Exhibit 10.26
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and entered
into as of March 10, 2000, among Viisage Technology, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and the investors signatory hereto (each such
investor is a "Purchaser" and all such investors are, collectively, the
"Purchasers").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated
as of the date hereof among the Company and the Purchasers (the "Purchase
Agreement").
The Company and the Purchasers hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in
the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase
Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
"Adjustable Warrants" shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase
Agreement.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that
directly or indirectly controls or is controlled by or under common control with
such Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control," when used with
respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms of "affiliated," "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings
correlative to the foregoing.
"Business Day" " shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase
Agreement.
"Closing Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
"Closing Warrants" shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase
Agreement.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Stock" means the Company's common stock, $.001 par value, or such
securities that such stock shall hereafter be reclassified into.
"Effectiveness Date" means the 90th day following the Closing Date.
"Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Filing Date" means May 5, 2000.
"Holder" or "Holders" means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from
time to time of Registrable Securities.
"Indemnified Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
"Indemnifying Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
"Losses" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
"Person" means an individual or a corporation, partnership, trust,
incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability
company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or political subdivision
thereof) or other entity of any kind.
"Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding
(including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as
a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
"Prospectus" means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement
(including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information
previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration
statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as
amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms
of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the
Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated
by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
"Registrable Securities" means (i) the Shares and (ii) the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon exercise in full of the Warrants.
"Registration Statement" means the registration statement and any
additional registration statements contemplated by Section 2(a), including (in
each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration
statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all
exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
"Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar
rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the
same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar
rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the
same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar
rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the
same effect as such Rule.
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"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
"Shares" means the shares of Common Stock issued to the Purchasers on the
Closing Date pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
"Special Counsel" means one special counsel to the Holders, for which the
Holders will be reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Section 4.
"Vesting Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the Adjustable Warrants.
"Warrants" means the Closing Warrants and the Adjustable Warrants.
2. Shelf Registration
(a) On or prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with
the Commission a "Shelf" Registration Statement covering the resale of all
Registrable Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant
to Rule 415. The Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 (except if the
Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities
on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on another appropriate
form in accordance herewith as the Holders may consent) and shall contain
(except if otherwise directed by the Holders) the "Plan of Distribution"
attached hereto as Annex A. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as
promptly as possible after the filing thereof, but in any event prior to the
Effectiveness Date, and shall use its best efforts to keep such Registration
Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date which
is two years after the date that such Registration Statement is declared
effective by the Commission or such earlier date when all Registrable Securities
covered by such Registration Statement have been sold or may be sold without
volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k) as determined by the counsel to the
Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and
acceptable to the Company's transfer agent and the affected Holders (the
"Effectiveness Period"), provided, that the Company shall not be deemed to have
used its best efforts to keep the Registration Statement effective during the
Effectiveness Period if it voluntarily takes any action that would result in the
Holders not being able to sell the Registrable Securities covered by such
Registration Statement during the Effectiveness Period, unless such action is
required under applicable law or the Company has filed a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement and the Commission has not declared it
effective.
(b) In order to account for the fact that the number of shares of Common
Stock that are issuable upon exercise of the Adjustable Warrants is determined
in part upon the market price of the Common Stock on a Vesting Date, the initial
Registration Statement to be filed hereunder shall include (but not be limited
to) a number of shares of Common Stock equal to no less than the sum of (i) the
number of shares issuable upon exercise of the Adjustable Warrants on the First
Vesting Date (as defined in the Adjustable Warrants) assuming, for the purposes
of this subsection that, on the First Vesting Date: (A) the Adjustment Price (as
defined in the Adjustable Warrants) is 50% of the Per Share Market Value for the
Trading Day immediately preceding the Closing Date and (B) the Applicable Share
Number (as defined in the Adjustable Warrants) equals
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the entire number of Shares purchased under the Purchase Agreement, (ii) the
number of shares issuable upon exercise in full of the Closing Warrants and
(iii) the Shares.
(c) If (a) the initial Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to
the Filing Date (if the Company files such Registration Statement without
affording the Holder the opportunity to review and comment on the same as
required by Section 3(a) hereof, the Company shall not be deemed to have
satisfied this clause (a)), or (b) the Company fails to file with the Commission
a request for acceleration in accordance with Rule 461 promulgated under the
Securities Act, within five days of the date that the Company is notified
(orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that a
Registration Statement will not be "reviewed," or not subject to further review,
or (c) the initial Registration Statement filed hereunder is not declared
effective by the Commission on or prior to the Effectiveness Date, or (d) after
a Registration Statement is filed with and declared effective by the Commission,
such Registration Statement ceases to be effective as to all Registrable
Securities at any time prior to the expiration of the Effectiveness Period
without being succeeded within ten days by an amendment to such Registration
Statement or by a subsequent Registration Statement filed with and declared
effective by the Commission, or (e) the Common Stock shall be delisted or
suspended from trading on the Nasdaq National Market ("NASDAQ") or on the New
York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange or Nasdaq SmallCap Market (each, a
"Subsequent Market") for more than three days (which need not be consecutive
days), or (f) the exercise rights of the Holders pursuant to the Warrants are
suspended for any reason, or (g) an amendment to a Registration Statement is not
filed by the Company with the Commission within ten days of the Commission's
notifying the Company that such amendment is required in order for such
Registration Statement to be declared effective (any such failure or breach
being referred to as an "Event," and for purposes of clauses (a), (c), (f) the
date on which such Event occurs, or for purposes of clause (b) the date on which
such five day period is exceeded, or for purposes of clauses (d) and (g) the
date which such 10 day-period is exceeded, or for purposes of clause (e) the
date on which such three day-period is exceeded, being referred to as "Event
Date"), then, on the Event Date and each monthly anniversary thereof until the
applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder 2.0% of the
purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, in cash,
as liquidated damages and not as a penalty. If the Company fails to pay any
liquidated damages pursuant to this Section in full within seven (7) days after
the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 18% per
annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable
law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such liquidated damages are due
until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The
liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a pro-rata basis
for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event.
3. Registration Procedures
In connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the
Company shall:
(a) Not less than five Business Days prior to the filing of the
Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference), the Company shall, (i) furnish to the
Holders and their Special Counsel copies of all such documents proposed to be
filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated
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by reference) will be subject to the review of such Holders and their Special
Counsel, and (ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent
certified public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary,
in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to such to conduct a reasonable
investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Company shall not
file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or
supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable
Securities and their Special Counsel shall reasonably object.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including
post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus used
in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement
continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the
Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional
Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act
all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be
amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so
supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) respond as
promptly as reasonably possible, and in any event within ten days, to any
comments received from the Commission with respect to the Registration Statement
or any amendment thereto and as promptly as reasonably possible provide the
Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the
Commission relating to the Registration Statement; and (iv) comply in all
material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act
with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the
intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the
Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) File additional Registration Statements if the number of Registrable
Securities at any time exceeds 85% of the number of shares of Common Stock then
registered in a Registration Statement. The Company shall have twenty days to
file such additional Registration Statements after such requirement notice of
which is given by the Holders.
(d) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold and their
Special Counsel as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A)
below, not less than five Business Days prior to such filing) and (if requested
by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one Business
Day following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is proposed to be filed;
(B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a "review" of
such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on
such Registration Statement (the Company shall provide true and complete copies
thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the Holders); and (C) with
respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the
same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other
Federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the
initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) if at any time any of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in any agreement
contemplated hereby ceases to be true and correct in all material respects; (v)
of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension
of the qualification or exemption from qualification of
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any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the
initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (vi) of the
occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements
included in the Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any
statement made in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any
material respect or that requires any revisions to the Registration Statement,
Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(e) Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain
the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from
qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(f) Furnish to each Holder and their Special Counsel, without charge, at
least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment
thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits
to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or
incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the
Commission.
(g) Promptly deliver to each Holder and their Special Counsel, without
charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of
prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons may
reasonably request. The Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus
and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in
connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by
such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.
(h) Prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its best
efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders and their
Special Counsel in connection with the registration or qualification (or
exemption from such registration or qualification) of such Registrable
Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such
jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder requests in writing, to
keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective
during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things
necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the
Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement; provided, that the
Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or subject the Company to any
material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(i) Cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and
delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to
a transferee pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall be
free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive
legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations
and registered in such names as any such Holders may request.
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(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(d)(vi), as
promptly as reasonably possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a
post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the
related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as
thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus
will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(k) Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission.
(l) The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a
certified statement as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially
owned by such Holder and, if requested by the Commission, the controlling person
thereof and such information as the Company may reasonably request in connection
with the Registration Statement.
4. Registration Expenses. All reasonable fees and expenses incident to the
performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne
by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to
the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing
sentence may (other than with respect to subsection (iv) hereof which shall be
included) include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees
(including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings
required to be made with the NASDAQ and any Subsequent Market on which the
Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (B) in compliance with state
securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without limitation, fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Holders in connection with Blue Sky
qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities and determination of
the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for investment under the laws of
such jurisdictions as the Holders of a majority of Registrable Securities may
designate)), (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of
printing certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if
the printing of prospectuses is requested by the holders of a majority of the
Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger,
telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Company and Special Counsel for the Holders (in the case of the latter, up to a
maximum of $7,500), (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so
desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained
by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible
for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation,
all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or
accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any
securities exchange as required hereunder.
5. Indemnification
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(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any
termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the
officers, directors, agents, brokers (including brokers who offer and sell
Registrable Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or any failure to
perform under a margin call of Common Stock), investment advisors and employees
of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the
officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to
the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation,
costs of preparation and attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively, "Losses"),
as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission
or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form
of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent,
that (1) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information
regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder
expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to
such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable
Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of
Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (2) in the case of an
occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(d)(ii)-(vi), the use
by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has
notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and
prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(e).
The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or
assertion of any Proceeding of which the Company is aware in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not
jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers,
agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the
directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses (as
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment not subject
to appeal or review) arising solely out of or based solely upon any untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arising solely out of or based solely upon any omission of a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue
statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by
such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in the Registration
Statement or such Prospectus or to the extent that such information relates to
such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable
Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of
Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto. In no event shall the
liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar
amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the
Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
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(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be
brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an
"Indemnified Party"), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person
from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party") in writing, and the
Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof, including the employment of
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all
fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that
the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the
Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement,
except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court
of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or
further review) that such failure shall have proximately and materially
adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any
such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or
Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such
fees and expenses; or (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to
assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named
parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both
such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party
shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to
exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the
Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the
Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the
expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the
right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of
the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No Indemnifying Party shall, without
the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any
pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless
such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from
all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
All fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees
and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or
preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this
Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten
Business Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party (regardless of
whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Party is not entitled to
indemnification hereunder; provided, that the Indemnifying Party may require
such Indemnified Party to undertake to reimburse all such fees and expenses to
the extent it is finally judicially determined that such Indemnified Party is
not entitled to indemnification hereunder).
(d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b)
is unavailable to an Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or
otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such
Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and
Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that
resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified
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Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any
action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken
or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or
Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or
omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall
be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c), any
reasonable attorneys' or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such
party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been
indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in
this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required
to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the
proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable
Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such
Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in
addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the
Indemnified Parties.
6. Miscellaneous
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder, of
any of their obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as
the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by
law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to
specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each
Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for
any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this
Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for
specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that
a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any
agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the
provisions hereof. Except as and to the extent specified in Schedule 6(b)
hereto, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has previously entered
into any agreement granting any registration rights with respect to any of its
securities to any Person.
(c) No Piggyback on Registrations. Except as and to the extent specified in
Schedule 6(b) hereto, neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other
than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the
Company in the Registration
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Statement other than the Registrable Securities, and the Company shall not after
the date hereof enter into any agreement providing any such right to any of its
security holders.
(d) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with
the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it
in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration
Statement.
(e) Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition of such
Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the
occurrence of any event of the kind described in Sections 3(d)(ii), 3(d)(iii),
3(d)(iv), 3(d)(v) or 3(d)(vi), such Holder will forthwith discontinue
disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement
until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or
amended Registration Statement contemplated by Section 3(j), or until it is
advised in writing (the "Advice") by the Company that the use of the applicable
Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any
additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement. The
Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this
paragraph.
(f) Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time during the Effectiveness
Period there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the
Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with
the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own
account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity
securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the
Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be
issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or
equity securities issuable in connection with stock option or other employee
benefit plans, then the Company shall send to each Holder written notice of such
determination and, if within fifteen days after receipt of such notice, any such
Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such
registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such
holder requests to be registered.
(h) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the
provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and
waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given,
unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of
at least two-thirds of the then outstanding Registrable Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions
hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of
Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other
Holders may be given by Holders of at least a majority of the Registrable
Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the
provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except
in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.
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(i) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries
required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if
such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile
telephone number specified in this Section prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City
time) on a Business Day, (ii) the Business Day after the date of transmission,
if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile
telephone number specified in the Purchase Agreement later than 6:30 p.m. (New
York City time) on any date and earlier than 11:59 p.m. (New York City time) on
such date, (iii) the Business Day following the date of mailing, if sent by
nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by
the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such
notices and communications shall be as follows:
If to the Company: Viisage Technology, Inc.
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attn: Chief Financial Officer
With copies to: Finnegan, Hickey, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, P.C.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No.: ▇▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attn: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
If to a Purchaser:
To the address set forth under such Purchaser's
name on the signature pages hereto.
If to any other Person who is then the registered Holder:
To the address of such Holder as it appears in the
stock transfer books of the Company
or such other address as may be designated in writing hereafter, in the same
manner, by such Person.
(j) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties
and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not assign its
rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each
Holder. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner
and to the Persons as permitted under the Purchase Agreement.
(k) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original
and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In
the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such
signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on
whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect
as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
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(l) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity,
enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and
construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New
York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party
hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and
federal courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan, for the
adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any
transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably
waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim
that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that
such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably
waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any
such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the
address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such
service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice
thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right
to serve process in any manner permitted by law.
(m) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and
not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(n) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this
Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal,
void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and
restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in
no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use
their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the
same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term,
provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be
the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be
hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(o) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(p) Shares Held by the Company and its Affiliates. Whenever the consent or
approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is
required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company or its Affiliates
(other than any Holder or transferees or successors or assigns thereof if such
Holder is deemed to be an Affiliate solely by reason of its holdings of such
Registrable Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent
or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.
(q) Independent Nature of Purchasers' Obligations and Rights. The
obligations of each Purchaser hereunder is several and not joint with the
obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder, and neither Purchaser shall be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or
document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant
hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a
partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or
create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert with
respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Each
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Purchaser shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without
limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be
necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any
proceeding for such purpose.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGES TO FOLLOW]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights
Agreement as of the date first written above.
VIISAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGES OF PURCHASER TO FOLLOW]
STRONG RIVER INVESTMENTS, INC.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
Title: Attorney In Fact
Address for Notice:
Strong River Investments, Inc.
c/o ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ (BVI) Limited
Wickhams Cay I, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇.▇. ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇
With copies to:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ and (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attn: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
and ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
Annex A
Plan of Distribution
The Selling Stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees and
successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares
of Common Stock on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the
shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or
negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholders may use any one or more of the
following methods when selling shares:
o ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer
solicits purchasers;
o block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as
agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to
facilitate the transaction;
o purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer
for its account;
o an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable
exchange;
o privately negotiated transactions;
o broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified
number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;
o a combination of any such methods of sale; and
o any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the
Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other
brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions
or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as
agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be
negotiated. The Selling Stockholders do not expect these commissions and
discounts to exceed what is customary in the types of transactions involved.
The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved
in selling the shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of
the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions
received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the
shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or
discounts under the Securities Act.
The Company is required to pay all fees and expenses incident to the
registration of the shares, including up to $7,500 of the fees and disbursements
of counsel to the Selling Stockholders.
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The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain
losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.
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