EMERGENT BIOSOLUTIONS INC. Common Stock (par value $0.001 per share) Having an Aggregate Offering Price of up to Up to $150,000,000 Equity Distribution Agreement
Exhibit 10.2
Common Stock (par value $0.001 per share)
Having an Aggregate Offering Price of up to
Up to $150,000,000
May 17, 2023
Evercore Group L.L.C.
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RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Brookfield Place
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
Emergent BioSolutions Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Evercore Group L.L.C. (“Evercore”) and RBC Capital Markets, LLC (“RBC” and collectively with Evercore, the “Managers”), as follows:
1. Description of Shares. The Company proposes to issue and sell through or to the Managers, as sales agents, shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”) having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000 (the “Shares”), from time to time during the term of this Agreement and on the terms set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement. The Company hereby appoints the Managers as exclusive agents of the Company for the purpose of soliciting purchases of the Shares from the Company pursuant to this Agreement. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 19 hereof.
2. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Managers at the Execution Time and on each such time the following representations and warranties are repeated or deemed to be made pursuant to this Agreement, as set forth below.
(a) Form S-3. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3, including a related Base Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Shares and other securities of the Company. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time or prior to any such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made, became effective under the Act upon filing, and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part
of the Commission for additional or supplemental information has been complied with. The Company shall file with the Commission the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Shares in accordance with Rule 424(b) in the time period prescribed thereby. The Registration Statement, at the Execution Time and at each such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 or any similar rule) in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x). The initial Effective Date of the Registration Statement was not earlier than the date three years before the Execution Time. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, any Interim Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, any Interim Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, any Interim Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, any Interim Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Company by the Managers expressly for use therein.
(b) Successor Registration Statement. To the extent that the Registration Statement is not available for the sales of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement, the Company shall file a new registration statement with respect to any additional shares of Common Stock necessary to complete such sales of the Shares and shall cause such registration statement to become effective as promptly as practicable. After the effectiveness of any such registration statement, all references to “Registration Statement” included in this Agreement shall be deemed to include such new registration statement, including all documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, and all references to “Base Prospectus” included in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the final form of prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in any such registration statement at the time such registration statement became effective.
(c) No Material Misstatements or Omissions in the Registration Statement. On each Effective Date, at the Execution Time, at each deemed effective date with respect to the Managers pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Act, at each Applicable Time, at each Settlement Date and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 or any similar rule) in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
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stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b), at each Applicable Time, on each Settlement Date and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 or any similar rule) in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder and did not and 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Managers specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Managers to the Company consists solely of the information described in Section 7(b) below.
(d) Disclosure Package. At the Execution Time, at each Applicable Time and at each Settlement Date the Disclosure Package does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Managers specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Managers to the Company consists solely of the information described in Section 7(b) below.
(e) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (i) at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) when read together with the other information in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package at any Applicable Time and when read together with the other information in the Prospectus at the date of the Prospectus and at any Settlement Date, 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.
(f) Ineligible Issuer. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” as defined under Rule 405 under the Act.
(g) Notice of Other Sales. Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) or used any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, and from and after the execution of this Agreement, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer or sell any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) or use any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, other than the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; the Company has not, directly or indirectly, prepared, used or referred to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in connection with sales of the Shares other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Managers and identified in Schedule I hereto.
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(h) No Stop Orders. The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Shares.
(i) Regulation M. The Common Stock constitutes an “actively-traded security” exempted from the requirements of Rule 101 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act by subsection (c)(1) of such rule.
(j) Sales Agency Agreements. The Company has not entered into any other sales agency agreements or other similar arrangements with any agent or any other representative in respect of any at the market offering (within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) under the Act) of the Shares.
(k) Offering Materials. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the termination of this Agreement, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Managers and identified in Schedule I hereto.
(l) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the financial condition, results of operations, business, properties or management of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or that would materially interfere with or delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, in each case whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (in any such case, a “Material Adverse Effect”); (B) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, or entered into any transaction or agreement that, individually or in the aggregate, is material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business or operations from fire, explosion, flood, earthquake or other natural disaster or calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or disturbance or court or governmental action, order or decree which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, in each case other than as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(m) Title to Property. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them that is material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except as described
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in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company or any of its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases or subleases with such limitations on the Company or its subsidiaries as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such leased real property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(n) Good Standing. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated or organized, is validly existing as a corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of its respective jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement (in the case of the Company), own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other business entity for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing in any such jurisdiction except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of, or other equity interests in, each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any material security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity.
(p) Due Authorization of the Shares. The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when the Shares are issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, such Shares will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform in all material respects to the description of the Common Stock contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(q) No Preemptive or Registration Rights. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no (i) preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase or any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any equity securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) outstanding warrants to purchase any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any securities of the Company, except such rights as have been waived or satisfied.
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(r) No Conflict or Violation. (i) The issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company and (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Shares, the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, (A) 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 the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (B) result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of incorporation or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (C) result in the violation of any applicable statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, except, with respect to clauses (A) and (C), such conflicts or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (i) such as may be required under the Act, or by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), (ii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Managers, (iii) any such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications of which failure to obtain would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (iv) for which a waiver has been obtained from the appropriate party or parties.
(s) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its articles of incorporation or by-laws (or similar organizational documents), (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound or (iii) in violation of any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations, except in each case, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) Due Authorization. The execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement (including but not limited to the issuance and sale of the Shares and the use of proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company.
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(u) Summaries of Law. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock” and with respect to legal proceedings set forth in the note to the financial statements titled “Litigation” or under “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” or “Item 1. Legal Proceedings” in the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on 10-Q, as applicable, as updated by any subsequent report filed pursuant to the Exchange Act, insofar as such statements purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the statutes, rules or regulations, legal or governmental proceedings, agreements or documents referred to therein, are accurate summaries of the terms of such statutes, rules or regulations, legal or governmental proceedings, agreements or documents in all material respects.
(v) Governmental Licenses. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the failure to be valid and in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses.
(w) Regulatory Compliance. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable rules, regulations and policies of the United States Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) and any applicable comparable foreign regulatory organization. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from the FDA, any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in material violation of any applicable laws or material certificates, authorizations or permits and has no knowledge that the FDA or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries (i) are, and at all times since January 1, 2022, have been in material compliance with all statutes, rules and regulations applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, storage, import, export or disposal of any product manufactured or distributed by the Company (“Applicable Laws”); and (ii) have not received any FDA Form 483, written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority alleging or asserting non-compliance with (x) any Applicable Laws or (y) any licenses, exemptions, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws except in each case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the
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Company, any of its officers, directors, employees, or agents is currently excluded from participation in any federal or state healthcare program. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors, employees, or agents is currently “suspended” or “debarred” from selling products to the U.S. government or its agencies pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations or the Department of State Acquisition Regulation.
(x) Compliance with Manufacturing Regulations. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the manufacture of the Company’s products by or on behalf of the Company or any subsidiary is being conducted in compliance in all material respects with all Applicable Laws, including, without limitation, the FDA’s current good manufacturing practice regulations at 21 CFR Part 820 and, to the extent applicable, the respective counterparts thereof promulgated by governmental authorities in countries outside the United States. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary has had any manufacturing site (whether Company-owned, subsidiary-owned or that of a third-party manufacturer for the Company’s or any subsidiary’s products) subject to a governmental authority (including the FDA) shutdown or import or export prohibition.
(y) Tests and Preclinical and Clinical Studies. The tests and preclinical and clinical studies conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge, on behalf of the Company that are described in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus were and, if still pending, are being, conducted, where applicable, in all material respects in accordance with the protocols submitted to the FDA or any foreign government exercising comparable authority, procedures and controls pursuant to, where applicable, accepted professional and scientific standards for products or product candidates comparable to those being developed by the Company; and the Company has not received any written notice or correspondence from the FDA or any foreign, state or local governmental body exercising comparable authority requiring the termination, suspension, or clinical hold of any tests or preclinical or clinical studies, or such written notice or, where applicable, correspondence from any Institutional Review Board or comparable authority requiring the termination or suspension of a clinical study, conducted by or on behalf of the Company, which termination, suspension, or clinical hold would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(z) Payment of Taxes. Except for failures that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its subsidiaries has filed all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed or have obtained extensions thereof, and have paid all taxes indicated by such returns and all assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due, except for any such taxes being contested in good faith and for which an adequate reserve or accrual has been established in accordance with U.S. generally accepted principles of accounting (“GAAP”).
(aa) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or have a valid and enforceable right to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names, social media identifiers and accounts and other source indicators, copyrights and copyrightable works, licenses, inventions, software, source code, databases, technology, know-how, and other intellectual property (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) and all other
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worldwide intellectual property and proprietary rights (including all goodwill associated with and all registrations of and applications for, the foregoing) (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) that is necessary to the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to own or have the right to use any of the foregoing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Intellectual Property owned, whether exclusively or jointly with a third party, by the Company and its subsidiaries has not been adjudged invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or applicable government agency, in whole or in part. The Company and its subsidiaries have not received any opinion from their legal counsel concluding that any activities of their respective businesses infringe, misappropriate, or otherwise violate, the Intellectual Property of any other person and, to the knowledge of the Company, there has been no such infringement, misappropriation or other violation of any Intellectual Property of any other person. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the ownership, validity, scope or enforceability of, or any rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in, any such Intellectual Property except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any claim alleging the infringement, misappropriation or other violation of any Intellectual Property of any other person by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries use, and have used, commercially reasonable efforts in accordance with customary industry practice to appropriately protect, maintain and safeguard the confidentiality of all Intellectual Property, the value of which to the Company or any of its subsidiaries is contingent upon maintaining the confidentiality thereof, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements.
(bb) Cybersecurity; Data Protection. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries’ respective information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, technology, data and databases (including confidential information, trade secrets or other data of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective users, customers, employees, suppliers, vendors, personal data and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) are adequate for, and operate and perform as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted. The Company and its subsidiaries have complied, and are presently in compliance with all applicable laws and statutes and any judgments, orders, rules or regulations of any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority, and all internal policies and contractual obligations and any other legal obligations, in each case, relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data, and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification and the collection, use, transfer, processing, import, export, storage, protection, disposal and disclosure of data (collectively, the “Data Security Obligations”), except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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The Company and its subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish and maintain, and have established, implemented, maintained and complied with, commercially reasonable information technology, information security, cyber security and data protection controls, policies and procedures to protect against and prevent security breaches of, unauthorized access to and other similar compromises of IT Systems and Data in accordance with industry practices and as required by applicable regulatory standards. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have not experienced and have no knowledge of any cyber-attack, security breach, unauthorized access or other similar compromise to their IT Systems and Data (“Breach”), which attack, breach, unauthorized access, or similar compromise that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. There have been no Breaches, violations, outages, or unauthorized uses of or accesses to any IT Systems and Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its subsidiaries have not received notification of, and have no knowledge of, any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, a Breach to their IT Systems and Data that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notification of or complaint regarding, and has no knowledge of any facts that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably indicate non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and there is no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body, pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened alleging non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(cc) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that are not reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(dd) Compliance with ERISA. Except, in each case, for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) with respect to each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”)) for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization that is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)), would have liability (each a “Plan”) subject to Title IV of ERISA (A) no “reportable event” (as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) has occurred for which the Company or any member of its Controlled Group would have any material liability; and (B) neither the Company nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred or expects to incur material liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than for contributions to the Plan or premiums payable to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in each case in the ordinary course and without default); and (ii) no Plan which is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA has failed to satisfy the minimum funding standard within the meaning of such sections of the Code or ERISA.
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(ee) Environmental Laws. Except as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), and (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries (x) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws (“Environmental Permits”) to conduct their respective businesses, (y) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of each such Environmental Permit, and (z) have not received notice of any violation, liability or obligation, and there are no pending or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened complaint, action, suit, proceeding, investigation or claim, under or relating to Environmental Laws or Environmental Permits, including with respect to Hazardous Materials, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in such notice, complaint, action, suit, proceeding, investigation or claim.
(ff) Restrictions on Dividends. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying dividends to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, or from making any other distribution with respect to such subsidiary’s equity securities or from repaying to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company any amounts that may from time to time become due under any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company or from transferring any property or assets to the Company or to any other subsidiary of the Company.
(gg) NYSE Listing. The Company’s Common Stock has been registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and the Shares have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on The New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or the listing of the Common Stock (including the Shares) on the NYSE, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the NYSE is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.
(hh) Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions. There are no material related-party transactions involving the Company or its subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described in such documents as required.
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(ii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No material labor disturbance by or material dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened.
(jj) No Finder’s Fee. None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Manager for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(kk) Absence of Proceedings. Other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any officer or director of the Company, is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the knowledge of the Company, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.
(ll) Transfer Taxes. There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under U.S. federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or sale by the Company of the Shares.
(mm) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, upon the issuance and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds,” will not be required to register as an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(nn) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements, together with related notes and schedules, included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby, at the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and related schedules have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods have been made. The pro forma financial statements, if any, or data included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, if any, comply with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act, and the assumptions used in the preparation of such pro forma financial statements and data are reasonable, the pro forma adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances described therein and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements and data. Any non-GAAP financial measure (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the
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Commission), contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company or its predecessors for accounting purposes, fairly presents in all material respect the information purported to be shown thereby and complies in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act, and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act, to the extent applicable. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not included as required.
(oo) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants as required by the Act, the Exchange Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(pp) Compliance with the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provision of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications, in each case to the extent applicable to the Company.
(qq) Accounting Controls. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that (i) complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and (iii) is sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (D) 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 Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting.
(rr) Disclosure Controls. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
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(ss) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective directors or officers or, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) made any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; (iv) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-corruption, anti-bribery or related law, statute or regulation (collectively, “Anti-Corruption Laws”); or (v) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment. The Company and its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and the Company has instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance in all material respects with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering 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 applicable Anti-Corruption Laws.
(tt) Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of 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, 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, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulation or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(uu) OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective directors, officers, agents, employees or affiliates or any other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of their subsidiaries, is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department 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, HM Treasury, the United Nations Security Council, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (a “Sanctioned Jurisdiction”), and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the 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
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target of Sanctions, except as otherwise permitted by applicable law, or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as sales agent, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is knowingly engaged in, or has, at any time in the past three years, knowingly engaged in, any dealings or transactions with or involving any individual or entity that was or is, as applicable, at the time of such dealing or transaction, the subject or target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Jurisdiction; the Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, and maintain, policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve continued compliance with Sanctions or applicable export control laws and regulations, in each case except as otherwise permitted by applicable law.
(vv) Insurance. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance, from insurers of recognized financial responsibility, in such amounts and covering such risks as are prudent and customary in the Company’s reasonable opinion taking into account their respective businesses; and the Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able to renew their existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue their respective businesses at a cost that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ww) Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates, has taken or may take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares in violation of Regulation M of the Exchange Act.
(xx) FINRA Affiliation. To the knowledge of the Company, there are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and any of the officers or directors of the Company or the holders of 5% or greater of the Common Stock, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
(yy) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or other documents that are required by the Act to be described in the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, or that are required by the Exchange Act to be filed as exhibits to a document incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, that have not been so described in the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or such incorporated document.
(zz) XBRL. The interactive data in the eXtensible Business Reporting Language included as an exhibit to the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to the Managers or to counsel for the Managers in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company or such subsidiary of the Company, as applicable, to each Manager as to the matters set forth therein.
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The Company acknowledges that the Managers and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 4 hereof, counsel for the Company and counsel for the Managers, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.
3. Sale and Delivery of Shares. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Managers agree that the Company may from time to time seek to sell Shares through a Designated Manager, acting as sales agent, on the following terms.
(a) The Company may submit to a Designated Manager its orders (including any price, time or size limits or other customary parameters or conditions) to sell Shares on any Trading Day (as defined herein) in a form and manner as mutually agreed to by the Company and such Designated Manager (each such order, a “Placement Notice”) to be delivered substantially in the form of Schedule II hereto. As used herein, “Trading Day” shall mean any trading day on the NYSE.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Manager, at any time it is a Designated Manager, shall use its reasonable efforts to execute any Company order submitted to it hereunder to sell Shares and with respect to which such Designated Manager has agreed to act as sales agent. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that a Designated Manager will be successful in selling the Shares and (ii) a Designated Manager will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Shares for any reason other than a failure by a Designated Manager to use its reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Shares as required under this Agreement. Neither Manager shall be under any obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis except as otherwise specifically agreed by such Manager and the Company. The Designated Manager may make sales pursuant to each order by any method permitted by law, including without limitation (A) by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions (whether or not solicited), (B) to or through a market maker, (C) directly on or through any national securities exchange or facility thereof, a trading facility of a national securities association, an alternative trading system, or any other market venue, (D) in the over-the-counter market, (E) in privately negotiated transactions, or (F) through a combination of any such methods.
(c) The Company shall not authorize the issuance and sale of, and a Designated Manager shall not sell as sales agent, any Share at a price lower than the minimum price therefor designated from time to time by the Company and notified to a Designated Manager in writing. In addition, the Company or a Designated Manager, in such party’s sole discretion, may upon notice to the other party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by email or facsimile) or in writing (including by email correspondence, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply), suspend an offering of the Shares with respect to which that Designated Manager is acting as sales agent; provided, however, that such suspension or termination shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.
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(d) The compensation to a Designated Manager for sales of the Shares with respect to which such Designated Manager acts as sales agent hereunder shall be up to 3.0% of the gross offering proceeds of the Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement. Any compensation due and payable to any Managers hereunder with respect to any sale of Shares shall be paid by the Company to such Managers concurrently with the settlement for sales of the Shares by deduction from the proceeds from sales of the Shares payable to the Company. The remaining proceeds, after further deduction for any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales shall constitute the net proceeds to the Company for such Shares (the “Net Proceeds”).
(e) Settlement for sales of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement will occur (i) prior to May 28, 2024, on the second Trading Day following the date on which such sales are made and (ii) beginning May 28, 2024, on the first Trading Day following the date on which such sales are made (each such day, in (i) and (ii), a “Settlement Date”). On each Settlement Date, the Shares sold through a Designated Manager for settlement on such date shall be issued and delivered by the Company to such Designated Manager against payment of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Shares. Settlement for all such Shares shall be effected by free delivery of the Shares, in definitive form, by the Company or its transfer agent to such Designated Manager’s or its designee’s account (provided such Designated Manager shall have given the Company written notice of such designee prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto, in return for payments in same day funds delivered to the account designated by the Company. If the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable) shall default on its obligation to deliver the Shares on any Settlement Date, the Company shall (A) hold each applicable Designated Manager harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company and (B) pay each such Designated Manager any compensation to which it would otherwise be entitled absent such default. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, in performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Designated Manager may borrow shares of Common Stock from stock lenders in the event that the Company has not delivered Shares to settle sales as required by this Section 3(e), and may use the Shares to settle or close out such borrowings.
(f) If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Designated Manager shall provide written confirmation (which may be by facsimile or email) to the Company following the close of trading on the NYSE each day in which the Shares are sold under this Agreement setting forth (i) the amount of the Shares sold on such day and the gross offering proceeds received from such sale and (ii) the compensation payable by the Company to such Designated Manager with respect to such sales.
(g) At each Applicable Time, Settlement Date, Representation Date (as defined in Section 4(k)), Filing Date (as defined in Section 4(r)) and at the time of delivery of each Placement Notice, the Company shall be deemed to have affirmed each representation and warranty contained in this Agreement as if such representation and warranty were made as of such date, modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended as of such date. Any obligation of a Designated Manager to use its reasonable efforts to sell the
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Shares on behalf of the Company as sales agent shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein (and the completion of any reasonable diligence to verify such accuracy by such Designated Manager), to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the continuing satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 6 of this Agreement.
(h) Subject to such further limitations on offers and sales of Shares or delivery of instructions to offer and sell Shares as are set forth herein and as may be mutually agreed upon by the Company and a Designated Manager, the Company shall not request the sale of any Shares that would be sold, and no Designated Manager shall be obligated to sell, (i) during any period in which the Company’s ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ policy, as it exists on the date of this Agreement, would prohibit the purchase or sale of any Shares by any of its officers or directors, (ii) any time during the period commencing on the fifteenth day of the third month of the applicable fiscal quarter through and including the time that is 24 hours following the public announcement of the Company’s earnings, revenues or other results of operations for such fiscal quarter, or (iii) during any other period in which the Company is, or could be deemed to be in possession of material non-public information.
(i) Under no circumstances shall the number and aggregate amount of the Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement exceed any of (i) the aggregate amount set forth in Section 1, (ii) the number of shares of the Common Stock available for issuance under the currently effective Registration Statement or (iii) the number and aggregate amount of the Shares authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”), or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Managers in writing.
4. Agreements. The Company agrees with each of the Managers that:
(a) During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares (including the Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement) to the Base Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, unless (i) the Company has furnished to the Managers a copy of such amendment or supplement for its review a reasonable period of time prior to filing, and (ii) the Company will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Managers reasonably object. The Company will cause any supplement to the Prospectus to be prepared, in a form approved by the Managers in their reasonable judgment, and will file such supplement with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed thereby and will notify the Managers of such timely filing. The Company, subject to this Section 4(a) and Section 4(c), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the
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Act in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, or during any period on or after the delivery of a Placement Notice but prior to the final Settlement Date with respect to Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the later of the date of such suspension or termination or the final Settlement Date with respect to any Shares sold thereto) (such period, the “Placement Notice Period”) the Company will promptly advise the Managers (A) when any amendment to the Registration Statement or filing of a Prospectus and any supplement thereto or any new registration statement relating to the Shares shall have been filed or become effective (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to the offering of securities other than the Shares), (B) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, (C) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information related to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or any the issuance of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for any of such purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act or (E) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will promptly use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using commercially reasonable efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable, if applicable.
(b) If, at any time during any Placement Notice Period, any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the relevant Manager(s) so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the relevant Manager(s) in such quantities as the Manager(s) may reasonably request.
(c) During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act, if any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Prospectus, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Managers of any such
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event, (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 4, an amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable, if applicable, in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Prospectus and (iv) supply any supplemented Prospectus to the Managers in such quantities as the Managers may reasonably request.
(d) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available (which may be by filing with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇) to its security holders and to the Managers an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.
(e) The Company will deliver to the Managers and counsel for the Managers, without charge, for so long as delivery of a prospectus by the Managers or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule), as such Managers or counsel for the Managers may reasonably request, copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein). The Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Managers will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(f) The Company will deliver to the Managers and counsel for the Managers, without charge, for so long as delivery of a prospectus by the Managers or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule), as many copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as any Manager may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Managers will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(g) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Shares for sale (or exemption from such qualification) under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Managers may reasonably designate and will maintain such qualifications or exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Shares, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign business.
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(h) The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the relevant Designated Manager, and each Manager agrees with the Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will 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” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule I hereto. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Managers or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (ii) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
(i) The Company will not (i) take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that 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 Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, purchase or pay any person (other than as contemplated by this Agreement) any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Shares.
(j) The Company will, at any time during the term of this Agreement, as supplemented from time to time, advise the Managers promptly after it shall have received notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would materially alter or affect any opinion, certificate, letter and other document provided to the Managers pursuant to Section 6 herein.
(k) Upon commencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement (if reasonably requested by any Manager and upon the recommencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement following the termination of a suspension of sales hereunder), and each time that (i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by (A) an Interim Prospectus Supplement filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) pursuant to Section 4(r) of this Agreement, (B) a prospectus supplement relating solely to the offering or resale of securities other than the Shares or (C) the filing with the Commission of any report under the Exchange Act except such reports referred to in Section 4(r)(ii)) or (ii) there is filed with the Commission any Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, or any other document that contains financial statements or financial information that is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, or any amendment thereto, the date of each such recommencement and the date of each such event referred to in (i) and (ii) above, a “Representation Date”), the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Managers forthwith a certificate dated and delivered on such Representation Date, as the case may be, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Managers to the effect that the statements contained in the certificate referred to in Section 6(e) of this Agreement which were last furnished to the Managers are true and correct at the time of such Representation Date, as though made at and as of such time (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such time) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate referred to in said Section 6(e), modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such certificate.
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(l) At each Representation Date, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to the Managers and to counsel to the Managers a written opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel to the Company (“Company Counsel”), or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Managers, dated and delivered on such Representation Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Managers, of the same tenor as the opinion referred to in Section 6(b) of this Agreement, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such opinion.
(m) At each Representation Date, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel to the Managers, shall deliver a written opinion and disclosure letter, dated and delivered on such Representation Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Managers, of the same tenor as the opinions and disclosure letter referred to in Section 6(c) of this Agreement but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such opinion.
(n) At each Representation Date, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, in-house counsel to the Company, or other intellectual property counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Managers (“IP Counsel”), shall deliver a written opinion reasonably satisfactory to the Managers, dated and delivered on such Representation Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Managers, of the same tenor as the opinion referenced in Section 6(d) of this Agreement but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented at the time of delivery of such opinion.
(o) At each Representation Date, the Company shall cause Ernst & Young LLP (the “Accountants”), or other independent accountants satisfactory to the Managers forthwith, to furnish the Managers a letter, dated and delivered on such Representation Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Managers of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Section 6(f) of this Agreement but modified to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.
(p) At each Representation Date, and at such other times as may be reasonably requested by a Manager upon the provision of reasonable notice, the Company will conduct one or more due diligence sessions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Managers, which shall include representatives of the management of the Company and the independent accountants of the Company. The Company shall cooperate timely with any reasonable due diligence request from or review conducted by the Managers or their respective agents from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, providing information and available documents and access to appropriate officers and agents of the Company during regular business hours.
(q) Nothing in this Agreement shall restrict a Manager from trading, and the Company acknowledges that each Manager may trade in the Common Stock for such Manager’s own account and for the account of its clients before, at the same time as, or after sales of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement; provided that any such trades must comply with applicable securities laws.
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(r) The Company will either (i) disclose in its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as applicable, with regard to the relevant quarter, the number of the Shares sold by or through the Managers pursuant to this Agreement, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid to the Managers by the Company with respect to such sales of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, or (ii) on or prior to the earlier of (A) the date on which the Company shall file a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K in respect of any fiscal quarter in which sales of Shares were made by a Manager pursuant to this Agreement and (B) the date on which the Company shall be obligated to file such document referred to in clause (A) in respect of such quarter (each such date, and any date on which an amendment to any such document is filed, a “Filing Date”), the Company will file an Interim Prospectus Supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b), which prospectus supplement will set forth, with regard to such quarter, the number of the Shares sold by or through a Manager pursuant to this Agreement, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid to the Managers by the Company with respect to such sales of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
(t) The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Shares to be listed for trading on the NYSE and to maintain such listing.
(u) During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act, the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the NYSE all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder.
(v) The Company shall cooperate with the Managers and use its reasonable efforts to permit the Shares to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).
(w) The Company will apply the Net Proceeds from the sale of the Shares in the manner set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
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(x) Without the prior written consent of the Designated Manager, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock (other than the Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire shares of Common Stock during the period beginning on the second Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to such Designated Manager hereunder and ending on the second Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the later of the date of such suspension or termination or the final Settlement Date with respect to any Shares sold thereto); and will not directly or indirectly in any other “at the market offering” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock (other than the Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, shares of Common Stock prior to the later of the termination of this Agreement and the second Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) shares of Common Stock, options to purchase shares of Common Stock, other securities under the Company’s equity incentive plans, or shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or vesting of other securities, pursuant to any employee or director share option or benefits plan, share ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not shares of Common Stock subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in effect or hereafter implemented, (ii) shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding, and disclosed in filings by the Company available on ▇▇▇▇▇ or otherwise in writing to the Designated Manager and (iii) shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock as consideration for mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or strategic alliances occurring after the date of this Agreement which are not issued for capital raising purposes.
5. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all reasonable costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares, (iii) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors to the Company, and the reasonable fees and expenses of the Managers’ counsel (which shall be one outside counsel for all Managers unless otherwise agreed by the Company), (iv) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this
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Agreement, (v) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Managers in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws, and, if reasonably requested by the Managers, preparing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Managers of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vi) the filing fees incident to the review and approval by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Shares, (vii) the fees and expenses associated with listing of the Shares on the NYSE, (viii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (ix) all fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) of the Company in connection with approval of the Shares by DTC for “book-entry” transfer, (x) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement and (xi) all other fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Company’s performance of its obligations hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section 5. Except as provided in this Section 5 and in Section 7 hereof, the Managers shall pay their own expenses.
6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Managers. The obligations of the Managers under this Agreement shall be subject to (i) the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, each Representation Date, and as of each Applicable Time and Settlement Date, (ii) to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and (iii) the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, required by Rule 424 to be filed with the Commission have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) with respect to any sale of Shares; each Interim Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed in the manner required by Rule 424(b) within the time period required by Section 4(r) of this Agreement; any material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, be threatened by the Commission.
(b) The Company shall have requested and caused Company Counsel to furnish to the Managers, on every date specified in Section 4(l) of this Agreement, a written opinion in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Managers.
(c) The Managers shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Managers, on every date specified in Section 4(m) of this Agreement, such opinion or opinions and disclosure letter or letters, dated as of such date and addressed to the Managers, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Shares, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Managers may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
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(d) The Managers shall have received from IP Counsel, on every date specified in Section 4(n) of this Agreement, such written opinions, dated as of such date and addressed to the Managers, with respect to intellectual property matters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(e) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Managers, on every date specified in Section 4(k) of this Agreement, a certificate of the Company, signed by the chief executive officer or the President of the Company, and by the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of such date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any supplements or amendments thereto and this Agreement and that:
(i) the Company has received no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, are threatened by the Commission;
(ii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, there has been no event or condition of a type described in Section 2(l) hereof (a “Material Adverse Change”), except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;
(iii) the representations, warranties and covenants set forth in Section 2 of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such date; and
(iv) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such date.
(f) The Company shall have requested and caused the Accountants to have furnished to the Managers, on every date specified in Section 4(o) hereof, letters (which may refer to letters previously delivered to the Managers), dated as of such date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Managers, which letters shall cover, without limitation, the various financial statements and disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings as contemplated in AS 6101, as well as confirming that they have performed a review of any unaudited interim financial information of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in accordance with AS 4105.
References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (f) include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.
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(g) Since the respective dates as of which information is disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, there shall not have been any Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which is, in the reasonable judgment of the Managers, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
(h) FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements under this Agreement.
(i) The Shares shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the NYSE, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Managers.
(j) If requested by the Managers, the Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Managers, on every date specified in Section 4(k) of this Agreement, a certificate of the Company, signed by the chief financial officer or similar officer of the Company, dated as of such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Managers providing “management comfort” with respect to certain financial information included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as applicable.
(k) Prior to each Settlement Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Designated Manager such further information, certificates and documents as the Designated Manager may reasonably request.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Managers and counsel for the Managers, this Agreement and all obligations of the applicable Manager hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, any Settlement Date, by such Manager with respect to itself only. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing. Following any such cancellation by a Manager, this Agreement shall remain in effect as to the other Manager that has not exercised its right to cancel this Agreement pursuant to this Section 6 and any obligations and rights of the Managers under this Agreement shall be satisfied by or afforded to only such other Manager.
The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Managers, at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, on each such date as provided in this Agreement.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Manager, its affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the Act (each, an “Affiliate”), the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Manager, and each person who controls such Manager within the meaning
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of either the Act or the Exchange Act and against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company or otherwise permitted by paragraph (d) below), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact, in each case, necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, for any and all expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the indemnified party) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Manager expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto). This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Manager severally, and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Manager or otherwise permitted by paragraph (d) below), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact, in each case, necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
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in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Manager expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The liability of each Manager shall be in proportion to and limited to the discounts and commissions received by such Manager pursuant to this Agreement in connection with the Shares sold by it pursuant to this Agreement in the specific transaction or transactions giving rise to such Manager’s indemnification obligation. The Company acknowledges that with respect to each Manager, (i) the name of such Manager and (ii) the last sentence of the second paragraph, the first sentence of the fourth paragraph and the ninth paragraph under “Plan of Distribution” constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Manager for inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in paragraph (a) or (b) above or to the extent it is not prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 7 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it
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being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the indemnifying party (the Managers in the case of Section 7(b) and Section 7(e)), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party or (iii) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(d) The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 7(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (A) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (B) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or is otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and each Manager, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, or (ii) 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, on the one hand, and each Manager, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (net of compensation paid to the Managers but before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and benefits received by each Manager shall be deemed to be equal to the total compensation received by such Manager under Section 3(c) of this Agreement, in each case as
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determined by this Agreement. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Manager, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, on the one hand, or such Manager, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 7(c), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 7(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 7(e); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 7(c) for purposes of indemnification.
The Company and the Managers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7(e) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Managers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 7(e).
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7(e), no Manager shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the discounts and commissions received by such Manager pursuant to this Agreement in connection with the Shares sold by it pursuant to this Agreement (less the aggregate amount of any damages or other amounts such Manager has otherwise been required to pay in respect thereof (pursuant to Section 7(b) or otherwise)). No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Managers’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7(e) are several, and not joint. For purposes of this Section 7(e), each Affiliate, director, officer, employee and agent of a Manager, and each person, if any, who controls a Manager within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Manager, and each director of the Company or each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
8. Termination.
(a) The Company shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that (i) with respect to any pending sale of Shares, through the Designated Manager for the Company, the obligations of the Company, including in respect of compensation of the Designated Manager, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the termination and (ii) the provisions of Sections 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 14 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
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(b) Each Manager shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement at any time, with respect to such Manager only. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 5, 7, 9, 10 and 14 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect with respect to such Manager notwithstanding such termination. Following any such termination by a Manager, this Agreement shall remain in effect as to each other Manager that has not exercised its respective right to terminate the provisions of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8(b) and any obligations and rights of the Managers under this Agreement shall be satisfied by or afforded to only such other Managers.
(c) This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 8(a) or (b) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties or upon settlement of the sale of all Shares in the aggregate in one or more offerings; provided that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Sections 5, 7, 9, 10 and 14 shall remain in full force and effect.
(d) Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of the Shares, such sale shall, subject to Section 6 hereof, settle in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) of this Agreement.
9. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company, the officers of the Company and of each Manager set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by a Manager or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
10. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and:
If sent to the Managers, will be mailed, telefaxed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunications (including, for the avoidance of doubt, electronic email) to:
Evercore Group L.L.C.
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, 36th Floor
Facsimile: [***]
Attention: Equity Capital Markets
E-mail: [***]
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If sent to RBC, will be mailed, telefaxed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunications (including, for the avoidance of doubt, electronic email) to:
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Brookfield Place
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: [***]
Attention: Transaction Management
E-mail: [***]
with a copy to:
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
New York, New York 10017
Facsimile: [***]
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
E-mail: [***]
If sent to the Company, will be mailed, telefaxed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunications to:
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, EVP External Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Email: [***]
with a copy to:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
One CityCenter
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇
Washington, D.C. 20001
Facsimile: [***]
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
E-mail: [***]
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.
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11. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
12. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and each Manager and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Managers are acting solely as sales agent in connection with the purchase and sale of the Company’s securities and not as a fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of each Manager in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether a Manager has advised or is currently advising it on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that a Manager has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the process leading thereto.
13. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Managers with respect to the subject matter hereof.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws.
15. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company and Managers hereby irrevocably waive, 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.
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., ▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
17. Headings. The section headings used in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
18. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) In the event that any Manager that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Manager of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
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(b) In the event that any Manager that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Manager becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Manager are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
As used in this Section 18:
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any of the following:
(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the ▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
19. Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.
“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Applicable Time” shall mean, with respect to any Shares, the time of sale of such Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
“Base Prospectus” shall mean the base prospectus referred to in Section 2(a) above contained in the Registration Statement at the Execution Time.
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“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.
“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Designated Manager” shall mean, as of any given time, a Manager that the Company has designated as sales agent to sell Shares pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
“Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus, (ii) the Prospectus Supplement, (iii) the most recently filed Interim Prospectus Supplement, if any, (iv) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule I hereto and (v) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.
“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes effective.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.
“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.
“Interim Prospectus Supplement” shall mean any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares prepared and filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) from time to time as provided by Section 4(r) of this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.
“Prospectus” shall mean the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement and the most recently filed Interim Prospectus Supplement (if any).
“Prospectus Supplement” shall mean the most recent prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that was first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) at or prior to the Execution Time.
“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in Section 2(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on each Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.
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“Rule 158,” “Rule 163,” “Rule 164,” “Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act.
[Signature Page Follows]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the Managers.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| Emergent BioSolutions Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇ ▇▇▇ | |
| Name: | ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇ ▇▇▇ | |
| Title: | EVP, External Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | |
SIGNATURE PAGE TO EQUITY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
| CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, | ||
| as of the date first written above: | ||
| Evercore Group L.L.C. | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |
| Name: | ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |
| Title: | Senior Managing Director | |
| RBC Capital Markets, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ | |
| Name: | ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ | |
| Title: | Managing Director | |
SIGNATURE PAGE TO EQUITY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
SCHEDULE I
Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package
[None]
SCHEDULE II
Form of Placement Notice