Attached files
Exhibit 10.12
Execution Version
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of March 18, 2011, is by and among Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation with offices located at 914 N Jefferson Street, Springdale, Arkansas 72764 (the “Company”), and the undersigned buyer (the “Buyer”).
RECITALS
A. In connection with the Securities Exchange Agreement by and among the parties hereto, dated as of March 18, 2011 (the “Securities Agreement”), the Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Securities Agreement, to issue to Buyer (i) Notes (as defined in the Securities Agreement) and (ii) Preferred Stock (as defined in the Securities Agreement) which will be convertible into Conversion Shares (as defined in the Securities Agreement).
B. In connection with the Securities Exchange Agreement by and among the Company, Buyer and certain other parties, dated as of March 18, 2011 (the “Series D Exchange Agreement”), the Company has issued, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Series D Exchange Agreement, to issue to Buyer shares of Class A Common Stock (such shares being the “Series D Converted Shares”), in exchange for all of Buyer’s previously existing shares of Series D Preferred Stock and related warrants.
C. To induce Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Securities Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the “1933 Act”), and applicable state securities laws.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and Buyer hereby agree as follows:
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1.
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Definitions.
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Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Securities Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.
(b) “Closing Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the Securities Agreement.
(c) “Demand Registration Statement” shall mean a Registration Statement which covers the Registrable Securities requested to be included therein pursuant to the provisions of Section 2(a).
(d) “Effective Date” means the date that the applicable Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC.
(e) “Effectiveness Deadline” means (i) with respect to any Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the earlier of the (A) 90th calendar day after the applicable Request Date (or the 135th calendar day after the applicable Request Date in the event that such Registration Statement is subject to review by the SEC) and (B) 2nd Business Day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the SEC that such Registration Statement will not be reviewed or will not be subject to further review and (ii) with respect to any additional Registration Statements that may be required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the earlier of the (A) 90th calendar day following the date on which the Company was required to file such additional Registration Statement (or the 135th calendar day after such date in the event that such Registration Statement is subject to review by the SEC) and (B) 2nd Business Day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the SEC that such Registration Statement will not be reviewed or will not be subject to further review.
(f) “Fundamental Transaction” means that (i) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions, (1) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the surviving corporation) any other Person (excluding a merger or consolidation of a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company into the Company or another wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company only if such merger or consolidation of such wholly-owned Subsidiary and the Company or such other wholly-owned Subsidiary (as applicable) does not involve any other Person), or (2) sell, lease, license, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its respective properties or assets to any other Person, or (3) allow any other Person to make a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the Company (not including any shares of Voting Stock of the Company held by the Person or Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the Persons making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer), or (4) consummate a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with any other Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the Company (not including any shares of Voting Stock of the Company held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination), or (5) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify the Company’s common stock, or (ii) any “person” (other than any Holder or any of its affiliates) or “group” (as these terms are used for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) (other than a group of which any Holder or any of its affiliates is a member thereof) is or shall become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, of 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Voting Stock of the Company.
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(g) “Initiating Investors” means, with respect to a particular registration, the Investor or Investors, as applicable, who initiated the Request for such registration.
(h) “Investor” means Buyer or any transferee or assignee of any Registrable Securities or Preferred Stock to whom Buyer assigns its rights under this Agreement and who agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9 and any transferee or assignee thereof to whom a transferee or assignee of any Registrable Securities or Preferred Stock assigns its rights under this Agreement and who agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9.
(i) “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person and whose common stock or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market (as defined in the Securities Agreement), or, if there is more than one such Person or Parent Entity, the Person or Parent Entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
(j) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization or a government or any department or agency thereof.
(k) “Principal Market” means the OTC Bulletin Board.
(l) “register,” “registered,” and “registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing one or more Registration Statements in compliance with the 1933 Act and pursuant to Rule 415 and the declaration of effectiveness of such Registration Statement(s) by the SEC.
(m) “Registrable Securities” means (i) the Conversion Shares, (ii) the Series D Converted Shares and (iii) any capital stock of the Company issued or issuable with respect to the Conversion Shares, Preferred Stock or Series D Converted Shares, including, without limitation, (1) as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event or otherwise and (2) shares of capital stock of the Company into which the shares of Common Stock (as defined in the Securities Agreement) are converted or exchanged and shares of capital stock of a Successor Entity into which the shares of Common Stock are converted or exchanged.
(n) “Registration Statement” means a registration statement or registration statements of the Company filed under the 1933 Act covering Registrable Securities and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference (or deemed to be incorporated by reference) therein.
(o) “Required Investors” means the holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities.
(p) “Required Investors of the Registration” means, with respect to a particular registration, one or more Investors of Registrable Securities who would hold a majority of the Registrable Securities to be included in such registration.
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(q) “Required Shelf Registration Amount” means 133% of the sum of (i) the maximum number of Conversion Shares issued and issuable pursuant to the Preferred Stock as of the Trading Day immediately preceding the applicable date of determination plus (ii) the number of Series D Converted Shares, all subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2(j), and provided that prior to (but not following) the Company’s 2011 annual stockholders meeting, which shall occur no later than July 15, 2011, the Required Shelf Registration Amount shall not exceed the sum of (i) number of Series D Converted Shares plus (ii) the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company.
(r) “Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC under the 1933 Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any other similar or successor rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the Investors to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration.
(s) “Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the SEC under the 1933 Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any other similar or successor rule or regulation of the SEC providing for offering securities on a continuous or delayed basis.
(t) “SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto.
(u) “Shelf Registration” means a registration of securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.
(v) “Shelf Registration Statement” means a Registration Statement covering the resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investors on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415.
(w) “Successor Entity” means the Person (or, if so elected by the Required Investors, the Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or the Person (or, if so elected by the Required Investors, the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.
(x) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Company’s common stock is traded on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for such common stock, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which such common stock is then traded, provided that “Trading Day” shall not include any day on which such common stock is scheduled to trade on such exchange or market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that such common stock is suspended from trading during the final hour of trading on such exchange or market (or if such exchange or market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such exchange or market, then during the hour ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time) unless such day is otherwise designated as a Trading Day in writing by the Required Investors.
(y) “Underwriters” means the underwriters, if any, of the offering being registered under the 1933 Act.
(z) “Underwritten Offering” means a sale of securities of the Company to an Underwriter or Underwriters for re-offering to the public.
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(aa) “Voting Stock” of a Person means capital stock or other equity interests of such Person of the class or classes pursuant to which the holders thereof have the general voting power to elect, or the general power to appoint, at least a majority of the board of directors, managers, trustees or other similar governing body of such Person (irrespective of whether or not at the time capital stock of any other class or classes shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).
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2.
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Registration.
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(a) Demand Registration.
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(i)
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Right to Demand Registration.
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(1) Subject to Section 2(a)(iii), at any time or from time to time, each of the Investors shall have the right to request in writing that the Company register all or part of such Investor’s Registrable Securities (a “Request”) by filing with the SEC a Demand Registration Statement.
(A) Each Request shall specify the amount of Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by such Investor and whether such Demand Registration Statement will be a Shelf Registration or an Underwritten Offering.
(B) As promptly as practicable after the Company’s receipt of a Request or Requests from one or more Investors constituting Required Investors with respect to such Shelf Registration or Underwritten Offering (as the case may be) (such date, the “Request Date”), but no later than five (5) Business Days after the Request Date, the Company shall give written notice of such requested registration to all other Investors of Registrable Securities.
(C) Subject to Section 2(a)(ii), the Company shall include in a Demand Registration (i) the Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by the Initiating Investors and (ii) the Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by any other Investor which shall have made a written request (which request shall specify the amount of Registrable Securities to be registered and the intended method of disposition thereof) to the Company for inclusion thereof in such registration within ten (10) days after the receipt of such written notice from the Company.
(D) The Company, as expeditiously as possible, but in any event within thirty (30) days following the Request Date (the “Filing Deadline”), shall cause to be filed with the SEC a Demand Registration Statement providing for the registration under the 1933 Act of the Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested to register by all such Investors, to the extent necessary to permit the disposition of such Registrable Securities so to be registered in accordance with the intended methods of disposition thereof specified in such Request
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or further requests (including, without limitation, by means of a Shelf Registration if so requested and if the Company is then eligible to use such a registration).
(E) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to have such Demand Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable thereafter but in no event later than the Effectiveness Deadline therefor and to keep such Demand Registration Statement continuously effective until such time as all of such Registrable Securities have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller(s) thereof set forth in such Demand Registration Statement, provided that with respect to any Demand Registration Statement, such period need not extend beyond the applicable Registration Period (as defined below).
(2) A Request may be withdrawn prior to the filing of the Demand Registration Statement by the Required Investors of the Registration (a “Withdrawn Request”) and a Demand Registration Statement may be withdrawn prior to the effectiveness thereof by the Required Investors of the Registration (a “Withdrawn Demand Registration”) and such withdrawals shall be treated as a Demand Registration which shall have been effected pursuant to this Section 2(a), unless the Required Investors of the Registration to be included in such Registration Statement reimburse the Company for its reasonable out-of-pocket Registration Expenses relating to the preparation and filing of such Demand Registration Statement (to the extent actually incurred); provided, however, if a Withdrawn Request or Withdrawn Demand Registration is made (A) because of any material adverse change in the assets, properties, businesses, results of operations, or condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (as defined in the Securities Agreement), whether or not arising from transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (as defined in the Securities Agreement) or in the ordinary course of business, or (B) because the sole or lead managing Underwriter advises (or, with respect to a Shelf Registration Statement, because the Staff or the SEC requires as provided in Section 2(j) below) that the amount of Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering be reduced pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) by more than 10% of the Registrable Securities to be included in such Registration Statement, then such withdrawal shall not be treated as a Demand Registration effected pursuant to this Section 2(a) (and shall not be counted toward the number of Demand Registrations to which such Investors are entitled), and the Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection therewith. Any Investor requesting inclusion in a Demand Registration may, at any time prior to the Effective Date of the Demand Registration Statement (and for any reason), revoke such request by delivering written notice to the Company revoking such requested inclusion.
(3) A Demand Registration Statement shall not be deemed to have become effective (and the related registration will not be deemed to have been effected or requested) (i) unless it has been declared effective by the SEC and
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remains effective in compliance with the provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by such Demand Registration Statement for the applicable Registration Period, (ii) if the offering of any Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration Statement is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court, or (iii) if, in the case of an Underwritten Offering, the conditions to closing specified in an underwriting agreement to which the Company is a party are not satisfied other than by the sole reason of any breach or failure by the Investors of Registrable Securities or are not otherwise waived.
(4) The registration rights granted pursuant to the provisions of this Section 2(a) shall be in addition to the registration rights granted pursuant to the other provisions of this Section 2.
(ii) Priority in Demand Registrations. If a Demand Registration involves an Underwritten Offering, and the sole or lead managing Underwriter (as the case may be) of such Underwritten Offering shall advise the Company in writing (with a copy to each Investor requesting registration) on or before the date five (5) days prior to the date then scheduled for such offering that, in its opinion, the amount of Registrable Securities, if any, requested to be included in such Demand Registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering within a price range acceptable to the Required Investors of the Registration (such writing to state the basis of such opinion and the approximate number of Registrable Securities which may be included in such offering), the Company shall include in such Demand Registration, to the extent of the number which the Company is so advised may be included in such offering without such effect, the Registrable Securities requested to be included in the Demand Registration by the Investors, allocated pro rata among the Investors based on the number of Registrable Securities held by each Investor (on an as converted, fully-diluted basis and without giving effect to any exercise or conversion limitations contained in any such convertible or exercisable securities held by any such party and without regard to whether such securities are then convertible or exercisable). In the event the Company shall not, by virtue of this Section 2(a)(ii), include in any Demand Registration all of the Registrable Securities of any Investor requesting to be included in such Demand Registration, such Investor may, upon written notice to the Company given within five (5) days of the time such Investor first is notified of such matter, reduce the amount of Registrable Securities it desires to have included in such Demand Registration, whereupon only the Registrable Securities, if any, it desires to have included will be so included and the Investors not so reducing shall be entitled to a corresponding increase in the amount of Registrable Securities to be included in such Demand Registration.
(iii) Limitations on Registrations. The rights of Investors of Registrable Securities to request Demand Registrations pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) are subject to the following limitations:
(1) in no event shall the Company be required to effect a Demand Registration unless the reasonably anticipated aggregate offering price to the
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public of all Registrable Securities for which registration has been requested by Investors, together with any shares sold by the Company for its own account, will be at least $1,000,000 or, if the foregoing is not satisfied, all of the Registrable Securities held by the Investors requiring registration are included in the Demand Registration; and
(2) in no event shall the Company be required to effect, in the aggregate, more than one (1) Demand Registration in any twelve (12) month period involving an Underwritten Offering; provided, however, (x) such number shall be increased to the extent the Company does not include in what would otherwise be the final registration the number of Registrable Securities requested to be registered by the Investors by reason of Section 2(a)(ii) and (y) there is no limitation on the number of Demand Registrations that will be Shelf Registrations.
(iv) Underwriting. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 2(a)(i), if the applicable Required Investors of the Registration elect, the offering of such Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration shall be in the form of a firm commitment Underwritten Offering and such Required Investors of the Registration may require that all Persons (including other Investors) participating in such registration sell their Registrable Securities to the Underwriters at the same price and on the same terms of underwriting applicable to the Required Investors of the Registration. If any Demand Registration involves an Underwritten Offering, the sole or managing Underwriters and any additional investment bankers and managers to be used in connection with such registration shall be selected by the Required Investors of the Registration, subject to the approval of the Company (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
(v) Other Registrations. During the period (i) beginning on the date of a Request and (ii) ending on the date that is ninety (90) days after the date that a Demand Registration Statement filed pursuant to such Request has been declared effective by the SEC or, if the Required Investors of the Registration shall withdraw such Request or such Demand Registration Statement, on the date of such Withdrawn Request or such Withdrawn Registration Statement, the Company shall not, without the consent of the Required Investors of the Registration, file a registration statement pertaining to any other securities of the Company (other than a registration relating solely to the sale of securities to participants in a Company employee stock or similar plan on Form S-8 or a registration statement relating solely to an acquisition or business combination to which the Company is a party filed on Form S-4).
(vi) Registration Statement Form. Registrations under this Section 2(a) shall be on such appropriate and available registration form of the SEC (i) as shall be selected by the Required Investors of the Registration and (ii) which shall be available for the sale of Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of disposition specified in the requests for registration. The Company agrees to include in any such Registration Statement all information which any selling Investor, upon advice of counsel, shall reasonably request.
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(b) Piggyback Registration.
(i) Right to Include Registrable Securities.
(1) If the Company at any time proposes to register any of its securities under the 1933 Act (other than in a registration on Form S-4 or S-8 or any successor form to such forms) whether or not pursuant to registration rights granted to other holders of its securities and whether or not for sale for its own account, the Company shall deliver prompt written notice (which notice shall be given at least ten (10) Trading Days prior to such proposed registration and which notice shall be given after the Company has publicly disclosed such proposed registration) to all Investors of Registrable Securities of its intention to undertake such registration, describing in reasonable detail the proposed registration and distribution (including the anticipated range of the proposed offering price, the class and number of securities proposed to be registered and the distribution arrangements) and of such Investors’ right to participate in such registration under this Section 2(b) as hereinafter provided. Subject to the other provisions of this Section 2(b)(i) and Section 2(b)(ii), upon the written request of any Investor made within twenty (20) calendar days after the receipt of such written notice (which request shall specify the amount of Registrable Securities to be registered and the intended method of disposition thereof), the Company shall effect the registration under the 1933 Act of all Registrable Securities requested by Investors to be so registered (a “Piggyback Registration”), to the extent requisite to permit the disposition (in accordance with the intended methods thereof as aforesaid) of the Registrable Securities so to be registered, by inclusion of such Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement which covers the securities which the Company proposes to register and shall cause such Registration Statement to become and remain effective with respect to such Registrable Securities in accordance with the registration procedures set forth in Section 3. If a Piggyback Registration involves an Underwritten Offering, immediately upon notification to the Company from the Underwriter of the price at which such securities are to be sold, the Company shall so advise each participating Investor. The Investors requesting inclusion in a Piggyback Registration may, at any time prior to the Effective Date of the Piggyback Registration Statement (and for any reason), revoke such request by delivering written notice to the Company revoking such requested inclusion.
(2) If at any time after giving written notice of its intention to register any securities and prior to the Effective Date of the Piggyback Registration Statement filed in connection with such registration, the Company shall determine for any reason not to register or to delay registration of such securities, the Company may, at its election, give written notice of such determination to each Investor and, thereupon, (A) in the case of a determination not to register, the Company shall be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Securities in connection with such registration (but not from its obligation to pay the Registration Expenses incurred in connection therewith), without prejudice, however, to the rights of Investors to cause such registration to be effected as a
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registration under Section 2(a), and (B) in the case of a determination to delay such registration, the Company shall be permitted to delay the registration of such Registrable Securities for the same period as the delay in registering such other securities; provided, however, if such delay shall extend beyond 120 days from the date the Company received a request to include Registrable Securities in such Piggyback Registration, then the Company shall again give all Investors the opportunity to participate therein and shall follow the notification procedures set forth in the preceding paragraph. There is no limitation on the number of such Piggyback Registrations pursuant to this Section 2(b) which the Company is obligated to effect.
(3) The registration rights granted pursuant to the provisions of this Section 2(b) shall be in addition to the registration rights granted pursuant to the other provisions of this Section 2.
(ii) Priority in Piggyback Registration. If a Piggyback Registration involves an Underwritten Offering (on a firm commitment basis), and the sole or the lead managing Underwriter (as the case may be) of such Underwritten Offering shall advise the Company in writing (with a copy to each Investor requesting registration) on or before the date five (5) days prior to the date then scheduled for such offering that, in its opinion, the amount of securities (including Registrable Securities) requested to be included in such registration exceeds the amount which can be sold in such offering without materially interfering with the successful marketing of the securities being offered (such writing to state the basis of such opinion and the approximate number of such securities which may be included in such offering without such effect), the Company shall include in such registration, to the extent of the number which the Company is so advised may be included in such offering without such effect, (i) in the case of a registration initiated by the Company, (A) first, the securities that the Company proposes to register for its own account, (B) second, the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration by the Investors, allocated pro rata in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration by each of them, and (C) third, other securities of the Company to be registered on behalf of any other Person, and (ii) in the case of a registration initiated by a Person other than the Company, (A) first, the securities proposed to be registered by any Persons initiating such registration, allocated pro rata in proportion to the number of securities requested to be included in such registration by each of them and (B) second, the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration by the Investors, allocated pro rata in proportion to the number of securities requested to be included in such registration by each of them, provided that in the event the Company will not, by virtue of this Section 2(b)(ii), include in any such registration all of the Registrable Securities of any Investor requested to be included in such registration, such Investor may, upon written notice to the Company given within three (3) days of the time such Investor first is notified of such matter, reduce the amount of Registrable Securities it desires to have included in such registration, whereupon only the Registrable Securities, if any, it desires to have included will be so included and the Investors not so reducing shall be entitled to a corresponding increase in the amount of Registrable Securities to be included in such registration.
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(iii) Selection of Underwriters. If any Piggyback Registration involves an Underwritten Offering, the sole or managing Underwriter(s) and any additional investment bankers and managers to be used in connection with such registration shall be subject to the approval of the Required Investors of the Registration (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld).
(c) Registration of Other Securities. Whenever the Company shall effect a Demand Registration, no securities other than the Registrable Securities shall be covered by such registration unless (a) the Required Investors of the Registration shall have consented in writing to the inclusion of such other securities and (b) no Investor is unable to include any of its Registrable Securities requested for inclusion in such registration by reason of Section 2(a)(ii).
(d) Underwritten Offerings.
(i) Demand Underwritten Offerings. If requested by the sole or lead managing Underwriter for any Underwritten Offering effected pursuant to a Demand Registration, the Company shall enter into a customary underwriting agreement with the Underwriters for such offering, such agreement to be reasonably satisfactory in substance and form to the Required Investors of the Registration and to contain such representations and warranties by the Company and such other terms as are generally prevailing in agreements of that type, including, without limitation, indemnification and contribution to the effect and to the extent provided in Sections 6 and 7.
(ii) Investors of Registrable Securities to be Parties to Underwriting Agreement. The Investors holding the Registrable Securities to be distributed by Underwriters in an Underwritten Offering contemplated by Section 2 shall be parties to the underwriting agreement between the Company and such Underwriters and may, at such Investors’ option, require that any or all of the representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of such Underwriters shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Investors of Registrable Securities and that any or all of the conditions precedent to the obligations of such Underwriters under such underwriting agreement be conditions precedent to the obligations of such Investors of Registrable Securities; provided, however, the Company shall not be required to make any representations or warranties with respect to written information specifically provided by a selling Investor for inclusion in the Registration Statement. No Investor shall be required to make any representations or warranties to, or agreements with, the Company or the Underwriters other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding such Investor, such Investor’s Registrable Securities and such Investor’s intended method of disposition.
(iii) Participation in Underwritten Registration. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary in this Section 2, no Person may participate in any Underwritten Offering hereunder unless such Person (i) agrees to sell its securities on the same terms and conditions provided in any underwritten arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangement and (ii) accurately completes and executes in a timely manner all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, custody
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agreements, underwriting agreements and other documents customary for such an offering and reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
(e) Allocation of Registrable Securities. The initial number of Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement and any increase in the number of Registrable Securities included therein shall first be allocated pro rata among the Investors based on the number of Registrable Securities held by each Investor at the time such Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC. In the event that an Investor sells or otherwise transfers any of such Investor’s Registrable Securities, each transferee that becomes an Investor shall be allocated a pro rata portion of the then remaining number of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement for such transferor. Any shares of Common Stock included in a Registration Statement and which remain allocated to any Person which ceases to hold any Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement shall be allocated to the remaining Investors, pro rata based on the number of Registrable Securities then held by such Investors which are covered by such Registration Statement.
(f) Legal Counsel. Subject to Section 5 hereof, Buyer shall have the right to select one (1) legal counsel to review and oversee, solely on its behalf, any registration pursuant to this Section 2 (“Legal Counsel”), which shall be Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP or such other counsel as thereafter designated by Buyer in writing.
(g) Use of Form S-3. The Company shall undertake to register the resale of all the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 as soon as such form is available for a primary offering with respect to any Shelf Registration Statement, provided that the Company shall maintain the effectiveness of all Shelf Registration Statements then in effect until such time as a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the resale of all the Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the SEC and the prospectus contained therein is available for use.
(h) Sufficient Number of Shares Registered. In the event the number of shares available under any Shelf Registration Statement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities required to be covered by such Shelf Registration Statement or an Investor’s allocated portion of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(j), the Company shall amend such Shelf Registration Statement (if permissible), or file with the SEC a new Shelf Registration Statement (on the short form available therefor, if applicable), or both, so as to cover at least the Required Shelf Registration Amount as of the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the filing of such amendment or new Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than fifteen (15) days after the necessity therefor arises (but taking account of any Staff position with respect to the date on which the Staff will permit such amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement and/or such new Shelf Registration Statement (as the case may be) to be filed with the SEC). The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement and/or such new Shelf Registration Statement (as the case may be) to become effective as soon as practicable following the filing thereof with the SEC, but in no event later than the applicable Effectiveness Deadline for such Shelf Registration Statement. For purposes of the foregoing provision, the number of shares available under a Shelf Registration Statement shall be deemed “insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities” if at any time the number of shares of Common Stock available for resale under the applicable Shelf Registration Statement is less than the product determined by
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multiplying (i) the Required Shelf Registration Amount as of such time by (ii) 0.90. The calculation set forth in the foregoing sentence shall be made without regard to any limitations on conversion of the Preferred Stock (and such calculation shall assume that the Preferred Stock is then fully convertible into shares of Common Stock at the then-prevailing applicable Conversion Price).
(i) Effect of Failure to File and Obtain and Maintain Effectiveness of any Registration Statement. If (i) a Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities required to be covered thereby (disregarding any reduction pursuant to Section 2(j)) and required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement is (A) not filed with the SEC on or before the Filing Deadline for such Registration Statement (a “Filing Failure”) (it being understood that if the Company files a Registration Statement without affording each Investor the opportunity to review and comment on the same as required by Section 3(c) hereof, the Company shall be deemed to not have satisfied this clause (i)(A) and such event shall be deemed to be a Filing Failure) or (B) not declared effective by the SEC on or before the Effectiveness Deadline for such Registration Statement (an “Effectiveness Failure”) (it being understood that if on the Business Day immediately following the Effective Date for such Registration Statement the Company shall not have filed a “final” prospectus for such Registration Statement with the SEC under Rule 424(b) in accordance with Section 3(b) (whether or not such a prospectus is technically required by such rule), the Company shall be deemed to not have satisfied this clause (i)(B) and such event shall be deemed to be an Effectiveness Failure), (ii) other than during an Allowable Grace Period (as defined below), on any day after the Effective Date of a Registration Statement sales of all of the Registrable Securities required to be included on such Registration Statement (disregarding any reduction pursuant to Section 2(j)) cannot be made pursuant to such Registration Statement (including, without limitation, because of a failure to keep such Registration Statement effective, a failure to disclose such information as is necessary for sales to be made pursuant to such Registration Statement, a suspension or delisting of (or a failure to timely list) the shares of Common Stock on the Principal Market (as defined in the Securities Agreement), or a failure to register a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock or by reason of a stop order) or the prospectus contained therein is not available for use for any reason (a “Maintenance Failure”), or (iii) if a Registration Statement is not effective for any reason or the prospectus contained therein is not available for use for any reason, the Company fails to file with the SEC, any required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act (as defined below) such that it is not in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1) (or Rule 144(i)(2), if applicable) (a “Current Public Information Failure”) as a result of which any of the Investors are unable to sell Registrable Securities without restriction under Rule 144 (including, without limitation, volume restrictions), then, as partial relief for the damages to any holder by reason of any such delay in, or reduction of, its ability to sell the underlying shares of Common Stock (which remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies available at law or in equity), the Company shall pay to each holder of Registrable Securities relating to such Registration Statement an amount in cash equal to one percent (1%) of the aggregate Stated Value (as defined in the Certificate of Designation (as defined in the Securities Agreement)) of all of such Investor’s Preferred Stock on the Closing Date (or if such failure relates to only a portion of the Registrable Securities, then only with respect to the Investor’s allocable cash investment with respect to the security that is exercisable or convertible (as the case may be) into such portion of such Registrable Securities) (1) on the date of such Filing Failure, Effectiveness Failure, Maintenance Failure or Current Public Information Failure,
13
as applicable, and (2) on every thirty (30) day anniversary of (I) a Filing Failure until such Filing Failure is cured; (II) an Effectiveness Failure until such Effectiveness Failure is cured; (III) a Maintenance Failure until such Maintenance Failure is cured; and (IV) a Current Public Information Failure until the earlier of (i) the date such Current Public Information Failure is cured and (ii) such time that such public information is no longer required pursuant to Rule 144 (in each case, pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty (30) days). The payments to which a holder of Registrable Securities shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 2(i) are referred to herein as “Registration Delay Payments.” Following the initial Registration Delay Payment for any particular event or failure (which shall be paid on the date of such event or failure, as set forth above), without limiting the foregoing, if an event or failure giving rise to the Registration Delay Payments is cured prior to any thirty (30) day anniversary of such event or failure, then such Registration Delay Payment shall be made on the third (3rd) Business Day after such cure. In the event the Company fails to make Registration Delay Payments in a timely manner in accordance with the foregoing, such Registration Delay Payments shall bear interest at the rate of one percent (1%) per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full.
(j) Offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, but subject to the payment of the Registration Delay Payments pursuant to Section 2(i), in the event the staff of the SEC (the “Staff”) or the SEC seeks to characterize any offering pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement as constituting an offering of securities by, or on behalf of, the Company, or in any other manner, such that the Staff or the SEC do not permit such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective and used for resales in a manner that does not constitute such an offering and that permits the continuous resale at the market by the Investors participating therein (or as otherwise may be acceptable to each Investor) without being named therein as an “underwriter,” then the Company shall reduce the number of shares to be included in such Shelf Registration Statement by all Investors until such time as the Staff and the SEC shall so permit such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective as aforesaid. In making such reduction, the Company shall reduce the number of shares to be included by all Investors on a pro rata basis (based upon the number of Registrable Securities otherwise required to be included for each Investor) unless the inclusion of shares by a particular Investor or a particular set of Investors are resulting in the Staff or the SEC’s “by or on behalf of the Company” offering position, in which event the shares held by such Investor or set of Investors shall be the only shares subject to reduction (and if by a set of Investors on a pro rata basis by such Investors or on such other basis as would result in the exclusion of the least number of shares by all such Investors). In addition, in the event that the Staff or the SEC requires any Investor seeking to sell securities under a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement to be specifically identified as an “underwriter” in order to permit such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective, and such Investor does not consent to being so named as an underwriter in such Registration Statement, then, in each such case, the Company shall reduce the total number of Registrable Securities to be registered on behalf of such Investor, until such time as the Staff or the SEC does not require such identification or until such Investor accepts such identification and the manner thereof. Any reduction pursuant to this paragraph will first reduce all Registrable Securities other than those issued pursuant to the Securities Agreement. In the event of any reduction in Registrable Securities pursuant to this paragraph, an affected Investor shall have the right to require, upon delivery of a written request to the Company signed by such Investor, the Company to file a registration statement within thirty (30) days of such request (subject to any restrictions imposed by Rule 415 or required by
14
the Staff or the SEC) for resale by such Investor in a manner acceptable to such Investor, and in a manner that the Company and such Investor reasonably believe to be permitted in light of the SEC’s or Staff’s previously enunciated positions referenced above, and the Company shall following such request cause to be and keep effective such registration statement in the same manner as otherwise contemplated in this Agreement for registration statements hereunder, in each case until such time as: (i) all Registrable Securities held by such Investor have been registered and sold pursuant to an effective Registration Statement in a manner acceptable to such Investor or (ii) such Investor agrees to be named as an underwriter in any such Registration Statement in a manner acceptable to such Investor as to all Registrable Securities held by such Investor and that have not theretofore been included in a Registration Statement under this Agreement (it being understood that the special demand right under this sentence may be exercised by an Investor multiple times and with respect to limited amounts of Registrable Securities in order to permit the resale thereof by such Investor as contemplated above).
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3.
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Related Obligations.
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Whenever the Company is required to effect the registration of Registrable Securities under the 1933 Act pursuant to Section 2 of this Agreement, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof, and pursuant thereto, and the Company shall have the following obligations:
(a) The Company shall promptly prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement with respect to all the Registrable Securities required to be covered by such Registration Statement (but in no event later than the applicable Filing Deadline) and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing (but in no event later than the Effectiveness Deadline). Subject to Allowable Grace Periods, the Company shall keep each Registration Statement effective (and the prospectus contained therein available for use) (and if such offering is under a Shelf Registration Statement, such effectiveness shall be pursuant to Rule 415 for resales by the Holders on a delayed or continuous basis at then-prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices)) at all times until (i) if such Registration Statement is not a Shelf Registration Statement, one hundred and eighty (180) days after the Effective Date of such Registration Statement or (ii) if such Registration Statement is a Shelf Registration Statement, the date on which the Holders shall have sold all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement (as applicable) (the “Registration Period”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall ensure that, when filed and at all times while effective, each Registration Statement (including, without limitation, all amendments and supplements thereto) and the prospectus (including, without limitation, all amendments and supplements thereto) used in connection with such Registration Statement (1) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of prospectuses, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made) not misleading and (2) will disclose (whether directly or through incorporation by reference to other SEC filings to the extent permitted) all material information regarding the Company and its securities. The Company shall submit to the SEC, within one (1) Business Day after the later of the date that (i) the Company learns that no review of a particular Registration Statement will be made by the Staff or that the Staff has no further comments on a particular
15
Registration Statement (as the case may be) and (ii) the consent of Legal Counsel is obtained pursuant to Section 3(c) (which consent shall be immediately sought), a request for acceleration of effectiveness of such Registration Statement to a time and date not later than forty-eight (48) hours after the submission of such request. Each Shelf Registration Statement shall contain (except if otherwise directed by the Required Investors of the Registration) the “Selling Stockholder” and the “Plan of Distribution” sections in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.
(b) Subject to Section 3(r) of this Agreement, the Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments (including, without limitation, post-effective amendments) and supplements to each Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection with each such Registration Statement, which prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the 1933 Act, as may be necessary to keep each such Registration Statement effective at all times during the Registration Period for such Registration Statement, and, during such period, comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company required to be covered by such Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities shall have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set forth in such Registration Statement; provided, however, by 8:30 a.m. (New York time) on the Business Day immediately following each Effective Date, the Company shall file with the SEC in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act the final prospectus to be used in connection with sales pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement (whether or not such a prospectus is technically required by such rule). In the case of amendments and supplements to any Registration Statement which are required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement (including, without limitation, pursuant to this Section 3(b)) by reason of the Company filing a report on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K or any analogous report under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), the Company shall have incorporated such report by reference into such Registration Statement, if applicable, or shall file such amendments or supplements with the SEC on the same day on which the 1934 Act report is filed which created the requirement for the Company to amend or supplement such Registration Statement.
(c) The Company shall (A) permit Legal Counsel and legal counsel for each other Investor to review and comment upon (i) each Registration Statement at least five (5) Business Days prior to its filing with the SEC and (ii) all amendments and supplements to each Registration Statement (including, without limitation, the prospectus contained therein) (except for Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any similar or successor reports) within a reasonable number of days prior to their filing with the SEC, and (B) not file any Registration Statement or amendment or supplement thereto in a form to which Legal Counsel or any legal counsel for any other Investor reasonably objects. The Company shall not submit a request for acceleration of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto or to any prospectus contained therein without the prior consent of Legal Counsel, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company shall promptly furnish to Legal Counsel and legal counsel for each other Investor, without charge, (i) copies of any correspondence from the SEC or the Staff to the Company or its representatives relating to each Registration Statement, provided that such correspondence shall not contain any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (as defined in the Securities Agreement), (ii) after the same is prepared and filed
16
with the SEC, one (1) copy of each Registration Statement and any amendment(s) and supplement(s) thereto, including, without limitation, financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference, if requested by an Investor, and all exhibits and (iii) upon the effectiveness of each Registration Statement, one (1) copy of the prospectus included in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto. The Company shall reasonably cooperate with Legal Counsel and legal counsel for each other Investor in performing the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Section 3.
(d) The Company shall promptly furnish to each Investor whose Registrable Securities are included in any Registration Statement, without charge, (i) after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, at least one (1) copy of each Registration Statement and any amendment(s) and supplement(s) thereto, including, without limitation, financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference, if requested by an Investor, all exhibits and each preliminary prospectus, (ii) upon the effectiveness of each Registration Statement, ten (10) copies of the prospectus included in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto (or such other number of copies as such Investor may reasonably request from time to time) and (iii) such other documents, including, without limitation, copies of any preliminary or final prospectus, as such Investor may reasonably request from time to time in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Investor.
(e) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) register and qualify, unless an exemption from registration and qualification applies, the resale by Investors of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement under such other securities or “blue sky” laws of all applicable jurisdictions in the United States, (ii) prepare and file in those jurisdictions, such amendments (including, without limitation, post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv) take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(e), (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction. The Company shall promptly notify Legal Counsel, legal counsel for each other Investor and each Investor who holds Registrable Securities of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the registration or qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.
(f) The Company shall notify Legal Counsel, legal counsel for each other Investor and each Investor in writing of the happening of any event, as promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event, as a result of which the prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (provided that in no event
17
shall such notice contain any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), and, subject to Section 3(r), promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to such Registration Statement and such prospectus contained therein to correct such untrue statement or omission and deliver ten (10) copies of such supplement or amendment to Legal Counsel, legal counsel for each other Investor and each Investor (or such other number of copies as Legal Counsel, legal counsel for each other Investor or such Investor may reasonably request). The Company shall also promptly notify Legal Counsel, legal counsel for each other Investor and each Investor in writing (i) when a prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, when a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment has become effective (notification of such effectiveness shall be delivered to Legal Counsel, legal counsel for each other Investor and each Investor by facsimile or e-mail on the same day of such effectiveness and by overnight mail), and when the Company receives written notice from the SEC that a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment will be reviewed by the SEC, (ii) of any request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or related prospectus or related information, (iii) of the Company’s reasonable determination that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would be appropriate; and (iv) of the receipt of any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for any additional information relating to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto or any related prospectus. The Company shall respond as promptly as practicable to any comments received from the SEC with respect to each Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (it being understood and agreed that the Company’s response to any such comments shall be delivered to the SEC no later than ten (10) Business Days after the receipt thereof).
(g) The Company shall (i) use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of each Registration Statement or the use of any prospectus contained therein, or the suspension of the qualification, or the loss of an exemption from qualification, of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such order or suspension at the earliest possible moment and (ii) notify Legal Counsel, legal counsel for each other Investor and each Investor who holds Registrable Securities of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
(h) At the request of any Investor, the Company shall furnish to such Investor, on the date of the effectiveness of such Registration Statement and thereafter from time to time on such dates as an Investor may reasonably request (i) a letter, dated such date, from the Company’s independent certified public accountants in form and substance as is customarily given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the Investors, and (ii) an opinion, dated as of such date, of counsel representing the Company for purposes of such Registration Statement, in form, scope and substance as is customarily given in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the Investors.
(i) Upon the written request of such Investor, the Company shall make available for inspection by (i) such Investor, (ii) legal counsel for such Investor and (iii) one (1) firm of accountants or other agents retained by such Investor (collectively, the “Inspectors”), all pertinent financial and other records, and pertinent corporate documents and properties of the
18
Company (collectively, the “Records”), as shall be reasonably deemed necessary by each Inspector, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information which any Inspector may reasonably request; provided, however, each Inspector shall agree in writing to hold in strict confidence and not to make any disclosure (except to such Investor) or use of any Record or other information which the Company’s board of directors determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination the Inspectors are so notified, unless (1) the disclosure of such Records is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement or is otherwise required under the 1933 Act, (2) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a final, non-appealable subpoena or order from a court or government body of competent jurisdiction, or (3) the information in such Records has been made generally available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document (as defined in the Securities Agreement). Such Investor agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such Records is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt notice to the Company and allow the Company, at its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, the Records deemed confidential. Nothing herein (or in any other confidentiality agreement between the Company and such Investor, if any) shall be deemed to limit any Investor’s ability to sell Registrable Securities in a manner which is otherwise consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
(j) The Company shall hold in confidence and not make any disclosure of information concerning an Investor provided to the Company unless (i) disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state securities laws, including the disclosure of any such information required under SEC rules to be made with respect to an Investor participating as a selling stockholder (and its affiliates), (ii) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement or is otherwise required to be disclosed in such Registration Statement pursuant to the 1933 Act, (iii) the release of such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other final, non-appealable order from a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction, or (iv) such information has been made generally available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. The Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such information concerning an Investor is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt written notice to such Investor and allow such Investor, at such Investor’s expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, such information.
(k) Without limiting any obligation of the Company under the Securities Agreement, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts either to (i) cause all of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange on which securities of the same class or series issued by the Company are then listed, if any, if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange, (ii) secure designation and quotation of all of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement on the OTC Bulletin Board, or (iii) if, despite the Company’s reasonable best efforts to satisfy the preceding clauses (i) or (ii) the Company is unsuccessful in satisfying the preceding clauses (i) or (ii), without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to use its reasonable best efforts to arrange for at least two market makers to register with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) as such with respect to such Registrable Securities. In
19
addition, the Company shall cooperate with each Investor and any broker or dealer through which any such Investor proposes to sell its Registrable Securities in effecting a filing with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 as requested by such Investor. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 3(k).
(l) The Company shall cooperate with the Investors who hold Registrable Securities being offered and, to the extent applicable, facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any restrictive legend) representing the Registrable Securities to be offered and sold pursuant to a Registration Statement and enable such certificates to be in such denominations or amounts (as the case may be) as the Investors may reasonably request from time to time and registered in such names as the Investors may request.
(m) If requested by an Investor, the Company shall as soon as practicable after receipt of notice from such Investor and subject to Section 3(r) hereof, (i) incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as an Investor reasonably requests to be included therein relating to the sale and distribution of Registrable Securities, including, without limitation, information with respect to the number of Registrable Securities being offered or sold, the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering; (ii) make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; and (iii) supplement or make amendments to any Registration Statement or prospectus contained therein if reasonably requested by an Investor holding any Registrable Securities.
(n) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
(o) The Company shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as practical, but not later than ninety (90) days after the close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying with, and in the manner provided by, the provisions of Rule 158 under the 1933 Act) covering a twelve-month period beginning not later than the first day of the Company’s fiscal quarter next following the applicable Effective Date of each Registration Statement.
(p) The Company shall otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC in connection with any registration hereunder.
(q) Within one (1) Business Day after a Registration Statement which covers Registrable Securities is declared effective by the SEC, the Company shall deliver, and shall cause legal counsel for the Company to deliver, to the transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investors whose Registrable Securities are included in such Registration Statement) confirmation that such Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
(r) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein (but subject to the last sentence
20
of this Section 3(r)), at any time after the Effective Date of a particular Registration Statement, the Company may delay the disclosure of material, non-public information concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries the disclosure of which at the time is not, in the good faith opinion of the board of directors of the Company, in the best interest of the Company and, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, otherwise required (a “Grace Period”), provided that the Company shall promptly notify the Investors in writing of the (i) existence of material, non-public information giving rise to a Grace Period (provided that in each such notice the Company shall not disclose the content of such material, non-public information to any of the Investors) and the date on which such Grace Period will begin and (ii) date on which such Grace Period ends, provided further that (I) no Grace Period shall exceed fifteen (15) consecutive days and during any three hundred sixty five (365) day period all such Grace Periods shall not exceed an aggregate of forty-five (45) days, (II) the first day of any Grace Period must be at least five (5) Trading Days after the last day of any prior Grace Period and (III) no Grace Period may exist during the sixty (60) Trading Day period immediately following the Effective Date of such Registration Statement (provided that such sixty (60) Trading Day period shall be extended by the number of Trading Days during such period and any extension thereof contemplated by this proviso during which such Registration Statement is not effective or the prospectus contained therein is not available for use) (each, an “Allowable Grace Period”). For purposes of determining the length of a Grace Period above, such Grace Period shall begin on and include the date the Investors receive the notice referred to in clause (i) above and shall end on and include the later of the date the Investors receive the notice referred to in clause (ii) above and the date referred to in such notice. The provisions of Section 3(g) hereof shall not be applicable during the period of any Allowable Grace Period. Upon expiration of each Grace Period, the Company shall again be bound by the first sentence of Section 3(f) with respect to the information giving rise thereto unless such material, non-public information is no longer applicable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 3(r), the Company shall cause its transfer agent to deliver unlegended shares of Common Stock to a transferee of an Investor in accordance with the terms of the Securities Agreement in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which such Investor has entered into a contract for sale, and delivered a copy of the prospectus included as part of the particular Registration Statement to the extent applicable, prior to such Investor’s receipt of the notice of a Grace Period and for which the Investor has not yet settled.
(s) The Company shall take all other reasonable actions necessary to expedite and facilitate disposition by each Investor of its Registrable Securities pursuant to each Registration Statement.
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4.
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Obligations of the Investors.
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(a) At least five (5) Business Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of each Registration Statement, the Company shall notify each Investor in writing of the information the Company requires from each such Investor with respect to such Registration Statement. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registrable Securities of a particular Investor that such Investor shall furnish to the Company, at least three (3) Business Days prior to such scheduled filing, such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it, as shall be reasonably required to
21
effect and maintain the effectiveness of the registration of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request.
(b) Each Investor, by such Investor’s acceptance of the Registrable Securities, agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of each Registration Statement hereunder, unless such Investor has notified the Company in writing of such Investor’s election to exclude all of such Investor’s Registrable Securities from such Registration Statement.
(c) Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(g) or the first sentence of 3(f), such Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement(s) covering such Registrable Securities until such Investor’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(g) or the first sentence of Section 3(f) or receipt of notice that no supplement or amendment is required. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4(c), the Company shall cause its transfer agent to deliver unlegended shares of Common Stock to a transferee of an Investor in accordance with the terms of the Securities Agreement in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which such Investor has entered into a contract for sale prior to the Investor’s receipt of a notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(g) or the first sentence of Section 3(f) and for which such Investor has not yet settled.
(d) Each Investor covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the 1933 Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement.
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5.
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Expenses of Registration.
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All reasonable expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees, FINRA filing fees (if any) and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company shall be paid by the Company. The Company shall also reimburse Buyer for the fees and disbursements of Legal Counsel in connection with registration, filing or qualification pursuant to Sections 2 and 3 of this Agreement which amount shall be limited with respect to each Registration Statement to $10,000.
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6.
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Indemnification.
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(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will, and hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend each Investor and each of its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees, agents, advisors, representatives (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) and each Person, if any, who controls such Investor within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act and each of the directors, officers, shareholders,
22
members, partners, employees, agents, advisors, representatives (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling Persons (each, an “Indemnified Person”), against any losses, obligations, claims, damages, liabilities, contingencies, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs (including, without limitation, court costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of defense and investigation), amounts paid in settlement or expenses, joint or several, (collectively, “Claims”) incurred in investigating, preparing or defending any action, claim, suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the foregoing by or before any court or governmental, administrative or other regulatory agency, body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened, whether or not an indemnified party is or may be a party thereto (“Indemnified Damages”), to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in any filing made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities or other “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are offered (“Blue Sky Filing”), or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus if used prior to the effective date of such Registration Statement, or contained in the final prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) being, collectively, “Violations”). Subject to Section 6(c), the Company shall reimburse the Indemnified Persons, promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (i) shall not apply to a Claim by an Indemnified Person arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such Indemnified Person for such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with the preparation of such Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto and (ii) shall not be available to a particular Investor to the extent such Claim is based on a failure of such Investor to deliver or to cause to be delivered the prospectus made available by the Company (to the extent applicable), including, without limitation, a corrected prospectus, if such prospectus or corrected prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(d) and then only if, and to the extent that, following the receipt of the corrected prospectus no grounds for such Claim would have existed; and (iii) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person and shall survive the transfer of any of the Registrable Securities by any of the Investors pursuant to Section 9.
23
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement in which an Investor is participating, such Investor agrees to severally and not jointly indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the same manner as is set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act (each, an “Indemnified Party”), against any Claim or Indemnified Damages to which any of them may become subject, under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim or Indemnified Damages arise out of or are based upon any Violation, in each case, to the extent, and only to the extent, that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Investor expressly for use in connection with such Registration Statement; and, subject to Section 6(c) and the below provisos in this Section 6(b), such Investor will reimburse an Indemnified Party any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) and the agreement with respect to contribution contained in Section 7 shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of such Investor, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, provided further that such Investor shall be liable under this Section 6(b) for only that amount of a Claim or Indemnified Damages as does not exceed the net proceeds to such Investor as a result of the applicable sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of any of the Registrable Securities by any of the Investors pursuant to Section 9.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including, without limitation, any governmental action or proceeding) involving a Claim, such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party (as the case may be); provided, however, an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by the indemnifying party if: (i) the indemnifying party has at that time agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (ii) the indemnifying party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Claim and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) in any such Claim; or (iii) the named parties to any such Claim (including, without limitation, any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) and the indemnifying party, and such Indemnified Person or such Indemnified Party (as the case may be) shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Person or such Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party (in which case, if such Indemnified Person or such Indemnified Party (as the case may be) notifies the indemnifying party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party, then the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense
24
thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party, provided further that in the case of clause (iii) above the indemnifying party shall not be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one (1) separate legal counsel for such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be). The Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) shall reasonably cooperate with the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or Claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) which relates to such action or Claim. The indemnifying party shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) reasonably apprised at all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent; provided, however, the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be), consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) of a release from all liability in respect to such Claim or litigation, and such settlement shall not include any admission as to fault on the part of the Indemnified Party. Following indemnification as provided for hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) with respect to all third parties, firms or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made. The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is materially and adversely prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
(d) No Person involved in the sale of Registrable Securities who is guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) in connection with such sale shall be entitled to indemnification from any Person involved in such sale of Registrable Securities who is not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.
(e) The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified Damages are incurred.
(f) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained herein shall be in addition to (i) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
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7.
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Contribution.
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To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however: (i) no contribution shall be made under circumstances
25
where the maker would not have been liable for indemnification under the fault standards set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement, (ii) no Person involved in the sale of Registrable Securities which Person is guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) in connection with such sale shall be entitled to contribution from any Person involved in such sale of Registrable Securities who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation; and (iii) contribution by any seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the amount of net proceeds received by such seller from the applicable sale of such Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Investor shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such Investor from the applicable sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Claim exceeds the amount of any damages that such Investor has otherwise been required to pay, or would otherwise be required to pay under Section 6(b), by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
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8.
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Reports Under the 1934 Act.
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With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule 144, the Company agrees, until all Registrable Securities have been sold, to:
(a) make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144;
(b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements (it being understood and agreed that nothing herein shall limit any obligations of the Company under the Securities Agreement) and the filing of such reports and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and
(c) furnish to each Investor so long as such Investor owns Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the Company, if true, that it has complied with the reporting, submission and posting requirements of Rule 144 and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company with the SEC if such reports are not publicly available via EDGAR, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to permit the Investors to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration.
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9.
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Assignment of Registration Rights.
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All or any portion of the rights under this Agreement shall be automatically assignable by each Investor to any transferee or assignee (as the case may be) of all or any portion of such Investor’s Registrable Securities or Preferred Stock if: (i) such Investor agrees in writing with such transferee or assignee (as the case may be) to assign all or any portion of such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such transfer or assignment (as the case may be); (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or assignment (as the case may be), furnished with written notice of (a) the name and address of such transferee or assignee (as the case may be), and (b) the securities with respect to
26
which such registration rights are being transferred or assigned (as the case may be); (iii) immediately following such transfer or assignment (as the case may be) the further disposition of such securities by such transferee or assignee (as the case may be) is restricted under the 1933 Act or applicable state securities laws if so required; (iv) at or before the time the Company receives the written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this sentence such transferee or assignee (as the case may be) agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions contained herein; (v) such transfer or assignment (as the case may be) shall have been made in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Agreement and the Preferred Stock; (vi) such transfer or assignment (as the case may be) shall have been conducted in accordance with all applicable federal and state securities laws; and (vii) such portion so transferred or assigned (as the case may be) either (x) entitles such transferee or assignee (as the case may be) to acquire at least 500,000 shares of Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, Common Stock) or (y) such transferee or assignee (as the case may be) acquires at least 500,000 shares of Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, Common Stock).
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10.
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Amendment of Registration Rights.
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Provisions of this Agreement may be amended only with the written consent of the Company and the Required Investors. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding upon each Investor and the Company, provided that no such amendment shall be effective to the extent that it (1) applies to less than all of the holders of Registrable Securities or (2) imposes any obligation or liability on any Investor without such Investor’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in such Investor’s sole discretion). No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party, provided that the Required Investors may waive any provision of this Agreement, and any waiver of any provision of this Agreement made in conformity with the provisions of this Section 10 shall be binding on each Investor, provided that no such waiver shall be effective to the extent that it (1) applies to less than all of the holders of Registrable Securities (unless a party gives a waiver as to itself only) or (2) imposes any obligation or liability on any Investor without such Investor’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in such Investor’s sole discretion). No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to this Agreement.
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11.
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Miscellaneous.
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(a) Solely for purposes of this Agreement, a Person is deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities whenever such Person owns, or is deemed to own, of record such Registrable Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or elections from two or more Persons with respect to the same Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or election received from such record owner of such Registrable Securities.
(b) Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on
27
file by the sending party); (iii) with respect to Section 3(c), by electronic mail (provided confirmation of transmission is electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iv) one (1) Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service with next day delivery specified, in each case, properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc.
914 N. Jefferson
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
Telephone: (479) 756-7400
Facsimile: (479) 756-7410
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
With a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated
112 East Pecan Street
Suite 1800
San Antonio, TX 78205
Telephone: (210) 554 -5500
Facsimile: (210) 226-8395
Attention: J. Patrick Ryan, Esq.
If to the Transfer Agent:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
6201 15th Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11219
Telephone: (718) 921-8208
Facsimile: (718) 921-8335
Attention: Kevin Jennings
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If to Legal Counsel:
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Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
191 N. Wacker Drive
30th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606
Telephone: (312) 499-6000
Facsimile: (312) 499-6100
Attention: Amit Mehta, Esq.
If to Buyer, to its address and facsimile number set forth on Schedule I attached to the Securities Agreement, with copies to Buyer’s representatives as set forth on Schedule I, or to such other
28
address and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change, provided that Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP shall only be provided notices sent to Buyer. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine or electronic mail transmission containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number or electronic mail address and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by a courier or overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
(c) Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof. The Company and each Investor acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that each party hereto shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement by any other party hereto and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof (without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required), this being in addition to any other remedy to which any party may be entitled by law or equity.
(d) All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
(e) This Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, the schedules and exhibits
29
attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto and thereto solely with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein and therein. This Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, the schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein supersede all prior agreements and understandings among the parties hereto solely with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof; provided, however, nothing contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document shall (or shall be deemed to) (i) have any effect on any agreements any Investor has entered into with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries prior to the date hereof with respect to any prior investment made by such Investor in the Company, (ii) waive, alter, modify or amend in any respect any obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any rights of or benefits to any Investor or any other Person in any agreement entered into prior to the date hereof between or among the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries and any Investor and all such agreements shall continue in full force and effect or (iii) limit any obligations of the Company under any of the other Transaction Documents.
(f) Subject to compliance with Section 9 (if applicable), this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the permitted successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto. This Agreement is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any Person, other than the parties hereto, their respective permitted successors and assigns and the Persons referred to in Sections 6 and 7 hereof.
(g) The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof. The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the provision in which they are found.
(h) This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by an e-mail which contains a portable document format (.pdf) file of an executed signature page, such signature page shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such signature page were an original thereof.
(i) Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(j) The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 10, terms used in
30
this Agreement but defined in the other Transaction Documents shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms on the Closing Date in such other Transaction Documents unless otherwise consented to in writing by each Investor.
(k) The obligations of each Investor under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Investor, and no Investor shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Investor under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Investor pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Investors as, and the Company acknowledges that the Investors do not so constitute, a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of group or entity, or create a presumption that the Investors are in any way acting in concert or as a group or entity with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or any matters, and the Company acknowledges that the Investors are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company shall not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any of the other the Transaction Documents. Subject to the provisions on amendment set forth in Section 10, each Investor shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights (including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of any other Transaction Documents), and it shall not be necessary for any other Investor to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. The use of a single agreement with respect to the obligations of the Company contained herein was solely in the control of the Company, not the action or decision of any Investor, and was done solely for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Investor. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and an Investor, solely, and not between the Company and the Investors collectively and not between and among Investors.
[signature pages follow]
31
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
COMPANY:
ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By: _____________________________
Name: ___________________________
Title: ____________________________
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
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BUYER:
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H.I.G. AERT, LLC
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______________________________
By: ____________________
Its: ____________________
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF NOTICE OF EFFECTIVENESS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
______________________
______________________
______________________
Attention: _____________
Re: Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
[We are][I am] counsel to Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and have represented the Company in connection with that certain Securities Exchange Agreement (the “Securities Agreement”) entered into by and between the Company and the buyer named therein (the “Investor”) pursuant to which the Company issued to the Investor shares of Series E Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) convertible into shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”). Pursuant to the Securities Agreement, the Company also has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the Investor (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company agreed, among other things, to register the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). In connection with the Company’s obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, on ____________ ___, 20__, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form [S-1][S-3] (File No. 333-_____________) (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) relating to the Registrable Securities which names the Investor as a selling stockholder thereunder.
In connection with the foregoing, [we][I] advise you that a member of the SEC’s staff has advised [us][me] by telephone that the SEC has entered an order declaring the Registration Statement effective under the 1933 Act at [ENTER TIME OF EFFECTIVENESS] on [ENTER DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS] and [we][I] have no knowledge, after telephonic inquiry of a member of the SEC’s staff, that any stop order suspending its effectiveness has been issued or that any proceedings for that purpose are pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and the Registrable Securities are available for resale under the 1933 Act pursuant to the Registration Statement.
This letter shall serve as our standing opinion to you that the shares of Common Stock underlying the Preferred Stock are freely transferable by the Investor pursuant to the Registration Statement. You need not require further letters from us to effect any future legend-free issuance or reissuance of such shares of Common Stock to the Investor as contemplated by the Company’s Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions dated _________ __, 20__.
Very truly yours,
[ISSUER’S COUNSEL]
By:_____________________
CC: [HOLDER]
EXHIBIT B
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The shares of common stock being offered by the selling stockholders are those issuable to the selling stockholders upon conversion of the preferred stock. For additional information regarding the issuance of the preferred stock, see “Private Placement of Preferred Stock” above. We are registering the shares of common stock in order to permit the selling stockholders to offer the shares for resale from time to time. Except for the ownership of the preferred stock issued pursuant to the Securities Agreement and [______________], the selling stockholders have not had any material relationship with us within the past three years.
The table below lists the selling stockholders and other information regarding the beneficial ownership (as determined under Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder) of the shares of common stock held by each of the selling stockholders. The second column lists the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by the selling stockholders, based on their respective ownership of shares of common stock, as of ________, 20___, assuming conversion of the preferred stock held by each such selling stockholder on that date.
The third column lists the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus by the selling stockholders.
In accordance with the terms of a registration rights agreement with the holders of the preferred stock, this prospectus generally covers the resale of 133% of the sum of the maximum number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the preferred stock, determined as if the outstanding preferred stock were converted in full as of the trading day immediately preceding the date this registration statement was initially filed with the SEC. Because the conversion prices of the preferred stock may be adjusted, the number of shares that will actually be issued may be more or less than the number of shares being offered by this prospectus. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares offered by the selling stockholders pursuant to this prospectus.
The selling stockholders may sell all, some or none of their shares in this offering. See “Plan of Distribution.”
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Name of Selling Stockholder
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Number of Shares of
Common Stock Owned
Prior to Offering
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Maximum Number of
Shares of Common Stock to
be Sold Pursuant to this
Prospectus
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Number of Shares of
Common Stock Owned
After Offering
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H.I.G. AERT, LLC
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[H.I.G. AERT, LLC transferee(s)]
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We are registering the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the preferred stock to permit the resale of these shares of common stock by the holders of the preferred stock from time to time after the date of this prospectus. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the selling stockholders of the shares of common stock. We will bear all fees and expenses incident to our obligation to register the shares of common stock.
The selling stockholders may sell all or a portion of the shares of common stock held by them and offered hereby from time to time directly or through one or more underwriters, broker-dealers or agents. If the shares of common stock are sold through underwriters or broker-dealers, the selling stockholders will be responsible for underwriting discounts or commissions or agent’s commissions. The shares of common stock may be sold in one or more transactions at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale or at negotiated prices. These sales may be effected in transactions, which may involve crosses or block transactions, pursuant to one or more of the following methods:
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on any national securities exchange or quotation service on which the securities may be listed or quoted at the time of sale;
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in the over-the-counter market;
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in transactions otherwise than on these exchanges or systems or in the over-the-counter market;
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through the writing or settlement of options, whether such options are listed on an options exchange or otherwise;
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ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;
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block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
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purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;
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an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;
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privately negotiated transactions;
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short sales made after the date the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC;
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broker-dealers may agree with a selling securityholder to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;
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a combination of any such methods of sale; and
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any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
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The selling stockholders may also sell shares of common stock under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, if available, rather than under this prospectus. In addition, the selling stockholders may transfer the shares of common stock by other means not described in this prospectus. If the selling stockholders effect such transactions by selling shares of common stock to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders or commissions from purchasers of the shares of common stock for whom they may act as agent or to whom they may sell as principal (which discounts, concessions or commissions as to particular underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may be in excess of those customary in the types of transactions involved). In connection with sales of the shares of common stock or otherwise, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short sales of the shares of common stock in the course of hedging in positions they assume. The selling stockholders may also sell shares of common stock short and deliver shares of common stock covered by this prospectus to close out short positions and to return borrowed shares in connection with such short sales. The selling stockholders may also loan or pledge shares of common stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such shares.
The selling stockholders may pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the preferred stock or shares of common stock owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the shares of common stock from time to time pursuant to this prospectus or any amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending, if necessary, the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as selling stockholders under this prospectus. The selling stockholders also may transfer and donate the shares of common stock in other circumstances in which case the transferees, donees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.
To the extent required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, the selling stockholders and any broker-dealer participating in the distribution of the shares of common stock may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any commission paid, or any discounts or concessions allowed to, any such broker-dealer may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. At the time a particular offering of the shares of common stock is made, a prospectus supplement, if required, will be distributed, which will set forth the aggregate amount of shares of common stock being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any broker-dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions and other terms constituting compensation from the selling stockholders and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to broker-dealers.
Under the securities laws of some states, the shares of common stock may be sold in such states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the shares of common stock may not be sold unless such shares have been registered or qualified for sale in such state or an exemption from registration or qualification is available and is complied with.
There can be no assurance that any selling stockholder will sell any or all of the shares of common stock registered pursuant to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.
The selling stockholders and any other person participating in such distribution will be subject to applicable provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, to the extent applicable, Regulation M of the Exchange Act, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares of common stock by the selling stockholders and any other participating person. To the extent applicable, Regulation M may also restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the shares of common stock to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares of common stock. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares of common stock and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares of common stock.
We will pay all expenses of the registration of the shares of common stock pursuant to the registration rights agreement, estimated to be $[ ] in total, including, without limitation, Securities and Exchange Commission filing fees and expenses of compliance with state securities or “blue sky” laws; provided, however, a selling stockholder will pay all underwriting discounts and selling commissions, if any. We will indemnify the selling stockholders against liabilities, including some liabilities under the Securities Act in accordance with the registration rights agreements or the selling stockholders will be entitled to contribution. We may be indemnified by the selling stockholders against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act that may arise from any written information furnished to us by the selling stockholder specifically for use in this prospectus, in accordance with the related registration rights agreements or we may be entitled to contribution.
Once sold under the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, the shares of common stock will be freely tradable in the hands of persons other than our affiliates.