Form of Lock-up Agreement

EX-10.3 4 tm2430721d1_ex10-3.htm EXHIBIT 10.3

 

Exhibit 10.3

 

LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

                      , 2024

 

Re:           Archer Aviation Inc. --- Private Placement of Class A Common Stock

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned is an owner of shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”) and/or shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class B Common Stock” and, together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock”), of Archer Aviation Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), or of securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock. The Company is contemplating a proposed private placement (the “Private Placement”) of shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to those certain Subscription Agreements, dated [·], 2024, by and among the Company and the investors identified therein (the “Investors” and such subscription agreements, the “Subscription Agreements”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Subscription Agreement. For purposes of clarity, the term “Investors” shall not include Stellantis N.V.

 

In consideration of the foregoing, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Company, the undersigned will not, and will not cause any direct or indirect affiliate to, during the period beginning on the date of this letter agreement (this “Letter Agreement”) and ending at the close of business on the later of (x) 60 days after the date hereof and (y) 30 days following the effective date of the registration statement registering the securities issued and sold in the Private Placement (such period, the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) (collectively with the Common Stock, the “Lock-Up Securities”), (2) enter into any hedging, swap or other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Lock-Up Securities or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.

 

The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned or any of its affiliates from engaging in any hedging or other transactions or arrangements (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition or transfer (whether by the undersigned or any other person) of any economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise. The undersigned further confirms that it has furnished the Company with the details of any transaction the undersigned, or any of its affiliates, is a party to as of the date hereof, which transaction would have been restricted by this Letter Agreement if it had been entered into by the undersigned during the Restricted Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may:

 

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(a)transfer or dispose of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities:

 

(i)as a bona fide gift or gifts, or for bona fide estate planning purposes,

 

(ii)by will or intestacy,

 

(iii)to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, or if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustor or beneficiary of the trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust (for purposes of this Letter Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, current or former marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin),

 

(iv)to a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which the undersigned and/or one or more of the immediate family members of the undersigned are, directly or indirectly, the legal and beneficial owner of all of the outstanding equity securities or similar interests,

 

(v)to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (i) through (iv) above,

 

(vi)if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by or under common control with the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where the undersigned is a partnership, to its general partner or a successor partnership or fund, or any other funds managed by such partnership), or (B) as part of a distribution or other transfer or distribution to general or limited partners, to members or shareholders of, or other holders of equity interests in, the undersigned,

 

(vii)by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree or separation agreement,

 

(viii)to the Company from an employee of the Company upon death, disability or termination of employment, in each case, of such employee,

 

(ix)to the Company in connection with the vesting, settlement, or exercise of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock (including, in each case, by way of “net” or “cashless” exercise), including for the payment of exercise price and tax and remittance payments due as a result of the vesting, settlement, or exercise of such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights, provided that any such shares of Common Stock received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement shall be subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement, and provided further that any such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights are held by the undersigned pursuant to an agreement or equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, each such agreement or plan which is described in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-260121), filed with the Commission on October 17, 2021 (the “Registration Agreement”),

 

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(x)pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and made to all holders of the Company’s capital stock involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company (for purposes hereof, “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons, of shares of capital stock if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity)); provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction is not completed, the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the provisions of this Letter Agreement,

 

(xi)pursuant to any trading plan that is established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and that is in effect as of the date of this Letter Agreement, or

 

(xii)as a sale or sales into the open market to raise funds for the payment of tax and remittance payments due as a result of the vesting or settlement of restricted stock units issued prior to the date of this Letter Agreement;

 

provided that (A) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii), such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value and each donee, devisee, transferee or distributee shall execute and deliver to the Company a lock-up letter in the form of this Letter Agreement, (B) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi), no filing by any party (donor, donee, devisee, transferor, transferee, distributer or distributee) under the Exchange Act, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than (i) a filing on a Form 5 or any required Schedule 13F, Schedule 13G or Schedule 13G/A, in each case made after the expiration of the Restricted Period referred to above or (ii) a filing in the case of a transfer pursuant to clause (a)(i) required pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, provided any such filing shall state that such transfer is a bona fide gift and that such shares remain subject to the restrictions set forth herein), and (C) in the case of any transfer, disposition or distribution pursuant to clause (a)(vii), (viii), (ix) and (xii), it shall be a condition to such transfer that no public filing, report or announcement shall be voluntarily made and if any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or other public filing, report or announcement reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock in connection with such transfer or distribution shall be legally required during the Restricted Period, such filing, report or announcement shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto the nature and conditions of such transfer and (D) in the case of any transfer or disposition pursuant to clause (xi), any related filing under the Exchange Act, or other public announcement (whether voluntarily or otherwise), made during the Restricted Period shall clearly state that such transfer or disposition was made pursuant to a previously established trading plan meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act;

 

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(b)exercise outstanding options, settle restricted stock units, or other equity awards or exercise warrants pursuant to plans or other equity compensation arrangements described in the Registration Statement; provided that any Lock-Up Securities received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement shall be subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement; and

 

(c)establish trading plans pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Lock-Up Securities; provided that (1) such plans do not provide for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities during the Restricted Period and (2) no filing by any party under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be made voluntarily in connection with such trading plan.

 

If the undersigned is not a natural person, the undersigned represents and warrants that no single natural person, entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the common equity interests, or 50% or more of the voting power, in the undersigned.

 

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

The undersigned understands that, if the Subscription Agreements do not become effective by [·], 2024 or if the Subscription Agreements (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Investors are entering into the Subscription Agreements and proceeding with the Private Placement in reliance upon this Letter Agreement. This Letter Agreement may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com or www.echosign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

 

This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  [NAME OF STOCKHOLDER]
   
  By: /s/
    Name:
    Title:

 

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