Up Securities as a bona fide gift, by will or intestacy or to a family member or trust for the benefit of a family member (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “family member” means any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); (c) transfers of Lock-Up Securities to a charity or educational institution; or (d) if the undersigned, directly or indirectly, controls a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, any transfers of Lock-Up Securities to any shareholder, partner or member of, or owner of similar equity interests in, the undersigned, as the case may be; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to the foregoing clauses (b), (c) or (d), it shall be a condition to any such transfer that (i) the transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of this lock-up agreement (including, without limitation, the restrictions set forth in the preceding sentence) to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party hereto; and (ii) the undersigned notifies the Representative at least two (2) business days prior to the proposed transfer or disposition. With the prior written consent of the Representative, the undersigned may enter into arrangements within the Lock-Up Period regarding the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities after the end of the Lock-Up Period.
In addition, the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (i) the exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans existing on the date hereof or to any of the undersigned’s shares of common stock issued upon such exercise, (ii) exercise of warrants; provided that it shall apply to any of the undersigned’s shares of common stock issued upon such exercise, or (iii) pursuant to an existing contract, instruction or plan (a “Plan”) that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B) under the Exchange Act, (iv) the establishment of any new Plan; provided that no sales of the undersigned’s shares of common stock shall be made pursuant to such new Plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, and such a Plan may only be established if no public announcement of the establishment or existence thereof and no filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory authority in respect thereof or transactions thereunder or contemplated thereby, by the undersigned, the Company or any other person, shall be required, and no such announcement or filing is made voluntarily, by the undersigned, the Company or any other person, prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period.
The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s securities subject to this lock-up agreement except in compliance with this lock-up agreement.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any Shares that the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering; (ii) the Representative agrees that, at least three (3) business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Lock-Up Securities, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver; and (iii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two (2) business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two (2) business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer of Lock-Up Securities not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this lock-up agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of such transfer.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Representative are relying upon this lock-up agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this lock-up agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.
This lock-up agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (1) either the Representative, or the Company, advising the other in writing, they have determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, (2) termination of the Underwriting Agreement before the sale of Shares, or (3) the withdrawal of the registration statement used to register the Company’s Shares in the Public Offering .
This lock-up agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| (Name - Please Print) | ||
| (Signature) | ||
| (Name of Signatory, in the case of entities - Please Print) | ||
| (Title of Signatory, in the case of entities - Please Print) | ||
| Address: | ||
EXHIBIT B
Form of Press Release
__, [2024]
AUREUS GREENWAY HOLDINGS INC. (the “Company”) announced today that Dominari Securities LLC, acting as representative for the underwriters in the Company’s recent public offering of _______ shares of common stock of the Company, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to _________ shares of common stock of the Company held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on _________, [2024], and the securities may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer or sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.