Form of Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 24, 2024
Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of May 24, 2024, is by and among Asset Entities Inc., a Nevada corporation with offices located at 100 Crescent Ct, 7th Floor, Dallas, TX 75201 (the “Company”), and each of the investors listed on the Schedule of Buyers attached hereto (individually, a “Buyer” and collectively, the “Buyers”).
RECITALS
A. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to the exemption provided by Rule 506(b) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) for the Preferred Shares (as described below) and Conversion Shares (as described below), the Company desires to issue and sell to each Buyer, and each Buyer, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.
B. The Company has authorized a new series of convertible preferred stock of the Company designated as Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value, the terms of which are set forth in the certificate of designation for such series of Preferred Stock (the “Certificate of Designation”) in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (together with any convertible preferred shares issued in replacement thereof in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Series A Preferred Stock”), which Series A Preferred Stock shall be convertible into shares of Class B Common Stock (as defined below) (such shares of Class B Common Stock issuable pursuant to the terms of the Certificate of Designation, including, without limitation, upon conversion or otherwise, collectively, the “Conversion Shares”), in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Designation.
C. Each Buyer wishes to purchase, and the Company wishes to sell, upon the terms and conditions stated in this Agreement, the aggregate number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Shares”) set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (3) and column (4), on the Schedule of Buyers.
D. On the First Closing Date (as defined below), the Company and the Buyers will enter into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), dated as of the date of this Agreement, pursuant to which the Company will agree to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute, and applicable state securities laws.
E. The Preferred Shares and the Conversion Shares are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.”
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 each Buyer hereby agree as follows:
1. PURCHASE AND SALE OF PREFERRED SHARES.
(a) Purchase of Preferred Shares. Subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of the conditions set forth in Sections 6 and 7 below, the Company shall issue and sell to each Buyer, and each Buyer severally, but not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company on the First Closing Date (as defined below) and the Second Closing Date (as defined below) the aggregate number of Preferred Shares as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (3) and column (4), respectively, on the Schedule of Buyers.
(b) Closing.
(i) The first closing (the “First Closing”) of the purchase of the Preferred Shares by the Buyers shall occur at the offices of Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10020. The date and time of the First Closing (the “First Closing Date”) shall be 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the first (1st) Business Day on which the conditions to the First Closing set forth in Sections 6 and 7 below are satisfied or waived (or such other date as is mutually agreed to by the Company and each Buyer). As used herein “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.
(ii) The second closing (the “Second Closing” and together with the First Closing, each, a “Closing”) of the purchase of the Preferred Shares by the Buyers shall occur at the offices of Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10020. The date and time of the Second Closing (the “Second Closing Date”, and together with the First Closing Date, each, a “Closing Date”) shall be 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the first (1st) Business Day on which the conditions to the Second Closing set forth in Sections 6 and 7 below are satisfied or waived (or such other date as is mutually agreed to by the Company and each Buyer).
(c) Purchase Price. The aggregate purchase price for the Preferred Shares to be purchased by each Buyer in the First Closing (the “First Purchase Price”) shall be the aggregate amount set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (5) on the Schedule of Buyers. The aggregate purchase price for the Preferred Shares to be purchased by each Buyer in the Second Closing (the “Second Purchase Price” and together with the First Purchase Price, the “Purchase Price”) shall be the aggregate amount set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (6) on the Schedule of Buyers.
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(d) Form of Payment.
(i) On the First Closing Date, (i) each Buyer shall pay its First Purchase Price (less, in the case of any Buyer, the amounts withheld pursuant to Section 4(g)) to the Company for the Preferred Shares to be issued and sold to such Buyer at the First Closing, by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Flow of Funds Letter (as defined below) and (ii) the Company shall deliver to each Buyer the aggregate number of Preferred Shares as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (3), of the Schedule of Buyers, in each case, duly executed on behalf of the Company and registered in the name of such Buyer or its designee.
(ii) On the Second Closing Date, (i) each Buyer shall pay its Second Purchase Price (less, in the case of any Buyer, the amounts withheld pursuant to Section 4(g)) to the Company for the Preferred Shares to be issued and sold to such Buyer at the Second Closing, by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Flow of Funds Letter and (ii) the Company shall deliver to each Buyer the aggregate number of Preferred Shares as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (4), of the Schedule of Buyers, in each case, duly executed on behalf of the Company and registered in the name of such Buyer or its designee.
2. BUYER’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
Each Buyer, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to the Company with respect to only itself that, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date:
(a) Organization; Authority. Such Buyer is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with the requisite power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (as defined below) to which it is a party and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
(b) No Public Sale or Distribution. Such Buyer (i) is acquiring its Preferred Shares, and (ii) upon conversion of its Preferred Shares will acquire the Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion thereof, in each case, for its own account and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution thereof in violation of applicable securities laws, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the 1933 Act; provided, however, by making the representations herein, such Buyer does not agree, or make any representation or warranty, to hold any of the Securities for any minimum or other specific term and reserves the right to dispose of the Securities at any time in accordance with or pursuant to a registration statement or an exemption from registration under the 1933 Act. Such Buyer does not presently have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any Person to distribute any of the Securities in violation of applicable securities laws. For purposes of this Agreement, “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and any Governmental Entity or any department or agency thereof.
(c) Accredited Investor Status. Such Buyer is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the 1933 Act (“Regulation D”).
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(d) Reliance on Exemptions. Such Buyer understands that the Securities are being offered and sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and accuracy of, and such Buyer’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of such Buyer set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of such Buyer to acquire the Securities.
(e) Information. Such Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Securities that have been requested by such Buyer. Such Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the Company. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by such Buyer or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect such Buyer’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained herein. Such Buyer understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk. Such Buyer has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Securities.
(f) No Governmental Review. Such Buyer understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.
(g) Transfer or Resale. Such Buyer understands that except as provided in this Agreement: (i) the Securities have not been and are not being registered under the 1933 Act or any state securities laws, and may not be offered for sale, sold, assigned or transferred unless (A) subsequently registered thereunder, (B) such Buyer shall have delivered to the Company (if requested by the Company) an opinion of counsel, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company, to the effect that such Securities to be sold, assigned or transferred may be sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration, or (C) such Buyer provides the Company with reasonable assurance that such Securities can be sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to Rule 144 or Rule 144A promulgated under the 1933 Act (or a successor rule thereto) (collectively, “Rule 144”); (ii) any sale of the Securities made in reliance on Rule 144 may be made only in accordance with the terms of Rule 144, and further, if Rule 144 is not applicable, any resale of the Securities under circumstances in which the seller (or the Person through whom the sale is made) may be deemed to be an underwriter (as that term is defined in the 1933 Act) may require compliance with some other exemption under the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) promulgated thereunder; and (iii) neither the Company nor any other Person is under any obligation to register the Securities under the 1933 Act or any state securities laws or to comply with the terms and conditions of any exemption thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Securities may be pledged in connection with a bona fide margin account or other loan or financing arrangement secured by the Securities and such pledge of Securities shall not be deemed to be a transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities hereunder, and no Buyer effecting a pledge of Securities shall be required to provide the Company with any notice thereof or otherwise make any delivery to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document (as defined in Section 3(b)), including, without limitation, this Section 2(g).
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(h) Validity; Enforcement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of such Buyer and shall constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Buyer enforceable against such Buyer in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.
(i) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by such Buyer of this Agreement and the consummation by such Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) result in a violation of the organizational documents of such Buyer, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which such Buyer is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws) applicable to such Buyer, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such conflicts, defaults, rights or violations which could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Buyer to perform its obligations hereunder.
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to each of the Buyers that, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date:
(a) Organization and Qualification. Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are entities duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are formed, and have the requisite power and authority to own their properties and to carry on their business as now being conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted. Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign entity to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on (i) the business, properties, assets, liabilities, operations (including results thereof), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any Subsidiary, individually or taken as a whole, (ii) the transactions contemplated hereby or in any of the other Transaction Documents or any other agreements or instruments to be entered into in connection herewith or therewith or (iii) the authority or ability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to perform any of their respective obligations under any of the Transaction Documents (as defined below). Other than the Persons (as defined below) set forth on Schedule 3(a), the Company has no Subsidiaries. “Subsidiaries” means any Person in which the Company, directly or indirectly, (I) owns the majority of the outstanding capital stock or holds the majority of any equity or similar interest of such Person or (II) controls or operates all or any part of the business, operations or administration of such Person, and each of the foregoing, is individually referred to herein as a “Subsidiary.”
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(b) Authorization; Enforcement; Validity. The Company has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents by the Company, and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Preferred Shares have been duly authorized by the Company’s board of directors or other governing body, as applicable, and (other than the filing with the SEC of one or more Registration Statements (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, a Form D with the SEC, and any other filings as may be required by any state securities agencies) no further filing, consent or authorization is required by the Company, its Subsidiaries, their respective boards of directors or their stockholders or other governing body. This Agreement has been, and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party will be prior to the Closing, duly executed and delivered by the Company, and each constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies and except as rights to indemnification and to contribution may be limited by federal or state securities law. The Certificate of Designation in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A has been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada and is in full force and effect, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms and has not have been amended. “Transaction Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, the Certificate of Designation, the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions (as defined below) and each of the other agreements and instruments entered into or delivered by any of the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, as may be amended from time to time.
(c) Issuance of Securities. The issuance of the Preferred Shares is duly authorized and upon issuance in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all preemptive or similar rights, mortgages, defects, claims, liens, pledges, charges, taxes, rights of first refusal, encumbrances, security interests and other encumbrances (collectively “Liens”) with respect to the issuance thereof. Upon issuance or conversion in accordance with the Preferred Shares, the Conversion Shares, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all preemptive or similar rights or Liens with respect to the issue thereof, with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Class B Common Stock. All corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Preferred Shares and the Conversion Shares has been duly and validly taken.
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(d) No Conflicts. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(d), the execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and its Subsidiaries and the consummation by the Company and its Subsidiaries of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Preferred Shares, the Conversion Shares and the reservation for issuance of the Conversion Shares) will not (i) result in a violation of the Articles of Incorporation (as defined below) (including, without limitation, any certificate of designation contained therein), Bylaws (as defined below), certificate of formation, memorandum of association, articles of association, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any capital stock or other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) in any respect under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including, without limitation, foreign, federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Principal Market”) and including all applicable foreign, federal and state laws, rules and regulations) applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected.
(e) Consents. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is required to obtain any consent from, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with (other than the filing with the SEC of one or more Registration Statements, a Form D with the SEC, and any other filings as may be required by any state securities agencies), any Governmental Entity (as defined below) or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency or any other Person in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its respective obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents, in each case, in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof. All consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company or any Subsidiary is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence have been or will be obtained or effected on or prior to the Closing Date, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries are aware of any facts or circumstances which might prevent the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from obtaining or effecting any of the registration, application or filings contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(e), the Company is not in violation of the requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which could reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Class B Common Stock in the foreseeable future. “Governmental Entity” means any nation, state, county, city, town, village, district, or other political jurisdiction of any nature, federal, state, local, municipal, foreign, or other government, governmental or quasi-governmental authority of any nature (including any governmental agency, branch, department, official, or entity and any court or other tribunal), multi-national organization or body; or body exercising, or entitled to exercise, any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative, police, regulatory, or taxing authority or power of any nature or instrumentality of any of the foregoing, including any entity or enterprise owned or controlled by a government or a public international organization or any of the foregoing.
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(f) Acknowledgment Regarding Buyer’s Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Buyer is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and that no Buyer is (i) an officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iii) to its knowledge, a “beneficial owner” of more than 10% of the shares of Class B Common Stock (as defined for purposes of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”)). The Company further acknowledges that no Buyer is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and any advice given by a Buyer or any of its representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to such Buyer’s purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Buyer that the Company’s and each Subsidiary’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents to which it is a party has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company, each Subsidiary and their respective representatives. The Company acknowledges that the Buyer is not a broker dealer and is not required to be registered as a broker dealer.
(g) No General Solicitation; Placement Agent’s Fees. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf, has engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities. The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, or brokers’ commissions (other than for Persons engaged by any Buyer or its investment advisor) relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby, in connection with the sale of the Securities. The Company shall pay, and hold each Buyer harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any such claim. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(g), neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged any placement agent or other agent in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.
(h) No Integrated Offering. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their affiliates, nor any Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would require registration of the issuance of any of the Securities under the 1933 Act, whether through integration with prior offerings or otherwise, or cause this offering of the Securities to require approval of stockholders of the Company for purposes of the 1933 Act or under any applicable stockholder approval provisions, including, without limitation, under the rules and regulations of any exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated for quotation. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries, their affiliates nor any Person acting on their behalf will take any action or steps that would require registration of the issuance of any of the Securities under the 1933 Act or cause the offering of any of the Securities to be integrated with other offerings of securities of the Company.
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(i) Dilutive Effect. The Company understands and acknowledges that the issuance of the Securities may result in dilution of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock, which dilution may be substantial under certain market conditions, and that the number of Conversion Shares may increase in certain circumstances. The Company further acknowledges that its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including, without limitation, its obligation to issue the Conversion Shares pursuant to the Transaction Documents, are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any right of set off, counterclaim, delay or reduction, regardless of the effect of any such dilution or any claim the Company may have against any Buyer and regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership of the other stockholders of the Company.
(j) Application of Takeover Protections; Rights Agreement. The Company and its board of directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, interested stockholder, business combination, poison pill (including, without limitation, any distribution under a rights agreement), stockholder rights plan or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws or other organizational documents or the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or otherwise which is or could become applicable to any Buyer as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and any Buyer’s ownership of the Securities. The Company and its board of directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any stockholder rights plan or similar arrangement relating to accumulations of beneficial ownership of shares of Class B Common Stock or a change in control of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(k) SEC Documents; Financial Statements. The Company has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, proxy statements, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits and appendices included therein and financial statements, notes and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and the Registration Statement being hereinafter referred to as the “SEC Documents”). The Company has delivered or has made available to the Buyers or their respective representatives true, correct and complete copies of each of the SEC Documents not available on the EDGAR system. As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect as of the time of filing. Such financial statements, when filed with the SEC, will have been prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate). The reserves, if any, established by the Company or the lack of reserves, if applicable, are reasonable based upon facts and circumstances known by the Company on the date hereof and there are no loss contingencies that are required to be accrued by the Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 5 of the Financial Accounting Standards Board which are not provided for by the Company in its financial statements or otherwise. No other information provided by or on behalf of the Company to any of the Buyers which is not included in the SEC Documents (including, without limitation, information referred to in Section 2(e) of this Agreement or in the disclosure schedules to this Agreement) contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, in the light of the circumstance under which they are or were made. The Company is not currently contemplating to amend or restate any of the financial statements (including, without limitation, any notes or any letter of the independent accountants of the Company with respect thereto) included in the SEC Documents (the “Financial Statements”), nor is the Company currently aware of facts or circumstances which would require the Company to amend or restate any of the Financial Statements, in each case, in order for any of the Financials Statements to be in compliance with GAAP and the rules and regulations of the SEC. The Company has not been informed by its independent accountants that they recommend that the Company amend or restate any of the Financial Statements or that there is any need for the Company to amend or restate any of the Financial Statements.
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(l) Absence of Certain Changes. Since March 31, 2024, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the business, assets, liabilities, properties, operations (including results thereof), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Since March 31, 2024, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has (i) declared or paid any dividends, (ii) sold any assets, individually or in the aggregate, outside of the ordinary course of business or (iii) made any capital expenditures, individually or in the aggregate, outside of the ordinary course of business. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any steps to seek protection pursuant to any law or statute relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, liquidation or winding up, nor does the Company or any Subsidiary have any knowledge or reason to believe that any of their respective creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so. The Company and its Subsidiaries, individually and on a consolidated basis, are not as of the date hereof, and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby to occur at the Closing, will not be Insolvent (as defined below). For purposes of this Section 3(l), “Insolvent” means, (i) with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, (A) the present fair saleable value of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ assets is less than the amount required to pay the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ total Indebtedness (as defined below), (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries are unable to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured or (C) the Company and its Subsidiaries intend to incur or believe that they will incur debts that would be beyond their ability to pay as such debts mature; and (ii) with respect to the Company and each Subsidiary, individually, (A) the present fair saleable value of the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s (as the case may be) assets is less than the amount required to pay its respective total Indebtedness, (B) the Company or such Subsidiary (as the case may be) is unable to pay its respective debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured or (C) the Company or such Subsidiary (as the case may be) intends to incur or believes that it will incur debts that would be beyond its respective ability to pay as such debts mature. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any business or in any transaction, and is not about to engage in any business or in any transaction, for which the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s remaining assets constitute unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted.
(m) No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances. Since March 31, 2024, no event, liability, development or circumstance has occurred or exists, or is reasonably expected to exist or occur with respect to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, properties, liabilities, prospects, operations (including results thereof) or condition (financial or otherwise), that (i) would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws on a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC relating to an issuance and sale by the Company of its Class B Common Stock and which has not been publicly announced, (ii) could have a material adverse effect on any Buyer’s investment hereunder or (iii) could have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(n) Conduct of Business; Regulatory Permits. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or in default under its Articles of Incorporation, any certificate of designation, preferences or rights of any other outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Bylaws or their organizational charter, certificate of formation, memorandum of association, articles of association, Articles of Incorporation or certificate of incorporation or bylaws, respectively. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any judgment, decree or order or any statute, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will conduct its business in violation of any of the foregoing, except in all cases for possible violations which could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, as of the Closing Date, except as set forth on Schedule 3(n), the Company is not in violation of any of the rules, regulations or requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Class B Common Stock by the Principal Market in the foreseeable future. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(n), as of the Closing Date, (i) the Class B Common Stock has been listed or designated for quotation on the Principal Market, (ii) trading in the Class B Common Stock has not been suspended by the SEC or the Principal Market and (iii) the Company has received no communication, written or oral, from the SEC or the Principal Market regarding the suspension or delisting of the Class B Common Stock from the Principal Market. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations or permits would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit. There is no agreement, commitment, judgment, injunction, order or decree binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party which has or would reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or materially impairing any business practice of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any acquisition of property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the conduct of business by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted other than such effects, individually or in the aggregate, which have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(o) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, the Company’s Subsidiary or any director, officer, agent, employee, nor any other person acting for or on behalf of the foregoing (individually and collectively, a “Company Affiliate”) have violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”) or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws, nor has any Company Affiliate offered, paid, promised to pay, or authorized the payment of any money, or offered, given, promised to give, or authorized the giving of anything of value, to any officer, employee or any other person acting in an official capacity for any Governmental Entity to any political party or official thereof or to any candidate for political office (individually and collectively, a “Government Official”) or to any person under circumstances where such Company Affiliate knew or was aware of a high probability that all or a portion of such money or thing of value would be offered, given or promised, directly or indirectly, to any Government Official, for the purpose of:
(i) (A) influencing any act or decision of such Government Official in his/her official capacity, (B) inducing such Government Official to do or omit to do any act in violation of his/her lawful duty, (C) securing any improper advantage, or (D) inducing such Government Official to influence or affect any act or decision of any Governmental Entity, or
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(ii) assisting the Company or its Subsidiaries in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(p) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. As of the Closing Date, the Company and each Subsidiary is substantially in compliance in all material respects with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.
(q) Transactions With Affiliates. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(q), no current or former employee, partner, director, officer or stockholder (direct or indirect) of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any associate, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of any thereof, or any relative with a relationship no more remote than first cousin of any of the foregoing, is presently, or has ever been, (i) a party to any transaction with the Company or its Subsidiaries (including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services by, or rental of real or personal property from, or otherwise requiring payments to, any such director, officer or stockholder or such associate or affiliate or relative Subsidiaries (other than for ordinary course services as employees, officers or directors of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries)) or (ii) the direct or indirect owner of an interest in any corporation, firm, association or business organization which is a competitor, supplier or customer of the Company or its Subsidiaries (except for a passive investment (direct or indirect) in less than 5% of the common stock of a company whose securities are traded on or quoted through an Eligible Market (as defined below)), nor does any such Person receive income from any source other than the Company or its Subsidiaries which relates to the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries or should properly accrue to the Company or its Subsidiaries. No employee, officer, stockholder or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or member of his or her immediate family is indebted to the Company or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, nor is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries indebted (or committed to make loans or extend or guarantee credit) to any of them, other than (i) for payment of salary for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the Company, and (iii) for other standard employee benefits made generally available to all employees or executives (including stock option agreements outstanding under any stock option plan approved by the Board of Directors of the Company).
(r) Equity Capitalization.
(i) Definitions:
A. “Common Stock” means the Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock.
B. “Class A Common Stock” means (x) the Company’s shares of Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and (y) any capital stock into which such Class A common stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such Class A common stock.
C. “Class B Common Stock” means (x) the Company’s shares of Class B Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and (y) any capital stock into which such Class B common stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such Class B common stock.
D. “Preferred Stock” means (x) the Company’s blank check preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share, the terms of which may be designated by the board of directors of the Company in a certificate of designation and (y) any capital stock into which such preferred stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such preferred stock (other than a conversion of such preferred stock into Common Stock in accordance with the terms of such certificate of designation).
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(ii) Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock. As of the date hereof, except as set forth on Schedule 3(r)(ii), the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (A) 200,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which, (i) 10,000,000 shares are designated as Class A Common Stock, of which 7,532,029 shares are issued and outstanding, and (ii) 190,000,000 shares are designated as Class B Common Stock, of which 7,522,971 shares are issued and outstanding and (B) 50,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, none of which are issued and outstanding. No shares of Common Stock are held in the treasury of the Company.
(iii) Valid Issuance; Available Shares; Affiliates. All of such outstanding shares are duly authorized and have been, or upon issuance will be, validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. Schedule 3(r)(iii) sets forth the number of shares of Common Stock that are, as of the date hereof, owned by Persons who are “affiliates” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act and calculated based on the assumption that only officers, directors and holders of at least 10% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Stock are “affiliates” without conceding that any such Persons are “affiliates” for purposes of federal securities laws) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(r)(iii), to the Company’s knowledge, no Person owns 10% or more of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock (calculated based on the assumption that all Convertible Securities (as defined below), whether or not presently exercisable or convertible, have been fully exercised or converted (as the case may be) taking account of any limitations on exercise or conversion (including “blockers”) contained therein without conceding that such identified Person is a 10% stockholder for purposes of federal securities laws).
(iv) Existing Securities; Obligations. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3(r)(iv): (A) none of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s shares, interests or capital stock is subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or Liens suffered or permitted by the Company or any Subsidiary; (B) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares, interests or capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares, interests or capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares, interests or capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (C) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the 1933 Act; (D) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (E) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities; and (F) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement.
(v) Organizational Documents. The Company has furnished to the Buyers true, correct and complete copies of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Articles of Incorporation”), and the Company’s bylaws, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Bylaws”), and the terms of all Convertible Securities and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.
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(s) Indebtedness and Other Contracts. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, (i) except as disclosed on Schedule 3(s), has any outstanding debt securities, notes, credit agreements, credit facilities or other agreements, documents or instruments evidencing Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound, (ii) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument, the violation of which, or default under which, by the other party(ies) to such contract, agreement or instrument could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) has any financing statements securing obligations in any amounts filed in connection with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iv) is in violation of any term of, or in default under, any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, except where such violations and defaults would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, or (v) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, the performance of which, in the judgment of the Company’s officers, has or is expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have any liabilities or obligations required to be disclosed in the SEC Documents which are not so disclosed in the SEC Documents, other than those incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses and which, individually or in the aggregate, do not or could not have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement: (x) “Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication (A) all indebtedness for borrowed money, (B) all obligations issued, undertaken or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (including, without limitation, “capital leases” in accordance with GAAP) (other than trade payables entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), (C) all reimbursement or payment obligations with respect to letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar instruments, (D) all obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, including obligations so evidenced incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses, (E) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, or incurred as financing, in either case with respect to any property or assets acquired with the proceeds of such indebtedness (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or bank under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (F) all monetary obligations under any leasing or similar arrangement which, in connection with GAAP, consistently applied for the periods covered thereby, is classified as a capital lease, (G) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (A) through (F) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien upon or in any property or assets (including accounts and contract rights) owned by any Person, even though the Person which owns such assets or property has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness, and (H) all Contingent Obligations in respect of indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (A) through (G) above; and (y) “Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person with respect to any Indebtedness, lease, dividend or other obligation of another Person if the primary purpose or intent of the Person incurring such liability, or the primary effect thereof, is to provide assurance to the obligee of such liability that such liability will be paid or discharged, or that any agreements relating thereto will be complied with, or that the holders of such liability will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss with respect thereto.
(t) Litigation. There is no material action, suit, arbitration, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by the Principal Market, any court, public board, other Governmental Entity, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Common Stock or any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ officers or directors, whether of a civil or criminal nature or otherwise, in their capacities as such, except as set forth on Schedule 3(t). No director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has willfully violated 18 U.S.C. §1519 or engaged in spoliation in reasonable anticipation of litigation. Without limitation of the foregoing, there has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the SEC involving the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any current or former director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The SEC has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act. After reasonable inquiry of its employees, the Company is not aware of any fact which might result in or form the basis for any such action, suit, arbitration, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any Governmental Entity.
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(u) Insurance. As of the Closing Date, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries will be insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will be unable to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) Employee Relations. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any collective bargaining agreement or employs any member of a union. The Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relations with their employees are good. No executive officer (as defined in Rule 501(f) promulgated under the 1933 Act) or other key employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has notified the Company or any such Subsidiary that such officer intends to leave the Company or any such Subsidiary or otherwise terminate such officer’s employment with the Company or any such Subsidiary. No executive officer or other key employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement, non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant, and the continued employment of each such executive officer or other key employee (as the case may be) does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations respecting labor, employment and employment practices and benefits, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where failure to be in compliance would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) Title.
(i) Real Property. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries holds good title to all real property, leases in real property, facilities or other interests in real property owned or held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (the “Real Property”) owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (as applicable). The Real Property is free and clear of all Liens and is not subject to any rights of way, building use restrictions, exceptions, variances, reservations, or limitations of any nature except for (a) Liens for current taxes not yet due and (b) zoning laws and other land use restrictions that do not impair the present or anticipated use of the property subject thereto. Any Real Property held under lease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
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(ii) Fixtures and Equipment. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as applicable) has good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, the tangible personal property, equipment, improvements, fixtures, and other personal property and appurtenances that are used by the Company or its Subsidiary in connection with the conduct of its business (the “Fixtures and Equipment”). The Fixtures and Equipment are structurally sound, are in good operating condition and repair, are adequate for the uses to which they are being put, are not in need of maintenance or repairs except for ordinary, routine maintenance and repairs and are sufficient for the conduct of the Company’s and/or its Subsidiaries’ businesses (as applicable) in the manner as conducted prior to the Closing. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries owns all of its Fixtures and Equipment free and clear of all Liens except for (a) liens for current taxes not yet due and (b) zoning laws and other land use restrictions that do not impair the present or anticipated use of the property subject thereto.
(x) Intellectual Property Rights. As of the Closing Date, the Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights or licenses to use all trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, original works of authorship, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights and all applications and registrations therefor (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary to conduct their respective businesses as now conducted and presently proposed to be conducted. Each of the patents and trademarks owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is listed on Schedule 3(x). None of the Company’s Intellectual Property Rights have expired or terminated or have been abandoned or are expected to expire or terminate or are expected to be abandoned, within three years from the date of this Agreement. The Company does not have any knowledge of any infringement by the Company or its Subsidiaries of Intellectual Property Rights of others. There is no claim, action or proceeding being made or brought, or to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, being threatened, against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries regarding its Intellectual Property Rights. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is aware of any facts or circumstances which might give rise to any of the foregoing infringements or claims, actions or proceedings. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their Intellectual Property Rights.
(y) Environmental Laws. (i) The Company and its Subsidiaries (A) are in compliance with any and all Environmental Laws (as defined below), (B) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (C) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where, in each of the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The term “Environmental Laws” means all federal, state, local or foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.
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(i) No Hazardous Materials:
A. have been disposed of or otherwise released from any Real Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in violation of any Environmental Laws; or
B. are present on, over, beneath, in or upon a Real Property or any portion thereof in quantities that would constitute a violation of any Environmental Laws. No prior use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any Real Property has occurred that violates any Environmental Laws, which violation would have a material adverse effect on the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(ii) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries knows of any other person who or entity which has stored, treated, recycled, disposed of or otherwise located on any Real Property any Hazardous Materials, including, without limitation, such substances as asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls.
(iii) None of the Real Properties are on any federal or state “Superfund” list or Liability Information System (“CERCLIS”) list or any state environmental agency list of sites under consideration for CERCLIS, nor subject to any environmental related Liens.
(z) Subsidiary Rights. The Company or one of its Subsidiaries has the unrestricted right to vote, and (subject to limitations imposed by applicable law) to receive dividends and distributions on, all capital securities of its Subsidiaries as owned by the Company or such Subsidiary.
(aa) Tax Status. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i) has timely made or filed all foreign, federal and state income and all other tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has timely paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations, except those being contested in good faith and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries know of no basis for any such claim. The Company is not operated in such a manner as to qualify as a passive foreign investment company, as defined in Section 1297 of the Code. The net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) for United States federal income tax purposes of the consolidated group of which the Company is the common parent, if any, shall not be adversely affected by the transactions contemplated hereby. The transactions contemplated hereby do not constitute an “ownership change” within the meaning of Section 382 of the Code, thereby preserving the Company’s ability to utilize such NOLs.
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(bb) Internal Accounting and Disclosure Controls. As of the Closing Date, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the 1934 Act) that is effective to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset and liability accountability, (iii) access to assets or incurrence of liabilities is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets and liabilities is compared with the existing assets and liabilities at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any difference. The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the 1934 Act) that are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and its principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or correspondence from any accountant, Governmental Entity or other Person relating to any potential material weakness or significant deficiency in any part of the internal controls over financial reporting of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(cc) Off Balance Sheet Arrangements. As of the Closing Date, there is no transaction, arrangement, or other relationship between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and an unconsolidated or other off balance sheet entity that is required to be disclosed by the Company in its 1934 Act filings and is not so disclosed or that otherwise could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(dd) Investment Company Status. The Company is not, and upon consummation of the sale of the Securities will not be, an “investment company,” an affiliate of an “investment company,” a company controlled by an “investment company” or an “affiliated person” of, or “promoter” or “principal underwriter” for, an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(ee) Manipulation of Price. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, (i) taken any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iv) paid or agreed to pay any Person for research services with respect to any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
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(ff) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or has ever been, and so long as any of the Securities are held by any of the Buyers, shall become, a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Code, and the Company and each Subsidiary shall so certify upon any Buyer’s request.
(gg) [Reserved.]
(hh) Transfer Taxes. On the Closing Date, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income or similar taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the issuance, sale and transfer of the Securities to be sold to each Buyer hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company, and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been complied with.
(ii) Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
(jj) Illegal or Unauthorized Payments; Political Contributions. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge (after reasonable inquiry of its officers and directors), any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or other representatives of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other business entity or enterprise with which the Company or any Subsidiary is or has been affiliated or associated, has, directly or indirectly, made or authorized any payment, contribution or gift of money, property, or services, whether or not in contravention of applicable law, (i) as a kickback or bribe to any Person or (ii) to any political organization, or the holder of or any aspirant to any elective or appointive public office except for personal political contributions not involving the direct or indirect use of funds of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(kk) Money Laundering. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with, and have not previously violated, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and all other applicable U.S. and non-U.S. anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the laws, regulations and Executive Orders and sanctions programs administered by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, including, but not limited, to (i) Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001 entitled, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism” (66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (2001)); and (ii) any regulations contained in 31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V.
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(ll) Management. During the past five year period, to the knowledge of the Company, no current or former executive officer or director or, to the knowledge of the Company, no current ten percent (10%) or greater stockholder of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been the subject of:
(i) a petition under bankruptcy laws or any other insolvency or moratorium law or the appointment by a court of a receiver, fiscal agent or similar officer for such Person, or any partnership in which such person was a general partner at or within two years before the filing of such petition or such appointment, or any corporation or business association of which such person was an executive officer at or within two years before the time of the filing of such petition or such appointment;
(ii) a conviction in a criminal proceeding or a named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations that do not relate to driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence);
(iii) any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining any such person from, or otherwise limiting, the following activities:
(1) Acting as a futures commission merchant, introducing broker, commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator, floor broker, leverage transaction merchant, any other person regulated by the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission or an associated person of any of the foregoing, or as an investment adviser, underwriter, broker or dealer in securities, or as an affiliated person, director or employee of any investment company, bank, savings and loan association or insurance company, or engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with such activity;
(2) Engaging in any particular type of business practice; or
(3) Engaging in any activity in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or commodity or in connection with any violation of securities laws or commodities laws;
(iv) any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any authority barring, suspending or otherwise limiting for more than sixty (60) days the right of any such person to engage in any activity described in the preceding sub paragraph, or to be associated with persons engaged in any such activity;
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(v) a finding by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the SEC or other authority to have violated any securities law, regulation or decree and the judgment in such civil action or finding by the SEC or any other authority has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated; or
(vi) a finding by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated any federal commodities law, and the judgment in such civil action or finding has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated.
(mm) Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the applicable stock option plan of the Company and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Class B Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.
(nn) No Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers. There are no material disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated by the Company to arise, between the Company and the accountants and lawyers formerly or presently employed by the Company and the Company is current with respect to any fees owed to its accountants and lawyers which could affect the Company’s ability to perform any of its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents.
(oo) No Disqualification Events. With respect to Securities to be offered and sold hereunder in reliance on Rule 506(b) under the 1933 Act (“Regulation D Securities”), none of the Company, any of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, or to the Company’s knowledge, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the offering contemplated hereby, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale (each, an “Issuer Covered Person” and, together, “Issuer Covered Persons”) is subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the 1933 Act (a “Disqualification Event”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3). The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Issuer Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event. The Company has complied, to the extent applicable, with its disclosure obligations under Rule 506(e), and has furnished to the Buyers a copy of any disclosures provided thereunder.
(pp) Other Covered Persons. Except as set forth in Schedule 3(pp), the Company is not aware of any Person that has been or will be paid (directly or indirectly) remuneration for solicitation of Buyers or potential purchasers in connection with the sale of any Regulation D Securities.
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(qq) No Additional Agreements. The Company does not have any agreement or understanding with any Buyer with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents other than as specified in the Transaction Documents.
(rr) Public Utility Holding Act. None of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a “holding company,” or an “affiliate” of a “holding company,” as such terms are defined in the Public Utility Holding Act of 2005.
(ss) Federal Power Act. None of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to regulation as a “public utility” under the Federal Power Act, as amended.
(tt) Cybersecurity. The Company and its Subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company’s business. The Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable physical, technical and administrative controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data, including “Personal Data,” used in connection with their businesses. “Personal Data” means (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information which would qualify as “personally identifying information” under the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended; (iii) “personal data” as defined by the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (EU 2016/679); (iv) any information which would qualify as “protected health information” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (collectively, “HIPAA”); and (v) any other piece of information that allows the identification of such natural person, or his or her family, or permits the collection or analysis of any data related to an identified person’s health or sexual orientation. There have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same except in each case, where such would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification except in each case, where such would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(uu) Compliance with Data Privacy Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries are, and at all prior times were, in compliance with all applicable state and federal data privacy and security laws and regulations, including without limitation HIPAA, and the Company and its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable actions to prepare to comply with, and since May 25, 2018, have been and currently are in compliance with, the GDPR (EU 2016/679) (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”) except in each case, where such would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. To ensure compliance with the Privacy Laws, the Company and its Subsidiaries have in place, comply with, and take appropriate steps reasonably designed to ensure compliance in all material respects with their policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, and analysis of Personal Data (the “Policies”). The Company and its Subsidiaries have at all times made all disclosures to users or customers required by applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, and none of such disclosures made or contained in any Policy have, to the knowledge of the Company, been inaccurate or in violation of any applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements in any material respect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) has received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; or (iii) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.
(vv) Disclosure. The Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Buyers or their agents or counsel with any information that constitutes or could reasonably be expected to constitute material, non-public information concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than the existence of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. The Company understands and confirms that each of the Buyers will rely on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All disclosure provided to the Buyers regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the schedules to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No event or circumstance has occurred or information exists with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their business, properties, liabilities, prospects, operations (including results thereof) or conditions (financial or otherwise), which, under applicable law, rule or regulation, requires public disclosure at or before the date hereof or announcement by the Company but which has not been so publicly disclosed. All financial projections and forecasts that have been prepared by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and made available to the Buyers have been prepared in good faith based upon reasonable assumptions and represented, at the time each such financial projection or forecast was delivered to each Buyer, the Company’s best estimate of future financial performance (it being recognized that such financial projections or forecasts are not to be viewed as facts and that the actual results during the period or periods covered by any such financial projections or forecasts may differ from the projected or forecasted results). The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Buyer makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 2.
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4. COVENANTS.
(a) Best Efforts. Each Buyer shall use its best efforts to timely satisfy each of the covenants hereunder and conditions to be satisfied by it as provided in Section 6 of this Agreement. The Company shall use its best efforts to timely satisfy each of the covenants hereunder and conditions to be satisfied by it as provided in Section 7 of this Agreement.
(b) Blue Sky. The Company shall, on or before the Closing Date, take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to, qualify the Securities for sale to the Buyers at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States (or to obtain an exemption from such qualification), and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Buyers on or prior to the Closing Date. Without limiting any other obligation of the Company under this Agreement, the Company shall timely make all filings and reports relating to the offer and sale of the Securities required under all applicable securities laws (including, without limitation, all applicable federal securities laws and all applicable “Blue Sky” laws), and the Company shall comply with all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws, statutes, rules, regulations and the like relating to the offering and sale of the Securities to the Buyers.
(c) Reporting Status. Until the date on which the Buyers shall have sold all of the Securities (the “Reporting Period”), the Company shall timely file all reports required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act, and the Company shall not terminate its status as an issuer required to file reports under the 1934 Act even if the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder would no longer require or otherwise permit such termination. From the time Form S-3 is available to the Company for the registration of the Securities, the Company shall take all actions necessary to maintain its eligibility to register the Securities for resale by the Buyers on Form S-3.
(d) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the proceeds from the sale of the Securities for general corporate purposes, but not, directly or indirectly, for (i) the satisfaction of any indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) the redemption or repurchase of any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iii) the settlement of any outstanding litigation.
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(e) Financial Information. From and after the Closing Date, the Company agrees to send the following to each Buyer during the Reporting Period (i) unless the following are filed with the SEC through EDGAR and are available to the public through the EDGAR system, within one (1) Business Day after the filing thereof with the SEC, a copy of its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, any interim reports or any consolidated balance sheets, income statements, stockholders’ equity statements and/or cash flow statements for any period other than annual, any Current Reports on Form 8-K and any registration statements (other than on Form S-8) or amendments filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, (ii) unless the following are either filed with the SEC through EDGAR or are otherwise widely disseminated via a recognized news release service (such as PR Newswire), on the same day as the release thereof, facsimile copies of all press releases issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (iii) unless the following are filed with the SEC through EDGAR, copies of any notices and other information made available or given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the making available or giving thereof to the stockholders.
(f) Listing. The Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all of the Securities upon each national securities exchange and automated quotation system, if any, upon which the Class B Common Stock is then listed or designated for quotation (as the case may be) (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain such listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all Securities from time to time issuable under the terms of the Transaction Documents on such national securities exchange or automated quotation system. From and after the date hereof, the Company shall secure and maintain the Class B Common Stock’s listing or authorization for quotation (as the case may be) on the Principal Market, The New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Global Select Market (each, an “Eligible Market”). From and after the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action which could be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Class B Common Stock on an Eligible Market. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 4(f).
(g) Fees. The Company shall reimburse the lead Buyer for all costs and expenses incurred by it or its affiliates in connection with the structuring, documentation, negotiation and closing of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, as applicable, all reasonable legal fees of outside counsel and disbursements of Sullivan & Worcester LLP, counsel to the lead Buyer, any other reasonable fees and expenses in connection with the structuring, documentation, negotiation and closing of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and due diligence and regulatory filings in connection therewith) up to a maximum of $50,000 (the “Transaction Expenses”) which shall be withheld by the lead Buyer from its Purchase Price at the First Closing, less $15,000 previously paid by the Company to Sullivan & Worcester LLP; provided, that the Company shall promptly reimburse Sullivan & Worcester LLP on demand for all Transaction Expenses not so reimbursed through such withholding at each Closing. The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, transfer agent fees, DTC (as defined below) fees or broker’s commissions (other than for Persons engaged by any Buyer) relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company shall pay, and hold each Buyer harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any claim relating to any such payment. Except as otherwise set forth in the Transaction Documents, each party to this Agreement shall bear its own expenses in connection with the sale of the Securities to the Buyers.
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(h) Pledge of Securities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Securities may be pledged by a Buyer in connection with a bona fide margin agreement or other loan or financing arrangement that is secured by the Securities. The pledge of Securities shall not be deemed to be a transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities hereunder, and no Buyer effecting a pledge of Securities shall be required to provide the Company with any notice thereof or otherwise make any delivery to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, including, without limitation, Section 2(g) hereof; provided that a Buyer and its pledgee shall be required to comply with the provisions of Section 2(g) hereof in order to effect a sale, transfer or assignment of Securities to such pledgee. The Company hereby agrees to execute and deliver such documentation as a pledgee of the Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge of the Securities to such pledgee by a Buyer.
(i) Disclosure of Transactions and Other Material Information.
(i) Disclosure of Transaction. Between 9:00 a.m. New York City time and 9:30 a.m., New York time, in each case, unless sooner filed in a registration statement under the 1933 Act or a periodic report under the 1934 Act, on the first Business Day following the Closing Date, the Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K describing all the material terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in the form required by the 1934 Act and attaching all the material Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, this Agreement (and all schedules to this Agreement), and the form of Certificate of Designation) (including all attachments, the “8-K Filing”). From and after the filing of the 8-K Filing, the Company shall have disclosed all material, non-public information (if any) provided to any of the Buyers by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. In addition, effective upon the filing of the 8-K Filing, the Company acknowledges and agrees that any and all confidentiality or similar obligations under any agreement, whether written or oral, between the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, affiliates, employees or agents, on the one hand, and any of the Buyers or any of their affiliates, on the other hand, shall terminate.
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(ii) Limitations on Disclosure. The Company shall not, and the Company shall cause each of its Subsidiaries and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents not to, provide any Buyer with any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from and after the date hereof without the express prior written consent of such Buyer (which may be granted or withheld in such Buyer’s sole discretion). In the event of a breach of any of the foregoing covenants, including, without limitation, Section 4(o) of this Agreement, or any of the covenants or agreements contained in any other Transaction Document, by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of such Buyer), in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the Transaction Documents, such Buyer shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such breach or such material, non-public information, as applicable, with prior notice to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees or agents. No Buyer shall have any liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees, affiliates, stockholders or agents, for any such disclosure. To the extent that the Company delivers any material, non-public information to a Buyer without such Buyer’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that such Buyer shall not have any duty of confidentiality with respect to, or a duty not to trade on the basis of, such material, non-public information. Subject to the foregoing, neither the Company, its Subsidiaries nor any Buyer shall issue any press releases or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of any Buyer, to make any press release or other public disclosure with respect to such transactions (i) in substantial conformity with the 8-K Filing and contemporaneously therewith and (ii) as is required by applicable law and regulations (provided that in the case of clause (i) each Buyer shall be consulted by the Company in connection with any such press release or other public disclosure prior to its release). Without the prior written consent of the applicable Buyer (which may be granted or withheld in such Buyer’s sole discretion), the Company shall not (and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries and affiliates to not) disclose the name of such Buyer in any filing, announcement, release or otherwise. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary and without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that no Buyer shall have (unless expressly agreed to by a particular Buyer after the date hereof in a written definitive and binding agreement executed by the Company and such particular Buyer (it being understood and agreed that no Buyer may bind any other Buyer with respect thereto)), any duty of confidentiality with respect to, or a duty not to trade on the basis of, any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(j) Additional Registration Statements. Until the Applicable Date (as defined below) and at any time thereafter while any Registration Statement is not effective or the prospectus contained therein is not available for use, the Company shall not file a registration statement or an offering statement under the 1933 Act relating to securities that are not the Securities (other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or such supplements or amendments to registration statements that are outstanding and have been declared effective by the SEC as of the date hereof (solely to the extent necessary to keep such registration statements effective and available and not with respect to any Subsequent Placement)). “Applicable Date” means the earlier of (x) the first date on which the resale by the Buyers of all the Securities required to be filed on both Initial Registration Statements (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreements) is declared effective by the SEC (and each prospectus contained therein is available for use on such date) or (y) the first date on which all of the Securities are eligible to be resold by the Buyers pursuant to Rule 144 (or, if either (x) the Company fails for any reason to satisfy the requirements of Rule 144(c)(1), including, without limitation, the failure to satisfy the current public information requirement under Rule 144(c) or (y) the Company has ever been an issuer described in Rule 144(i)(1)(i) or becomes such an issuer in the future, and the Company shall fail to satisfy any condition set forth in Rule 144(i)(2) (a “Current Public Information Failure”) has occurred and is continuing, such later date after which the Company has cured such Current Public Information Failure).
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(k) Additional Issuance of Securities. So long as any Buyer beneficially owns any Securities, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Required Holders (as defined below), issue any Preferred Shares (other than to the Buyers as contemplated hereby) and the Company shall not issue any other securities that would cause a breach or default under the Certificate of Designation. The Company agrees that for the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the date occurring 30 days immediately following the initial date of the effectiveness of each Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Securities (provided that such period shall be extended by the number of calendar days during such period and any extension thereof contemplated by this proviso on which any Registration Statement is not effective or any prospectus contained therein is not available for use or any Current Public Information Failure exists) and during any Alternate Conversion Measuring Period (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) (the “Restricted Period”), neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall directly or indirectly issue, offer, sell, grant any option or right to purchase, or otherwise dispose of (or announce any issuance, offer, sale, grant of any option or right to purchase or other disposition of) any equity security or any equity-linked or related security (including, without limitation, any “equity security” (as that term is defined under Rule 405 promulgated under the 1933 Act), any Convertible Securities (as defined below), any debt, any preferred stock or any purchase rights) (any such issuance, offer, sale, grant, disposition or announcement (whether occurring during the Restricted Period or at any time thereafter) is referred to as a “Subsequent Placement”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4(k) shall not apply in respect of the issuance of Excluded Securities (as defined in the Certificate of Designation). “Convertible Securities” means any capital stock or other security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is at any time and under any circumstances directly or indirectly convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, or which otherwise entitles the holder thereof to acquire, any capital stock or other security of the Company (including, without limitation, Common Stock) or any of its Subsidiaries.
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(l) Reservation of Shares. So long as any of the Preferred Shares remain outstanding, the Company shall take all action necessary to at all times have authorized, and reserved for the purpose of issuance, no less than 200% of the maximum number of shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of all the Preferred Shares then outstanding (assuming for purposes hereof that (x) the Preferred Shares are convertible at the Conversion Price then in effect, and (y) any such conversion shall not take into account any limitations on the conversion of the Preferred Shares set forth in the Certificate of Designation) (collectively, the “Required Reserve Amount”); provided that at no time shall the number of shares of Class B Common Stock reserved pursuant to this Section 4(l) be reduced other than proportionally in connection with any conversion, exercise and/or redemption, as applicable, of Preferred Shares. If at any time the number of shares of Class B Common Stock authorized and reserved for issuance is not sufficient to meet the Required Reserve Amount, the Company will promptly take all corporate action necessary to authorize and reserve a sufficient number of shares, including, without limitation, calling a special meeting of stockholders to authorize additional shares to meet the Company’s obligations pursuant to the Transaction Documents, in the case of an insufficient number of authorized shares, obtain stockholder approval of an increase in such authorized number of shares, and voting the management shares of the Company in favor of an increase in the authorized shares of the Company to ensure that the number of authorized shares is sufficient to meet the Required Reserve Amount.
(m) Conduct of Business. The business of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be conducted in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any Governmental Entity, except where such violations would not reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) Financing Restriction. During any active Alternate Conversion Measuring Period, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall (i) issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any shares of Class B Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (as defined in the Certificate of Designation), other than shares of Class B Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents in connection with any employee benefit plan approved by the independent members of the Company’s board of directors or (ii) file any registration statement or amendment or supplement thereto, other than the Registration Statements or filing a registration statement on Form S-8 in connection with any employee benefit plan.
(o) Passive Foreign Investment Company. The Company shall conduct its business, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to conduct their respective businesses, in such a manner as will ensure that the Company will not be deemed to constitute a passive foreign investment company within the meaning of Section 1297 of the Code.
(p) Restriction on Redemption and Cash Dividends. So long as any Preferred Shares are outstanding, the Company shall not, directly or indirectly, redeem, or declare or pay any cash dividend or distribution on, any securities of the Company without the prior express written consent of the Buyers (other than as required by the Certificate of Designation).
(q) Corporate Existence. So long as any Buyer beneficially owns any Preferred Shares, the Company shall not be party to any Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) unless the Company is in compliance with the applicable provisions governing Fundamental Transactions set forth in the Certificate of Designation.
(r) [Reserved]
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(s) Conversion Procedures. The form of Conversion Notice (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) included in the Certificate of Designation sets forth the totality of the procedures required of the Buyers in order to convert the Preferred Shares. Except as provided in Section 5(d), no additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Buyers to convert their Preferred Shares. The Company shall honor conversions of the Preferred Shares and shall deliver the Conversion Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in the Certificate of Designation. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original Conversion Notice shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Conversion Notice form be required in order to convert the Preferred Shares.
(t) Regulation M. The Company will not take any action prohibited by Regulation M under the 1934 Act, in connection with the distribution of the Securities contemplated hereby.
(u) General Solicitation. None of the Company, any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act) or any person acting on behalf of the Company or such affiliate will solicit any offer to buy or offer or sell the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Regulation D, including: (i) any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine or similar medium or broadcast over television or radio; and (ii) any seminar or meeting whose attendees have been invited by any general solicitation or general advertising.
(v) Integration. None of the Company, any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act), or any person acting on behalf of the Company or such affiliate will sell, offer for sale, or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in the 1933 Act) which will be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner which would require the registration of the Securities under the 1933 Act or require stockholder approval under the rules and regulations of the Principal Market and the Company will take all action that is appropriate or necessary to assure that its offerings of other securities will not be integrated for purposes of the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations of the Principal Market, with the issuance of Securities contemplated hereby.
(w) Notice of Disqualification Events. The Company will notify the Buyers in writing, prior to the Closing Date of (i) any Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person and (ii) any event that would, with the passage of time, become a Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person.
(x) Stockholder Approval. The Company shall obtain the prior written consent of the requisite stockholders (the “Stockholder Consent”) to obtain the Stockholder Approval (as defined below), and shall inform the stockholders of the Company of the receipt of the Stockholder Consent by preparing and filing with the SEC, as promptly as practicable after the First Closing Date, but no later than on or before the twentieth (20th) calendar day after the First Closing Date (or, if such filing is delayed by a court or regulatory agency including but not limited to the SEC, in no event later than the forty-fifth (45th) calendar day after the First Closing Date), an information statement with respect thereto, which Stockholder Consent shall take effect twenty (20) days following the date that such information statement is sent or given. As used herein, “Stockholder Approval” means (i) the approval of such number of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Company’s voting securities as required by its Bylaws and the NRS, to ratify and approve all of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, including the issuance of all of the Securities, all as may be required by the applicable rules and regulations of the Principal Market (or any successor entity) and (ii) if required by the applicable rules and regulations of the Principal Market, an approval to effectuate a reverse stock split of the Class B Common Stock.
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(y) Books and Records. Prior to the Closing, the Company will keep proper books of record and account, in which full and correct entries shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.
(z) [Reserved.]
(aa) Prohibited Short Sales. Each Buyer, severally and not jointly, covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any of its Affiliates or agents acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it, will execute (i) any Short Sales of the Class B Common Stock or (ii) any hedging transaction that establishes a net short position with respect to the Class B Common Stock, in each case during the period commencing with the execution of this Agreement and ending on the date no Preferred Shares remain outstanding; provided, that this provision shall not operate to restrict any Buyer’s trading under any prior securities purchase agreement containing contractual rights that explicitly protects such trading in respect of the previously issued securities. “Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act.
(bb) Leak-Out. If the closing price of the Class B Common Stock on a Trading Day is below $0.75 per share (subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock combinations, recapitalizations and similar transactions), each Buyer will be limited to total sales of Class B Common Stock equal to the greater of the average of: (a) $25,000 per Trading Day, and (b) an amount equal to 15% of the trading volume of the Class B Common Stock as reported by Bloomberg, LP on such Trading Day, until the closing price of any Trading Day is above the initial Conversion Price. “Trading Day” means a day on which the Principal Market is open for trading for at least six (6) hours.
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(cc) Acknowledgement Regarding Buyers’ Trading Activity. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, including, but not limited, to Section 4(aa) and Section 4(bb), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that (i) following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, in accordance with the terms thereof, none of the Buyers have been asked by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to agree, nor has any Buyer agreed with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, to desist from effecting any transactions in or with respect to (including, without limitation, purchasing or selling, long) any securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold any of the Securities for any specified term; (ii) any Buyer, and counterparties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Buyer is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Class B Common Stock which was established prior to such Buyer’s knowledge of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents; (iii) each Buyer shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counterparty in any “derivative” transaction; and (iv) each Buyer may rely on the Company’s obligation to timely deliver shares of Class B Common Stock upon conversion, exercise or exchange, as applicable, of the Securities as and when required pursuant to the Transaction Documents for purposes of effecting trading in the Class B Common Stock of the Company. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, including, but not limited, to Section 4(aa) and Section 4(bb), the Company further understands and acknowledges that following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents pursuant to the 8-K Filing (as defined below) one or more Buyers may engage in hedging and/or trading activities (including, without limitation, the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Class B Common Stock) at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value and/or number of the Conversion Shares deliverable with respect to the Securities are being determined and such hedging and/or trading activities (including, without limitation, the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Class B Common Stock), if any, can reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interest in the Company both at and after the time the hedging and/or trading activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging and/or trading activities do not constitute a breach of this Agreement, the Certificate of Designation, or any other Transaction Document or any of the documents executed in connection herewith or therewith.
(dd) Disclosure. All of the written information furnished after the date hereof by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to each Buyer pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, taken as a whole, will be true and correct in all material respects as of the date on which such information is so provided and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
5. REGISTER; TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS; LEGEND.
(a) Register. The Company shall maintain at its principal executive offices (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice to each holder of Securities), a register for the Preferred Shares in which the Company shall record the name and address of the Person in whose name the Preferred Shares have been issued (including the name and address of each transferee), the aggregate number of Preferred Shares held by such Person, and the number of Conversion Shares issuable pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Shares. The Company shall keep the register open and available at all times during business hours for inspection of any Buyer or its legal representatives.
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(b) Transfer Agent Instructions. The Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to its transfer agent and any subsequent transfer agent (as applicable, the “Transfer Agent”) in a form acceptable to each of the Buyers (the “Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”) to issue certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registered in the name of each Buyer or its respective nominee(s), for the Conversion Shares in such amounts as specified from time to time by each Buyer to the Company upon conversion of the Preferred Shares. The Company represents and warrants that no instruction other than the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions referred to in this Section 5(b), and stop transfer instructions to give effect to Section 2(g) hereof, will be given by the Company to its transfer agent with respect to the Securities, and that the Securities shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company, as applicable, to the extent provided in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. If a Buyer effects a sale, assignment or transfer of the Securities in accordance with Section 2(g), the Company shall permit the transfer and shall promptly instruct its transfer agent to issue one or more certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at DTC in such name and in such denominations as specified by such Buyer to effect such sale, transfer or assignment. In the event that such sale, assignment or transfer involves Conversion Shares sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement or in compliance with Rule 144, the transfer agent shall issue such shares to such Buyer, assignee or transferee (as the case may be) without any restrictive legend. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to a Buyer. Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Section 5(b) will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Section 5(b), that a Buyer shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an order and/or injunction restraining any breach and requiring immediate issuance and transfer, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required. The Company shall cause its counsel to issue the legal opinion referred to in the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions to the Company’s transfer agent on the date hereof. Any fees (with respect to the transfer agent, counsel to the Company or otherwise) associated with the issuance of such opinion or the removal of any legends on any of the Securities shall be borne by the Company.
(c) [Reserved.]
(d) [Reserved.]
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(e) Failure to Timely Deliver; Buy-In. If the Company fails, for any reason or for no reason, to issue and deliver (or cause to be delivered) to a Buyer (or its designee) by the date by which such credit is so required to be made to the balance account of such Buyer’s or such Buyer’s designee with DTC or such certificate is required to be delivered to such Buyer pursuant to Section 5(b) (the “Required Delivery Date”), either (I) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, a certificate for the number of Conversion Shares to which such Buyer is entitled and register such Conversion Shares on the Company’s share register or, if the Transfer Agent is participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, to credit the balance account of such Buyer or such Buyer’s designee with DTC for such number of Conversion Shares or (II) if the Registration Statement covering the resale of the Conversion Shares (the “Unavailable Shares”) is not available for the resale of such Unavailable Shares and the Company fails to promptly, but in no event later than two (2) Business Days (x) so notify such Buyer and (y) deliver the Conversion Shares electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Conversion Shares to such Buyer’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian system (the event described in the immediately foregoing clause (II) is hereinafter referred as a “Notice Failure” and together with the event described in clause (I) above, a “Delivery Failure”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to such Buyer, the Company shall pay in cash to such Buyer on each day after the date such Conversion Shares are actually delivered without restrictive legend to such Buyer or such Buyer’s designee with DTC, as applicable, the “Share Delivery Date” and during such Delivery Failure an amount equal to 2% of the product of (A) the sum of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock not issued to such Buyer on or prior to the Required Delivery Date and to which such Buyer is entitled, and (B) any trading price of the Class B Common Stock selected by such Buyer in writing as in effect at any time during the period beginning on the date of the delivery by such Buyer to the Company of the applicable Conversion Shares and ending on the applicable Share Delivery Date. In addition to the foregoing, if on or prior to the Required Delivery Date either (I) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, the Company shall fail to issue and deliver a certificate to a Buyer and register such shares of Class B Common Stock on the Company’s share register or, if the Transfer Agent is participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, credit the balance account of such Buyer or such Buyer’s designee with DTC for the number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Buyer is entitled or (II) a Notice Failure occurs, and if on or after such Trading Day such Buyer purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Class B Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by such Buyer of shares of Class B Common Stock that such Buyer is entitled to receive from the Company (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall, within two (2) Trading Days after such Buyer’s request and in such Buyer’s discretion, either (i) pay cash to such Buyer in an amount equal to such Buyer’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any, for the shares of Class B Common Stock so purchased) (the “Buy-In Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to so deliver such certificate or credit such Buyer’s balance account shall terminate and such shares shall be cancelled, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to so deliver to such Buyer a certificate or certificates or credit the balance account of such Buyer or such Buyer’s designee with DTC representing such number of shares of Class B Common Stock that would have been so delivered if the Company timely complied with its obligations hereunder and pay cash to such Buyer in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Buy-In Price over the product of (A) such number of shares of Conversion Shares that the Company was required to deliver to such Buyer by the Required Delivery Date multiplied by (B) the lowest closing sale price of the Class B Common Stock on any Trading Day during the period commencing on the date of the delivery by such Buyer to the Company of the applicable Conversion Shares and ending on the date of such delivery and payment under this clause (ii). Nothing shall limit such Buyer’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity, including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing shares of Class B Common Stock (or to electronically deliver such shares of Class B Common Stock) as required pursuant to the terms hereof. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, with respect to any given Notice Failure and/or Delivery Failure, this Section 5(e) shall not apply to the applicable Buyer the extent the Company has already paid such amounts in full to such Buyer with respect to such Notice Failure and/or Delivery Failure, as applicable, pursuant to the analogous sections of the Certificate of Designations, as applicable, with respect to the Preferred Shares, as applicable, then held by such Buyer.
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(f) FAST Compliance. While any Preferred Shares remain outstanding, the Company shall maintain a transfer agent that participates in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program.
(g) The Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws. In connection with any transfer of Securities other than pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, to the Company, to an affiliate of a Buyer, or in connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 5.1(h), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, at the Company’s sole expense in the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities Act. As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Buyer under this Agreement.
(h) Each Buyer agrees, severally but not jointly, to the inclusion, for as long as is required by Section 5(g)-(j), of a legend on all of the Securities in the following form:
[NEITHER] THIS SECURITY [NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS [CONVERTIBLE]] HAS [HAVE] NOT BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THIS SECURITY [AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON [CONVERSION] OF THIS SECURITY]] MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT WITH A REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER OR OTHER LOAN WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT IS AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.
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The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Buyer may from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of its Securities to a financial institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and who agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Buyer may transfer pledged or secured Securities to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer shall not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith. Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge. At the Company’s expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Securities.
(i) Certificates evidencing the Securities shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 5(h)): (i) while a registration statement covering the resale of such security is effective under the Securities Act; (ii) following any sale of such Securities pursuant to Rule 144; (iii) if such Securities are eligible for sale under Rule 144; or (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the SEC). The Company shall upon request of any Buyer and at the Company’s sole expense cause its counsel (or at such Buyer’s option, exercised in its sole discretion, counsel selected by such Buyer) to issue a legal opinion to the Transfer Agent promptly after any of the events described in (i)-(iv) in the preceding sentence if required by the Transfer Agent to effect the removal of any legend (including that described in Section 5(h)), with a copy to such Buyer and its broker. The Company agrees that following such time as such legend is no longer required under this Section 5(i), it will, no later than two (2) Trading Days following the delivery by any Buyer to the Company and/or the Transfer Agent of a certificate representing Securities, issued with a restrictive legend (such second (2nd) Trading Day, the “Legend Removal Date” of such Securities of such Buyer), instruct the Transfer Agent to deliver or cause to be delivered to such Buyer a certificate representing such shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company may not make any notation on its records or give instructions to the Transfer Agent that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 5. Certificates for the Securities subject to legend removal hereunder shall be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to such Buyer by crediting the account of such Buyer’s prime broker with the Depository Trust Company System as directed by such Buyer. The Company agrees to bear all costs associated with the removal of any legends on behalf of the Buyer including costs of an opinion of counsel required to sell any securities issued hereunder.
(j) In addition to such Buyer’s other available remedies, the Company shall pay to such Buyer, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, $1,000 per Trading Day for each Trading Day after the Legend Removal Date of such Securities of such Buyer until such certificate is delivered without a legend. Nothing herein shall limit such Buyer’s right to pursue actual damages for the Company’s failure to deliver certificates representing any Securities as required by the Transaction Documents, and each Buyer shall have, severally and not jointly, the right to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief.
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6. CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATION TO SELL.
(a) The obligation of the Company hereunder to issue and sell the Preferred Shares to each Buyer on the applicable Closing Date is subject to the satisfaction, at or before each Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion by providing each Buyer with prior written notice thereof:
(i) Such Buyer shall have executed each of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and delivered the same to the Company.
(ii) Such Buyer and each other Buyer shall have delivered to the Company the Purchase Price (less, in the case of any Buyer, the amounts withheld pursuant to Section 4(g)) for the Preferred Shares of the First Closing or the Second Closing, as applicable, being purchased by such Buyer at the applicable Closing Date by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Flow of Funds Letter.
(iii) The representations and warranties of such Buyer shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of each Closing Date as though originally made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date), and such Buyer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by such Buyer at or prior to each Closing Date.
7. CONDITIONS TO EACH BUYER’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE.
(a) The obligation of each Buyer hereunder to purchase its Preferred Shares at the applicable Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before each Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for each Buyer’s sole benefit and may be waived by such Buyer at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Company with prior written notice thereof:
(i) The Company shall have duly executed and delivered to such Buyer each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the Company shall have duly executed and delivered to such Buyer such aggregate number of Preferred Shares of the First Closing or the Second Closing, as applicable, as set forth across from such Buyer’s name in column (3) or column (4), as applicable, of the Schedule of Buyers, in each case, as being purchased by such Buyer at the applicable Closing pursuant to this Agreement.
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(ii) Each and every representation and warranty of the Company shall be true and correct as of the date when made and as of each Closing Date as though originally made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to each Closing Date. Such Buyer shall have received a certificate, duly executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, dated as of each Closing Date, to the foregoing effect and as to such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such Buyer in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.
(iii) Such Buyer shall have received the opinion(s) of Bevilacqua PLLC and/or Fennemore Craig, P.C., the Company’s counsel, dated as of each Closing Date, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.
(iv) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a copy of the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D which instructions shall have been delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Company’s transfer agent.
(v) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certificate evidencing the formation and good standing of the Company in such entity’s jurisdiction of formation issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of such jurisdiction of formation as of a date within ten (10) days of each Closing Date.
(vi) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certified copy of the Articles of Incorporation and the Certificate of Designation as certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada within ten (10) days of each Closing Date.
(vii) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E, executed by the Secretary of the Company and dated as of each Closing Date, as to (i) the resolutions consistent with Section 3(b) as adopted by the Company’s board of directors, which includes an acknowledgement of Section 3(i), in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F, (ii) the Articles of Incorporation of the Company and (iii) the Bylaws of the Company, each as in effect at each Closing.
(viii) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a letter from the Company’s transfer agent certifying the number of shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding on each Closing Date immediately prior to each Closing.
(ix) The Class B Common Stock (A) shall be designated for quotation or listed (as applicable) on the Principal Market and (B) shall not have been suspended, as of each Closing Date, by the SEC or the Principal Market from trading on the Principal Market nor shall suspension by the SEC or the Principal Market have been threatened, as of the Closing Date, either (I) in writing by the SEC or the Principal Market or (II) by falling below the minimum maintenance requirements of the Principal Market.
(x) The Company shall have obtained all governmental, regulatory or third party consents and approvals, if any, necessary for the sale of the Securities, including without limitation, those required by the Principal Market, if any.
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(xi) No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction that prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(xii) Since the date of execution of this Agreement, no event or series of events shall have occurred that reasonably would have or result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiii) The Company shall have obtained approval of the Principal Market to list or designate for quotation (as the case may be) the Conversion Shares.
(xiv) The Company shall have delivered the Stockholder Consent, duly executed by the requisite stockholders of the Company at or prior to each Closing Date.
(xv) Such Buyer shall have received a letter on the letterhead of the Company, duly executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, setting forth the wire amounts of each Buyer and the wire transfer instructions of the Company for each Closing (each, a “Flow of Funds Letter”).
(xvi) The Company and its Subsidiaries shall have delivered to such Buyer such other documents, instruments or certificates relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as such Buyer or its counsel may reasonably request.
(xvii) The Company shall have filed the Certificate of Designation with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada at or prior to the First Closing Date.
(xviii) The Company and the Buyers shall have executed and delivered the Registration Rights Agreement to the Buyer at or prior to each Closing Date.
(xix) With respect to the Second Closing only, (i) the registration statement covering the Conversion Shares shall have been declared effective by the SEC and (ii) the approval of the actions contemplated by the Stockholder Consent shall have become effective.
8. TERMINATION.
In the event that the First Closing shall not have occurred with respect to a Buyer within five (5) Business Days of the date all of the conditions specified in Section 7 have been satisfied or waived, then such Buyer shall have the right to terminate its obligations under this Agreement with respect to itself at any time on or after the close of business on such date without liability of such Buyer to any other party; provided, however, (i) the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 8 shall not be available to such Buyer if the failure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to have been consummated by such date is the result of such Buyer’s breach of this Agreement and (ii) the abandonment of the sale and purchase of the Preferred Shares shall be applicable only to such Buyer providing such written notice, provided further that no such termination shall affect any obligation of the Company under this Agreement to reimburse such Buyer for the expenses described in Section 4(g) above. Nothing contained in this Section 8 shall be deemed to release any party from any liability for any breach by such party of the terms and provisions of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or to impair the right of any party to compel specific performance by any other party of its obligations under this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents.
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9. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Nevada or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Nevada. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or under any of the other Transaction Documents or with any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby, 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. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or operate to preclude Buyer from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to Buyer or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of Buyer. 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 UNDER ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
(b) Counterparts. 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.
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(c) Headings; Gender. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement. 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.
(d) Severability; Maximum Payment Amounts. If any provision of this Agreement is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Agreement so long as this Agreement as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document (and without implication that the following is required or applicable), it is the intention of the parties that in no event shall amounts and value paid by the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries (as the case may be), or payable to or received by any of the Buyers, under the Transaction Documents (including without limitation, any amounts that would be characterized as “interest” under applicable law) exceed amounts permitted under any applicable law. Accordingly, if any obligation to pay, payment made to any Buyer, or collection by any Buyer pursuant the Transaction Documents is finally judicially determined to be contrary to any such applicable law, such obligation to pay, payment or collection shall be deemed to have been made by mutual mistake of such Buyer, the Company and its Subsidiaries and such amount shall be deemed to have been adjusted with retroactive effect to the maximum amount or rate of interest, as the case may be, as would not be so prohibited by the applicable law. Such adjustment shall be effected, to the extent necessary, by reducing or refunding, at the option of such Buyer, the amount of interest or any other amounts which would constitute unlawful amounts required to be paid or actually paid to such Buyer under the Transaction Documents. For greater certainty, to the extent that any interest, charges, fees, expenses or other amounts required to be paid to or received by such Buyer under any of the Transaction Documents or related thereto are held to be within the meaning of “interest” or another applicable term to otherwise be violative of applicable law, such amounts shall be pro-rated over the period of time to which they relate.
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(e) Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and the schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between the Buyers, the Company, its Subsidiaries, their affiliates and Persons acting on their behalf, including, without limitation, any transactions by any Buyer with respect to Class B Common Stock or the Securities, and the other matters contained herein and therein, and this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, the schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein contain the entire understanding of the parties solely with respect to the matters covered herein and therein; 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 Buyer has entered into with, or any instruments any Buyer has received from, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries prior to the date hereof with respect to any prior investment made by such Buyer in the Company or (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 Buyer 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 Buyer, or any instruments any Buyer received from the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries prior to the date hereof, and all such agreements and instruments shall continue in full force and effect. Except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor any Buyer makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. For clarification purposes, the Recitals are part of this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Company and the Required Holders (as defined below), and any amendment to any provision of this Agreement made in conformity with the provisions of this Section 9(e) shall be binding on all Buyers and holders of Securities, as applicable; provided that no such amendment shall be effective to the extent that it (A) applies to less than all of the holders of the Securities then outstanding or (B) imposes any obligation or liability on any Buyer without such Buyer’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in such Buyer’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 Holders 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 9(e) shall be binding on all Buyers and holders of Securities, as applicable, provided that no such waiver shall be effective to the extent that it (1) applies to less than all of the holders of the Securities then outstanding (unless a party gives a waiver as to itself only) or (2) imposes any obligation or liability on any Buyer without such Buyer’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in such Buyer’s sole discretion). No consideration (other than reimbursement of legal fees) shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents, all holders of the Preferred Shares. From the date hereof and while any Preferred Shares are outstanding, the Company shall not be permitted to receive any consideration from a Buyer or a holder of Preferred Shares that is not otherwise contemplated by the Transaction Documents in order to, directly or indirectly, induce the Company or any Subsidiary (i) to treat such Buyer or holder of Preferred Shares in a manner that is more favorable than to other similarly situated Buyers or holders of Preferred Shares, as applicable, or (ii) to treat any Buyer(s) or holder(s) of Preferred Shares in a manner that is less favorable than the Buyer or holder of Preferred Shares that is paying such consideration; provided, however, that the determination of whether a Buyer has been treated more or less favorably than another Buyer shall disregard any securities of the Company purchased or sold by any Buyer. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, made any agreements with any Buyers relating to the terms or conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except as set forth in the Transaction Documents. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company confirms that, except as set forth in this Agreement, no Buyer has made any commitment or promise or has any other obligation to provide any financing to the Company, any Subsidiary or otherwise. As a material inducement for each Buyer to enter into this Agreement, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (x) no due diligence or other investigation or inquiry conducted by a Buyer, any of its advisors or any of its representatives shall affect such Buyer’s right to rely on, or shall modify or qualify in any manner or be an exception to any of, the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document and (y) unless a provision of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document is expressly preceded by the phrase “except as disclosed in the SEC Documents,” nothing contained in any of the SEC Documents shall affect such Buyer’s right to rely on, or shall modify or qualify in any manner or be an exception to any of, the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. “Required Holders” means (I) prior to the Closing Date, each Buyer entitled to purchase Preferred Shares at the Closing and (II) on or after the Closing Date, holders of a majority of the Securities as of such time (excluding any Securities held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as of such time) issued or issuable hereunder or pursuant to the Certificate of Designation (or the Buyers, with respect to any waiver or amendment of Section 4(o)).
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(f) Notices. 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 file by the sending party) or electronic mail (provided that such sent email is kept on file (whether electronically or otherwise) by the sending party and the sending party does not receive an automatically generated message from the recipient’s email server that such e-mail could not be delivered to such recipient); or (iii) one (1) Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier service with next day delivery specified, in each case, properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses, facsimile numbers and e-mail addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Asset Entities Inc.
100 Crescent Ct, 7th Floor
Dallas, TX 75201
Telephone: (262) 527-0966
Attention: Matthew Krueger
Email: ***@***
With a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
Bevilacqua PLLC
1050 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 869-0888
Attention: Louis A. Bevilacqua, Esq.
Email: ***@***
43
If to a Buyer, to its address, e-mail address and facsimile number set forth on the Schedule of Buyers, with copies to such Buyer’s representatives as set forth on the Schedule of Buyers,
with a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
Sullivan & Worcester LLP
1251 Avenue of the Americas, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10020
Telephone: (212) 660-3060
Facsimile: (212) 660-3001
Attention: David Danovitch, Esq.
E-mail: ***@***
or to such other address, e-mail 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 Sullivan & Worcester LLP shall only be provided copies of notices sent to the lead 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 e-mail containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and, with respect to each facsimile transmission, an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by an overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from an overnight courier service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns, including any purchasers of any of the Preferred Shares. The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Required Holders, including, without limitation, by way of a Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) (unless the Company is in compliance with the applicable provisions governing Fundamental Transactions set forth in the Certificate of Designation). A Buyer may assign some or all of its rights hereunder in connection with any transfer of any of its Securities without the consent of the Company, in which event such assignee shall be deemed to be a Buyer hereunder with respect to such assigned rights.
44
(h) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, other than the Indemnitees referred to in Section 9(k).
(i) Survival. The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants shall survive the Closing. Each Buyer shall be responsible only for its own representations, warranties, agreements and covenants hereunder.
(j) Further Assurances. 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.
(k) Indemnification. In consideration of each Buyer’s execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquiring the Securities thereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless each Buyer and each holder of any Preferred Shares and all of their stockholders, partners, members, officers, directors, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing Persons’ agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (i) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company or any Subsidiary in any of the Transaction Documents, (ii) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company or any Subsidiary contained in any of the Transaction Documents or (iii) any cause of action, suit, proceeding or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee by a third party (including for these purposes a derivative action brought on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary) or which otherwise involves such Indemnitee that arises out of or results from (A) the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents, (B) any transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of the issuance of the Securities, (C) any disclosure properly made by such Buyer pursuant to Section 4(i), or (D) the status of such Buyer or holder of the Preferred Shares either as an investor in the Company pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or as a party to this Agreement (including, without limitation, as a party in interest or otherwise in any action or proceeding for injunctive or other equitable relief). To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under applicable law.
45
(l) Construction. 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. No specific representation or warranty shall limit the generality or applicability of a more general representation or warranty. Each and every reference to share prices, shares of Common Stock and any other numbers in this Agreement that relate to the Common Stock shall be automatically adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations, recapitalizations or other similar transactions that occur with respect to the Common Stock after the date of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty against, or a prohibition of, any actions with respect to the borrowing of, arrangement to borrow, identification of the availability of, and/or securing of, securities of the Company in order for such Buyer (or its broker or other financial representative) to effect short sales or similar transactions in the future.
(m) Remedies. Each Buyer and in the event of assignment by Buyer of its rights and obligations hereunder, each holder of Securities, shall have all rights and remedies set forth in the Transaction Documents and all rights and remedies which such holders have been granted at any time under any other agreement or contract and all of the rights which such holders have under any law. Any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights granted by law. Furthermore, the Company recognizes that in the event that it or any Subsidiary fails to perform, observe, or discharge any or all of its or such Subsidiary’s (as the case may be) obligations under the Transaction Documents, any remedy at law would inadequate relief to the Buyers. The Company therefore agrees that the Buyers shall be entitled to specific performance and/or temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive or other equitable relief from any court of competent jurisdiction in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages and without posting a bond or other security. The remedies provided in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief).
(n) Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) the Transaction Documents, whenever any Buyer exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company or any Subsidiary does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Buyer may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company or such Subsidiary (as the case may be), any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights.
46
(o) Payment Set Aside; Currency. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Buyer hereunder or pursuant to any of the other Transaction Documents or any of the Buyers enforce or exercise their rights hereunder or thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, all dollar amounts referred to in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are in United States Dollars (“U.S. Dollars”), and all amounts owing under this Agreement and all other Transaction Documents shall be paid in U.S. Dollars. All amounts denominated in other currencies (if any) shall be converted into the U.S. Dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the Exchange Rate on the date of calculation. “Exchange Rate” means, in relation to any amount of currency to be converted into U.S. Dollars pursuant to this Agreement, the U.S. Dollar exchange rate as published in the Wall Street Journal on the relevant date of calculation.
(p) Judgment Currency.
(i) If for the purpose of obtaining or enforcing judgment against the Company in connection with this Agreement or any other Transaction Document in any court in any jurisdiction it becomes necessary to convert into any other currency (such other currency being hereinafter in this Section 9(p) referred to as the “Judgment Currency”) an amount due in U.S. Dollars under this Agreement, the conversion shall be made at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Trading Day immediately preceding:
(1) the date actual payment of the amount due, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of New York or in the courts of any other jurisdiction that will give effect to such conversion being made on such date: or
(2) the date on which the foreign court determines, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of any other jurisdiction (the date as of which such conversion is made pursuant to this Section 9(p)(i)(2) being hereinafter referred to as the “Judgment Conversion Date”).
(ii) If in the case of any proceeding in the court of any jurisdiction referred to in Section 9(p)(i)(2) above, there is a change in the Exchange Rate prevailing between the Judgment Conversion Date and the date of actual payment of the amount due, the applicable party shall pay such adjusted amount as may be necessary to ensure that the amount paid in the Judgment Currency, when converted at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the date of payment, will produce the amount of U.S. Dollars which could have been purchased with the amount of Judgment Currency stipulated in the judgment or judicial order at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Judgment Conversion Date.
(iii) Any amount due from the Company under this provision shall be due as a separate debt and shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other amounts due under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.
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(q) Independent Nature of Buyers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Buyer under the Transaction Documents are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Buyer, and no Buyer shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Buyer under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Buyer pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Buyers as, and the Company acknowledges that the Buyers 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 Buyers are in any way acting in concert or as a group or entity, and the Company shall not assert any such claim with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or any matters, and the Company acknowledges that the Buyers 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 the Transaction Documents. The decision of each Buyer to purchase Securities pursuant to the Transaction Documents has been made by such Buyer independently of any other Buyer. Each Buyer acknowledges that no other Buyer has acted as agent for such Buyer in connection with such Buyer making its investment hereunder and that no other Buyer will be acting as agent of such Buyer in connection with monitoring such Buyer’s investment in the Securities or enforcing its rights under the Transaction Documents. The Company and each Buyer confirms that each Buyer has independently participated with the Company and its Subsidiaries in the negotiation of the transaction contemplated hereby with the advice of its own counsel and advisors. Each Buyer 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 Buyer to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. The use of a single agreement to effectuate the purchase and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby was solely in the control of the Company, not the action or decision of any Buyer, and was done solely for the convenience of the Company and its Subsidiaries and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Buyer. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company, each Subsidiary and a Buyer, solely, and not between the Company, its Subsidiaries and the Buyers collectively and not between and among the Buyers.
[signature pages follow]
48
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
| COMPANY: | ||
| Asset Entities Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
| BUYER: | ||
| IONIC VENTURES, LLC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
SCHEDULE OF BUYERS
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | |||||||||||||
| Buyer | Address | Number of Preferred Shares of the First Closing | Number of Preferred Shares of the Second Closing | Purchase Price of the First Closing | Purchase Price of the Second Closing | |||||||||||||
| Ionic Ventures, LLC | Ionic Ventures, LLC | 165 | 165 | $ | 1,500,000 | $ | 1,500,000 | |||||||||||
| TOTAL | 165 | 165 | $ | 1,500,000 | $ | 1,500,000 | ||||||||||||
DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES
DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES
These disclosure schedules are made and given pursuant to Section 3 of the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 24, 2024 (the “Agreement”), by and between Asset Entities Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and each Buyer. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings as defined in the Agreement, unless otherwise provided. The section numbers below correspond to the section numbers of the representations and warranties in the Agreement; provided, however, that any information disclosed herein under any section number shall be deemed to be disclosed and incorporated into any other section number under the Agreement where such disclosure would be appropriate and such appropriateness is reasonably apparent from the face of such disclosure.
Schedule 3(a)
Subsidiaries
None.
Schedule 3(d)
Conflicts
None.
Schedule 3(e)
Violation of Principal Market Requirements
On September 28, 2023, the Company received a written notification (the “Notification Letter”) from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that it is not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market tier of Nasdaq.
Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) requires listed securities to maintain a minimum bid price of $1.00 per share, and Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A) provides that a failure to meet the minimum bid price requirement exists if the deficiency continues for a period of 30 consecutive business days. Based on the closing bid price of the Class B Common Stock for the 30 consecutive business days from August 15, 2023 to September 27, 2023, the Company no longer meets the minimum bid price requirement.
The Notification Letter does not impact the Company’s listing of the Class B Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market at this time. However, the Notification Letter provides that the Company’s name will be included on a list of all non-compliant companies which Nasdaq makes available to investors on its website at listingcenter.nasdaq.com, beginning five business days from the date of the Notification Letter.
In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company was provided 180 calendar days, or until March 26, 2024, to regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). To regain compliance, the Company’s common stock must have a closing bid price of at least $1.00 for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days. If the Company did not regain compliance during such 180-day period, the Company would be eligible for an additional 180 calendar days, provided that the Company met the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares of $1,000,000 under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(5) and all other initial listing standards for the Nasdaq Capital Market, except for Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2), and the Company would need to provide a written notice of its intention to cure this deficiency during the second compliance period, by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary.
On March 27, 2024, the Company received a written notification (the “Second Notification Letter”) from Nasdaq notifying the Company that it had not regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) and is not eligible for a second 180-day compliance period; specifically, the Company did not comply with the $5,000,000 minimum stockholders’ equity initial listing requirement for the Nasdaq Capital Market as of March 26, 2024. The Second Notification Letter provides that the Company’s Class B Common Stock will be scheduled for delisting from the Nasdaq Capital Market and will be suspended at the opening of business of April 5, 2024, and a Form 25-NSE will be filed with the SEC, unless the Company requests an appeal of this determination no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 3, 2024. The Company planned to appeal the delisting determination to the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”). The Company’s request would stay the suspension of the Company’s Class B Common Stock and the filing of the Form 25-NSE pending the Panel’s decision.
On April 18, 2024, the Company) received a notice from the Panel indicating that the Panel had determined to grant the Company’s request pursuant to Nasdaq’s expedited review process and that an oral hearing was not necessary in order to grant the Company a temporary exception to regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Bid Price Rule”), which requires listed securities to maintain a minimum bid price of $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive business days. The Company was eligible for consideration for Nasdaq’s expedited review process because the Company currently has no deficiencies with respect to the Nasdaq listing standards other than with respect to the Bid Price Rule. Accordingly, the Company was granted an exception until July 17, 2024 to regain compliance. The exception is subject to compliance with certain other terms. The Panel reserved the right to reconsider the terms of the exception based on any event, condition, or circumstance.
Schedule 3(g)
Placement Agent
Pursuant to an engagement letter agreement between the Company and Boustead Securities, LLC (“Boustead”), dated November 29, 2021 (the “Boustead Engagement Letter”), Boustead is acting as the Company’s placement agent and will be paid a cash fee equal to 7% of the gross proceeds to be received from each Closing, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds to be received at each Closing, and be issued warrants to purchase shares of Class B Common Stock in an amount equal to up to 7% of the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock issued pursuant to the Agreement at each Closing.
Schedule 3(n)
Violation of Principal Market Requirements
See Schedule 3(e) above.
Schedule 3(q)
Transactions With Affiliates
See “Item 13. Certain Relationships And Related Transactions, And Director Independence” to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 2, 2024.
Schedule 3(r)(ii)
Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock
N/A
Schedule 3(r)(iii)
Affiliates
The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of the Company’s common stock as of the date of May 24, 2024, for (i) each of the Company’s executive officers and directors; (ii) all of the Company’s executive officers and directors as a group; and (iii) each other stockholder known by the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than 10% of any class of the Company’s outstanding voting securities.
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with SEC rules and generally includes voting or investment power with respect to securities. For purposes of this table, a person or group of persons is deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of any shares of common stock that such person or any member of such group has the right to acquire within sixty (60) days of May 24, 2024. For purposes of computing the percentage of outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock held by each person or group of persons named above, any shares that such person or persons has the right to acquire within sixty (60) days of May 24, 2024 are deemed to be outstanding for such person, but not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. The inclusion herein of any shares listed as beneficially owned does not constitute an admission of beneficial ownership by any person.
| Amount of Class A Common Stock | Percent of Class A Common Stock (%) | Amount of Class B Common Stock | Percent of | Total (%) | ||||||||||||||||
| Arshia Sarkhani, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director(3) | 7,532,029 | 100.0 | 200,000 | 2.7 | 91.2 | |||||||||||||||
| Kyle Fairbanks, Chief Marketing Officer, Executive Vice-Chairman and Director(4) | 7,532,029 | 100.0 | 200,000 | 2.7 | 91.2 | |||||||||||||||
| Michael Gaubert, Executive Chairman and Director(5) | 7,532,029 | 100.0 | 225,500 | 3.0 | 91.2 | |||||||||||||||
| Matthew Krueger, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary(6) | 7,532,029 | 100.0 | 198,000 | 2.6 | 91.2 | |||||||||||||||
| Arman Sarkhani, Chief Operating Officer(7) | 7,532,029 | 100.0 | 163,000 | 2.2 | 91.1 | |||||||||||||||
| Derek Dunlop, Chief Experience Officer | - | - | 348,065 | 4.6 | * | |||||||||||||||
| Jason Lee, Chief Technology Officer | - | - | 177,000 | 2.4 | * | |||||||||||||||
| Richard A. Burton, Director | - | - | 9,000 | * | * | |||||||||||||||
| John A. Jack II, Director | - | - | 9,000 | * | * | |||||||||||||||
| Scott K. McDonald, Director | - | - | 9,000 | * | * | |||||||||||||||
| David Reynolds, Director | - | - | 9,000 | * | * | |||||||||||||||
| All directors and executive officers as a group (11 persons) | 7,532,029 | (8) | 100.0 | 1,547,565 | 20.6 | 92.8 | ||||||||||||||
| Asset Entities Holdings, LLC(9) | 7,532,029 | 100.0 | - | - | 90.9 | |||||||||||||||
| Jackson Fairbanks(10) | 7,532,029 | 100.0 | 163,000 | 2.2 | 91.1 | |||||||||||||||
| * | Less than 1%. |
| (1) | Based on 7,532,029 shares of Class A Common Stock and 7,522,971 shares of Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding as of May 24, 2024, respectively. |
| (2) | The holders of Class A Common Stock are entitled to ten (10) votes for each share of Class A Common Stock held of record, and the holders of Class B Common Stock are entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Class B Common Stock held of record, on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. A total of 15,055,000 shares of common stock representing total voting power of 82,843,261 votes are outstanding as of May 24, 2024. |
| (3) | Arshia Sarkhani is a manager, officer and owner of Asset Entities Holdings, LLC, which holds 7,532,029 shares of Class A Common Stock. |
| (4) | Kyle Fairbanks is a manager, officer and owner of Asset Entities Holdings, LLC, which holds 7,532,029 shares of Class A Common Stock. |
| (5) | Michael Gaubert is an officer and indirect owner of Asset Entities Holdings, LLC, which holds 7,532,029 shares of Class A Common Stock. |
| (6) | Matthew Krueger is a manager, officer and indirect owner of Asset Entities Holdings, LLC, which holds 7,532,029 shares of Class A Common Stock. |
| (7) | Arman Sarkhani is an officer and owner of Asset Entities Holdings, LLC, which holds 7,532,029 shares of Class A Common Stock. |
| (8) | Includes the shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by the managers, officers and owners of Asset Entities Holdings, LLC, which holds 7,532,029 shares of Class A Common Stock. Asset Entities Holdings, LLC’s managers, officers or beneficial owners are Arman Sarkhani, Arshia Sarkhani, Jackson Fairbanks, Kyle Fairbanks, Matthew Krueger, and Michael Gaubert. |
| (9) | Asset Entities Holdings, LLC is a Texas limited liability company. Arman Sarkhani, Arshia Sarkhani, Jackson Fairbanks, Kyle Fairbanks, Matthew Krueger, and Michael Gaubert are managers, officers, or beneficial owners of Asset Entities Holdings, LLC. Each of them is deemed to beneficially own the shares of Class A Common Stock owned by Asset Entities Holdings, LLC and has shared voting and dispositive powers over its shares. Asset Entities Holdings, LLC’s business address is 100 Crescent Court, 7th Floor, Dallas, TX 75201. |
| (10) | Jackson Fairbanks is a manager, officer and owner of Asset Entities Holdings, LLC, which holds 7,532,029 shares of Class A Common Stock. |
Schedule 3(r)(iv)
Existing Securities; Obligations
See “Description of Securities – Representative’s Warrants” and “Description of Securities – Placement Agent’s Warrants” in Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 2, 2024.
Schedule 3(s)
Indebtedness and Other Contracts
None.
Schedule 3(t)
Litigation
None.
Schedule 3(x)
Intellectual Property Rights
Trademarks
Ternary D
Options Swing
Schedule 3(pp)
Other Covered Persons
Boustead will receive placement agent compensation in connection with the offer and sale of the Preferred Shares.
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF COMPANY CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF LEGAL OPINION
EXHIBIT D
IRREVOCABLE TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS
EXHIBIT E
FORM OF BUYER CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT F
FORM OF BOARD RESOLUTION
